JP2002370820A - Conveying sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable stable classification work. SOLUTION: This conveying sorter 11 is provided with a plurality of moving conveying bodies 21 for conveying an article W along a conveying direction X under a mounted condition, while moving. Pushing members 23 of which the each pushing face 36 is formed in its side face are provided to be slidable along a direction crossed with the conveying direction X. The pushing face 36 of the one pushing member 23 and the other pushing face 36 of the other pushing member 23 adjacent to the conveying direction X are brought continuously into an overlapped condition in top view to form a continuous pushing face part 40. The pushing face part 40 pushes out the article W onto a sorting conveyer 12 located in a side way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a conveying and sorting device for performing a sorting operation by extrusion by an extruded body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a transport sorting apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 has been known.

[0003] This conventional transport sorting apparatus includes a transport means 1 such as a slat for transporting an article W in a transport direction X. A plurality of extruded bodies 3 such as a plurality of slide shoes each having an extruded surface 2 formed on a side surface thereof are provided on the transport means 1 so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction X. Then, the extruded body 3 moves, and the articles W being conveyed by the conveying means 1 are extruded and sorted by the extruded surface 2 of the extruded body 3.

[0004]

However, in the conventional conveying / sorting apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the adjacent extruded bodies 3 are arranged close to each other, but between the adjacent extruded bodies 3. Since the gap 4 exists, the article W may enter the gap 4 and rotate unintentionally, and a stable sorting operation may not be performed.

[0005] For example, when sorting the elongated articles W whose longitudinal direction coincides with the direction intersecting the transport direction X, depending on the timing of the start of extrusion by the extruded body 3, a part of the article W may be located between the adjacent extruded bodies 3. The article W
May involuntarily rotate, and a stable sorting operation may not be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a transport sorting apparatus capable of performing a stable sorting operation.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport sorting apparatus comprising: a transport unit configured to transport an article in a transport direction; and a transport unit provided in the transport unit so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction. And a plurality of extruded bodies having the same, and the extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other in the conveyance direction are continuous with each other in a plan view. And pushes the article out of the conveying means.

[0008] In this configuration, the extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the adjacent extruded bodies are in a continuous state in a plan view, and the article is extruded out of the conveying means. Therefore, the article does not enter between the adjacent extruded bodies, it is possible to prevent the article from rotating unintentionally, and it is possible to perform a stable sorting operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport sorter for transporting articles in a transport direction, and a plurality of extruded bodies provided on the transport means so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction and having an extrusion surface. Wherein the extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other in the transport direction are partially overlapped with each other in plan view. Is pushed out of the conveying means.

In this configuration, the extruded surface of one of the extruded bodies and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the adjacent extruded bodies are partially overlapped in a plan view, and the article is conveyed. Since the articles are pushed out, the articles do not enter between the adjacent extruded bodies, the articles can be prevented from rotating unintentionally, and a stable sorting operation can be performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport sorter, comprising: transport means for transporting articles in a transport direction; and a plurality of extruded bodies provided on the transport means so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction and having an extrusion surface. Comprising, at the rear end in the conveying direction of the extruded surface of one of the extruded bodies adjacent to the conveying direction, above and below the front end of the extruded surface in the conveying direction of the other extruded body. At least one of the wrap extrusion surfaces is formed.

In this configuration, one of the extruded bodies adjacent to the extruded body is provided at the rear end in the conveying direction on the extruded surface,
Since the wrap extrusion surface portion located at least one of above and below the front end of the extrusion surface of the other extrusion body in the transport direction is formed, the article does not enter between the adjacent extrusion bodies and the article is unintentionally turned. Movement can be prevented, and a stable sorting operation can be performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the transport sorting apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the transporting means comprises a plurality of moving means for transporting the article in the transport direction while being moved while moving. Each of the extruded bodies is slidably attached to each of the movable conveyance bodies.

In this configuration, since each extruded body is slidably attached to each movable carrier, articles can be extruded and sorted by sliding the extruded body with respect to the movable carrier.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction of an embodiment of the transport sorting apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a transport sorter, which is a slide shoe sorter for transporting an article W in a transport direction X and selecting the article W and sorting the selected article W to a side sorting conveyor 12. And so on.

The sorting conveyor 12 is a storage conveyor or the like having a storage unit capable of storing the articles W. For example, the sorting conveyor 12 projects from the transport sorting device 11 to the right side, which is one side of the transport sorting device 11. Are inclined and provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction X, for example, at an inclination angle of 30 °.

The transport sorter 11 is provided with a pair of elongated frames 13 which are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance.
It has.

