JP2002087586A - Article distribution method, and distribution device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate enlargement in a width direction and a length direction in relation to an article carrying direction in a conventional distribution device used for distributing lines of articles being carried in a vertical line into plural lines in their width direction. SOLUTION: In oscillating an oscillating guide 5 for regulating a carrying direction of articles W, guide length is simultaneously controlled to be expanded or contacted in such a direction as to change an oscillation radius to be synchronized with its oscillation angle and carrying speed. The device can therefore be formed compact both in the width direction and the length direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for distributing articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a process of transporting various articles handled as bottles, cans, or other single items, it may be necessary to branch a row of articles transported in a vertical state into a plurality of rows in the width direction. Conventionally, an article distribution device may be installed in such a location. Conventional goods sorting devices include:
7 (hereinafter referred to as "first conventional device") and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-77114 schematically shown in FIG.
(Hereinafter referred to as "second conventional apparatus").

[0003] The first conventional apparatus (FIG. 7) is provided with a swing fulcrum 100 on a conveying means of an article W (arrow V is the conveying direction).
The guide member 101 has a movable guide member 102 which is movable horizontally in the direction of expanding and contracting the swing radius of the guide member 101. I have. Therefore, the leading end of the movable guide member 102 is connected to the branch passage X.
_The movable guide member 102 swings at angles α ₁ and α ₂ from the state in which the movable guide member 102 is tilted toward the _{first direction,} and retreats at a constant speed with respect to a ₁ and a _2. article W are sequentially would be released into the branch passage X ₁ in.

Further, the movable guide when the front end portion of the member 102 is directed away from the branch passage X ₁ to the branch passage X _2, a predetermined number (second number article released to the branch passage X ₁ in the above operation
Article W of times) is to be released into the branch passage X _2.
When the release is completed, the introduction guide member 101
Swings the angles α ₂ and α ₁ in the opposite direction from the above, and the movable guide member 1
02 moves forward at a constant speed in the opposite direction to the above a ₂ and a _1, and during this time, a predetermined number of articles W are sequentially discharged from the distal end portion of the movable guide member 102 to the branch passage X ₁ . That is.

[0005] In this way, the article W is conveyed while being distributed to the branch passages X ₁ and X ₂ by the same number without being interrupted in the conveyance state. On the other hand, the second
The conventional device (FIG. 8) is configured such that the introduction guide member 2 is configured to be horizontally swingable about the swing fulcrum 200 on the conveying means of the article W.
01, a traverser 202 linearly moving in the width direction of the conveying means (a length perpendicular to the arrow V) on the tip side, and a conveying direction of the conveying means from the traverser 202 (see an arrow V)
And a movable guide member 203 which advances and retreats along.

Accordingly, the state where the top portion and the movable guide member 203 of the introduction guide member 201 is directed to the branch passage Y _1, introduction guide member 201 with the movement of the B ₁ and B ₂ by traverser 202 angle β ₁ and β ₂ , the movable guide member 203 simultaneously advances with b ₁ and b ₂ to continue holding the article W in the movable guide member 203 (the release is temporarily performed). Stay).
The introduction guide tip and the movable guide member 203 of the member 201 out directed into the branch passage Y _2, article W of a predetermined number from the movable guide member within 203 branch passage Y ₂
To be released to

At this time, the movable guide member 203 is retracted by b ₃ while the traverser 202 is stopped, and the next operation is refrained. Thereafter, the operations are repeated in substantially the same manner while the above operations are performed in reverse order. In this way, the articles W are distributed to the branch passages Y ₁ and Y ₂ by the same number without being interrupted in the transport state.
It will be transported.

[0008]

In [0006] the first conventional apparatus (FIG. 7), the branch passage when releasing the article W with respect to X _1, introduction guide the movable guide member 102 during the swing member 101 Since the structure is such that the article W is constantly discharged from the branch means, the branch passage X ₁ (that is, the branch path which is positioned farther to the side from the center in the width direction of the conveying means) has a width of the mouth for receiving the article W. It had to be formed widely. For this reason, it is inevitable that the branch passages X ₁ and X ₂ will result in different passage widths and mutual intervals in the width direction, and the entire apparatus including the transporting means is enlarged in the width direction. .

