JP2017088373A - Aligning and conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aligning and conveying device capable of automatically eliminating jamming generated in a guide mechanism.SOLUTION: An aligning and conveying device 1 includes an aligning device 10 and a conveying device 40. The aligning device 10 includes: each of rotating and conveying sections 12 and 14 in which an outer peripheral section of an upper surface is formed on a horizontal conveying surface 13; outside guide members 16 and 20 which approach the conveying surface 13 and are provided on the upper side; an inside guide member 18 which opens an interval through which an object T can pass and is opposed to the object; a movement mechanism 25 which moves the inside guide member 18 in a direction separate from the outside guide members 16 and 20; jamming detection sections 39 and 55 which detect whether the object T is jammed between the outside guide members 16 and 20 and the inside guide member 18; and a control section 55 which operates the movement mechanism 25 so as to make the inside guide member 18 into the separate state when the jamming state is detected, and operates the movement mechanism 25 so as to return the inside guide member 18 to the approaching state after the jamming state is eliminated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an aligning and conveying apparatus that arranges a plurality of objects in a line and then conveys the objects in a predetermined conveying direction.

  As the aligning / conveying device, an aligning / conveying device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-116588 (the following Patent Document 1) is conventionally known.

  The aligning / conveying apparatus includes: an aligning and supplying apparatus that aligns objects in a line and unloads them from the unloading unit; and a conveying apparatus that is connected to the unloading unit and conveys the objects unloaded from the aligning and supplying apparatus by a conveying belt. The alignment supply device includes a ball provided on a base, a rotary table disposed in the ball and supplied with an object on the upper surface, and a guide mechanism that defines a conveyance path for the object. Prepare.

  The ball has a flange portion formed on the outer peripheral edge of the opening and is configured to rotate around a vertical rotation axis, while the rotary table is disposed in the ball in an inclined state. The upper edge of the ball is flush with the upper surface of the flange portion of the ball and is connected to the flange portion, and is configured to rotate about a rotation axis orthogonal to the rotary table. ing.

  According to the ball and the rotary table configured in this manner, when an object is put on the rotary table, a centrifugal force acts on the target object by the rotation of the rotary table, and the target object is moved by the centrifugal force. To the outer peripheral edge of the ball and from the upper edge to the flange of the ball.

  The guide mechanism is a mechanism that is disposed above the flange portion of the ball, moves on the flange portion, and guides an object that moves together with the flange portion toward the carry-out portion. An outer peripheral guide and a second side guide that are sequentially provided inward from the peripheral edge toward the carry-out portion, and an outer side of the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion and the outer peripheral guide and the second side guide. And a first side guide provided radially inward with an interval through which an object can pass.

  Thus, the object moved from the rotary table to the flange portion moves together with the flange portion and enters between the outer periphery guide and the second side guide and the first side guide, Guided by the guide, the second side guide, and the first side guide, aligned in a line, moved to the carry-out unit, and carried out from the carry-out unit to the transport device.

  Thus, in the aligning and conveying apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of objects are placed on the rotary table of the aligning and supplying apparatus, the objects are sequentially placed on the flange portion of the ball by the action of centrifugal force. And is carried out from the carry-out portion in a state of being aligned in a line by the action of the guide mechanism.

JP 2012-116588 A

  However, according to the conventional aligning and conveying apparatus described above, the objects can be efficiently aligned and conveyed, but there are still points to be improved as described below.

  In other words, the objects to be aligned are not only those having a shape that can move relatively smoothly in the guide mechanism, such as a circular planar shape, but also in the guide mechanism such as a rectangular or elliptical planar shape. Some of them are relatively easily clogged. In addition, when there is a chip or the like in the object, the shape thereof is irregular, so that clogging is particularly likely to occur in the guide mechanism.

  Then, when the clogging of the object occurs in the guide mechanism, the operator must restore the apparatus by stopping the operation of the alignment conveying device, removing the clogged object, and the work is complicated. This is troublesome and leads to a problem that the operation rate of the alignment transport device is lowered.

