JP2009126636A - Sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sorting device capable of stabilizing posture of articles when articles approach a receipt space and capable of properly collecting articles in a collection space. <P>SOLUTION: This sorting device 1 includes a sorting means 5 for sorting articles W being conveyed and a collecting means 6 for collecting the sorted articles W in standing posture. The collecting means 6 has a guide body 42 for moving the articles W obliquely downward, a support 43 for receiving and supporting the article W from the guide body 42, and a receipt space 44 and a collection space 45 positioned over the support 43. The collecting means 6 includes a moving stopper 46 movably arranged in the collection space 45 and an extruder 81 to be moved forward/backward relative to the inside of the receipt space 44. A guide material 83 for guiding the article W to the receipt space 44 is provided at a position facing the guide body 42 with an interval. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sorting apparatus capable of appropriately stacking articles in a stacking space portion.

  Conventionally, for example, a sorting apparatus described in Patent Document 1 below is known.

  The conventional sorting apparatus includes a conveying unit that conveys an article in a conveying direction in a sideways posture, a sorting unit that sorts the article being conveyed by the conveying unit, and an article that is sorted by the sorting unit in an upright posture. And accumulating means for accumulating.

The stacking means includes a guide body that moves the sorted articles obliquely downward, a support body such as a table that receives the articles from the guide body and supports the lower end portion of the articles, and a position above the support body. A receiving space portion and an accumulation space portion. In addition, the stacking means is movable between the moving stopper body that is movably disposed in the stacking space section, and the operating position in the receiving space section and the non-operating position outside the receiving space section. The article is allowed to enter the receiving space part from the guide body in the state where the article is moved, and the article in the receiving space part is pushed out to the accumulating space part when moving to the working position, and the article is placed in the accumulating space part when it is located at the working position. And an extruded body that holds the articles in the standing posture between the movable stopper bodies so as to be stacked in the standing posture.
JP 2002-205817 A

  However, in the conventional sorting apparatus, for example, depending on the type of the article, the posture of the article when entering the receiving space portion is unstable, and there is a possibility that the accumulation state of the articles in the accumulation space portion is deteriorated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. Regardless of the type of the article, the posture of the article can be stabilized when entering the receiving space, and the article can be appropriately placed in the accumulation space. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sorting apparatus that can accumulate.

  The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, the conveying means for conveying the articles in the conveying direction in a sideways posture, the sorting means for sorting the articles being conveyed by the conveying means, and the articles sorted by the sorting means stand up Stacking means for stacking in a posture, the stacking means, a guide body for moving the sorted articles diagonally downward, a support body for receiving the articles from the guide body and supporting the lower end of the articles, A receiving space portion and an accumulation space portion located above the support, a moving stopper body disposed movably in the accumulation space portion, an operating position in the receiving space portion, and a non-operation outside the receiving space portion The article is allowed to enter the receiving space from the guide body when it is in the non-operating position, and the article in the receiving space is moved to the operating position. To the accumulation space An extruded body that holds the article in a standing posture between the movable stopper body and the guide body so that the article is accumulated in the standing space in the standing space when in the operation position. And a derivative for guiding the article to the receiving space.

  The sorting apparatus according to claim 2 is the sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the derivative has an elastically deformable guide plate positioned substantially vertically above the guide body, and an upper end portion of the guide plate is covered. It is attached to the attachment portion, and the lower end portion of the guide plate is a free end portion.

  The sorting apparatus according to claim 3 is the sorting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable stopper body has an inclined support surface portion that supports an article in a standing posture, and is an extruded body in a state of being positioned at an operating position. An article in a standing posture is sandwiched between the support surface portion and the support surface portion side surface of the article in the standing posture is supported in a surface contact state by the support surface portion.

  The sorting apparatus according to claim 4 is the sorting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sorting means moves the article in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the conveying means, thereby moving the article to the side of the conveying means. And a drive unit that moves the dispenser, and the drive unit is controlled according to the size of the article to adjust the moving speed of the dispenser.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the stacking means is provided facing the guide body and includes a derivative that guides the article to the receiving space portion, the article at the time of entering the receiving space portion regardless of the type of the article. The posture can be stabilized, and articles can be appropriately accumulated in the accumulation space.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the article can be smoothly guided to the receiving space portion by the elastically deformable guide plate positioned substantially vertically above the guide body.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 3, the articles | goods of a standing posture can be supported in a surface contact state by the inclined support surface part of a movement stopper body, and the standing posture can be maintained appropriately.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the drive unit is controlled in accordance with the size of the article to adjust the moving speed of the dispenser, the article posture can be further stabilized when entering the receiving space. Can be planned.

