JP2022025964A - Singulator - Google Patents

Abstract

To automatically detect, resolve, and recover, in an early stage, a state in a case where a stagnation situation such as jamming of an article or the like is generated on a conveyor for alignment in a singulator.SOLUTION: It is so constituted that a side movable guide 9 extending in a nearly straight line along an outer end 12 of a conveyor for alignment is provided in a lowermost downstream of the conveyor 3 for alignment, and a downstream side of the conveyor for alignment is horizontally rotated to a specific position toward a sub-returning part side as a vertical rotation axis, and is opened by the side movable guide. When blocked articles push the side movable guide toward a sub-returning part 4 from a side of the conveyor for alignment to make horizontal rotation by a specific angle or more toward the sub-returning part, the conveyor for alignment stops, the side movable guide horizontally rotates to the specific position further opened on the sub-returning part side, and a roller conveyer that is the conveyor for alignment reversely rotates to promote the articles onto the sub-returning part side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is a singer that moves articles such as packaged packages having a disordered orientation in the course direction and arranges them in a single column. , Regarding what can be restored.

In the industry that handles sorting and delivery of goods, it is required to be able to classify a large amount of various goods by sorting place at high speed and efficiently. Since the articles to be transported vary in size and shape and have disordered orientations on the conveyor, it is necessary to arrange them in a single column for easy sorting.

A singer has been conventionally used as a transport mechanism having such a role (see, for example, Patent Document 1). FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an example of a singer that is generally used in the past. In the figure, 1 is a singer, 2 is a machine frame forming a side wall extending linearly in the longitudinal direction, 3 is an alignment conveyor provided along the side wall, and the alignment conveyor 3 is an article. Has the role of arranging in a single column in the direction of the path and toward the side wall. Reference numeral 4 is a sub-return portion, and 5 is a main return portion. The sub-return portion 4 is provided on the side opposite to the side wall of the alignment conveyor 3, and articles that could not be aligned by the alignment conveyor 3 are provided. The main return portion 5 has a role of urging toward the main return portion 5, and the main return portion 5 is provided on the side of the sub return portion 4 and has a role of returning the article received from the sub return portion 4 to the upstream of the alignment conveyor 3. It is a thing. Reference numeral 6 is an article loading section into the singer 1, and reference numeral 7 is a transport outlet end of the singer 1, from which the article is cut out to the next transport path.

In the conventional singer having the above configuration, the articles are aligned in a single parallel along the side wall of the machine frame by the diagonally arranged drive rollers as the articles advance in the course of the aligning conveyor. Since the most downstream part of the aligning conveyor is a narrow cutting part for the article to advance to the next transport path, if the article flows in a misaligned state like parallel running in two rows, the article will be jammed. There was a problem that the stagnation occurred. In the past, workers had to check and manually remove misaligned items or urge the sub-return section to deal with this problem, but in recent years, the speed of equipment has increased. At present, it is difficult to promptly respond and restore depending on the ability and human power of workers due to the increase in the amount of goods handled.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-290912

The present invention has been made in view of the current state of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to reliably and quickly when a stagnation situation such as a jam of an article occurs in the most downstream part of a conveyor for arranging a singer. The purpose is to provide something that can be detected, the situation automatically resolved at an early stage, and recovered.

