JP2018167944A - Transporting system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a transporting system to allow a specific transporting object to be removed from a transporting passage among a plurality of objects to be transported each of which is held.SOLUTION: A transporting system of the present invention is provided with: a transfer device 50 to transport a plurality of transporting objects B while a plurality of grippers 58 each hold them; and a second processing device 30 to transfer the plurality of the transporting objects B to be transferred from the transfer device 50 toward a downstream side while a plurality of grippers 38 each hold them, wherein, in the transfer device 50 and in the second processing device 30, the plurality of the grippers 58 and the plurality of the grippers 38 are positioned at either of a regular position P1 where the transporting objects B held by the gripper 58 is delivered to the gripper 38 or a removal position P2 where at least one of the plurality of the grippers 58 or at least one of the plurality of the grippers 38 is deviated from the regular position P1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyance system that can select a specific article from a plurality of articles conveyed on a conveyance path while being gripped and exclude the specific article from the conveyance path.

A resin bag is used as a container for liquids such as drip liquid. This resin bag includes a bag-shaped bag body formed of a soft resin film and a port attached to an opening of the bag body. The port functions as a mouth for taking in and out the liquid in the bag body, and is made of a hard resin.
For example, a resin bag has a process of inserting a port into a work made of a bag held by a carrier conveyed on a guide rail, a process of filling a work with a fluid, and a process of sealing the work -Manufactured via a filling line. The manufacturing-filling line includes a discharge device that removes a work that is determined to be defective by inspection from the conveyance path.

  Patent Document 1 proposes an article sorting apparatus that excludes a work that has been determined to be defective by inspection from a conveyance path. The apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes a regular article conveying conveyor that conveys articles, a reject conveyor that is arranged on the side of the article conveying conveyor, and a link mechanism that changes the course of articles on the article conveying conveyor to the reject conveyor. .

JP 2014-133609 A

  In order to convey the object to be conveyed, there is a means for conveying an object while individually holding it with an instrument called a gripper, in addition to the conveyor conveyance targeted by Patent Document 1. In the article distribution device of Patent Document 1 on the premise of conveyor conveyance, an arm that is an element of a link mechanism pushes a conveyance object just placed on the conveyance conveyor onto a reject conveyor. Therefore, the article sorting apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot be applied to a conveyance object that is individually held by a gripper, for example.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the conveyance system which can exclude a specific conveyance object easily from a conveyance path from the several conveyance object hold | maintained separately.

  In gripping and transporting, normally, a plurality of gripped articles are transported at equal intervals. Further, in gripping and transporting, the upstream transport unit may be transported from the upstream transport unit to the downstream transport unit using a transport device, and a plurality of articles are maintained at even intervals before and after the transport. The main object of the present invention is to sort a specific article from other articles by not applying this uniform interval transfer to the specific article.

That is, the transport system of the present invention includes an upstream transport device that transports a plurality of transport objects while individually holding them by a plurality of upstream holding elements, and a plurality of transport objects that are transferred from the upstream transport device. And a downstream transport device that transports downstream while individually holding the holding elements.
In the upstream conveying device and the downstream conveying device in the present invention, the plurality of upstream holding elements and the plurality of downstream holding elements each have a normal position for transferring the conveyance object held by the upstream holding element to the downstream holding element, and a plurality of positions At least one of the upstream holding elements or at least one of the plurality of downstream holding elements is disposed at any one of the exclusion positions that deviate from the normal position.

The transfer system of the present invention is applied to the case where the transfer of the transfer object in the upstream transfer apparatus and the downstream transfer apparatus is intermittently performed in units of a predetermined number of groups, and the transfer object or objects constituting the group Can be shifted from the normal position.
In this transfer system, the upstream transfer device holds a plurality of transfer objects constituting a group in a row, and the downstream transfer device receives a plurality of transfer objects arranged in a row from the upstream transfer device. Can do.

The transfer system of the present invention can be applied to a system in which transfer of a transfer object is continuously performed in an upstream transfer device and a downstream transfer device.
In this transport system, the upstream transport device includes an arc-shaped upstream transport region, the downstream transport device includes an arc-shaped downstream transport region facing the upstream transport region, and continuous transfer of the transport object is performed. This can be performed between the upstream conveyance area and the downstream conveyance area.

  In the transport system of the present invention, the operation of shifting the upstream holding element or the downstream holding element from the normal position can be performed by the linear motor.

In the transport system of the present invention, the upstream holding element and the downstream holding element can be grippers for gripping a transport object.
In this transport system, the upstream holding element can be a gripper that performs a spontaneous opening / closing operation, and the downstream holding element can be a gripper that performs an opening / closing operation by an elastic force.

  In the transport system of the present invention, the transport system includes a control device that identifies a transport object to be excluded when being transferred from the upstream transport device to the downstream transport device, and the upstream holding element or the downstream holding element is displaced from the normal position. This can be done in accordance with instructions from the control device.

