JP2014005101A - Array apparatus and array method for measuring spoon - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low cost and high performance apparatus and method for arraying a measuring spoon, the apparatus and the method being capable of stably controlling a posture of the measuring spoon even when the spoon takes many postures.SOLUTION: An array apparatus for a measuring spoon, the apparatus includes a contact rod 21 to direct a spoon axis of the measuring spoon to a transfer direction E, a first air supplier 22 to blow air from a lower side against the measuring spoon in a downward posture to flip it to an upturned posture or a posture facing laterally, a stepped part 23 to put the measuring spoon in the posture facing laterally into the upturned posture, a second air supplier 24 to direct a handle of the measuring spoon toward outside of a transfer plate 3, and a guide 25 to rotate the axis of the measuring spoon having the handle directed outside to a posture in a longitudinal direction and suspend the measuring spoon in a state where a measuring part is supported with the transfer plate 3 to array the measuring spoon in a final posture.

Description

  The present invention relates to a measuring spoon alignment apparatus and alignment method.

  Conventionally, a measuring spoon for a granular cleaning agent has a measuring portion and a handle portion as a general shape. Consumers use a handle of a spoon at the time of use, scoop a predetermined amount of cleaning agent from a container, and put it into a washing machine for use. When the consumer uses it for the first time, in order to make it difficult for the measuring spoon to sink into the cleaning agent, when the spoon is put into the container during the production process, the measuring spoon is controlled so that it is in the specified posture. It is requested to do.

By the way, as a method of storing the measuring spoon in a container together with powdered detergent, bleach, etc., send the measuring spoon in various directions to the spoon insertion machine after aligning the orientation with the spoon alignment machine. The method of accommodating in a container is widely performed.
As a method of controlling the posture of the measuring spoon put into such a spoon aligner, a method using an air selector, a method using a robot, a method using a dexter (composite rotating disk) disclosed in Patent Document 1, A method using a feeder is known.

JP 2006-349630 A

However, the conventional control method at the time of spoon alignment has the following problems.
That is, in the case of a method using an air selector or a robot, posture control becomes unstable. Particularly in the case of a robot, there is a problem that the cost is high and an installation space is required. Further, in the case of the method using the dexter shown in Patent Document 1, it is a method of propelling by a plurality of inclined rotating disks and controlling the posture by a guide, an inclined plate, a step, etc., and posture control is stable, There is a problem that the equipment is expensive and installation space is required.

  In the case of using an electromagnetic feeder, the measuring spoon is propelled by directionally controlled vibration and the posture is controlled by a guide, an inclined plate, a step, etc., but this technology itself is stable like a cap. In many cases, it is used as a posture member, and it is difficult to apply to a member that can take many postures such as measuring spoons, and there is also a problem that the equipment capacity is small, and there is room for improvement in that respect. It was.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and is an apparatus and method for aligning measuring spoons that are low in cost and stable in posture control even for measuring spoons having a large number of postures, and are excellent in alignment. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the measuring spoon alignment apparatus according to the present invention, the posture of the measuring spoon provided with the measuring portion and the handle portion is selected and aligned in one posture, and the input bottom portion into which the measuring spoon is inserted. An apparatus for aligning a measuring spoon, which has a spiral transfer plate arranged continuously from the top, and moves the measuring spoon by means of an electromagnetic feeder with a slight vibration. A first guide unit that reverses the face-up position or the side-by-side position by blowing air from below on the measuring spoon in the face-down position, and the measuring spoon in the side-by-side position. A stepped portion that is turned upside down, a second air supply portion that directs the handle portion of the measuring spoon to the outside of the transfer plate, and a posture in which the major axis of the measuring spoon that faces the handle portion outward is the vertical direction Rotate, it is characterized in that it comprises a and a leading guide portion to align the final posture support state hung a measuring spoon weighing unit with transfer plate.