A drive shaft 15 as a rotating body is rotatably bridged via a bearing 16 between one longitudinal end of the frames 13, that is, a front end which is a downstream end in the transport direction X. A driven shaft 17, which is a rotating body, is rotatably bridged via a bearing 18 between the other end in the longitudinal direction, that is, the rear end, which is the upstream end in the transport direction X. A pair of left and right endless chains 19, which are separated and opposed to each other, are wound around the pair of front and rear drive shafts 15 and driven shafts 17 via sprockets 20 so as to be able to rotate.

Further, between the two chains 19, a plurality of slats, which are moving slats, which convey the article W while being mounted in the conveying direction X while moving as the chain 19 circulates, are adjacent to each other. In this state, it is stretched over the entire chain 19 so as to be located side by side in the transport direction X.

Each of the plurality of movable carriers 21 has an extruded body 23, which is a slide shoe, which can move along the movable carrier 21 in the horizontal direction, for example, a direction perpendicular to the transport direction X, for example, a direction orthogonal to the transport direction X. For example, it is slidably attached by fitting.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each moving carrier 21 has a slender, substantially rectangular plate-shaped main body portion 25 whose longitudinal direction coincides with the left-right horizontal direction. Part 25
A transport surface 26 for transporting the article W in the transport direction X in a mounted state is formed on the upper surface of the substrate. Further, a projecting plate portion 27 projects obliquely downward from the rear end of the main body portion 25, and a fitted portion 28 projects downward from the lower surface of the main body portion 25.

The fitted portion 28 has, for example, a pair of front and rear convex portions 29 which are separated and opposed to each other, and each convex portion 29 is formed in a substantially columnar shape. A connecting portion such as a chain connecting hole (not shown) is formed on an end surface of the convex portion 29, and the mobile carrier 21 is connected to a connecting shaft (not shown) of the chain 19 via this connecting portion. Note that a transport unit 30 that transports the article W in the transport direction X by a plurality of moving transport bodies is configured.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, each extruded body 23 has a main body portion 31 and a fitting portion 32 which are vertically opposed to each other.
The main body portion 31 and the fitting portion 32 are integrally connected at a front end portion which is an end portion in the transport direction X via a connecting plate portion 33 which is a connecting portion.

The main body 31 is formed in a substantially triangular plate shape having a relatively thick predetermined thickness so as to form a substantially equilateral triangle having one side at a front end and a vertex at a rear end in plan view.

The upper portion of the front side of the main body 31 is notched so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the front end, and the rear side of the main body 31 gradually decreases in thickness toward the rear end. Is cut off at the bottom. The central portion of the main body 31 in the front-rear direction has a substantially constant thickness. In the main body portion 31 of the one extruded body 23 on the upstream side of the two extruded bodies 23 adjacent to each other in the transport direction X, the lower surface of the inclined front side portion and the main body portion 31 of the other extruded body 23 on the downstream side are formed. The upper surface of the inclined rear side is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from each other with a slight gap 34 therebetween.

An extruding surface 36, which is a substantially flat pressing surface, which is slightly elongated in the transport direction X in which the side surface of the main body 31 contacts the predetermined side surface of the article W and pushes the article W sideways, is provided. The extrusion surface 36 is provided with a plurality of ridges 37 as friction increasing means elongated in the vertical direction in parallel with each other.

Further, at the rear end of the extruding surface 36, a slightly pointed, substantially triangular lap extruding surface 39 is formed, and the lap extruding surface 39 is transported by sliding the extruded body 23. One extruded body one downstream downstream in the direction X downstream
23, it is located above the front end of the extrusion surface 36.

Further, by continuously pushing the articles W onto the conveying start end of the sorting conveyor 12 outside the conveying means 30 in a continuous state in the conveying direction X by the respective extruding surfaces 36 of the extruded bodies 23 adjacent in the conveying direction X. An extrusion surface portion 40 is formed. The extrusion surface 36 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction X, for example, at an inclination angle of 30 °, and the sorting conveyor 12
In the transport direction.

The fitting portion 32 has a pair of front and rear concave portions 42 which are separated and opposed to each other via, for example, a communication portion 41.
Is formed in a substantially C-shape which is a shape corresponding to the convex portion 29,
The concave portion 42 and the convex portion 29 are slidably fitted.

Further, a guided portion 45 is provided from the lower surface of the connecting portion 41.
Is projected downward, and the guided portion 45 has, for example, a pin 46 in the vertical direction, and a guide roller 47 is rotatably attached to the pin 46.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the transport sorting device 11 has a guide mechanism 60 for controlling the sliding operation of the extruded body 23 with respect to the movable transport body 21 by engaging the extruded body 23 with the guided portion 45. It has.