  According to the transport system of the present invention, the specific article is selected from the other articles even in the gripping transport by shifting the delivery position or the receiving position of the specific transport object to make the delivery or the reception malfunction. can do. In addition, the transfer system of the present invention can sort the transfer object only by shifting the delivery position of the transfer object or the receiving position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole processing system of 1st Embodiment is simplified and shown. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which the processing system of 1st Embodiment delivers the bag from which the factor which should be excluded is not detected. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which the processing system of 1st Embodiment delivers the bag from which the factor which should be excluded is not detected. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which the processing system of 1st Embodiment excludes the bag by which the factor which should be excluded was detected. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which excludes the bag in which the factor which should be excluded was detected in the 1st modification of 1st Embodiment. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which excludes the bag in which the factor which should be excluded was detected in the 2nd modification of 1st Embodiment. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which excludes the bag from which the factor which should be excluded was detected in the 3rd modification of 1st Embodiment. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement which excludes the bag in which the factor which should be excluded was detected in the processing system of 2nd Embodiment. (A), (b), and (c) follow the elapsed time.

[First Embodiment]
The processing system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the first embodiment, the transfer system of the present invention is applied to the processing system 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the processing system 1 according to the first embodiment is processed by a first processing device 10 provided on the upstream side, a second processing device 30 provided on the downstream side, and the first processing device 10. A transfer device 50 for transferring the processed object B to the second processing device 30. The processing system 1 includes a control device 70 that controls operations of the first processing device 10 and the second processing device 30. When the processing system 1 transfers the processing object B from the transfer device 50 to the second processing apparatus 30, the processing system 1 conveys the processing object B that is determined to be unacceptable by the control device 70 without being received by the second processing apparatus 30. Eliminate from the road. The transfer device 50 corresponds to the upstream transfer device of the present invention, and the second processing device 30 corresponds to the downstream transfer device of the present invention. Further, the processing object B corresponds to the conveyance object of the present invention.

The processing system 1 conveys the processing target B by shifting the position of the gripper 38 that grips the processing target B in the second processing apparatus 30 from the normal position P1 to the exclusion position P2 that avoids the transfer of the processing target B. Eliminate from the road.
Hereinafter, after each element of the processing system 1 is described, a procedure for removing the processing object B will be described.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the upstream α and the downstream β are defined with reference to the direction in which the processing object B is conveyed. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a direction in which the first processing apparatus 10 and the second processing apparatus 30 extend is defined as a longitudinal direction L, and a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction L is defined as a width direction W.

[First processing apparatus 10]
The first processing apparatus 10 performs a predetermined process while receiving the plurality of processing objects B that are continuously conveyed from the upstream, and then transferring them to the transfer apparatus 50. As shown in FIG. 1, the first processing apparatus 10 includes a first processing unit 11 that performs a predetermined process on the processing target B, and a first transport unit 13 that transports the processing target B.

  Although the content of the processing to be performed by the first processing unit 11 is arbitrary, for example, if the processing object B is a bag that encloses an infusion, the inside of the bag can be filled with an infusion solution. The processing system 1 includes means for detecting whether or not the processing object B that has undergone the processing of the first processing unit 11 has been subjected to appropriate processing. Sent to.

The first transport unit 13 transports the plurality of processing objects B from the upstream α toward the downstream β while individually gripping them with the gripper 18.
The first transport unit 13 includes a driving pulley 14 and a driven pulley 15 that are arranged at a predetermined interval, and an endless working belt 16 that is wound around the driving pulley 14 and the driven pulley 15. By rotating the drive pulley 14 by an actuator not shown, the operating belt 16 can be run.
The operating belt 16 includes a plurality of grippers 18 that hold the processing object B. The plurality of grippers 18 are fixed to the working belt 16 so as to face the outside of the working belt 16 around which a portion for gripping the processing object B is wound with a certain interval. The gripper 18 is spontaneously opened and closed when a driving force is applied. The gripper 18 is closed when the object to be processed B is gripped, and is opened at other times. Although the grippers 18 are provided at equal intervals over the entire circumference of the working belt 16, only some grippers 18 are shown in FIG.

The first transport unit 13 includes a delivery position X <b> 1 that delivers the processing object B to the transfer device 50. The delivery position X1 is on the downstream side of the forward path O1 in the first transport unit 13. The plurality of grippers 18 follow the operating belt 16 and repeat running and stopping while holding the processing object B at an equal interval. When the operation belt 16 stops, the three grippers 18 that grip the processing object B reach the delivery position X1. When the processing object B is delivered from the gripper 18 to the transfer device 50 at the delivery position X1, the operating belt 16 resumes traveling, and the gripper 18 that is responsible for delivery of the processing object B next moves to the delivery position X1. Then stop.
By repeating the above operation, the gripper 18 intermittently conveys the received processing object B to the delivery position X1.