  An embodiment of a sorting apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a sorting device. The sorting device 1 accepts an article W carried in from a carry-in apparatus 2 and automatically sorts the accepted article W based on sorting information. The article W is, for example, a book having no rigidity and various sizes, and has a substantially rectangular plate shape with a relatively small thickness compared to the length and width.

  The sorting apparatus 1 has one conveying means 4 that carries the articles W on the conveying surface 3 and conveys the articles W in a horizontal conveying direction a in a laterally inclined posture (an attitude in which the thickness direction matches the vertical direction). A plurality of (for example, three) sorting means 5 for delivering and sorting the articles W being conveyed on the surface 3 to the side of the conveying means 4 at the sorting position and the sorting means 5 disposed on both sides of the conveying means 4 respectively. And a plurality of (for example, six) stacking means 6 that stack the articles W sorted in a standing posture slightly inclined.

  Note that the standing posture of the articles W stacked in the stacking direction b in the stacking direction b by the stacking means 6 is, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the stacking standing whose length direction is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical direction. It is posture. The inclination angle α is approximately 15 degrees, for example.

  The conveying means 4 is disposed on a base 12 supported by leg members 11. The conveying means 4 includes an endless belt 13, a driving means (not shown) for rotating the belt 13, a belt support plate 14 for supporting the lower surface of the forward path surface portion 13 a of the belt 13 from below, and the forward path of the belt 13. It has guide members 15 and the like for preventing meandering on both sides in the conveying direction for preventing meandering of the surface portion 13a. On the upper surface of the forward path surface portion 13a of the belt 13, a conveyance surface 3 for conveying the article W is configured.

  When the belt 13 is rotated by the power from the driving means, the plurality of articles W placed on the conveying surface 3 at intervals are spaced in the conveying direction a while being in the lying posture on the conveying surface 3. It is transported sequentially.

  Each sorting means 5 is disposed above the conveying means 4 and is located corresponding to each sorting position of the conveying means 4. That is, each sorting means 5 is attached to a frame 20 erected on the base 12.

  Each sorting means 5 includes a rotating shaft 21 rotatably provided on the frame 20, and a rotating body 22 such as a sprocket is fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft 21 in the axial direction. An endless body 23 such as a chain is reciprocally wound around the rotating bodies 22 that are spaced apart from each other, and the endless body 23 that forms a pair moves in a horizontal direction orthogonal to (intersects with) the transport direction a of the transport means 4. By doing so, a plurality of (for example, three) payout bodies 24 each having a substantially plate shape that pays out and sorts the article W to the side of the conveying means 4 are fixed in a state of straddling both endless bodies 23. That is, the discharger 24 moves to one side by turning in the endless body 23 in one direction, and the article W is discharged to one side of the conveying means 4, and the discharger by turning in the other direction of the endless body 23. 24 moves to the other side and the article W is paid out to the other side of the conveying means 4.

  In addition, a driving unit 26 such as a motor capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions is connected to one rotating shaft 21, and the driving unit 26 is controlled according to the size of the article W. A control unit 27 that adjusts the moving speed of the dispenser 24 is electrically connected, and a detection unit 28 is electrically connected to the control unit 27.