  Further, in the measuring spoon alignment method according to the present invention, the posture of the measuring spoon provided with the measuring portion and the handle portion is selected and aligned in one posture, and upward from the charging bottom portion into which the measuring spoon is charged. A method for aligning measuring spoons, comprising a spiral transfer plate provided continuously, and transferring the measuring spoon by means of an electromagnetic feeder with slight vibration, by contacting the measuring spoon with the contact guide part, A step of turning the major axis of the measuring spoon toward the transfer direction, a step of reversing the front posture or the horizontal posture by blowing air from the lower side of the measuring spoon in the reverse posture by the first air supply unit, and the horizontal orientation Drop the measuring spoon that has become a posture from the stepped part to make it face up, and blow the air from the second air supply part to the handle part of the measuring spoon The process of turning the outside of the feeding plate and the measuring spoon with the handle facing outwards are rotated in a vertical orientation by the guide guide, and the measuring spoon is suspended while the weighing plate is supported by the transfer plate. And a step of aligning with the final posture.

In the present invention, when a plurality of measuring spoons move the transfer plate, the posture in which the major axis of the measuring spoon is directed in the transfer direction is first brought into contact with the portion where the handle portion protrudes from the transfer plate by the contact guide portion. It becomes. In the next step, the measuring spoon in the face-down posture is inverted to the front-facing posture or the horizontal posture by blowing air from below into the measuring portion. Furthermore, the measuring spoon of a horizontal orientation can be made into a surface orientation by passing the level | step difference of a transfer board. After that, the measuring spoon was turned to the outside of the transfer plate, and the measuring guide was rotated by the guide guide portion so that the major axis of the measuring spoon was turned vertically, and the measuring plate was supported by the transfer plate. The measuring spoon can be suspended in the state and aligned to the final position.
Thus, even if the measuring spoon is supplied on the transfer plate in various directions, it can be sent to a spoon insertion machine or the like in the next process as a measuring spoon aligned in the final posture. That is, the measuring spoon includes an electromagnetic feeder-type transfer plate, and improves the alignment by the contact guide portion, the first air supply portion, the step portion, the second air supply portion, and the guide guide portion sorting means. After being aligned, it can be stored in a container together with a powdery detergent or the like through an appropriate process.

  Further, in the measuring spoon alignment apparatus according to the present invention, a third air supply unit is provided that causes the measuring spoon to drop from the transfer plate by blowing air against the measuring spoon whose long axis is not in the vertical orientation. Preferably it is.

  According to the measuring spoon alignment apparatus of the present invention, the measuring spoon that has passed the final posture process is further dropped by the third air supply unit to remove the measuring spoon that is not in the correct posture. It can be sent to the next process, leaving only those that are aligned with no final posture.

  Further, in the measuring spoon alignment device according to the present invention, the fourth air supply for dropping the overlapping measuring spoons or the measuring spoons arranged in parallel in the width direction of the transfer plate on the upstream side of the contact guide portion. More preferably, the portion is provided.

  In the present invention, at the stage before the major axis of the measuring spoon is oriented in the transfer direction by the contact guide part, the overlapping measuring spoons or measuring spoons arranged in parallel in the width direction of the transfer plate are removed from above the transfer plate. Since it can be removed, defects in each sorting step can be suppressed, and the accuracy of alignment can be improved.

  Further, in the measuring spoon alignment device according to the present invention, a holding plate that holds the final posture of the aligned measuring spoons is provided on the downstream side of the guide guide portion, and the measuring spoon in the final posture before the introduction portion of the holding plate. It is preferable that a fifth air supply unit is provided to make the final posture again.

  In this case, the measuring spoon can be held by the pressing plate while maintaining the final posture, and can be sent to the next step spoon insertion machine or the like while maintaining the posture.

  According to the measuring spoon alignment device and the alignment method of the present invention, by providing the transfer plate with the abutment guide portion, the first air supply portion, the step portion, the second air supply portion, and the guide guide portion, the cost can be reduced. The postures of various measuring spoons can be sequentially reduced to obtain a stable final posture. Even a measuring spoon having a large number of postures can stabilize posture control and achieve excellent alignment.

