JP2022019801A - Article recovery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article recovery device configured to easily detect a foreign objet when it is caught by an outer door, and provide an article collecting device capable of accurately measuring a mass of an article placed on a placing section.

SOLUTION: An article recovery device includes: a placing section on which an article can be placed; a measuring section for supporting the placing section; and an outer door that is configured outside a support range of the measuring section and that opens and closes the placing section so as to be exposed. The outer door is configured to move from an open position to a close position toward the placing section. The article recovery device includes a control section that controls movement of the outer door. When moving the outer door from the open position to the close position, the control section controls to stop the movement of the outer door from the open position to the close position upon detection of a change of a measured value by the measuring section.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an article recovery device.

An empty container recovery device for collecting empty containers is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-175789

By the way, in the container recovery device provided with the door portion, there is a possibility that a foreign substance may be caught when the door is closed. It was difficult to provide an optical sensor and sense the entire door to detect foreign matter (non-collected object) due to the complicated structure.

Further, when an empty container collection device is installed in a small store such as a convenience store, the installation location is narrow, so miniaturization is desired.

The article collection device of the present invention has at least the following configurations.
The article collection device includes a mounting unit on which articles can be placed and a mounting unit.
The measuring part that supports the above-mentioned placement part and
It is provided with an outer door that is configured outside the support range of the measuring portion and that opens and closes the above-mentioned mounting portion so as to be exposed.
The outer door is characterized in that it is configured to move from the open position to the closed position toward the previously described resting portion.

According to the present invention, the mounting portion is arranged on the measuring portion, and the mounting portion and the outer door are separated from each other, so that when a foreign substance is caught by the outer door, it can be easily removed. An article collection device for detection can be provided.
Further, it is possible to provide an article recovery device capable of measuring the mass of an object placed on a mounting portion with high accuracy.
Further, it is possible to provide a small article collection device with a simple structure.

An overall conceptual diagram of the container recovery device as the article recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view of the container recovery device, and (b) is a side view of the container recovery device. The conceptual diagram of the container loading part of the article collection apparatus (container collection apparatus) which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows an example of the article collection device (container collection device) in the state where the outer door is closed and the inner door is closed. A side conceptual diagram showing an example of an article collection device (container collection device) in which the outer door is closed and the inner door is closed. The perspective view which shows an example of the article collection device (container collection device) in the state where the outer door is open and the inner door is closed. A side conceptual diagram showing an example of an article collection device (container collection device) in which the outer door is open and the inner door is closed. A perspective view from a front upper position showing an example of an article collection device (container collection device) in which the outer door is open and the inner door is closed. A side conceptual diagram showing an example of an article collection device (container collection device) in which the outer door is closed and the inner door is open. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an article collection device (container collection device) in which the outer door (not shown) is closed and the inner door is open. The side conceptual diagram which shows an example of the volume reduction part of the article collection apparatus (container collection apparatus) which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The plan view which shows an example of the volume reduction part of the article collection apparatus (container collection apparatus) which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the article recovery device (container recovery device) which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) is an electrical functional block diagram of article recovery device (container recovery device), (b) is (a). The functional block diagram of the control unit shown. The flowchart which shows an example of the operation of the article collection apparatus (container collection apparatus) which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating an example of the container accommodating part of the article collection device (container collection device) which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) is the perspective view which shows the example of the container accommodating part, (b) is the container accommodating bag. The figure which shows an example of the container accommodating part with the cap accommodating bag attached. The perspective view which shows an example of the container loading part of the article collection apparatus (container collection apparatus) which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the contents shown in the illustration. In the following description of each figure, the parts common to the parts already described are designated by the same reference numerals, and some duplicate explanations will be omitted.
As an embodiment of the present invention, for example, a container recovery device will be described.

The article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting section on which an article (for example, an empty container such as a PET bottle) can be placed, a measuring section that supports the above-mentioned mounting section, and a support range of the measuring section. It is configured outside and is equipped with an outer door that opens and closes the above-mentioned storage part so that it can be exposed. The outer door is configured to move from the open position to the closed position toward the mounting portion.
Goods are not limited to PET bottles, cans, and bottles, but can be collected, for example, milk packs, trays, ink cartridges, items returned to libraries and rental stores (books, DVDs, etc.), cleaning items, batteries, light bulbs, etc. Any article will do. That is, the container recovery device is an embodiment of the article recovery device.

Further, the article collection device includes an apparatus main body having an accommodating portion for accommodating articles, a mounting portion on which articles can be placed, an outer door provided outside the mounting portion, and a device main body from the mounting portion. Whether or not the inner door provided in the passage leading to the container accommodating part in the part, the inner door driving part for opening and closing the inner door, and the object placed on the mounting part are the objects to be collected. The discriminating unit for discriminating and the inner door driving unit drive control so as to maintain the closed state of the inner door when the discriminating unit determines that the object is not a recovery target, and the discriminating unit determines that the object is a recovery target. It has an inner door drive control unit that is driven and controlled by the inner door drive unit so that the inner door is opened in some cases.

Specifically, in the article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the outer door of the article loading section is closed during standby, and the inner door provided openable and closable between the article loading section and the accommodating section is closed. It is a state. At the time of collecting the article, the outer door of the article loading section is opened, and the object placed on the loading section of the article loading section by the discriminating section is the article to be collected (for example, an empty container made of resin such as a PET bottle). ) Is determined. When it is determined that the object is an article (empty container) to be collected, the outer door is closed, the inner door provided between the article loading section and the storage section is opened, and the container is recovered by the storage section. The door. In the present embodiment, the container collection device is provided with a volume reduction mechanism, and by reducing the volume of the container by the volume reduction mechanism, a large amount of empty containers whose volume has been reduced can be collected by the collection unit having a specified capacity.
In addition, the article collection device controls so that when a non-collected object such as a foreign substance is thrown into the container charging section, the inner door is closed and the non-collected object is not collected in the container storage section inside the device main body. I do. Then, when the non-collected object is not removed from the mounting portion of the container loading portion for a predetermined time, the article collection device keeps the inner door closed and drives and controls the outer door to be closed. .. That is, it is possible to prevent further charging of the non-collected object into the container storage portion.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the empty container collection device 100 as the article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a container loading section 110 at the upper part of the device main body section 100B, and the container loading section 110 is provided. An outer door 111 is provided on the outside of the opening of the portion 110. The apparatus main body 100B is provided with a display operation unit 3 and a transmission / reception unit 4 (communication unit) on the front side near the upper part of the outer door 111. Further, a luggage hook 100f is provided on the front side of the device main body 100B.

