JP2006112895A - Combination balance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To discharge articles to linearly arranged article inlets of a packer without having to use a transfer chute. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of circularly arranged scale hoppers 10 are divided to form three groups A-C of scale hoppers. The weights of articles of the scale hoppers 10 are variously combined to select combinations of which the sum weight is equal or close to a target weight from among the combinations. Combination operations for discharging articles constituting the selected combinations from an article storage means by free fall are performed for each of the groups A-C. A collection funnel 22 has an upper opening 20a for receiving the articles dropped from the scale hoppers 10. Its inside is divided into three chambers 22A-22C correspondingly to the groups A-C. Lower parts of the chambers are each provided with discharge openings 22a-22c. The lower discharge openings 22a-22c are rectilinearly arranged at the same height, and the article inlets 24a-24c are rectilinearly arranged below a packer 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a combination weigher, and more particularly to a collective funnel configuration for supplying articles discharged from a plurality of article holding means such as weighing hoppers to a packaging machine.

  There is a type of packaging machine used with a combination weigher that has a plurality of article receiving ports and packages each of the articles received from these article receiving ports. In some combination weighers used with such packaging machines, the collective funnel is divided into a plurality of rooms, and the articles discharged into each room are supplied to the article receiving port corresponding to the room. . An example of such a combination weigher is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  In the technique of Patent Document 1, a receiving portion for a collective chute is desired below a plurality of weighing hoppers arranged in a circle, and the first and second groups are arranged for each weighing instrument arranged in a semicircular shape in each weighing hopper. The weighing hoppers are divided into groups, and the collecting chute and the collecting funnel provided below them are also divided into two rooms corresponding to the first and second groups, and the items in the weighing hoppers of both groups are divided into groups. And the selected articles are discharged into the corresponding rooms.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-183831

  The technique of Patent Document 1 is based on the premise that the packaging machine has two article receiving ports. In recent years, packaging machines are provided with three or more article receiving ports in a straight line. If it is going to make the technique of patent document 1 respond | correspond to this situation, for example, when a packaging machine has three articles | goods entrances, as shown to Fig.3 (a), (b), (c), the collective funnel 2 is shown. Has a circular opening 5 in the upper part, and three outlets 2a, 2b, 2c are provided at an interval of about 120 degrees in the lower part, and the three outlets 2a, 2b, 2c belong to the respective rooms. Two rooms A, B and C are formed in the collective funnel 2. A collective chute 3 coupled with the collective funnel 2 is provided above the collective funnel 2. This collective chute 3 is common to the rooms A, B, and C. Since the discharge ports 2a, 2b, and 2c are not positioned on the same straight line, the transfer chutes 4a, 4b, and 4c are positioned in a straight line from the discharge ports 2a, 2b, and 2c. One article receiving port 6a, 6b, 6c is provided.

  However, in this configuration, the heights from the discharge ports 2a, 2b, and 2c to the article receiving ports 6a, 6b, and 6c of the packaging machine 6 are the same, but the distance is different in a plan view. The angles of the chutes 4a, 4b, 4c are different. As a result, even if articles move at different distances from the outlets 2a, 2b, and 2c to the article receiving ports 6a, 6b, and 6c, and articles are put into the rooms A, B, and C at the same time, , 6b, 6c do not arrive at the same time, it takes time until all the articles are supplied to the packaging machine 6, and the weighing speed is limited.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a combination weigher that can discharge articles to an article receiving port of a packaging machine arranged in a straight line without using a transfer chute.

  The combination weigher according to the present invention has three or more article storage means groups. The group of three or more article accommodation means is formed by dividing a plurality of article accommodation means arranged in a ring shape into a plurality of article accommodation means arranged continuously. The number of article storage means belonging to each group is desirably the same. The combination calculation means performs a combination calculation for each article storage means group. In the combination calculation, the weights of the articles accommodated in the article accommodating means are variously combined, a combination in which the total weight is equal to or close to the target weight is selected from these combinations, and the articles constituting the selected combination are It is discharged by free fall from the article storage means. The assembly funnel has an annular upper opening for receiving articles falling from the respective article storage means. The interior of the collective funnel is divided into three or more rooms corresponding to the article accommodating means group, and a discharge port is provided at the lower part of each room. These lower discharge ports are positioned in a straight line at the same height position. An article receiving port is located below the lower discharge port corresponding to each room of the packaging machine. A collecting chute can be provided between the collecting funnel and each article accommodating means. This collective chute can be partitioned inside corresponding to each article storage means group, or can be provided in common in each article storage means group without partitioning.

