JP2017035289A - Ordered food and drink conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ordered food and drink conveying apparatus capable of conveying various sizes of containers and improving conveyance efficiency.SOLUTION: The ordered food and drink conveying apparatus includes: a plurality of conveyance lanes in which routes leading from a kitchen to at least any customer seat in a customer area, are formed in parallel to each other; and a control device for controlling traveling of respective conveyance trays on the plurality of conveyance lanes. In an asynchronous mode selected when carrying an ordered food and drink container having a size to be placed on one conveyance tray, the control device causes respective conveyance trays to mutually independently travel, however, in a synchronous mode when conveying an ordered food and drink container having a size to straddle over the plurality of conveyance lanes, causes the respective conveyance trays to travel in parallel to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to an ordered food and beverage conveying apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, restaurants have used devices that automatically carry food and drink prepared by placing orders on a transport tray (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-161058 A

  There are various types of transport devices for transporting ordered foods and drinks, but all of them are basically transported by placing containers such as dishes, dishes, mugs, and bowls on which food and drinks are placed on trays or conveyors. It is difficult to place containers of a size that does not fit on trays or conveyors. Therefore, in a restaurant where an order food and drink transport device is installed, a model corresponding to the type of food and drink handled in the restaurant is selected.

  By the way, in recent years, restaurants have become larger with the development of the restaurant industry, and it has been required to efficiently transport ordered foods and drinks to each passenger seat with a transport device. In addition, with the diversification of customer needs, it is also required to provide food and drink using containers of various sizes. However, since it is difficult to place a container of a size that does not fit on the transport tray of the conventional order food and drink transport device, if you want to be able to provide food and drink using containers of various sizes An order food and drink transport device equipped with a large transport tray will be selected. However, custom food and beverage transport devices with large transport trays require more installation space than those with small transport trays, and transport when small containers are transported on large transport trays. An empty space is generated in the tray and the conveyance efficiency is lowered.

  Therefore, the present application discloses an ordered food and beverage transport apparatus that can transport containers of various sizes, large and small, and can improve transport efficiency.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a control device for controlling the traveling of the transport tray, wherein a plurality of transport lanes each traveling by a transport tray on which a container for ordered food and drink travels are formed in parallel. In this case, the transport trays are allowed to travel independently from each other, and in the synchronous mode, the transport trays are allowed to travel in parallel.

Specifically, it is an order food and drink transport device that transports ordered food and drink between a restaurant kitchen and a seating area, each of which transport trays carrying the ordered food and drink ordered from customers in the seating area travel. Multiple transport lanes that control the travel of each transport tray in a plurality of transport lanes in which the path from the kitchen to at least one of the seats in the seat area is formed in parallel with each other. A control device, and the control device accepts a transport destination designation operation for each transport lane in an asynchronous mode selected when transporting a container of ordered food or drink of a size placed on one transport tray. In the synchronous mode selected when each transport tray of a plurality of transport lanes is run independently of each other and transports a container of ordered food and drink having a size across the plurality of transport lanes. Accepts the transfer destination designation operation moving the respective conveying trays of a plurality of conveying lanes in parallel.

  If it is said order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus, in an asynchronous mode, since a conveyance tray can be made to drive each independently, it can respond to the order of the food and drink from various tables, respectively. In addition, since the transport trays run side by side in the synchronous mode, if you want to transport a large container that does not survive one of the transport trays, you can place the container across the transport trays. it can. Therefore, if it is said order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus, it is as many as order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus provided with the large sized conveyance tray, although the conveyance of the food and drinks arranged in the container of various sizes large and small is possible. The installation efficiency is not required, and the transport efficiency is not lowered as in the case where a small container is transported on a large transport tray.

  The plurality of transport lanes have ribs that guide the path of the transport tray along the center line of the transport lane, and each transport tray has a plurality of rollers that sandwich the ribs from both sides at each center. You may have. If the transport tray is guided by the rib formed along the center line of the transport lane, the interval between the transport trays is kept constant in the curved portion of the transport lane in the synchronous mode.

