JP2023019587A - Conveyor and regulation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To realize a technique capable of preventing large meandering of a driving belt from being generated.SOLUTION: A conveyor comprises a regulation device 5 for regulating movement in a width direction W of a driving belt 30. The regulation device 5 comprises a support 50 attached to a frame 20, and a pair of regulation members 70. The support 50 comprises a gap corresponding part 53 as a part overlapping with an inter-roller gap 13 formed between a pair of conveyance rollers 10 adjacent to a conveyance direction T, as viewed from an upward-downward direction. The pair of regulation members 70 supported by the corresponding part 53 are separately arranged on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the driving belt 30 in an area in an upward-downward direction where the driving belt 30 is arranged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a conveyor that conveys articles in a conveying direction by rotationally driving a plurality of conveying rollers with a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, and a regulating device used in such a conveyor. Regarding.

An example of the conveyor as described above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-20842 (Patent Document 1). In the following description of this background art, reference numerals in Patent Document 1 are quoted in parentheses.

The conveyor device (1) of Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of conveying rollers (3), a drive belt (5) that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers (3) from below, and a conveying direction in a conveyor frame (2a). and two end rollers (4a, 4b) rotatably supported at both ends of the roller, and a pulley (6) rotated by a motor (7). The drive belt (5) is wound around two end rollers (4a, 4b) and a pulley (6). By rotating the pulley (6), the drive belt (5) is circulated to generate a plurality of belts. It is configured to rotationally drive the conveying roller (3).

JP 2015-20842 A

By the way, although it is not described in Patent Document 1, in the conveyor as described above, meandering of the drive belt such as swinging or deviation of the drive belt in the width direction (the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction) may occur. may occur. For example, manufacturing errors, assembly errors, and secular changes such as deformation can cause meandering of the drive belt. A large meandering of the drive belt interferes with smooth driving of the transport rollers and smooth transport of articles. Therefore, especially when the drive belt is significantly meandering, it is necessary to identify the cause and deal with it. It can be difficult to identify and deal with.

Therefore, it is desired to realize a technique that makes it difficult for the drive belt to significantly meander.

A conveyor according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with a gap in the transport direction, a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers, and a driving mechanism rotating the plurality of transport rollers. and a conveyor for conveying articles along the conveying direction, wherein each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame in a freely rotatable state around a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the The drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. and further comprising a restricting device for restricting movement of the drive belt in the width direction with a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction as viewed in the vertical direction along the vertical direction, wherein the restricting device is attached to the frame. A supporting body to be attached and a pair of regulating members are provided, and the supporting body overlaps a roller gap formed between a pair of the conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction. A pair of regulating members are supported by the gap-corresponding part, and are arranged on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. are arranged separately.

According to this configuration, the pair of regulating members included in the regulating device are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. Movement in the direction can be restricted from both sides in the width direction by a pair of restricting members. Therefore, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range in the width direction of the drive belt is limited to a range corresponding to the gap between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is unlikely to meander significantly. can be made

As described above, according to this configuration, it is possible to make it difficult for the drive belt to make a large meandering motion. It must be attached while avoiding interference with the conveying roller that rotates as it moves. Regarding this point, according to this configuration, the regulating device includes a support attached to the frame, and the pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portions that are portions of the support that overlap the inter-roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction. It is In this way, the support is attached to the frame so as to have a portion (gap corresponding portion) arranged in a space that overlaps the inter-roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction, and the pair of regulating members are supported in this portion. By doing so, the regulating device is arranged such that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, while avoiding interference with the conveying roller. The attached conveyor is easier to implement.

A regulating device according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with a gap in the transport direction, a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers, a driving mechanism for rotationally driving the plurality of transport rollers, A conveyor for conveying articles along the conveying direction, wherein each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame in a freely rotatable state around a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction, The drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. and a regulating device for use in a conveyor comprising: a support attached to the frame; In a state in which the support is attached to the frame, the support is formed between the pair of transport rollers adjacent to each other in the transport direction, with the width direction being the direction orthogonal to the transport direction when viewed in the vertical direction. The inter-roller gap and the gap corresponding portion overlap when viewed in the vertical direction, and in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, the pair of the regulating members are arranged in the width direction with respect to the drive belt. They are arranged separately on both sides.

