JP2006084194A - Multiple weight selector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set a set value easily at low cost in a multiple weight selector. <P>SOLUTION: It is determined whether the article weight measured by a corresponding measuring conveyor 8a or 8c is within an allowable weight range set in common for the measuring conveyor 8a or 8c or not by a control substrate 14a or 14c provided corresponding to the measuring conveyor 8a or 8c. An operation setting display part 26 is connected to the control substrate 14a or 14c as a hub of a LAN in an improved token passing system, and data showing the allowable weight range are transmitted to the control substrate 14a or 14c by the improved token passing system. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a multiple weight sorter using a plurality of weight sorters.

  Some weight sorters weigh products with a weighing conveyor and check whether the weight is within an allowable weight range. This weight sorter is often provided in a product production line for bagging, packing and transporting products with a filling machine or a packaging machine. Depending on the production line, products may be simultaneously transferred from one filling machine or packaging machine to a plurality of rows of conveyors. Multiple rows of weight sorters are used to weigh these multiple rows of goods simultaneously and separately. Such multiple rows of weight sorters are referred to as multiple weight sorters. An example of a multiple weight sorter is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

JP 2001-9383 A

  In this multiple weight sorter, the same set value may be used to define the allowable weight range used in each weight sorter. As a technique for setting the same set value in each weight sorter, it is conceivable to manually set the set value individually in a control unit provided in each weight sorter. In this case, the labor of the operator is required. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that a weighing signal from each weighing conveyor is supplied to one control unit, and each weighing signal is judged by this control unit. In this case, there is no need to input the set value, but an interface circuit for inputting a weighing signal from the weighing conveyor and controlling the operation of the weighing conveyor so as to be compatible with various numbers of weighing conveyors, The maximum number of units that can be controlled by the control unit must be provided, which increases the cost.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a multiple weight sorter capable of setting a set value easily at low cost.

  The multiple-type weight sorter according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of weighing conveyors. These weighing conveyors are desirably arranged in parallel, for example, and it is desirable that articles are supplied from the article supply means to each weighing conveyor. A plurality of control units are provided corresponding to each weighing conveyor. Each control unit has a determination unit for determining whether or not the weight of the article weighed by the corresponding weighing conveyor is within the allowable weight range set in common for each weighing conveyor. Yes. According to the determination result of the determination unit, the corresponding articles on the weighing conveyor are selected as good or defective, for example. For example, a defective product is distributed from the weighing conveyor to a defective product line by distribution means, and for example, a non-defective product is conveyed as it is on a conveyance line connected to the weighing conveyor. A setting unit is connected to each control unit as a LAN hub of an improved token passing system. The setting unit transmits data representing the allowable weight range to the control units by the improved token passing method.

  In the multiple weight sorter configured as described above, data representing the allowable weight range is transmitted to each control unit using an improved token passing LAN, and the above data is individually transmitted to the control unit. There is no need to set. Moreover, when using an improved token-passing LAN, even if it is necessary to manufacture multiple weight sorters consisting of various numbers of weight sorters, the control unit of each weight sorter is a hub. This can be easily handled by connecting to the setting unit. In addition, although a weight sorter is connected to each node of the hub, in the improved token passing LAN, it is possible to prohibit the use of the control unit connected to the node for each node. It is possible to prohibit the use of the control unit that has occurred without affecting the control units connected to other nodes.

  The setting unit can sequentially recognize and communicate with each control unit using an improved token passing system, and determine whether each control unit has an abnormality based on whether there is a response from each control unit. Thus, the presence or absence of abnormality can be determined by a relatively simple method.

  Each of the control units receives the determination unit connected to the setting unit by an improved token passing method, and a weighing signal from the weighing conveyor corresponding to each of the determination units, and corresponds via the setting unit. The discriminating unit that has the interface unit that transmits the measurement signal by the improved token passing method may be included. In this case, the setting unit sequentially recognizes and communicates with each determination unit and each interface unit using the improved token passing method, and the response of the response using the improved token passing method from each determination unit and each interface unit. The presence / absence of an abnormality in each determination unit and each interface unit is determined based on presence / absence.

  If comprised in this way, the determination part and an interface part can determine the presence or absence of abnormality separately.