As a result of diligent studies to achieve the above object, the present inventor has made a substantially straight line along the outer end of the alignment conveyor (the end on the side away from the side wall constituting the machine frame) at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor. A side movable guide that extends in a shape is provided, and this side movable guide is configured to rotate horizontally around the downstream side to release the jammed article and urge it toward the secondary return part, and it is further clogged. When the article pushes the side movable guide toward the sub-return part and rotates horizontally by a specific angle or more, it is judged that the article has stagnated and the alignment conveyor is temporarily stopped, and the side movable guide is further opened toward the sub-return part. By rotating horizontally and rotating the roller conveyor at the most downstream part in the reverse direction to urge the article to the secondary return side, the stagnation situation due to the jam of the article can be prevented without relying on the ability or human power of the worker. We have found that it can be automatically detected, resolved, and restored at an early stage, and the present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention has been completed based on the above findings, and has the following configurations (1) to (14).
(1) A singer that moves articles having a disordered orientation in the course direction and aligns them in a single column, and the singer forms a side wall that extends linearly in the longitudinal direction. An alignment conveyor provided along the side wall, a sub-return portion provided on the side opposite to the side wall of the alignment conveyor, and a side of the sub-return portion opposite to the side of the alignment conveyor. Equipped with a main return part provided in
The aligning conveyor has an inner end on the side adjacent to the side wall and an outer end on the side away from the side wall.
The aligning conveyor comprises a roller conveyor composed of a plurality of diagonally arranged drive rollers on which the article is placed, and has a path direction component toward the transport outlet end and a lateral direction component toward the side wall of the article by these drive rollers. It is configured to prompt in a direction to align in a single column, and the secondary return section is configured to prompt the article received from the alignment conveyor away from the alignment conveyor and pass it to the main return section. , The main return portion is configured to return the article received from the sub return portion to the upstream of the alignment conveyor.
A side movable guide extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor is provided at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and the side movable guide uses the downstream side of the alignment conveyor as a vertical rotation axis. In the case where it is configured to rotate horizontally to a specific position and open toward the sub-return portion side.
When the article pushes the side movable guide from the alignment conveyor side toward the sub-return portion at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor and causes the side movable guide to rotate horizontally toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more. , The aligning conveyor is temporarily stopped, the side movable guide is horizontally rotated to a specific position opened to the sub-return portion side, and the roller conveyor at the most downstream portion of the aligning conveyor is rotated in the reverse direction to move the article. A singer characterized in that it is configured to perform an action that prompts the side of the secondary return.
(2) After performing the above operation, the roller conveyor of the alignment conveyor is stopped, the side movable guide returns to the original position extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor, and the alignment conveyor is moved. The singer according to (1), characterized in that it is configured to return to the operation of aligning articles in a single column.
(3) The description according to (1) or (2), wherein the specific position is a position where the side movable guide is horizontally rotated in a range of 60 to 100 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. Cingulator.
(4) The thin according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the specific angle is an angle at which the side movable guide is 10 to 40 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. Gurator.
(5) When the article horizontally rotates the side movable guide from the outer end toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more, a limit switch that is mechanically turned on is provided, and the limit switch is turned on. The singer according to any one of (1) to (4), which is configured to perform the above operation.
(6) The side movable guide is composed of an arm on the upstream side of the conveyor for alignment and an arm on the downstream side following the arm, and the arm on the upstream side is on the side of the secondary return portion with respect to the arm on the downstream side. The singer according to (5), which is characterized in that it is tilted to.
(7) The singer according to (6), wherein the inclination of the upstream arm with respect to the downstream arm is 10 degrees or less.
(8) The upstream arm has a first vertical rotation axis that rotates horizontally only on the upstream arm and opens toward the secondary return portion on the downstream side of the alignment conveyor of the upstream arm. The singer according to (6) or (7), which is characterized by having in.
(9) The singer according to any one of (6) to (8), wherein the upstream arm includes a leaf spring capable of absorbing pressure from the article on the alignment conveyor side.
(10) The limit switch is mechanically turned on when the upstream arm is rotated horizontally toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more (6). The singer according to any one of (9).
(11) The downstream arm has a second vertical rotation axis that the upstream arm and the downstream arm both rotate horizontally and open toward the sub-return portion side. The singer according to any one of (6) to (10), which is provided on the downstream side of the aligning conveyor.
(12) The aligning conveyor has the roller conveyors in a plurality of groups arranged one after another in the course direction, so that the group on the traveling direction side can have a faster roller speed among the adjacent groups. The singer according to any one of (1) to (11), which is characterized by being configured in.
(13) A photoelectric sensor that emits light that crosses the course direction of an article at a right angle is provided outside the inner end of the alignment conveyor at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and is provided at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor. The singer according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the photoelectric sensor detects a state in which the article does not move in the course direction and is configured to perform the operation.
(14) The thin according to (13), wherein the photoelectric sensor is configured to detect a state in which the article does not move in the traveling direction due to an event in which the emitted light is continuously shielded from light for a specific time. Gurator.

