JP2021187490A - Holding system - Google Patents

Abstract

To smoothly produce a mobile rack loaded with egg packs.SOLUTION: A holding system 1 for holding a mobile rack R in a prescribed attitude comprises a holding part 6 and a control part 8. The mobile rack R comprises a foldable side surface frame R6, and a plurality of foldable shelf boards R1 which are expanded inside the side surface frame R6 and on which a plurality of egg packs P are arranged. The holding part 6 holds the side surface frame R6. The control part 8 controls the holding part 6. The control part 8 holds the vicinity of shelf boards R2, which are operated, of a plurality of shelf boards R2 by the holding part 6 when the shelf boards R1 are so operated as to be expanded from a storage state to a usage state. Further, at an operation time when the egg packs P are transferred to the shelf boards R1 in the usage state, the control part 6 holds the vicinity of the shelf boards R1, which are operated, of the plurality of shelf boards R1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a holding system that holds a mobile rack in which egg packs are loaded.

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. As a device for accommodating an egg pack in a roll inner, there is one described in Patent Document 1 below.

The roll inner has multiple shelves, and egg packs are stacked on each shelf. In this state, the roll inner is moved and can be displayed at 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 where it is stacked in multiple stages. First, the roll inner is surrounded by a frame in three directions on the side surface. The roll inner also 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 6 (4 to 6) egg packs are stacked per shelf. The egg carton itself has a shape that can suppress the lateral displacement of the egg packs stacked vertically 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 stage of roll inner. In other words, there is a desire to place the egg carton as far as the inside of the frame and as far as 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 frames are foldable so that they can be stored compactly when not in use.

Patent No. 6648511

Egg carton can be loaded without any problem on the shelf board at a position away from the frame. However, the factors mentioned above hinder automation of loading egg packs at the very limit of the inside of the frame. In particular, when some foldable shelves are folded, it may be difficult to load the egg carton because the side frame is often not kept in a predetermined posture.

Patent Document 1 describes that a robot arm having a suction portion at the tip of the arm is used to suck and hold the upper surfaces of a plurality of egg packs, transfer them onto a shelf board, and stack them. However, there is no description about how to load the egg carton in the place just inside the frame as described above, and if there is no device in this regard, the egg carton to be placed on the roll inner is better than the conventional manual work. It will be reduced and the transportation efficiency will be reduced.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a holding system capable of smoothly producing a mobile rack loaded with egg packs.

The holding system of the present invention is a holding system that holds a mobile rack in a predetermined posture, and includes a holding unit and a control unit. The mobile rack comprises a foldable side frame and multiple foldable shelves that are unfolded inside the side frame and on which multiple egg packs are lined up. The holding portion holds the side frame. The control unit controls the holding unit. The control unit operates out of multiple shelves when the shelves are expanded from the stored state to the used state, or when the egg pack is transferred to the used shelves. The vicinity of the shelf board to be performed is held by the holding part.

Another holding system of the present invention is a holding system that holds a mobile rack in a predetermined posture, and includes a holding unit and a control unit. The mobile rack comprises a foldable side frame and multiple foldable shelves that are unfolded inside the side frame and on which multiple egg packs are lined up. The holding portion holds the side frame. The control unit controls the holding unit. The control unit holds the side frame by the holding unit at the first height position of the side frame, and after releasing the holding state at the first height position, the control unit has a second height different from the first height position. The side frame is held by the holding part at the height position.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a holding system capable of smoothly producing a mobile rack loaded with egg packs.

The above and other objects, 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.

It is a top view which shows the rack loading system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the rack loading system which concerns on the same embodiment in an enlarged manner. It is a side view which shows the rack loading system which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a side view which shows the loading operation of the transfer part which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the use example of the rack loading system which concerns on the same embodiment.

Hereinafter, an example of the holding system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The holding system 1 is used in the rack loading system 2 in which a plurality of egg packs P are housed in a mobile rack (hereinafter referred to as "roll inner R"). The egg pack P is automatically loaded from the opening of the roll inner R. The holding system 1 applies a force in the direction of widening the opening to keep the width of the opening at a predetermined distance.

The roll inner R includes a plurality of shelf boards R1, R2, R3, R4, a rear frame R5, a side frame R6, and casters R7.

The shelves R1, R2, R3, and R4 are foldable. The shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 are attached to the back frame R5 via a shaft, and are developed inside the back frame R5 and the side frame R6 from the folded state. The shelves R1, R2, R3, and R4 can be changed in state 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. The shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 are engaged with the shelf board receiver R8 in the used state. The shelves R1, R2, R3, and R4 are provided with a spill-preventing R9 at the leading edge. A plurality of egg packs P are arranged on the shelves R1, R2, R3, and R4. A storage space for storing the egg pack P is formed above each of the shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 in the used state. Egg packs P are stacked up and down in the storage space.