  Therefore, when the clogging of the object occurs in the guide mechanism, if the clogging can be automatically eliminated, the operator does not need to perform complicated work, and the operation rate of the aligning and conveying apparatus decreases. This is preferable because it can be prevented. In addition, since the object that has been deformed due to chipping or the like is a defective product, it is more preferable if it can be automatically discharged out of the system.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when a clogging of an object occurs in the guide mechanism, this can be automatically resolved, and further, the clogged object can be removed. An object of the present invention is to provide an aligning / conveying device that can automatically discharge the system.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
An alignment device for aligning a plurality of objects in a line and unloading from the unloading unit;
An aligning and transporting device comprising a transporting device for transporting an object unloaded from the unloading unit along a predetermined transporting path;
The alignment device comprises:
The planar shape is circular, and at least the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface is formed on a horizontal conveyance surface, and at least the conveyance surface is configured to rotate around a vertical rotation axis, and is located inside the conveyance surface. A rotary transport unit configured to guide the supplied object to the transport surface;
A pair of guide members that are disposed close to and above the transport surface and guide an object guided to the transport surface toward the carry-out portion, and are provided on the radially outer side. And an inner guide member provided radially inward with an interval through which the object can pass with respect to the outer guide member,
A moving mechanism for moving the inner guide member in a direction toward and away from the outer guide member;
A clogging detection unit for detecting whether or not the object is clogged between the outer guide member and the inner guide member;
After the clogging state is detected by the clogging detection unit, the moving mechanism is operated to move the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, while the clogged state is resolved. And a control unit that operates the moving mechanism to return the inner guide member to a state in which the inner guide member is brought close to the outer guide member.

  According to this aligning and conveying apparatus, when a plurality of the objects are put into the rotating and conveying unit, the objects are sequentially guided onto the conveying surface by the action of the rotating and conveying unit, and the rotating shaft is centered. And rotates together with the transport surface.

  Then, the object rotating together with the transport surface enters between the outer guide member and the inner guide member provided above the transport surface, and passes between the outer guide member and the inner guide member. They are aligned in a line and are carried out from the carry-out unit, and then carried along a predetermined carrying path by the carrying device.

  In this way, the objects that are aligned by passing between the outer guide member and the inner guide member and are carried out from the carry-out portion are transferred to the outer guide member and the inner guide member by the clogging detection portion. Whether or not the object is clogged is monitored by the clogging detection unit, and when the clogging of the object is detected by the clogging detection unit, the moving unit is driven by the control unit, and the inner guide member is moved from the outer guide member. It is in a separated state.

  As a result, the gap between the outer guide member and the inner guide member is widened, and the object that has been clogged can pass between the outer guide member and the inner guide member. It is discharged from between the inner guide member and the clogging is eliminated.

  And after the said clogged state is eliminated, the said control part drives the said moving mechanism, and returns the said inner side guide member to the state which approached the said outer side guide member again.

  Thus, according to the aligning and conveying apparatus of the present invention, when the object is clogged between the outer guide member and the inner guide member of the aligning apparatus, the moving mechanism is driven by the control unit. By setting the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, the clogging of the object can be automatically eliminated without bothering the operator, and the aligning / conveying device can be used by clogging. It is possible to prevent the operating rate from decreasing.

In the present invention, the alignment device further includes a discharge mechanism having a suction nozzle,
The suction nozzle is disposed so that the suction port faces the transport path of the transport device,
The control unit causes the inner guide member to be separated from the outer guide member, and then operates the discharge mechanism to cause a suction action on the suction nozzle so that the clogged state is eliminated. The object conveyed to the conveyance path may be configured to be sucked by the suction nozzle and discharged from the conveyance path.

  In this way, the clogged object can be sucked by the suction nozzle and discharged from the conveyance path, and when the clogged object is a defective product having a chip or the like, This can be eliminated automatically.

Further, in the present invention, the suction nozzle is configured to advance and retract to a suction position where the suction port faces the conveyance path and a retracted position away from the suction position,
The controller, after bringing the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, operates the discharge mechanism to advance the suction nozzle to the suction position, and to exert a suction action on the suction nozzle. You may be comprised so that it may produce.

  In this way, the suction nozzle can be disposed at the suction position where the suction port faces the transport path only when removing the clogged object, and for the transport path for transporting the object. In a normal state, the suction nozzle that can be a disturbance can be retracted to a retracted position where the suction port is away from the transport path, so that the transport path can be stabilized.

  As described above, according to the aligning and conveying apparatus of the present invention, when the object is clogged between the outer guide member and the inner guide member of the aligning apparatus, the moving mechanism is driven by the control unit. In addition, by setting the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, the clogging of the object can be automatically eliminated without bothering the operator's hand, and aligned conveyance by clogging. The operating rate of the apparatus can be prevented from decreasing.

