JP2021127250A - Robot system loading egg package and production method of egg package stacked in several stages at movable rack - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a robot system loading an egg package automatically to a movable rack, and a storage method using the same.SOLUTION: A robot system 10 loading an egg package for loading an egg package P to a movable rack (a roll inner R) comprises a robot head 1, a robot arm 2 and a controller 3. The robot head 1 includes a gripping part 11 gripping the egg package P. The robot arm 2 can change a position orientation of the robot head 1. The controller 3 controls a movement of the robot head 1 and the robot arm 2 and moves the egg package P gripped by the gripping part 11 to space below a foldable rack plate R1 provided at the roll inner R.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an egg carton transfer robot system for transferring an egg carton to a mobile rack, and a storage method using the same.

Egg packs packed with eggs at the GP center are packed in cardboard boxes or containers, or placed on a dedicated mobile rack called a roll inner.

Egg packs are packed in boxes as described in Patent Document 1 below. Further, as a mobile rack (roll inner) for storing an egg carton, the one described in Patent Document 2 below is known.

The roll inner has a plurality of shelves, and egg packs are stacked on each shelf. In this state, the roll inner is moved and can be displayed on the sales floor as it is. Therefore, the roll inner has a complicated shape to prevent the egg pack from falling from the shelf, or has a folded portion.

Egg packs are moved from the GP center to the sales floor in a state where they are stacked in multiple stages on the roll inner. It has the following features so that it can withstand movement in a state of being stacked in multiple stages. First, the roll inner is surrounded by fences on three sides. And the roll inner has a spill prevention on the loading and unloading side. In addition, the roll inner is provided with a plurality of shelf boards, and 4 to 5 (4 to 5) egg packs are stacked on each shelf. The egg carton itself has a shape capable of suppressing lateral displacement of the vertically stacked egg carton so that the egg carton does not slide down in the lateral direction.

In addition, in order to improve transportation efficiency, it has the following features. First, I want to stack as many egg packs as possible per roll inner. In other words, there is a desire to place the egg carton up to the inside of the fence and to the bottom of the shelf. This is also because the egg packs are packed on a shelf and restrained from each other to prevent the egg packs from moving significantly from a predetermined position, thereby preventing the eggs from cracking during transportation. The second feature is that the shelves and fences are foldable so that they can be stored compactly when not in use.

JP-A-2018-177325 Utility Model Registration No. 3209255

The work of storing the egg container in the mobile rack (roll inner) described in Patent Document 2 is performed manually, and automation has not yet been achieved.

When loading an egg carton on the uppermost shelf board of the roll inner, the upper part is an open space, so that the egg pack can be loaded with almost the same movement as in Patent Document 1. However, for loading egg packs on other shelves, the factors mentioned above (which are obstacles to the robot head) hinder automation.

When trying to store the egg carton in the roll inner, complicated movements are required so that the egg carton does not hit the obstacle, and the folding part must be unfolded, so the robot is used instead of human hands. There is a problem that the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 to be used cannot be applied as it is.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an egg pack transfer robot system that solves the problems of the prior art, and a storage method using the same.

The egg pack transfer robot system of the present invention includes a robot head, a robot arm, and a control unit. The robot head includes a grip portion that grips the egg pack. The robot arm can change the position and orientation of the robot head. The control unit controls the movements of the robot head and the robot arm, and moves the egg carton gripped by the grip portion to the space below the foldable shelf board provided in the mobile rack.

In the storage method using the egg carton transfer robot system of the present invention, in the above-mentioned egg carton transfer robot system, a step of arranging a mobile rack within the reach of the robot head and a step of placing the robot head in the egg pack A step of locating the egg carton at a predetermined position and gripping the egg carton, a step of moving the egg carton gripped by the robot head into space, and a step of locating the lower end of the moved egg carton inside the protrusion of the lower stage. Be prepared.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an egg carton transfer robot system for automatically transferring an egg carton to a mobile rack, and a storage method using the same.

The above and other objectives, features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention as understood in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The side view which shows the transfer robot system of the egg carton which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The enlarged side view for demonstrating the storage method using the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The plan view for demonstrating the storage method using the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The plan view for demonstrating the storage method using the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The side view which shows the operation of pulling out a shelf using the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The side view which shows the operation of pulling out a shelf using the transfer robot system of the egg carton of the same embodiment. The figure corresponding to FIG. 1 which shows the modification of this invention. FIG. 8 is a side view. The figure corresponding to FIG. 1 which shows the other modification of this invention. FIG. 10 is a side view. The figure corresponding to FIG. 3 which shows the modification of this invention.

Hereinafter, an example of the egg carton transfer robot system 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. Egg pack transfer The robot system 10 transfers a plurality of transported egg packs P to a mobile rack (hereinafter, referred to as "roll inner R").