Further, a passage communicating with the container storage unit 140 is provided below the container charging unit 110, and an inner door 112 is provided in the passage 71 from the mounting unit 116 of the container charging unit 110 to the container storage unit 140. ing.

In the present embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 is provided with a volume reduction unit 120 (volume reduction mechanism) between the inner door 112 and the container storage unit 140. When the inner door 112 is in the open state, the volume reducing unit 120 crushes the empty container A from the container charging unit 110 to reduce the volume, and outputs the reduced volume container RA to the lower container accommodating unit 140.
Further, the device main body 100B of the empty container recovery device 100 has a drawer 100C on which the container accommodating portion 140 is placed, and a drawer handle 100e and a key hole 100r are provided on the front side, and the key is keyed. It is configured to be able to be locked and unlocked by inserting it into the hole 100r.

Further, a translucent portion 100A (translucent window) is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body portion 100B, specifically, on the front side of the drawer 100C, and an empty container accommodated in the container accommodating portion 140 from the outside. Is configured to be visible.

Further, a moving handle 100g used at the time of transportation is provided on the side surface portion of the apparatus main body portion 100B.

Further, the apparatus main body 100B is provided with a cap insertion portion 108 on the front side, a cap passage 72 is provided downward from the cap insertion portion 108 in the apparatus main body, and the cap inserted into the cap insertion portion 108 is a cap. It is configured to be accommodated in the cap accommodating portion 145 via the passage 72.
The cap passage 72 may have a mechanism for sorting the cap and those smaller than the cap. Specifically, the cap passage 72 is branched, and leftover butts, rainwater, etc. are discharged and accumulated by another route by a mesh-like member at the branch portion, so that only the cap fits in the cap accommodating portion 145. You may do it.

Next, the container charging section 110 of the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device will be described. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a container charging section of an empty container collecting device. 3 and 4 are views showing an example of an empty container collecting device in which the outer door 111 is closed and the inner door 112 is closed. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are views showing an example of an empty container recovery device 100 in a state where the outer door 111 is open and the inner door 112 is in the closed state. 8 and 9 are conceptual diagrams showing an example of an empty container recovery device in which the outer door 111 is closed and the inner door 112 is open. Note that the outer door is not shown in FIG.

The container loading section 110 of the empty container collecting device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting section 116, an outer door 111, an inner door 112, a pedestal 118, a measuring section 7, an outer door support section S111, and an inner door support. It has a section S112, an outer door drive section 5, an inner door drive section 6, a first limiting section K111, a second limiting section K112, and the like.

The mounting unit 116 is configured so that an object to be collected or the like can be mounted. The mounting unit 116 is provided with an optical sensor 9 such as a light receiving unit 9a and a light emitting unit 9b, a metal sensor, and the like. Further, a measuring unit 7 is provided at the lower part of the mounting unit 116.

Further, in the present embodiment, the mounting surface of the mounting portion 116 is not horizontal, and the container accommodating portion 140 side is lower than the loading port side of the article (the opening side when the outer door 111 is in the open state). It is provided with an inclination. That is, the mounting portion 116 is configured to encourage the loaded article to fall to the container accommodating portion 140 side (or volume reducing portion 120 side) due to its own weight. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a transport mechanism for sending the article (load) to the container accommodating portion 140, and it is possible to provide a small article collection device.
Further, the mounting portion 116 has a structure in which the surface of the mounting surface is surface-treated to form an uneven portion and the loaded article is prevented from sticking to the mounting portion. When the article collection device is a container collection device, even if the container is wet, the contact area between the container surface and the uneven surface of the mounting portion is relatively small, so the surface tension due to wetting becomes small, and the container becomes a container. It easily moves to the accommodating portion 140 side. That is, it is possible to prevent a problem that the wet container does not fall to the container storage portion side.

The outer door 111 is provided on the outside of the mounting portion 116. The outer door driving unit 5 drives the outer door 111 so as to be openable and closable.
The inner door 112 is provided in the passage 71 between the mounting portion 116 and the volume reducing portion 120. The inner door driving unit 6 drives the inner door 112 so as to be openable and closable. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the inner door 112 is provided with a guide portion 112D for guiding the placement state of the empty container. The guide portion 112D is provided at a position where it is exposed and can be visually recognized from the main body of the apparatus. The guide unit 112D is displayed as information so that the article (empty container such as a PET bottle) is placed in a specified direction and a specified position (for example, 350 ml, 500 ml, 2000 ml, etc.). The guide portion 112D may be a concave portion, a convex portion, a sticker, an LED display portion, an LCD, or the like provided on the surface of the inner door 112.
Further, the article collecting device may be provided with a determination means for determining whether or not the article is correctly placed at the placement position indicated by the guide unit 112D by a detection sensor such as an image pickup unit. In addition, if the mounting orientation and position are not correct, notification can be performed by a detection unit such as an image pickup process or an optical sensor.

In the present embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 has a pedestal 118, and the pedestal 118 has an outer door 111 and outer door support portions S118 and S111 for supporting the outer door drive unit 5. Specifically, the outer door drive portion 5 and the rotary shaft C111 are provided at the upper ends of the two outer door support portions S118, and the fan-shaped outer door support portion S111 is rotatably provided on the rotary shaft C111. The outer door 111 is supported by the fan-shaped support portion S111 for the outer door. One of the two rotation shafts C111, the rotation shaft C111, is connected to the rotation shaft of the motor of the outer door drive unit 5.
The fan-shaped outer door support portion S111 is provided with a hole portion S111h through which the rotation shaft C112 of the inner door 112 penetrates.

The measuring unit 7 is arranged between the pedestal 118 and the mounting unit 116 and supports the mounting unit 116.

Further, the inner door 112 is configured to guide the empty container mounted on the mounting section 116 to the volume reducing section 120 in the open state. Further, in the present embodiment, the inner door drive unit 6 and the inner door 112 are supported by the inner door support portion S112 which is arranged on the measuring unit 7 and has a structure extending from between the measuring unit 7 and the mounting unit 116. Has been done. The inner door drive unit 6 is provided with a rotation shaft C112 of the inner door 112, and the rotation shaft C112 is provided with the inner door 112. By opening the inner door 112, the object to be collected can be guided to the container accommodating portion 140 in the main body of the apparatus. Further, the inner door support portion S112 has a hole portion S112h through which the rotation shaft C111 is passed.