  Further, a preliminary discriminating unit can be connected to the setting unit by an improved token passing method. In this case, when there is an abnormality determined among the determination units, the setting unit supplies the determination unit determined to be abnormal to the preliminary determination unit instead of the determination unit determined to be abnormal. The measured signal thus transmitted is transmitted by an improved token passing method, and the preliminary discriminating section is discriminated.

  If comprised in this way, even if abnormality arises in one of the discrimination | determination parts, it can respond easily and can recover the weight sorter in which abnormality occurred in a short time.

  The interface unit may be configured to operate and stop the corresponding weighing conveyor. In this case, when there is a determination unit that is determined to be abnormal, the setting unit transmits a command instructing stop to the weighing conveyor corresponding to the interface unit corresponding to the determination unit by the improved token passing method. .

  If comprised in this way, it can prevent that the undecided article | item is conveyed on the measurement conveyor corresponding to the discrimination | determination part which abnormality produced.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the setting unit as the hub and the control unit of each weight sorter are connected by the improved token passing LAN, so that the data representing the allowable weight range can be easily obtained. In addition to being able to set at a low cost, it is possible to easily cope with a failure in the control unit.

  The multiple weight sorter 2 of the first embodiment of the present invention is arranged in a production line as shown in FIG. Commodities packed in a plurality of rows, for example, 3 rows, are conveyed from the article supply means, for example, the filling and packaging machine 4, by the conveyors 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, and are conveyed onto the multiple weight sorter 2.

  The multiple weight sorter 2 is, for example, a triple type, and includes weighing conveyors 8a, 8b, and 8c for weighing products conveyed by the conveyors 6a, 6b, and 6c. As shown in FIG. 2, weighing signals from weighing means installed in the weighing conveyors 8a, 8b, 8c, for example, weighing sensors 10a, 10b, 10c such as load cells, are sent to the weighing conveyors 8a, They are supplied to control units provided corresponding to 8b and 8c, for example, control boards 14a, 14b and 14c.

  The control boards 14a, 14b, and 14c all have the same configuration and have interface means, for example, an I / O circuit 16, through which a measurement signal is input and supplied to the control means, for example, the CPU 18. The CPU 18 operates in accordance with a storage means, for example, a program stored in the memory 20, for example, determines whether or not the weighing signal is within the allowable weight range, and displays the corresponding product on the weighing conveyor according to the determination result. Sort by a sorting device not shown. That is, yesterday as a discrimination unit. The sorting apparatus can be provided on the weighing conveyors 8a, 8b, and 8c, or can be provided on the transfer conveyors 21a, 21b, and 21c that follow them, or on a transfer conveyor (not shown) that follows them. Further, the CPU 18 performs operation, stop, speed control, and the like of the corresponding weighing conveyor 8a, 8b or 8c via the I / O circuit 16 via the corresponding motor drive 22a, 22b or 22c.

  These control boards 14a, 14b, and 14c are respectively connected to a setting unit that also serves as a hub of the improved token passing type LAN, for example, the operation setting display unit 26, via the improved token passing type LAN connectors 24a, 24b, and 24c. It is connected.

  Although not shown, the operation setting display unit 26 includes a control unit such as a CPU, a storage unit such as a memory, a data input unit such as a numeric keypad, and a display unit such as an LCD. Data defining the allowable weight range by operating the numeric keypad of the operation setting display unit 26 is transmitted to each control board 14a, 14b, 14c by the improved token passing method and used in each CPU 18.

  When data defining the allowable weight range is set by the setting display unit 26 as described above, this data is automatically transmitted to the CPU 18 of each control board 14a, 14b, 14c. Therefore, this data can be set without taking time and effort. Moreover, since each control board is connected by an improved token passing LAN, the number of weight sorters used as a multiple weight sorter is not limited to the three shown in this embodiment. However, even if the number of weight sorters is various, it can be easily handled by setting a large number of control boards that can be connected to the operation setting display unit 26.