The roll inner R includes a plurality of foldable shelf boards R1. The state of the shelf board R1 can be changed between the used state of being pulled out to the front side and the stored state of being folded and located on the back side. A storage space R2 for storing the egg pack P is formed above each shelf board R1 in the used state. Egg packs P are stacked vertically in the storage space R2. The roll inner R further includes a fence R3 arranged around the shelf board R1, a spill prevention R4 provided on the side edge of the shelf board R1, and a shelf board receiver (not shown) provided inside the fence R3. It is equipped with casters (not shown).

Egg carton P comes in various sizes and shapes. In the figure, 10 pieces are included, and the top surface P1 of the lid, which is called a "flat pack", shows a flat egg pack P. The egg pack P has a protrusion P2 on the upper surface side. The protrusions P2 are provided at each corner of the top surface P1, for example. The protrusion P2 prevents the egg pack P stacked on the protrusion P2 from being displaced.

The egg pack transfer robot system 10 includes a robot head 1, a robot arm 2, and a control unit 3.

The robot head 1 includes a grip portion 11. The grip portion 11 grips a plurality of egg packs P. The grip portion 11 can hold, for example, three egg packs P that are adjacent to each other in the lateral direction. The grip portion 11 is composed of a plurality of suction members 12. Each suction member 12 sucks the top surface P1 side of the egg pack P with the lid closed. Each suction member 12 is connected to a vacuum mechanism (not shown). Each suction member 12 has a bellows structure that can be expanded and contracted in the vertical direction. Each egg pack P is held by a plurality of (for example, 6) suction members 12. One egg pack P may be held by four suction members 12, and if the sucked egg pack P is not tilted more than necessary, what is the method of arranging the suction members 12? May be good.

The robot arm 2 can change the position and orientation of the robot head 1. The robot arm 2 moves the robot head 1 between the temporary standby area 8 and the roll inner R. As the robot arm 2, a conventional articulated robot that operates arbitrarily, such as a 6-axis vertical articulated robot, is applied. In addition to this, as the robot arm 2, various robots or devices that can arbitrarily move the robot head 1 with respect to the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis can be adopted. The temporary standby area 8 is provided on the downstream side of the transport device 9, and a packaging device (not shown) for accommodating eggs in a pack is arranged on the upstream side of the transport device 9.

The control unit 3 controls the movements of the robot head 1 and the robot arm 2. The control unit 3 is composed of a dedicated computer such as a CPU, an internal memory, an input / output interface, and an AD conversion unit, or a general-purpose computer. The function as the control unit 3 is exhibited by the cooperation of the CPU and its peripheral devices according to the program stored in the internal memory.

The control unit 3 moves the egg pack P gripped by the grip portion 11 to the space below the foldable shelf plate R1 provided on the roll inner R. The control unit 3 moves the egg carton P by locating the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 at a position shifted to one end side in the longitudinal direction from the center of gravity of the egg carton P gripped by the grip unit 11. The control unit 3 moves the egg pack P so as to avoid interference between the egg pack P gripped by the robot head 1 and an obstacle. Here, the "obstacle" is, for example, a protrusion P2 provided on the egg pack P previously stacked on the roll inner R, or a folded state existing above the space where a plurality of egg packs P are stacked. Shelf board R1 and the like. Further, the control unit 3 deploys the foldable shelf board R1.

Next, an example of a storage method using the egg pack transfer robot system 10 will be described. First, the roll inner R is arranged within the reach of the robot head 1. For the roll inner R, the shelf board R1 on which the egg pack P is transferred is kept in a used state, and the shelf board R1 on the upper side thereof is kept in a stored state.

In the transport device 9, the egg pack P transported from the upstream side is collected in the temporary standby area 8. The transfer operation is started in a state where, for example, three egg packs P are gathered in the temporary standby area 8.

First, the control unit 3 moves the robot head 1 above the collected egg pack P. At that time, the control unit 3 positions the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 at a position shifted to one end side in the longitudinal direction from the center of gravity of the egg pack P gripped by the grip unit 11. Further, the robot head 1 is positioned at a predetermined position on the egg pack P to grip the egg pack P. Specifically, the rotation center of the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 is arranged at a position deviated from the center of gravity of the egg pack P. The tip 21 of the robot arm 2 and the robot head 1 are located above the egg pack P. On the lower surface side of the robot head 1, a grip portion 11 for adsorbing a portion corresponding to 6 eggs from the longitudinal direction of the 10 egg packs P on the upper surface of the egg pack P is provided. In other words, the robot head 1 supports the egg pack P in a cantilevered state.

