JP2000103417A - Method and device for unit quantity separate feeding of product - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reliability for a separate feeding of each unit quantity without accompanying the reduction of the workability. SOLUTION: Products 15 which are dropped and fed in order from a feeding machine 12 are counted by a counting sensor 16, and when the counting sensor counts a unit quantity which is set in advance, the passing of the products 15 is stopped by a shutter plate 26 which is arranged on the rear stage of the counting sensor. Then, by storing the products 15 for one time by the shutter plate 26, a previous unit quantity is separately fed from a next unit quantity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention counts products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined feeder by a counting sensor, and separates and supplies the products to corresponding receiving members in predetermined unit quantities. The present invention relates to a unit quantity separation supply method for a product and a unit quantity separation supply apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, relatively small products such as various electronic parts are usually stored and stored in bulk, divided into predetermined unit quantities, and conveyed or packaged in the next step. Often. In this case, the products stacked in a bulk are usually aligned and supplied by a feeder called a feeder (which is often referred to as a component feeder because small components are generally targeted), and a separation feeder arranged at a subsequent stage Thus, counting of unit quantities and separation and supply of a predetermined receiving member, for example, a tray placed on a belt conveyor or the like, or various packaging materials in unit quantities are performed.

A so-called vibratory bowl feeder is generally known as a feeder. The vibratory bowl feeder is formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the bowl serving as a storage tank for the products stacked in bulk, having a spiral track serving as a product transfer path,
Conveyance path (spiral orbit) due to the circumferential vibration of the bowl
This vibratory bowl feeder is configured such that the products go uphill while the products are arranged in one row or the like.

[0004] Products falling sequentially from the conveying path terminal of the vibrating bowl feeder are counted, and the product is separated and supplied to the receiving member in units of unit quantity by conveying the receiving member each time the unit quantity is counted. The unit-separation and supply device is configured and arranged.

[0005]

In a general unit quantity separating and supplying apparatus, a predetermined signal is issued when the counted amount of a product reaches a unit quantity, and the receiving member is moved based on this signal. For example, product transfer in unit quantity,
I have got packaging etc.

However, the known unit quantity separating / supplying device only counts the product supply quantity and issues a predetermined signal or the like when the product quantity reaches the unit quantity. In some cases, products after the unit quantity count may be mixed into the unit quantity class before that. In this case, usually, the fact is notified by an alarm or the like, and the transfer means of the receiving member is temporarily stopped. The supply is modified. However, it is necessary to temporarily stop the feeder, the belt conveyor for transferring the receiving member, and the like, and a removal operation by an operator is required. Therefore, a decrease in workability and a complicated operation can be avoided. Absent.

Here, when the counting by the counting sensor reaches, for example, several units before the unit quantity, the supply speed at the feeder is reduced to increase the certainty of the counting of the unit quantity,
Clarifying the division between the preceding unit quantity and the next unit quantity in this way is cited as one of the measures for oversupply of products. However, by reducing the supply speed of the feeder, the overall work speed is reduced, and the effects of the product shape and drop conditions cannot be ignored. Is inevitable.

Further, when the counting sensor counts the unit quantity, the product is stored on the spot by a shutter member or the like disposed at the terminal of the feeder of the feeder, and the stored product is transferred to the next unit quantity section. A configuration for reliably separating the products after the unit quantity counting from the preceding unit quantity classification by the above is considered as another method of countermeasures for excessive supply of products. However, in such a configuration, the supply of the preceding unit quantity and the supply of the next unit quantity can be surely separated, but at the start of the counting of the next unit quantity, a plurality of products stored by the shutter member operate the counting sensor. There is a possibility that the accuracy of the counting will be reduced because they are going to pass at once.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit quantity separation supply method and a unit quantity separation supply apparatus for a product, which improve the reliability of separation supply per unit quantity without lowering workability.

[0010]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of separating and supplying a product, comprising:
The products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined supply machine are counted by a counting sensor, and when the counting sensor has counted a predetermined unit quantity set in advance, the product is sent out by the operation of shutter means disposed at a stage subsequent to the counting sensor. By blocking the passage of the product on the road, the product dropped and supplied from the supply device after the unit quantity count is temporarily stored by the shutter means. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time, by returning the shutter means to the initial position to ensure the passage of the product again,
Separate supply of previous unit quantity from next unit quantity.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a unit quantity separating / supplying apparatus 10 according to the present invention is provided with a counting sensor 16 capable of counting the number of products 15 sequentially falling from a conveying path terminal 14a of a feeding unit 12 each time the product 15 passes. It has. Then, the product 15 from the feeder 12 is transferred to a corresponding receiving member, for example, a belt conveyor 18.
The unit-quantity separating / supplying device 10 is formed as a so-called chute that can be sent out to the tray 20 or the like placed on a conveying means such as.