The side frame R6 is a foldable one. The side frame R6 is attached to the back frame R5 via a shaft, and takes a state of overlapping with the back frame R5 and a state of being opened substantially at right angles to the back frame R5. The side frame R6 includes a shelf board receiver R8 inside.

The rack loading system 2 corresponds to a rack supply unit (not shown), a pack supply unit 3, a transfer unit 4, an elevating unit 5, and a first rack holding unit 6 (corresponding to the “holding unit” of the present invention. A second rack holding unit 7 and a control unit 8 are provided.

The rack supply unit sends out the roll inner R sideways. In the rack supply unit, the side frame R6 of the roll inner R is opened from the back frame R5, and the roll inner R is sent out to a predetermined place where the egg pack P is loaded in a state where the bottom shelf plate R1 is unfolded. Further, the rack supply unit sends out the roll inner R from a predetermined position in a state where the egg pack P is loaded on the shelf plates R1, R2, R3, and R4 of the roll inner R.

The pack supply unit 3 sends out a plurality of egg packs P. The pack supply unit 3 has a packaging device (not shown) for accommodating eggs in the pack on the upstream side, and has a temporary standby area 31 on the downstream side.

The transfer unit 4 transfers the transferred egg packs P to the roll inner R. The transfer unit 4 transfers the egg pack P from the temporary standby area 31 to the roll inner R. As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer unit 4 includes a robot head 41, a robot arm 42, and a control unit 8. In FIG. 3, a part of the transfer unit 4 is omitted.

The robot head 41 includes a pack holding portion 43. The pack holding unit 43 holds a plurality of egg packs P. The pack holding portion 43 can hold, for example, three egg packs P adjacent to each other in the lateral direction. The pack holder 43 may hold one or two egg packs P. The pack holding portion 43 is composed of a plurality of suction members 44. Each suction member 44 sucks the top surface side of the egg pack P with the lid closed. Each suction member 44 is connected to a vacuum mechanism (not shown). Each suction member 44 has a bellows structure that can be expanded and contracted in the vertical direction. One egg pack P is held by a plurality of (for example, six) suction members 44. One egg pack P may be held by four suction members 44, and if the sucked egg pack P is not tilted more than necessary, what is the method of arranging the suction members 44? May be good.

The robot arm 42 can change the position and posture of the robot head 41. The robot arm 42 moves the robot head 41 between the temporary standby area 31 and the roll inner R. As the robot arm 42, a conventional articulated robot that operates arbitrarily, such as a 6-axis vertical articulated robot, is applied. In addition to this, various robot arms 42 such as robots or devices capable of arbitrarily moving the robot head 41 with respect to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis can be adopted.

The elevating part 5 moves in the vertical direction. The elevating part 5 moves in accordance with the vertical movement of the transfer part 4 for transferring the egg pack P to the shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 in the used state. The elevating unit 5 of the present embodiment simultaneously moves the pack supply unit 3, the transfer unit 4, and the first rack holding unit 6.

The first rack holding portion 6 is movable and holds the side frame R6. The first rack holding portion 6 is provided in the elevating portion 5 that moves in the vertical direction. The first rack holding portion 6 opens the side frame R6 from the inside. The first rack holding portion 6 holds the roll inner R at the front end of the roll inner R. The first rack holding portion 6 abuts in the vicinity of the shelf plates R1, R2, R3, and R4, for example, under the shelf plate receiver R8 of the side frame R6. The first rack holding portion 6 applies a force to the side frame R6 so as to reach the maximum open range of the side frame R6. The first rack holding portion 6 applies an outward force in the direction in which the side frame R6 opens.

The second rack holding portion 7 is movable and holds the roll inner R at the rear end of the roll inner R.

The control unit 8 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 8 is exhibited by the cooperation of the CPU and its peripheral devices according to the program stored in the internal memory.

The control unit 8 controls the first rack holding unit 6. The control unit 8 switches between the holding state and the releasing state of the first rack holding unit 6. In FIG. 2, the holding state is shown by a two-dot chain line, and the released state is shown by a solid line. Specifically, the control unit 8 holds the side frame R6 by the first rack holding unit 6 at the first height position of the side frame R6, and releases the holding state at the first height position. Later, the side frame R6 is held by the first rack holding portion 6 at a second height position different from the first height position. In other words, the control unit 8 operates among a plurality of shelf boards R2, R3, R4 when the shelf boards R2, R3, and R4 are expanded from the stored state to the used state. The vicinity of the shelves R2, R3, and R4 to be used is held by the first rack holding portion 6. Further, when the egg pack P is transferred to the shelf boards R1, R2, R3, R4 in the used state, the control unit 8 operates among the plurality of shelf boards R1, R2, R3, R4. The vicinity of the shelves R1, R2, R3, and R4 to be used is held by the first rack holding portion 6.