  The multiple weight sorter 2a according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment except that the configuration of the control device 12a is different as shown in FIG. Equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, the control device 12 is provided with the control boards 14a to 14c corresponding to the weighing conveyors 8a to 8c, whereas in the second embodiment, the control device 12a Corresponding to each weighing conveyor 8a to 8c, operation boards 114a, 114b, 114c and interface boards, for example, I / O boards 214a, 214b, 214c are provided. The arithmetic boards 114a, 114b, 114c are mounted with the CPU 18 and the memory 20 in the control boards 14a, 14b, 14c of the first embodiment. The I / O boards 214a, 214b, and 214c are mounted with the I / O circuit 16 in the control boards 14a, 14b, and 14c of the first embodiment. The arithmetic boards 114a, 114b, 114c, and the I / O boards 214a, 214b, 214c are provided with improved token passing LAN connectors 124a, 124b, 124c, 124d, 124e, 124f, respectively. Operation boards 114a, 114b, 114c, and I / O boards 214a, 214b, 214c are connected to the operation setting display device 26.

  Further, a preliminary calculation board 114d having the same configuration as the calculation boards 114a, 114b, and 114c is also provided in the control device 12a. This preliminary calculation board 114d is also connected to the operation setting display device 26 via a connector 124g of an improved token passing LAN.

  In this multiple weight sorter, as in the multiple weight sorter of the first embodiment, data representing the allowable weight range is set on each of the operation boards 114a, 114b, 114c by operation of the operation setting display device 26. Is done. Note that the measurement signals from the I / O boards 214a, 214b, and 214c are transmitted to the corresponding arithmetic boards via the improved token passing LAN. In addition, when stopping the corresponding weighing conveyor based on the sorting result on each of the calculation boards 114a, 114b, 114c, the improved token passing from the corresponding control board to the I / O board of the corresponding weighing conveyor. It is transmitted via the system LAN.

  In this embodiment, even if any of the operation boards 114a, 114b, 114c fails, it can be automatically switched to the preliminary operation board 114d, and the discrimination operation is hardly interrupted.

  Therefore, the operation setting display device 26 uses a recognized communication waiting limit timer and a periodic node communication timer. These timers are decremented by the interrupt process shown in FIG. 5 every time an interrupt pulse is generated every predetermined time. That is, in this interrupt process, when an interrupt signal is generated, it is determined whether the periodic node communication timer has expired (step S2). If the answer to this determination is no, the periodic node communication timer is decremented (step S4). ). Following this, or if the answer to the determination in step S2 is yes, it is determined whether the recognized communication waiting limit timer has expired (step S6). If the answer to this determination is no, the recognition communication waiting limit timer is decremented (step S8). Following this, or if the answer to the determination in step S6 is yes, step S2 is executed.

  On the other hand, in the abnormality process of the operation setting display device 26, it is first determined whether the periodic node communication timer has expired (step S10). If this determination is yes, recognition communication is performed with each node (calculation boards 114a, 114b, 114c, I / O boards 214a, 214b, 214c) (step S12). This is done by an improved token passing method. Next, a recognition communication flag corresponding to each node is set (step S14). Then, it waits for the recognition communication from each throat, and also sets a first predetermined number corresponding to the recognition communication waiting time in the recognition communication waiting limit timer, and sets the periodic node communication timer to the periodic node communication waiting time. A corresponding second predetermined number is set (step S16). Each time the interrupt process shown in FIG. 5 is executed by the set of these timers, the recognition communication waiting limit timer and the periodic node communication timer are decremented.

  Subsequent to step S16 or when the answer to the determination in step S10 is no, it is determined whether there is a recognition communication response from the first node, for example, the operation board 114a (step S18). If the answer to this determination is yes, the recognized communication flag corresponding to the first node is reset (step S20). If the answer to the determination in step S18 is no, step S20 is jumped to determine whether there is a recognition communication response from the second node, for example, the operation board 114b (step S22). If the answer to this determination is yes, the recognized communication flag corresponding to the second node is reset (step S24). Thereafter, similarly, it is determined whether or not there is a response to all the nodes. If there is a response, the corresponding recognized communication flag is reset.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the recognized communication waiting limit timer has expired (step S26). If the answer to this determination is no, the process is repeated from step S10. If the answer to the determination in step S26 is yes, it is determined whether or not there is a reset in the recognized communication flag (step S28). If the answer to this determination is no, there is no abnormal control board or I / O board, and the process is executed again from step S10. If the answer to the determination in step S28 is yes, there is an abnormal control board or I / O board, and therefore an abnormal node processing subroutine is executed (step S30).