That is, the outer door driving unit 5 and the outer door 111 are supported by the outer door support portion S111 of the pedestal 118, and the mounting portion 116 is provided on the upper portion of the measuring portion 7 arranged on the pedestal 118. The unit 7 can measure the mass of the object to be recovered mounted on the mounting unit 116 with high accuracy. Specifically, since the measuring unit 7 does not support the outer door 111 or the outer door driving unit 5, the measuring unit 7 is affected by the vibration of the outer door 111 or the outer door driving unit 5. It has a structure that is difficult to receive, and the mass of the object to be recovered on the mounting portion 116 can be measured with high accuracy.

Further, the outer door 111 of the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention can move between the open position where the mounting portion 116 is exposed and the closed position which covers the mounting portion 116. When the outer door 111 is closed, the outer door 111 is configured to be movable from the open position to the closed position toward the mounting portion 116. That is, since the outer door 111 is configured to move toward and close to the mounting portion 116 from the open state, for example, a user's hand or arm is sandwiched between the outer door 111 and the mounting portion 116. At that time, the measured value by the measuring unit fluctuates, and the control unit detects the fluctuation, so that the user's hand, arm, foreign matter, etc. can be easily caught between the outer door 111 and the mounting unit 116. Can be detected.

Further, in the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the outer door 111 includes a first limiting unit K111 that restricts the movement of the inner door 112. The inner door 112 includes a second limiting portion K112 that limits the movement of the outer door 111. The first limiting unit K111 and the second limiting unit K112 have a mechanism for restricting that both the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 are in the open state.
That is, since the empty container recovery device 100 has a first limiting portion K111 provided on the outer door 111 and a second limiting portion K112 provided on the inner door 112, the empty container recovery device 100 has a mechanically simple structure and is outer. The opening / closing operation of each door can be restricted according to the opening / closing state of each of the door 111 and the inner door 112.

Further, the first limiting portion K111 of the empty container collecting device 100 as an article collecting device is configured to respond to the movement of the outer door 111. The second limiting portion K112 is configured to respond to the movement of the inner door 112. Further, the empty container recovery device 100 is configured such that the first limiting unit K111 restricts the movement of the inner door 112 when the outer door 111 is in the open state, and the first limiting portion K111 is configured to restrict the movement of the inner door 112 when the inner door 112 is in the open state. The limiting portion K112 of 2 is configured to limit the movement of the outer door 111.
Specifically, in the present embodiment, when the outer door 111 is in the open state, the empty container recovery device 100 is configured to limit the inner door 112 from being in the open state while being in the closed state. That is, when the outer door 111 is in the open state and the thrown object is placed on the mounting portion 116, the inner door 112 is in the closed state and is not in the open state, but is placed on the mounting portion 116. Regardless of whether the object is a recovery object or a non-recovery object, it is configured not to be accommodated in the container accommodating portion 140 in the apparatus main body 100B. That is, in this state, the article (collected object or non-collected object) is in contact with the inner door 112, and the inner door 112 has a structure that also serves as a part of the mounting portion.

Further, the first limiting unit K111 and the second limiting unit K112 are configured so that the movement paths overlap. Further, in the present embodiment, in the empty container recovery device 100, when one of the first limiting unit K111 and the second limiting unit K112 restricts the movement of the other, the first limiting unit K111 and the second limiting unit K111 The limiting portion K112 has a structure adjacent to the arc shape with a slight interval. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first limiting portion K111 is formed in a substantially fan shape. The first limiting portion K111 has a convex arc-shaped portion K111a and a concave-shaped portion K111b. Further, the second limiting portion K112 is formed in a substantially fan shape. Specifically, the second limiting portion K112 has a convex arc-shaped portion K112a and a concave-shaped portion K112b.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the outer door 111 is in the open state and the inner door 112 is in the closed state, and the first limiting portion K111 restricts the movement of the second limiting portion K112, the first The convex arc-shaped portion K111a of the limiting portion K111 and the concave-shaped portion K112b of the second limiting portion K112 are adjacent to each other with a slight gap in the arc shape.
That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, as described above, when the outer door 111 is in the open state, the inner door 112 is in the closed state, and the movement of the second limiting portion K112 is restricted by the first limiting portion K111. Therefore, the inner door 112 is maintained in the closed state and is not opened.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the inner door 112 is in the open state and the outer door 111 is in the closed state, and the second limiting portion K112 restricts the movement of the first limiting portion K111, the first The convex arc-shaped portion K112a of the limiting portion K112 of 2 and the concave-shaped portion K111b of the first limiting portion K111 have a structure adjacent to each other with a slight gap in the arc shape.

That is, in the empty container collecting device as the article collecting device of the embodiment of the present invention, when the outer door 111 is in the closed state and the inner door 112 is in the open state, the second limiting unit K112 causes the first limiting unit K111. Since the movement of the door is restricted, the outer door 111 is maintained in the closed state and is not opened.

Further, in the present embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 may have a prohibiting means for prohibiting the movement of one or both of the first limiting unit K111 and the second limiting unit K112. Specifically, the prohibition means has, for example, a solenoid. For this solenoid, for example, a metal movable pin (plunger) is arranged in the coil, and when the coil is not energized, the movable pin (plunger) is arranged at a position where the movable pin (plunger) protrudes from the end of the coil by the urging portion. It is a structure, and the movable pin is configured to move into the coil when the coil is energized.
For example, as a prohibition means capable of prohibiting the movement of the outer door 111 from the closed state to the open state, a movable pin (plunger) of the solenoid for the outer door engages with the hole provided in the first limiting portion K111. It may be configured to be possible, and when the closed state of the first limiting portion K111 is maintained and the movement to the open state is prohibited, the movable pin is engaged with the hole portion and the movement is not prohibited. Is configured to be controlled by a control unit so that the movable pin is in a non-engaged state. That is, the prohibiting means can prohibit the movement of the first limiting unit K111 from the closed state to the open state with a simple structure.
Further, as a prohibition means capable of prohibiting the movement of the inner door 112 from the closed state to the open state, a movable pin (plunger) of the solenoid for the inner door engages with the hole provided in the second limiting portion K112. It may be configured to be possible, and when the closed state of the second limiting portion K112 is maintained and the movement to the open state is prohibited, the movable pin is engaged with the hole portion and the movement is not prohibited. Is configured to be controlled by a control unit so that the movable pin is in a non-engaged state. That is, the prohibiting means can prohibit the movement of the second limiting portion K112 from the closed state to the open state with a simple structure.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a waiting unit AA in which the outer door 111 stands by at a closed position. The standby portion AA is provided at a position where the outer door 111 does not touch the mounting portion 116, and functions as a stopper for the outer door 111.