The singer of the present invention is provided with a side movable guide that extends substantially linearly along the outer end of the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and the jammed article pushes the side movable guide by a specific angle or more to check the stagnation state of the article. Since it is configured to detect and then rotate the roller conveyor in the most downstream part in the reverse direction to encourage the article to return to the secondary return part, it is clogged in the most downstream part of the alignment conveyor by running in two rows in parallel. It is possible to automatically detect, eliminate, and restore the stagnation status of the goods in a short time without relying on the ability or manpower of the worker.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an example of a conventionally used singer. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an example of the singer of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the vicinity of the conveyor for arranging the singer of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the side movable guide of the singer of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the photoelectric sensor of the singer of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing how articles are smoothly flowing in a single column at the most downstream portion of the conveyor for arranging the singer of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which articles run in two rows in parallel and are clogged and stagnant at the most downstream portion of the conveyor for arranging the singer of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which articles are running in two rows in parallel at the most downstream portion of the conveyor for arranging the singer of the present invention and are clogged and stagnant.

The singer of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The singer of the present invention is a device for arranging articles flowing in a disorderly orientation in a single column for subsequent processing such as sorting, and is a conventional thin device as shown in FIG. It has a basic configuration consisting of an alignment conveyor, a secondary return section, and a main return section similar to the gurator, but automatically and earlyly when a stagnation situation such as clogging of articles occurs in the most downstream section of the alignment conveyor. It is characterized by newly providing means that can be detected, resolved, and restored.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an example of the singer of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the vicinity of the most downstream portion of the conveyor for aligning the singer of the present invention shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a singer, 2 is a machine frame forming a side wall extending linearly in the longitudinal direction, and 3 is an alignment conveyor provided linearly along the side wall, and the alignment conveyor 3 Has the role of aligning the articles in a single column in the direction of the path and towards the side walls. Reference numeral 4 is a sub-return portion, and 5 is a main return portion. The sub-return portion 4 is provided on the side opposite to the side wall of the alignment conveyor 3, and articles that could not be aligned by the alignment conveyor 3 are provided. It has a role of urging toward the main return portion 5, and the main return portion 5 is provided on the side of the sub-return portion 4 on the side away from the alignment conveyor 3, and the article received from the sub-return portion 4 is placed on the alignment conveyor. It has the role of returning to the upstream of 3. Reference numeral 6 is an article loading section into the singer 1, and reference numeral 7 is a transport outlet end of the singer 1, from which the article is cut out to the next transport path. Reference numeral 8 is the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3 of the singer (the final drive unit portion in the course direction of the alignment conveyor (belt conveyor in the figure) and the drive unit portion immediately before it (roller conveyor in the figure). ), In the most downstream portion 8, a side movable guide 9 for detecting and eliminating the misalignment of the articles and a photoelectric sensor 10 for complementing the detection of the misalignment of the articles of the side movable guide 9 are provided. 11 (FIG. 3) is the inner end of the alignment conveyor 3 adjacent to the side wall, and 12 (FIG. 3) is the outer end of the alignment conveyor 3 on the side away from the side wall. Reference numeral 13 is a roller conveyor, 14 and 14'are belt conveyors, and 15 is a turntable with a roller conveyor.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the alignment conveyor 3 includes a roller conveyor 13 composed of a plurality of diagonally arranged drive rollers on which articles are placed, and the roller conveyor 13 advances the articles toward the transport outlet end 7. It can be oriented in a direction having a directional component and a lateral component towards the side wall and aligned in a single column along the side wall. In addition to the drive roller conveyor 13, the alignment conveyor 3 has been conventionally adopted such as a drive belt conveyor 14 that prompts an article in the traveling direction and a turntable 15 with a drive roller conveyor that can advance an article toward a secondary return portion 4. Can include a conveyor mechanism. The turntable 15 with a roller conveyor rotates the turntable so that subsequent articles do not continue to flow downstream when the number of flowing articles is large or when the articles are clogged and stagnated downstream. The article is urged toward the part 4 and the main return part 5.

As shown in FIGS. It can be configured so that it can have a faster roller speed. By configuring the roller conveyor 13 to increase in travel direction between groups, adjacent articles can be aligned in a single column at intervals from each other, resulting in contact between adjacent articles and thereby. Stagnation can be minimized. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the aligning conveyor 3 can be configured such that the width of the unit portion of the roller conveyor 13 is narrowed between the groups so as to be stepped between the front and rear groups. With this stepped portion, it is possible to guide the excess article in the direction away from the alignment conveyor 3 and minimize the parallel running of the articles in two rows.

