JP2004010285A - Tableware supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-handle tableware supply device with a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: This tableware supply device has a frame, a drive part 3 disposed on the frame, and a tableware reception unit 4 provided such that a position of the tableware reception unit 4 can be adjusted in the back-and-forth direction to the drive part 3. The drive part 3 includes: a rotary shaft 24 extending right and left, having circular peripheral faces 28a which support the rear edge ar of tableware from below, and grooves 27 open in the peripheral faces allowing the taking-in and the taking-out of the front edge ar; and a drive body rotating the rotary shaft 24. The unit 4 includes: a frame member 41 disposed in the frame in front of the rotary shaft 24 parallel to the rotary shaft 24; tableware guides 42 having guide rods (guide parts) 52 provided on the frame member 41 projectingly upward correspondingly to the grooves 27; and tableware support parts 43 provided in lower end parts of the guides 42, supporting the front edge af from below. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tableware and bowl-shaped tableware containers used for meals in school lunches, restaurants, company employee cafeterias, and the like, and tableware such as trays on which these are placed (abbreviated as tableware in this specification). Is automatically supplied to a washing machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the tableware supply device installed at the entrance of the washing machine, the same type of tableware in a prone state is stacked and set. The tableware supply device automatically supplies the dishwasher one by one from the lowest tableware of the set tableware group.
[0003]
For the above-mentioned set and supply, the conventional tableware supply device includes three or more tableware guides extending in a longitudinal direction, and at least two of the tableware guides are feed screws that rotate synchronously. Three or more tableware guides are in contact with the periphery of the tableware to keep the group of tableware stacked. In this state, the two or more feed screw tableware guides are rotated synchronously, whereby each tableware is fed downward through the engagement between the thread groove and the edge of the tableware. Since there is no thread groove at the lower end of each feed screw tableware guide, when the edge of the tableware is removed from the thread groove, the lowermost tableware is separated and falls downward. Thereby, tableware can be supplied one by one on the conveyor of the washing machine.
[0004]
However, in a conventional configuration that requires three or more dish guides arranged around the dish group to support a stacked dish group of the same kind, the number of rows (supply lanes) for feeding the dish is limited. As the number increases, the number of tableware guides grows. Therefore, handling such as setting, cleaning, and maintenance of tableware is easily troublesome. In addition, since a synchronization mechanism for synchronously rotating two or more feed screw tableware guides is required, the number of parts is large in combination with the large number of tableware guides as described above. Therefore, the structure is complicated and the cost is high. In addition, since the synchronization mechanism is provided as described above, it is difficult to make the tableware guides supporting one tableware group largely approach and separate from each other because of structural limitations. For this reason, although fine adjustment is possible, it is difficult to set tableware of different sizes in one supply lane, and it is necessary to provide a dedicated supply lane according to the type of tableware.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A first problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a tableware supply device which has a simple structure and is easy to handle. A second problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve the first problem and to provide a tableware supply device capable of setting tableware having different sizes and supplying the same to the same supply lane.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the first problem, the invention according to claim 1 includes a frame, a circular peripheral surface connected to the frame, and supporting the edge of the tableware from below, and opening to the peripheral surface. A rotating shaft having a groove whose edge can be taken in and out, and a driving unit including a driving body for rotating the rotating shaft, a frame member arranged side by side on the front side or the rear side of the rotating shaft, and upward corresponding to the groove A tableware guide having a guide portion projecting from the tableware guide unit provided on the frame material, a tableware receiving unit including a tableware supporting portion provided at a lower end portion of the tableware guide and supporting an edge of the tableware from below. , Is provided.
[0007]
In the present invention, the groove of the rotating shaft may be provided directly on the peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, or the rotating shaft may be formed from a shaft main body and a metal or synthetic resin tube attached to the outer peripheral surface, and formed in the tube. It may be provided. Further, in the present invention, the grooves can be provided continuously or discontinuously (at intervals) in the axial direction of the rotating shaft. In the present invention, the tableware receiving unit may be disposed on the front side or the rear side of the rotation shaft of the driving unit. When the tableware receiving unit is arranged on the front side of the rotating shaft, it is excellent in that the worker's hand can be prevented from touching the rotating shaft by an upward tableware guide, and conversely, the tableware receiving unit is provided behind the rotating shaft. Is advantageous in that tableware can be stacked and set between the drive unit and the tableware receiving unit without being disturbed by the upward tableware guide. Also, in the present invention, the stacked tableware group can be tilted forward or backward to be set between the drive unit and the dish receiving unit, or the stacked tableware group can be set without tilting the drive unit and the dish receiving unit. It may be set between. In the present invention, the tableware guides are provided according to the number of supply lanes. In the present invention, the guide portion of the tableware guide may be a rod or a plate. In the present invention, the tableware support portion may have any shape as long as the tableware edge can be supported from below, and it is preferable that the tableware support portion be slanted so that the tableware edge is easily detached downward.