A so-called vibratory bowl feeder is generally used as a feeder (also referred to as a feeder and often referred to as a parts feeder (parts feeder) because small parts are generally targeted). . The feeder (vibrating bowl feeder) 12 is known, and the feeder itself is not the purpose of the present invention.
The vibratory bowl feeder is provided with a substantially bottomed cylindrical bowl 22 serving as a storage tank for bulk piled products 15 so as to be able to vibrate, and has a spiral track 14 serving as a product transfer path on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the bowl. It is formed. Then, the product 15 is advanced (uphill) while being aligned in a single row or the like on the transport path (spiral track) 14 by the vibration of the bowl 22 in the circumferential direction, and the product 15 is dropped under the transport path terminal 14a. The vibratory bowl feeder, that is, the feeder 12, is configured so as to be able to feed the unit quantity separation feeder 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the unit quantity separating / supplying apparatus 10, a counting sensor 16 is disposed, for example, at an upper end receptacle 10a.

As the counting sensor 16, for example, a light emitting unit,
A so-called light switch (photoelectric switch) integrated with the light receiving unit can be used. The counting sensor 16 serving as a light switch is configured to detect the presence or absence of reflection of light from the reflecting mirror at the opposing position, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the falling supply of the product 15. By outputting to the circuit, it is possible to count the number of products dropped and supplied.

As the light switch serving as the counting sensor 16, a known switch, particularly a commercially available one, can be used. Since the configuration of the light switch itself is not the purpose of the present invention, a detailed description is omitted here.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, in the unit-quantity separating / supplying apparatus 10 according to the present invention, a predetermined shutter means 26 is provided downstream of the counting sensor 16, for example, on the delivery path, that is, in the unit-quantity separating unit. It is arranged inside a chute (delivery cylinder) 10b which forms a part of the supply device.

As the shutter means 26, for example,
A rotatable shutter plate in which an intermediate point in the vertical direction is pivotally supported in the plane direction can be used. The shutter plate (shutter means) 26 can abut the upper end 26a and the lower end 26b on the delivery path, that is, on the same surface of the chute 10b (the left surface in the figure in this embodiment) under its rotation. And the lower end thereof abuts against the inner surface of the chute to prevent the product 15 from passing through the shutter plate (see the dashed line in FIG. 1).

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, in the present invention, the contact position of the upper end 26a with the chute 10b is
This is set as the initial position of the shutter plate 26 in the unit quantity separation supply device 10.

For example, a so-called rotary solenoid (not shown) capable of applying a driving force in a rotating direction is provided.
The shutter plate 26 is provided as a drive source. The rotary solenoid is connected to the same control circuit as the counting sensor 16 and, based on a signal when the counting sensor counts a preset unit quantity, the shutter plate 26
Can be turned and switched from the initial position, that is, the upper end contact position (solid line in FIG. 1) that guarantees the passage of the product 15, to the operating position, that is, the lower end contact position that prevents passage of the product (the dashed line in FIG. 1). In addition, the present invention is constituted.

As shown by the solid line in FIG.
In other words, before counting the unit quantity, since the shutter plate 26 is held at the initial position (the upper end contact position), it passes through the non-contact side of the chute (delivery path) 10b and the product 15
Is sent out and supplied to the tray (receiving member) 20 from the outlet 10c. Then, when the counting sensor 16 counts the unit quantity and a signal to that effect is output to the control circuit, the shutter plate 26
From the initial position shown by the solid line, to the operating position shown by the dashed line, i.e., the lower end contact position, the shutter plate closes the passage of the product 15 to prevent the product from being sent out. Will be stored.

As described above, in the unit quantity separating and supplying method of the present invention, when the unit quantity is counted, the shutter plate 26 at the subsequent stage of the counting sensor 16 is operated, and the shutter plate is dropped and supplied after the unit quantity. Product 15 has been blocked. And the product that was blocked
15 is temporarily stored in this blocking position, so that the product can be prevented from being mixed into the preceding unit quantity section from the next unit quantity section.

The shutter plate 26 is forcibly returned from the operating position to the initial position after a lapse of a predetermined time, for example. The predetermined time is usually set as a time required for transporting a receiving member such as the tray 20.