It is a side view of the measuring spoon by embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which looked at the measuring spoon from the front side. It is a top view of a measuring spoon. It is a side view which shows the state of the regular position of a measuring spoon. It is a top view which shows the structure of a spoon aligner. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 1st selection part in which a 1st selection process is performed. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 2nd selection part in which a 2nd selection process is performed. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 3rd selection part in which a 3rd selection process is performed. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 4th selection part in which a 4th selection process is performed, Comprising: (a) is a figure of the state before rotation, (b) is a figure of the state after rotation. It is a figure which shows the alignment state of a measuring spoon, Comprising: (a) is a figure of the state of the inclination start, (b) is a figure of the state of the final posture of an upright state. It is a figure which shows the structure of a pressing plate.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a measuring spoon alignment apparatus and alignment method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the measuring spoon alignment device according to the present embodiment (hereinafter referred to as “spoon aligner 1” shown in FIG. 5) sorts the postures of the measuring spoons 10 and aligns them in one posture. The measuring plate 10 is provided with a spiral transfer plate 3 (see FIG. 5) continuously connected upward from the input portion, and the measuring plate 10 is transferred by a slight vibration by an electromagnetic feeder (not shown). It is something to be made.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the measuring spoon 10 used has a measuring portion 11 and a handle portion 12 formed integrally with a connecting portion 13. Various materials conventionally used in the production of injection molded products can be used as the material of the measuring spoon 10, for example, olefinic resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin, ABS (acrylonitrile. (Styrene / butadiene) resin or the like can be used.

  Here, in the measuring spoon 10, the long axis where the measuring part 11 and the handle part 12 are arranged is referred to as a spoon axis O1 (see FIG. 3), and the leading end side of the measuring part 11 along the spoon axis O1 direction is the tip. It is called the front side, the opposite side is called the rear side, and the direction orthogonal to the spoon axis O1 in the top view when the opening 11a of the measuring part 11 is turned upward is called the width direction. Further, the opening 11a side of the measuring unit 11 is referred to as a front side, the bottom side is referred to as a back side, and the measuring spoon 10 is referred to as a front-facing posture when the front side is facing upward, and is referred to as a back-facing posture. The direction in which the measuring spoon 10 moves along the transfer plate 3 is referred to as a transfer direction E (see FIG. 5), and the front in the transfer direction E is referred to as the downstream side and the rear as the upstream side.

The measuring unit 11 is formed so as to be able to accommodate an object to be measured such as a powder detergent, and has front and rear side walls 14 (14 </ b> A to 14 </ b> D) and a bottom 15.
The bottom portion 15 is formed with a bottom slope 15b that gradually increases upward as it goes rearward (on the handle portion 12 side). That is, the measuring spoon 10 is in a state in which the measuring spoon 10 is placed in an upright position (this is referred to as “orientation posture” shown in FIG. 4), the bottom inclined surface 15b is grounded, and the horizontal surface 15a is lifted forward. Falls to the handle 12 side. Specifically, the inclination angle θ (the angle formed between the horizontal surface 15a and the bottom inclination 15b) of the bottom slope 15b in FIG. 1 is the extension of the handle 12 on the extension line (reference numeral L1 in FIG. 1) extending rearward in the inclination direction. The inclination angle is such that the rear end 12a is positioned (see FIG. 4).

The center of gravity of the measuring spoon 10 is located on the rear side of the horizontal surface 15a of the bottom portion 15, and the bottom inclined surface 15b is grounded and the rear end 12a of the handle portion 12 is also grounded when the empty measuring spoon 10 is placed in a normal position. It becomes. That is, when the measuring spoon 10 is placed in the state shown in FIG. 1, the posture is not stabilized, and it automatically rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow without applying external force or vibration, 12, the rear end 12a comes into contact with the ground in the state shown in FIG. 4 and becomes a stable posture, and this posture is the above-described normal posture.
Moreover, if the bottom slope 15b has a surface area | region which has 20 mm x 20 mm or more, it will be excellent in transportability. This is because the larger the area of the bottom slope 15b, the larger the contact area with the transport surface (transfer plate 3), and the more effective the posture stability becomes.