  In addition, the plurality of transport lanes have curved portions that are parallel to each other, and the control device maintains the parallel running state of the transport trays while traveling on the curved portions of the transport trays in the synchronous mode. As described above, the speed of the transport tray that travels on the inner peripheral side in the curved portion may be slower than the speed of the transport tray that travels on the outer peripheral side in the curved portion. If the transport trays of the transport lanes are controlled in this way, the transport trays of the transport lanes run side by side even in a curved portion of the transport lane. Even if is, there is a low possibility of dropping the container at the curve.

  Further, the transport lane rotates the belt in a state where the connected means provided at the center of the transport tray is connected to the connecting means attached to the belt extending along the center line of the transport lane. In the synchronous mode, the control device has a drive mechanism for traveling the transport tray, and the control device determines the speed of the belt that moves the transport tray that travels on the inner peripheral side in the curved portion, and the transport path on the outer peripheral side in the curved portion. Alternatively, the speed may be reduced by an amount corresponding to the ratio of the radius of the curve with respect to the conveyance path on the inner peripheral side. The difference in the path length between the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side in the curved portion is proportional to the radius of the arc that describes the center line of the transportation lane. Therefore, when the transport tray travels following the belt extending along the center line of the transport lane, the speed of the belt that moves the transport tray traveling on the inner peripheral side in the curved portion is set to the transport path on the outer peripheral side. By decelerating by an amount corresponding to the ratio of the radius of the curve to the inner circumferential side conveyance path, the conveyance trays of the respective conveyance lanes can easily run in parallel even at the curve portion.

  If it is said order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus, the container of various magnitude | sizes can be conveyed and conveyance efficiency is also improved.

Drawing 1 is a figure showing an order food and drink conveyance device of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view of the internal structure of each transport lane as viewed from above. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transportation lane cut along the line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the transport tray 4 as viewed from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the transport tray taken along the line BB shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a first diagram illustrating an operation state of the order food and drink conveyance device. FIG. 7 is the 2nd figure which showed the operation state of the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow executed when the control device of the order food and drink transport apparatus moves the transport tray in a state where the synchronous mode is selected. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a traveling state of the transport tray in the corner portion when the synchronous mode is selected. FIG. 10 is a view of a modified transport tray provided with a mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the wheels according to the course of the transport lane, as viewed from below. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the behavior of the movable plate when the transport tray according to the modification travels in the corner portion of the transport lane.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Embodiment shown below is one aspect | mode of this invention, and does not limit the technical scope of this invention. Each embodiment and modification shown below are suitable, for example, for restaurants that provide various foods such as sushi, beverages, soba and udon noodles, and fried and tempura.

  Drawing 1 is a figure showing an order food and drink conveyance device of an embodiment. The order food and drink transport device 1 is a device that transports food and drink prepared in response to customer orders from the kitchen 7 to the tables 2a1 to 4 and 2b1 to 4, and as shown in FIG. 4, 2b1-4 are provided with two transport lanes 3a, 3b whose center lines are parallel to each other, and transport trays 4a, 4b that can travel on the respective transport lanes 3a, 3b. The distance between the two parallel transport lanes 3a and 3b is such that the transport tray 4a traveling on the transport lane 3a and the transport tray 4b traveling on the transport lane 3b are aligned in parallel. It is installed so that there is almost no gap between them. The order food and drink conveying device 1 accepts orders via the touch panels 5a1 to 4b5 to 4 installed in the tables 2a1 to 4 and 2b1 to 4 respectively. And if the staff of the kitchen 7 which prepared the ordered food / drink operates the operation panel 6, the ordered food / drink conveyance apparatus 1 will use the prepared food / drink as any touch panel 5a1 which received the order of the said food / beverage. -4, 5b1-4 are transported by transport trays 4a, 4b to the positions of tables 2a1-4, 2b1-4.

  Hereinafter, the details of the transport lanes 3a and 3b will be described. Since the transport lanes 3a and 3b have the same internal structure, the following description will be given with the same reference numerals. FIG. 2 is a view of the internal structure of each transport lane 3 (3a, 3b) as viewed from above. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transport lane 3 cut along the line AA shown in FIG.