It is the top view which showed schematic structure of the alignment conveyance apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the rear view seen from the arrow A direction in FIG.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the aligning and conveying apparatus 1 of the present example is connected to the aligning apparatus 10 that aligns the objects T in a line and unloads them from the unloading section 50, and the unloading section 50. 10 includes a transport device 40 that transports the object T unloaded from the transport belt 10 by the transport belt 41, and a control device 55 that controls the operation of the alignment device 10 and the transport device 40.

  The alignment device 10 defines a bowl-shaped ball 12 provided on a base 11, a rotary table 14 to which an object T is supplied on the upper surface, and a conveyance path for the object T to define the object T. A guide mechanism 15 that guides the unloading unit 50, a moving mechanism 25 that moves the guide mechanism 15, a discharge mechanism 35 that discharges the object T from the conveyance path, and a detection sensor 39 are provided.

  The ball 12 includes a flange 13 which is a horizontal conveying surface formed on the outer peripheral edge of the opening, and is appropriately centered on a vertical rotation axis by a driving mechanism (hereinafter referred to as a ball driving mechanism) (not shown). It is designed to rotate.

  The rotary table 14 is disposed in the ball 12 in an inclined state, and an upper edge portion thereof is provided at the same height as the upper surface of the flange 13 of the ball 12 and is connected to the flange 13. Yes. The rotary table 14 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis orthogonal to itself by a drive mechanism (hereinafter, table drive mechanism) (not shown) as appropriate.

  The portion where the upper edge portion of the turntable 14 is connected to the flange 13 is a portion where the object T put on the turntable 14 is transferred to the flange 13, and this connection portion is hereinafter referred to as a transfer position. (Indicated by reference numeral 14a in FIG. 1). In FIG. 1, the direction indicated by the arrow B is the rotation direction of the ball 12 when the object T is conveyed, and similarly, the direction of the arrow C is the rotation of the rotary table 14 when the object T is conveyed. Direction.

  The balls 12, the ball drive mechanism (not shown), the rotary table 14, and the table drive mechanism (not shown) function as a rotary conveyance unit.

  The guide mechanism 15 demarcates a conveyance path for moving the object T, which has moved from the rotary table 14 onto the flange 13 at the transfer position 14a, toward the carry-out unit 50. A first side guide 18, a second side guide 20, a first upper guide 22 and a second upper guide 23 are provided.

  The outer peripheral guide 16 is provided outside the inner peripheral edge of the flange 13, and a guide surface having a concave curved surface whose side surface close to the center of the ball 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as “center side”) has an arc shape. 17 The second side guide 20 is extended from the outer periphery guide 16 toward the carry-out portion 50, and the guide surface 21 in which the central side surface is connected to the guide surface 17 of the outer periphery guide 16. The end of the second side guide 20 reaches above the transport device 40.

  Further, the first side guide 18 can pass the object T to the center side of the outer periphery guide 16 and the second side guide 20 with respect to the outer periphery guide 16 and the second side guide 20. Like the second side guide 20, the end of the guide is located above the transport device 40. As a matter of course, in the first side guide 18, a side surface facing the outer peripheral guide 16 and the second side guide 20 is a guide surface 19.

  Further, the outer peripheral guide 16, the first side guide 18, and the second side guide 20 are arranged such that their lower surfaces are located above the flange 13 with a slight gap between them. ing.

  The first upper guide 22 is disposed above the flange 13 so as to have an interval through which the object T can pass between the first upper guide 22 and the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16. One end portion of the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16 covers the conveyance path defined by the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 and the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20. The other end is located above the conveying path defined by these guide surfaces 19, 21 between the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. It arrange | positions so that it may be located.

  The second upper guide 23 is disposed such that one end thereof is connected to the first upper guide 22 and the other end is located above the transport device 40 with the discharge portion 50 interposed therebetween. It is disposed so as to cover the conveyance path defined by the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 and the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20. The second upper guide 23 has an interval through which the object T can pass between the flange 13 and the conveyor belt 41.

  The moving mechanism 25 includes a compressed air supply source 26, a first air cylinder 27, a second air cylinder 28, a third air cylinder 29, a first switching valve 30, a second switching valve 31, and a third switching valve 32. The

  The first air cylinder 27 is disposed so that its cylinder rod is horizontal, and the cylinder rod is connected to the first side guide 18 through a bracket or the like as appropriate. The first air cylinder 27 operates using compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply source 26 via the first switching valve 30 as a power source, and the first side guide 18 is moved to the outer periphery guide 16. And it moves between the guide position which opposes the said 2nd side part guide 20, and the retracted position which left | separated from the outer periphery guide 16 and the 2nd side part guide 20 to the said center side.