The guide mechanism 60 is provided, for example, in the transport direction X
A first guide rail 61 located near the forward path of the left chain 19 on the upstream side of the first guide rail 61
A second guide rail 62 and a third guide rail 63 are connected to each other via a switch 65. The second guide rail 62 is located near the outward path of the left chain 19, and the third guide rail 63 communicates with the inclined rail 66 inclined toward the right chain 19. Right rail section 67 located near the outward path of the right chain 19
It is composed of

In the guide mechanism 60, the rod of the cylinder (not shown) of the switching device 65 advances and retreats in response to the sorting signal from the control unit (not shown), and the first guide rail 61 and the second guide rail 62 communicate with each other. The first guide rail 61 and the third guide rail 61
For example, it may be in an extruded state where 63 is in communication.

In the non-extrusion state, the extruded body 23 does not slide on the movable carrier 21, and moves in the vicinity of the left frame 13 integrally with the movable carrier 21 to the first guide rail 61 and the second guide rail 61. Move along the guide rails 62.

On the other hand, in the extruded state, the extruded body 23
After passing through the guide rail 61, the guided portion 45 slides rightward along the movable carrier 21 due to the engagement between the guided portion 45 and the inclined rail portion 66 of the third guide rail 63. As a result, the article W moves rightward. Extruded on the conveyor 12. Although not shown, a return guide rail for returning the extruded body 23 slid to the right to the original left side is provided on the return path side of the chain 19.

Next, a description will be given of a case where an article W having an elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape is transported and sorted by the transport sorting apparatus 11, for example.

An article W from the upstream of the transport sorting device 11 is
After moving on the transport surface 26 of the moving transport body 21, the state in which the longitudinal direction of the article W matches the direction intersecting the transport direction X on the transport surface 26, that is, the state in which the width direction matches the transport direction X It is placed and transported in the transport direction X.

When the article W is not to be sorted on the sorting conveyor 12, the switching mechanism 65 controls the guide mechanism 60.
Is in a non-extrusion state, the article W is conveyed in the conveyance direction X on the conveyance surface 26 of the movable conveyance body 21 without being pushed laterally by the extruded body 23.

On the other hand, when the articles W are to be sorted on the sorting conveyor 12, the extruding body 23 moves on the moving carrier 21 to the moving carrier 21 because the guide mechanism 60 is in an extruded state by the switching device 65. Slide to the right along
The continuous extrusion surface portion 40 contacts the one end surface in the longitudinal direction which is one side as the surface to be extruded of the article W, and the article W is extruded onto the right-hand sorting conveyor 12 by the continuous extrusion surface portion 40 continuous in the transport direction X. It is. The article W is rotated by a desired angle, for example, 30 °, by contact with the continuous extrusion surface portion 40, one longitudinal end surface and the continuous extrusion surface portion 40 are located on the same plane, and the width direction is the direction of conveyance of the sorting conveyor 12. It becomes the state which matched.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the extruded surface 36 of one extruded body 23 and the extruded surface 36 of the other extruded body 23 of the extruded bodies 23 adjacent to each other in the conveying direction X are connected to the moving conveying body. By the slide with respect to 21, the continuous extrusion surface portion 40 is formed in a straight state continuous in the transport direction X in plan view and a part thereof is vertically overlapped, and depending on the timing of the start of extrusion by the extruded body 23, continuous extrusion is performed. The article W is formed at a portion of the extrusion surface 36 including the wrap extrusion surface portion 39 which is a predetermined portion of the surface portion 40.
While being rotated by the desired angle α, is pushed out onto the right-hand sorting conveyor 12 in the horizontal posture.

According to the above-described embodiment, the continuous extrusion surface portion 40 formed in the extrusion surface 36 of the plurality of extruded bodies 23 in a straight line continuous in the transport direction X forms the elongated article W.
Is pushed out onto the right-side sorting conveyor 12 outside the conveying means 30 in a landscape orientation, and regardless of the timing of the start of extrusion by the extruded body 23, the article W is moved into the gap 4 between the extruded bodies 3 as in the conventional configuration. It is possible to maintain a desired orientation and to perform a stable sorting operation without inadvertently rotating by entering.

Thus, for example, a barcode reading operation and a palletizing operation on the sorting conveyor 12 can be appropriately performed. Further, on the sorting conveyor 12, the articles W can be stored in a state where the width direction of the articles W is matched with the transport direction of the sorting conveyor 12, so that the longitudinal direction of the articles W is matched with the transport direction of the sorting conveyor 12. A plurality of articles W can be stored in a more space-efficient manner than in the case of storing in a state, for example, the length of the storage section of the sorting conveyor 12 can be shortened, and there is a space saving effect. In addition,
Although not shown, it is possible to prevent a small article having a relatively small dice shape, such as a cubic shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape, from rotating unintentionally and to perform a stable sorting operation.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, an elongated surface of the elongated article W is formed by extruding a plurality of, for example, two extruded bodies 23, including a lap extruded surface portion 39 overlapping each other.
By extruding with 36, the force received from the article W can be appropriately distributed to the two extruded bodies 23, and the durability can be improved. For example, the extruded body 23, the moving conveyance body 21, and the third guide rail 63 of the guide mechanism 60 Etc. can be extended.

