JP2000262980A - Sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the efficiency of sorting work of packets boxes and envelopes to which postal code numbers, etc., are put. SOLUTION: The sorting apparatus comprises a supply section 2 for supplying assorting objects 1, a transporting section 3 for individually handing over the supplied objects to be sorted 1 to carriers 4 and a controller 6 for controlling the objects to be sorted 1 housed in the carriers 4 so as to house the same in corresponding housing boxes 8 in accordance with the sorting information. Cam members 76 of a moving mechanism 7 are provided with spiral groove parts having portions B of a small pitch P. The transporting section 3 is so constituted as to hand over the sorting objects to be sorted 1 to the moving carriers 4 guided to the grooves 7 in these portions B. As a result, the transporting section 3 is capable of handing over the objects to be sorted 1 to the low-speed moving carriers without specifically lowering the rotating speed of the cam members 76. The improvement in the hand-over efficiency of the objects to be sorted 1 and the higher speed of the assorting work may be embodied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention automatically sorts, for example, packaging boxes or envelopes containing items to be delivered based on sorting information such as the postal code of the delivery destination attached to the packaging boxes or envelopes. To an improvement of a sorting device for performing the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Sorting operations using machines such as packaging boxes and envelopes are often seen not only in the general public, such as mail and home delivery, but also in logistics and manufacturing sites within a company. it can. As the sorting information necessary for the sorting operation, there is a kind of information such as a postal code which is displayed by a numeral, and a kind such as a bar code or a character.

[0003] However, in the case of home delivery, etc., a relatively wide variety of sizes and shapes or relatively heavy delivery items are actually handled. However, provided sorting information is read, and the read information is added to the read information. When an article can be automatically sorted on the basis of this, the shape, size, and weight are naturally restricted. Therefore, the sorting device performs sorting work on sorted objects having various shapes, sizes and weights satisfying preset ranges in size, shape and weight.

[0004] A conventional sorting apparatus is schematically configured as shown in FIG. That is, first, a large number of assorted items 1 mounted on the supply unit 2 composed of a belt conveyor are supplied to the transport unit 3 by the operator's hand. It should be noted that sorting information such as a postal code is assigned to each of the sorted items 1 on the supply unit 2, and the assigned surface is mounted on the transport unit 3 so as to be on the front side.

[0005] The transport section 3 includes a so-called ring-shaped suction belt 31 having a large number of suction holes formed on the surface thereof and a vacuum chamber (not shown) disposed behind the suction section. 1 while sequentially sucking
Box-shaped carrier 4 for storing sorting items by driving
Conveyed toward. In order to smoothly receive the sorted items 1 from the supply unit 2 to the suction belt 31 and send out the sorted items 1 from the suction belt 31 to the carrier 4, the transport unit 3 includes a first and a second sorting unit before and after the suction belt 31. First and second transport assist mechanisms 33 and 34 are arranged.

The first transport assist mechanism 33 periodically reciprocates in the X direction in the figure in synchronization with the timing at which the sorted items 1 are sent from the supply unit 2, and sucks the sorted items 1 one by one to suction belt. The second transfer assist mechanism 34 transfers the suction belt 3 to the suction belt 3 as shown in the plan view of FIG.
The sorting unit 1 is configured to send the sorting unit 1 to the carrier 4 moving in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transfer direction of the sorting unit 1 from the sorting unit 1 with good timing.

That is, in FIG. 7, the second transport assist mechanism 34 is configured such that a bogie 34b is driven by a cylinder mechanism or the like (not shown) to reciprocate at a variable speed in a direction indicated by an arrow y on a pair of laid rails 34a. It is configured to be. The carriage 34b temporarily stops almost at the left end position in the drawing, receives the sorting material 1 from the suction belt 31, immediately thereafter increases the speed, and substantially synchronizes with the moving speed of the carrier 4 at the position indicated by the right broken line in the drawing. In this state, the sorted material 1 is sent out to the receiving opening 4 a of the carrier 4.

Accordingly, on a carriage 34b that reciprocates repeatedly in the y direction on the pair of rails 34a, the pair of transport belts 34c continuously circulates by driving the motor 34d and sorts the belts received from the suction belt 31. The object 1 is transported in the direction of the carrier 4.

As shown in FIG. 6, sorting information such as a postal code attached to the sorted product 1 is read by the reader 5 and supplied to the controller 6 during the transportation of the transporting unit 3. In addition, a plurality of storage boxes 8 are arranged below the movement trajectory of the carrier 4 in accordance with the sorting division of the sorted items 1.