Further, the control unit 8 controls the elevating unit 5. The control unit 8 moves the elevating unit 5 in the vertical direction and stops the elevating unit 5 at a predetermined height position. In the present embodiment, since the first rack holding portion 6 is provided in the elevating portion 5, the control unit 8 changes the position where the first rack holding portion 6 holds the side frame R6.

Further, the control unit 8 controls the transfer unit 4. The control unit 8 holds and releases the egg pack P by the pack holding unit 43, and moves the egg pack P from the temporary standby area 31 to the roll inner R. Further, the control unit 8 holds / releases the stored shelf plates R2, R3, and R4 by the holding unit (for example, the pack holding unit 43), and puts the shelf plates R2, R3, and R4 into a usable state.

Next, an example of the storage method using the rack loading system 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the transfer section 4, the first rack holding section 6, and the pack supply section 3 are set at height positions corresponding to the lowermost shelf board R1 by using the elevating section 5.

The roll inner R is arranged at a predetermined position using the rack supply unit (step S1). The roll inner R is arranged within the reach of the robot head 41. At this time, in the roll inner R, the lowermost shelf board R1 is in the used state, and the second and subsequent shelf boards R2, R3, and R4 are folded in the stored state.

The roll inner R is fixed by the second rack holding portion 7 (step S2). Subsequently, the roll inner R is fixed by the first rack holding portion 6 (step S3). The control unit 8 holds the height position of one of the side frame R6, that is, the vicinity of the lowermost shelf plate R1 to which the egg pack P is to be transferred by the first rack holding unit 6. The first rack holding portion 6 comes into contact with, for example, the vicinity of the shelf plate receiver R8 that receives the bottom shelf plate R1. Then, in a state where the first rack holding portion 6 expands the movable range of the side frame R6 to the maximum, the transfer portion 4 loads the egg pack P on the lowermost shelf plate R1 (step S4). In the pack supply unit 3, the egg pack P conveyed from the upstream side is collected in the temporary standby area 31. The transfer operation is started in a state where, for example, three egg packs P are gathered in the temporary standby area 31.

When the loading on the lowermost shelf board R1 is completed and the first rack holding portion 6 is released (step S5), the elevating portion 5 is used to move the rack upward (step S6). The elevating unit 5 sets the transfer unit 4, the first rack holding unit 6, and the pack supply unit 3 at a height position corresponding to the second shelf plate R2 from the bottom.

The roll inner R is fixed by the first rack holding portion 6 by a method according to step S3 (step S7). That is, after the holding state at one height position is released, the first rack holding portion 6 is placed on the side surface by the first rack holding portion 6 at another height position different from the one height position. Holds the frame R6.

The transfer unit 4 develops a foldable shelf board R2. That is, the foldable shelf board R2 is expanded from the stored state to the used state by using the same robot head 41 as when the egg pack P is transferred. Specifically, in the control unit 8, the first rack holding unit 6 attracts the shelf plate R2, and the robot head 41 is moved to the front side in that state, so that the foldable shelf plate R2 is deployed. To. Then, the transfer unit 4 loads the egg pack P on the second shelf plate R2 by a method according to step S4 (step S8).

After the loading on the second shelf board R2 is completed, the first rack holding portion 6 is released (step S9) by a method according to step S5, and the first rack holding portion 6 is moved upward using the elevating portion 5 (step S10). ). The elevating unit 5 sets the transfer unit 4, the first rack holding unit 6, and the pack supply unit 3 at a height position corresponding to the third shelf plate R3 from the bottom.

The roll inner R is fixed by the first rack holding portion 6 by a method according to step S7 (step S11). Then, the transfer section 4 unfolds the foldable shelf board R3 by the method according to step S8, and the transfer section 4 loads the egg pack P on the third shelf board R3 (step S12).

After the loading on the third shelf board R3 is completed, the first rack holding portion 6 is released (step S13) by a method according to step S9, and the first rack holding portion 6 is moved upward using the elevating portion 5 (step S14). ). The elevating part 5 has a height corresponding to the fourth shelf board R4 (the uppermost shelf board R4 of the roll inner R) from the bottom with the transfer part 4, the first rack holding part 6, and the pack supply part 3. Set to position.

The roll inner R is fixed by the first rack holding portion 6 by a method according to step S11 (step S15). Then, the transfer section 4 unfolds the foldable shelf board R4 by the method according to step S12, and the transfer section 4 loads the egg pack P on the fourth shelf board R4 (step S16).

When the loading on the fourth shelf board R4 is completed, the first rack holding portion 6 is released (step S17) and the second rack holding portion 7 is also released (step) by a method according to step S13. S18). The roll inner R that has become movable is carried out from a predetermined location by the rack supply unit. Through the series of steps as described above, the roll inner R loaded with the egg pack P is produced.