  Then, when the rotating shaft 21 is rotated by the power from the drive unit 26 and the endless member 23 rotates, the paying member 24 moves in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction a, and as a result, the conveying surface 3 of the conveying means 4. The upper article W is dispensed and sorted by the dispenser 24 so as to be pushed to the side of the conveying surface 3 of the conveying means 4 toward the accumulating means 6.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the detection unit 28 has a plurality of, for example, two sensors, that is, a first sensor 31 and a second sensor 32, and these two sensors 31, 32 are transport means. 4 is attached to a sensor attached portion 34 located in the vicinity of the conveyance start end 4 (see FIG. 1). Each of the sensors 31 and 32 is, for example, an optical sensor that is blocked by the article W and turned on. The first sensor 31 is for start detection, and the second sensor 32 is for article length detection.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the article W is, for example, a paperback book and the size of the article W is less than the reference size, only the first sensor 31 is shielded by the article W and turned on. . In this case, the control unit 27 grasps the position of the article W on the conveying surface 3 with an encoder pulse or the like, and controls the driving unit 26 when determining that the article W has reached the sorting position corresponding to the sorting information. Then, the dispenser 24 is continuously moved by a predetermined distance (a distance equal to or larger than the width dimension of the transport surface 3), and the article W is dispensed by the continuous movement of the dispenser 24.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the length of the article W is longer than the reference length and the size of the article W is equal to or larger than the reference size, the first sensor 31 and the second sensor 32 are at the article W. At the same time, it is shielded from light and turned on. In this case, the control unit 27 grasps the position of the article W on the conveying surface 3 with an encoder pulse or the like, and determines that the article W has reached the sorting position corresponding to the sorting information, controls the driving unit 26. After the dispenser 24 is moved by a predetermined distance, the article W is temporarily stopped for a predetermined time in the course of delivering the article W, and again moved by a predetermined distance, and the article W is delivered to the stacking means 6 by the intermittent movement of the dispenser 24.

  Each stacking means 6 is disposed on each of the left and right sides of the transport means 4 and is located corresponding to each sorting position of the transport means 4.

  Each accumulating means 6 receives the articles W sorted by the dispensing bodies 24 of the sorting means 5 and moves them obliquely downward on the guide surface 41 by its own weight, and receives the articles W from the guide bodies 42. A support 43 that supports the lower end portion of the article W, a receiving space 44 and an accumulation space 45 that are located above the support 43, and the accumulation space 45 on the support 43 along the accumulation direction b. And a movement stopper body 46 disposed so as to be movable.

  The guide body 42 includes a downwardly inclined first guide chute 51, and a downwardly inclined second guide chute 52 that is connected to the lower end of the first guide chute 51 and has a larger inclination angle than the first guide chute 51. Have. The first guide chute 51 is constituted by, for example, a corochute 54 having a plurality of rotatable rollers 53, and the second guide chute 52 is constituted by, for example, an inclined plate 55.

  Further, on both sides of the downwardly inclined guide surface 41 of the guide body 42, plate-like guide members 56 and 57 that are opposed to each other and make a pair for guiding the article W to the receiving space 44 are provided upright.

  The support body 43 is configured by a horizontal plate 62 such as a table supported substantially horizontally by the leg members 61, for example. The upper surface of the support 43 is a horizontal support surface 63 that has a relatively small frictional resistance with the article W, and this support surface 63 is separated from the lower end that is the guide terminal portion of the guide 42. It is arranged below the lower end of the lever. Further, on both sides of the horizontal support surface 63 of the support body 43, plate-like guide members 64 that make a pair that are spaced apart from each other and guide the article W and the movement stopper body 46 along the horizontal accumulation direction b are provided. It is installed.

  Further, a plate-like stopper member 66 that abuts the movement stopper body 46 and restricts the movement of the movement stopper body 46 in the accumulation direction b stands on the tip end portion of the support surface 63 in the accumulation direction b. It is installed.

  The movement stopper body 46 includes a base portion 71 which is a weight portion mounted on the support surface 63 of the support body 43 so as to be slidable along the stacking direction b while being positioned between the guide members 64, and the base portion 71. And an inclined support surface portion 72 whose vertical length is longer than the vertical length of the article W in the standing posture. Even when the article W from the guide body 42 enters the receiving space section 44 and comes into contact with the movement stopper body 46 directly or via the article W, the base 71 friction with the support surface 63 of the support 43 It has a mass that does not move. Further, the support surface portion 72 is configured by a substantially rectangular plate-like support plate 74 which is a plate member, and this support plate 74 is attached to the base 71 in an inclined manner with respect to the vertical direction, and is substantially above the support plate 74. The half projects upward from the base 71.

  The mass of the entire moving stopper body 46 is 1.5 kg, for example.

  Further, each stacking means 6 can move forward and backward with respect to the receiving space 44, that is, an extrudate 81 movable between an operating position in the receiving space 44 and a non-operating position outside the receiving space 44, Driving means 82 for moving the extruded body 81 between the operating position and the non-operating position, and the guide body 42 positioned above the guide body 42 in a state of being opposed to the guide body 42 and guiding the article W to the receiving space 44. And a derivative 83 that makes the posture of the article W a slightly inclined standing posture leaning against the lower end portion of the guide body.