As shown in FIGS. It is configured to pass to. The secondary return section 4 is a non-driven roller conveyor capable of naturally prompting an article to the main return section 5 by gravity, for example, with the alignment conveyor 3 side as the higher side and the main return section 5 side as the lower side. Alternatively, it can be composed of a chute or a drive roller conveyor. As shown in FIG. 2, the secondary return portion 4 is provided adjacent to the outer end 12 from the narrow width start portion (start of the stepped portion) of the alignment conveyor 3 to the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3. Is preferable.

As shown in FIGS. It is configured to return to the upstream of the alignment conveyor 3. The main return portion 5 can be composed of a conventionally adopted conveyor such as a drive roller conveyor or a drive belt conveyor, but the main return portion 5 is positioned lower than the alignment conveyor 3 by the sub return portion 4. In this case, it is preferable to return to the same height as the alignment conveyor 3 with a drive belt conveyor 14'or the like at any position of the transport path as shown in FIG.

In the singer 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a side movable guide 9 extending substantially linearly along the outer end 12 of the alignment conveyor 3 is provided at the most downstream portion 8 of the alignment conveyor 3. It is characteristic that it is. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the side movable guide 9 in a state of being pushed by the jammed article. As shown in FIG. 4, the side movable guide 9 has a tip end facing the upstream side of the alignment conveyor 3 with the downstream side of the alignment conveyor 3 as a vertical rotation axis and a sub-return portion 4 from the outer end 12 of the alignment conveyor 3. It is configured to rotate horizontally to a specific position and open to the side. Here, at a specific position, the tip facing the upstream side of the side movable guide 9 is horizontally rotated 60 to 100 degrees, particularly 60 to 90 degrees from the outer end 12 of the alignment conveyor 3 in order to easily release the jammed article. It is preferable that the position is set.

In the singer 1 of the present invention, when the articles are smoothly flowing in the traveling direction in a single column as shown in FIG. 6 at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3, the side movable guide 9 is for alignment. It is in a normal position substantially along the outer end 12 of the conveyor 3 and does not operate at all, but as shown in FIG. 7, the article is clogged by, for example, double-row parallel running, and is located upstream of the aligning conveyor 3 of the side movable guide 9. When the facing tip is pushed toward the sub-return portion 4 from the normal position and the side movable guide 9 is horizontally rotated toward the sub-return portion 4 by a specific angle or more, the alignment conveyor 3 is temporarily stopped. Here, it is sufficient to detect the clogging of the article at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3 at a specific angle, and the tip of the side movable guide 9 facing the upstream side is 10 to 10 to 10 from the outer end 12 of the alignment conveyor 3. The angle is preferably 40 degrees, particularly 12 to 35 degrees. Then, after the alignment conveyor 3 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 8, the side movable guide 9 horizontally rotates to the above-mentioned specific position further opened toward the sub-return portion 4, and is located at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3. The roller conveyor 13 (and, if necessary, the belt conveyor 14) rotates in the reverse direction to urge the article to the side of the secondary return portion 4. A time of this reverse rotation of about 1 to 10 seconds is sufficient.

After the stagnation due to clogging of articles is resolved by the above operation, the roller conveyor 13 (belt conveyor 14) of the alignment conveyor 3 that has been rotating in the reverse direction is stopped, and the side movable guide 9 is the outer end of the alignment conveyor 3. It returns to its original position extending substantially linearly along 12, and the aligning conveyor returns to the operation of aligning the articles in a single column again.

The above-mentioned series of operations can be started by any conventionally known method, but as shown in FIG. 7, the tip of the article facing the upstream side of the side movable guide 9 is the outer end of the aligning conveyor 3. A limit switch 19 that is mechanically turned on when horizontally rotated from 12 to the sub-return portion 4 by a specific angle or more is provided, and when the limit switch 19 is turned on, the above series of operations are performed. It is preferable to do so.