FIG. 10 is a side conceptual diagram showing an example of a volume reduction unit of an empty container collection device as an article collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a plan conceptual diagram showing an example of a volume reduction unit of the empty container recovery device.
The volume reducing portion 120 has a structure in which a pair of rotating shafts 811 and 911 are rotatably supported by two support members having a substantially plate shape.

Further, a feeding mechanism 50 is provided on the upper portion of the volume reducing portion 120, and the rotating shaft 51 of the feeding mechanism 50 is rotatably supported by the substantially plate-shaped support member. The feed mechanism 50 has a plurality of blade portions 52 (made of metal, resin, etc.) as paddles on the rotating shaft 51. In the feed mechanism 50, when the rotation shaft 51 rotates, the blade portion 52 rotates about the rotation shaft 51 as the rotation center, and guides the empty container A to the volume reduction portion 120.

Further, on the upper part of the volume reducing portion 120, a plate-shaped regulating member 61 and a regulating member 62 are provided so as to be inclined in opposite directions so as to guide the empty container A to the center of the volume reducing portion 120. Restrict the movement of the empty container A to other places.

The rotation axes 811, 911, and 51 are arranged in parallel with each other at predetermined intervals. In each of the pair of rotating shafts 811 and 911, the compression rollers 81 and 91 having the blade surfaces 81k or the blade surfaces 91k on both sides in the axial direction and the compression rollers 81 and 91 having a diameter smaller than the compression rollers 81 and 91. Spacers s, which are slightly thicker than the thickness of the above, are alternately arranged side by side along the axial direction.
The outer peripheral portion of the compression roller provided on one rotating shaft is arranged between the compression rollers provided on the other rotating shaft, and is provided between the compression rollers provided on the other rotating shaft. It is arranged at a position separated by a predetermined distance LP from the spacers. Further, the distance LP between the spacer s provided on the rotating shaft 811 and the compression roller 91 provided on the rotating shaft 911 facing the spacer s is the maximum outer diameter LAg of the body portion Ag of the empty container A. Is set smaller than.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a gear 811 m is provided at one end of the rotary shaft 811 and is configured to mesh with a gear 911 m provided at one end of the rotary shaft 911. ing. The rotary shafts 811, 911, and 51 are rotationally driven by a drive motor (not shown). During driving, the rotary shaft 811 and the rotary shaft 911 rotate in opposite directions, the empty container A charged in the central portion is compressed by the compression rollers 81 and 91, and the reduced volume empty container is output downward. ..

The peeling portions 31 and 32 are configured to peel off the container whose volume has been reduced by the compression rollers 81 and 91 of the volume reducing portion 120 from the compression rollers 81 and 91.

As shown in FIG. 11, the length LAb (neck length) of the neck Ab of the empty container A such as a PET bottle is the length from the tip Ac on the opening Ah side to the neck ring or the base of the neck. be.

The empty resin container A such as a PET bottle is formed to be thicker than the thickness of the neck portion Ab and the thickness of other portions, specifically, the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag and the like. As an empty container for recycling, for example, when the neck Ab of the empty container A and other parts are separated to form a lump smaller than the standard, the recycling company may consider it as not subject to recycling. The volume reduction portion 120 has a flat shape larger than the above standard so that the empty container can be recycled without the neck portion Ab, which is relatively thick and heavy, being separated from the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag. Reduce the volume.

Further, the distance LT between the spacer s provided on the rotating shaft 911 and the spacer ws (s) provided on the rotating shaft 811 is longer than the outer diameter of the neck Ab of the empty container.
Further, the distance LC from the inner side surface of the support member 871 to the compression roller 81 arranged on the side surface side of the rotating shaft 811 is configured to be longer than the length LAb of the neck portion Ab of the empty container A.
Further, in the present embodiment, the distance LC is set longer than the axial length of the spacer ws (s) arranged on the side surface side of the rotating shaft 811. The axial length (thickness) of the spacer ws (s) is set to be about twice as long as the axial length Ls of the other spacers.
That is, the compression roller on the support member 871 side provided on the rotating shaft 811 is separated from the side surface of the support member 871 by a predetermined distance so that the neck portion Ab of the empty container A is not separated from the shoulder portion Af and the body portion Ag. It is placed in the same position. That is, the volume reducing portion 120 has a structure in which the neck portion Ab of the empty container A is connected to the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag when the volume of the container is reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, the axial thickness L1 of the compression rollers 81 and 91 is shorter than the length LAb of the neck portion Ab of the empty container A. For example, when an empty container A made of resin such as a PET bottle is arranged in the opposite direction, specifically, the tip Ac formed of the opening Ah of the empty container A is located on the side of the support member 871 having a substantially plate shape. Even when the container is arranged so as to be positioned, the neck portion Ab of the empty container A is not separated from the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag when the volume of the container is reduced.

Next, an example of the electrical configuration of the empty container recovery device 100 as the article recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 12, the article collection device (empty container collection device 100) includes a control unit 1 (CPU), a storage unit 2, a display operation unit 3, a transmission / reception unit 4, an outer door drive unit 5, and an inner door drive unit. 6. It has a measuring unit 7, a metal sensor 8, an optical sensor 9, a door position sensor 10, a door lock unit 11, a volume reduction drive unit 15, and the like. Each component is electrically connected by a signal line or the like.

The control unit 1 (CPU) comprehensively controls each component of the article collection device (empty container collection device 100). The control unit 1 realizes the function according to the present invention on a computer by, for example, executing a control program.

The storage unit 2 is a storage device such as a RAM or a ROM. The storage unit 2 stores a control program or the like. Further, the storage unit 2 stores the characteristics of the empty container of the object to be collected. The characteristics of the empty container are, for example, the range of the container mass and whether or not it is a resin material.

The display operation unit 3 performs a predetermined display under the control of the control unit 1. Further, the display operation unit 3 outputs a signal corresponding to the operation of the user or the like to the control unit 1. The display operation unit 3 is, for example, a touch panel type display device or the like.

The transmission / reception unit 4 is a transmission / reception device that communicates with a non-contact IC card, an IC tag, or the like, and performs predetermined communication under the control of the control unit 1. Further, the transmission / reception unit 4 performs predetermined communication with another terminal device (computer) via a wireless communication path or a wired communication path under the control of the control unit 1.

The outer door drive unit 5 is a motor or the like for opening and closing the outer door 111, and is driven and controlled by control from the control unit 1.