  The extruded body 81 is constituted by a plate member 86 having a vertical plate portion 84 and a horizontal plate portion 85, for example. The vertical length of the vertical plate 84 is substantially the same as the distance between the lower end of the guide 42 and the support 43, and the width of the vertical plate 84 is substantially the same as the distance between the two guide members 64. is there.

  The drive means 82 is constituted by a cylinder 87 such as an extendable air cylinder, for example. The cylinder 87 includes a cylinder body 88 disposed below the guide body 42 and a rod 89 that enters and exits the cylinder body 88. The end of the rod 89 is connected and fixed to the vertical plate portion 84 of the extruded body 81, and the extruded body 81 advances and retreats in the receiving space 44 according to the expansion and contraction of the cylinder 87.

  When the cylinder 87 is contracted, that is, when the extruded body 81 is located at the non-operating position, the extruded body 81 allows the article W to enter the receiving space 44 from the guide body 42, and the cylinder 87 is extended. When the extruded body 81 moves from the non-operating position to the working position, the extruded body 81 pushes the article W in the receiving space 44 to the accumulation space 45 and moves the moving stopper body 46 in the accumulation direction b by the thickness of the article W. When the cylinder 87 is extended, that is, when the extruded body 81 is located at the working position, the accumulation space portion is moved and moved so that the posture of the article W is rotated around the lower end side toward the movement stopper body 46. The articles W in the standing posture are clamped between the moving stopper bodies 46 so that the articles W are accumulated in the standing posture in 45.

  The derivative 83 has an elastically deformable guide plate 91 positioned substantially vertically above the second guide chute 52 of the guide body 42 and in front of the first guide chute 51 in the guide direction. The upper end portion of the guide plate 91 is attached to the attached portion 92, and the lower end portion of the guide plate 91 is a free end portion 91a. The upper end portion of the guide plate 91 is at a position higher than the transport surface 3 of the transport means 4, and the free end portion 91 a that is the lower end portion of the guide plate 91 is positioned at substantially the same height as the lower end of the first guide chute 51. ing.

  The attached portion 92 includes a curved surface bracket 94 fixed to the attachment plate 93. The curved surface bracket 94 is connected to the attached surface portion 95 and the lower end of the attached surface portion 95 via the curved surface portion 96. And a projecting surface portion 97 projecting toward the opposite conveying means 4 side.

  The upper end portion of the guide plate 91 is clamped between the attached surface portion 95 of the curved surface bracket 94 and the presser plate 99 by a fixture 98 such as a screw, for example, so that the curved surface bracket whose guide plate 91 is the attached portion 92 is provided. Removably attached to 94.

  Further, an auxiliary guide plate 100 is attached to the surface of the presser plate 99 opposite to the guide plate 91 side by a double-sided tape or the like, and the presser plate 99 is covered with the auxiliary guide plate 100. The vertical length of the auxiliary guide plate 100 is approximately half the vertical length of the guide plate 91, and its lower end portion is a free end portion 100 a, and this free end portion 100 a is transported by the transport means 4. It is located at substantially the same height as the surface 3. In this way, the derivative 83 has a double goodwill structure with the guide plate 91 and the auxiliary guide plate 100.

  Note that both the guide plate 91 and the auxiliary guide plate 100 are made of a resin or metal plate member or the like that has a relatively small frictional resistance with the article W. Further, the auxiliary guide plate 100 is in contact with an article W (thick or long article) W larger than the reference size, and the auxiliary guide plate 100 guides the article W downward.

Further, since the curved bracket 94 has a shape having the curved surface portion 96, the guide plate 91 is protected from being damaged by contacting the curved surface portion 96 when the guide plate 91 is elastically deformed. .

  On the other hand, a plurality of holes 101 opening toward the receiving space 44 are formed, and an abnormality detection is performed in one hole 101 selected according to the type of the article W among the plurality of holes 101. The sensor 102 is provided. The sensor 102 is, for example, an optical sensor that is turned on by being blocked by the article W.

  In addition to the drive unit 26 and the detection unit 28, the control unit 27, which is a control means, is electrically connected to the cylinder 87 and the sensor 102, and the control unit 27 has a host computer for managing sorting information and the like. Electrically connected.