The carrier 4 accommodating the sorting material 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, the carrier 4 is fixed to a ring-shaped chain 72 wound around a pair of sprockets 71 of the loop moving mechanism 7 and is driven to rotate by the motor 73, and at the same time, the carrier 4 is enlarged in FIG. As shown, the roller 4c is connected to the openable and closable bottom plate 4b, and the roller 4c moves while being guided by the pair of guide rails 74. During that time, the sorted items 1 are stored in the carrier 4. Transported.

Therefore, the guide rail 74 at a position corresponding to each of the storage boxes 8 is provided with an openable and closable swing bridge 74a to which a rotary solenoid 75 controlled by the controller 6 is connected.

The controller 6 controls the corresponding rotary solenoid 75 based on the sorting information from the reader 5 to open the oscillating bridge 74a, so that the roller 4c passing therethrough comes off. As a result, the bottom plate 4b of the carrier 4
Is opened, and the discharged sorted items 1 are stored in the lower storage box 8, so that sorting based on the sorting information is performed.

Although FIG. 8 mainly shows the structure of the swinging bridge 74a on the near side of the drawing, the opposite side (the other side of the drawing) has the same structure.
b is the guide introduction provided on the guide rail 74 near the end position where the carrier 4 makes a round along the guide rail 74, that is, before the carrier 4 makes one round of the closed loop and returns to the original position of the transport unit 3. The roller 4c rides on the guide rail 74 again by the cam 74b, the bottom plate 4b is closed, and the receiving and storing of the sorted items 1 are performed again.

The controller 6 receives not only sorting information from the reader 5 but also supply of rotation angle information of each motor and the like in the supply unit 2, the transport unit 3, and the loop moving mechanism 7 (not shown). The entire sorting apparatus is configured to perform unified control.

[0015]

As described above, the second transport assisting mechanism in the transport unit is provided for sorting the cart when the cart reciprocates in the moving direction of the carrier and the cart is positioned at the left end. Is received from the suction belt, and the sorted material is sent to the carrier in the process of moving from this position to the rightward moving end.

As described above, the second transport assist mechanism receives the sorted material at a position near the stop position at the leftward moving end, and sends out the sorted material to the carrier when the speed approaches the moving speed of the carrier. In order to increase the sorting speed, it is necessary to increase the moving speed of the carrier and also increase the acceleration of the reciprocating bogie.

However, in the reciprocating movement of the second transport assisting mechanism at a short distance, the higher the speed, the lower the accuracy of the transfer of the sorted material. Improvement was requested without being connected.

[0018]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. A plurality of carriers formed so as to receive and store the items individually, and to discharge the stored sorted items as necessary, and a moving mechanism for conveying and moving the carrier;
A plurality of storage boxes arranged along the movement trajectory of the carrier by the moving mechanism and arranged corresponding to the sorting sections of the sorted items, and sorting information respectively assigned to the plurality of sorted items. And a control unit for controlling the carrier so as to store the sorted material in the corresponding storage box, wherein the carrier has a projection on an outer peripheral surface, and the moving mechanism is configured to move in the axial direction. A rod-shaped cam member which is formed on the outer peripheral surface in a spiral shape and has a groove which is fitted on the distal end of the protrusion and has a different pitch depending on the position in the longitudinal direction while rotating around the central axis of the cam as a rotation axis. A guide portion for guiding the carrier linearly in the axial direction while engaging the protrusion of the carrier with the groove portion.

As described above, according to the sorting apparatus of the present invention, the carrier moves while engaging with the spiral groove having a different pitch depending on the position of the cam member. A large moving speed can be obtained at a position where is large.

That is, even if the moving speed of the carrier is increased to increase the sorting speed as a whole, the transporting unit can send out the sorted material to the carrier having a lower speed than the other carriers at the position of the cam member having a small pitch. Since it is sufficient, the sorted material can be efficiently and accurately delivered to the carrier side.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. The same components as those of the conventional sorting apparatus shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a sorting device according to the present invention.
The sorting material 1 mounted on the upper side is supplied to the transport unit 3 as in the conventional case.

The transport section 3 includes a ring-shaped suction belt 3 having first and second transport assist mechanisms 33 and 34 disposed in front and behind.
1 and transports the sorted materials 1 supplied from the supply unit 2 to the box-shaped carrier 4 while sequentially adsorbing them.