  If comprised in this way, the lower discharge port of a collection funnel will be in the position corresponding to each goods reception port of the packaging machine in the position which is located in the straight line in the same height position. Accordingly, the distance from the lower article discharge port to the corresponding article receiving port is almost equal, and the selected item can be supplied by the combination calculation without causing a time delay at the receiving port.

  Each of the article storage means can be arranged in a circle. In this case, the upper opening of the collective funnel is also formed in a circular shape. The three or more article accommodating means groups are three groups. Therefore, the inside of the collective funnel is also divided into three. Each lower outlet is disposed close to the center of the circle of the upper opening and both sides thereof.

  With this configuration, there is no great difference in the distance in plan view from the edge of the upper opening to each lower discharge port, and each lower discharge port is at the same height as described above. The transfer distance of the articles to the outlet is almost the same in all three sections. Accordingly, when the articles are discharged simultaneously to the respective sections, the articles reach the article receiving ports of the packaging machine almost simultaneously.

  Alternatively, in the state in which each article accommodating means is arranged in a circle and the upper opening of the collective funnel is also formed in a circle, the three or more article accommodating means groups can be made into four groups. In this case, there are also four lower discharge ports, and two lower discharge ports are arranged close to the center of the circle of the upper opening, two on the one side of the center of the circle of the upper opening and two on the other side. ing.

  With this configuration, there is no great difference in the distance in plan view from the edge of the upper opening to each lower discharge port, and each lower discharge port is at the same height as described above. The transfer distance of the articles to the outlet is almost the same in all three sections. Accordingly, when the articles are discharged simultaneously to the respective sections, the articles reach the article receiving ports of the packaging machine almost simultaneously.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an article can be supplied from a combination weigher to a packaging machine having a plurality of article receiving ports without using a transfer chute without causing a time delay.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the combination weigher of the first embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of, for example, 24 article storage means, for example, weighing hoppers 10. These weighing hoppers 10 are arranged in an annular shape, for example, a circle, as shown in FIG. A supply hopper 12 is provided above each weighing hopper 10. In order to supply articles to these supply hoppers 12, 24 linear feeders 14 are arranged radially from the center of the circle described above. In addition, in order to supply the articles of the linear feeder 14, the dispersion feeder 16 is provided at the center of the circle described above. A memory hopper 18 is provided below each weighing hopper 10. The weighing hopper 10 is configured to directly discharge the articles inside the weighing hopper 10 or supply the articles to the corresponding memory hopper 18. Further, articles from each weighing hopper 10 and the memory hopper 18 are discharged to the collecting chute 20. The collective chute 20 is formed in an inverted frustoconical shape, and has a hollow inside, and has a circular opening 20a at the top and a circular opening 20b at the bottom. Each weighing hopper 10 is circularly disposed above the collective chute 20 along the upper opening 20 a of the collective chute 20. The memory hopper 18 is disposed inside the collective chute 20 so as to be positioned below the corresponding weighing hopper 10. The configuration so far is a known one.

  The 24 weighing hoppers 10 are divided into three or more groups, for example, three groups. A group A is formed by eight continuous weighing hoppers 10 as shown in FIG. A group B is formed by a total of eight weighing hoppers 10 on both sides of the group A. Further, a group C is formed by a total of eight weighing hoppers 10 sandwiched on both sides by the group B. Although not shown, the 24 memory hoppers 18 belong to the same group as the corresponding weighing hoppers 10.

  For each group A, B, and C, a combination calculation unit (not shown), such as a CPU, performs a combination calculation on the weights of articles stored in the weighing hopper 10 and the memory hopper 18 belonging to each of the groups A, B, and C. Is done. In the combination calculation, the weights of the articles are variously combined. A combination in which the total weight is equal to or close to a predetermined target weight is selected from the obtained combinations. Articles constituting the selected combination are discharged from the weighing hopper 10 or the memory hopper 18 containing them to the collecting chute 20. The articles are supplied from the weighing hopper 10 above the memory hopper 18 that has discharged the articles to the collecting chute 20, and the articles are supplied from the supply hopper 12 above the weighing hopper 10 that is empty. Similarly, the articles are supplied from the supply hopper 12 above the weighing hopper 10 that has discharged the articles to the collecting chute 20.