  In this abnormal node processing subroutine, as shown in FIG. 6, it is determined whether there is no response of recognition communication on the I / O board (step S32). This can be done by checking the number of the node that does not respond. If the answer to this determination is yes, the weight sorter connected to the faulty (no response) I / O board and the conveyor for carrying in / out the goods are stopped (step S34). . Specifically, the conveyor that supplies products to the weight sorter connected to the failed I / O board is stopped. Then, the faulty I / O board is displayed on the display device of the operation setting display device 26 (step S36), and this process is terminated.

  If the answer to the determination in step S32 is no, that is, if there is no response of recognition communication, it is determined whether there is a spare board (step S38). When the answer to this determination is no, for example, when the spare machine plate 114d is already used, the weight sorter connected to the failure calculation board and the conveyor for carrying in and out the goods are stopped. (Step S40). Then, the malfunctioning calculation board is displayed on the display device of the operation setting display device 26 (step S42), and this process is terminated.

  If the answer to the determination in step S38 is yes, that is, if the preliminary calculation board 114d can be used, the preliminary calculation board 114d is replaced by the weighing conveyor controlled by the defective calculation board instead of the defective calculation board. In response to the weighing signal, the sorting can be performed (step S44). Then, the malfunctioning calculation board is displayed on the display device of the operation setting display device 26 (step S46), and this processing is ended.

  Also in the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment, it is determined whether any of the operation boards 14a to 14c has a failure, and weight selection controlled by the failure operation board is performed. The machine and the conveyor for loading and unloading goods can be stopped.

  In the second embodiment, only one preliminary calculation board is provided, but a plurality of preliminary calculation boards may be provided.

  In the first and second embodiments, an example in which three weight sorters are used has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two or more rows of weight sorters can be used.

It is a block diagram of the weight sorter of the 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the goods production line using the weight sorter of FIG. It is a block diagram of the weight sorter of the 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the abnormality process of the weight sorter of FIG. It is a flowchart of the interruption process in the weight sorter of FIG. It is a detailed flowchart of the abnormal node process in the abnormal process of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

2 Multiple weight sorters 8a to 8c Weighing conveyors 14a to 14d Calculation board (control unit)
26 Operation setting display section (setting section)

Claims (5)

Multiple weighing conveyors;
A determination unit that is provided corresponding to each weighing conveyor and determines whether or not the weight of an article weighed by the corresponding weighing conveyor is within an allowable weight range set in common for each weighing conveyor; A plurality of control units each has,
A setting unit that is connected to each control unit as a LAN hub of an improved token passing method and transmits data representing the allowable weight range to each control unit by the improved token passing method.
Equipped with multiple weight sorter.   2. The multiple weight sorter according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sequentially recognizes and communicates with each of the control units by an improved token passing method, and each of the control units is determined depending on whether or not there is a response from each of the control units. A multiple weight sorter that determines the presence or absence of abnormal parts.   The multiple weight sorter according to claim 1, wherein each of the control units is connected to the setting unit by an improved token passing method, and from each weighing conveyor corresponding to each of the determination units. An interface unit that receives a measurement signal and transmits the measurement signal by the improved token passing method to the corresponding determination unit via the setting unit, and the setting unit includes the determination unit and the determination unit. Recognize and communicate with each interface unit sequentially using the improved token passing method, and depending on whether or not there is a response in the improved token passing method from each determination unit and each interface unit, the abnormality of each determination unit and each interface unit A multiple weight sorter that determines the presence or absence.   In the multiple weight sorter according to claim 3, when a preliminary determination unit is connected to the setting unit by an improved token passing system, and the setting unit is determined to be abnormal among the determination unit, Instead of the discriminating unit determined to be abnormal, the measurement signal supplied to the discriminating unit determined to be abnormal is transmitted to the preliminary discriminating unit by the improved token passing method and discriminated to the preliminary discriminating unit. A multiple weight sorter that performs   5. The multiple weight sorter according to claim 3, wherein the interface unit is configured to operate and stop the corresponding weighing conveyor, and the setting unit includes a determination unit that is determined to be abnormal. A multiple weight sorter that transmits an instruction to stop the weighing conveyor corresponding to the interface unit corresponding to the determination unit by an improved token passing system.

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