[Second processing apparatus 30]
The second processing device 30 performs a predetermined process while receiving a plurality of processing objects B from the first processing device 10 and then transferring them to a downstream process. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the second processing device 30 includes a second processing unit 31 that performs a predetermined process on the processing target B, and a second transport unit 33 that transports the processing target B.

  As with the first processing unit 11, the content of the processing to be performed by the second processing unit 31 is arbitrary. For example, if the processing object B is a bag that encloses an infusion, the inside of the bag is filled with an infusion solution. Etc.

  The second transport unit 33 performs the same operation as the first transport unit 13 in that the plurality of processing objects B are transported from the upstream α toward the downstream β while being gripped individually by the gripper 38. However, the second transport unit 33 differs from the first transport unit 13 in that the driving source is a linear motor.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the second transport unit 33 includes a guide rail 34 that forms an endless circulation path, and a plurality of movers 35 that travel independently along the guide rail 34. Each movable element 35 is provided with a permanent magnet 36, and an electromagnetic coil 37 is provided along the guide rail 34, whereby the second transport unit 33 includes a linear motor.

  Each moving element 35 includes a plurality of grippers 38 that hold the processing object B. The plurality of grippers 38 are fixed to the mover 35 so as to face the outside of the guide rail 34. The gripper 38 is also spontaneously opened and closed in the same manner as the gripper 18 and grips the processing object B when it is closed. The gripper 38 is also provided along the entire circumference of the guide rail 34 together with the moving element 35, but FIG. 1 shows only a part of the gripper 38.

  In the second transport unit 33, the movement and stop of each moving element 35 are independently controlled by an instruction from the control device 70. Therefore, the 2nd conveyance part 33 can change the position of each moving element 35, ie, the position of each gripper 38, arbitrarily.

  The second transport unit 33 includes a receiving position X <b> 2 that receives the processing object B from the transfer device 50. The receiving position X2 is on the upstream side of the forward path O2 in the second transport unit 33. The plurality of grippers 38 repeats running and stopping following the linear motor while holding the received processing object B and maintaining an equal interval. However, the three grippers 38 that receive the processing object B from the transfer device 50 stop at the receiving position X2. Even at the receiving position X2, as shown in FIG. 2C, the equal spacing of the three grippers 38 is maintained. The positions of the three grippers 38 that are equally spaced at the receiving position X2 are referred to as normal positions P1.

When the gripper 38 receives the processing object B at the receiving position X2, the moving element 35 resumes traveling, and then the gripper 38 responsible for receiving the processing object B moves to the receiving position X2 and then stops.
By repeating the above operation, the gripper 38 intermittently conveys the received processing object B further downstream from the receiving position X2.

  Here, in the second transport unit 33, at the receiving position X2, at least one of the three grippers 38 may be displaced from the normal position P1. This operation is performed when the processing object B transported by the transfer device 50 is not received by the second transport unit 33 and the processing object B is excluded from a series of transport paths formed in the processing system 1. . This will be described in detail later.

[Transfer device 50]
The transfer device 50 transports the processing object B received from the first transport unit 13 of the first processing device 10 to the second processing device 30 and delivers it to the second transport unit 33. That is, the transfer device 50 receives the processing object B at a position facing the first processing device 10 as shown in FIG. 2A, and then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the second processing device 30. Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, the processing object B is delivered at a position facing the second processing apparatus 30. The transfer device 50 has the following configuration in order to perform this series of operations.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 50 includes a base 51, an arm 53 extending from the base 51, and three grippers 58 attached to the tip of the arm 53.
The base 51 reciprocates between a position corresponding to the delivery position X1 of the first transport unit 13 (FIG. 2A) and a position corresponding to the reception position X2 of the second transport unit 33 (FIG. 2C). To do.

  The arm 53 is configured to be able to expand and contract along the width direction W. The arm 53 extends when receiving the processing object B at a position corresponding to the delivery position X1, and when receiving the processing object B at a position corresponding to the receiving position X2, and contracts otherwise.

The gripper 58 holds the processing object B received from the first processing apparatus 10 until it is delivered to the second processing apparatus 30. Similarly to the grippers 18 and 38, the gripper 58 is also spontaneously opened and closed, and grips the processing object B when closed.
As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 50 includes three grippers 58 and grips three processing objects B at a time. That is, the processing system 1 receives and delivers the processing object B by the transfer device 50 in units of groups. In addition, although the example of the three process target objects B is shown here as a group, the number is arbitrary.

  The intervals between the three grippers 58 are kept uniform in the process of receiving the processing object B from the first processing apparatus 10 and delivering it to the second processing apparatus 30. Further, the distance between the three grippers 58 is the same as the distance between the grippers 18 in the first processing apparatus 10 and the distance between the grippers 38 in the second processing apparatus 30. Accordingly, the processing object B is transported through the first processing device 10, the transfer device 50, and the second processing device 30 with a uniform interval. However, the processing object B that is excluded from the transport path corresponds to this exception.