[0008]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the edge of the tableware to be supplied is supported from below by the circular peripheral surface of the rotating shaft of the drive unit and the tableware support of the tableware receiving unit, the guide portion protrudes upward. It is possible to reduce the number of tableware guides having the above. At the same time, when there are a plurality of supply lanes, one of the supply of tableware to these lanes can be synchronized with the rotation axis, so that the rotation axis can be a common component, and a special synchronization mechanism can be omitted.
[0009]
In order to solve the second problem, the invention according to claim 2 is the tableware supply device according to claim 1, wherein one of the rotating shaft and the tableware receiving unit is moved toward and away from the other. It is provided so that the position can be adjusted in the direction of movement.
[0010]
According to the present invention, since the tableware receiving unit and the driving unit do not have an interlocking relationship that affects the other party, it is possible to move one of them relative to the other in the contact / separation direction. Therefore, the mutual distance between the rotating shaft of the drive unit and the tableware support unit of the tableware receiving unit can be adjusted to a desired size in conformity with the tableware to be supplied.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0012]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a tableware supply device (hereinafter abbreviated as a supply device) 1 according to the first embodiment includes a frame 2, a drive unit 3, and a tableware reception unit (hereinafter abbreviated as a unit). 4 is provided. The supply device 1 is installed at an entrance of an automatic dishwashing machine 5 (see a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1).
[0013]
The automatic dishwashing machine 5 has one or more, for example, three dishwashing lanes, and reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1 denotes a tableware conveyor provided in the automatic dishwashing machine 5. At the outlet of the automatic dishwashing machine 5, a tableware arrangement device (not shown) for stacking and supporting the washed dishes is installed. A kind of cleaning equipment is configured. This washing equipment is used, for example, to wash dishes for school meals.
[0014]
The frame 2 is made of a rust-proof metal, for example, stainless steel, and is formed so that the front part of the conveyor 6 can enter forward from the rear side. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a plurality of moving casters 11 are attached to each of the lower ends of the left and right frame portions of the frame 2, and a set screw for adjusting the height position of the frame 2. A plurality of legs 12 are attached. A plurality of connection shafts 13 each formed of a threaded bar project upward from each of the upper ends of the left and right frame portions of the frame 2.
[0015]
The rectangular frame-shaped drive unit base 21 included in the drive unit 3 is connected to the frame 2 via the connection shafts 13 and nuts screwed to the connection shafts 13. Due to this connection, as shown in FIG. 1, the drive unit 3 is disposed above the front end of the conveyor 6 in a posture inclined forward. The drive unit 3 includes a bearing bracket 22 and a drive unit box 23 whose side wall facing the bracket 22 also serves as a bearing bracket. The bearing bracket 22 is provided on one base-side frame 21a of the drive base 21, and the drive box 23 is provided on the other base-side frame 21b of the drive base 21.
[0016]
Further, the driving unit 3 includes a rotating shaft 24 having a circular peripheral surface, and a driving body 25 that rotates the rotating shaft 24. The rotating shaft 24 includes a shaft main body 24a and a piece 28 described later attached to the main body 24a at intervals along the axial direction. The shaft main body 24a made of metal such as a stainless steel pipe extends horizontally in the left-right direction. The shaft main body 24a is supported at both ends by a bearing bracket 22 and a drive unit box 23, respectively, and is provided to be freely rotatable around the axis. The driving body 25 has a motor with a speed control built in the driving unit box 23, a transmission mechanism for reducing the output of the motor and applying the output to the shaft main body 24 a of the rotating shaft 24. The rotation speed of the electric motor is controlled so that the rotation shaft 24 is rotated at a speed corresponding to the processing speed of the automatic dishwashing machine 5 or the like. Reference numeral 26 in FIG. 3 denotes an operating unit for controlling the driving body provided on the front surface of the driving unit box 23.
[0017]
The rotating shaft 24 has grooves 27 for constituting the same number of supply lanes as the dishwashing lanes of the automatic dishwashing machine 5 together with a dishware guide described later. In the present embodiment, the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is employed to provide the groove 27. That is, a pair of hard synthetic resin pieces 28 formed in a semicircular arc shape are attached to the shaft main body 24 a by screws 29, and a groove 27 is formed between one end surfaces of both pieces 28. The groove 27 extends in the axial direction of the shaft main body 24a. The width of the groove 27 is large enough to allow the edge of the tray A having a substantially rectangular outer shape as tableware and the edge of the round tableware B such as a round tableware or a dish having a circular outer shape.