When the shutter plate 26 is returned to the initial position,
The product 15 stored in the operating position is first released and delivered. Then, by returning the shutter plate 26 to the initial position, the passage of the product on the non-contact side of the chute 10b is again ensured, and the supply of the next unit quantity section is performed under this passage.

As described above, according to the method of separating and supplying the unit quantity of the product of the present invention, since the product 15 is temporarily stored by the shutter plate 26 arranged at the subsequent stage of the counting sensor 16, only one product passes through the counting sensor. One by one. That is, even after the unit quantity counting, the counting sensor 16 only needs to count the single product 15, so that the counting accuracy is not impaired. Further, since it is not necessary to reduce the falling speed of the product 15 from the supply device 12, it is possible to easily separate the unit quantity accurately without lowering the workability.

Further, the unit quantity separating / supplying apparatus 10 of the present invention
According to the method, the above method can be appropriately performed, and reliable sorting for each unit quantity can be easily secured without lowering workability and complicating work.

Since the shutter plate 26, which prevents the passage of the product and stores the product by its operation, is sufficient to be provided at the subsequent stage of the counting sensor 16, the structure is not complicated.

Here, in the embodiment of the present invention, the rotatable shutter plate 26 is embodied as shutter means. However, this shutter plate may not be rotatable but may be provided, for example, so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction, and may serve as shutter means for preventing the product 15 from passing therethrough and storing it.

However, as in this embodiment,
If the shutter plate 26 is rotatable, high-speed movement between the initial position and the operating position can be obtained, so that the certainty of the unit quantity can be further improved.

Further, a rotary solenoid is exemplified as a drive source of the shutter plate 26.
The rotation control may be performed according to the situation, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, another unit such as a motor may be provided as a driving source.

Here, for example, the counting sensor 16 is
It is desirable that the number of products is counted after the passage of 15, that is, by sensing light from the blocking state.
According to such a configuration, the rear end of the product is a shutter plate.
Since the time required to pass through 26 can be set to be substantially constant regardless of the length of the product 15, it is possible to easily secure the unit quantity separation that does not require the size of the product.

In this embodiment, the counting sensor 16 is embodied as a light switch. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a magnetic sensor or an image processing type sensor using a CCD camera or the like may be used. May be used.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the unit-quantity separating / supplying apparatus 10 having one outlet is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a configuration having two outlets.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, in a unit quantity separating / supplying apparatus 110 in this alternative embodiment, a chute 110b is formed in a forked shape having two outlets, and a shutter means 126 is provided at a branch portion thereof. Are arranged.

As the shutter means 126, for example,
A rotatable shutter plate pivotally supported at the lower end 126b is available, and the rotation of the shutter plate causes the upper end 126a to contact one of the opposing surfaces of the chute 126b, so that the product 15
Is configured to be switchable to any one of the two outlets 110c (see a solid line and a dashed line in FIG. 2).

In this configuration, separate belt conveyors 18 are provided so as to be aligned with the two feeding ports, and trays 20 are placed on the respective belt conveyors 18.

In such a configuration, the counting sensor 16
Counts the unit quantity and the shutter plate (shutter means)
When the operation of 126, that is, the switching operation is performed, one of the outlets is closed by the shutter plate, so that the destination of the product is switched. That is, the tray 20 to which the product 15 is sent and supplied is reliably switched under the switching operation of the shutter plate 126, so that even in this configuration, the unit quantity of the product can be reliably classified.

As described above, since the product 15 is sent and supplied to two systems, a wide variety of operations can be secured.

In the embodiment of the present invention,
The destination of the product 15 can be switched by a rotary shutter plate 126. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which a partition plate protruding from a belt conveyor is used as a shutter plate, and as a shutter means, in units of space partitioned by the partition plate, a product in unit quantity is sent and supplied. Good.

In the embodiment of the present invention,
Although the feeder 12 is illustrated as a vibratory bowl feeder,
It is sufficient that the products 15 can be supplied in a line, and the present invention is not limited to this, and another supply device, for example, a linear vibration type supply device or the like may be used as the supply device. Further, the number of feeders is not limited to one by one, but may be two, for example, as long as it is a constant.

The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to explain the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way, and may be modified or modified within the technical scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that all are included in the present invention.