  The second air cylinder 28 and the third air cylinder 29 are disposed so that their cylinder rods are vertical, and the first upper guide 22 is connected to the cylinder rod of the second air cylinder 28, The second upper guide 23 is connected to the cylinder rod of the third air cylinder 29.

  The second air cylinder 28 operates using compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply source 26 via the second switching valve 31 as a power source, and the first upper guide 22 is guided to a guide position. And a retracted position retracted upward by an appropriate distance from the guide position.

  The third air cylinder 29 operates using the compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply source 26 via the third switching valve 32 as a power source, and the second upper guide 23 is operated as a guide position. And a retracted position retracted upward by an appropriate distance from the guide position.

  The first air cylinder 27, the second air cylinder 28, and the third air cylinder 29 are supported by a support plate 24 provided above the ball 12. The outer peripheral guide 16 and the second side guide 20 are also supported by the support plate 24, and the first side guide 18, the first upper guide 22 and the second upper guide 23 are also in the above-described directions. The support plate 24 is movably supported.

  The discharge mechanism 35 includes a suction nozzle 36, a fourth air cylinder 37, a fourth switching valve 38, and a negative pressure supply source (not shown). The suction nozzle 36 is disposed downstream of the second upper guide 23 in the transport direction (arrow D direction) of the transport belt 41, and is supplied from a negative pressure supply source (not shown). An external object is sucked by a pressure from a suction port formed on the lower surface thereof.

  The fourth air cylinder 37 is arranged so that its cylinder rod is vertical, and the suction nozzle 36 is attached to the cylinder rod. The fourth air cylinder 37 operates using the compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply source 26 via the fourth switching valve 38 as a power source, and the suction nozzle 36 has a suction port at the transport belt 41. The position is moved between a suction position facing the transport path and a retreat position retracted upward by an appropriate distance from the suction position.

  The detection sensor 39 is provided at an end portion of the second side guide 20 located above the transport device 40 and is formed by the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. When the object T passes through the conveyance path, this is detected, and the detection signal is transmitted to the control device 55. In addition, the member which provides this detection sensor 39 is not restricted to this, You may provide in the said 1st side part guide 18, Furthermore, you may provide in the 2nd upper guide 23 if possible.

  The transport device 40 includes a support frame 45, a rectangular parallelepiped hollow negative pressure box 46 supported by the support frame 45, the transport belt 41, and the negative pressure box 46. Four pulleys 44 supported by a support frame 45 and wound so that the conveyor belt 41 is in sliding contact with the upper surface of the negative pressure box 46, and connected to one of the pulleys 44 to drive the pulley 44. Drive motor 47.

  The inside of the negative pressure box 46 is connected to the negative pressure supply source (not shown) to be negative pressure, and a slit hole (not shown) is formed in the upper surface along the longitudinal direction. A negative pressure is applied to the outside from the slit hole.

  The conveyor belt 41 has ridges 42 formed on both sides thereof, and through holes 43 are formed between the two ridges 42 at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction. The negative pressure of the negative pressure box 46 acts between the two protrusions 42. The conveyor belt 41 is rotated in the direction of arrow D by the pulley 44 driven by the drive motor 47.

  In the transport device 40 configured as described above, an upstream end portion of the transport belt 41 in the transport direction (arrow D direction) is connected to the carry-out portion 50, and in the carry-out portion 50, the end portion is the ball 12. And a lower surface of the flange 13 with a slight gap between the two protrusions 42 and a conveyance path defined by the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. Overlap each other.

  Then, the object T guided by the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20 of the alignment device 10, moved along the transport path, and unloaded from the unloading section 50 is transferred to the transport belt 41. It is transferred between the two ridges 42 and is conveyed in the direction of arrow D by the conveyor belt 41. Thus, the two protrusions 42 form a conveyance path for the conveyance belt 41.

  The control device 55 is a functional unit that controls the operations of the alignment device 10 and the transport device 40 as described above. Hereinafter, along with specific processing in the control device 55, an aspect of aligning and transporting the object T in the aligning and transporting device 1 having the above configuration will be described. The first side guide 18, the first upper guide 22, and the second upper guide 23 are positioned at the guide positions, and a plurality of objects T are input on the rotary table 14 in advance.

  First, the control device 55 drives the drive motor 47 of the transport device 40 to rotate the transport belt 41 in the direction indicated by arrow D, and from the negative pressure supply source (not shown) to the negative pressure box. A negative pressure is applied to 46, and a negative pressure is applied between the two protrusions 42 of the conveyor belt 41.