[0018]
The other end faces of the two pieces 28 are in contact with each other without a gap, and the outer peripheral faces of the two pieces 28 are smoothly continuous without providing a step at this contact portion. The continuous outer peripheral surfaces of the two pieces 28 are used as circular peripheral surfaces 28a that support the edges of the tableware from below.
[0019]
The two pieces 28 combined in a cylindrical shape constitute a part of the rotary shaft 24 and can be replaced as needed. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, three pairs of pieces 28 are provided for the first and third supply lanes. The three pairs of pieces 28 are used to supply the tray A, and the middle pair of pieces 28 are used to supply the round tableware B. In the present embodiment, a pair of pieces 28 are provided between the first and third supply lanes for the second supply lane. This piece 28 is adapted to be used to supply round tableware B. The grooves 27 are located on a straight line parallel to the axis of the shaft main body 24a without being displaced in the circumferential direction of the shaft main body 24a since the screwing positions of the respective pieces 28 with respect to the shaft main body 24a are on the same straight line. ing.
[0020]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the driving unit 3 includes auxiliary base plates 30 extending in the front-rear direction on the side frame portions 21 a and 21 b and attached to the base plates 30, respectively. It has a guide rail 31 and a lock rail 32 mounted side by side. Both rails 31, 32 extend straight in the front-rear direction. The lock rail 32 is provided with a plurality of, for example, three lock holes 32a to 32c that are opened on the upper surface thereof. The frontmost lock hole 32a is used when the unit 4 is arranged at a position suitable for supplying the tray A. The other lock holes 32b and 32c are selectively used according to the size of the round tableware B when the unit 4 is arranged at a position suitable for supplying the round tableware B.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the unit 4 includes a frame member 41, a tableware guide 42, and a tableware support 43. The frame member 41 is made of metal, for example, stainless steel, and has a length extending over the pair of lock rails 32. A frame member 41 extending in the left-right direction is arranged in front of the rotating shaft 24 in parallel with the rotating shaft 24. Carriages 44 are attached to the lower surfaces of the frame members 41 near both ends in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 7 and the like. These carriages 44 have open grooves on the lower surface, and the grooves are fitted to the guide rails 31. A large number (two are shown) of rolling elements 48 such as steel balls circulating are incorporated in the carriage 44.
[0022]
The guide rail 31, the carriage 44, the rolling elements 48, and the like constitute a linear motion device (linear guide device). Therefore, the frame member 41 is provided movably in the front-rear direction in which the frame member 41 comes into contact with and separates from the rotation shaft 24 via the linear motion device. By providing the linear motion device, the frame member 41 extending in the left-right direction can be smoothly moved without skew with respect to the movement.
[0023]
Both ends in the longitudinal direction of the frame member 41 slide on a pair of left and right lock rails 32. Clamps 45 are attached to these parts, respectively. The clamp 45 has a lock projection 45a selectively inserted into and removed from any one of the lock holes 32a to 32c shown in FIG. 6, a clamp handle 45b for raising and lowering the projection 45a, and a lock projection 45a which is always attached downward. And a biasing body (not shown) such as a biasing spring.
[0024]
By operating the clamp handle 45a and setting the lock projection 45b to the raised position, the frame member 41 can be moved in the front-rear direction. Also, by lowering the lock projection 45b and inserting it into one of the selected lock holes 32a to 32c, the frame member 41 can be held from a desired position so as not to be moved carelessly by its own weight or the like. Reference numeral 46 in FIGS. 2 to 4 denotes a moving handle protruding from the upper surface of both ends of the frame 41, and the frame 41 is moved forward and backward with this handle.
[0025]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the tableware guide 42 includes a base plate 50, a pair of guide bases 51, two guide rods 52 forming a guide portion projecting upward, a buffer spring 53, and a stopper 54. And so on. The tableware guide 42 is provided for each supply lane.
[0026]
The base plate 50 is fixed on the upper surface of the frame member 41. The two guide bases 51 are attached via a pivot 55 standing on the base plate 50, and are provided so as to be rotatable around the pivot 55. The free ends of both guide bases 51 face the rotation shaft 24 side. Both guide rods 52 are made of synthetic resin or metal round rods. The lower ends of these guide rods 52 are attached to the free ends of the guide base 51, and the upper ends of both guide rods 52 are bent slightly obliquely forward as shown in FIG.