Further, in the wide branch passage X ₁ mouthing width requires the guide rails for gathering the articles W at the downstream side (not shown), the article W in contact with the guide rail
Could be scratched. The second conventional device (FIG. 8) includes an introduction guide member 201 and a traverser 20.
2, and the distance between the movable guide member 203 and the movable guide member 203 is required in a vertical line, and the size of the entire apparatus is increased in the length direction. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for distributing articles, which can reduce the size of the apparatus and have excellent work efficiency.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following measures. That is, according to the method for sorting articles according to the present invention, the swing guide, which can regulate the direction of conveyance of the articles while keeping the articles in a tandem state on the conveying means, is provided as necessary (predetermined). At the timing)
This is a method in which articles are sorted into a plurality of rows that are integral multiples of the original by swinging horizontally. As a specific control method,
When the swing guide is swung, the guide length is controlled in the direction in which the swing radius changes while synchronizing with the swing angle, or when the swing guide is swung, the original column of the article The guide length may be controlled to expand and contract in the direction in which the swing radius changes while synchronizing with the transport speed under the state.

The expansion and contraction control of the swing guide is executed so that the tip of the guide continues to match the branch path to which the product is to be distributed until the number of articles discharged from the swing guide reaches a predetermined number. And it is sufficient. By doing so, it is possible to sort the articles simultaneously while continuing the article transport state, and the work efficiency is improved. In the branch passages corresponding to both end positions of the swing range in the swing guide, it is sufficient to discharge twice as many articles as the number of articles discharged to the branch passages other than these branch passages.

In this way, the same number of articles can be discharged to all the branch passages. Further, the article sorting device according to the present invention is provided for a transport unit that transports the articles in a tandem state, and is for regulating the transport direction of the articles that can be horizontally swung on the transport unit. A swing guide is provided, and this swing guide is capable of expanding and contracting the swing radius simultaneously with the horizontal swing, and is capable of controlling the expansion and contraction of the swing radius in accordance with the horizontal swing. Has become.

As described above, unlike the conventional second device, it is apparent that a device equivalent to a traverser is not required, so that downsizing in the length direction can be achieved. The swing guide has a root-side guide part that performs horizontal swing about a swing fulcrum set on the transporting means, and a tip-side guide part that performs linear advance / retreat with respect to the root-side guide part. What should be done. An article sensor for detecting an article to be ejected is provided on the tip side of the tip side guide section. A detection signal of this article sensor is used as a drive control section for determining the amount of retreat and the direction of retreat of the tip side guide section. What is necessary is just to make the structure input.

The conveying means may have a plurality of article branch passages arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction at a downstream position directly connected to the swing guide. In particular, when the branch passages are arranged at equal intervals, it is apparent that the size can be reduced in the width direction unlike the conventional first device. In addition, since a guide rail is not required for packing the articles, there is no possibility that the guide rails cause damage to the articles.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Article distribution device 1 according to the present invention
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, is provided for the transporting means 2 for transporting the articles W in a tandem state, and is capable of horizontally swinging about the swing fulcrum 3 on the transporting means 2. The swing guide 5 is provided. A plurality of article branch passages 2A, 2B, and 2C are arranged in the transporting means 2 at a downstream position directly connected to the swing guide 5 at predetermined intervals in the width direction. In this embodiment, they are arranged at equal intervals.

The swing guide 5 can regulate the direction in which the article W is conveyed, and has a root guide section 6 and a tip guide section 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the root-side guide portion 6 and the tip-side guide portion 7 are provided as a pair of left and right sides so as to sandwich the article W from both sides. In the present embodiment, a structure is adopted in which the root-side guide portion 6 is sandwiched in the middle in the height direction, and the distal-side guide portions 7 are provided on both upper and lower sides thereof. Are simultaneously in contact with the article W.

The root-side guide portion 6 is fixed to the horizontal frame 10 and is held in a state in which it does not advance and retreat, whereas the distal-side guide portion 7 is held so as to be able to advance and retreat along the horizontal frame 10. The upper and lower sides are connected via a slider 11. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a winding drive unit 13 driven by a motor 12 is provided on the outer surface of the root-side guide unit 6 (the horizontal frame 10). A part of the endless belt 14 provided in the means 13 has the slider 14
Are connected.

Therefore, in the swing guide 5, the leading guide 7 is advanced toward the tip of the root guide 6 by the driving of the wrapping drive means 13,
It can be moved back and forth. On the other hand, the root side guide portion 6 is connected to the upper frame 1 via the suspension frame 17.
The upper frame 18 is provided with the swing fulcrum 3 serving as the swing guide 5 described above. The swing fulcrum 3 is located closer to the upstream end as the upper frame 18 in the transport direction of the article W, but on the other hand, the upper frame 1 in the transport direction is opposite.
Near the downstream end as 8, a swing drive means 20 is provided.