  The gripper 58 moves between the receiving standby position Y1 and the receiving position Z1 closer to the first processing apparatus 10 than the receiving standby position Y1 at the position where the transfer device 50 corresponds to the first processing apparatus 10. That is, the gripper 58 is in the reception standby position Y1 until the transfer device 50 reaches a position corresponding to the first processing apparatus 10, but then advances to the reception position Z1 to actually receive the processing object B. To do. When the gripper 58 receives the processing object B, the gripper 58 moves backward to the receiving standby position Y1. The forward and backward movements of the gripper 58 are performed by the expansion and contraction of the arm 53.

  The gripper 58 moves between the delivery standby position Y2 and the delivery position Z2 closer to the first processing device 10 than the delivery standby position Y2 even at the position where the transfer device 50 corresponds to the second processing device 30.

[Control device 70]
The control device 70 controls the operations of the first processing device 10 and the second processing device 30. A characteristic of this control is the control for removing the processing object B from the transport path. Hereinafter, the control for removing the processing object B will be described.

  The control device 70 continuously acquires position information of each of the processing objects B conveyed by the first processing device 10, the transfer device 50, and the second processing device 30. In addition, the control device 70 continuously acquires pass / fail information regarding each pass or fail of the processing object B that has undergone the processing of the first processing unit 11. Based on the acquired position information and pass / fail information, the control device 70 specifies the position of the processing object B that has been determined to be unacceptable. The processing object B that has been determined to be rejected is the processing object B that is excluded from the transport path.

  If the control apparatus 70 specifies the processing object B to be excluded, the gripper 38 to which the specified processing object B is to be delivered to the second processing apparatus 30 is shown in FIG. In this way, the position is instructed to move from the normal position P1 to the exclusion position P2. By this instruction, the gripper 38 is shifted to a position where the processing object B cannot be received from the gripper 58.

[Operation of Processing System 1]
Next, the operation of the processing system 1 will be described.
This operation includes a first process in which the transfer apparatus 50 receives the processing object B from the first processing apparatus 10 and a second process in which the processing object B is transferred from the transfer apparatus 50 to the second processing apparatus 30. Yes. The characteristic operation in the present embodiment, that is, the operation of sorting out the processing object B determined to be unacceptable from the transport path, so as to be selected as an acceptable product is performed in the second step. In the first process and the second process, the three processing objects B are performed as one group.

[First step]
In the first stroke, as shown in FIG. 2A, the gripper 18 of the first processing apparatus 10 is stopped at the position X1, and the gripper 58 of the transfer apparatus 50 is received at the receiving position via the receiving standby position Y1. It has reached Z1. The corresponding gripper 18 and the gripper 58 are opposed to each other with an interval in the vertical direction. At this time, the gripper 18 grips the processing object B, while the open gripper 58 surrounds the portion gripped by the processing object B. That is, the gripper 18 and the gripper 58 do not interfere with each other because there is a gap in the vertical direction.

  Next, when the gripper 58 is closed and the gripper 18 of the first processing apparatus 10 is opened and the gripping of the processing object B by the gripper 18 is released, the transfer apparatus 50 receives the processing object B from the first processing apparatus 10. . When the reception of the processing object B is finished, the transfer device 50 moves toward the second processing device 30 and then the second stroke is performed as shown in FIG.

[Second step]
In the second process, all the processing objects B are transferred from the transfer device 50 to the second processing device 30 and a part of the processing objects B is not transferred from the transfer device 50 to the second processing device 30. There are two operation modes, the exclusion mode. Hereinafter, the regular mode and the exclusion mode will be described in this order.

  In the second stroke (normal mode), as shown in FIG. 2C, the gripper 38 of the second processing device 30 is stopped at the receiving position X2, and the gripper 58 of the transfer device 50 is set to the delivery standby position Y2. It has reached the delivery position Z2 via. The corresponding gripper 38 and the gripper 58 are opposed to each other with an interval in the vertical direction. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 3B-1 and 3B-2, the grippers 58A, 58B, and 58C grip the processing object B, and the opened grippers 38A, 38B, and 38C are the processing object. The part which B grasps is surrounded. That is, the gripper 58 and the gripper 38 do not interfere with each other because they are spaced apart from each other.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3 (c-1) and (c-2), the grippers 58 A, 58 B, and 58 C of the transfer device 50 are opened after the grippers 38 A, 38 B, and 38 C are closed. When the gripping of the object B is released, the second processing device 30 receives the processing object B from the transfer device 50. When the processing object B is received, the transfer device 50 moves toward the first processing device 10, and the grippers 38A, 38B, and 38C of the second processing device 30 move downstream.
The normal mode is as described above.