The inner door drive unit 6 is a motor or the like for opening and closing the inner door 112, and is driven and controlled to open or close the inner door by control from the control unit 1.

The measuring unit 7 measures the mass of the empty container or the non-collected object placed on the mounting unit 116 of the container charging unit 110. The weighing unit 7 is a weighing device such as a load cell.
Further, the measuring unit 7 is used as a sensor for determining whether or not the container can be collected by detecting leftovers in the container placed on the mounting unit 116 of the container charging unit 110. Further, the measuring unit 7 is configured to be able to specify the total weight contained in the container accommodating unit 140 by integrating the weight values of the containers determined to be recoverable. With this function, it is not necessary to provide a measuring unit in the container accommodating unit 140, a large capacity container accommodating unit 140 can be secured, and the measuring unit 7 itself can be made smaller. Since the object to be weighed is relatively small, it is not necessary to provide a large weighing unit 7.

The metal sensor 8 detects whether the object placed on the mounting portion 116 of the container charging portion 110 is metal or non-metal. In the present embodiment, when the metal sensor 8 detects that the object placed on the mounting section 116 is metal, the control section 1 determines that the object mounted on the mounting section 116 is a non-collected object. Determine if there is.

Further, the optical sensor 9 has a light receiving unit 9a that receives light from the light emitting unit 9b provided in the container charging unit 110. The optical sensor 9 is provided with, for example, a polarizing plate and is configured to receive light through the polarizing plate, and is to be recovered by detecting polarized light transmitted through a translucent empty container such as a PET bottle. It is configured to be able to detect empty containers.
The control unit 1 detects the light transmitted through the translucent empty container placed on the mounting unit of the container charging unit and received light by the optical sensor 9, and based on the detection signal from the optical sensor 9. , Determine if it is an empty container to be collected.

The article collection device is provided with the above-mentioned sensors for determining the necessity of collection around the mounting portion. For example, in a conventional collection device, an article is taken into the device, it is determined whether or not it is a collection target, and a non-object is discharged from a discharge port different from the input port, and a determination unit is provided in the device. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a discharge port.
On the other hand, the article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with sensors for determining the necessity of collection in the mounting portion corresponding to the input port of the device, so that it is not necessary to take the object to be collected into the device. It has become. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a discharge port, and a small article collection device can be provided.

The door position sensor 10 detects the position of the outer door 111 and the position of the inner door 112, and outputs a signal regarding the position of the outer door 111 and the position of the inner door 112 to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 controls the open / closed state of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 based on the signal.

The door lock unit 11 has, for example, a locking device such as a solenoid, and locks the movement of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 as needed by the control from the control unit 1.

The control unit 1 includes a first drive control unit 101, a second drive control unit 102, a third drive control unit 103, a fourth drive control unit 104, a notification processing unit 105, and the like. The control unit 1 realizes the function of each drive control unit in an article collection device (empty container collection device) as a computer, for example, by executing a control program.

The first drive control unit 101 controls the outer door drive unit 5 to open the outer door 111 when the container is collected. To control the outer door 111 to be in the open state, not only the outer door 111 is automatically opened, but also, for example, the lock is simply released, but the door itself is the user's hand (according to the notification / display that the outer door 111 should be opened). Includes the act of opening (= manual) by.

When the object to be collected is placed on the mounting unit 116, the second drive control unit 102 sets the outer door 111 in the closed state and the inner door 112 in the open state by the outer door driving unit 5 and the inner door driving unit 6. , The container accommodating unit 140 controls to collect the container.

In the case of a non-collected object, the third drive control unit 103 is detected by the detection unit, and when the non-collected object is not excluded for a predetermined time or longer, the outer door driving unit 5 and the inner door driving unit 6 cause the inner door 112. The closed state of the door 111 is maintained, and the outer door 111 is controlled to be closed.

When the outer door 111 is moved from the open position to the closed position by the outer door drive unit 5, the fourth drive control unit 104 closes from the open position of the outer door 111 when the measuring unit 7 detects a change in the measured value. Controls to stop the movement to the position. That is, when the outer door 111 is moved from the open position to the closed position, the control unit 1 stops the movement of the outer door 111 from the open position to the closed position when the measuring unit 7 detects a change in the measured value. By performing control, it is possible to prevent the user's hand, arm, foreign matter, etc. from being pinched between the outer door 111 and the mounting portion 116, reducing the load on the outer door driving portion 5 and causing a failure. Can be prevented.

When the detection unit detects a non-collected object, the notification processing unit 105 performs notification processing so as to eliminate the non-collected object. As the notification process, for example, a screen display urging the display unit of the display operation unit 3 to exclude non-collected objects is performed.

Next, an example of the operation of the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100) according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 13 and the like.

In step ST1, the empty container recovery device 100 is in a standby state. When the control unit 1 receives a signal from the transmission / reception unit 4 (communication unit) or the display operation unit 3, the control unit 1 performs processing according to the signal. Further, the control unit 1 performs a process of displaying, for example, "Please touch a card (membership card or the like)" on the display unit of the display operation unit 3. The card (membership card, etc.) is, for example, a contactless IC card for members.

In step ST2, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the outer door opening condition is satisfied, and if the outer door opening condition is satisfied, proceeds to the process of step ST3. As a condition for opening the outer door, for example, when the display operation unit 3 such as a touch panel operates the empty container collection start button or the like, the process proceeds to step ST3. It should be noted that the process of step ST3 may proceed on the condition that the membership card possessed by the user and the transmission / reception unit 4 communicate with each other and the personal authentication is correctly performed (condition for opening the outer door). Membership cards include, for example, contactless IC cards, magnetic cards, cards on which barcodes and 2D codes are printed, display devices on which barcodes and 2D codes are displayed, smartphones with membership card functions, and so on. Mobile phones, etc. can be mentioned.
Further, in step ST2, the control unit 1 performs a process of displaying, for example, "Please put the container" on the display unit of the display operation unit 3.

In step ST3, the control unit 1 performs the outer door opening process. Specifically, the control unit 1 releases the door lock unit of the outer door 111, and the outer door drive unit 5 performs drive control to move the outer door 111 to the open state.

In step ST4, the mass, material, presence / absence of contents, etc. of the object placed on the mounting unit 116 are detected by various detection processes by the measuring unit 7, the metal sensor 8, the optical sensor 9, etc., and the control unit 1 receives the detection process. Outputs a signal indicating the detected result.