According to this configuration, in a state where the support is attached to the frame, the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. The widthwise movement of the drive belt can be restricted from both sides in the widthwise direction by the pair of restricting members. Therefore, by using the regulating device of this configuration for a conveyor, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction is within the range corresponding to the gap between the pair of regulating members. to prevent the drive belt from making a large meander.

As described above, by using the regulating device of this configuration for a conveyor, it is possible to make it difficult for the drive belt to make a large meandering motion. It is necessary to avoid interference with the conveying roller that is arranged and rotates as the drive belt circulates. Regarding this point, according to this configuration, in a state in which the support is attached to the frame, the gap corresponding portion that supports the pair of regulating members is arranged so as to overlap the gap between the rollers when viewed in the vertical direction. In this way, the portions of the support that support the pair of regulating members (gap-corresponding portions) are arranged in a space that overlaps the gap between the rollers when viewed in the vertical direction. It is easy to attach the regulating device to the conveyor so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the is arranged.

Further features and advantages of the conveyor and restricting device will become clear from the following description of the embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Longitudinal side view of part of the conveyor Top view of part of the conveyor Vertical side view of the vicinity of the first restricting device in the conveyor Vertical side view of the vicinity of the second restricting device in the conveyor Vertical front view of the vicinity of the first restricting device in the conveyor Vertical front view of the vicinity of the second restricting device in the conveyor Vertical side view of the vicinity of the object control device in the conveyor

Embodiments of conveyors and regulating devices are described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 1 includes a plurality of conveying rollers 10 arranged side by side with a gap in the conveying direction T, a frame 20 supporting the plurality of conveying rollers 10, and the plurality of conveying rollers 10 rotating. and a driving mechanism 3 for driving. A conveyor 1 conveys articles 2 along a conveying direction T. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the articles 2 placed on the plurality of transport rollers 10 are transported along the transport direction T by rotating the plurality of transport rollers 10 by the driving mechanism 3 . In the example shown in FIG. 1, the transport direction T is horizontal. The article 2 is, for example, a carton case such as a cardboard box.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the plurality of transport rollers 10 is supported by a frame 20 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis A perpendicular to the transport direction T. As shown in FIG. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, the roller shaft 12 is supported by the frame 20 while being inserted through a through hole (for example, a hexagonal hole) formed in the frame 20. The conveying roller 10 is supported by a roller shaft 12 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis A. As shown in FIG. Although not shown, each of the plurality of transport rollers 10 is supported on both sides in the width direction W by the frame 20 . Here, a width direction W is defined as a direction perpendicular to the transport direction T when viewed in the vertical direction V (vertical direction). The width direction W is a direction along the rotation axis A. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the rotation axis A is the horizontal axis, and the width direction W is the horizontal direction (specifically, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction T). be. Hereinafter, one side in the width direction W is defined as a first width direction side W1, and the other side in the width direction W is defined as a second width direction side W2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the driving mechanism 3 includes a driving belt 30 that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2, a plurality of pulleys 40 around which the driving belt 30 is wound, and a plurality of pulleys 40. and a drive source 4 for driving at least one of them. The driving mechanism 3 drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys 40 with the driving force of the driving source 4, and circulates the driving belt 30 while being guided by the plurality of pulleys 40. A plurality of conveying rollers 10 in contact with are driven to rotate.