Next, the exclusion mode will be described. In addition, since operation | movement of the transfer apparatus 50 is the same as normal mode, it demonstrates below centering on operation | movement of the 2nd processing apparatus 30. FIG.
The control device 70 instructs the gripper 38C, which is scheduled to receive the processing object B determined to be unacceptable, to move to the exclusion position P2 at a timing scheduled to be received. This instruction is executed by the movement of the mover 35 via an instruction to the linear motor constituting the second transport unit 33, and as a result, the normal mode shown in FIGS. 3 (a-1) and 3 (a-2). Unlike FIG. 4, as shown in FIGS. 4A-1 and 4A-2, the grippers 38A and 38B are in the normal position P1, but the gripper 38C is moved to the exclusion position P2.

  The gripper 38C can be moved in the process in which the gripper 38C moves to the receiving position X2 together with the grippers 38A and 38B. That is, when the grippers 38A, 38B, and 38C move to the receiving position X2, the gripper 38C moves to the exclusion position P2 that is deviated from the normal position P1, so if the traveling speed of the mover 35 corresponding to the gripper 38C is increased. The grippers 38A and 38B can reach the exclusion position P2 at the same time as reaching the normal position P1. Even if the speed of the gripper 38C is the same as that of the grippers 38A and 38B, the extra distance that the gripper 38C moves is short, so the extra time that the gripper 38C moves is short. That is, no special operation and time are required to eliminate the processing object B.

  The grippers 58A, 58B, 58C of the transfer device 50 advance to the delivery position Z2. However, since the grippers 38A and 38B are at the normal position P1 and the gripper 38C is at the exclusion position P2, the grippers 38A and 38B are processed objects as shown in FIGS. 4 (b-1) and (b-2). B can be received and gripped, but the gripper 38C cannot receive the processing object B. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4C-1 and 4C-2, the processing object B falls and is removed from the conveyance path when the gripper 58C releases the grip. In this way, the accepted product and the rejected product are selected between the transfer device 50 and the second processing device 30.

[Effect of processing system 1]
Hereinafter, the effects produced by the processing system 1 will be described.
The processing system 1 individually processes a plurality of processing objects B with a gripper 58 that is an upstream holding element of a transfer device 50 that is an upstream conveying device and a gripper 38 that is a downstream holding element of a second processing device 30 that is a downstream conveying device. Deliver and receive while gripping. The processing system 1 can remove the processing object B gripped by the corresponding gripper 58 from the transport path without passing it to the gripper 38 by a simple operation of shifting the position of the receiving gripper 38. That is, the transfer of the processing object B to the second processing apparatus 30 can be avoided.

  Further, since the processing system 1 uses the linear motor to move the gripper 38 from the normal position P1 to the exclusion position P2, it can be stopped at the exclusion position with high accuracy. Therefore, according to the processing system 1, the processing object B can be reliably removed.

  Moreover, since the processing system 1 does not require special operation and time for the removal of the processing object B, the processing system 1 has a function of eliminating the processing object B and is necessary for the processing object B with high efficiency. Processing can be performed.

[Modification of First Embodiment]
Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the first embodiment, when the processing object B is transferred between the transfer device 50 and the second processing apparatus 30, the gripper 38 of the second processing apparatus 30 on the side that receives the processing object B is moved. The present invention is not limited to this. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the present invention also moves the gripper 18 of the first processing apparatus 10 on the side of delivering the processing object B between the first processing apparatus 10 and the transfer apparatus 50. The processing object B can be excluded from the transport path. Hereinafter, the form shown in FIG. 5 is referred to as a first modification. In the first modification, the first processing device 10 corresponds to the upstream transfer device in the present invention, and the transfer device 50 corresponds to the downstream transfer device in the present invention. In FIG. 5, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof is omitted.

  As a premise, the plurality of grippers 18 in the first modification (FIG. 5) are moved and stopped independently by a linear motor, for example, as in the first embodiment. The other operations including opening and closing of the gripper 18 and the gripper 38 are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the following, differences from the first embodiment will be described with a focus on the portion corresponding to the exclusion mode in the second stroke in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 (a-1) and 5 (a-2), the first modified example is excluded at the timing when the processing object B determined to be rejected is scheduled to be delivered to the gripper 18C. The controller 70 instructs to move to the position. Based on this instruction, the grippers 18A and 18B are in the normal position P3, but the gripper 18C moves to the exclusion position P4.

  Next, the grippers 58A, 58B, 58C of the transfer device 50 advance to the delivery position Z1. However, since the grippers 18A and 18B are at the normal position P3 and the gripper 18C is at the exclusion position P4, the grippers 18A and 18B are processed objects as shown in FIGS. 5 (b-1) and (b-2). B can be received and gripped, but the gripper 18C cannot receive the processing object B. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5C-1 and 5C-2, the processing object B falls and is removed from the conveyance path when the gripper 18C releases the grip. Thus, in the first modified example, the accepted product and the rejected product are selected between the first processing device 10 and the transfer device 50.