Next, the control unit 3 moves the egg pack P gripped by the robot head 1 to the storage space R2 in the roll inner R. The control unit 3 slides the egg carton P so as to avoid interference between the egg carton P gripped by the robot head 1 and an obstacle.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the moved egg pack P is positioned inside the protrusion P2 on the lower stage. The control unit 3 releases the grip of the egg pack P.

In the storage space R2 in the roll inner R for moving the egg pack P, a space (the space on the back side) surrounded by the upper surface of the previously stacked egg pack P and the lower surface of the stored shelf plate R1 is provided. included. As shown in FIG. 4, when moving the egg pack P to the space on the back side, the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 and the robot head 1 are located on the side (front side) away from the fence R3 on the back side. .. Then, the egg pack P is arranged vertically in the space on the back side.

Further, when moving the egg pack P to the space where the egg pack P is placed sideways in the storage space R2 in the roll inner R for moving the egg pack P, as shown in FIG. 5, the robot arm 2 The tip 21 and the robot head 1 are located on the side (center side) away from the side fence R3.

After transferring one stage of the shelf board R1, the control unit 3 unfolds the foldable shelf board R1 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. That is, the foldable shelf board R1 is expanded from the stored state to the used state by using the same robot head 1 as when the egg pack P is transferred. Specifically, in the control unit 3, the foldable shelf plate R1 is deployed by the gripping unit 11 sucking the shelf plate R1 and moving the robot head 1 toward the front side in that state. The stored shelf board R1 covers only a part of the upper part of the lower storage space R2, while the expanded used shelf board R1 covers the entire upper part of the lower storage space R2.

As described above, the egg pack transfer robot system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a robot head 1, a robot arm 2, and a control unit 3. The robot head 1 includes a grip portion 11 that grips the egg pack P. The robot arm 2 can change the position and orientation of the robot head 1. The control unit 3 controls the movements of the robot head 1 and the robot arm 2. Further, the control unit 3 moves the egg pack P gripped by the grip portion 11 to the space below the foldable shelf plate R1 provided on the roll inner R. Therefore, the problem of the prior art can be solved and the egg pack P can be automatically transferred to the mobile rack.

The control unit 3 moves the egg carton P by locating the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 at a position shifted to one end side in the longitudinal direction from the center of gravity of the egg carton P gripped by the grip unit 11. Further, the control unit 3 sets the egg pack P so as to avoid interference between the egg pack P gripped by the robot head 1 and the protrusion P2 and the shelf plate R1 provided on the egg pack P previously stacked on the roll inner R. Move. Therefore, it can be automated even in a special situation where the egg pack P is loaded into the roll inner R.

Since the control unit 3 deploys the foldable shelf board R1, it is possible to load the foldable shelf board R1 onto the shelf board R1 in a plurality of stages by using one robot.

Transferring the egg carton The storage method using the robot system 10 includes a step of arranging the roll inner R within the reach of the robot head 1 and positioning the robot head 1 at a predetermined position of the egg carton P to grip the egg carton P. A step of moving the egg carton P gripped by the robot head 1 into space, and a step of locating the lower end of the moved egg carton P inside the protrusion P2 on the lower stage. According to this storage method, the problem of the prior art can be solved and the egg pack P can be automatically transferred to the roll inner R. In addition, the stacked egg packs P can withstand the movement of the roll inner R without causing a large displacement.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

The arrangement of the egg packs P on the roll inner R is not limited to the one shown in the figure. For example, the egg packs P may be arranged vertically on the front side of the roll inner R as well as on the back side.

The grip portion 11 is not limited to the suction type. For example, the robot head 1 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 includes a grip portion 13 that grips the egg pack P from the side. The grip portion 13 grips the egg pack P containing 10 eggs so as to wrap almost the entire portion along the longitudinal direction. The grip portion 13 is released from the gripped state by retracting to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG.

Further, in FIGS. 10 and 11, the robot head 1 includes a grip portion 14 that grips the egg pack P from above and below. The grip portion 14 grips the egg pack P containing 10 eggs so as to wrap almost the entire portion along the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the grip portion 14 includes a support member 15 and a collaborative member 16. The support member 15 is arranged on the lower surface side of the egg pack P. The support member 15 is, for example, a rod-shaped member, which is arranged in a recess P3 on the lower surface provided with irregularities along the shape of an egg, and is housed in the recess P3. The collaborative member 16 cooperates with the support member 15 to prevent the egg carton P from being greatly tilted or rolling. The collaborative member 16 is, for example, a plate-shaped member, and is arranged on the top surface P1 of the egg pack P. The shape and arrangement location of the collaborative member 16 are not limited to those shown in the figure. The gripping portion 14 releases the gripping state by retracting to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 11, for example. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the tip 21 of the robot arm 2 may be located on the side of the egg pack P.