The second transport assist mechanism 34 in this embodiment includes a transport belt 3 as shown in FIG.
4c is located between the suction belt 31 and the carrier 4 and transports the sorted material 1 while supporting the support shaft 34c near the suction belt 31.
The swing plate 34e on which the transport belt 34c is mounted is configured to swing about the fulcrum.
4f and the drive unit 34g.

More specifically, the detailed structure and operation of the second transport assist mechanism 34 will be described.
h, the conveyor belt 34 placed on the rocking plate 34e
“c” conveys in the direction of the arrow Z with the guide 34h while sucking the sorted material 1 by the vacuum chamber 34cb.

The cam mechanism 34f includes a groove cam 34fa.
And a swing lever 34 that meshes with the groove cam 34fa and swings about a support shaft 34fb as a fulcrum by rotation of the groove cam 34fa.
fc, the free end of the swing lever 24fc and the swing plate 34.
e and a connecting bar 34fd for connecting the first and second e.

The driving unit 34g stretches the belt 34ga between the groove cam 34fa and the support shaft 34ca of the transport belt 34c, and drives the groove cam 34fa and the transport belt 34 by a drive motor (not shown) via the belt 34ga.
c to rotate the support shaft 34ca.
Moves about a distance corresponding to several carriers 4 with the support shaft 34ca as a fulcrum, and swings back and forth so that synchronization with the moving speed of the carrier 4 is obtained.

As described above, the second transport assist mechanism 34 guides the sorted product 1 to the guide 34h while the transport belt 34c rotates.
And the picked-up sorted material 1 is conveyed and moved in the direction of the swinging end of the conveyor belt 34c, and is sorted at a timing when the swinging speed is substantially equal to the moving speed of the carrier 4. Carrier 4 facing object 1
Into the opening 4a.

The swinging plate 34e after the sorting material 1 has been delivered to the carrier 4 is returned in the opposite direction by the continuous rotation of the groove cam 34fa.
The support shaft 34ca of 4c is located to face the suction belt 31, and as shown in FIG. 2, the following sorted product 1 has already been delivered from the suction belt 31 to the transport belt 34c.

As described above, the swinging operation of the transport belt 34c about the support shaft 34ca opposed to the suction belt 31 causes the next sorted product 1 to be received from the suction belt 31 even during the operation of transferring the sorted product 1 to the carrier 4. Therefore, it is possible to cause the transporting unit 3 to efficiently transport the sorted items 1 to the carrier 4.

Although the second transport assist mechanism 34 uses one transport belt 34c, one transport belt is constituted by two pairs of transport belts as in FIG. 7, and further another pair of transport belts is provided. May be connected to the carrier 4 side so that the transport mechanism on the carrier 4 side is always oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to the moving direction of the carrier 4 by a link mechanism. With such a configuration, the opening 4 of the carrier 4 is always
a through the transport belt on the side moving opposite to the carrier 4
The delivery of the sorted material 1 to the printer can be performed more smoothly.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a loop moving mechanism (moving mechanism) 7 for carrying and moving the carrier 4 containing the sorting material 1 is provided with a pair of rod-shaped cam members 76, 76 and the moving of the carrier 4. It comprises a support mechanism 78 described later forming a closed loop along the trajectory, a drive motor 73 for rotating the pair of cam members 76 in directions facing each other, and the like.

Therefore, the pair of cam members 76, 76 are shown in FIG. 3 (a) as an enlarged plane of a main part thereof, FIG. 3 (b) as an end side surface, and FIG. A- of (a)
As shown in the partial cross-section of the line A, the end portions are formed so as to be connectable in the length direction as necessary.
And a groove 76a is formed in a spiral shape on the outer peripheral surface, and the groove 76a has a protrusion 4d provided on one outer surface of the carrier 4. It is configured to fit to the tip.

The groove 76a formed in a spiral shape is
As shown in FIG. 3A, an area B having a small pitch P is formed at a part of the position in the length direction of the cam member 76, and in this area B, the carrier 4 receives the sorted items 1 from the transport unit 3. It is configured as follows.

Therefore, the cam member 76 rotates the shaft by the drive motor 73, and the rotational force of the drive motor 73 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cam member 76 via the timing belt 73a and the gear mechanism 73b. The spur gear 76b is driven.

Although not omitted in FIG. 1,
In the longitudinal direction of the cam member 76, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, supporting mechanisms 78 for supporting the rotating cam member 76 by bearings 78b are arranged at a plurality of locations with an interval therebetween. Has a pair of sill-shaped guides 7
8a is fixed as shown. Note that the sill-shaped guide portion 78a is also fixedly arranged along a semicircular curved portion in the movement locus of the carrier 4 along the curved line.