  Next, a second modification and a third modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The second modification and the third modification are different from the first embodiment and the first modification in that the gripper 58 of the transfer device 50 is moved by, for example, a linear motor. In the second modification, the processing object B is eliminated between the transfer device 50 and the second processing apparatus 30, and in the third modification, the processing object B is removed between the first processing apparatus 10 and the transfer device 50. Exclude. Hereinafter, as in the first modification, differences from the first embodiment will be described with a focus on the portion corresponding to the exclusion mode in the second stroke in the first embodiment.

  In the second modification, the control device 70 instructs the gripper 58C that is scheduled to deliver the processing object B determined to be unacceptable to move to the exclusion position at the timing that is scheduled to be delivered. Based on this instruction, as shown in FIGS. 6A-1 and 6A-2, the grippers 58A and 58B are in the normal position P5, but the gripper 58C is moved to the exclusion position P6.

  Next, the grippers 58A, 58B, 58C of the transfer device 50 advance to the delivery position Z2. However, since the grippers 58A and 58B are at the normal position P5 and the gripper 58C is at the exclusion position P6, the grippers 38A and 38B are processed objects as shown in FIGS. 6 (b-1) and (b-2). B can be received and gripped, but the gripper 38C cannot receive the processing object B. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6C-1 and 6C-2, the processing object B falls and is removed from the conveyance path when the gripper 58C releases the grip. Thus, in the second modified example, the accepted product and the rejected product are selected between the transfer device 50 and the second processing device 30.

  In the third modification, the control device 70 instructs the gripper 58C that is scheduled to receive the processing object B determined to be unacceptable to move to the exclusion position at the timing scheduled to be received. Based on this instruction, as shown in FIGS. 7A-1 and 7A-2, the grippers 58A and 58B are in the normal position P5, but the gripper 58C is moved to the exclusion position P6.

  Next, the grippers 58A, 58B, 58C of the transfer device 50 advance to the delivery position Z1. However, since the grippers 58A and 58B are at the normal position P5 and the gripper 58C is at the exclusion position P6, the grippers 58A and 58B are processed objects as shown in FIGS. 7 (b-1) and (b-2). B can be received and gripped, but the gripper 58C cannot receive the processing object B. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7C-1 and 7C-2, the processing object B falls and is removed from the conveyance path when the gripper 18C releases the grip. Thus, in the second modified example, the accepted product and the rejected product are selected between the first processing device 10 and the transfer device 50.

  By referring to the first embodiment and the first to third modified examples, the gripper for shifting the position may be on the delivery side of the processing object B (first modified example, second modified example). It can be seen that the processing object B may be on the receiving side (first embodiment, third modification).

  Next, the first embodiment and the first to third modifications have been described on the assumption that both the delivery-side gripper and the receiving-side gripper are spontaneously opened and closed. It is not limited to. In other words, the gripper on the delivery side needs to perform a spontaneous opening / closing operation, but the gripper on the receiving side may be, for example, a gripper that holds the processing object B by elastic force.

  For example, in light of the first embodiment, the gripper 58 of the transfer device 50 serving as the delivery side needs to be spontaneously opened and closed, whereas the second processing device serving as the reception side. The 30 grippers 38 may be grippers or grippers of the processing object B by elastic force. Further, in light of the third modification, the gripper 18 of the first processing device 10 serving as the delivery side needs to be spontaneously opened and closed, whereas the transfer device serving as the receiving side The 50 grippers 58 may be grippers or grippers of the processing object B by elastic force.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the first embodiment, the transfer of the processing object B from the first processing apparatus 10 to the second processing apparatus 30, each having a linear transfer path, is performed via the transfer apparatus 50. The present invention can also be applied to a form in which the processing object B is directly transferred using a transfer device having an arc-shaped transfer path. The second embodiment relates to this example.

The processing system 2 according to the second embodiment includes a first transfer device (star wheel) 80 provided on the upstream side and a second transfer device 90 provided on the downstream side. Similar to the star wheel 80, the second transport device 90 has an arc-shaped transport path.
In the processing system 2, the processing object B is directly transferred from the gripper 88 of the star wheel 80 moved to the delivery position X3 to the gripper 98 of the second transport device 90 moved to the reception position X4. Moreover, the processing object B is continuously conveyed from the star wheel 80 to the second conveying device 90.
Hereinafter, after each element of the processing system 2 is described, a procedure for removing the processing object B will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted.
As a premise, FIG. 8 shows a part of the processing system 2. The operation including opening / closing of the gripper 88 of the star wheel 80 is the same as that of the gripper 18, and the operation including opening / closing of the gripper 98 of the second transport device 90 is the same as that of the gripper 38.