The oscillating means 20 is provided with a traveling part 22 movably along a guide rail 21 whose longitudinal direction is directed to the left and right.
The running portion 22 and the upper frame 18 are connected via a pivot 23 so as to be swingable. Accordingly, in the swing guide 5, the root side guide portion 6 is responsible for horizontal swing by the drive of the swing drive means 20. Although not shown, the portion of the upper frame 18 or the traveling portion 22 where the pivot portion 23 is provided includes an arc locus drawn at the swinging end of the upper frame 18 when the upper frame 18 swings, In order to maintain the connection state between the upper frame 18 and the traveling portion 22 between the linear trajectory drawn when the vehicle travels, a structure is provided to hold the pivot 23 movably along the article transport direction. ing.

To summarize the above, the swing guide 5 can be moved simultaneously with the horizontal swing around the swing fulcrum 3.
That is, expansion and contraction along the swing radius is possible. The tip side guide portion 7 of the swing guide 5 described above.
Is provided with an article sensor 30 for detecting the article W to be ejected at its tip side. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection signal of the article sensor 30 is input to a drive control unit 31 that determines the amount of advance and retreat of the distal guide unit 7, and the drive control unit 31 Hanging driving means 1
The movement amount of each of the third and swing drive means 20 can be controlled.

The transport speed of the article W is given to the drive control section 31 from the transport means 2 of the article W. Next, an article distribution method according to the present invention will be described based on the operation status of the distribution device 1 having such a configuration. The operation content is such that the articles W conveyed in tandem by the conveying means 2 are distributed by the distribution device 1 to the three branch passages 2A, 2B, and 2C by the same number.

Of these, initially, the central branch passage 2
B, three articles W are released, and then six articles W, which is a multiple of the above, are released toward the branch path 2B on the left (upper side in FIG. 1) in the transport direction. explain. First, as shown in FIG.
It is assumed that the number of articles W discharged from the center to the central branch passage 2B is detected by the article sensor 30, and three articles W are counted. At this time, it is assumed that the distal-side guide portion 7 is in the most retracted state.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), in the swing guide 5, the root side guide section 6 starts the horizontal swing a, and at the same time, the distal end side guide section 7 starts the advance movement b. At this time, the advance speed at the distal end side guide portion 7 is
Control is performed in consideration of the transport speed of the transport unit 2 and the swing speed of the root-side guide unit 6 so that the leading end moves in the same direction as the transport direction of the transport unit 2 at the same speed. That is, the article W (W ₁ ) that has reached the distal end of the distal-side guide portion 7 when the root-side guide portion 6 starts the horizontal swing a (when the distal-side guide portion 7 starts the advance motion b). Remains in this state without being released from the distal end portion of the distal-side guide portion 7.

[0024] As shown in FIG.
7 has a position where the tip portion matches the target branch passage 2A
Even if it is damaged, the article W
(W ₁) Is maintained. FIG. 1 (D)
As shown in the figure, the tip of the tip side guide portion 7 is targeted.
From the state of coincidence with the branch passage 2A, the root side guide portion 6
Continues the horizontal swing a as it is,
7 turns around and starts retreat c. this
When the retreat speed at the distal end side guide portion 7 is
The part moves in the same direction as the transport direction of the transport means 2 and at the same speed
The transport speed of the transport means 2 and the root side guide portion
6 is controlled in consideration of the swing speed.

That is, the root side guide part 6 is moved horizontally
Is continued, the distal end portion of the distal end side guide portion 7 is maintained in a state coinciding with the target branch passage 2A. Accordingly, in this situation, the discharge of the article W from the distal end portion of the distal guide portion 7 toward the branch passage 2A is started. In addition, although the distal end of the distal end side guide portion 7 gradually moves away from the branch passage 2A,
Since the matching state between the distal end portion and the branch passage 2A is maintained, no problem occurs.

As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the horizontal swing a of the root side guide portion 6 is based on the fact that the retreat c of the distal side guide portion 7 serves as the swinging guide 5 as shown in FIG. Continue until you return to the length state. However, if the number of articles W discharged into the branch passage 2A is less than a predetermined number (six) at the time when this state is achieved, the horizontal swing a of the root side guide portion 6 is also changed to the tip side. The retraction c of the guide portion 7 also temporarily stops. As shown in FIG. 2 (B), when the number of articles released from the distal end side guide portion 7 is counted by six based on the detection of the article sensor 30, as shown in FIG. At the same time as the section 6 starts the horizontal swing d in the opposite direction, the distal end guide section 7 starts the advance movement b again.