Even when the grip portion 11 is of a suction type, the shape, number, and arrangement of the suction members 12 are not limited to those shown in the figure. The suction member 12 is preferably a combination of a shape, a number, and an arrangement capable of suppressing the egg pack P from being greatly tilted or rolling.

The egg pack P is not limited to the flat pack. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, it may be a "regular pack" in which irregularities along the shape of the egg are formed on the lid. In the case of regular packs, the lower and upper tiers are stacked by half an egg. The protrusion P2 is a convex portion provided on the lid along the shape of the egg. The protrusion P2 prevents the egg pack P stacked on the protrusion P2 from being displaced. The egg pack P is not limited to a pack containing 10 eggs.

The step of deploying the foldable shelf board R1 may use a device different from that of the robot that transfers the egg pack P.

The embodiments disclosed this time are examples and are not limited thereto. The present invention is shown by the scope of claims, not the scope described above, and is intended to include all modifications in the sense and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

The present invention can be used in an egg carton transfer robot system for transferring an egg carton to a mobile rack, and a storage method using the same.

10 ... Egg pack transfer Robot system 1 ... Robot heads 11, 13, 14 ... Gripping part 2 ... Robot arm 3 ... Control unit P ... Egg pack R ... Roll inner (mobile rack)
R1 ... Foldable shelf board R2 ... Storage space

The present invention relates to a method for producing the egg cartons in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages of egg cartons to mobile rack to the transfer to Carlo bot systems and mobile racks.

The roll inner has a plurality of shelves, and egg packs are stacked on each shelf. In this state, the roll inner is moved and can be displayed on the sales floor as it is .

Egg packs are moved from the GP center to the sales floor in a state where they are stacked in multiple stages on the roll inner. It has the following features so that it can withstand movement in a state of being stacked in multiple stages. First, the roll inner is surrounded by fences on three sides . Also, roll inner is provided with a plurality of shelves, stacked eggs pack of four to five per stage shelf (4-5 stages). The egg carton itself has a shape capable of suppressing lateral displacement of the vertically stacked egg carton so that the egg carton does not slide down in the lateral direction.

Further, in order to increase the transportation efficiency, to accommodate compactly when not in use, that has become a shelf board is foldable.

If the egg cartons tried housed in the roll inner, since it is necessary to expand operations shelves being folded, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 to use a robot in place of the hand, it is applied as it is There was a problem that it could not be done.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing the egg cartons in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages in robotic systems and mobile racks for transferring the egg cartons to solve the problems of the prior art ..

Robot system of the present invention, the a robot head, a robot arm, and a control unit, the movable rack having a plurality of state changeable shelves between a retracted state and used state of being expanded It is a robot system for transferring an egg pack held by a robot head, and further includes means for deploying a stored shelf board in a used state .

The method of producing an egg pack in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages in a mobile rack of the present invention uses a robot system having a robot head, a robot arm, and a control unit, and is used in an expanded use state and a storage state. It is a method of producing an egg pack in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages in a mobile rack having a plurality of shelf boards whose state can be changed between the two, and a step of holding the egg pack by the robot head and holding the egg pack. It includes a step of transferring the egg pack onto the shelf board in the used state and a step of deploying the stored shelf board in the used state.

According to the present invention can provide a method for producing the egg cartons in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages of egg cartons in automatically movable for transferring to Carlo bot systems and mobile rack to rack.

The present invention can utilize egg cartons in the production of egg cartons in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages to transfer to Carlo bot system mobile racks and mobile rack.

Claims (5)

A robot head with a grip that grips the egg carton,
A robot arm that can change the position and orientation of the robot head,
A control unit that controls the movement of the robot head and the robot arm is provided.
The control unit is an egg carton transfer robot system that moves an egg carton gripped by the gripping unit into a space below a foldable shelf board provided in a mobile rack. The egg pack according to claim 1, wherein the control unit moves the egg pack by positioning the tip of the robot arm at a position shifted to one end side in the longitudinal direction from the center of gravity of the egg pack gripped by the grip portion. Transfer robot system. The control unit moves the egg carton so as to avoid interference between the egg carton gripped by the robot head and the protrusions provided on the egg carton previously loaded on the mobile rack and the shelf board. Item 2. The egg carton transfer robot system according to item 1 or 2. The egg pack transfer robot system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the control unit deploys the foldable shelf board. A storage method using the egg pack transfer robot system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4.
The step of arranging the mobile rack within the reach of the robot head, and
A step of positioning the robot head at a predetermined position on the egg carton and gripping the egg carton,
The step of moving the egg carton gripped by the robot head into the space,
A storage method that includes a step that positions the lower end of the moved egg carton inside the protrusion on the lower tier.

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