[Star Wheel 80]
The star wheel 80 rotates while holding the processing object B.
As shown in FIG. 8A, the star wheel 80 includes a disc 81 that is held so as to rotate about the rotation axis C, a plurality of grippers 88 that are fixed to the side surface of the disc 81, It has.
The plurality of grippers 88 are fixed so that the portion that grips the processing object B faces the radially outer side of the disk 81 at a certain interval in the circumferential direction. The disc 81 is rotated counterclockwise, for example, by an actuator not shown. Due to this rotation, the processing object B held by the gripper 88 is conveyed counterclockwise. The control device 70 specifies the position of the processing target B to be excluded that is being conveyed by the star wheel 80. The direction of rotation is indicated by an arrow.

The star wheel 80 includes a circular upstream conveyance region R1 that is a path along which the gripper 88 moves. The upstream conveyance region R1 partially overlaps with the downstream conveyance region R2 provided in the second conveyance device 90 adjacent to the star wheel 80, and the processing object B is transferred at this overlapping portion.
Further, the star wheel 80 includes a delivery position X3 for delivering the processing object B to the second transport device 90. The delivery position X3 is provided in an overlapping portion between the upstream transport region R1 and the downstream transport region R2.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the plurality of grippers 88 move in the counterclockwise direction while gripping the processing object B. One gripper 88 that holds the processing object B reaches the delivery position X3. At the delivery position X3, the processing object B is delivered from the gripper 88 to the second transport device 90. The gripper 88 that has transferred the processing object B to the second transfer device 90 is detached from the transfer position X3 in the counterclockwise direction. Then, the gripper 88 responsible for delivery of the processing object B moves to the delivery position X3.
By repeating the above operation, the star wheel 80 continuously conveys the processing object B to the delivery position X3.

[Second transport device 90]
The second transfer device 90 delivers the plurality of processing objects B received from the star wheel 80 to a further downstream process.
The second transport device 90 includes a transport unit 91 that transports the processing object B. The conveyance part 91 is the same structure as the 2nd conveyance part 33 of the 2nd processing apparatus 30, and uses a drive source as a linear motor.
That is, a guide rail 94 that forms an endless circulation path and a plurality of movers 95 that travel independently along the guide rail 94 are provided. Each moving element 95 is provided with a permanent magnet 96, and an electromagnetic coil 97 is provided along the guide rail 94, whereby the transport unit 91 includes a linear motor.

  Each moving element 95 includes a plurality of grippers 98 that hold the processing object B. The plurality of grippers 98 are fixed to the moving element 95 so as to face the outside of the guide rail 94. In response to an instruction from the control device 70, the plurality of grippers 98 are independently moved and stopped by the linear motor.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the second transport device 90 includes an arcuate downstream transport region R2 facing the upstream transport region R1 as a path along which the gripper 98 moves. And the receiving position X4 which receives the process target B from the star wheel 80 is provided in the state which overlaps with the delivery position X3 in downstream conveyance area | region R2.

In the downstream transport region R2, the plurality of grippers 98 move clockwise while maintaining an equal interval at a speed equal to the moving speed of the grippers 88. Then, one gripper 98 reaches the receiving position X4. The processing object B is delivered to the gripper 98 at the receiving position X4. The gripper 98 that has received the processing object B is detached from the receiving position X4 in the clockwise direction. Then, the gripper 98 responsible for delivery of the processing object B moves to the delivery position X4. In this way, the transfer of the processing object B from the star wheel 80 to the second transfer device 90 is continuously performed.
Also in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8B, the gripper 98 may shift from the normal position P7 to the exclusion position P8 at the timing of receiving the processing object B.

[Operation of Processing System 2]
Next, the operation of the processing system 2 will be described.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, the processing object B is continuously transferred from the star wheel 80 to the second transfer device 90. However, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), the control device is configured so that the gripper 98D scheduled to receive the processing object B determined to be unacceptable moves from the normal position P7 to the exclusion position P8 at the timing scheduled to be received. 70 indicates. Based on this instruction, the gripper 98D moves to the exclusion position P8.
Thereby, the gripper 98D moved to the exclusion position P8 cannot receive the processing object B. Therefore, when the gripper 88 releases the grip, the processing object B falls and is removed from a series of conveyance paths formed in the processing system 2.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, when the gripper 98D passes the receiving position X4, the next gripper 98 receives the processing object B at the receiving position X4, and the continuous movement is performed again. The gripper 98D that has moved to the exclusion position P8 moves so that the intervals between the front and rear grippers 98 are equal.

[Effect of processing system 2]
Similarly to the processing system 1, the processing system 2 has the following effects.
First, the processing system 2 can remove the processing object B held by the corresponding gripper 88 from the transport path without passing it to the gripper 98 by a simple operation of shifting the position of the gripper 98 on the receiving side.
Further, since the processing system 2 moves the gripper 98 from the normal position P7 to the exclusion position P8 with a linear motor, the processing system 2 can move to the exclusion position with high accuracy. Therefore, according to the processing system 2, the processing object B can be reliably removed.
Furthermore, since the processing system 2 does not require any special operation and time for eliminating the processing object B, the processing system 2 has a function of eliminating the processing object B and is necessary for the processing object B with high efficiency. Processing can be performed.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. In addition to the above, unless otherwise deviating from the gist of the present invention, the configurations described in the above embodiments may be selected or appropriately changed to other configurations. Is possible.