  Further, the control device 55 drives the ball driving mechanism (not shown) and the table driving mechanism (not shown) to rotate the ball 12 in a direction indicated by an arrow B at a normal rotation speed, and the rotation. The table 14 is rotated in the direction of arrow C at a normal rotation speed.

  As a result, the object T on the turntable 14 receives a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the turntable 14 and moves toward the outer periphery of the turntable 14, and the object T that has moved to the outer periphery further moves to the ball 12. It moves to the upper edge of the turntable 14 along the inner peripheral surface, and moves from the turntable 14 onto the flange 13 at the transfer position 14a.

  The object T moved on the flange 13 is moved by the rotation of the ball 12 while being placed on the flange 13, and first moves along the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16, and then the first 1 Enter below the upper guide 22. At that time, when the object T is in a stacked state or standing state, the object is brought into contact with the first upper guide 22 so that such a state is eliminated and the ball 12, only the object T within the range of the predetermined height enters below the first upper guide 22.

  After the object T that has entered the lower side of the first upper guide 22 in this way enters the space between the outer periphery guide 16 and the first side guide 18 and then moves to the carry-out part 50. , Transferred onto the transport belt 41 of the transport device 40, and transported downstream while adsorbed to the transport belt 41 by the action of negative pressure. On the other hand, the object T that cannot enter between the outer periphery guide 16 and the first side guide 18 is repelled by the first side guide 18 and returned into the ball 12. Note that the target T is detected by the detection sensor 39 while the target T is unloaded from the unloading section 50 and transferred onto the conveyor belt 41, and the detection signal is sent from the detection sensor 39 to the control device 55. Sent to.

  In this way, the objects T put on the rotary table 14 of the aligning device 10 are sequentially aligned in a line, and are carried out from the carry-out unit 50 to the conveying device 40, and the unloaded objects T are conveyed by the conveying belt 41. Be transported.

  And the control apparatus 55 monitors the detection signal transmitted from the said detection sensor 39, and when not receiving a detection signal from the detection sensor 39 for predetermined time, the guide mechanism 15, ie, the said outer periphery guide 16, is detected. , It is determined that the target T has been clogged in the conveyance path formed by the first side guide 18, the second side guide 20, the first upper guide 22, and the second upper guide 23. I do.

  That is, the control device 55 stops driving by the ball driving mechanism (not shown) to stop the rotation of the ball 12 and stops driving by the table driving mechanism (not shown). And the first switching valve 30, the second switching valve 31, and the third switching valve 32 are switched to move the first side guide 18 to the retracted position by the first air cylinder 27. The first upper guide 22 and the second upper guide 23 are moved to the retracted position by the second air cylinder 28 and the third air cylinder 29, respectively. As a result, the conveyance path formed by the outer peripheral guide 16, the first side guide 18, the second side guide 20, the first upper guide 22 and the second upper guide 23 is expanded, and the clogging that has occurred is eliminated. The

  Next, the control device 55 switches the fourth switching valve 38 and moves the suction nozzle 36 to the suction position by the fourth air cylinder, and then the suction nozzle 36 from the negative pressure supply source (not shown). A negative pressure is applied to 36, and then the ball drive mechanism (not shown) is driven to rotate the ball 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow B at a slower speed than usual. As a result, the clogged object T moves in the direction indicated by arrow B, and is transferred onto the conveyor belt 41 via the carry-out portion 50, and is conveyed by the conveyor belt 41 in the direction indicated by arrow D. Is done. When the object T passes under the suction port of the suction nozzle 36, the target T is sucked from the suction port and discharged out of the system.

  Then, the control device 55 starts the suction by the suction nozzle 36, and after the elapse of a predetermined time, or after receiving the detection signal of the object T from the detection sensor 39, the first switching valve 30 and the second switching valve. The valve 31 and the third switching valve 32 are switched to move the first side guide 18 to the guide position by the first air cylinder 27 and to the first upper portion by the second air cylinder 28 and the third air cylinder 29, respectively. The guide 22 and the second upper guide 23 are moved to the guide position.

  Further, the control device 55 switches the fourth switching valve 38 to move the suction nozzle 36 to the retracted position by the fourth air cylinder and to the suction nozzle 36 from the negative pressure supply source (not shown). After the supply of negative pressure is stopped, the ball 12 is rotated at a normal speed by the ball drive mechanism (not shown), and the table 14 is rotated at a normal speed by the table drive mechanism (not shown). Let

  Thus, the clogging elimination process described above executed by the control device 55 eliminates clogging in the guide mechanism 15 and restores the normal operation state.