  On both side surfaces 14B and 14C of the side wall portion 14 facing the front wall 14A, there are formed two stepped portions 14a and 14b in which the opening cross section decreases from the opening 11a side to the bottom portion 15, and the front wall 14A and both sides are formed. It continues over the whole surface of the circumferential direction of wall 14B, 14C. The step size of the stepped portions 14a and 14b is, for example, 1 mm or more, and in particular, if it is 2 mm or more, it is easy to control the posture of the guide or the like. That is, for example, when the step portions 14 a and 14 b come into contact with a guide provided on the transfer plate 3, it can be changed to a desired direction and posture.

Further, the front wall 14A and the both side walls 14B and 14C are formed with inclined surfaces that gradually go from the top to the bottom toward the center of the measuring portion 11 in plan view. The rear wall 14 </ b> D forms a vertical surface with the edge of the opening 11 a being horizontal, and is connected to the bottom slope 15 b of the bottom portion 15.
And it is preferable that it becomes 4 mm or more as a plane dimension of the measurement part 11 by the difference (L-W) of the length dimension L shown in FIG.

  In addition, it is preferable that the inclination angle of 14A, 14B, 14C is 80 degrees or less, and this makes it easy to change the horizontal orientation to the front orientation. In other words, the measuring spoon 10 in the horizontal orientation can be changed to the front-facing posture by dropping from the level difference or contacting the guide. When this inclination angle is a steep angle of 80 degrees or more, it may be difficult to make the horizontal orientation face up with only the steps and guides.

  The handle portion 12 has a shape recessed downward along the spoon axis O1 of the measuring spoon 10, and as described above, the handle portion 12 is connected to the rear upper edge of the measuring portion 11 via the connecting portion 13, and is opened. It extends rearward substantially parallel to 11a.

  The connecting portion 13 forms a straight surface 13a having a flat surface on the upper surface. The straight surface 13a is formed to be 20 mm or more in the width direction, and has a function of improving the transportability after alignment in the transport by the spoon aligner 1.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, as the posture of the measuring spoon 10 in the spoon aligner 1, the spoon aligner 1 can first take 12 postures on the transfer plate 3. Specifically, the posture of the measuring spoon 10 is a state in which the measuring unit 11 side (front side) is directed upstream in the transfer direction E of the transfer plate 3, and the measuring unit 11 side (front side) is also directed downstream, and In each of the three positions where the spoon axis O1 direction of the measuring spoon 10 is directed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer direction E (width direction Y of the transfer plate 3) in plan view, the opening 11a of the measuring unit 11 is raised. There are four postures, a front-facing posture, a back-facing posture, and a horizontal posture on the left and right, and 12 postures at the three positions described above.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the spoon aligner 1 is arranged in a spiral shape in which a plurality of measuring spoons 10 located at the center bottom portion are thrown in, and a continuous connection from the loading portion 2 upward. A plurality of measuring spoons 10 are provided by including a transfer plate 3 and sorting means 20 (P1 to P4) provided at appropriate locations on the transfer plate 3, and finely vibrating the transfer plate 3 with an electromagnetic feeder (not shown). The transfer plate 3 is transferred toward the downstream side along the spiral.

  The transfer plate 3 includes a peripheral wall 31 that is perpendicular to the outer peripheral side or the inner peripheral side in the radial direction of the spoon aligner 1. Specifically, the transfer plate 3 has an outer peripheral wall 31A up to a position past a later-described stepped portion 23 of the sorting means 20 in the transfer direction E, and an inner peripheral wall 31B downstream of the outer peripheral wall 31A. A gap 1b is formed along the circumferential direction between the transfer plate 3 provided with the inner peripheral wall 31B (referred to as “end-point side alignment path 3A”) and the aligner outer peripheral wall 1a of the spoon aligner 1. Yes. Further, the end side alignment path 3A has a gradually decreasing width dimension toward the downstream side. For this reason, the width of the gap 1b gradually increases toward the downstream side.

  The spoon aligner 1 is configured so that the opening 11a of the measuring unit 11 is in the radial direction of the transfer plate 3 among the measuring spoons 10 supplied in various orientations (here, 12 postures) on the transfer plate 3. Only one of the upright postures with the handle 12 facing up and inserted into the gap 1b is selectively sent to a spoon insertion machine (not shown) in the next step.