  The transport lane 3 is provided with various mechanisms for running the transport tray 4 (4a, 4b). That is, the drive lane 3 that extends along the longitudinal direction of the transfer lane 3 is provided in the transfer lane 3 below the transfer path plate 31 on which the transfer tray 4 is placed. The drive belt 32 is stretched around two pulleys 33S and 33E provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the transport lane 3, and a tension adjusting mechanism (not shown) provided on one of the two pulleys 33S and 33E. Appropriate tension is applied. One of the two pulleys 33S and 33E is connected to a drive motor (not shown). When the drive motor operates, the drive belt 32 stretched around the two pulleys 33S and 33E is driven to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise. The drive motor that rotationally drives the drive belt 32 is a stepping motor, and the drive belt 32 can be rotationally driven at a rotational speed and a rotational amount corresponding to a control signal of the control device.

A belt bracket 34 is attached to a predetermined portion of the drive belt 32. The belt bracket 34 is a first magnetic body 35 that is magnetically coupled to the transport tray 4 (an example of “connecting means” in the present application), and a transport groove 36 that is provided in the transport path plate 31 and extends in the longitudinal direction. The guide rollers 38 and 38 prevent the belt bracket 34 from swinging in the left-right direction while rolling on the wall surfaces of both side walls 37 and 37. The belt bracket 34 moves along the conveyance lane 3 following the rotational drive of the drive belt 32.

  The drive belt 32 is guided by sliding rollers 32L and 32R arranged along the track of the curved conveyance lane 3 at the corner portion where the conveyance lane 3 curves. The drive belt 32 is guided by the sliding rollers 32 </ b> L and 32 </ b> R, so that the belt bracket 34 can be smoothly moved along the curve of the corner portion of the transport lane 3 even at the corner portion of the transport lane 3.

  Next, details of the transport trays 4a and 4b will be described. Since the transport trays 4a and 4b have the same internal structure, the following description will be given with the same reference numerals. FIG. 4 is a view of the transport tray 4 as viewed from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the transport tray 4 taken along the line BB shown in FIG.

  The transport tray 4 is provided with wheels for traveling on the transport lane 3, connection means for magnetically connecting the first magnetic body 35 of the belt bracket 34, and the like. For example, the transport tray 4 is provided with a resin-made tray main body 41 on which food and drink can be placed on the upper surface side, and a base 42 having a rectangular shape in top view that supports the tray main body 41. In addition, at the four corners of the base 42, a free wheel 43 that can change the rudder angle is provided, and at the left and right sides of the center part of the base 42, a fixed wheel 44 that cannot change the rudder angle is provided. The transport tray 4 is supported by six wheels that can travel stably.

  In the central portion of the base 42, a second magnetic body 45 (which is an example of “connected means” in the present application) that is magnetically coupled to the first magnetic body 35 is provided. One of the first magnetic body 35 and the second magnetic body 45 may be a ferromagnetic body, and either one may be a permanent magnet, or both may be permanent magnets.

  Support rollers 46L1, 46R1, 46L2, and 46R2 are provided on the left and right sides of the second magnetic body 45. The support roller 46L1 and the support roller 46R1 are attached to the base 42 symmetrically with the same interval as the width of the rib 31R protruding to the upper surface side of the conveyance path plate 31. Similarly to the support roller 46L1 and the support roller 46R1, the support roller 46L2 and the support roller 46R2 are attached to the base 42 symmetrically with the same interval as the width of the rib 31R. The support roller 46L1 and the support roller 46L2 are arranged along the front-rear direction (traveling direction) of the transport tray 4. Similarly to the support roller 46L1 and the support roller 46L2, the support roller 46R1 and the support roller 46R2 are arranged along the front-rear direction of the transport tray 4. Therefore, when the transport tray 4 is placed on the transport lane 3, the rib 31 </ b> R is sandwiched between the support roller 46 </ b> L <b> 1 and the support roller 46 </ b> R <b> 1 slightly in front of the center of the transport tray 4, and from the center of the transport tray 4. However, on the slightly rear side, the rib 31R is sandwiched between the support roller 46L2 and the support roller 46R2. As a result, the travel path and direction of the transport tray 4 are regulated by the ribs 31R, and the transport tray 4 travels while matching the direction along the longitudinal direction of the ribs 31R. For example, the transport tray 4 faces the front along the longitudinal direction of the transport lane 3 in the straight portion of the transport lane 3, and the left or right along the curvature of the corner of the transport lane 3 at the corner of the transport lane 3. Suitable for.