  These discharged articles are discharged through the collecting chute 20 to the lower collecting funnel 22. Similar to the collective chute 20, the collective funnel 22 also has a circular upper opening 23 whose outer shape is formed in a substantially inverted truncated cone shape and into which the lower opening 20 b of the collective chute 20 fits.

  The collective funnel 22 has three or more lower discharge ports 22a, 22b, and 22c corresponding to, for example, the groups A, B, and C at the lower portion thereof. These are located at the same height, and are arranged in a straight line to correspond to the three article receiving ports 24a, 24b, 24c of the packaging machine 24 located below them.

  These lower discharge ports 22b, 22b, and 22c are located close to both sides of the lower discharge port 22c at the center of the upper opening 23 in a plan view as shown in FIGS. The lower discharge ports 22a and 22c are positioned on a straight line. For example, the distance between the centers of the lower discharge ports 22a and 22b and the distance between the centers of the lower discharge ports 22b and 22c are set to be ½ or less of the radius of the upper opening 23, respectively. Further, only the articles from the group A weighing hopper 10 and the memory hopper 18 reach the lower outlet 22b so that only articles from the group A weighing hopper 10 and the memory hopper 18 reach the lower outlet 22a. In addition, the interior of the collective funnel 22 is divided into three rooms 22A, 22B, and 22C by partitions so that only articles from the weighing hopper 10 of the group C and the memory hopper 18 reach the lower discharge port 22c.

  In the collective funnel 22 configured in this way, as described above, the lower discharge ports 22a, 22b, and 22c are located on the same straight line and at the same height, and below the respective product receiving ports of the packaging machine 24. 24a, 24b, and 24c are positioned so that when articles are discharged from the lower discharge ports 22a, 22b, and 22c to the respective article receiving ports 24a, 24b, and 24c, the article receiving ports 24a, 24b, The article reaches 24c. Moreover, since the lower discharge ports 22a, 22b, and 22c are positioned corresponding to the article receiving ports 24a, 24b, and 24c on the same straight line, there is no need to provide a transfer chute.

  Further, in a state in which the collective funnel 22 is viewed in plan view, the distance from the installation position of each weighing hopper 10 of the group A (the position indicated by numerals 1 to 8 in the same figure (c) to the center of the lower discharge port 22a, The installation position of each weighing hopper 10 in group B (the distance from the position where numerals 9 to 12 and 21 to 24 are attached to the center of the lower discharge port 22b in FIG. The distance from the installation position (numbered 13 to 20 in the figure (c)) to the center of the lower discharge port 22c is substantially equal, and the height positions of the lower discharge ports 22a, 22b, 22c are the same. Therefore, the distances from the weighing hoppers 10 to the lower discharge ports of the groups to which they belong are substantially equal, so when articles are discharged from the weighing hoppers 10 belonging to the groups A, B, and C at the same time, the articles are almost simultaneously Lower outlet 2a, 22b, and reaches the 22c. Even if the article from the memory hoppers 18 are discharged, is similar.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the combination weigher of the second embodiment is configured in the same manner as the combination weigher of the first embodiment except that the configuration of the collective funnel 122 is different. The same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the packaging machine 124 has article receiving ports 124a, 124b, 124c, and 124d at equal intervals on a straight line. Corresponding to this, the collective funnel 122 also has four lower discharge ports 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d. These lower discharge ports 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d are at the same height, and are positioned on a straight line.

  Since the packaging machine 126 has four receiving ports as described above, the 24 weighing hoppers 10 and the memory hopper 18 are also divided into four groups A, B, C, D as shown in FIG. It is divided into That is, the weighing hoppers 10 arranged at the positions labeled 1 to 6 constitute the group A, and the weighing hoppers located at the positions labeled 7 to 9 and 22 to 24 constitute the group B. The weighing hoppers at positions 10 to 12 and 19 to 21 constitute group C, and the weighing hoppers denoted by reference numerals 13 to 18 constitute group D. Similarly, the memory hoppers 18 corresponding to the weighing hoppers 10 constitute groups A to D.