In step ST5, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the outer door closing condition is satisfied. Specifically, if it is determined that the object placed on the mounting unit 116 is the object to be collected, the process proceeds to step ST6, and in other cases (in the case of a non-collected object such as a foreign substance), step ST51. Proceed to the processing of.
As a result of the detection process, the control unit 1 determines, for example, that the article placed on the mounting unit 116 is an empty container, for example, a predetermined amount of liquid left undrinked in the container. When it is detected that it is present, it may be determined that it contains a foreign substance.

In step ST6, the control unit 1 closes the outer door. Specifically, the control unit 1 drives and controls the outer door driving unit 5 so that the outer door is closed.

In step ST7, the control unit 1 determines whether or not a change in the measured value by the measuring unit 7 is detected, and if the change in the measured value is detected, proceeds to the process of step ST8. The detection process of step ST7 is continued until the change in the value subsides.

In step ST8, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the inner door opening condition is satisfied, and as a result of the determination, if the inner door opening condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step ST13, and if the inner door opening condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step ST13. Proceed to the process of step ST9. The condition for opening the inner door is, for example, that the object placed on the mounting portion 116 is the object to be collected.

In step ST9, the control unit 1 performs an inner door opening process. Specifically, the control unit 1 performs drive control by the inner door drive unit 6 so that the inner door 112 is in the open state.
In step ST9, the control unit 1 performs a process of displaying, for example, "recycling container XX" on the display unit of the display operation unit 3. As will be described later, in the case of continuous container charging processing, the control unit 1 counts up the number of containers and performs a process of displaying the number on the display unit. Further, when the container is not continuously charged, the control unit performs a process of displaying on one container and the display unit.

In step ST10, the control unit 1 closes the inner door. Specifically, the control unit 1 performs drive control by the inner door drive unit 6 so that the inner door 112 is closed. The inner door 112 is in a closed state, and the mounting portion and the volume reducing portion are separated (separated). Then, the process proceeds to step ST11.

In step ST11, the control unit 1 performs the outer door opening process. Specifically, the control unit 1 performs drive control by the outer door drive unit 5 so that the outer door 111 is in the open state. The outer door 111 is in the open state, and the next container can be put in.
In step ST11, the control unit 1 performs a process of displaying on the display unit of the display operation unit 3, for example, "Please put the next container. If not, touch the screen." As will be described later, when the operator (user or the like) touches the screen of the display operation unit 3, the end is declared.

In step ST12, the control unit 1 performs volume reduction processing. Specifically, the control unit 1 performs a process of reducing the volume of the empty container A by the volume reducing unit 120. The volume reduction process in step ST12 does not have to be performed. Further, it may be selected to reduce the volume of the container or not to reduce the volume as needed.

In step ST13, the control unit 1 determines whether or not a new article has been loaded into the mounting unit by a signal from each sensor, and as a result of the determination, the article is determined by any sensor (detection unit) of the mounting unit. When is detected, the process proceeds to step ST4, and when the article is not detected, the process proceeds to step ST14.
By proceeding to step ST4 as described above, the container can be continuously charged. Specifically, while the volume reduction unit is in the process of reducing the volume of an empty container, a new container can be loaded into the mounting unit, so detection by the sensor (detection unit) of the mounting unit The processing and the volume reduction processing by the volume reduction unit can be performed in parallel. That is, the article collection device can efficiently reduce the volume of empty containers.
Further, even in the case of not the continuous charging process, the inner door 112 is closed during the volume reduction process, and the mounting portion and the volume reduction portion 120 are separated (separated state). Therefore, even if debris such as a container is scattered by the volume reduction process by the volume reduction portion, the debris does not reach the mounting portion.

In step ST14, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the end operation has been detected, and if the end operation is detected, proceeds to the process of step ST1, and if not, proceeds to the process of step ST15. Specifically, the control unit 1 performs a process of displaying, for example, "Please insert the next container, please touch the screen" on the display unit of the display operation unit 3, and by touching the screen. When the end of the operation is detected, the process proceeds to the process of step ST1.

In step ST15, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the volume reduction process of the container by the volume reduction unit 120 is completed, and if it is completed, the process proceeds to the process of step ST1. If not, the process of step ST13 is performed. Proceed to. Specifically, in step ST15, the control unit 1 starts timing from the state where the outer door of ST11 is open, determines that there is no next container when a predetermined time has elapsed, and automatically performs the above-mentioned standby state. The process proceeds to step ST1.

In step ST51, the control unit 1 determines whether or not the outer door closing condition is satisfied in step ST5, and if it is determined that the object placed on the mounting unit 116 is a non-collected object, a predetermined object is determined. It is determined whether or not the time, for example, about 30 seconds to 1 minute has elapsed, and as a result of the determination, if the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step ST52, and if the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to the process. It is in a standby state until a predetermined time elapses.

In steps ST52 and ST53, the control unit 1 performs an outer door closing process for closing the outer door 111 while maintaining the closed state of the inner door 112. Specifically, the outer door driving unit 5 is driven and controlled so that the control unit 1 and the outer door 111 are closed.

In step ST54, the control unit 1 performs notification processing. Specifically, in the control unit 1, when the non-collected object is placed on the mounting unit 116 of the container charging unit 110 and the outer door 111 is closed, the volume of the non-collected object is reduced. A process of notifying that the non-collected object remains in the charging section in the section and that the non-collected object is removed from the mounting section 116 is performed. As the notification process, a process of displaying on the display unit of the display operation unit 3, a process of producing a predetermined notification sound, and a process of causing a light emitting element such as an LED to emit light are performed. Then, the process proceeds to step ST1.
Further, as the notification process of the control unit 1, the above notification may be performed to an external terminal device (not shown). The external terminal device is, for example, a POS terminal installed in a store, a portable terminal device carried by a store clerk or a system administrator, a host server, or the like. The control unit 1 may perform the above notification (pop-up screen display, lamp lighting, sound output, etc.) to the external terminal device by the transmission / reception unit 4 via a wireless or wired communication path. Further, the control unit 1 may output an error so that each terminal device can directly notify the error, or the control unit 1 may output an error to a higher-level server and the POS terminal or the like may perform the above notification via the server. Further, the control unit 1 may similarly notify other error information (fullness detection, replacement sign of consumable parts, other failure error, etc.).
In addition, after the processing of step ST54, the case where the collector of the container is specified and the case where the collector of the container is not specified will be described in detail.
When identifying the collector, the store clerk who received the notification sends and receives an IC card with identification information for the administrator (identification information for the administrator is stored in the storage unit of the IC card) and the like. When it is held over or touched (or brought close to) the unit 4, the control unit controls to open the outer door 111 after confirming that the authentication process has been performed correctly for the administrator. The outer door 111 is opened so that a clerk or the like can remove the non-collected material. That is, by giving the authority to open the outer door at the time of an error only to a limited number of people, it is possible to prevent further introduction of foreign matter and mischief.
When the collector is not specified, even if the outer door 111 is closed in ST52 and ST53 and foreign matter cannot be inserted, when the identification information is read from the IC card or the like by the transmission / reception unit 4, the control unit 1 will perform. Regardless of whether or not the administrator is an administrator, the process of opening the outer door 111 may be performed. As a result, the user who wants to use the article collection device can remove the non-collected object. That is, it is possible to prevent a chance loss that the article collection device cannot be used until a clerk or the like comes and removes the non-collected object.