The drive belt 30 is an endless flat belt. The drive belt 30 includes a forward portion 31 that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2, and a reverse portion 32 that is arranged on the lower side V2 with respect to the forward portion 31. be As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the present embodiment, the driving belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) is arranged such that the belt width direction extends along the width direction W, and the driving belt 30 has a plurality of belts. It contacts the conveying roller 10 from the lower side V2. That is, the surface of the driving belt 30 whose normal direction is the belt thickness direction contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, in the present embodiment, the driving belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) is arranged to extend along the width direction first side W1 of the conveying roller 10. It is arranged to contact from the lower side V2.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a plurality of pulleys 40 included in the driving mechanism 3 support the driving belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31 ) from the lower side V 2 to press the driving belt 30 against the conveying roller 10 . A pressure pulley 40a and an end pulley 40c arranged at the end in the conveying direction T for reversing the moving direction of the drive belt 30 are included. A plurality of pressure pulleys 40a are provided so as to line up in the transport direction T. As shown in FIG. Although not shown, the end pulleys 40c are provided at both ends in the transport direction T. As shown in FIG. The forward portion 31 is wound around a plurality of pressure pulleys 40a and a pair of end pulleys 40c from the upper side V1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure pulley 40a supports a portion of the forward portion 31 that is not in contact with the conveying roller 10. As shown in FIGS. The gap formed between the pair of conveying rollers 10 adjacent to each other in the conveying direction T is defined as the inter-roller gap 13, and as shown in FIG. are arranged to have Here, the pressure pulleys 40 a are arranged in the conveying direction T at a pitch that is twice the arrangement pitch of the conveying rollers 10 . Therefore, the roller gap 13 in which the pressure pulleys 40a overlap when viewed in the vertical direction and the roller gap 13 in which the pressure pulleys 40a do not overlap when viewed in the vertical direction are arranged along the conveying direction T. are arranged alternately.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of pulleys 40 included in the drive mechanism 3 further include a lower guide pulley 40b that supports the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return section 32) from the lower side V2, and a drive source 4 (eg, an electric motor), an adjustable tension pulley 40e, and a pair of reversing guide pulleys 40f for reversing the direction of travel of the drive belt 30. As shown in FIG. The go-around portion 32 is wound around a lower guide pulley 40b, a drive pulley 40d, a tension pulley 40e, and a pair of reversing guide pulleys 40f. In the vicinity of the driving pulley 40d in the go-around portion 32, the go-around portion 32 is wound around one of the pair of reversing guide pulleys 40f, the driving pulley 40d, the tension pulley 40e, and the other of the pair of reversing guide pulleys 40f in this order. .

Of the plurality of pulleys 40 included in the drive mechanism 3, the pulleys 40 excluding the drive pulley 40d are rotatable (specifically, rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotation axis A), It is supported by frame 20 . The driving pulley 40d is supported by the frame 20 so as to be rotatable by the driving force of the driving source 4 (more specifically, rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotation axis A). Therefore, by rotating the driving pulley 40d by the driving force of the driving source 4, the driving belt 30 is circulated while being guided by the plurality of pulleys 40, and the plurality of conveying rollers 10 in contact with the driving belt 30 are rotated. can be driven.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, at both ends in the width direction W of the outer peripheral surface of the pressure pulley 40a, there are provided first radially outwardly protruding radial direction (radial direction based on the rotation axis of the pressure pulley 40a). A flange portion 43a is formed. The drive belt 30 (specifically, the forward portion 31) is wound around a portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a on the outer peripheral surface of the pressure pulley 40a. In this embodiment, the pressure pulley 40a is supported by the frame 20 in a cantilevered state. Specifically, the end of the first pulley shaft 41a on the first side W1 in the width direction is inserted through a through hole formed in the frame 20, and a nut 42a is screwed to the end to allow the first pulley shaft 41a to rotate. One pulley shaft 41 a is fixed to the frame 20 . The pressure pulley 40a is rotatably supported by the first pulley shaft 41a on the width direction second side W2 with respect to the portion of the frame 20 to which the first pulley shaft 41a is fixed.

As shown in FIG. 6, second flanges protruding outward in the radial direction (the radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the lower guide pulley 40b) are provided at both ends in the width direction W of the outer peripheral surface of the lower guide pulley 40b. A portion 43b is formed. The drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) is wound around the portion between the pair of second flange portions 43b on the outer peripheral surface of the lower guide pulley 40b. In this embodiment, the lower guide pulley 40b is supported by the frame 20 in a cantilevered state. Specifically, the end of the second pulley shaft 41b on the first side W1 in the width direction is inserted through a through hole formed in the frame 20, and a nut 42b is screwed to the end to allow the second pulley shaft 41b to be pulled out. A two-pulley shaft 41 b is fixed to the frame 20 . The lower guide pulley 40b is rotatably supported by the second pulley shaft 41b on the width direction second side W2 with respect to the portion of the frame 20 to which the second pulley shaft 41b is fixed.

By the way, meandering of the drive belt 30 such as swinging or biasing of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W may occur. It interferes with transportation. In this conveyor 1, as described below, by providing the first restricting device 5 (in this embodiment, the second restricting device 6) on the conveyor 1, it is difficult for the drive belt 30 to make a large meandering motion. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 1 includes a first restricting device 5 that restricts movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. The first restricting device 5 is provided so as to restrict movement in the width direction W of the going portion 31 . In this embodiment, the conveyor 1 further includes a second restricting device 6 that restricts movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. The second restricting device 6 is provided so as to restrict movement in the width direction W of the go-around portion 32 . Thus, the first restricting device 5 is used for the conveyor 1 and the second restricting device 6 is also used for the conveyor 1 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the 1st regulation device 5 is equivalent to a "regulation device."

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the first restricting device 5 includes a first support 50 attached to the frame 20 and a pair of guide rollers 70. As shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the first support member 50 includes a first gap corresponding portion 53 that overlaps the roller gap 13 when viewed in the vertical direction. Here, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is formed in a plate shape in which the vertical direction V is the thickness direction (direction perpendicular to the plate surface). The first restricting device 5 is arranged at a different position in the transport direction T from the pressure pulley 40a (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged so as to overlap, as viewed in the vertical direction, the roller gap 13 among the plurality of roller gaps 13, which is not arranged such that the pressure pulley 40a overlaps as viewed in the vertical direction. ing. In this embodiment, the first support 50 corresponds to the "support", the first gap corresponding portion 53 corresponds to the "gap corresponding portion", and the guide roller 70 corresponds to the "regulating member".

The first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged so as not to protrude upward V1 with respect to the conveying surface of the conveyor 1 (specifically, the plane including the upper ends of the plurality of conveying rollers 10). In this embodiment, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) from the upper side V1 in the gap 13 between the rollers. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged below V2 the narrowest portion (the width in the conveying direction T) of the inter-roller gap 13 . The inter-roller gap 13 is widest at the height (position in the vertical direction V) at which the upper end of the transport roller 10 is arranged and at the height at which the lower end of the transport roller 10 is arranged. The width is the narrowest at the height where the rotation axis A is arranged.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) in the inter-roller gap 13 from the upper side V1. Therefore, at the location where the first restricting device 5 is attached, the presence of the first gap corresponding portion 53 prevents a part of the operator's body or other objects from approaching the contact portion between the conveying roller 10 and the drive belt 30 . It is possible to make it difficult and improve safety. For example, by attaching the first restricting device 5 to a worker's working place, such as a place where the worker places the article 2 on the conveyor 1 or a place where the worker unloads the article 2 from the conveyor 1. , it is possible to improve the safety of the worker who performs the work at the work location. In this case, the gaps formed on both sides of the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the conveying direction T are sized to prevent the operator's fingers from entering the contact portion between the conveying roller 10 and the drive belt 30 . It is preferable to set the dimension of the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the conveying direction T so that

The pair of guide rollers 70 are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 . Specifically, the pair of guide rollers 70 are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a rotatable state with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53 . As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the pair of guide rollers 70 move the driving belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) in the area in the vertical direction V where the driving belt 30 is arranged. 30 (specifically, forward portion 31) are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the pair of guide rollers 70 are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the portion of the traveling portion 31 that does not contact the conveying roller 10 or the pressure pulley 40a.

As described above, the first support 50 includes the first gap corresponding portion 53 that supports the pair of guide rollers 70 (specifically, rotatably supports the pair of guide rollers 70). With the first support 50 attached to the frame 20, the inter-roller gap 13 and the first gap corresponding portion 53 overlap when viewed from the top and bottom, and the drive belt 30 (specifically, the forward portion) 31) are arranged in the vertical direction V, a pair of guide rollers 70 are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the driving belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31). By arranging the pair of guide rollers 70 in this manner, the movement of the drive belt 30 (specifically, the forward portion 31) in the width direction W is controlled by the pair of guide rollers 70 from both sides in the width direction W. It is possible to prevent the drive belt 30 from making a large meander by restricting it. Note that when the drive belt 30 moves in the width direction W and contacts the guide roller 70 , the guide roller 70 rotates due to the frictional force between the drive belt 30 and the drive belt 30 . Therefore, while suppressing damage to the drive belt 30 and the guide rollers 70, it is possible to limit the movable range of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W within a range corresponding to the distance between the pair of guide rollers 70. there is

The dimension of the guide roller 70 in the vertical direction V and the arrangement position in the vertical direction V are such that even if the drive belt 30 moves in the vertical direction V due to vibration or the like, the area in the vertical direction V where the guide roller 70 is arranged is maintained. It is set so that the drive belt 30 is arranged. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper end of the guide roller 70 is arranged above the lower end of the conveying roller 10 V1. 3 and 5, the lower end of the guide roller 70 is located below the upper end of the pressure pulley 40a (specifically, the upper end of the portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a) V2. Here, it is arranged below the lower end of the conveying roller 10 V2.

As a structure for supporting the pair of guide rollers 70 by the first gap corresponding portion 53, any support structure can be adopted. will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 5 , in the present embodiment, the first restricting device 5 includes a pair of support shafts 80 extending in the vertical direction V, and the pair of support shafts 80 are arranged in the width direction W so as to line up in the first direction. It is supported by the gap corresponding portion 53 . Here, the support shaft 80 is a bolt having a shaft portion and a head portion, and the support shaft 80 is supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 while being inserted through a through hole formed in the first gap corresponding portion 53 . It is Specifically, the first support shaft 80a, which is one of the pair of support shafts 80 (specifically, the one arranged on the width direction first side W1), is oriented so that the head is arranged on the lower side V2. The tip of the shaft (the end on the side opposite to the side on which the head is arranged) is inserted through the through hole, and the first support shaft is mounted with the nut 81a screwed to the tip 80 a is fixed to the first gap corresponding portion 53 . In addition, the second support shaft 80b, which is the other of the pair of support shafts 80 (specifically, the one arranged on the second side W2 in the width direction), is oriented such that the head is arranged on the lower side V2. The second support shaft 80b is fixed to the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which a tip portion of the portion is inserted through the through hole, and a nut 81b is screwed to the tip portion.

A first guide roller 70a, which is one of the pair of guide rollers 70, is supported by the first support shaft 80a so as to be rotatable with respect to the first support shaft 80a, and a pair of guide rollers is supported by the second support shaft 80b. A second guide roller 70b, which is the other side of 70, is rotatably supported on a second support shaft 80b. That is, the first guide roller 70 a and the second guide roller 70 b are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a rotatable state with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53 . The first support shaft 80a is arranged so as to pass through the first guide roller 70a in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. The first guide roller 70a is arranged between the head portion of the first support shaft 80a and the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the vertical direction V in a state where movement in the vertical direction V is restricted. The second support shaft 80b is arranged so as to pass through the second guide roller 70b in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. The second guide roller 70b is arranged between the head portion of the second support shaft 80b and the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the vertical direction V so that movement in the vertical direction V is restricted. In this embodiment, the first guide roller 70a corresponds to the "first regulation member", and the second guide roller 70b corresponds to the "second regulation member".

In this embodiment, the guide roller 70 is configured using one or more bearings (here, ball bearings) whose inner rings are fixed to the support shaft 80, and the outer rings of the bearings are rotatably It is supported by the support shaft 80 . The outer peripheral surface of the guide roller 70 is formed by the outer peripheral surface of the bearing that constitutes the guide roller 70 (specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring). Here, the first guide roller 70a is configured using a plurality of (in this example, four) first bearings 71a having the same diameter and stacked in the vertical direction V, and the plurality of first bearings 71a The outer peripheral surface of the first guide roller 70a is formed by a set of the outer peripheral surfaces of the respective (specifically, the outer peripheral surfaces of the outer rings). In addition, the second guide roller 70b is configured using a plurality (four in this example) of the same diameter second bearings 71b stacked in the vertical direction V, and the plurality of second bearings 71b The outer peripheral surface of the second guide roller 70b is formed by a collection of the respective outer peripheral surfaces (specifically, the outer peripheral surfaces of the outer rings).

In this embodiment, since the pair of support shafts 80 are arranged along the vertical direction V, the interval in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 is uniform along the vertical direction V. Further, in this embodiment, the diameter of the first guide roller 70a is uniform along the vertical direction V, and the diameter of the second guide roller 70b is uniform along the vertical direction V. In this embodiment, the widthwise distance W between the pair of support shafts 80 is set according to the widthwise dimension of the drive belt 30, the diameter of the first guide roller 70a, and the diameter of the second guide roller 70b. It is In other words, as shown in FIG. 5, the distance between the pair of support shafts 80 in the width direction W is defined as a first length L1, the dimension of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W is defined as a second length L2, and the first guide rollers The diameter (specifically, diameter) of 70a is defined as a first roller diameter D1, the diameter (specifically, diameter) of the second guide roller 70b is defined as a second roller diameter D2, and the first length L1 is defined as a first roller diameter. 2 It is set according to the length L2, the first roller diameter D1, and the second roller diameter D2. In this embodiment, the first roller diameter D1 and the second roller diameter D2 are equal to each other.

According to the first length L1, the first roller diameter D1, and the second roller diameter D2, the narrowest distance (in other words, The distance at the portion where these two outer peripheral surfaces are closest to each other) is determined. As shown in FIG. 5, this interval is defined as a third length L3. The total amount of movement of the drive belt 30 to the first side W1 in the width direction and the amount of movement of the drive belt 30 to the second side W2 in the width direction is a value obtained by subtracting the second length L2 from the third length L3. determined according to Therefore, as an example, the third length L3 is set to a value obtained by adding the allowable amount of movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W (total amount of allowable movement to both sides in the width direction W) to the second length L2. , the first length L1 can be set.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the third length L3 is shorter than the fourth length L4, which is the dimension in the width direction W of the portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a of the pressure pulley 40a. is set to Therefore, even if the drive belt 30 meanders, the contact of the drive belt 30 with the first flange portion 43a is suppressed to prevent the drive belt 30 from strongly contacting the first flange portion 43a. is possible. In this embodiment, the fourth length L4 is equal to the fifth dimension L5, which is the dimension in the width direction W of the portion between the pair of second flange portions 43b of the lower guide pulley 40b.

Although details are omitted, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the center position in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 can be changed, or a configuration in which the interval in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 can be changed. In this case, the common first restricting device 5 can be applied to a plurality of types of conveyors 1 having different positions in the width direction W of the drive belt 30 or different dimensions in the width direction W of the drive belt 30 . For example, by forming a plurality of through holes in the first gap corresponding portion 53 so as to be aligned in the width direction W so that the combination of the two through holes through which the pair of support shafts 80 are inserted can be changed, The configuration as described above can be realized.