The side movable guide 9 extends substantially linearly along the outer end 12 of the alignment conveyor 3 at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor 3, and the tip facing the upstream side rotates horizontally toward the sub-return portion 4. Any configuration can be adopted as long as it has a structure capable of forming, but for example, as shown in FIG. 6, it is composed of an upstream arm 16 of the alignment conveyor 3 and a subsequent downstream arm 17, and is composed of an upstream arm. The 16 may be slightly tilted toward the secondary return portion 4 with respect to the downstream arm 17 so as to be susceptible to the collision pressure of the article from the upstream. The inclination of the upstream arm 16 with respect to the downstream arm 17 is preferably 10 degrees or less, and more preferably 3 to 10 degrees. Further, the upstream arm 16 preferably includes a leaf spring capable of absorbing the pressure from the article on the alignment conveyor 3 side.

When the side movable guide 9 is composed of the upstream arm 16 and the downstream arm 17, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, only the upstream arm 16 rotates horizontally due to the pressing of the stagnant article and returns as a secondary. The first vertical rotation shaft 18 that opens toward the portion 4 side may be configured to be provided on the downstream side of the alignment conveyor 3 of the upstream arm 16. In this case, the portion of the upstream arm 16 of the side movable guide 9 plays a role of detecting the stagnation state of the clogged article. In particular, when the limit switch 19 is present, the upstream arm 16 can be configured to turn on by horizontally rotating the upstream arm 16 about a specific angle or more about the first vertical rotation shaft 18.

Further, when the side movable guide 9 is composed of the upstream side arm 16 and the downstream side arm 17, after the upstream side arm 16 detects the stagnation state of the article as described above, FIG. As shown in (not shown), the mechanism near the rotation shaft 18 and the limit switch 19 is driven so that the upstream arm 16 and the downstream arm 17 rotate horizontally together and open toward the sub-return portion 4. (Ii) The vertical rotating shaft 20 may be configured to be provided on the downstream side of the alignment conveyor 3 of the downstream arm 17. In this case, the downstream arm 17 of the side movable guide 9 plays a role of opening the clogged article. As a result, the upstream arm 16 and the downstream arm 17 of the side movable guide 9 can effectively share the roles of detecting the stagnant state of the article and releasing the stagnant article.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the singer 1 of the present invention emits light that crosses the path direction of the article at a right angle to the outside of the inner end 11 of the alignment conveyor 3 at the most downstream portion 8 of the alignment conveyor 3. (In FIG. 5, the photoelectric sensor 10 that emits light in the direction of the arrow) can be provided. As the photoelectric sensor 10, a transmission type or reflection type sensor conventionally used in the art can be used. For example, in the case of the transmission type, a light receiving portion is provided in the light emission direction and the article cannot move in the path direction. When there is a state, an event occurs in which the object keeps blocking light for a certain period of time or more between the light emitting part and the light receiving part, and it is preferable that it is possible to detect that the stagnation of the article is caused by this event. In addition to the detection by the side movable guide 9, it is preferable that the detection by the photoelectric sensor 10 automatically starts the operation for resolving the stagnation state of the above-mentioned series of articles. In this way, by detecting the stagnant state of the article by the photoelectric sensor 10 in addition to the side movable guide 9, it is possible to reliably and quickly detect the stagnant article.

The embodiment of the singer of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but the form of each part of the basic configuration of the singer, the form and operation method of the side movable guide, and the form and operation method of the photoelectric sensor are described. , Not limited to these embodiments. Substitutions, additions, changes, and deletions of some of the techniques of the above embodiments belong to the technical scope of the invention as long as the conditions specified in the independent claims of the present invention are satisfied and the object of the present invention can be achieved. Needless to say.

The singer of the present invention not only aligns articles flowing in a chaotic direction in a single column in the course direction, but also causes a stagnation situation such as clogging of articles during alignment. The contribution to the distribution industry is extremely large because it is possible to automatically eliminate and recover from the situation at an early stage without relying on.