[0042]

As described above, according to the method of supplying and separating the unit quantity of the product according to the present invention, since the product is temporarily stored by the shutter means disposed after the counting sensor, the product passing through the counting sensor is one. It becomes one by one. Therefore, the accuracy of the counting is not lost. Further, since there is no need to reduce the falling speed of the product from the feeder, accurate separation for each unit quantity can be easily secured without lowering workability.

Further, according to the unit quantity separating / supplying apparatus of the present invention, the above method can be appropriately performed, and the reliable division of each unit quantity can be easily performed without reducing the workability and complicating the work. Can be secured.

Then, it is sufficient to provide a shutter means which can prevent the passage of the product by the operation and store the product after the counting sensor, so that the structure is not complicated.

Further, if the shutter means is a rotatable shutter plate, high-speed movement between the initial position and the operating position can be obtained, so that the certainty of the unit quantity can be further improved.

Furthermore, if the counting sensor is configured to count the number of products after passing the product, the time required for the rear terminal of the product to pass through the shutter means is substantially constant regardless of the length of the product. Therefore, the unit quantity separation without the need to limit the size of the product can be easily secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a unit-quantity separating and supplying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a unit-quantity separating and supplying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10,110 Unit quantity supply unit 12 Feeder 16 Counting sensor (light switch) 26,126 Shutter means

Claims (8)

[Claims] A shutter provided at a stage subsequent to the counting sensor when the counting sensor counts products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined feeding machine by the counting sensor, and counts a predetermined unit quantity set in advance. By blocking the passage of the product on the delivery path by the operation of the means,
The product dropped and supplied from the feeder after the unit quantity counting is temporarily stored by the shutter means, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the shutter means is returned to the initial position to ensure the passage of the product again, A unit quantity separation supply method for products that separate and supply the preceding unit quantity from the next unit quantity. 2. A shutter disposed at a stage subsequent to the counting sensor when the counting sensor counts products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined feeding machine by the counting sensor, and counts a predetermined unit quantity set in advance. The switching operation of the means is performed, and the destination of the product dropped and supplied from the supply machine after the unit quantity counting is immediately switched from one predetermined side to the other under the switching operation of the shutter means, so that the next unit is output. A unit quantity separation supply method for products that separates the preceding unit quantity from the quantity. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the quantity is counted after the product passes through the counting sensor. 4. A counting sensor for counting the number of products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined feeder by detecting the passage of the products, and the products are sent out through a sending path downstream of the counting sensor to send the products. In the unit quantity separating and supplying apparatus capable of separating and supplying the corresponding receiving members arranged in a unit quantity for each unit quantity, a predetermined shutter means can prevent the product from passing on the delivery path under the operation thereof. Disposed after the counting sensor, when the counting sensor has counted a predetermined unit quantity set in advance, the shutter means operates to prevent the product from passing on the delivery path. A unit-quantity separating / supplying apparatus characterized in that the dropped and supplied product can be temporarily stored in the shutter means. 5. The shutter means is a rotatable shutter plate which pivotally supports an intermediate point in a vertical direction in a plane direction, wherein the shutter plate has an upper end and a lower end of a delivery path under the rotation thereof. It is arranged so as to be able to contact the same surface, and the upper end contact position is set as the initial position of the shutter plate,
5. The unit-quantity separating / supplying device according to claim 4, wherein the lower end abutting position is set as an operating position for storing the product under passage inhibition. 6. A counting sensor for counting the number of products sequentially dropped and supplied from a predetermined feeder by detecting the passage of the products, and the product is sent out through a sending path downstream of the counting sensor to send out the product. In the unit quantity separating and supplying apparatus capable of separating and supplying the corresponding receiving members arranged in a unit quantity for each unit quantity, a predetermined shutter means is disposed on the delivery path, at a stage subsequent to the counting sensor, and is provided with a predetermined predetermined value. When the counting sensor counts the unit quantity, the destination of the product dropped and supplied from the supply machine after the unit quantity counting is changed from one of the two outlets to the other by the switching operation of the shutter means. A unit-quantity separating and feeding device, which can be switched immediately. 7. The shutter means is a rotatable shutter plate having a lower end pivotally supported in a planar direction, wherein the lower end of the shutter plate is disposed at a branch portion of two outlets in a delivery path. The upper end is disposed so as to be in contact with one of the opposing surfaces of the delivery path under the rotation thereof, and the rotation of the shutter plate switches the product delivery destination to one of the two. 7. The unit-quantity separating and supplying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus is enabled. 8. The unit-quantity separating and feeding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the counting sensor is configured to be able to count when the passing of the product is completed.