[0027]
A coil spring is used as the buffer spring 53, and the spring 53 is attached across both guide bases 51. This buffer spring 53 urges both guide bases 51 in a direction approaching each other. The stopper 54 is located between the guide bases 51 and fixed to the base plate 50. The stopper 54 restricts the positions of the two guide bases 51 so that the free ends of the two guide bases 51 are closest to each other. Therefore, by the force acting in the direction of separating the two guide rods 52 from each other, the two guide bases 51 can rotate against the urging force of the buffer spring 53 so as to move their free ends away from each other.
[0028]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the tableware support portions 43 are provided at the lower ends of the tableware guides 42, respectively. More specifically, each tableware support 43 is made of synthetic resin, is formed in a ring shape to be fitted to the lower end of each guide rod 52, and is attached to the upper surface of the free end of the guide base 51. The upper portions of the tableware guides 42 are formed in a conical surface, and support the edges of the tray A and the round tableware B from below at the upper portions. In addition, the tableware support portion 43 can be formed integrally with the guide rod 52.
[0029]
In each supply lane of the supply device 1 having the above configuration, dishes such as the tray A are stacked and set from the front side. In this set, first, the leading edge ar of the prone tableware A or B is placed on the two tableware supporting portions 43 of the unit 4 and the rear edge ar of the prone tableware is horizontally extended horizontally. It is mounted on a circular peripheral surface 28a formed by the outer peripheral surface of the piece 28 of the rotating shaft 24 of the part 3. Thereby, the tableware is supported at both ends from below over the piece 28 of the rotating shaft 24 and the two tableware support portions 43 corresponding to the front and rear, as shown in FIG. Next, the same type of tableware is placed face down on the tableware whose both front and rear edges are supported as described above. Thereby, the stacked tableware leans against and is supported by the two tableware guides 42, so that the stacked state can be stabilized.
[0030]
By the way, since the rear edge ar of the tableware is supported from below by the rotating shaft 24 extending in the horizontal direction, there is no need to use a tableware guide projecting upward to support the rear side of the tableware. The dish guide 42 is only located on the front side of the dish. As described above, in addition to the small number of tableware guides that easily obstruct the tableware setting work, when stacking downside-down tableware one after another, the front edge af of the tableware is applied to the front side tableware guide 42 so that these tableware guides can be used. Since the tableware can be stacked based on the guide 42, the above-described tableware setting operation is facilitated.
[0031]
After the tableware is set, the driving body 25 of the driving unit 3 is operated, and when the rotating shaft 24 is rotated at an appropriate speed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 8B, the rear edge ar of the tableware at the lowest position is supported. The groove 27 between the pieces 28 is opposed to the trailing edge ar of the tableware, and the trailing edge ar enters the groove 27. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, the trailing edge ar of the tableware at the lowest position is transferred downward along with the movement of the groove 27. At this time, the rear edge ar of the second tableware (second stage) from the bottom rests on the circular peripheral surface 28a of the piece 28 and is supported from below by this piece, so that the tableware at the lowest position is used. Only the trailing edge ar is lowered.
[0032]
Further, the progress of the rotation of the rotating shaft 24 causes the groove 27 to face downward, and the groove 27 comes off the rear edge ar of the tableware. Then, the front edge af of the tableware slides out from between the tableware guide 42 and the front edge af of the second tableware from below by the weight of the lowest tableware, and falls as shown in FIG. 8C. I do. At the same time, the front and rear edges af and ar of the tableware which is the second from the bottom are supported by the tableware support portion 42 and the rotating shaft 24 from below. Further, the dropped tableware is received by a conveyor 6 inserted forward from behind into the supply device 1, and is carried into the tableware automatic washing machine 5 by the conveying operation of the conveyor 6.
[0033]
Each time the rotating shaft 24 makes one rotation, the above-described tableware supply operation described with reference to FIG. 8 is repeated. Such an operation is performed in all supply lanes on which tableware is set, and in the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the tray A is supplied in the first and third supply lanes on both the left and right sides. In the state shown by the one-dot chain line 2, the round tableware B is supplied in the first to third supply lanes.
[0034]
By the way, at the time of the above-described tableware supply operation, the lowermost tableware to be supplied is pushed toward the tableware guide 42 by the rotating shaft 24. On the other hand, the guide portion of the tableware guide 42 is composed of two guide rods 52, and the two guide bases 51 whose lower ends are individually fixed can rotate around the pivot 55, and can be rotated with each other. It is urged by the buffer spring 53 in the direction of approach.