  The sorting means 20 includes a plurality of sorting locations (sorting sections P1, P2, P3, and P4 described later), and the measuring spoon 1 is sorted into one of the 12 positions described above at the end point of the transfer plate 3. Become.

  The sorting means 20 is configured by spraying air from below on the contact rod 21 (contact guide portion) that puts the spoon axis O1 of the measuring spoon 10 in the transfer direction E and the measuring spoon 10 in the face-down orientation. A first air supply unit 22 that reverses to a face-up position or a side-to-side position, a step part 23 that turns the measuring spoon 10 that has turned to the sideways position into a face-up position, and a handle 12 that faces the handle 12 of the measuring spoon 10 toward the outside of the transfer plate 3. (2) The gap 1b is disposed between the air supply unit 24 and the transfer plate 3, and the spoon axis O1 of the measuring spoon 10 with the handle 12 facing outward is rotated to a vertical orientation to transfer the transfer plate 3 And a guide guide part 25 for suspending the measuring spoon 10 in a state where the measuring part 11 is supported and aligning it in the final posture.

  That is, the sorting means 20 includes a first sorting unit P1 (the place where the first sorting process is performed) including the contact rod 21 for sorting the posture of the measuring spoon 10 from 12 postures to 8 postures. A second sorting unit P2 having a first air supply unit 22 that sorts to a posture (a place where the second sorting step is performed), and a third sorting unit P3 having a stepped portion 23 that similarly sorts from six postures to two postures ( (Where the third sorting step is performed), the fourth sorting unit P4 (also the fourth sorting step is provided with a second air supply unit 24 that sorts from two postures to one posture and a guide guide unit 25 that aligns to the final posture). Are performed in the transfer direction E in that order.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the contact rod 21 of the first sorting portion P1 has an upstream end 21a fixed to the transfer plate 3 and a width dimension W (see FIG. 3) of the measuring spoon 10 in the width direction Y from the outer peripheral wall 31A. (See reference) with a slightly larger spacing and with the longitudinal direction in the transport direction E. The other end 21b of the contact bar 21 is provided so as to be at the same position as or higher than the front end (portion on the connecting portion 13 side) of the handle portion 12 of the measuring spoon 10 placed on the transfer plate 3 in the normal posture. ing. That is, when the handle 12 of the measuring spoon 10 that passes through the contact bar 21 is in a posture of projecting toward the inside in the radial direction, the handle 12 (or the measurement unit 11) is placed on the contact bar 21. Contact. Accordingly, the measuring spoon 10 rotates around the vertical direction so that the handle portion 12 faces the upstream side, and the measuring portion 11 faces the downstream side (front side in the transfer direction E), and the spoon axis O1 is moved in the transfer direction. The posture is toward E.

  Further, in the first sorting unit P1 of the present embodiment, in addition to the above-described contact bar 21, the measuring unit 11 is provided so as to promote rotation around the vertical axis of the measuring spoon 10 that contacts the contact bar 21. A sixth air supply unit 26 that blows air toward is provided. Further, the transfer plate 3 on the downstream side of the contact bar 21 is provided with an inner peripheral wall 31 </ b> C for maintaining the posture of the measuring spoon 10 in the transfer direction E.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the first air supply unit 22 of the second sorting unit P2 is a hole that blows air upward from the transfer plate 3, and is located at the approximate center in the width direction of the transfer plate 3, and is always predetermined. Air is blown out with pressure. In the second sorting unit P2, when the measuring unit 11 of the measuring spoon 10 in the face-down posture with the opening 11a of the measuring unit 11 on the lower side is placed on the first air supply unit 22, the wind pressure of the air To reverse the front and back to the front orientation, and the measuring spoon 10 is selected from 8 postures to 6 postures.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the step portion 23 of the third sorting portion P3 is located on the downstream side of the first air supply portion 22, and is a step where the downstream side of the transfer plate 3 is lower than the upstream side. That is, in the third sorting unit P3, the measuring spoon 10 in the horizontal orientation falls at the stepped portion 23 to become the front orientation (orientation posture), thereby sorting the measuring spoon 10 from the six postures to the two postures. At this time, since the front wall 14A and the side surfaces 14B and 14C of the measuring unit 11 are formed at an inclination angle of 80 degrees or less, it is possible to get up from the horizontal posture to the front posture.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the guide guide portion 25 of the fourth sorting portion P4 is provided along the outer periphery of the transfer plate 3 at the same position as the second air supply portion 24 in the transfer direction E. The opening 25a is opened with respect to the transfer plate 3, and is fixed to the outer peripheral wall 31A at a predetermined height. The lower end 25b of the guide guide part 25 is a position lower than the front end part of the measuring part 11 of the measuring spoon 10 in the normal position. That is, the guide guide portion 25 is configured such that the handle portion 12 of the measuring spoon 10 in the upright posture can protrude from the opening portion 25a to the outside of the transfer plate 3.