The tray body 41 is provided with a placement surface 41S for placing a container for food and drink. By placing the container on the placement surface 41S, the container can be held without dropping from the tray body 41. ing. In the tray body 41, for example, the placement surface 41S is formed of a member having a relatively high friction coefficient so that the container does not slide down. Note that the tray main body 41 is not limited to one in which the placement surface 41S is formed flat with a member having a relatively high friction coefficient. The tray main body 41 may have, for example, a recess formed in place of the flat placement surface 41S.

  The control device that controls the movement of the transport trays 4a and 4b is provided with two operation modes, an asynchronous mode and a synchronous mode. The mode can be switched using the operation panel 6 provided in the kitchen 7. Hereinafter, the movement of the transport trays 4a and 4b in each mode will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a first diagram illustrating an operation state of the order food and drink conveying device 1. When the asynchronous mode is selected, the ordered food and drink transport device 1 moves the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b separately. That is, in the above ordered food and drink transport device 1, for example, when food and drink ordered through the touch panel 5a4 installed on the table 2a4 is prepared by the staff and the operation panel 6 of the kitchen 7 is operated, the transport lane The drive belt 32 of 3a rotates and the conveyance tray 4a moves from the kitchen 7 to the table 2a4 (see FIG. 6A). And when a food and drink removes the food and drink container that has been placed on the transport tray 4a from the transport tray 4a, the drive belt 32 of the transport lane 3a rotates in the reverse direction and the transport tray 4a moves from the table 2a4 to the kitchen 7 ( (See FIG. 6B). The same applies when orders are placed on the other tables 2a1 to 2 and 2b1 to 4, and the ordered food and beverage transport apparatus 1 sets the transport tray 4a to the kitchen 7 when an order is placed on the touch panel 5a1, for example. Reciprocating between the table 2a1.

  FIG. 7 is a second diagram illustrating an operation state of the order food and drink conveying device 1. When the synchronous mode is selected, the ordered food and drink transport device 1 moves the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b at the same time. That is, in the above-described order food and drink transport device 1, for example, when food and drink ordered through the touch panel 5a1 installed on the table 2a1 is prepared by the staff and the operation panel 6 of the kitchen 7 is operated, the transport lane Each drive belt 32 of 3a and the conveyance lane 3b rotates at the same speed, and the conveyance tray 4a and the conveyance tray 4b move in parallel from the kitchen 7 to the table 2a1 (see FIG. 7A). And when a food and drink customer removes the large container which straddled across conveyance trays 4a and 4b from conveyance trays 4a and 4b, each drive belt 32 of conveyance lane 3a and conveyance lane 3b rotates at the same speed in the opposite direction. The transfer trays 4a and 4b move from the table 2a1 to the kitchen 7 (see FIG. 7B). The same is true when orders are placed on the other tables 2a2-4, 2b1-4, and the order food and drink transport device 1 uses, for example, the transport trays 4a, 4b when the order is placed on the touch panel 5a2. 7 and the table 2a2 are reciprocated, and when an order is placed on the touch panel 5b1, the transport trays 4a and 4b are reciprocated between the kitchen 7 and the table 2b1 and an order is placed on the touch panel 5b2. Reciprocates the transport trays 4a and 4b between the kitchen 7 and the table 2b2.

  In the asynchronous mode, the transport trays 4a and 4b can be independently driven, so that it is possible to quickly respond to food and drink orders from various tables. In addition, since the transport trays 4a and 4b run in parallel in the synchronous mode, when it is desired to transport a large container that cannot survive one of the transport trays 4a and 4b, the mounting surface 41S of the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b The container can be placed so as to straddle the placement surface 41S. Therefore, for example, in a carousel sushi restaurant, when a sushi of about 2 runs is carried on a plate, it is operated in an asynchronous mode. In addition, when it is desired to transport several dozens of sushi together, or when various foods and drinks other than sushi that require a large plate are transported, the sushi is operated in a synchronous mode. In the order food and drink transport device 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide food and drink using containers of various sizes, large and small, but a lot of installation space like a custom food and drink transport device equipped with a large tray Is not required, and the transport efficiency is not lowered as in the case of transporting a small container on a large tray.