In the guide portion 78a, the rollers 4e projecting from the upper and lower side surfaces of the carrier 4 are guided by the guide portion 78a to rotate and move. As shown by an arrow C in FIG. The cam member 76 and the carrier 4 receiving the rotational driving force of 73 rotate or move, respectively. Therefore, the sorted items 1 stored in the carrier 4
Are sorted by the control of the controller 6 into the storage boxes 8 arranged below the moving carrier 4 as in the related art.

Further, in this embodiment, as described above, the sill-shaped guide portion 78a is also fixedly disposed on the curved portion, so that a closed loop is formed similarly to the conventional loop moving mechanism 7, and the carrier is formed. 4 can go around. However, since the carrier 4 that moves while being supported by the guide portion 78a disposed on the curved portion does not directly receive the driving force of the driving motor 73, the carrier 4 sequentially moves while being pushed by the carrier 4 that moves the cam member 76.

In the above-described embodiment, the second transport assisting mechanism 34 has been described as supplying the sorted material 1 to the carrier 4 by swinging operation. However, as a matter of course, as in the conventional configuration shown in FIG. Alternatively, the transfer belt may be placed on a carriage that moves in the moving direction of the carrier 4 so as to reciprocate to transfer the sorted products 1.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the sorted articles 1 to be conveyed are read by the reader 5, but instead of reading the sorting information displayed on the sorted articles 1, for example, a known envelope creating apparatus may be used. It is also possible to read and use print information obtained directly from a printer, a postal code printer, a bar code printer, or the like.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the opening 4a of the carrier 4 is provided on the side surface of the carrier 4 as the receiving port for the sorting material 1 conveyed by the carrier 4, but the opening 4a is provided on the upper lid side. May be used, sorting 1
Without discharging the bottom plate 4b of the carrier 4 to discharge the material into the storage box 8, for example, a take-out device such as a pusher device is provided for each carrier 4, and the carrier 4 reaches a position where the inside sorted material 1 should be discharged. The unloading device may be operated at a timing to take out the sorted product 1 to the outside and store it in the corresponding storage box 8.

As described above, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the pitch of the spiral groove 76a formed in the cam member 76 is configured to be small at the position of the conveying section 3, and the carrier passing through this section is formed. Since the moving speed of the carrier 4 can be greatly reduced,
The delivery of the sorted items 1 to the sorting operation becomes easy and reliable, and the efficiency and speed of the sorting operation can be improved as a whole.

[0043]

As described above, according to the sorting apparatus of the present invention, the carrier is moved by the cam member in which the grooves having different pitches are formed in a spiral shape, so that the sorted material can be efficiently transferred to the carrier. Thus, the sorting operation can be speeded up.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a sorting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second transport assist mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG.

3 (a) is an enlarged plan view showing a main part of a loop moving mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (b) is an end view of a cam member shown in FIG. 3 (a).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of a main part of the loop moving mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an upper part of a main part of the loop moving mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional sorting device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a second transport assist mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG.

8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a carrier mounting structure of the device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 Sorted product 2 Supply unit 21 Supply plate 3 Transport unit 31 Suction belt 33 First transport assist mechanism 34 Second transport assist mechanism 34c Transport belt 4 Carrier 4d Projection 4e Roller 5 Reader 6 Controller 7 Loop moving mechanism ( (Moving mechanism) 73 Drive motor 76 Cam member 76a Groove 78 Supporting mechanism 8 Storage box

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transport section for transporting sorted articles and sending them one by one, receiving and storing the sorted articles sent out from the transport section individually, and discharging the stored sorted articles as necessary. A plurality of carriers, a moving mechanism for transporting and moving the carrier, and a plurality of storages arranged along the movement locus of the carrier by the moving mechanism and arranged respectively corresponding to the sorting section of the sorted material. A sorting device, comprising: a box; and a control unit that controls the carrier so as to store the sorted items in the corresponding storage box based on the sorting information respectively assigned to the plurality of sorted items. The moving mechanism rotates around a central axis in the axial direction as a rotation axis, and is fitted to a tip end of the protrusion to adjust a position in a longitudinal direction. A rod-shaped cam member having grooves formed on the outer peripheral surface in a spiral shape with different grooves, and guiding the carrier linearly in the axial direction while engaging the protrusions of the carrier in the grooves of the cam member. A sorting device comprising: 2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport section is arranged so as to send out the sorted items to the carrier at a position where the pitch is smaller.