<Empty container storage>
Next, an example of the container accommodating portion 140 of the empty container collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In detail, FIG. 14 (a) is a perspective view showing an example of a container accommodating portion, and FIG. 14 (b) is a diagram showing an example of a container accommodating portion equipped with a container accommodating bag and a cap accommodating bag. ..

As shown in FIG. 14A, the container accommodating portion 140 detachably provided at the lower portion of the device main body portion 100B of the empty container collecting device 100 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped having an opening at the upper portion and a bottom portion at the lower portion. It is a container, and a translucent portion 140a or a semi-translucent portion is provided on the front side, so that the inside of the container accommodating portion 140 can be easily visually recognized from the outside.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a large container accommodating bag is detachably provided on the container accommodating portion 140 having an opening at the top. In the present embodiment, the container accommodating portion 140 having a substantially rectangular opening at the upper portion is provided with an insertion port 140b for fixing the container accommodating bag BB near the upper end of the side surface. In the present embodiment, a slit-shaped insertion port 140b is formed in the central portion of the oval elastic member.

When the container accommodating bag BB is attached to the container accommodating portion 140, the container accommodating bag BB is accommodated in the central portion of the container accommodating portion 140, the upper end of the container accommodating bag BB is folded outward, and the container accommodating bag BB is inserted into the insertion port 140b. Plug it in. That is, by inserting the elastic member into the slit-shaped insertion port 140b, the bag is locked to the slit, and the container accommodating bag BB is fixed to the container accommodating portion 140.

For example, when removing the container storage bag BB from the container storage unit 140 after collecting a plurality of containers in the container storage bag BB, pull the container storage bag BB from the insertion port 140b with a predetermined force or more. Then, it becomes a non-engaged state, and the bag can be easily removed.

Further, in the present embodiment, a cap accommodating portion is provided in a part of the container accommodating portion 140. Specifically, the cap accommodating bag BS is arranged in one corner of the container accommodating portion 140. The cap accommodating bag BS preferably includes, for example, two handle portions.
The container accommodating portion 140 is provided with a locking portion such as a hook portion near the upper portion of the side surface of the corner portion. The container accommodating portion 140 has a simple structure by locking the handle portion of the cap accommodating bag BS to the locking portion and arranging the opening of the bag near the outlet of the cap passage. Can be easily accommodated.

That is, in the example shown in FIG. 14, the cap accommodating portion has a structure supported in the container accommodating portion 140. Further, the above configuration can be easily realized by the handle portion BSa of the cap accommodating bag BS as the cap accommodating portion being locked to the locking portion such as a hook near the upper part of the outer surface of the container accommodating portion 140. can do. Further, since the container accommodating portion 140 has a structure in which the cap accommodating portion is provided, space saving can be realized.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing another example of the container charging portion of the empty container collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in FIG. 15, in the empty container recovery device, the container charging section 110B has a manual drawer structure, and the empty container recovery device is provided with a mounting section 116B on which the empty container is placed. When mounted on the mounting unit 116B, whether or not the control unit of the empty container collection device is a collection target based on the signals from the various sensors (measurement unit, optical sensor, metal sensor, etc.) described above. When the manual container loading unit 110B can be closed and the part pulled out by the user is closed, the inner door 112B is opened and the inside of the device main body is opened. Collect the object to be collected. On the other hand, in the case of a non-collected object, the manual container charging portion 110B is locked by a locking mechanism such as a solenoid and is not closed. When the non-collected object is taken out from the mounting portion by the user, the locking mechanism is unlocked and the manual container loading portion 110B can be closed.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the outer door is configured to be closed by rotating from top to bottom, but the closing direction and the moving method are not limited, and the closing direction is, for example, the lower. It may be from top to top, right to left, left to right, front to back, and the moving method may be rotation, translation, folding, separable lid type, Kannon door, or the like. The inner door is the same as the outer door. Further, at least the opening and closing of the outer door is not limited to the drive control, and may be, for example, a manual type.

As described above, the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting unit 116 on which an article can be placed, a measuring unit 7 that supports the mounting unit 116, and a measuring unit 7. It is configured outside the support range of the measuring unit 7 and has an outer door 111 that opens and closes the mounting unit 116 so as to be exposed. Further, the outer door 111 is configured to move from the open position to the closed position toward the mounting portion 116.
That is, an article in which the mounting unit 116 is arranged on the measuring unit 7, and when a foreign substance is caught by the outer door 111 provided outside the support range of the measuring unit 7, it can be easily detected. A recovery device (empty container recovery device) can be provided.

Further, in detail, the article collecting device such as the empty container collecting device 100 includes an outer door 111 provided on the outside of the mounting portion 116, an outer door driving unit 5 for driving the outer door 111 so as to be openable and closable, and a pedestal. It has a measuring unit 7 which is arranged between the 118 and the mounting unit 116 and supports the mounting unit 116. The pedestal 118 has an outer door 111 and an outer door support portion S111 that supports the outer door drive portion 5.
That is, the article collection device such as the empty container collection device 100 has a structure in which the mounting portion 116 and the outer door 111 are separated. That is, the outer door driving unit 5 and the outer door 111 are supported by the outer door support portion S111 of the pedestal 118, and the mounting portion 116 is provided on the upper portion of the measuring portion 7 arranged on the pedestal 118. The unit 7 can measure the mass of the object to be recovered mounted on the mounting unit 116 with high accuracy. Specifically, since the measuring unit 7 does not support the outer door 111 or the outer door driving unit 5, the measuring unit 7 is affected by the vibration of the outer door 111 or the outer door driving unit 5. It has a structure that is difficult to receive, and the mass of the object to be recovered on the mounting portion 116 can be measured with high accuracy.
Further, the mounting portion 116 is arranged on the measuring portion 7, and the structure in which the mounting portion 116 and the outer door 111 are separated makes it easy to catch foreign matter by the outer door 111. It is possible to provide an empty container recovery device for detecting.