  And the 2nd air supply part 24 of the 4th selection part P4 is piping which blows off air toward the outer side from the radial direction inner side of the transfer board 3, and always blows off air by predetermined pressure. The air blowing direction is an obliquely forward (obliquely downstream side) direction, so that the two-position measuring spoon 10 with the measuring unit 11 facing the upstream side and the downstream side in the front-facing posture is in the vertical direction by the wind pressure of the air. , The handle 12 projects outward from the opening 25a and changes the direction of the measuring spoon 10.

  Next, a method for aligning the measuring spoons 10 with the above-described spoon aligner 1 will be specifically described based on the drawings.

  First, as shown in FIG. 5, when a plurality of measuring spoons 10 are supplied to the input unit 2 of the spoon aligner 1, the measuring spoons 10 climb one by one on the spiral transfer plate 3 by a slight vibration by an electromagnetic feeder. Move toward the downstream side. At this time, the measuring spoon 10 moves in any of the 12 postures described above.

(First selection process)
As shown in FIG. 4, in the first sorting step, in the first sorting section P1, the spoon shaft O1 of the measuring spoon 10 is changed to a posture in the transfer direction E using the contact bar 21. That is, when the measuring spoon 10 with the posture in which the handle portion 12 protrudes inward in the radial direction passes through the contact rod 21, the handle portion 12 (or the measuring portion 11) comes into contact with the contact rod 21. It rotates around the vertical direction so that it faces the upstream side. At this time, the air blown from the sixth air supply unit 26 is blown to the measuring unit 11 and the rotation thereof is promoted. Thereby, the spoon axis | shaft O1 of the measuring spoon 10 becomes the attitude | position toward the transfer direction E, and it selects from 12 attitude | positions to 8 attitude | positions. And the measuring spoon 10 which changed the attitude | position by this 1st selection process moves to the 2nd selection part P2 side in the state with which the attitude | position was hold | maintained between 31 A of outer peripheral walls and 31 C of inner peripheral walls.

A fourth air supply unit (not shown) for dropping the overlapping measuring spoons 10 or the measuring spoons 10 juxtaposed in the width direction Y of the transfer plate 3 from the transfer plate 3 on the upstream side of the contact bar 21. It may be provided.
In this case, in the stage before the spoon axis O1 (FIG. 3) of the measuring spoon 10 is set in the transfer direction E by the contact bar 21, the overlapping measuring spoon 10 or the transfer plate 3 in the width direction Y. Since the parallel measuring spoons 10 can be removed from the transfer plate 3, problems in each sorting step can be suppressed, and the accuracy of alignment can be improved.

(Second sorting step)
Next, as shown in FIG. 7, in the second sorting step, in the second sorting unit P2, air is blown from the lower side to the measuring spoon 10 in the back-facing posture to reverse the front-facing posture or the lateral posture. In this case, when the measuring unit 11 of the measuring spoon 10 in the face-down posture is positioned on the first air supply unit 22, the front and back are reversed by the wind pressure of the air to be in the face-up posture.