1 Singulator 2 Machine frame 3 Alignment conveyor 4 Secondary return part 5 Main return part 6 Goods loading part 7 Conveyor outlet end 8 Most downstream part 9 Side movable guide 10 Photoelectric sensor 11 Inner end 12 Outer end 13 Roller conveyor 14 Belt conveyor 14'Belt conveyor 15 Turntable with roller conveyor 16 Upstream side arm 17 Downstream side arm 18 First vertical rotation shaft 19 Limit switch 20 Second vertical rotation shaft

That is, the present invention has been completed based on the above findings, and has the following configurations (1) to ( 13 ).
(1) A singer that moves articles having a disordered orientation in the course direction and aligns them in a single column, and the singer forms a side wall that extends linearly in the longitudinal direction. An alignment conveyor provided along the side wall, a sub-return portion provided on the side opposite to the side wall of the alignment conveyor, and a side of the sub-return portion opposite to the side of the alignment conveyor. Equipped with a main return part provided in
The aligning conveyor has an inner end on the side adjacent to the side wall and an outer end on the side away from the side wall.
The aligning conveyor comprises a roller conveyor composed of a plurality of diagonally arranged drive rollers on which the article is placed, and has a path direction component toward the transport outlet end and a lateral direction component toward the side wall of the article by these drive rollers. It is configured to prompt in a direction to align in a single column, and the secondary return section is configured to prompt the article received from the alignment conveyor away from the alignment conveyor and pass it to the main return section. , The main return portion is configured to return the article received from the sub return portion to the upstream of the alignment conveyor.
A side movable guide extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor is provided at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and the side movable guide uses the downstream side of the alignment conveyor as a vertical rotation axis. In the case where it is configured to rotate horizontally to a specific position and open toward the sub-return portion side.
When the article pushes the side movable guide from the alignment conveyor side toward the sub-return portion at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor and causes the side movable guide to rotate horizontally toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more. , The aligning conveyor is temporarily stopped, the side movable guide is horizontally rotated to a specific position opened to the sub-return portion side, and the roller conveyor at the most downstream portion of the aligning conveyor is rotated in the reverse direction to move the article. It is configured to perform an action that prompts the side of the secondary return part , and
The side movable guide is composed of an arm on the upstream side of the conveyor for alignment and an arm on the downstream side following the arm, and the arm on the upstream side is tilted toward the secondary return portion with respect to the arm on the downstream side. A singer characterized by being .
(2) After performing the above operation, the roller conveyor of the alignment conveyor is stopped, the side movable guide returns to the original position extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor, and the alignment conveyor is moved. The singer according to (1), characterized in that it is configured to return to the operation of aligning articles in a single column.
(3) The description according to (1) or (2), wherein the specific position is a position where the side movable guide is horizontally rotated in a range of 60 to 100 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. Cingulator.
(4) The thin according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the specific angle is an angle at which the side movable guide is 10 to 40 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. Gurator.
(5) When the article horizontally rotates the side movable guide from the outer end toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more, a limit switch that is mechanically turned on is provided, and the limit switch is turned on. The singer according to any one of (1) to (4), which is configured to perform the above operation.
( 6 ) The singer according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the inclination of the upstream arm with respect to the downstream arm is 10 degrees or less.
( 7 ) The upstream arm has a first vertical rotation axis that rotates horizontally only on the upstream arm and opens toward the sub-return portion on the downstream side of the alignment conveyor of the upstream arm. The singer according to any one of (1) to (6) .
( 8 ) The singer according to any one of (1) to (7) , wherein the upstream arm includes a leaf spring capable of absorbing pressure from the article on the alignment conveyor side.
( 9 ) The limit switch is mechanically turned on when the upstream arm is rotated horizontally toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more (1) to The singer according to any one of (8) .
( 10 ) The downstream arm has a second vertical rotation axis that the upstream arm and the downstream arm both rotate horizontally and open toward the sub-return portion side. The singer according to any one of (1) to (9) , which is provided on the downstream side of the aligning conveyor.
( 11 ) The aligning conveyor has the roller conveyors in a plurality of groups arranged one after another in the course direction, so that the group on the traveling direction side can have a faster roller speed among the adjacent groups. The singer according to any one of (1) to ( 10 ), which is characterized by being configured in.
( 12 ) A photoelectric sensor that emits light that crosses the course direction of an article at a right angle is provided outside the inner end of the alignment conveyor at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and is provided at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor. The singer according to any one of (1) to ( 11 ), wherein the photoelectric sensor detects a state in which the article does not move in the course direction and is configured to perform the operation.
( 13 ) The thin according to ( 12 ), wherein the photoelectric sensor is configured to detect a state in which an article does not move in the traveling direction due to an event in which the emitted light is continuously shielded from light for a specific time. Gurator.