As described above, the holding system 1 according to the present embodiment is a holding system 1 that holds the roll inner R in a predetermined posture, and includes a first rack holding unit 6 and a control unit 8. The roll inner R includes a foldable side frame R6 and a plurality of foldable shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 that are expanded inside the side frame R6 and on which a plurality of egg packs P are arranged. The first rack holding portion 6 holds the side frame R6. The control unit 8 controls the first rack holding unit 6. The control unit 8 has the shelf boards R2, R3, R4 in which the operation is performed among the plurality of shelf boards R2, R3, R4 when the shelf boards R2, R3, and R4 are expanded from the stored state to the used state. The vicinity of is held by the first rack holding portion 6. Further, when the egg pack P is transferred to the shelf boards R1, R2, R3, R4 in the used state, the shelf board R1 among the plurality of shelf boards R1, R2, R3, R4 is operated. The vicinity of R2, R3, and R4 is held by the first rack holding portion 6.

Further, in this holding system 1, the control unit 8 holds the side frame R6 by the first rack holding unit 6 at the first height position of the side frame R6, and the holding state at the first height position. The side frame R6 is held by the first rack holding portion 6 at a second height position different from the first height position. Therefore, the side frame R6 can be opened wide, the shelf boards R2, R3, and R4 can be smoothly unfolded, and the egg pack P can be placed up to the inner limit of the back frame R5 and the side frame R6. Can be loaded.

The first rack holding portion 6 is provided in the elevating portion 5 that moves in the vertical direction. The control unit 8 controls the elevating unit 5 to change the position where the first rack holding unit 6 holds the side frame R6. The elevating part 5 moves in accordance with the vertical movement of the transfer part 4 for transferring the egg pack P to the shelf boards R1, R2, R3, and R4 in the used state. Therefore, it is possible to hold a desired portion of the side frame R6 without having to increase the size of the first rack holding portion 6 itself.

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

The first rack holding portion 6 and the second rack holding portion 7 are not limited to those shown in the drawings. The first rack holding portion 6 may be arranged at a plurality of height positions. The first rack holding portions 6 at the plurality of height positions may be switched and used. That is, among the plurality of first rack holding portions 6, the one arranged at the first height position may be held and released, and then the one arranged at the second height position may be used for holding. ..

The elevating portion 5 may elevate at least the first rack holding portion 6. That is, the pack supply unit 3 and the transfer unit 4 may move up and down at a timing different from that of the first rack holding unit 6, or may not move in the vertical direction.

The egg pack P is not limited to a pack of 10 pieces. The egg pack P may be a "flat pack" in which the top surface of the lid is flat, or a "regular pack" in which irregularities along the shape of the egg are formed on the lid.

The transfer unit 4 is not limited to the one using an articulated robot. The pack holding portion 43 is not limited to the suction type. For example, the pack holding portion 43 that holds the egg pack P from the side may be used. The step of deploying the foldable shelves R2, R3, R4 may use a device different from that of the robot to which the egg pack P is transferred.

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 is a mobile rack in which an egg pack is loaded when the shelf board is expanded from the stored state to the used state or when the egg pack is transferred to the shelf board in the used state. It can be used as a holding system to hold.

1 ... Holding system 5 ... Elevating part 6 ... First rack holding part (holding part)
8 ... Control unit R ... Roll inner (mobile rack)
R1, R2, R3, R4 ... Shelf board R6 ... Side frame P ... Egg pack

Claims (4)

A holding system that holds a mobile rack in a predetermined position with a foldable side frame and multiple foldable shelves that are unfolded inside the side frame and lined with multiple egg packs. ,
A holding portion that holds the side frame and
A control unit that controls the holding unit is provided.
The control unit
When the shelf board is expanded from the stored state to the used state, or when the egg pack is transferred to the shelf board in the used state, the operation is performed among the plurality of shelf boards. A holding system that holds the vicinity of the shelf board by the holding part. A holding system that holds a mobile rack in a predetermined position with a foldable side frame and multiple foldable shelves that are unfolded inside the side frame and lined with multiple egg packs. ,
A holding portion that holds the side frame and
A control unit that controls the holding unit is provided.
The control unit
The side frame is held by the holding portion at the first height position of the side frame.
After releasing the holding state at the first height position,
A holding system that holds the side frame by the holding portion at a second height position different from the first height position. The holding portion is provided on an elevating portion that moves in the vertical direction.
The holding system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the elevating unit to change a position where the holding unit holds the side frame. The holding system according to claim 3, wherein the elevating part moves according to the vertical movement of the transfer part for transferring the egg pack to the shelf board in the used state.

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