  By the way, since there is no corner portion between the kitchen 7 and each of the tables 2a1-2 and 2b1-2, when reciprocating between the kitchen 7 and the tables 2a1-2, 2b1-2 in the synchronous mode, The control device simply rotates the drive belts 32 in the transport lane 3a and the transport lane 3b at the same speed. However, since there is a corner portion between the kitchen 7 and each table 2a3-4, 2b3-4, if the control device simply rotates the drive belts 32 of the transport lane 3a and the transport lane 3b at the same speed, the corner portion In this case, a positional deviation occurs between the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b due to the difference between the path length of the transport lane 3a on the outer peripheral side and the path length of the transport lane 3b on the inner peripheral side. Therefore, when the transport trays 4a and 4b reciprocate between the kitchen 7 and the tables 2a3 to 4b and 2b3 to 4 in a state in which the synchronous mode is selected, the control device is connected to the drive belt 32 of the transport lane 3a. The rotational drive of the drive belt 32 in the transport lane 3b is controlled as follows.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow executed when the control device of the order food and drink transport apparatus 1 moves the transport trays 4a and 4b in a state where the synchronous mode is selected. When the operation panel 6 is operated in a state where the synchronous mode is selected and the transport of the transport trays 4a and 4b is started, the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 1 executes the following processing.

  That is, the control device of the order food and drink transport device 1 specifies the current position of the transport trays 4a and 4b from the number of pulses of the drive motor while the transport trays 4a and 4b are traveling. And the control apparatus of the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus 1 determines whether the present position of conveyance tray 4a, 4b exists in the corner part of conveyance lane 3a, 3b (S101). When the control device of the order food and drink transport device 1 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S101, the drive motor that rotates the drive belt 32 of the transport lane 3a and the drive motor that rotates the drive belt 32 of the transport lane 3b are driven. Among the motors, the speed of the drive motor that rotates the drive belt 32 of the conveyance path on the inner peripheral side in the corner portion is changed to reduce the speed (S102). The amount of shift depends on the ratio of the radius of the curve of the transport lane 3a and the radius of the curve of the transport lane 3b at the corner. For example, if the radius of the curve of the inner periphery side conveyance path is half the radius of the curve of the outer periphery side conveyance path, the control device of the order food and drink conveyance device 1 is on the inner periphery side in the process of step S102. The speed of the drive motor that rotates the drive belt 32 in the conveyance path is halved. The shift amount and the position of the corner portion are set in advance in the control device when the order food and drink transport device 1 is installed. After performing the process of step S102, the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 1 determines whether or not the current positions of the transport trays 4a and 4b are in the straight line portions of the transport lanes 3a and 3b (S103). . When the control device of the order food and drink conveying device 1 makes an affirmative determination in the process of step S103, it restores the speed of the drive motor changed in the process of step S102 (S104).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a traveling state of the transport trays 4a and 4b in the corner portion when the synchronous mode is selected. The control device of the order food and drink transport apparatus 1 repeatedly executes a series of processes from step S101 to step S104 while the transport trays 4a and 4b are running in a state where the synchronous mode is selected. While the transport trays 4a and 4b are traveling in the synchronous mode, the series of processing from the above step S101 to step S104 is repeatedly executed, so that the space between the kitchen 7 and the tables 2a3 to 4b 2b3 to 4 Even when the transport trays 4a and 4b reciprocate, no positional deviation occurs between the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b at the corner portions where the path lengths are different. As a result, the container can be safely transported from the kitchen 7 to the tables 2a3-4, 2b3-4 without causing the container to drop due to the positional deviation between the transport tray 4a and the transport tray 4b.

In the embodiment described above, the corner portions are smoothly bent by providing the free wheels 43 at the four corners of the transport tray 4. However, the order food and drink conveyance device 1 of the above embodiment is not limited to such a form. For example, the order food and drink conveying device 1 is
You may convey food and drink with the conveyance tray which provided the mechanism which adjusts the steering angle of a wheel according to the course of conveyance lane 3a, 3b.

  FIG. 10 is a view of a modified transport tray provided with a mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the wheels according to the course of the transport lanes 3a and 3b, as viewed from below. In the description of the transport tray 4A according to this modification, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the transport tray 4 of the above embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. The transport tray 4A according to the present modified example includes a wheel for traveling on the transport lane 3, a mechanism for magnetically connecting the first magnetic body 35 of the belt bracket 34, and the like, similar to the transport tray 4 of the above embodiment. Is provided. For example, a tray body 41 and a base 42 are provided in the transport tray 4A. Fixed wheels 44 that cannot change the rudder angle are provided on the left and right sides of the center of the base 42. A second magnetic body 45 is provided at the center of the base 42, and support rollers 46L1, 46R1, 46L2, and 46R2 are provided on the left and right sides of the second magnetic body 45.