For example, as for a cubic article W having a size corresponding to one extruded body 23, what was conventionally extruded by one extruded body 3 as shown in FIG. As shown in (b), it is extruded by two or three extruded bodies 23, and the force received from the article W can be appropriately dispersed. Further, for example, as for a cubic article W having a size corresponding to the two extruded bodies 23, what is conventionally extruded by two extruded bodies 3 as shown in FIG. As described above, three or four extruded bodies 23 extrude, and the force received from the article W can be appropriately dispersed.

In the above-described embodiment, the extruded body 23 has been described as having the lap extruded surface 39. However, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, as shown in FIG. The extruded surface 36a of one extruded body 23a and the extruded surface 36a of the other extruded body 23a have a rear edge of the upstream extruded surface 36a and a front edge of the downstream extruded surface 36a without overlapping in plan view. The continuous extrusion surface portion 40a may be formed in a state of being consistent in the plan view and continuing in the transport direction X, and the article W may be pushed out of the transport means 30 by the continuous extrusion surface portion 40a.

Also, in any of the embodiments, of the two extruded bodies 23 adjacent to each other in the transport direction X, the inclined lower surface of the front side of the extruded body 23 on the upstream side and the extruded body 23 on the downstream side are inclined.
Although it has been described that the gap 34 is formed between the inclined upper surfaces of the rear side in FIG.
Is preferably not formed.

Further, it has been described that the main body portion 31 of the extruded body 23 is formed in a relatively thick, substantially triangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness. And a rising plate portion which rises from two sides except the bottom of the bottom plate portion and has an extruded surface 36 on the outer surface.

[0049]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other in the conveying direction are continuous with each other in a plan view. Since the articles are extruded out of the conveying means, the articles do not enter between the adjacent extruded bodies, so that the articles are prevented from unintentionally turning and a stable sorting operation can be performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other in the conveying direction partially overlap each other in plan view. Thus, the article is pushed out of the conveying means, so that the article does not enter between the adjacent extruded bodies, the article is prevented from rotating unintentionally, and a stable sorting operation can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, one of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other in the conveying direction has a rear end in the conveying direction on the extruding surface of the extruded body and an upper side of a front end in the conveying direction of the extruded surface of the other extruded body. And at least one of the lower and upper lap extruded surfaces is formed, so that the articles do not enter between adjacent extruded bodies, the articles can be prevented from rotating unintentionally, and a stable sorting operation can be performed. .

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since each extruded body is slidably attached to each movable carrier, articles can be pushed out and sorted by sliding the extruded body with respect to the movable carrier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a transport sorting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an extruded body of the transport sorting device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an extruded body of the transport sorting device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the operation of the extruded body of the transport sorting device.

FIG. 5 (a) is an operation explanatory view of an extruded body of the conventional transport sorting apparatus, and FIG. 5 (b) is an operational explanatory view of an extruded body of the transport sorting apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 (a) is an operation explanatory view of an extruded body of a conventional transport sorting apparatus, and FIG. 6 (b) is an operational explanatory view of an extruded body of the transport sorting apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of another embodiment of the transport sorting device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view of an extruded body of a conventional transport sorting apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional transport sorting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Transport sorting device 21 Moving transport body 23, 23a Extruded body 30 Transport means 36, 36a Extruded surface 39 Wrap extruded surface portion X Transport direction W Article

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A transporting means for transporting an article in a transporting direction, and a plurality of extruded bodies provided on the transporting means so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transporting direction and having an extruding surface; The extruded surface of one extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to each other are extruded out of the conveying means in a state of being continuous in a plan view. Transport sorting equipment. 2. A conveying means for conveying an article in a conveying direction, and a plurality of extruded bodies provided on the conveying means so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the conveying direction and having an extruding surface, The extruded surface of one extruded body of the extruded bodies adjacent to the extruded body and the extruded surface of the other extruded body are partially overlapped with each other in a plan view to extrude the article out of the conveying means. A transport sorting device characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. A transporting means for transporting an article in a transporting direction, and a plurality of extruded bodies provided on the transporting means so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the transporting direction and having an extruding surface, wherein the transporting direction is provided. At the rear end in the conveying direction of one of the extruded bodies of the extruded bodies adjacent to the extruded body, a wrap located at least one of above and below the front end of the extruded surface of the other extruded body in the conveying direction. A transport sorting device having an extrusion surface portion. 4. The transporting means comprises a plurality of movable transporters for transporting articles while being mounted in the transport direction while moving, and each extruded body is slidably attached to each of the movable transporters. 4. The transport sorting device according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein: