JP2022070099A - Sorting conveyor device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sorting conveyor device that can sort at a high speed and eliminates the reduction of the conveyor machine width and the redundancy of the sorting zone without lateral turning, rotation or damage of articles.SOLUTION: A sliding shoe 13 makes a trajectory moving in a lightly sloped straight line or curve up to the skew guide rail and makes a trajectory moving on the skew guide rail in a more steeply sloped straight line or curve than the lightly sloped straight line or curve up to the skew guide rail. The conveyor device includes: the sliding shoe 13 that has a vane shaft, a vane arm, and a vane helm as direction switching members of the sliding shoe 13 continuously provided under the sliding shoe cover; a switching device that contacts the vane helm and changes the direction of the sliding shoe 13; and a nose that contacts the vane helm and guides the sliding shoe 13; and a nose that contacts the vane arm and guides the sliding shoe 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

The present invention relates to a sorting conveyor device. More specifically, it is attached to a sorting conveyor device, particularly a slat conveyor device, for transferring articles and article storage containers (hereinafter referred to as "articles") having different forms and sizes from a main transport path to a branch transport path. The present invention relates to a sorting conveyor device in which articles are turned, distributed, discharged and transferred from a main transport path to a branch transport path by a slide shoe.

In a distribution system, when different articles are mixed and moved along the main transport path and it is necessary to sort these articles in the branch transport path, a sorting device is provided according to the transport method of the main transport path for transporting the articles. A sorting conveyor is arranged. For example, a slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor, a wheel switching type belt conveyor, a pop-up roller type belt conveyor, a turn wheel type roller conveyor, and the like can be mentioned.

In particular, the slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is suitable for transporting articles having different shapes, shapes, sizes, etc. such as cases, bags, thin objects, etc., and is widely used as a sorting conveyor. ing. At both ends thereof, sprockets 71 and 72 inserted on both sides of the drive shaft 5 and sprockets 81 and 82 inserted on both sides of the driven shaft 6 are arranged and endlessly stretched on them. The chains 41 and 42 have a skeletal structure in which a large number of elongated slats 3 on which the article 1 is placed are connected, and a slide shoe 13 that freely slides along the slats 3 is inserted into the slats 3. It is a conveyor. Further, in the slat conveyor 2, the transport direction connecting frame 14 and the slat direction connecting frame are erected on the main body stands 101 and 102 to form a device frame, and are operated by the main body covers 111 and 112 for safe operation and device protection. The part is shielded. As a typical example of the sorting system using such a slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor 2, the configuration as shown in FIG. 1 can be mentioned. That is, the slat conveyor 2 that conveys the article 1 in the direction of the arrow is used as the main transfer path, and the branch conveyors 121 and 122 are connected as the branch transfer path to the side portions thereof to form the sorting zones S1 and S2, where the article 1 is formed. Is extruded by the slide shoe 13, and the article 1 is sorted from the slat conveyor 2 to the branch conveyors 121 and 122.

In such a system, the slide shoe 13 can sort the article 1 in the sorting zones S1 and S2 because the slide shoe 13 is operated by the following mechanism, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. do.

The rotation of the motor 9 is transmitted from the drive shaft 5 to the endless chains 41 and 42 via the sprockets 71 and 72, and a large number of elongated slats 3 connected to the endless chains 41 and 42 travel. The slide shoe 13 is composed of a shoe cover 131, a wheel 132, a shoe support shaft 133, and a shoe slide 134, and the slats 3 are inserted into the shoe slide 134 so as to freely slide along the slats 3. In addition, the wheel 132 fitted to the shoe support shaft 133 is configured to be guided by guide rails 171A, 172A, 171B, 172B, 221A, 222A, 231A, 232A arranged in various places of the slat conveyor 2. Has been done. Therefore, the slide shoe 13 is guided by the direct guide rails 171A, 172A, 171B, and 172B as the slats 3 travel, and moves in the traveling direction of the slats 3, and the diagonal guide rails 221A, 222A, 231A, and 232A. It is possible to move in the longitudinal direction of the slats 3 as well. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the oblique guide rails 221A, 222A, 231A, 232A, the upper left / right switching devices 251A, 252A, and the crossroad switching device 24A are arranged in the sorting zones S1 and S2, and the known technique is used. The control signal of the control computer based on the article information aggregated in a certain central information system activates the upper left / right switching devices 251A and 252A, so that the article 1 on the slat 3 is conveyed in the traveling direction of the slat conveyor 2. , It is pushed out to the branch conveyors 121 and 122 by the slide shoe 13 moving in the longitudinal direction of the slats 3 and sorted. Note that FIG. 4 depicts, as an example, a magnetic shoe support shaft switching type device in which the upper left / right switching devices 251A and 252A are provided with electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching units 251A1 and 251A2. It can be replaced with a target shoe support shaft switching method or the like.

In such a slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor, since the capacity of the switching devices 251A and 252A shown in FIG. 4 has a great influence on the sorting processing capacity of articles, various types of switching devices have been developed and improved. Broadly speaking, there are a magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and a mechanical shoe support shaft switching method. The former is a method in which the magnetic force is directly used for switching, and the latter is a method in which the physical kinetic force of various actuators is used. And these typical switching methods can be described by using the schematic diagram of the typical slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

In a typical switching mechanism of the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method, energization and de-energization of an electromagnet induces attraction and non-attraction of the wheel 132 constituting the slide shoe 13 in FIG. 3, and the shoe support shaft 133 is moved center. It is based on switching the moving direction of the slide shoe 13 as an axis (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

As described above, the slide shoe 13 in the upper part of the slat conveyor 2 of FIGS. 1 to 4 is guided by the direct guide rails 171A and 172A as the slat 3 travels, and moves in the traveling direction of the slat 3. It can also move in the longitudinal direction of the slat 3 by being guided by the diagonal guide rails 221A, 222A, 231A, and 232A. Therefore, the switching devices 251A and 252A arranged at the predetermined sorting positions in FIG. 4 are provided with the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching portions 251A1 and 252A1 having an electromagnet built in, and when energized by transmitting a control signal, the electromagnet is turned on. The wheel 132 provided below the slide shoe 13 formed of a ferromagnet is attracted, and the slide shoe 13 moves in the longitudinal direction of the slats 3. On the contrary, if it is not energized, it moves in the traveling direction of the slat 3. For example, when the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching portion 251A1 of the upper right switching device 251A provided inside the upper right direct guide rail 171A is energized by transmitting a control signal, the electromagnet inside the switching portion 251A1 is turned on to the wheel 132. The wheel 132 moves along the switching portion 251A1 as the slat 3 advances, so that the slide shoe 13 moves from the upper right direct guide rail 171A to the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail with the shoe support shaft 133 as the center of movement. It is guided to 221A. Then, the article 1 is the main transport path by being guided to the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A via the upper crossing path switching device 24A and completing the movement of the slide shoe 13 in the longitudinal direction. Sorting from the slat conveyor 2 to the left branch conveyor 122, which is a branch transfer path, is completed.

According to such an electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching device, although it is considered that there is a limit to the transport speed due to the magnetic force, the structure is simple, and it is the wheel composed of bearings, rollers, etc. that contacts in the switching operation. Therefore, the slide shoe can be smoothly switched, and noise and wear can be reduced, and the slide shoe has been widely used.

On the other hand, a typical switching mechanism of the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method is a moving central axis of the slide shoe 13 by the operation of switching members having various names such as rails, blocks, and assemblies using the physical kinetic force of the actuator. The shoe support shaft 133 is guided, and the movement direction of the slide shoe 13 is basically switched (for example, Patent Documents 3 to 7).

In Patent Document 3, to explain with reference to FIG. 4, in the switching devices 251A and 252A arranged at predetermined sorting positions, instead of the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching portions 251A1 and 252A1, a cylinder (not shown) is used. When the operating switch rail is provided at a predetermined switching position and is energized by transmitting a control signal, the switch rail rotates in the orthogonal direction or the oblique direction to guide the shoe support shaft 133 of the slide shoe 13. Therefore, a switching mechanism is disclosed in which the slide shoe 13 moves in the traveling direction of the slat 3 and also moves in the longitudinal direction of the slat 3. Further, in Patent Document 4, instead of the switch rail, a rail-shaped switching member called a switch assembly rotates mechanically or magnetically, and a mechanism for switching the slide shoe called a pusher in the orthogonal direction or the oblique direction. Is disclosed.

Further, in Patent Documents 5, 6, and 7, instead of the rail-shaped switching member, a switching block that rotates with an air cylinder, a distribution guide that rotates with a hydraulic cylinder, and a linear motor type electric telescopic drive, respectively. A distribution guide that rotates with the device is disclosed as a switching member.

As described above, as a mechanical shoe support shaft switching method, a switching mechanism for rotating various types of switching members by using various physical kinetic forces has been disclosed, but there is a difference in accuracy. By rotating the lever-shaped switching member, the shoe support shaft 133, which is the center axis of movement of the slide shoe 13, is guided in the orthogonal direction or the oblique direction, and the principle of switching the moving direction of the slide shoe 13 remains unchanged.

Such a mechanical shoe support shaft switching method is also considered to have problems such as wear, frequent maintenance and inspection, and noise because the lever-shaped switching member and the shoe support shaft physically collide with each other. It has the feature that it can be switched reliably, and has been widely used.

However, in recent years, in addition to the quantitative expansion of logistics, the qualitative expansion of wanting to obtain the necessary goods when needed, which is seen in the expansion of the home delivery business for individuals due to the spread of the Internet, has been increasing not only in industry but also in general consumers. As the company has become stronger and has rapidly streamlined logistics, that is, the logistics revolution has been demanded and promoted, the efficiency of material handling equipment and devices that perform basic logistics operations is required to be further improved. That is, material handling devices / equipment have been required to have the ability to accurately and quickly transport, transfer, sort, and aggregate a wide variety of articles.

The sorting conveyor device such as the slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor described above is no exception, and the ability to sort a wide variety of articles having different shapes, weights, volumes, etc. at high speed and accurately is required more than before.

However, in both the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method sorting conveyor device, the article rolls, rotates, and is damaged due to the collision between the slide shoe and the article, and the slide shoe malfunctions. In order to avoid this, a predetermined switching time is required, and immediately after switching the slide shoe, it is not possible to sort by contacting the article, and it is necessary to provide a margin in the machine width of the sorting conveyor device, which is difficult to shorten. In addition, the sorting zone of the sorting conveyor device becomes redundant in the transport direction. This is because, in particular, in the case of the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method, if the slide shoe comes into contact with the article immediately after the slide shoe is switched, the slide shoe switching by the magnetic force is not completed at this stage, so that the load of the article is the slide shoe and its support. The problem arises that the shaft is loaded and departs from the switching track that should be directed toward the oblique guide rail. On the other hand, in the case of the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method, if the slide shoe comes into contact with the article immediately after the slide shoe is switched, the slide shoe switching by the physical kinetic force is not completed at this stage, so that the load of the article is the slide shoe and its support. Since the load is applied to the lever or the like that transmits the physical kinetic force together with the shaft, problems such as rotation of the article and malfunction and breakage of the lever occur.

Therefore, these switching type sorting conveyor devices have insufficient ability to sort a wide variety of articles having different forms, weights, volumes, etc. at high speed, accurately and in large quantities, and to make the sorting conveyor device correspond to the structure of the building. Met. That is, these sorting conveyor devices have common problems in terms of accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting operation, and miniaturization of the sorting conveyor device.

Therefore, in the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method, for example, a solution as shown in Patent Document 8 has been proposed. FIG. 5 shows the initial operation of switching the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail when the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching method provided with the solution is applied as the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series of.

The conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching method operates as follows. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The slide shoe 13 inserted into the slat 3 moved by the direct guide rail 171A is located at the right end 13-1 of the slat 3 in the transport direction, and the upper right switching device 251A performs an accurate switching operation, so that the shoe is supported. Control (not shown) when the upper right shoe support shaft switching direction guidance guide 261A that guides the shaft 133 guides the user to a position 13-2 suitable for switching and is detected by the upper right slide shoe support shaft detection sensor 291A. A signal is sent to the device. Next, a control signal is transmitted and energized from the control device to the main electromagnet (1) 251A11 in the upper right electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching unit 251A1 in the upper right switching device 251A, and the wheel 132 of the slide shoe 13 has a magnetic force. It is sucked by the generation and moves in the longitudinal direction of the slats 3 and in the direction 13-3 of the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A. Further, as the slat 3 moves in the transport direction, the shoe support shaft 133 is guided by the upper right shoe support shaft oblique direction guide guide 281A provided with the shoe support shaft nose 251A31 of the upper right nose portion 251A3. Up to -4, the wheel 132 is attracted and guided by the auxiliary magnet (2) 251A12, the auxiliary magnet (3) 251A13, and the auxiliary magnet (4) 251A14. After that, the slide shoe 13 guided by the upper right shoe support shaft oblique direction guide 281A has a wheel 132 at the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A provided with the wheel nose 251A32 of the upper right nose portion 251A3. Reaches the position 13-5 where the wheel is supported, and the switching of the slide shoe 13 is completed.

However, unless the slide shoe 13 switched by the attractive force of the electromagnets 251A11, 251A12, 251A13, and 251A14 is braked until this switching is completed, the slide shoe malfunctions due to the contact between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1. Therefore, a predetermined switching time is required, and immediately after the slide shoe 13 is switched, the load of the article 1 due to the contact between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1 is applied, and the sorting operation cannot be started. It is necessary to convey the position separated from the right end of the slat 3 by ΔD1. This makes it difficult for the magnetic shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device to require time for the slide shoe cover 131 to come into contact with the article 1 and to shorten the machine width of the slat conveyor 2. At the same time, it has caused a problem that the transport directions of the sorting zones S1 and S2 of the article 1 become redundant.

In response to this problem, in Patent Document 8, as shown in FIG. 5, the gradient α1 of the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A is set from the gradient α of the normal oblique guide rail 221A shown in FIG. By increasing the size, the time required for the slide shoe cover 131 to come into contact with the article 1 is shortened, and the sorting speed is increased.

Further, at the position 13-6 where the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1 come into contact with each other, the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1 are formed by reducing the gradient α2 of the latter half 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A. The article 1 was prevented from rolling over, rotating, and being damaged due to contact with the article 1, and the accuracy and safety of sorting were maintained.

Further, in order to prevent rolling, rotation, damage, etc. of the article 1, the gradient of the front half portion 232A1 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A is the gradient of the latter half portion 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A. The gradient α3 of the latter half 232A2 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A is equal to or higher than the gradient α1 of the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A so as to be α2 and not to reduce the sorting speed. Therefore, the lengths of the latter half 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A and the front half portion 232A1 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A have been shortened. As described above, the sorting conveyor device of the magnetic shoe support shaft switching system of Patent Document 8 is designed so as to ensure the accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting, and as a result, as shown in FIG. As a result, sorting is performed so that the trajectory of the slide shoe 13 is drawn.

However, even with this improved magnetic shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device, the distance ΔD1 between the end of the slat 3 and the article 1 based on the switching mechanism cannot be eliminated, so that the width of the slat conveyor 2 is shortened. Is difficult. At the same time, in order to prevent rollover, rotation, damage, etc. due to contact of the article 1 with the slide shoe cover 131, the latter half 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A and the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A It is also difficult to dispel the redundancy of the first half 232A1 of the above.

That is, the magnetic shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device is essentially further improved in terms of accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting operation, and miniaturization of the sorting conveyor device. There is room for application.

On the other hand, in the sorting conveyor device of the mechanical shoe support shaft switching type, for example, Patent Document 4 proposes a solution as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail when the lever type shoe support shaft switching method provided with the solution is applied as the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor of FIGS. 1 to 4. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series.

The conventional mechanical shoe support shaft switching method operates as follows. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The slide shoe 13 inserted into the slats 3 moved by the direct guide rail 171A is located at the right end 13-1 of the slats 3 in the transport direction, like the magnetic shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device, and is located on the upper right side. Since the switching device 251A performs an accurate switching operation, the upper right shoe support shaft switching direction guidance guide 261A that guides the shoe support shaft 133 guides the user to a position 13-2 suitable for switching, and detects the upper right slide shoe support shaft. When detected by the sensor 291A, a signal is transmitted to a control device (not shown). Next, a control signal is transmitted and energized from the control device to the actuator that rotates the lever rotation shaft 251A22 of the upper right lever type shoe support shaft switching portion 251A2 in the upper right switching device 251A, and the lever 251A21 is the direct guide rail 171A. It opens to the side and moves the shoe support shaft 133 of the slide shoe 13 in the longitudinal direction of the slats 3 and in the direction 13-3 of the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A. Further, the shoe support shaft 133 is guided by the lever 251A21 and passes through the position 13-4 guided by the upper right shoe support shaft oblique direction guide guide 281A provided with the shoe support shaft nose 251A31 of the upper right nose portion 251A3. Then, it reaches the position 13-5 where the wheel 132 is supported by the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A provided with the wheel nose 251A32 of the upper right nose portion 251A3, and the switching of the slide shoe 13 is completed. ..

However, until this switching is completed, the load of the article 1 is supported by the lever 251A21 via the shoe support shaft 133, which induces damage to the upper right lever type shoe support shaft switching portion 251A2 in the upper right switching device 251A. It is not possible to shift to the sorting operation by contact between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1, and the article 1 is located at a position separated by ΔD2 from the right end of the slat 3 as in the sorting conveyor device of the magnetic shoe support shaft switching type. Need to be transported. This makes it difficult for the mechanical shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device to require unnecessary time for the slide shoe cover 131 to come into contact with the article 1 and to shorten the machine width of the slat conveyor 2. At the same time, it has caused a problem that the transport directions of the sorting zones S1 and S2 of the article 1 become redundant.

In response to this problem, in Patent Document 4, as shown in FIG. 7, the slat conveyor 2 is conveyed at a high speed to maintain the high speed of sorting, and the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side diagonal guide rail 221A is provided. By making the gradient β1 smaller than the gradient α of the normal diagonal guide rail 221A shown in FIG. 4, the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1 are arranged at the contact positions 13-7 between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1. Rollover, rotation, damage, etc. due to contact with the conveyor were prevented, and the accuracy and safety of sorting were maintained.

Further, in the sorting operation after the contact position 13-7 between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1, the article 1 is left by increasing the gradient β2 of the latter half 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A. The sorting time until the transfer to the branch conveyor 122 was shortened, and the sorting speed was increased.

Further, in order not to reduce the sorting speed, the gradient of the front half portion 232A1 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A is set to the gradient β2 of the latter half portion 221A2 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A, and the upper right upstream side. The slide shear that moves at high speed on the latter half 221A2 of the oblique guide rail 221A and the first half 232A1 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A reduces the impact when the slats 3 plunge into a predetermined position in the transport direction. Therefore, in order to prevent damage when the conveyed article 1 is transferred to the left branch conveyor 122, the gradient β3 of the latter half 232A2 of the upper left downstream side oblique guide rail 232A is on the upper right upstream side. It was also considered effective for ensuring safety that the gradient β1 of the front half portion 221A1 of the diagonal guide rail 221A was equal to or less than the gradient β1. As described above, the sorting conveyor device of the mechanical shoe support shaft switching system is also designed so as to ensure the accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting, and as a result, the slide shoe as shown in FIG. Sorting has come to be performed so that the locus of 13 is drawn.

However, even in the sorting conveyor device of the mechanical shoe support shaft switching type, it is difficult to shorten the machine width of the slat conveyor 2 because the distance ΔD2 between the end of the slat 3 and the article 1 based on the switching mechanism cannot be eliminated. .. At the same time, in order to prevent rollover, rotation, damage, etc. due to contact with the slide shoe cover 131 of the article 1, the redundancy of the front half portion 221A1 of the upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A and the movement at high speed are performed. Upper left to reduce the impact when the slide shoe enters a predetermined position in the transport direction of the slats 3 and to prevent damage when the article 1 to be transported is transferred to the left branch conveyor 122. It is also difficult to eliminate the redundancy of the latter half 232A2 of the downstream diagonal guide rail 232A. Further, the article sorting preparation section Δg for the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching, which is a combination of the wheel guidance section Δe by the electromagnet and the wheel guidance section Δf by the oblique guide rail shown in FIG. 5, and the wheel guidance section by the lever shown in FIG. Comparing Δh with the article sorting preparation section Δj of the lever type shoe support shaft switching that combines the wheel guidance section Δi by the oblique guide rail, the mechanical shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device is more redundant. .. Furthermore, comparing the slide shoe movement stroke ΔL1 required for sorting the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching in FIG. 6 with the slide shoe moving stroke ΔL2 required for sorting the lever type shoe support shaft switching, the mechanical shoe support shaft The switching type sorting conveyor device is more redundant.

That is, the mechanical shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device is essentially further improved in terms of accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting operation, and miniaturization of the sorting conveyor device. There is still a need to apply.

Further, the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method have problems caused by the shoe support shaft even at the intersection where the slide shoe crosses the left and right orthogonal guide rails. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a crossroad switching device using a cam 24A1 near the sorting zones S1 and S2 where the left and right upstream diagonal guide rails 221A and 222A and the left and right downstream diagonal guide rails 231A and 232A intersect. When the 24A is deployed, the crossroad switching device 24A is a wheel of the slide shoe 13 in the notches 221A1 and 222A1 formed for the slide shoe 13 to pass through the left and right upstream diagonal guide rails 221A and 222A. The cam 24A1 that can receive the load received from the 132 on the left and right upstream diagonal guide rails 221A and 222A is swung left and right, and the slide shoe 13 is smoothly moved. Conventionally, such an intersection switching device has a complicated structure because it requires power, and has a problem that the occupied space of the intersection switching device becomes large. However, it is described in Patent Documents 11 and 12, etc. As described above, a method has been proposed that does not require power to distribute the support shaft of the slide shoe to the left and right. However, such a method still requires a complicated power transmission mechanism such as an arm or an elastic body in order to mechanically swing the cam or the like, and also has a switching mechanism such as a cam or a shoe support. It does not solve the essential problem that the friction with the shaft and the heat generated by it are severe and the wear of both is remarkable.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-22649 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-273439 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-000722 Special Table 2006-519743 Gazette Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-048558 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-043067 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-053647 Japanese Patent No. 5542997 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-145116 Japanese Patent No. 6470465 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-024619 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-126250

As described in detail in the background art, the conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device and the lever type shoe support shaft switching type sorting conveyor device can be essentially solved based on the switching mechanism. It has the problems of realizing difficult, accurate, safe, and high-speed sorting operations, and downsizing the sorting conveyor device. In particular, the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the lever type shoe support shaft switching method essentially require time for switching the slide shoe, and the slide shoe and the article cannot be brought into contact immediately after the switching, that is, that is, Since the slide shoe and the article require a predetermined distance, there is a problem that the impact due to the contact between the slide shoe and the article cannot be completely eliminated and the width of the conveyor cannot be shortened. Further, there is also a problem that the mechanism of the cross road switching device of the slide shoe that moves to the left and right of the slat conveyor is complicated, and the cross road switching device and the shoe support shaft are severely worn.

From this point of view, the present invention is based on a sorting conveyor device for transferring articles of different forms, sizes, etc. from a main transfer path to a branch transfer path, particularly a slide shoe attached to a slat conveyor device and moving. A wide variety of articles with different forms, weights, volumes, etc. that solve the above problems with respect to the slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor device that can transfer articles from the route to the branch transport route by changing direction, distributing, and discharging. It is intended to provide a sorting conveyor device capable of sorting without rolling, rotating, and damaging, capable of high-speed sorting, narrow machine width and sorting zone, and space-saving. .. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a sorting conveyor device that is excellent in accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting operation and can realize miniaturization. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sorting conveyor device having a simple structure of a cross road switching device for a slide shoe that moves to the left and right of a slat conveyor and with extremely little wear of the cross road switching device and the slide shoe.

The present inventors, as a sorting operation using a sorting conveyor device using a slat conveyor, a slide shoe is used in a sorting zone in which articles are transferred from a main transport path to a branch transport path by turning, distributing, and discharging. It has been found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by sorting the articles by drawing a locus of a steep slope from a gentle slope. In particular, as a structure of the slide shoe, which is a component that shifts the slide shoe from the direct guide rail to the oblique guide and guides, assists, and promotes the track switching of the article, instead of the conventional shoe support shaft, a vane shaft, a vane helm, etc. Adopting a vane equipped with a vane arm, the vane helm nose and vane arm nose that support the slide shoe with the vane have the optimum structure for the oblique guide rail, that is, the conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and We have found that the above problems can be solved by changing the lever-type shoe support shaft switching method to the lever-type vane switching method, and have completed the present invention.

The present invention comprises a slat conveyor in which slats stretched in a direction perpendicular to the main transport direction of an article are connected in the main transport direction of the article to load and transport the article, and a slat surface of the slat conveyor in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A sliding slide shoe that moves, a straight guide rail that runs the slide shoe in the transport direction, a diagonal guide rail that runs in the perpendicular direction, and a runway of the slide shoe between the straight guide rail and the diagonal guide rail. In a sorting conveyor device composed of a branch portion for switching, the slide shoe for sorting has a gradient equal to or less than the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the oblique guide rail and the orthogonal guide rail up to the oblique guide rail. The diagonal guide rail is a sorting conveyor device that draws a trajectory moving in a straight line or a curved line, and draws a trajectory moving in a straight line or a curved line having a gradient equal to or higher than the gradient of the tip of the diagonal guide rail.

More specifically, the sorting conveyor device of the present invention includes a slat conveyor in which slats stretched in a direction perpendicular to the main transport direction of the article are connected in the main transport direction of the article, and the slat conveyor for loading and transporting the article. A slidable slide shoe that moves the slat surface in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, a direct guide rail that runs this slide shoe in the transport direction, a diagonal guide rail that runs in the perpendicular direction, and a direct guide rail and diagonal. In a sorting conveyor device consisting of a branch portion that switches the runway of the slide shoe with the guide rail, the shoe cover containing the shoe slide is rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover via a boss. It is composed of a rail and a wheel, and the vane is fixed to a vane shaft rotatably engaged with a boss, a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and below the vane arm. The wheel consists of a slide shoe fitted to the boss and rotatably engaged to the vane shaft via the boss, and an upstream vane guide that guides the slide shoe to the branch. A downstream vane guide that relays the direct guide rail to the part, and a diagonal guide rail that relays from the upstream vane guide to the diagonal guide rail in the downstream part of the branch part. A vane helm nose having a surface in contact with the vane helm and a surface in contact with the vane helm having a slope formed by the direct guide rail, which is equal to or less than the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the orthogonal guide rail, and a midstream of the branch portion. The portion is equipped with a vane helm direction switching means that can guide the vane helm from the upstream vane guide to the vane helm nose, and as described above, the slide shoe for sorting is slanted up to the oblique guide rail. Draw a trajectory that moves on a straight line or curve with a slope equal to or less than the slope of the tip of the diagonal guide rail formed by the line guide rail and the direct guide rail. Alternatively, it is preferable to use a sorting conveyor device that draws a locus that moves in a curve.

Further, the sorting conveyor device of the present invention is a sorting conveyor device characterized in that the wheel of the slide shoe provided in the above-mentioned sorting conveyor device of the present invention is deleted. The wheel of the slide shoe is not necessarily a necessary member by being provided with a vane, and by removing the wheel, the switching operation of the slide shoe is shortened by a time and a distance corresponding to a substantially radius of the wheel. Can be done.

Therefore, in the sorting conveyor device of the present invention, slats stretched in a direction perpendicular to the main transport direction of the article are connected in the main transport direction of the article, and the slat conveyor for loading and transporting the article and the slat surface of the slat conveyor are conveyed. Between a slidable slide shoe that moves in the direction perpendicular to the direction, a direct guide rail that runs the slide shoe in the transport direction, a diagonal guide rail that runs in the perpendicular direction, and the direct guide rail and the diagonal guide rail. In a sorting conveyor device composed of a branch portion that switches the rail of the slide shoe, a shoe cover that slides inside the shoe slide and a vane that is rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover via a boss. The vane is composed of a vane shaft rotatably engaged in the boss, a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and a vane helm fixed below the vane arm. A slide shoe, an upstream vane guide that guides the slide shoe to the branch portion, a downstream vane guide that is interposed so as to relay a direct guide rail to the branch portion, and an upstream vane guide in the downstream portion of the branch portion. The surface in contact with the vane helm, which is less than the slope of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the oblique guide rail and the orthogonal guide rail, and the orthogonal guide rail are formed. A vane-helm nose having a surface in contact with the sloped vane-helm and a vane-helm direction switching means for guiding the vane-helm from the upstream vane guide to the vane-helm nose in the middle part of the branch are provided for sorting. The slide shoe draws a trajectory that moves up to the diagonal guide rail in a straight line or curve with a slope equal to or lower than the slope of the tip of the diagonal guide rail formed by the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail. Then, it is more preferable to use a sorting conveyor device that draws a locus that moves on a straight line or a curved line having a slope equal to or higher than the slope of the tip of the diagonal guide rail.

In such a sorting conveyor device of the present invention, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is preferably 0 to 40 degrees, more preferably 0 to 30 degrees. It is preferably 0 to 20 degrees, and even more preferably 0 to 20 degrees. In the sorting conveyor device that adopts the lever type vane switching method, switching is completed instantly by the vane helm fixed at the lowermost end of the slide shoe, and the load of the article is supported by the vane helm nose that contacts the vane helm. Since the slide shoe and the article can be brought into contact immediately after the switching, the movement of the article in the slat longitudinal direction can be started from 0 degrees, which does not require a space between the slide shoe and the article and does not give any impact to the article. Further, in order to prevent the rollover and rotation of the article at the initial stage of movement, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is preferably 40 degrees or less.

As described above, the greatest feature of the lever type vane switching method is the contact between the article and the slide shoe immediately after switching, which was impossible with the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method. It's made possible. Based on this, it was possible to overcome the redundancy of the machine width and the machine length of the sorting conveyor.

On the other hand, in the shape of the side surface of the vane helm nose in which the side surface of the vane helm contacts, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail may be constant or continuously increases. Alternatively, it may be reduced, and is not particularly limited. However, in order to reduce the wear of the vane helm and the vane helm nose by contacting the side surface of the vane helm with the vane helm nose, it is preferable to prevent the edge of the vane helm from contacting the vane helm nose. Therefore, it is preferable that the gradient is continuously reduced. It is also desirable that the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the vane helm be an ellipse with the vane traveling direction as the long axis. However, for stable switching, it is preferable that the contact area between the vane helm and the vane nose is large.

Further, the longer the length of the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm, the smoother and more accurate switching of the slide shoe and the stable movement of the article can be performed, but there is no problem as long as it is at least 10 mm or more. On the other hand, if the length of the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm exceeds 600 mm, smooth and accurate switching of the slide shoe and stable movement of the article are saturated, and the problem of redundancy of the sorting conveyor device becomes a problem. Therefore, it is preferably 600 mm or less, more preferably 400 mm or less, and even more preferably 200 mm or less.

Further, in order to smoothly and accurately switch the slide shoe by the vane helm direction switching means provided in the branch portion, the slide shoe is fixedly installed below the vane shaft and above the vane helm regardless of the presence or absence of the wheel. It is preferable to use a fixed vane arm. Therefore, in the sorting conveyor device of the present invention, the sorting conveyor device provided with the vane-helm nose described above is relayed from the vane-helm nose to the diagonal guide rail between the vane-helm nose and the diagonal guide rail. It contacts the vane arm that is interposed and is equal to or less than the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the oblique guide rail and the orthogonal guide rail, and equal to or greater than the gradient formed by the surface in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail. It is preferred to have a vane arm nose with a surface in contact with the sloped vane arm formed by the surface and the anterior orthogonal guide rail. By providing this vane arm nose, it is possible to provide quietness with reduced noise and vibration in the switching operation, and also to reduce wear of parts and improve durability.

In this case, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is 0 to 40 degrees, and the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail is The temperature of 10 to 45 degrees enables smooth and accurate switching of the slide shoe and stable movement of the article. In particular, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is 0 to 30 degrees, and the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail is 15. It is more preferably to 45 degrees.

The shape of the vane arm nose side surface in contact with the vane arm side surface in the transport direction may be such that the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail is constant, or continuously increases or decreases. It may be, and is not particularly limited. However, in order to reduce the wear of the vane arm due to the contact of the side surface of the vane arm with the vane arm nose and the contact of the rear end of the vane arm, it is preferable to prevent the edge of the vane helm from contacting the vane helm nose. Therefore, it is preferable that the gradient is continuously reduced, and it is preferable that the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm has a shape that bulges in the longitudinal direction of the slats from the orthogonal guide rail and draws a curve. It is also desirable that the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the vane arm be an ellipse with the vane traveling direction as the long axis. However, for stable switching, it is preferable that the contact area between the vane helm and the vane nose is large.

More specifically, in this curved vane arm nose, the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm has the tip of the vane helm nose as the origin, and the parallel line of the direct guide rail passing through the tip of the vane helm nose is the x-axis. It may be a horizontal parabola with a function y = a (x-b) ^1/2 (a, b> 0) when the perpendicular line of the orthogonal guide rail passing through the tip of the vane helm nose is the y-axis, and the radius of curvature. R may be curved with 100 to 1000 mm.

Then, for smooth and accurate stable switching of the slide shoe and stable movement of the article, the length of the surface of the vane helm nose that contacts the vane helm and the length of the surface that contacts the vane arm of the vane arm nose. Is preferably 10 to 600 mm, more preferably 10 to 400 mm, and even more preferably 10 to 200 mm. If each length is 10 mm or less, switching becomes unstable, and if it is 600 mm or more, the redundancy of the sorting conveyor is increased, which is not preferable. In particular, the length of the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the length of the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm are 10 to 300 mm, and the length of the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm is 10 to 300 mm. Is preferable.

The shape of each member constituting the above sorting conveyor device and the form in which each member is assembled are designed according to the purpose of the sorting conveyor device used. However, the sorting conveyor device designed based on the technical idea of the present invention does not change its essence, has a narrow machine width and sorting zone, can be miniaturized, and has a slide shoe up to a diagonal guide rail. A wide variety of articles with different forms, weights, volumes, etc. can be smoothly switched and sorted accurately, safely, and at high speed without rolling, rotating, or damaging.

First, the central technical idea of the present invention that can narrow the width and sorting zone of the sorting conveyor device and enable the miniaturization thereof is to replace the shoe support shaft of the conventional slide shoe with a vane shaft, a vane arm, and a vane arm. , A vane composed of a vane helm and the like, and a vane helm nose and a vane arm nose that support the vane helm and the vane arm. This is because a control signal is transmitted to the lever-type vane switching device, and when the lever of the lever-type vane switching device operates on the protruding vane helm at the lowermost end of the slide shoe, the vane helm relays from the upstream vane guide to the diagonal guide rail. This is because the switching operation is completed at the same time as being guided to the vane helm nose in the downstream portion of the branch portion interposed therein. Therefore, the space between the article and the slat end required for the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method is unnecessary, and the machine width of the slat conveyor can be shortened.

Then, in the process of the slide shoe moving from the vane helm nose to the diagonal guide rail, there is no rollover, rotation, and damage of the article in the contact between the article for sorting and the slide shoe cover, and the accuracy is correct. Banehelm and Vanehelm nose are responsible for the technical concept of sorting safely. In particular, it is preferable that the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is in the range of 0 to 40 degrees. This gradient may be constant, but in order to complete the sorting at high speed and not make the sorting zone redundant in the transport direction, the gradient formed by the oblique guide rail and the direct guide rail should be as large as possible. Is preferable, and may be continuously increased. As a result, the contact between the article and the slide shoe cover is gentle, the accuracy and safety of sorting the article are ensured, and the slide shoe can move the diagonal guide rail at high speed, which facilitates the high speed of sorting. Can be realized. Since the vane helm is small, the contact area between the vane helm and the vane helm nose is small, and the wear of each is not large. It is preferable to continuously reduce the gradient formed from the predetermined position of the vane helm nose to the rear end. Further, the same effect can be obtained even if the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the vane helm is an ellipse with the traveling direction of the vane as the long axis.

In addition, the technical idea for further smooth and accurate switching of the slide shoe operation with or without wheels is a vane arm and a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft and above the vane helm. It's in the nose. The vane arm nose is interposed between the vane helm nose and the oblique guide rail so as to relay from the vane helm nose to the oblique guide rail, and the oblique guide formed by the oblique guide rail and the direct guide rail. It is provided with a surface that is equal to or less than the slope of the rail tip and is equal to or greater than the slope formed by the surface in contact with the vane helm and the direct guide rail, and has a surface in contact with the vane arm having a slope formed by the surface in contact with the vane arm and the direct guide rail. It is preferably a sorting conveyor device provided with a vane arm nose. In this case, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is 0 to 40 degrees, and the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail is By setting the temperature to 10 to 45 degrees, in addition to being able to further improve the accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting, it is possible to improve the quietness with reduced noise and vibration in the switching operation. The wear of parts is also greatly reduced, and the effect of further improving durability is also exhibited.

Also in this case, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the direct guide rail is within 0 to 40 degrees, and the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the direct guide rail are in contact with each other. As long as the gradient formed is within 10 to 45 degrees, the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail may be constant, or may be continuously increased or decreased. Well, it is not particularly limited.

When the high speed of sorting is important, it is preferable to increase the surface of the vane arm in contact with the vane arm nose constantly or continuously, and when the durability is important, these are continuously decreased. It is preferable to do so.

In particular, the accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting are further ensured, noise and vibration in switching operation are greatly reduced to further improve quietness, and wear of parts is further reduced to ensure durability. In order to further enhance the sex, the surface of the vane arm nose and the direct guide are in contact with the vane arm nose so that the side surface of the vane arm and the vane arm nose come into contact with each other to prevent contact with the vane arm nose at the rear end of the vane arm. A horizontal parabolic shape in which the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm bulges in the longitudinal direction of the slats so that the gradient formed by the rail is within 10 to 45 degrees and decreases continuously. Alternatively, it is more preferably curved. Similar to the vane helm, the same effect can be obtained even if the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the vane arm is an ellipse with the traveling direction of the vane as the long axis.

As described above, since the sorting conveyor device of the present invention has a great feature in the process until the slide shoe moves to the diagonal guide rail, the sorting conveyor device of the present invention increases the width of the sorting conveyor device. In order to further improve the accuracy, safety, and high speed of sorting, the slope of the diagonal guide rail can be devised. However, keeping the gradient formed by the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail constant is a preferable form from the viewpoint of productivity and economic efficiency of the diagonal guide rail.

When importance is attached to the high speed of sorting and the accuracy of transfer of articles from the main transport path to the branch transport path, it is preferable that the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail is continuously increased from the tip to the rear end. When the slope at the rear end of the diagonal guide rail, that is, the slope formed by the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail is moderately large, particularly 20 to 50 degrees, the slide shoe branches the article from the main transport path. It is surely transferred to the transport route.

For the same purpose, in a predetermined section from the tip of the skew guide rail, a locus that moves in a straight line or a curve with a gradient equal to or higher than the slope of the tip of the skew guide rail is drawn, and further, at the rear end of the skew guide rail, a predetermined section is drawn. You may draw a locus that moves on a straight line or a curve with a slope that exceeds the slope of the section.

On the contrary, in order for the articles to be transferred from the main transport path to the branch transport path to be undamaged and safely transferred, the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail are provided in a predetermined section from the tip of the diagonal guide rail. Draws a locus that moves on a straight line or curve with a slope equal to or higher than the slope of the tip of the diagonal guide rail formed by It is preferable to draw a trajectory.

As described above, the sorting conveyor device of the present invention adopts the lever type vane switching method so that a wide variety of diagonal guide rails can be designed without increasing the machine width and the machine length. It is caused by. That is, in the lever type vane switching method, the direction of the slide shoe can be switched by the vane helm fixed at the lowermost end of the slide shoe, so that the slide shoe and the article can come into contact immediately after the switching, so that the slide shoe and the article can be brought into contact with each other. Approximately 0 degrees that does not require a gap and does not give any impact to the article (a flat part is provided at the position just before the slide shoe shifts to the Benhelm nose at the vane helm, and the angle is gradually steeped from there. ), The movement of the article in the longitudinal direction of the slats can be started. In other words, the slide shoe for sorting draws a locus that moves up to the diagonal guide rail in a straight line or a curved line with a gradient equal to or lower than the gradient of the tip of the diagonal guide rail formed by the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail. It is based on a sorting conveyor device capable of transporting articles with a gentle slope to a diagonal guide rail and in a short stroke.

On the other hand, the actuator that rotates the lever that operates on the vane helm of the sorting conveyor device of the present invention is not particularly limited, and various cylinders, various solenoids, small motors, air blowers, and the like can be used for sorting. In order to reduce the size of the conveyor device, it is preferable to use a linear solenoid and a rotary solenoid that can be installed in the sorting conveyor device in an extremely compact manner as compared with a cylinder or the like. In particular, the drive lever using the rotary solenoid uses magnetic force, so that it can respond at high speed and is a highly reliable switching device.

Further, in the lever type vane switching system of the present invention, the vane shaft rotatably connected to the slide shoe cover connected below the shoe cover, the vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and the vane arm Since a slide shoe equipped with a vane having a vane helm fixed at the bottom is used, this lever-type vane switching type crossroad switching device provides a passage for guiding the vane at a position where the oblique guide rails intersect. It suffices to provide a crossroad switching device parallel to the diagonal guide rail and recessed so as to pass through the notch of the diagonal guide rail. In the conventional crossroad switching device, it is necessary to smoothly move the support shaft of the slide shoe to the left and right, and a complicated power transmission mechanism such as an arm or an elastic body for mechanically swinging a cam or the like is required. On the other hand, in the lever-type vane switching type crossing path switching device of the present invention, only the recessed vane guide passage is provided as the crossing path switching device, and the structure of the crossing path switching device can be greatly simplified. can.

As a result, there is no severe collision and friction between the vane guide passage and the vane, the wear of both is significantly reduced, and the frequency of maintenance and inspection of the crossroad switching device and the slide shoe can be reduced. Furthermore, although it is a short distance, using the technology of plain bearings, in consideration of slidability, workability, etc., the crossroad switching device itself or its surface, or the vane or its surface, engineering plastic, metal The effect is further enhanced by applying the sintered material and the ceramic sintered material.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, a wide variety of articles having different forms, weights, volumes, etc. can be sorted without rolling, rotating, or being damaged, and high-speed sorting is possible, and the machine width and sorting zone are narrow. It is possible to provide a sorting conveyor device that can be miniaturized without taking up space.

In particular, in the sorting conveyor device of the present invention, since the slide shoe and the article can be brought into contact immediately after switching by the vane helm, there is no need for a space between the slide shoe and the article, and the impact due to the contact between the slide shoe and the article is generated. It can be completely eliminated.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sorting conveyor device that has an effect of reducing noise and vibration in a switching operation and reducing wear of parts, and is extremely quiet and has high durability.

Further, in the present invention, since the slide shoe is provided with a vane, a vane guide passage recessed parallel to the oblique slide rail so as to pass through the notch of the oblique guide rail is provided as a crossroad switching device. Therefore, the structure of the crossroad switching device can be simplified, and the wear of the crossing road switching device and the shoe support shaft can be remarkably reduced.

It is a plan view of the branch transfer system using a general slide shoe extrusion type slat conveyor. It is a schematic diagram of the cross section cut perpendicular to the paper surface by the cutting line I in FIG. 1. It is a schematic diagram of the cross section cut perpendicular to the paper surface by the cutting line II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the upper part of the slat conveyor of FIG. 1 from which the slat, the endless chain, the main body stand, the main body cover, the roller, the chain cover, the cover, and the like are removed. Schematic diagram showing the time series of the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided by the oblique guide rail in the conventional improved sorting conveyor device to which the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching method is applied as the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor of FIG. Is. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a time series of movement of articles and operation of a slide shoe from the start to the end of sorting of articles in the sorting zone of the slat conveyor of FIG. 1 using the improved sorting conveyor device of FIG. Schematic diagram showing the time series of the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail in the conventional improved sorting conveyor device to which the lever type shoe support shaft switching method is applied as the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor of FIG. Is. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a time series of movement of articles and operation of a slide shoe from the start to the end of sorting of articles in the sorting zone of the slat conveyor of FIG. 1 using the improved sorting conveyor device of FIG. 7. A schematic side view (a) of a slide shoe applied to a lever-type vane switching method which is a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a slide shoe in which the shoe cover is removed with the slat inserted. It is a perspective schematic diagram (b). A schematic perspective view (a) of disassembled parts excluding the shoe cover of the slide shoe applied to the lever type vane switching method which is the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to one embodiment of the present invention, and a perspective view assembled thereof. It is a schematic diagram (b). As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. A schematic plan view (a) of the time series of the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the orthogonal guide rail in the sorting conveyor device to which the method is applied, and the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the diagonal guide rail. It is a plane schematic diagram (b) which shows the time series. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. In order to explain the mechanism by which the slide shoe is guided to the diagonal guide rail without any obstacle in the sorting conveyor device to which the method is applied, the vane of the slide shoe at the start of the lever switching operation, each nose, the diagonal guide rail, and It is a schematic plan view (a) showing the shape and the positional relationship of the lever, and the schematic cross-sectional view (b) which is cut perpendicular to the paper surface by the cutting line III of the schematic plan view and viewed from the Y direction. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. In order to explain the mechanism by which the slide shoe is guided to the diagonal guide rail without any obstacle in the sorting conveyor device to which the method is applied, the vane of the slide shoe at the completion of the lever switching operation, each nose, the diagonal guide rail, and It is a schematic plan view (a) showing the shape and the positional relationship of the lever, and the schematic cross-sectional view (b) which is cut perpendicular to the paper surface by the cutting line III of the schematic plan view and viewed from the Y direction. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a time series of movement of articles and movement of slide shoes from the start to the end of sorting of articles in a sorting zone of a slat conveyor provided with a linear diagonal guide rail by applying the method. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. The movement of the article and the movement of the slide shoe from the start to the end of the sorting of the article in the sorting zone of the slat conveyor equipped with a linear diagonal guide rail with a parabolic reduction in the slope of the final end applying the method. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. It is a horizontal schematic diagram which shows the time series of the switching initial operation of the slide shoe guided to the curved diagonal guide rail by applying the method. A slide shoe guided to a linear diagonal guide rail by applying a lever-type vane switching method provided only with a vane-helm nose whose gradient increases in a parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series of the switching initial operation of. A slat conveyor provided with a linear diagonal guide rail, to which a lever-type vane switching method having only a vane-helm nose whose gradient increases in a parabolic manner is applied as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series of the movement of the article, and the operation of a slide shoe from the start to the completion of the sorting of the article in a sorting zone. A lever-type vane switching method provided only with a vane helm nose having a constant gradient is applied as a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and switching of a slide shoe guided to a linear diagonal guide rail is applied. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series of the initial operation. As a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a lever type vane switching provided with a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape. A schematic plan view (a) showing a time series of initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail and a wheel in the case of the slide shoe provided with the wheels shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 by applying the method. It is a plan view (b) which shows the time series of the switching initial operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail in the case of a free slide shoe. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a crossroads switching device in which a vane guide passage provided in a crossroads of the sorting conveyor device of the present invention is recessed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail using one embodiment shown in the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are made without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is possible and limited only by the technical ideas described in the claims.

In the sorting conveyor device using the slat conveyor as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lever type vane switching method, which is a feature of the present invention, is applied as the switching mechanism, whereby the conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and Realization of accurate, safe, and high-speed sorting operation, which is an essential issue based on the switching mechanism of the sorting conveyor device, which is a switching mechanism of the lever type shoe support shaft switching method, and miniaturization of the sorting conveyor device. I was able to solve it. Therefore, first, FIGS. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of the slide shoe 13 of the present invention, which forms the basis of the lever type vane switching method.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view (a) of a slide shoe 13 applied to a lever-type vane switching method which is a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a shoe cover with the slat 3 inserted. FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view (b) of the slide shoe 13 from which the 131 has been removed.

As is clear from the figure, in the slide shoe 13 of the present invention, the shoe cover 131 containing the shoe slide 134, the vane 136 rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover 131 via the boss 135, and the wheel 132. It is composed of. Further, the vane 136 is composed of a vane shaft 1361, a vane arm 1362 fixed below the vane shaft 1361, and a vane helm 1363 fixed below the vane arm 1362, and the wheel 132 is a shoe cover 131 and a vane arm 1362. It is engaged at the position of the vane shaft 1361 between them via the boss 135.

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view (a) obtained by disassembling parts other than the shoe cover 131 of the slide shoe 13 applied to the lever type vane switching method which is the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention. , It is a perspective schematic diagram (b) which assembled it.

FIG. 10A shows the boss 135, the wheel 132, the vane shaft 1361, the vane arm 1362, and the vane helm 1363 that rotatably connect the shoe cover 131 and the vane 136, which remain after removing the shoe cover 131 of the slide shoe 13. The vane 136, the angle regulation window 137 drilled in the boss 135, the angle regulation bearing ball 138, and the vane hole 13611 recessed in the vane shaft 1361, which are the means for regulating the rotation angle of the vane, are disassembled. 10 (b) shows a perspective view of the wheel 132 in a state where each component of FIG. 10 (a) is assembled.

As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, in one embodiment of the slide shoe 13 of the present invention, the vane 136 is rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover 131 via the boss 135, and the wheel 132 and the boss 135 are fitted. At the same time, the vane shaft 1361 can be rotated to the boss 135 so that the angle regulation bearing ball 138 is held in the angle regulation window 137 drilled in the boss 135 and the vane hole 13611 recessed in the vane shaft. Is suspended in. With the slide shoe 13 having such a configuration, the rotation of the vane 136 is restricted to an appropriate range, and as will be described later, the shape of the specific vane helm nose 35 and the vane arm nose 36 is formed. , Reliable and high-speed switching operation can be performed smoothly.

In particular, such a vane is preferably manufactured from stainless steel from the viewpoint of durability, corrosion resistance, and processability, but is not limited thereto. As will be described later, the contact friction depending on the material of the vane switching direction guide 33, the vane direct direction guide guide 34, the vane helm nose, the vane arm nose, the switching lever, and the vane guide passage of the crossroad switching device is taken into consideration. Alternatively, it may be manufactured using a metal sintering material other than stainless steel, a ceramic sintering material, engineering plastics, and a composite material of these resins. As for the method of manufacturing the vane, it is preferable to integrally mold it like injection molding, but the vane shaft, the vane arm, and the vane helm are manufactured respectively, and they are joined by methods such as screwing, fitting, and toothing, and welding or bonding. It may be fixed with an agent or the like.

FIG. 11 shows a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose 36 having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic plan view (a) of the time series of the initial switching operation of the slide shoe 13 guided to the orthogonal guide rail 17 in the sorting conveyor device to which the lever type vane switching method is applied, and the guide to the diagonal guide rail 22. It is a plan view (b) which shows the time series of the switching initial operation of the slide shoe 13 to be performed. Here, it is shown as a switching device deployed at a position corresponding to the upper right switching device 251A in FIG.

Further, the vane switching direction guide 33, the vane orthogonal direction guide 34, the vane helm nose 35, the vane arm nose 36, and the switching lever according to the present invention are considered in consideration of dimensional accuracy, slidability, impact resistance, and the like. , Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene resin (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, UHMWPE) is preferably manufactured by cutting, but the material and manufacturing method are not limited thereto. As the material, polyamide (Polyamide, PA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide (Polyphenylene sulfide, PPS), polyimide (Polyimide, PI), polyoxymethylene (Polyoxymethylene, PO) Engineering plastics such as Polytellafluoroethylene (PTFE), phenolic resin, polyolefin resin (Polyorefin), and acrylic nitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) resin, and these resins include glass fibers, carbon fibers, and the like. A composite material blended with stainless fiber, cellulose nanofiber (CNF), or the like can be used. As a manufacturing method, it is necessary to select a processing method according to the material in order to form with high accuracy. For example, processing by a cutting method, an injection molding method, an RIM (Reaction injection molding) molding method, or the like. You can also.

The lever-type vane switching type switching device of FIG. 11 has a branch portion (in the broken line of FIG. 4) for switching the runway of the slide shoe 13 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 between the direct guide rail 17 and the diagonal guide rail 22. There is a place where the upper right switching device 251A shown is deployed), and it is interposed so as to relay to the vane switching direction guiding guide 33 for guiding the slide shoe 13 to this branch portion and the direct guide rail 17. The vane direct direction guide guide 34 is formed, and the slide shoe 13 is relayed from the vane switching direction guide guide 33 provided on the upstream side to the oblique guide rail 22 on the downstream side of the branch portion. A vane helm nose 35 that contacts and supports the vane helm 1363 and a vane arm nose 36 that contacts and supports the vane arm 1362, which are sequentially laminated and interposed, are provided. Further, a switching lever 31 which is a vane helm switching means operated by the rotary solenoid 30 is provided in the middle flow portion of the branch portion so that the vane helm 1363 can be guided from the vane helm nose 35 to the vane helm nose 35. Then, the position of the slide shoe 13 is detected, and an appropriate control signal is transmitted from the control computer (not shown) to the rotary solenoid 30 based on this information and the article information aggregated in the central information system. It is equipped with a vane detection sensor 39 for the purpose. Further, it is preferable that a stopper 32 for limiting unnecessary operation of the switching lever 31 and performing high-speed switching is provided.

Here, the vane helm nose 35 that contacts and supports the vane helm 1363 has a constant gradient of about 25 degrees and a linear shape having a length of about 200 mm. However, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the shape of the vane helm 1363 has a small contact area between the thin columnar vane helm 1363 and the vane helm nose 35, and the wear between them is small, so that the gradient of the vane helm nose 35 is continuous. May be increased to shorten the vane helm induction interval Δm. Conversely, the slope of the vane helm nose 35 may be continuously reduced in order to further reduce wear on both sides.

On the other hand, the vane arm nose 36, which contacts and supports the vane arm 1362, bulges in the longitudinal direction of the slat 3 from the orthogonal guide rail 17 in which the gradient is continuously reduced by a length of about 200 mm in the range of about 15 to 25 degrees. It has a rail shape. This is because, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, since the contact area between the plate-shaped vane arm 1362 and the vane arm nose 36 is large, the contact area between the two is reduced and the wear of both, particularly the rear end of the vane arm 1362. It is a preferred embodiment aimed at reducing wear.

For example, the bulging surface of the vane arm nose that contacts the vane arm has the tip of the vane helm nose as the origin, the parallel line of the direct guide rail passing through the tip of the vane helm nose is the x-axis, and the direct guide rail passing through the tip of the vane helm nose. It can also be a horizontal parabola with a function y = a (x-b) ^1/2 -b (a, b> 0) when the perpendicular is the y-axis. Further, the bulging surface of the vane arm nose that contacts the vane arm may have a curved shape with a radius of curvature R of 100 to 1000 mm.

However, this vane arm nose 36 can also reduce wear due to a change in material or the like, and can increase the gradient of the vane arm nose 36 constantly or continuously to shorten the vane arm guidance section Δn.

As can be seen from FIG. 11A, when the switching signal is not transmitted to the rotary solenoid 30 and the switching lever 31 does not operate, the slide shoe 13 switches the vane from the direct guide rail 17 on the upstream side of the branch portion. After being guided to the branch portion by the directional guide 33, it is guided to the direct guide rail 17 on the downstream side from the branch portion via the vane direct direction guide guide 34. On the other hand, as can be seen from FIG. 11B, when the switching signal is transmitted to the rotary solenoid 30 and the slide shoe 13 is guided from the upstream direct guide rail 17 to the branch portion by the vane switching direction guide 33. , The direction of the vane helm 1363 is changed by the switching lever 31, and then the slide shoe 13 is changed in direction via the vane helm nose 35, the vane arm nose 36, and the wheel nose 37, and is guided to the diagonal guide rail 22. Ru.

As can be seen from FIG. 11, one feature of the lever-type vane switching system provided in the sorting conveyor device of the present invention is the switching of the vane helm 1363 by the switching lever 31 directly connected to the rotary solenoid 30, and the vane shaft 1361 and the vane arm. There is an interrelationship between the vane 136 composed of 1362 and the vane helm 1363, and the vane helm nose 35 and the vane arm nose 36.

Therefore, these features will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.
FIG. 12 shows a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose 36 having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vane 136 of the slide shoe 13 at the start of the lever switching operation, each nose, for explaining the mechanism by which the slide shoe is guided to the oblique guide rail without any obstacle in the sorting conveyor device to which the lever type vane switching method is applied. A schematic plan view (a) showing the shapes and positional relationships of the 35, 36, 37, the diagonal guide rail 22, and the switching lever 31, and the cutting line III of the schematic plan view are cut perpendicular to the paper surface, and Y It is sectional drawing (b) seen from the direction. FIG. 13 shows a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose 36 having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of a slat conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vane 136 of the slide shoe 13 at the completion of the lever switching operation for explaining the mechanism by which the slide shoe 13 is guided to the oblique guide rail without any obstacle in the sorting conveyor device to which the lever type vane switching method is applied. A schematic plan view (a) showing the shape and positional relationship of the noses 35, 36, 37, the diagonal guide rail 22, and the switching lever 31, and the cutting line III of the schematic plan view are cut perpendicular to the paper surface. It is sectional drawing (b) seen from the Y direction.

As can be seen from FIG. 12, at the moment when the switching is started, the switching lever 31 operated by the rotary solenoid 30 by the switching signal comes into contact with the vane helm 1363 of the slide shoe 13 guided by the vane switching direction guidance guide 33. , The vane helm 1363 is only switched in direction and is not in contact with the vane helm nose 35.

In FIG. 13, at the next moment of FIG. 12, the vane helm 1363 of the slide shoe 13 guided by the vane switching direction guidance guide 33 is changed in the direction of the vane helm 1363 by the switching lever 31 operated by the rotary solenoid 30 by the switching signal. , The moment when the solenoid nose 35 is contacted and supported, and the switching is completed. Note that FIG. 11B shows a state at a position substantially intermediate between the steps of FIGS. 12 and 13. When the slide shoe 13 is continuously branched, the switching lever 31 can continuously change the direction of the vane helm 1363 only by the first operation without repeating the operation.

As is clear from FIGS. 12 and 13, in the lever type vane switching method, the switching of the slide shoe 13 is completed instantly, and the slide shoe 13 is supported by the vane helm 1363 in contact with the vane helm nose 35, so that the switching is completed. Immediately after, the article 1 can be moved by the slide shoe cover 131. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a distance ΔD (FIGS. 5 to 8) between the slat end and the article 1 required for the magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and the mechanical shoe support shaft switching method, and the machine width of the slat conveyor 2 is narrowed. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the slat conveyor 2.

Further, since the rotary solenoid 30 using magnetism is compact and can be deployed at the bottom of the slat conveyor 2 and can be switched only by inducing the vane helm 1363 as described above, the switching lever 31 is also mechanical. Since the length required for the switching lever of the shoe support shaft switching method is not required, the size of the slat conveyor 2 can be reduced. Further, at this time, only the force required for the rotation of the vane helm 1363 is applied to the switching lever 31. On the other hand, in the case of the mechanical lever switching method, the force for moving the slide shoe 13 and its inertial force are applied to the lever, and it is necessary to strengthen the structure and the lever is heavily worn. , There are structural and maintenance disadvantages.

On the other hand, as can be seen from FIGS. 12 (b) and 13 (b), the switching lever 31 is directly connected to the rotary solenoid 30 at a depth through which the vane helm 1363 passes, and reaches the diagonal guide rail 22 from the switching lever 31. The vane helm nose 35, the vane arm nose 36, and the wheel nose 37 are interposed in this order, and the vane helm 1363, the vane arm 1362, and the wheel 132 (vane shaft 1631) are laminated in this order. The vane helm nose side surface 351 is in contact with the vane helm 1363, the vane arm nose upper surface 352 is in contact with the vane arm 1362, and the vane arm nose upper surface 362 is in contact with the wheel 132 so that the vane helm nose upper surface 352 is not in contact with the vane arm 1362. The wheel nose side surface 371 is arranged so as not to come into contact with the wheel 132, and the wheel nose upper surface is arranged so as not to come into contact with the shoe cover 131.

In such a positional relationship with the switching lever 31, the vane shaft 1361, the vane 136, the vane helm nose 35, and the vane arm nose 36, the slide shoe moves as follows after FIG. First, the vane helm 1363 advances in contact with the vane helm nose side surface 351, then the vane arm 1362 advances in contact with the vane arm nose side surface 361, and finally the wheel 132 advances in contact with the wheel nose side surface 371, and the slide shoe advances. 13 is guided to the diagonal guide rail 22. That is, as shown in FIG. 11B, the wheel is guided to the wheel guidance section Δо by the skew guide rail 22 via the vane helm guidance section Δm and the vane arm guidance section Δn up to the skew guide rail 22.

If the gradient N1 formed by the vane helm nose 35 and the orthogonal guide rail 17 leading to the oblique guide rail 22 and the gradient N2 formed by the vane arm nose 36 and the orthogonal guide rail 17 are gentle. In the contact between the article 1 and the slide shoe cover 131 at the start of the sorting operation, the article 1 can be sorted accurately and safely without rolling, rotating, or damaging. In FIGS. 11 to 13, the gradient of the vane helm nose 35 is constant and the gradient of the vane arm nose 36 is continuously reduced in a horizontal parabolic shape. The gradient N1 is the initial gradient of the vane helm nose 35 and the gradient N2. Shows the initial gradient of the vane arm nose 36. However, these gradients are preferably in the range of 0-45 degrees. In particular, the gradient formed by the Behelm nose 35 and the orthogonal guide rail 17 is more preferably 0 to 40 degrees, and the gradient formed by the vane arm nose 36 and the orthogonal guide rail 17 is 10 to 45 degrees. It is more preferable to have. However, although not shown, the vane helm nose 35 can be continuously increased from 0 to 40 degrees, which is even more preferable in order to eliminate the impact between the slide shoe cover 131 and the article 1. Is.

After the sorting is started accurately and safely through the above steps, the slide shoe 13 moves to the diagonal guide rail 22 and goes straight to the diagonal guide rail 22 in order to cross the slats 3. The gradient γ1 formed by the guide rail 17 can be made larger than the vanes noses 35 and 36, enabling high-speed transport and improving the redundancy in the transport direction of the sorting zones S1 and S2. Such high-speed transportability is also one of the major factors for realizing the miniaturization of the slat conveyor 2.

As a result, as the switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention, a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose 36 having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape is provided. FIG. 14 shows the time series of the movement of the articles and the movement of the slide shoe from the start to the end of the sorting of the articles in the sorting zone of the slat conveyor equipped with the linear diagonal guide rail by applying the lever type vane switching method. It becomes like the plan diagram shown in.

FIG. 14 shows a two-stage nose of a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose 36 having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The time series of the movement of the article and the operation of the slide shoe from the start to the end of the sorting of the article in the sorting zone of the slat conveyor equipped with the linear diagonal guide rail 22 by applying the lever type vane switching system equipped with the above. It is a plan view which shows.

As for the article 1 in the slat conveyor 2 of the main transport path, in the slat conveyor of the lever type vane switching type of the present invention, the switching of the slide shoe 13 is completed instantly, so that the space ΔD with the end of the slat 3 is not provided. It can be conveyed so as to come into contact with the slide shoe 13. Then, sorting is started by the slide shoe 13 that moves on the gradient N1 of the vane helm guiding section having the gradient N2 of the vane arm guiding section Δn formed by the oblique guide rail 22 and the orthogonal guide rail less than the gradient γ1. Next, the article 1 is conveyed with a gradient N2 of a vane arm guiding section Δn larger than the gradient N1 of the vane helm guiding section. Then, the slide shoe 13 is guided to the diagonal guide rail 22 having a gradient γ1 having a gradient N2 or more in the vane arm guiding section Δn, the articles are sorted at high speed, and the articles are transferred to the left branch conveyor 122 which is a branch transfer path, and the sorting is performed. Complete. As described above, in the lever-type vane switching type sorting conveyor device of the present invention, the slide shoe 13 sorts the articles 1 while continuously drawing a steep slope locus from a gentle slope locus. As a result, when the slide shoe moving stroke ΔL in the transport direction of the sorting zones S1 and S2 is compared with the conventional technique, the slide shoe moving stroke (1) ΔL3 required for sorting the lever type vane switching in the sorting conveyor of the present invention is an electromagnet. It is shorter than the slide shoe movement stroke ΔL1 required for sorting the type shoe support shaft switching and the slide shoe movement stroke ΔL2 required for sorting the lever type shoe support shaft switching, and the distance ΔD between the article 1 and the slat end is not required. With the addition of elements, sorting is possible accurately, safely, and at high speed, and the length and width of the sorting conveyor device can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, in order to prevent damage to the article 1 in the transfer of the article 1 from the main transport path to the branch transport path, the slope at the rear end of the diagonal guide rail 22 is set to the initial slope of the diagonal guide rail. It may be smaller than γ1. Even in this case, the slide shoe moving stroke (2) ΔL4 required for sorting the lever type vane switching in the sorting conveyor of the present invention is the slide shoe moving stroke ΔL1 and the lever type shoe support required for sorting the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching. It is possible to make it shorter than the slide shoe movement stroke ΔL2 required for sorting the axis switching.

The embodiment described above is an example of the optimum embodiment, and the sorting conveyor device of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, FIG. 16 shows a sorting conveyor device to which a curved diagonal guide rail 22 / 23C having a continuously large gradient is applied instead of the straight diagonal guide rail 22, and the gradient is constant as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor. The vane helm nose 35, which is a vane helm nose 35, and the vane switching method equipped with a two-stage nose of the vane arm nose whose slope continuously decreases in a horizontal parabolic shape are applied, and the initial switching of the slide shoe guided to the curved diagonal guide rail is applied. It is a horizontal schematic diagram which shows the time series of operation. By adopting such a curved diagonal guide rail 22 / 23C, it is possible to further speed up the sorting.

Further, FIGS. 17 and 18 are embodiments in which the vane arm nose 36 in FIGS. 11 to 13 is not deployed. That is, FIG. 17 applies a lever-type vane switching system provided only with a vane-helm nose 35 whose slope increases in a curved shape as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor, and a slide shoe 13 guided to a linear diagonal guide rail 22. FIG. 18 is a schematic plan view showing a time series of the initial switching operation of the above, and FIG. 18 applies a lever-type vane switching method provided only with a vane helm nose 35 having a parabolic gradient increasing as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor, and is a straight line. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a time series of movement of articles and movement of slide shoes from the start to the end of sorting of articles in the sorting zone of a slat conveyor provided with a slanted guide rail. In this case, the performance is not inferior to that of the two-stage nose in which the vane helm nose 35 and the vane arm nose 36 are used in combination, and the apparatus is simplified.

Further, FIG. 19 shows the gradient of the vane helm nose 35 of FIG. 17 being constant, that is, linear. That is, FIG. 19 applies a lever-type vane switching method provided only with a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor, and the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the linear diagonal guide rail. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows the time series of. In this case, the apparatus can be further simplified as compared with the sorting conveyor shown in FIG. 17, and the moving stroke of the slide shoe 13 can be shortened.

Further, although there was a fixed concept that the wheel 132 is indispensable for the slide shoe 13 of the conventional sorting conveyor device, the vane 136 applied to the slide shoe 13 of the sorting conveyor device of the present invention does not require the wheel 132. It was found that this can be done and a favorable effect is produced for the sorting conveyor device. FIG. 21 shows the influence of the presence or absence of the wheel 132 on the switching operation.

FIG. 20 includes a vane helm nose 35 having a constant gradient and a vane arm nose having a continuously decreasing gradient in a horizontal parabolic shape as a switching mechanism of the slat conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention. A schematic plan view (a) showing a time series of the initial switching operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail in the case of the slide shoe provided with the wheels shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 by applying the lever type vane switching method. ), And is a schematic plan view (b) showing the time series of the switching initial operation of the slide shoe guided to the oblique guide rail in the case of the wheel-free slide shoe.

As is clear from the figure, there is no essential difference in the slide shoe 13 depending on the presence or absence of the wheel 132, but the vane axis guide to the oblique guide rail based on the presence or absence of the wheel, which corresponds to the approximate radius of the wheel 132. The movement stroke of the slide shoe 13 can be shortened by the section difference Δp, and the slat conveyor can be further miniaturized and simplified. In addition, the interval at which the switching device is deployed can be shortened, and not only high-speed sorting but also various sorting can be created.

Further, at least a vane having a vane shaft rotatably connected to the shoe cover, a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and a vane helm fixed below the vane arm, with or without wheels. The switching device using the provided slide shoe must be installed in order for the slide shoe to move smoothly to the left and right at the notch of the diagonal guide rail where the diagonal guide rail intersects. There is also a remarkable effect of simplifying. FIG. 21 shows a simplified crossroads switching device provided in the sorting conveyor device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21 is a schematic plan view of the upper part of the slat conveyor from which the slat, the endless chain, the main body stand, the main body cover, the rollers, the chain cover, the cover, etc. are removed, and is provided in the upper crossing path switching device 24A. The obtained vane guide passage 24A2 is a feature of the intersection switching device of the sorting conveyor device of the present invention.

In the upper crossing where articles and the like move from the left side to the right side of FIG. 21, the slide shoe 13 passes through the notch portion 221A1 in the right upstream oblique guide rail 221A and the left upstream oblique guide rail 222A, respectively. And the notch 222A1 needs to be provided, and conventionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a complicated power transmission mechanism such as an arm or an elastic body for mechanically swinging a cam or the like has been provided. rice field. However, in the crossing path switching device 24A of the sorting conveyor of the present invention, since the slide shoe 13 includes the vane 136, the passage for guiding the vane 136 is guided from the right upstream diagonal slide rail 221A to the left downstream diagonal guide rail 232A. It is only necessary to indent a parallel vane guide passage 24A2 having a width that can be guided by the vane arm 136 at a position separated from both diagonal guide rails 221A and 232A by the radius of the wheel 132. The same applies to the left upstream diagonal guide rail 222A to the right downstream diagonal guide rail 231A.

Such a crossroads switching device is preferably made of a material having excellent slidability with less wear with the vane 136, and is required to have an accuracy of the width of the passage. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, it is one of engineering plastics. It is preferable, but not limited to, the one manufactured by cutting using UHMWPE. Various engineering plastics having excellent slidability, composite materials thereof, metal sintered materials, ceramic sintered materials and the like manufactured by injection molding are also preferably used.

As described above, examples of engineering plastics include PA, PEEK, PPS, PI, POM, PTFE, phenol resin, polyolefin resin, UHMWPE, ABS resin and the like. Further, a composite material in which glass fiber, carbon fiber, stainless fiber, CNF and the like are blended with these resins can be used. In order to form the vane guide passage with high accuracy, it is necessary to select a processing method according to the material, and for example, it is preferable to process by a cutting method, an injection molding method, a RIM molding method or the like.

The metal sintered material is a sintered material formed by a powder metallurgy molding method of metal powder and alloy powder used for general sliding bearings, and in particular, injection molding is performed in order to improve the processing accuracy of the vane guide passage. It is preferable to mold using the method. Further, as the metal material, it is more preferable to use iron-based alloy powder or copper-based alloy powder.

Ceramic is expensive, but its properties such as slidability and wear resistance are higher than those of metal. As the ceramic sintered material, a sintered material formed by a powder metallurgy molding method using powders such as metal oxides, metal carbides, metal boroides, and metal nitrides, and particularly by an injection molding method is preferable.

Such a metal sintering material and a ceramic sintering material may be a composite sintering material, respectively, and carbon fiber, stainless fiber, graphite powder and the like may be blended. In particular, since the sintered material is a porous body and can hold a lubricant, it is possible to provide a crossroad switching device with less friction and wear without requiring a special lubricating device. be.

The surface of the vane guide passage can also be coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC). DLC is a non-crystalline carbon film having properties similar to diamond, has extremely excellent wear resistance, and is also suitable for coating the vane surface of the present invention, and is a physical vapor deposition method. (PVD, Physical Vapor Deposition) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD, Physical Vapor Deposition) can be used to form a film on a vane. In particular, PVD preferably uses a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, an ion plating apparatus, or the like, and CVD preferably uses a plasma CVD apparatus, a plasma ion implantation deposition apparatus, or the like to form a film.

The various elemental techniques applied to the parts, appliances, instruments, machines and the like constituting the sorting conveyor device of the present invention can be applied to all transfer systems including various sorters which are the basis of the distribution system. It is an invention with extremely high utility in the logistics industry.

1 Article 1-1 to 6 Time series of the same article moving 2 Slat conveyor 3 Slat 4 Endless chain 41 Right endless chain (left and right with respect to the transport direction. The same shall apply hereinafter).
42 Left endless chain 5 Drive shaft 6 Drive shaft 7 Sprocket 71 Drive shaft side right sprocket 72 Drive shaft side left sprocket 81 Drive shaft side right sprocket 82 Drive shaft side left sprocket 9 Motor 10 Stand 101 Main body Right stand 102 Main body Left stand 11 Main body Cover 111 Main body Right cover 112 Main body left cover 12 Branch conveyor 121 Right branch conveyor 122 Left branch conveyor 13 Slide shoe 13-1 to 7 Time series of the same slide shoe that moves 131 Shoe cover 132 Wheel 133 Shoe support shaft 134 Shoe slide 135 Boss 136 Vane 1361 Vane Shaft 1362 Vane Arm 1363 Vane Helm 13611 Vane Hole 137 Angle Restriction Window 138 Angle Restriction Bearing Ball 14 Transport Direction Connection Frame 15 Slat Direction Connection Frame 16 Rail Support Frame 16A Upper Rail Support Frame 16B Lower Rail Support Frame 17 Direct Guide Rail 171A Upper right direct guide rail 172A Upper left direct guide rail 171B Lower right direct guide rail 172B Lower left direct guide rail 18 Roller movement guide 181A Upper right roller movement guide 182A Upper left roller movement guide 181B Lower right roller movement guide 182B Lower left roller movement Guide 181C Lower right roller movement guide 182C Lower left roller movement guide 19 Guide roller 191 Right guide roller 192 Left guide roller 20 Side roller 201 Right side roller 202 Left side roller 21 Chain cover 211 Right chain cover 212 Left chain cover 22 Upstream side diagonal Line guide rail (upstream / downstream with respect to the transport direction. The same shall apply hereinafter)
221A Upper right upstream side oblique guide rail 221A1 Upper right upstream side oblique guide rail Front half 221A2 Upper right upstream side oblique guide rail Second half 221A3 Upper right upstream side oblique guide rail Notch 222A Upper left upstream side oblique Guide rail 222A3 Upper left upstream side diagonal guide rail notch
23 Downstream side skew guide rail 231A Upper right downstream side skew guide rail 232A Upper left downstream side skew guide rail 232A1 Upper left downstream side skew guide rail Front half 232A2 Upper left downstream side skew guide rail second half 22 / 23C Curved skew guide rail 24A Upper crossroads switching device 24A1 Cam 24A2 Vane guide passage 251A Upper right switching device 251A1 Upper right electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching unit 251A11 Main electromagnet (1)
251A12 Auxiliary magnet (2)
251A13 Auxiliary magnet (3)
251A14 Auxiliary magnet (4)
251A2 Upper right lever type shoe support shaft switching part 251A21 Lever 251A22 Lever rotating shaft 251A3 Upper right nose part 251A31 Shoe support shaft nose 251A32 Wheel nose 252A Upper left switching device 252A1 Upper left electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching part 252A3 Upper left nose part 261A Upper right shoe support shaft switching direction guidance guide 271A Upper right shoe support shaft orthogonal direction guidance guide 281A Upper right shoe support shaft oblique direction guidance guide 291A Upper right slide shoe support shaft detection sensor
30 Rotary solenoid 31 Switching lever 32 Stopper 33 Bane switching direction guidance guide 34 Bane direct direction guidance guide 35 Bane helm nose 351 Bane helm nose side surface 352 Bane helm nose upper surface 36 Bane arm nose 361 Bane arm nose side surface 362 Bane arm nose upper surface 37 Wheel Nose 371 Wheel nose side surface 372 Wheel nose top surface 38 Vane axis Nose 39 Vane detection sensor S1, S2 Sorting zones I, II, III Cutting line perpendicular to the paper surface Y Field direction Z-1 Vertical movement center line of shoe support shaft Z- 2 Vane's direct movement center line α Electromagnetic shoe support shaft switching oblique guide rail gradient α1 Inclined guide rail upstream slope (upper right upstream side oblique guide rail front half (2)
21A1) Gradient)
α2 Diagonal guide rail midstream gradient (upper right upstream side oblique guide rail second half (221A2) gradient and upper left downstream side oblique guide rail first half (232A1) gradient)
α3 Diagonal guide rail downstream slope (downstream diagonal guide rail second half (232A2) gradient)
β Lever type shoe support shaft switching diagonal guide rail gradient β1 diagonal guide rail upstream slope (upper right upstream side diagonal guide rail front half (221A1) gradient)
β2 oblique guide rail midstream gradient (upper right upstream side oblique guide rail second half (221A2) gradient and upper left downstream diagonal guide rail first half (232A1) gradient)
β3 Diagonal guide rail downstream slope (downstream diagonal guide rail second half (232A2) gradient)
γ Lever-type vane switching diagonal guide rail initial slope γ1 Straight diagonal guide rail initial slope γ2 Curved diagonal guide rail initial slope δ Downstream side diagonal guide rail rear end slope of lever-type vane switching N Lever-type vane switching Nose Gradient N1 Curved Vane Helm Nose Initial Gradient N2 Curved Vane Arm Nose Initial Gradient N3 Straight Vane Helm Nose Gradient Δe Wheel Guided Section by Electromagnet Δf Wheel Guided Section by Oblique Guide Rail Δg Article Sorting Preparation Section for Electromagnetic Shoe Support Axis Switching Δh Wheel guidance section by lever Δi Wheel guidance section by diagonal guide rail Δj Goods sorting preparation section for lever type shoe support shaft switching Δm Vane helm guidance section Δn Vane arm guidance section Δo Wheel guidance section by diagonal guide rail Δp Oblique based on the presence or absence of wheels Vane shaft lead section difference leading to the row guide rail ΔD Distance between the article and the slat end ΔD1 Distance between the electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching article and the slat end ΔD2 Lever type shoe support shaft switching article and the slat end Interval ΔL Slide shoe movement stroke required for sorting ΔL1 Slide shoe movement stroke required for sorting electromagnet type shoe support shaft switching ΔL2 Slide shoe movement stroke required for sorting lever type shoe support shaft switching ΔL3 Lever type vane switching Slide shoe movement process required for sorting (1)
ΔL4 Slide shoe movement stroke required for sorting lever-type vane switching (2)
ΔL5 Slide shoe movement stroke required for sorting lever-type vane switching (3)
ΔL6 Lever type vane switching wheelless slide shoe movement shortening stroke

As a sorting operation using a sorting conveyor device using a slat conveyor, the present inventors flatten this in a sorting zone in which articles are transferred from a main transport path to a branch transport path by turning, distributing, and discharging. When viewed as a figure (hereinafter the same), it was found that the above problem can be solved by sorting the articles so that the slide shoe draws a locus of a steep slope from a gentle slope. In particular, as a structure of the slide shoe, which is a component that shifts the slide shoe from the direct guide rail to the oblique guide and guides, assists, and promotes the track switching of the article, instead of the conventional shoe support shaft, a vane shaft, a vane helm, etc. Adopting a vane equipped with a vane arm, the vane helm nose and vane arm nose that support the slide shoe with the vane have the optimum structure for the oblique guide rail, that is, the conventional magnetic shoe support shaft switching method and We have found that the above problems can be solved by changing the lever-type shoe support shaft switching method to the lever-type vane switching method, and have completed the present invention.

As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, in one embodiment of the slide shoe 13 of the present invention, the vane 136 is rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover 131 via the boss 135, and the wheel 132 and the boss 135 are fitted. At the same time, the vane shaft 1361 can rotate to the boss 135 so that the angle regulation bearing ball 138 is held in the angle regulation window 137 drilled in the boss 135 and the vane hole 13611 recessed in the vane shaft. Is suspended in. With the slide shoe 13 having such a configuration, the rotation of the vane 136 is restricted to an appropriate range, and as will be described later, the shape of the specific vane helm nose 35 and the vane arm nose 36 is formed. , Reliable and high-speed switching operation can be performed smoothly.

Claims (17)

A slat conveyor that connects slats stretched in a direction perpendicular to the main transport direction of the article in the main transport direction of the article to load and transport the article, and a slide that moves the slat surface of the slat conveyor in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A movable slide shoe, a direct guide rail for traveling the slide shoe in a transport direction, a diagonal guide rail for traveling in a right-angled direction, and a runway of the slide shoe between the direct guide rail and the diagonal guide rail. In a sorting conveyor device composed of a branch part that switches between
The slide shoe for sorting moves to the diagonal guide rail in a straight line or a curved line having a slope equal to or lower than the slope of the tip of the diagonal guide rail formed by the diagonal guide rail and the direct guide rail. The sorting conveyor device is characterized in that the slanted guide rail is drawn and a locus that moves on a straight line or a curved line having a slope equal to or higher than the slope of the tip of the slanted guide rail is drawn. It is composed of a shoe cover containing a shoe slide, a vane rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover via a boss, and a wheel, and the vane rotatably engages with the boss. The vane shaft is formed of a vane shaft, a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and a vane helm fixed below the vane arm. The wheel is fitted to the boss and the vane is fitted through the boss. The slide shoe rotatably engaged in the shaft and
An upstream vane guide that guides the slide shoe to the branch portion,
A downstream vane guide interposed so as to relay the direct guide rail to the branch portion,
The slope of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the oblique guide rail and the orthogonal guide rail is interposed in the downstream portion of the branch portion so as to relay from the upstream vane guide to the oblique guide rail. The vane helm nose, which comprises the following surfaces in contact with the vane helm, having a gradient formed by the surface in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail.
A vane helm direction switching means deployed in the middle course of the branch portion so as to be able to guide the vane helm from the upstream vane guide to the vane helm nose.
The sorting conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the sorting conveyor device is provided. It is composed of a shoe cover containing a shoe slide and a vane rotatably connected to the lower part of the shoe cover via a boss, and the vane is rotatably engaged with the boss. A vane shaft, a vane arm fixed below the vane shaft, and a slide shoe provided with a vane helm fixed below the vane arm.
An upstream vane guide that guides the slide shoe to the branch portion,
A downstream vane guide interposed so as to relay the direct guide rail to the branch portion,
The slope of the tip of the oblique guide rail formed by the oblique guide rail and the orthogonal guide rail is interposed in the downstream portion of the branch portion so as to relay from the upstream vane guide to the oblique guide rail. A vane-helm nose with a surface that is less than, in contact with the vane-helm, and a surface that contacts the vane-helm with a gradient formed by the orthogonal guide rail.
The sorting according to claim 1, wherein the middle flow portion of the branch portion is provided with a vane helm direction switching means for guiding the vane helm from the upstream vane guide to the vane helm nose. Conveyor device. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a gradient formed by the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is 0 to 40 degrees. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the length of the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm is 10 to 600 mm. The diagonal is interposed between the vane helm nose and the oblique guide rail so as to relay from the vane helm nose to the oblique guide rail, and the oblique guide rail and the direct guide rail are formed. The vane arm having a gradient formed by the surface in contact with the vane arm and the linear guide rail, which is equal to or lower than the gradient of the tip of the row guide rail and equal to or greater than the gradient formed by the surface in contact with the vane helm and the linear guide rail. The sorting conveyor device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising a vane arm nose having a surface in contact with the rail. The slope of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm and the orthogonal guide rail is 0 to 40 degrees, and the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the linear guide rail are formed. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 6, wherein the gradient is 10 to 45 degrees. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 7, wherein the gradient formed by the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm and the orthogonal guide rail is continuously reduced. The surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm has the vane helm nose tip as the origin, the parallel line of the straight guide rail passing through the vane helm nose tip is the x-axis, and the straight guide passing through the vane helm nose tip. ⁶ . Sorting conveyor device. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm has a curved radius R of 100 to 1000 mm. The claim is characterized in that the length of the surface of the vane helm nose in contact with the vane helm is 10 to 600 mm, and the length of the surface of the vane arm nose in contact with the vane arm is 10 to 600 mm. The sorting conveyor according to 6 to 10. The sorting conveyor device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the gradient of the tip of the diagonal guide rail is constant from the tip to the rear end. The sorting conveyor device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the gradient of the tip of the diagonal guide rail continuously increases from the tip to the rear end. The article draws a locus in which the article moves in a straight line or a curved line having a gradient equal to or higher than the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail in a predetermined section from the tip of the oblique guide rail, and further, the article is described at the rear end of the oblique guide rail. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 1 to 11, wherein the sorting conveyor device draws a locus that moves on a straight line or a curve having a gradient equal to or higher than the gradient of a predetermined section. The article draws a locus in which the article moves in a straight line or a curved line having a gradient equal to or higher than the gradient of the tip of the oblique guide rail in a predetermined section from the tip of the oblique guide rail, and conversely, at the rear end of the oblique guide rail. The sorting conveyor device according to claim 1 to 11, wherein a locus moving on a straight line or a curve having a gradient equal to or lower than the gradient of the predetermined section is drawn. The sorting conveyor device according to any one of claims 3 to 15, wherein the vane helm direction switching means is a solenoid-driven lever. An intersection switching device in which a passage for guiding the vane is recessed at a position where the oblique guide rails intersect so as to pass through a notch of the oblique guide rail in parallel with the oblique guide rail. The sorting conveyor device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the sorting conveyor device is provided.

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