Similarly, in the measuring spoon 10 in the horizontal orientation, when the side walls 14B and 14C of the measuring unit 11 are positioned on the first air supply unit 22, the measuring unit 11 rotates in a direction to return to the normal orientation by the wind pressure of the air, It can be a posture. In the measuring spoon 10 according to the present embodiment, the side walls 14B and 14C are unstable postures that do not come into contact with the surface in the horizontal posture, so that they are easily lifted by the air from the bottom by the first air supply unit 22, and are in a normal posture. It can be rotated back. In addition, about what the measuring spoon 10 which passes the 2nd selection part P2 was a front-facing attitude | position, since it is stable in a normal-positioning attitude | position, an attitude | position does not change with the blowing of the air from a lower side, but a front-facing attitude | position Pass through.
Thus, in the second sorting step, the measuring spoon 10 is sorted from 8 postures to 6 postures.

(Third sorting step)
Next, as shown in FIG. 8, in the third sorting step, the measuring spoon 10 that has turned to the horizontal orientation is set to the front orientation in the third sorting section P3. In the third sorting section P3, the measuring spoon 10 in the horizontal orientation that has not been changed to the face-up orientation in the second sorting section P2 is dropped at the step portion 23, thereby changing to the face-up orientation (orientation posture). Are selected from 6 positions to 2 positions. That is, by dropping the measuring spoon 10 in an unstable lateral posture with a predetermined step size (height), it can be rotated to return to the normal posture.
In this case, the inclined surface 14 is formed on the side walls 14B and 14C of the measuring unit 11, and the opening 11a side of the measuring unit 11 comes into contact with the transfer plate 3 at the time of dropping. A rotational force will act.

(4th selection process)
Next, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, in the fourth sorting step, the handle 12 of the measuring spoon 10 is directed to the outside of the transfer plate 3 in the fourth sorting section P4. That is, in the 4th selection part P4, air is blown by the 2nd air supply part 24 with respect to the measuring spoon 10 of 2 attitude | positions which faced the measurement part 11 to the upstream side and the downstream in the surface orientation, and the wind pressure of the air The measuring spoon 10 rotates around the vertical direction, and the handle 12 protrudes outward from the opening 25a located below the guide guide 25 to change the direction of the measuring spoon 10.

  Then, the measuring spoon 10 moves along the end point side alignment path 3A of the transfer plate 3 as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b). The measuring spoon 10 having the center of gravity on the handle portion 12 side enters the gap 1b between the end side alignment path 3A (transfer plate 3) and the aligner outer peripheral wall 1a of the spoon aligner 1, and in this gap 1b, the handle portion 12 is placed. The spoon axis O1 of the measuring spoon 10 facing outside is inclined and rotated in the vertical direction, the rear wall 14D of the measuring unit 11 is supported on the outer peripheral edge of the transfer plate 3, and the measuring spoon 10 is opened to the measuring unit 11 It is suspended in a state in which 11a is directed outward in the radial direction (a state in which the opening surface of the weighing unit 11 is directed in the vertical direction (vertical direction)), that is, the spoon axis O1 direction of the handle 12 extends downward, Aligned in an upright and stable final posture.

  In addition, the 3rd air supply part (illustration omitted) which drops from the transfer board 3 by blowing air with respect to what the spoon axis | shaft O1 (FIG. 3) of the measuring spoon 10 does not have a vertical orientation is provided. Preferably it is. In this case, with respect to the measuring spoon 10 that has passed the final posture process, the measuring spoon 10 is arranged in a final posture without any deviation, in order to remove those that are not in the correct posture by dropping by the third air supply unit. Can be sent to the next process, leaving only

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, a holding plate 27 that holds the final posture of the measuring spoon 10 aligned on the downstream side of the guide guide portion 25 is provided. A fifth air supply unit 28 is provided in which the measuring spoon 10 in the posture is again in the final posture.

  Thus, even if the measuring spoon 10 is supplied on the transfer plate 3 in various directions, it becomes a final posture, and can be sent to the spoon insertion machine or the like (not shown) of the next process as the aligned measuring spoon 10. That is, the measuring spoon 10 includes the electromagnetic feeder-type transfer plate 3 and can improve the alignment by the above-described sorting means 20 (each sorting unit P1, P2, P3, P4). Through this process, it can be stored in a container together with a powdery detergent or the like.