  In the above embodiment, a gripper (gripping means) is used as a holding means for the processing object B. However, the holding means in the present invention is arbitrary, and for example, means such as suspending and transferring the processing object B are adopted. it can. However, in any holding means, it is assumed that each of the plurality of processing objects B is conveyed while being held individually.

  Moreover, although the above embodiment uses a linear motor for the movement of the grippers 18, 38, 58, and 98 for shifting the position, the present invention is widely applicable to a transport device that can individually move a plurality of movers in the same manner as the linear motor. Applicable.

  The first embodiment is an example of a combination of an upstream conveyance device and a downstream conveyance device that have a linear conveyance path, and the second embodiment is a combination of an upstream conveyance device and a downstream conveyance device that have an arcuate conveyance path. However, the present invention can be applied to other combinations. For example, the present invention can be applied to a combination of an arcuate upstream transfer device and a linear downstream transfer device.

  The first and second embodiments described above are based on the premise that a predetermined process is performed on the processing object B. However, the predetermined process is an optional element of the present invention, and the present invention is simple. It is also established between the upstream conveyance device and the downstream conveyance device that convey the object to be conveyed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing system 10 1st processing apparatus 11 1st processing part 13 1st conveyance part 14 Drive pulley 15 Driven pulley 16 Actuating belt 18 Gripper 18A Gripper 18B Gripper 18C Gripper 30 2nd processing apparatus 31 2nd processing part 33 2nd conveyance part 34 Guide rail 35 Mover 36 Permanent magnet 37 Electromagnetic coil 38 Gripper 38A Gripper 38B Gripper 38C Gripper 50 Transfer device 51 Base 53 Arm 58 Gripper 58A Gripper 58B Gripper 58C Gripper 70 Control device 80 Star wheel 81 Disc 88 Gripper 90 Second conveyance Device 91 Conveying section 94 Guide rail 95 Moving element 96 Permanent magnet 97 Electromagnetic coil 98 Gripper B Processing object L Longitudinal direction W Width direction X1 Delivery position X2 Delivery position X3 Delivery position X4 Delivery position Y1 Receipt standby position Y Delivery standby position Z1 Delivery position Z2 Delivery position P1 Normal position P2 of gripper of the second processing apparatus Second exclusion position P3 of the second processing apparatus Normal position P4 of the first processing system P5 Removal position P5 of the first processing system Normal position P6 of the transfer apparatus Exclusion position P7 of transfer device Regular position P8 of second transfer device Exclusion position R1 of second transfer device Upstream transfer region R2 Downstream transfer region α Upstream β Downstream

Claims (9)

An upstream transport device for transporting a plurality of transport objects while individually holding them by a plurality of upstream holding elements;
A downstream transport device that transports the plurality of transport objects transferred from the upstream transport device toward the downstream while being individually held by a plurality of downstream holding elements, and
The upstream transport device and the downstream transport device are:
A plurality of upstream holding elements and a plurality of downstream holding elements, a normal position for delivering the object to be transported held by the upstream holding element to the downstream holding element;
At least one of the plurality of upstream holding elements or at least one of the plurality of downstream holding elements is disposed at any one of the exclusion positions that deviate from the normal position.
A conveyance system characterized by that. The transfer of the transfer object in the upstream transfer device and the downstream transfer device is intermittently performed in units of a predetermined number of groups,
One or more of the conveyance objects constituting the group are deviated from the normal position.
The transport system according to claim 1. The upstream transfer device holds the plurality of transfer objects constituting the group in a line,
The downstream transfer device receives the plurality of transfer objects arranged in a row from the upstream transfer device,
The transport system according to claim 2. The transfer of the transfer object in the upstream transfer device and the downstream transfer device is continuously performed.
The transport system according to claim 1. The upstream transport device includes an arc-shaped upstream transport region,
The downstream transport device includes an arcuate downstream transport region facing the upstream transport region,
Continuous transfer of the transfer object is performed between the upstream transfer area and the downstream transfer area,
The transport system according to claim 4. The operation in which the upstream holding element or the downstream holding element is displaced from the normal position is caused by a linear motor.
The conveyance system as described in any one of Claims 1-5. The upstream holding element and the downstream holding element are grippers that hold the conveyance object.
The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The upstream holding element comprises the gripper that performs a spontaneous opening and closing operation,
The downstream holding element comprises the gripper that opens and closes by elastic force.
The transport system according to claim 7. Comprising a control device for identifying the object to be transported to be excluded when being transferred from the upstream transport device to the downstream transport device;
The operation of shifting the upstream holding element or the downstream holding element from the normal position is performed according to an instruction of the control device.
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images