[0035]
Therefore, the two guide rods 52 are moved away from each other against the buffer spring 53 in accordance with the forward pressing force applied to the lowermost tableware as described above. By such escape, excessive pressure acts on the lowermost tableware to be supplied. Therefore, for example, even when the round tableware B is made of pottery, porcelain, or the like, and therefore has a large variation in dimensions, it is possible to prevent the round tableware B from being damaged due to excessive pressure. This kind of round tableware B can be supplied to the conveyor 6 without any trouble.
[0036]
In the above-mentioned tableware supply, the position adjustment of the unit 4 with respect to the rotating shaft 24 is executed before the tableware setting operation as necessary. In this adjustment, first, the lock is released by operating the clamp handle 45b and pulling out the lock projection 45b of the clamp 45 from any of the lock holes 32a to 32c of the lock rail 32. Next, in this unlocked state, the unit 4 is moved along the guide rail 31 by holding the moving handle 46. Thereafter, the clamp handle 45b is operated to be inserted into any of the lock holes 32a to 32c at the desired positions, and the unit 4 is held at the adjustment position.
[0037]
Such adjustment of the front / rear position of the unit 4 is possible because the unit 4 does not have an interlocking relationship affecting the drive unit 3. Therefore, the adjustment between the pieces 28 of the rotary shaft 24 of the drive unit 3 and the tableware support unit 43 of the unit 4 can be adjusted to a desired size by the adjustment according to the above procedure. This adjustment makes it possible to switch to different types of dishes, such as sizes, using the same supply lane and supply them.
[0038]
In addition, the supply device 1 having the above-described configuration includes the front and rear edges af of the tableware to be supplied by the circular peripheral surface 28a of the horizontal rotating shaft 24 extending in the left-right direction of the driving unit 3 and the tableware support unit 43 of the unit 4. , Ar from below, the number of tableware guides 42 having the guide rods 52 projecting upward as described above can be reduced. At the same time, the supply of tableware to the plurality of supply lanes of the supply device 1 can be synchronized by one rotating shaft 24, so that the rotating shaft 24 can be a common component, so that the supply operation in each supply lane is performed. It is possible to omit a special synchronization mechanism for synchronizing. Therefore, the supply device 1 is excellent in that the structure is simple and the maintenance and the handling of the above-mentioned tableware set and the like are easy.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the number of tableware guides can be reduced, and even when there are a plurality of supply lanes, the rotating shaft can be a common part and a special synchronization mechanism can be omitted, so that the structure is simple and moreover In addition, it is possible to provide a tableware supply device which is easy to handle.
[0040]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the mutual distance between the rotating shaft of the drive unit and the tableware receiving unit can be adjusted to a desired size, tableware having different sizes is set and supplied to the same supply lane by this adjustment. It is possible to provide an apparatus for supplying tableware.
[0041]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent excessive pressure from acting on the tableware to be supplied, so that even when supplying, for example, ceramic tableware, a tableware supply apparatus capable of suppressing damage to tableware. Can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view partially showing a tableware supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the tableware supply device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the tableware supply device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the tableware supply device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the rotation shaft shown along the line ZZ in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line YY in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 2;
8 (A) to 8 (C) are diagrams sequentially illustrating the tableware supply operation of the tableware supply device of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tableware supply apparatus 2 ... Frame 3 ... Drive part 4 ... Tableware receiving unit 24 ... Rotary shaft 24a ... Rotary shaft main body 25 ... Drive 27 ... Groove 28 ... Rotary shaft piece 28a ... Rotary shaft circumference Surface 41 ... frame member 42 ... tableware guide 43 ... tableware support part 50 ... base plate 51 ... guide base 52 ... guide rod (guide part)
53: buffer spring 54: stopper 55: pivot A: tray (tableware)
B: Round tableware (tableware)
af: Leading edge of tableware ar: Trailing edge of tableware

Claims (3)

Frame and
A rotary shaft having a circular peripheral surface connected to the frame and supporting the edge of the tableware from below, a rotary shaft opened to the peripheral surface and having a groove through which the edge can be taken in and out, and a driver for rotating the rotary shaft A drive unit including
A rack member arranged side by side on the front side or the rear side of the rotating shaft, a tableware guide provided on the frame member having a guide portion projecting upward corresponding to the groove, a lower end portion of the tableware guide A tableware receiving unit that includes a tableware support portion that is provided to support the edge of the tableware from below,
A tableware supply device, comprising: The tableware supply device according to claim 1, wherein one of the rotating shaft and the tableware receiving unit is provided so as to be position-adjustable in a direction of approaching and separating from the other. The tableware guide includes two guide members, two guide bases having lower ends of the guide portions fixed and rotatably provided with respect to the frame member, and the guide bases. The tableware supply device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a buffer spring provided by urging the tableware in a direction approaching each other.

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