  In the measuring spoon alignment apparatus and alignment method according to the above-described embodiment, the transfer plate 3 is provided with the contact rod 21, the first air supply part 22, the step part 23, the second air supply part 24, and the guide guide part 25. Thus, the postures of various measuring spoons 10 can be sequentially reduced at a low cost to obtain a stable final posture, and even the measuring spoons 10 having a large number of postures can stabilize posture control and have excellent alignment. Can be realized.

  The embodiments of the measuring spoon alignment apparatus and alignment method according to the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. .

1 Spoon aligner (alignment device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Input part 3 Transfer plate 10 Measuring spoon 11 Measuring part 11a Opening 12 Handle part 13 Connection part 13a Straight surface 14 Side wall part 14a 1st level | step difference part 14b 2nd level | step difference part 14c Inclined surface 15 Bottom 20 Sorting means 21 Contact guide)
22 1st air supply part 23 Step part 24 2nd air supply part 25 Guide guide part 27 Holding plate O1 Spoon axis | shaft (long axis)
P1, P2, P3, P4 Sorting part θ Inclination angle E Transfer direction Y Width direction

Claims (5)

The measuring portion and the measuring portion of the measuring spoon provided with the handle portion are selected and aligned in one posture, and provided with a helical transfer plate continuously provided upward from the charging bottom portion into which the measuring spoon is charged, An apparatus for aligning measuring spoons for transferring the measuring spoons by microvibration with an electromagnetic feeder,
An abutment guide portion that takes a posture in which the long axis of the measuring spoon is oriented in the transfer direction;
A first air supply unit that reverses the face-up posture or the side-by-side posture by blowing air from below on the measuring spoon in the face-down posture;
A stepped portion that makes the measuring spoon in a landscape orientation face up; and
A second air supply unit for directing the handle portion of the measuring spoon to the outside of the transfer plate;
A guide guide part that rotates the major axis of the measuring spoon with the handle portion facing outward in a vertical orientation, suspends the measuring spoon with the measuring plate supported by the transfer plate, and aligns it with the final posture,
An apparatus for aligning measuring spoons, comprising:   The 3rd air supply part which makes it fall from the said transfer board by blowing air with respect to what the major axis of a measuring spoon is not the said vertical direction attitude | position is provided. Measuring spoon alignment device.   A fourth air supply unit is provided on the upstream side of the abutment guide part, and drops the measuring spoons that overlap each other or the measuring spoons arranged in parallel in the width direction of the transfer plate from the transfer plate. An apparatus for aligning measuring spoons according to claim 1 or 2. On the downstream side of the guide guide part, a holding plate that holds the final posture of the aligned measuring spoons is provided,
The measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a fifth air supply unit is provided in which the measuring spoon in the final posture is brought into the final posture again before the introduction portion of the pressing plate. Spoon alignment device. The measuring portion and the measuring portion of the measuring spoon provided with the handle portion are selected and aligned in one posture, and provided with a helical transfer plate continuously provided upward from the charging bottom portion into which the measuring spoon is charged, A measuring spoon alignment method for transferring the measuring spoon by means of a microvibration with an electromagnetic feeder,
Bringing the measuring spoon into contact with the abutment guide portion, and placing the measuring spoon in a posture in which the long axis is directed in the transfer direction; and
Reversing the face-up posture or the side-by-side posture by blowing air from the lower side of the measuring spoon in the face-down posture by the first air supply unit;
A step of turning the measuring spoon in a landscape orientation to a face orientation by dropping from the step portion; and
Blowing the air from the second air supply unit to the handle portion of the measuring spoon and directing it to the outside of the transfer plate;
Rotating the measuring spoon with the handle axis facing outwards in a vertical orientation by the guide guide, and suspending the measuring spoon with the transfer plate supporting the measuring portion and aligning it in the final posture When,
A measuring spoon alignment method comprising:

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