  At both ends along the traveling direction of the base 42, movable plates 47 arranged along the lower surface of the base 42 are respectively provided. The movable plate 47 is an elongated plate-like member that extends to the left and right sides in the direction of travel of the base 42, and fixed wheels 44A are provided at both ends thereof. Ball casters 48, 48 are provided near the two fixed wheels 44 </ b> A at both ends of the movable plate 47 so that the ball contacts the lower surface of the base 42. Further, the other end of the link 49, which has one end rotatably attached to the base 42 by a bolt 49K, is rotatably attached to the center of the movable plate 47 by a bolt 49J. For this reason, the movable plate 47 can freely move along the lower surface of the base 42 within the range of the movable region regulated by the link 49. The movable plate 47 is provided with four support rollers 46AL1, 46AR1, 46AL2, and 46AR2 so as to sandwich the central portion of the movable plate 47 from both the left and right sides.

  The support roller 46AL1 and the support roller 46AR1 are attached to the movable plate 47 symmetrically at the same interval as the width of the rib 31R protruding to the upper surface side of the transport lane 3. Similarly to the support roller 46AL1 and the support roller 46AR1, the support roller 46AL2 and the support roller 46AR2 are attached to the movable plate 47 symmetrically at the same interval as the width of the rib 31R. The support roller 46AL1 and the support roller 46AL2 are arranged along the front-rear direction of the transport tray 4. The support roller 46AR1 and the support roller 46AR2 are also arranged along the front-rear direction of the transport tray 4 like the support roller 46AL1 and the support roller 46AL2. Therefore, when the transport tray 4 is placed on the transport lane 3, the rib 31 </ b> R is sandwiched between the support roller 46 </ b> AL <b> 1 and the support roller 46 </ b> AR <b> 1 slightly in front of the center of the movable plate 47, and from the center of the movable plate 47. However, on the slightly rear side, the rib 31R is sandwiched between the support roller 46AL2 and the support roller 46AR2. As a result, when the direction of the movable plate 47 is adjusted to follow the rib 31R and the transport tray 4A travels on the transport lane 3, the movable plate 47 travels while matching the direction along the longitudinal direction of the rib 31R. . That is, the direction of the fixed wheel 44A fixed to the movable plate 47 is automatically adjusted toward the traveling direction of the transport tray 4A. For example, in the corner portion of the transport lane 3, the fixed wheel 44 </ b> A fixed to the movable plate 47 faces left or right along the curvature of the corner portion of the transport lane 3.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the behavior of the movable plate 47 when the transport tray 4A according to the modified example travels on the corner portion of the transport lane 3. When the movable plate 47 of the conveyance tray 4A traveling in the corner portion of the conveyance lane 3 enters the corner portion of the conveyance lane 3, the direction of the movable plate 47 changes according to the curvature of the rib 31R of the corner portion, and the fixed wheel 44A The rudder angle is adjusted so as to follow the curvature of the corner portion (see FIG. 11A). However, since the orientation of the base 42 is adjusted by the support rollers 46L1, 46R1, 46L2, and 46R2, the orientation of the base 42 is in the stage before the central portion of the base 42 enters the corner portion of the transport lane 3. Does not change. For this reason, when the movable plate 47 enters the corner portion of the transport lane 3, the link 49 is slightly rotated around the bolt 49K (see FIG. 11B). And if the center part of the base 42 approachs into the corner part of the conveyance lane 3, the direction of the base 42 will also change (refer FIG.11 (C)). Then, when the transport tray 4 passes through the corner portion of the transport lane 3, the directions of the movable plate 47 and the base 42 are restored (see FIG. 11D).

  In the case of the transport tray 4A according to this modification, the steering angles of the support rollers 46AL1, 46AR1, 46AL2, and 46AR2 that support the transport tray 4A at the four corners of the transport tray 4A are adjusted so as to follow the path of the transport lane 3. Therefore, it is possible to bend smoothly at the corner portion of the transfer lane 3.