Further, the outer door 111 of the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention can move between the open position where the mounting portion 116 is exposed and the closed position which covers the mounting portion 116. When the outer door 111 is closed, the outer door 111 is configured to be movable from the open position to the closed position toward the mounting portion 116. That is, since the outer door 111 is configured to move toward and close to the mounting portion 116 from the open state, for example, a user's hand or arm is sandwiched between the outer door 111 and the mounting portion 116. At that time, the measured value by the measuring unit fluctuates, and the control unit detects the fluctuation, so that the user's hand, arm, foreign matter, etc. can be easily caught between the outer door 111 and the mounting unit 116. Can be detected.

Further, the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided in the passage 71 between the volume reducing unit 120 for reducing the volume of the empty container and the mounting unit 116 and the volume reducing unit 120. It has an inner door 112. The inner door 112 is configured to guide an empty container mounted on the mounting section 116 to the volume reducing section 120 in the open state. Specifically, in the above embodiment, the inner door driving unit 6 and the inner door 112 are provided by the inner door support portion S112 which is arranged on the measuring unit 7 and has a structure extending from between the measuring unit 7 and the mounting unit 116. Is supported, so the mass of the object to be collected placed on the mounting unit 116 can be measured with high accuracy. After the measurement, the inner door is opened to collect the object. An object can be guided to the container accommodating portion 140 in the main body of the apparatus.

Further, the empty container collecting device 100 as the article collecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 1 that controls the movement of the outer door by the outer door driving unit 5. This control unit 1 controls to stop the movement of the outer door 111 from the open position to the closed position when the measuring unit 7 detects a change in the measured value when the outer door 111 is moved from the open position to the closed position. I do.
That is, when the outer door 111 is moved from the open position to the closed position, the control unit 1 stops the movement of the outer door 111 from the open position to the closed position when the measuring unit 7 detects a change in the measured value. By performing control, it is possible to prevent the user's hand, arm, foreign matter, etc. from being pinched between the outer door 111 and the mounting portion 116, reducing the load on the outer door driving portion 5 and causing a failure. Can be prevented.

Further, the empty container collection device 100 as the article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a storage unit (container storage unit 140) for accommodating articles. The mounting portion 116 has a mounting surface that is inclined so that the accommodating portion side (container accommodating portion 140 side) is lower than the loading port side of the article.
That is, since the mounting surface of the mounting portion 116 is inclined toward the accommodating portion (container accommodating portion 140 side), the article placed on the mounting surface of the mounting portion 116 is placed on the accommodating portion (container accommodating portion) by its own weight. It can fall toward 140). For example, since it is not necessary to provide a transport mechanism from the mounting unit 116 to the storage unit (container storage unit 140), it is possible to provide a small article collection device.

Further, the empty container collection device 100 as the article collection device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a standby unit AA in which the outer door 111 stands by at a closed position. The standby portion AA is provided at a position where the outer door 111 does not touch the mounting portion 116, and functions as a stopper for the outer door 111.

Further, as described above, it is possible to provide a small empty container recovery device with a simple structure.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and there are design changes and the like within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. Even included in the present invention.
Further, the embodiments shown in the above figures can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose and configuration thereof.
Further, the description content of each figure can be an independent embodiment, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to one embodiment in which each figure is combined.

The empty container recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention described above includes a volume reduction unit (volume reduction mechanism) for reducing the volume of the empty container, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and for example, the volume reduction mechanism. The empty container of the input object to be collected may be collected as it is.

In the above-described embodiment, the empty container collection device collects empty containers such as PET bottles, but may be configured to collect aluminum cans, steel cans, and the like, and collect PET bottles, aluminum cans, and steel cans. It may be a device that is also used.

1 ... Control unit 2 ... Storage unit 3 ... Display operation unit 4 ... Transmission / reception unit 5 ... Outer door drive unit 6 ... Inner door drive unit 7 ... Measuring unit 8 ... Metal sensor 9 ... Optical sensor 71 ... Passage 10 ... Door position sensor 11 … Door lock part 100… Empty container collection device (article collection device (container volume reduction device))
100B ... Device main body 110 ... Container loading section (article loading section)
111 ... Outer door 112 ... Inner door 116 ... Mounting part 120 ... Volume reduction part (volume reduction mechanism)
140 ... Container storage unit (storage unit)

By the way, if the neck of an empty container and other parts are separated to form a lump smaller than the standard, the recycler may consider it out of the scope of recycling, so it is necessary to reliably collect the neck. In addition, it is required that the cap be surely collected.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an empty container recovery device capable of reliably recovering the neck portion of an empty container and also reliably recovering the cap of the empty container.

The empty container recovery device of the present invention has at least the following configurations.
An input port for inserting an empty container and
An illustration of the empty container having a mouthpiece thinner than the body, and a guide portion indicating the direction of the empty container to be loaded.
A cap slot for inserting the cap of an empty container, which is placed on the drinking spout side of the above illustration,
An empty container collection device characterized by being equipped with .

In the empty resin container A such as a PET bottle, the neck portion Ab is formed to be thicker than the thickness of other portions, specifically, the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag. As an empty container for recycling, for example, when the neck Ab of the empty container A and other parts are separated to form a lump smaller than the standard, the recycling company may consider it as not subject to recycling. The volume reduction portion 120 has a flat shape larger than the above standard so that the empty container can be recycled without the neck portion Ab, which is relatively thick and heavy, being separated from the shoulder portion and the body portion Ag. Reduce the volume.

Claims (4)

A mounting part on which articles can be placed and
The measuring part that supports the above-mentioned placement part and
It is provided with an outer door that is configured outside the support range of the measuring unit and that opens and closes the above-mentioned mounting unit so as to be exposed.
The article collecting device is characterized in that the outer door is configured to move from an open position to a closed position toward the above-mentioned placement portion. A control unit for controlling the movement of the outer door is provided.
When the control unit moves the outer door from the open position to the closed position, when the measuring unit detects a change in the weighing value, the control unit moves the outer door from the open position to the closed position. The article collection device according to claim 1, wherein the stop control is performed. A storage unit for accommodating the article is provided.
The article collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the above-mentioned placing portion has a mounting surface inclined so that the accommodating portion side is lower than the loading port side of the article. The article collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer door has a standby portion in the closed position.

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