  The articles from the group A weighing hoppers 10 and the memory hoppers 18 are at the discharge port 122a, the articles from the group B weighing hoppers 10 and the memory hoppers 18 are at the discharge port 122b, and the group C weighing hoppers 10 and the memory hopper 18 So that the articles from the weighing hopper 10 of the group D and the articles from the memory hopper 18 reach the outlet 122d, the interior of the collective funnel 122 is partitioned into the rooms 122A to 122D by the partition walls. Yes.

  Two lower discharge ports 122a to 122d are formed close to each other on both sides of the central position of the upper opening of the collecting chute 20. The distance between the centers of the outermost lower discharge port 122a and the upper opening 20a is not more than ½ of the radius of the upper opening 20a.

  Since it is configured in this manner, when articles are discharged from the lower discharge ports 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d to the respective article receiving ports 124a, 124b, 124c, 124d in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Almost at the same time, the articles arrive at the article receiving openings 124a, 124b, 124c, and 124d. Moreover, since the lower discharge ports 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d are positioned on the same straight line corresponding to the article receiving ports 124a, 124b, 124c, 124d, there is no need to provide a transfer chute.

  Further, in a state in which the collective funnel 122 is viewed in plan, the distance from the installation position of each weighing hopper 10 of the group A (the position indicated by numerals 1 to 6 in the same figure (c) to the center of the lower discharge port 122a, The installation position of each weighing hopper 10 in group B (the distance from the position marked with numerals 7 to 9, 22 to 24 in the same figure (c) to the center of the lower discharge port 122b, and the weighing hopper 10 of group C Installation position (distance from the position marked with numerals 10 to 12 in the figure (c) to the center of the lower discharge port 122c, installation position of each weighing hopper 10 of group D (numbers 13 to 18 in the figure (c)) The distance from the position marked with the center of the lower discharge port 122d is substantially equal, and the height positions of the lower discharge ports 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d are the same. Therefore, when articles are discharged from the weighing hopper 10 belonging to each group A, B, C, D simultaneously, the articles are simultaneously discharged to the lower outlets 122a, 122b, The same applies to the case where the article is discharged from the memory hopper 18.

  In both the above-described embodiments, only the collective funnels 22 and 122 are partitioned, but the interior of the collective chute 20 can also be partitioned corresponding to the collective funnels 22 and 122. In both the above-described embodiments, the memory hopper is used. However, depending on the case, these can be removed.

It is a front view of the combination weigher of the first embodiment of the present invention, a bottom view of a collective funnel used in the combination weigher, and a plan view after the collective chute of the combination weigher. It is the front view of the combination balance of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, the bottom view of the collection funnel used with the combination balance, and the top view after the collection chute of the combination scale. It is the front view after the gathering chute at the time of making the conventional combination balance correspond to the packaging machine which has three article acceptance, the bottom view of the gathering funnel used with the combination weighing scale, and the top view of the gathering funnel.

Explanation of symbols

10 Weighing hopper (goods accommodation means)
20 Collecting chute 22 122 Collecting funnel 22a, 22b, 22c, 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d Lower discharge port

Claims (3)

A group of three or more article accommodation means formed by dividing a plurality of article accommodation means arranged in a ring shape into a plurality of article accommodation means arranged continuously;
Various combinations of the weights of the articles accommodated in the article accommodating means are selected, a combination in which the total weight is equal to or close to the target weight is selected from these combinations, and the articles constituting the selected combination are selected from the article accommodating means. Combination calculation means for performing combination calculation for discharging by free fall for each of the article storage means group;
It has an annular upper opening for receiving articles falling from each article storage means, the interior is divided into three or more rooms corresponding to the article storage means group, and a discharge port is provided at the bottom of each room. These lower discharge ports are arranged in a straight line at the same height position, and a collective funnel in which article receiving ports arranged in a straight line below these lower discharge ports are located,
A combination weigher.   2. The combination weigher according to claim 1, wherein each of the article accommodating means is arranged in a circle, the upper opening of the collective funnel is also formed in a circle, and the three or more article accommodating means groups are three groups. The lower discharge port is a combination weigher arranged close to the center of the circle of the upper opening and both sides thereof. 2. The combination weigher according to claim 1, wherein each of the article accommodating means is arranged in a circle, the upper opening of the collective funnel is also formed in a circle, and the three or more article accommodating means groups are four groups. The lower discharge port is a combination weigher in which two are disposed on one side of the center of the circle of the upper opening, two are disposed on the other side and close to the center of the circle of the upper opening.

Images