  As described above, according to the alignment conveyance device 1 of this example, whether or not the object T is clogged in the conveyance path of the guide mechanism 15 is determined by the detection sensor 39 and the control device 55 that function as a clogging detection unit. When the clogging of the target T is detected by the clogging detection unit, the first side guide 18, the first upper guide 22 and the second upper guide 23 are moved to the retracted position and formed by these. By expanding the conveying path, the clogging that has occurred is eliminated, and the target T that has been clogged is sucked by the suction nozzle 36 and discharged out of the system.

  Therefore, according to the aligning and conveying apparatus 1 of the present example, the clogging of the object T can be automatically eliminated without bothering the operator, and the operation rate of the aligning and conveying apparatus 1 is reduced due to the clogging. In addition, when the clogged target T is a defective product having a chip or the like, it can be automatically eliminated.

  Further, the suction nozzle 36 is positioned in a suction arrangement in which the suction port faces the transport path only when removing the clogged target T, and the suction that may cause disturbance for the transport path that transports the target T. Since the nozzle 36 is retracted to the retracted position in a normal unnecessary state, the transport path can be stabilized.

  As mentioned above, although specific embodiment of this invention was described, the specific aspect which this invention can take is not limited to these at all.

  In the above example, the first side guide 18, the first upper guide 22, and the second upper guide 23 are each retracted to the retracted position in the clogging elimination process, but the present invention is not limited to this. In order to solve this, at least the width of the transport path only needs to be expanded. In this case, only the first side guide 18 needs to be configured to be retracted to the retracted position. That is, in such a case, the second air cylinder 28, the third air cylinder 29, the second switching valve 31, and the third switching valve 32 need not be provided.

  Further, when the transport path of the transport device 40 is stable, it is not necessary to move the suction nozzle 36 up and down, and only the negative pressure supply may be switched. Therefore, in this case, the fourth air cylinder 37 and the fourth switching valve 38 do not need to be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Alignment conveying apparatus 10 Alignment apparatus 12 Ball 13 Flange 14 Rotary table 15 Guide mechanism 16 Outer periphery guide 18 First side guide 20 Second side guide 22 First upper guide 23 Second upper guide 25 Moving mechanism 27 First air cylinder 28 Second Air Cylinder 29 Third Air Cylinder 35 Discharge Mechanism 36 Suction Nozzle 37 Fourth Air Cylinder 39 Detection Sensor 40 Conveying Device 41 Conveying Belt 50 Unloading Unit 55 Control Device

Claims (3)

An alignment device for aligning a plurality of objects in a line and unloading from the unloading unit;
An aligning and transporting device comprising a transporting device for transporting an object unloaded from the unloading unit along a predetermined transporting path;
The alignment device comprises:
The planar shape is circular, and at least the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface is formed on a horizontal conveyance surface, and at least the conveyance surface is configured to rotate around a vertical rotation axis, and is located inside the conveyance surface. A rotary transport unit configured to guide the supplied object to the transport surface;
A pair of guide members that are disposed close to and above the transport surface and guide an object guided to the transport surface toward the carry-out portion, and are provided on the radially outer side. And an inner guide member provided radially inward with an interval through which the object can pass with respect to the outer guide member,
A moving mechanism for moving the inner guide member in a direction toward and away from the outer guide member;
A clogging detection unit for detecting whether or not the object is clogged between the outer guide member and the inner guide member;
After the clogging state is detected by the clogging detection unit, the moving mechanism is operated to move the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, while the clogged state is resolved. And a control unit which operates the moving mechanism to return the inner guide member to a state in which the inner guide member is brought close to the outer guide member. The alignment apparatus further includes a discharge mechanism having a suction nozzle,
The suction nozzle is disposed so that the suction port faces the transport path of the transport device,
The control unit causes the inner guide member to be separated from the outer guide member, and then operates the discharge mechanism to cause a suction action on the suction nozzle so that the clogged state is eliminated. 2. The aligning and conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an object to be conveyed to the conveying path is sucked by the suction nozzle and discharged from the conveying path. The suction nozzle is configured to advance and retract to a suction position where the suction port faces the conveyance path and a retracted position away from the suction position;
The controller, after bringing the inner guide member away from the outer guide member, operates the discharge mechanism to advance the suction nozzle to the suction position, and to exert a suction action on the suction nozzle. 3. The aligning / conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aligning / conveying apparatus is configured to be generated.

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