  Next, the operation and the like of the sorting apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the accumulation operation when the article W is a paperback book or the like and the size is less than the reference size will be described.

  In the state shown in FIG. 6, the extruded body 81 advances into the receiving space portion 44 and is positioned at the working position. For example, two sorted articles W have a thickness between the extruded body 81 and the moving stopper body 46. It is sandwiched from both sides in the direction and accumulated in a desired standing upright posture.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7, after the discharging body 24 of the sorting means 5 moves and the discharging operation of the articles W by the discharging body 24 is started, the cylinder 87 of the stacking means 6 performs the contracting operation after a certain time has elapsed. Start.

  When the cylinder 87 performs the contracting operation, as shown in FIG. 8, the extruded body 81 moves from the operating position to the non-operating position, moves backward from the receiving space 44, and slides down on the guide body 42. The entry into the receiving space 44 is allowed.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the article W that has been dispensed and sorted by the dispensing body 24 moves so as to slide down on the guide body 42 by its own weight, and the front end in the movement direction is moved in the middle of the movement. By coming into contact with the lower end side of the derivative 83, it is guided to the receiving space portion 44 and becomes a slightly inclined standing posture leaning on the lower end portion of the guide body.

  That is, when the article W is moved obliquely downward on the guide body 42, the momentum in the moving direction is weakened by the contact with the derivative 83, and the article W is always in a leaning standing posture as shown in FIG. The space 44 enters a position where it does not interfere with the accumulated articles W in the standing posture. At this time, the lower end side of the derivative 83 is elastically deformed by contact with the article W.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11, after a predetermined time has elapsed after completion of the contraction operation of the cylinder 87, the extruding body 81 is moved from the non-operation position to the operation position by the extension operation of the cylinder 87, and the article W is supported by this movement. The body 43 is pushed from the receiving space 44 to the accumulation space 45 on the body 43, and the moving stopper body 46 moves on the support 43 in the accumulation direction b by the thickness of the article W.

  At this time, the article W moves on the support body 43 in the accumulation direction b, leans by rotation about the lower end side, changes its posture from the standing posture to the accumulated standing posture which is a desired standing posture, and the preceding 2 The two articles W are sandwiched between the vertical plate portion 84 of the extruded body 81 and the support surface portion 72 of the moving stopper body 46.

  For example, since the article W is placed on the horizontal plate portion 85 of the extruded body 81, the article W is not pushed out to the accumulation space portion 45, and the abnormality detection sensor 102 is shielded by the article W from the article W and turned on. In this case, the cylinder 87 operates again.

  Further, the leaning standing posture referred to here is a posture in which the length direction of the article W is inclined toward the anti-stacking direction b with respect to the vertical direction, and the stacked standing posture is a lengthwise direction of the article W with respect to the vertical direction. Thus, the posture is inclined toward the accumulation direction b.

  Next, an accumulation operation when the article W is larger than the reference size (for example, when the length of the article W is longer than the reference length) will be described.

  In the state shown in FIG. 12, the extruded body 81 advances into the receiving space portion 44 and is positioned at the working position. For example, two sorted articles W have a thickness between the extruded body 81 and the moving stopper body 46. It is sandwiched from both sides in the direction and accumulated in a desired standing upright posture.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 13, after the discharging body 24 of the sorting means 5 moves and the discharging operation of the articles W by the discharging body 24 is started, the cylinder 87 of the stacking means 6 performs the contracting operation after a certain time has elapsed. Start.

  When the cylinder 87 performs the contracting operation, as shown in FIG. 14, the extruded body 81 moves from the operating position to the non-operating position, moves backward from the receiving space 44, and slides down on the guide body 42. The entry into the receiving space 44 is allowed.