  In addition, the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus 1 of the said embodiment is not limited to what is provided with the two conveyance lanes 3a and 3b whose centerlines are parallel. The order food and drink transport apparatus 1 may include three or more transport paths. When the order food and drink transport device 1 includes three or more transport paths, three or more transport trays may travel in parallel, or some of the three or more transport trays travel in parallel. Other transport trays may be run alone.

  Moreover, the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus 1 of the said embodiment is not limited to what conveys food and drink to a table seat. The ordered food and drink conveying apparatus 1 may convey the food and drink to the counter seat in addition to the table seat.

  Moreover, the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus 1 of the said embodiment may be equipped with not only one level of a plurality of parallel conveyance paths but also a plurality of levels above and below.

  Moreover, although the order food-drink conveyance apparatus 1 of the said embodiment had all the several conveyance paths parallel from one end to the other end, for example, when any conveyance path branches on the way, it is non-parallel. There may be parts. When there are non-parallel portions, the range in which the transport tray can travel in the synchronous mode is limited to the parallel portions.

  Moreover, although the order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus 1 of the said embodiment curved at the corner part where a conveyance path bends at right angle, it is not restricted to a corner part that a conveyance path curves. The order food and drink conveyance device 1 of the above embodiment may be curved at a non-corner portion where the conveyance path bends at an obtuse or acute angle.

1 ··· order food and drink transport device: 2a1-4, 2b1-4 ··· table: 3, 3a, 3b · · · transport lane: 4, 4A, 4a, 4b · · transport tray: 5a1-4, 5b1-4 · · Touch panel: 6 · · Operation panel: 7 · · Kitchen: 31 · · Transport path plate: 31R · · Rib: 32 · · Drive belt: 32L, 32R · · Sliding rollers: 33S, 33E · · Pulley: 34 · -Belt bracket: 35-First magnetic body: 36-Conveying groove: 37-Side walls: 38-Guide roller: 41-Tray body: 41S-Loading surface 41S: 42-Base: ··· Free wheel: 44, 44A · · Fixed wheel: 45 · · Second magnetic body: 46L1, 46R1, 46L2, 46R2, 46AL1, 46AR1, 46AL2, 46AR2 · · Support roller: 47 · · Movable plate: 48, 48 Ball Caster: 49 ... link: 49K, 49J ·· bolt

Claims (4)

An order food and beverage transport device for transporting ordered food and drink between a restaurant kitchen and a seating area,
A plurality of transport lanes each carrying a transport tray on which ordered foods and drinks ordered from customers in the passenger seat area travel, and paths from the kitchen to at least one of the passenger seats in the passenger seat area are parallel to each other A plurality of formed transport lanes, and
A control device for controlling the travel of each of the transport trays in the plurality of transport lanes,
The controller is
In the asynchronous mode, which is selected when transporting a container of order food or drink of a size placed on one transport tray, a transport destination designation operation is accepted for each transport lane, and each transport tray in the plurality of transport lanes is received. Run independently of each other,
In the synchronous mode that is selected when transporting a container of ordered food or drink that spans between the plurality of transport lanes, the transport destination designation operation is accepted and the transport trays of the plurality of transport lanes travel in parallel. Let
Order food and drink transport device. The plurality of transport lanes have ribs that guide the path of the transport tray along the center line of the transport lanes,
Each of the transport trays includes a plurality of rollers that sandwich the ribs from both sides at each central portion.
The ordered food and beverage transport apparatus according to claim 1. The plurality of transport lanes have curved portions that remain parallel to each other,
In the synchronous mode, the control device travels on the inner peripheral side in the curved portion so that the parallel running state of the transport trays is maintained while the transport trays are traveling in the curved portion. Decreasing the speed of the transport tray than the speed of the transport tray traveling on the outer peripheral side in the curved portion,
The order food-and-drink conveyance apparatus of Claim 1 or 2. The transport lane rotates the belt in a state where the connected means provided at the center of the transport tray is connected to the connecting means attached to the belt extending along the center line of the transport lane. Has a drive mechanism for running the transport tray,
In the synchronous mode, the controller controls the speed of the belt that moves the conveyance tray that travels on the inner circumference side in the curved portion between the outer circumference conveyance path and the inner circumference conveyance path in the curve portion. Decelerate by an amount corresponding to the radius ratio of the curve,
The order food and drink transport device according to claim 3.

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