At this time, the distal end side guide portion 7 advances.
The speed is such that the tip is in the same direction as the transport direction of the transport means 2.
To move at the same speed,
And the swing speed of the root side guide portion 6 is controlled.
You. Therefore, the root side guide part 6 has started the horizontal swing d.
At the time (when the distal-side guide portion 7 starts the advance movement b)
The article W (W) that has reached the tip of the tip side guide portion 7 _Two)
Is released from the distal end of the distal guide portion 7 even in this state.
It remains without being held.

In this way, even if the tip of the distal guide 7 is positioned so as to match the target branch passage 2B, the article W (W ₂ ) is held by the distal of the distal guide 7. State has continued. Thereafter, the horizontal swing d of the root side guide portion 6 and the advancement motion b of the distal end side guide portion 7 are temporarily stopped, and the three articles W are discharged toward the branch passage 2B. Thereafter, the same operation as described above is repeated toward the branch passage 2C on the right (lower side in FIG. 1) in the transport direction.

Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the article W is not limited at all. Initially, the vertical state of the articles W is not limited to one row, and the number of branch passages to be sorted is not limited at all. In addition, the detailed structure and the like including the used member shape and the adopted mechanism of each part can be appropriately changed according to the embodiment.

[0030]

As is apparent from the above description, in the distribution method and the distribution device according to the present invention, the size of the device can be reduced both in the width direction and the length direction with respect to the article conveying direction. , And work efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation flow of a distribution device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an operation flow following FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a distribution device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line BB of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing a first conventional device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing a second conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distributing apparatus 2 Conveying means 2A Article branch passage 2B Article branch passage 2C Article branch passage 3 Swing fulcrum 5 Swinging guide 6 Root side guide part 7 Tip side guide part 30 Article sensor 31 Drive control part W Article

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A swinging guide (5) capable of regulating the conveying direction of an article (W) as necessary while keeping the article (W) in a tandem state on a conveying means (2). A method for sorting articles, wherein the articles (W) are sorted into a plurality of rows that are integral multiples of the original by swinging. 2. The swing control device according to claim 1, wherein when the swing guide is swung, the guide length is controlled in a direction in which a swing radius changes while synchronizing with the swing angle. Method of sorting goods. 3. When swinging the swing guide (5), the guide length is controlled to extend and contract in a direction in which the swing radius changes while synchronizing with the transport speed of the article (W) in the original tandem state. The method for sorting articles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. The telescopic control of the swing guide (5)
Until the number of articles (W) released from the swing guide (5) reaches a predetermined number, the guide is executed with the goal that the tip of the guide continues to match the branch path (2A) (2B) (2C) of the sorting destination. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein
A method for sorting the articles described. 5. The branch passages (2A) and (2C) corresponding to both ends of the swing range of the swing guide (5) are directed to branch passages (2B) other than the branch passages (2A) and (2C). Twice the number of articles to be released (W)
The method for sorting articles according to claim 1, wherein the article is discharged. 6. A distributing device provided for a conveying means (2) for conveying articles (W) in a tandem state, wherein said articles (W) are capable of horizontal swing on said conveying means (2). ), A swinging guide (5) for regulating the conveying direction is provided. The swinging guide (5) is capable of simultaneously expanding and contracting its swing radius simultaneously with its horizontal swing. An article distribution device, wherein expansion and contraction of a radius can be controlled in accordance with horizontal swing. 7. The swing guide (5) includes a root-side guide portion (6) for performing horizontal swing about a swing fulcrum (3) set on the transporting means (2). A tip side guide portion (7) for linearly moving forward and backward with respect to the root side guide portion (6), and detects an article (W) to be discharged at the tip side of the tip side guide portion (7). Article sensor (30)
And a detection signal from the article sensor (30) is input to a drive control unit (31) that determines the amount of movement and the direction of movement of the tip-side guide unit (7). Item 6. The article sorting device according to Item 6. 8. A plurality of article branch passages (2A, 2B, 2C) are arranged in the conveying means (2) at predetermined positions in the width direction at a downstream position directly connected to the swing guide (5). The article sorting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the article is sorted.