  Further, since the article W is larger than the reference size, the dispenser 24 temporarily stops for a predetermined time (several seconds) in the state shown in FIG. The front end of the article W in the movement direction comes into contact with the derivative 83.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 15, after the article W changes its posture, the dispenser 24 resumes the remaining dispensing operation and dispenses the article W by pushing the rear end of the article W in the moving direction. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the article W that is dispensed and sorted by the dispenser 24 moves so as to slide down on the guide body 42 by its own weight, and the front end in the movement direction is a derivative in the middle of the movement. By being brought into contact with the lower end side of 83, it is guided to the receiving space portion 44 and becomes a slightly inclined standing posture leaning on the lower end portion of the guide body. That is, the article W larger than the reference size, like the article W smaller than the reference size, is weakened in the moving direction due to the contact with the derivative 83 when it moves obliquely downward on the guide body 42, and is always shown in FIG. It enters the receiving space 44 in a leaning standing posture, which is a constant posture shown. At this time, the lower end side of the derivative 83 is elastically deformed by contact with the article W.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 17, when the extruded body 81 moves to the operating position, the article W is pushed out from the receiving space 44 to the accumulation space 45 on the support 43 and moved as in the case of FIG. The stopper body 46 moves on the support body 43 in the stacking direction b by the thickness of the article W. At this time, the article W moves in the accumulation direction b on the support body 43 and leans by turning around the lower end side to change the attitude from the standing attitude to the accumulated standing attitude which is a desired standing attitude, and the preceding 2 The two articles W are sandwiched between the vertical plate portion 84 of the extruded body 81 and the support surface portion 72 of the moving stopper body 46.

  Then, by repeating the accumulation operation as described above, a plurality of articles W having different sizes are accumulated in the accumulation space portion 45 on the support body 43 in a stable standing posture as shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the sorting apparatus 1, the stacking means 6 is positioned so as to be opposed to the guide body 42, and the article W is moved to the receiving space 44 so that the article W is in a fixed posture leaning against the lower end of the guide body 42. Since the derivative 83 to be guided is provided, it is possible to stabilize the posture of the article W when entering the receiving space 44 regardless of the type of the article W. It is possible to appropriately accumulate in a desired accumulation standing posture.

  That is, for example, the movement of the article W after being dispensed by the dispenser 24 becomes substantially constant, and the article W can be appropriately accumulated in the accumulation space portion 45 in the accumulation space 45 without twisting, turning, bending, or the like. . For example, even if the article W is a book having a band wound around the lower part of the book, a band that is an added value part added to the surface of the book does not cause a problem that the article W is caught on the band. There is no damage.

  Further, the article W can be smoothly guided to the receiving space 44 without damaging the article W by the elastically deformable guide plate 91 positioned substantially vertically above the guide body 42.

  Further, the inclined support surface portion 72 of the moving stopper body 46 can stably support the articles W in the stacked standing posture in a surface contact state, and can appropriately maintain the stacked standing posture.

  In addition, since the sorting unit 5 includes the control unit 27 that controls the driving unit 26 according to the size of the article W to adjust the moving speed of the dispenser 24, the posture of the article W when entering the receiving space 44 is determined. Stabilization can be further enhanced.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the inclined guide body 42 is fixed to the base 12 has been described. However, for example, a configuration in which the inclination angle of the guide body 42 is changed may be used.

  That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 19, the first guide chute 51 formed of the corochute 54 may be configured such that the lower end side, which is the guide end side, moves up and down about the upper end side, which is the guide start end side.

  The rotation of the first guide chute 51 is, for example, a self-weight method using a counterweight, and does not rotate when the mass of the article W is less than the reference mass, but also rotates by a predetermined angle when the mass is greater than the reference mass. Alternatively, for example, an actuator method such as a motor may be used, in which the product W does not rotate when the size of the article W is smaller than the reference size, but rotates by a predetermined angle when the size is equal to or larger than the reference size.

  For example, when the article W is a paperback book and the size thereof is less than the reference size, as shown in FIGS. 19 to 24, the first guide chute 51 rotates as in the above-described stacking operation shown in FIGS. The article W moves on the guide body 42 so as to slide down due to its own weight while maintaining a constant state, and is guided to the receiving space 44 by the derivative 83 during the movement, and leans to stand in the receiving space 44. Thereafter, the pushing body 81 pushes and leans to change the posture from the standing posture to the accumulated standing posture, and is sandwiched between the pushing body 81 and the moving stopper body 46 together with the preceding two articles W.

  Further, for example, when the article W is larger than the reference size, as shown in FIGS. 25 to 29, the article W is transferred onto the first guide chute 51 as compared with the accumulation operation shown in FIGS. 12 to 17 described above. The only difference is that the first guide chute 51 rotates downward and the first guide chute 51 rotates upward when the article W leaves the first guide chute 51, and the other operations are the same.