Claims (14)

A singer that moves articles with chaotic orientations in the course direction and aligns them in a single column. An alignment conveyor provided along the line, a sub-return portion provided on the side opposite to the side wall of the alignment conveyor, and a sub-return portion provided on the side opposite to the side of the alignment conveyor of the sub-return portion. Equipped with a main return part
The aligning conveyor has an inner end on the side adjacent to the side wall and an outer end on the side away from the side wall.
The aligning conveyor comprises a roller conveyor consisting of a plurality of diagonally arranged drive rollers on which the article is placed, and has a path direction component toward the transport outlet end and a lateral direction component toward the side wall of the article by these drive rollers. It is configured to prompt in a direction to align in a single column, and the secondary return section is configured to prompt the article received from the alignment conveyor away from the alignment conveyor and pass it to the main return section. , The main return portion is configured to return the article received from the sub return portion to the upstream of the alignment conveyor.
A side movable guide extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor is provided at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and the side movable guide uses the downstream side of the alignment conveyor as a vertical rotation axis. In the case where it is configured to rotate horizontally to a specific position and open toward the sub-return portion side.
When the article pushes the side movable guide from the alignment conveyor side toward the sub-return portion at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor and causes the side movable guide to rotate horizontally toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more. , The aligning conveyor is temporarily stopped, the side movable guide is horizontally rotated to a specific position opened to the sub-return portion side, and the roller conveyor at the most downstream portion of the aligning conveyor is rotated in the reverse direction to move the article. A singer characterized by being configured to perform an action that prompts the side of the secondary return. After performing the above operation, the roller conveyor of the alignment conveyor is stopped, the side movable guide returns to the original position extending substantially linearly along the outer end of the alignment conveyor, and the alignment conveyor simply puts the article. The singer according to claim 1, wherein the singer is configured to return to the operation of aligning in one column. The singer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the specific position is a position where the side movable guide is horizontally rotated in a range of 60 to 100 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. The singer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the specific angle is an angle at which the side movable guide is 10 to 40 degrees from the outer end of the alignment conveyor. When the article horizontally rotates the side movable guide from the outer end toward the sub-return portion by a specific angle or more, a limit switch that is mechanically turned on is provided, and the limit switch is turned on, so that the limit switch is turned on. The singer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the singer is configured to perform an operation. The side movable guide is composed of an arm on the upstream side of the conveyor for alignment and an arm on the downstream side following the arm, and the arm on the upstream side is tilted toward the secondary return portion with respect to the arm on the downstream side. The singer according to claim 5, wherein the singer is characterized by the above. The singer according to claim 6, wherein the inclination of the upstream arm with respect to the downstream arm is 10 degrees or less. The upstream arm has a first vertical rotation axis on the downstream side of the alignment conveyor of the upstream arm, in which only the upstream arm rotates horizontally and opens toward the sub-return portion side. The singer according to claim 6 or 7. The singer according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the upstream arm includes a leaf spring capable of absorbing pressure from the aligning conveyor-side article. 6. The singer described in the crab. The downstream side arm rotates horizontally together with the upstream side arm and the downstream side arm, and the second vertical rotation axis that opens toward the sub-return portion side is the alignment conveyor of the downstream side arm. The singer according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the singer is provided on the downstream side of the above. The aligning conveyor has the roller conveyors in a plurality of groups arranged one after another in the course direction, and the group on the traveling direction side can have a faster roller speed among adjacent groups. The singer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the singer is characterized by the above. A photoelectric sensor that emits light that crosses the path direction of the article at a right angle is provided outside the inner end of the alignment conveyor at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor, and the article is path at the most downstream portion of the alignment conveyor. The singer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the photoelectric sensor is configured to perform the operation when the photoelectric sensor detects a state in which it does not move in a direction. 13. The singer according to claim 13, wherein the photoelectric sensor is configured to detect a state in which the article does not move in the traveling direction due to an event in which the emitted light is continuously shielded from light for a specific time.

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