  When the tilt angle of the guide body 42 is changed by the rotation of the first guide chute 51 as described above, the posture of the article W can be further stabilized when entering the receiving space 44. The articles W can be appropriately accumulated in the accumulation space 45.

  In any of the embodiments, the stacked standing posture of the articles W stacked by the stacking unit 6 may be a posture in which the length direction coincides with the vertical direction instead of the tilted posture.

  Further, the control unit 27 of the sorting unit 5 is not limited to the one that temporarily stops the dispensing body 24 once in the middle of the dispensing operation when the size of the article W is equal to or larger than the reference size, for example, during the dispensing operation. It may be stopped a plurality of times. For example, the moving speed of the dispenser may be slower than the first half of the payout operation.

  Further, the guide body 42 is not limited to the one constituted by the two chutes 51 and 52, and may be one constituted by only one chute having a downward slope.

  Further, the movement stopper body 46 is not limited to the one having the inclined support surface portion 72 whose vertical length is longer than the vertical length of the article W in the standing posture, and the vertical length of the support surface portion 72 stands upright. It may be slightly shorter than the vertical length of the article W in the posture.

  Further, the width dimension of the support surface portion 72 of the movement stopper body 46 may be smaller than the width dimension of the article W, or may be substantially the same as the width dimension of the article W.

It is a perspective view of the sorting device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of a sorting apparatus same as the above. It is a front view of a sorting apparatus same as the above. It is a front view of a sorting apparatus same as the above. (A)-(c) is explanatory drawing of the detection part of a sorting apparatus same as the above. It is explanatory drawing in the case of stack | stacking articles | goods smaller than a reference | standard size with the stacking means of a sorting apparatus same as the above. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 9. It is explanatory drawing of the integration | stacking operation | movement following FIG. It is explanatory drawing in the case of collecting | stacking articles | goods more than a reference | standard size by a stacking means same as the above. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 12. It is explanatory drawing of the integration | stacking operation | movement following FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 14. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 16. It is explanatory drawing which shows the integration | stacking state of the articles | goods integrated | stacked by the integration means same as the above. It is explanatory drawing in the case of stack | stacking the articles | goods smaller than a reference | standard size in the stacking means of other embodiment of this invention. FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 21. FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 23. It is explanatory drawing in the case of collecting | stacking articles | goods more than a reference | standard size by a collection means same as the above. FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 25. FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 26. FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 27. FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram of the integration operation following FIG. 28.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sorting device 4 Conveying means 5 Sorting means 6 Accumulating means
24 Dispenser
26 Drive unit
42 Guide
43 Support
44 Receiving space
45 Integrated space
46 Moving stopper body
72 Support surface
81 Extruded body
83 Derivatives
91 Guide plate
91a Free end
92 Mounted part W Goods a Transport direction

Claims (4)

Conveying means for conveying the article in the conveying direction in a lying position;
Sorting means for sorting articles being conveyed by the conveying means;
A stacking means for stacking the articles sorted by the sorting means in a standing posture;
The accumulation means includes
A guide that moves the sorted articles diagonally downward;
Receiving the article from this guide, and supporting the lower end of the article;
A receiving space and an accumulation space located above the support;
A moving stopper body arranged movably in the accumulation space,
The movable body is movable between an operating position in the receiving space and a non-operating position outside the receiving space, and when the article is in the non-operating position, articles from the guide body enter the receiving space. Allowing the articles in the receiving space portion to be pushed out to the accumulating space portion when moving to the working position, and in an upright posture so that the articles are accumulated in the accumulating space portion when standing in the working position. An extruded body for sandwiching an article with the moving stopper body;
A sorting apparatus, comprising: a derivative that is positioned opposite to the guide body and guides an article to the receiving space. The derivative has an elastically deformable guide plate positioned substantially vertically above the guide body,
The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an upper end portion of the guide plate is attached to a mounted portion, and a lower end portion of the guide plate is a free end portion. The moving stopper body has an inclined support surface portion that supports an article in a standing posture,
An article in a standing posture is sandwiched between the extruded body in a state of being in the working position and the support surface portion, and the surface on the support surface portion side of the article in the standing posture is supported in a surface contact state by the support surface portion during the clamping. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The sorting means includes a dispensing body that dispenses articles to the side of the conveying means by moving in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying means, and a drive unit that moves the dispensing body,
The sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the driving unit is controlled in accordance with the size of an article to adjust a moving speed of the payout body.

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