Although any mounting structure can be employed as the mounting structure of the first restricting device 5 to the frame 20, the mounting structure of the first restricting device 5 to the frame 20 in this embodiment will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 20 has a top surface 21 facing the upper side V1, and a facing surface 22 that faces the end surface 11 facing the outside in the width direction W of the conveying roller 10 and extends along the vertical direction V. I have. Here, the “outer side in the width direction W” means the side away from the center position in the width direction W of the conveyor 1 . In the present embodiment, the first restricting device 5 is attached to a portion of the frame 20 located on the first side W1 in the width direction with respect to the center position. Therefore, at the mounting position of the first restricting device 5 in the frame 20, the widthwise first side W1 is the outside in the widthwise direction W, and the widthwise second side W2 is the inside in the widthwise direction W (the side toward the center position). becomes. Accordingly, the facing surface 22 is a surface that faces the second widthwise side W2 and faces the end surface 11 of the conveying roller 10 on the first widthwise side W1. The facing surface 22 is formed to extend downward V2 from the upper surface 21 (specifically, the end of the upper surface 21 on the second widthwise side W2). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the frame 20 further comprises a lower surface 23 facing the lower side V2. The lower surface 23 is arranged on the lower side V2 than the upper surface 21, and the opposing surface 22 is positioned between the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 23 (specifically, the end portion of the width direction second side W2 of the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 23). and the end portion of the width direction second side W2 in the ).

The frame 20 includes a plate-shaped side plate portion whose thickness direction is the width direction W, and a surface of the side plate portion facing the width direction second side W2 constitutes a facing surface 22 . The side plate portion is formed with the above-described through hole through which the roller shaft 12 is inserted, the above-described through hole through which the first pulley shaft 41a is inserted, and the above-described through hole through which the second pulley shaft 41b is inserted. ing. Further, the frame 20 includes an upper plate portion formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction is the vertical direction V, and a surface of the upper plate portion facing the upper side V1 constitutes an upper surface 21 . The upper plate portion is formed to extend from the upper end portion of the side wall portion to the width direction first side W1. Further, the frame 20 has a plate-shaped lower plate portion whose thickness direction is the vertical direction V, and a surface of the lower plate portion facing the lower side V2 constitutes a lower surface 23 . The lower plate portion is formed to extend from the lower end portion of the side wall portion to the width direction first side W1.

The first support 50 includes a plate-shaped first contact portion 51 that contacts the upper surface 21 and a plate-shaped second contact portion 52 that contacts the opposing surface 22 . . The first gap corresponding portion 53 is formed to extend along the width direction W from the second contact portion 52 (specifically, the lower end portion of the second contact portion 52). The first contact portion 51 is formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction is the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. As described above, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is also formed in a plate shape whose thickness direction is the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the second contact portion 52 is formed in a plate shape with the width direction W being the thickness direction. Since the facing surface 22 faces the widthwise second side W2, the second contact portion 52 contacts the facing surface 22 from the widthwise second side W2. The first contact portion 51 is formed to extend from the upper end portion of the second contact portion 52 to the widthwise first side W1, and the first gap corresponding portion 53 is the lower end portion of the second contact portion 52 . , to the second side W2 in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the first support 50 has a first fixing portion 54 fixed to the frame 20 . In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 54 is arranged above the first gap corresponding portion 53 V1. Here, the first fixing portion 54 is arranged above the narrowest portion V1 of the inter-roller gap 13 (in other words, above the rotation axis A of the conveying roller 10 V1). Alternatively, the first fixing portion 54 may be arranged above the entire inter-roller gap 13 (in other words, above the upper end of the conveying roller 10 V1). In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 54 corresponds to the "fixing portion".

As shown in FIG. 5 , the first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 using a first fastening member 55 . Specifically, the first fastening member 55 includes a first bolt 56 and a first nut 57 screwed onto the first bolt 56 . The first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 in a state in which a first nut 57 is screwed onto a first bolt 56 inserted through a through hole formed in each of the first fixing portion 54 and the frame 20 . ing. Note that the first nut 57 may be fixed to the frame 20 by welding or the like. Further, for example, the first fastening member 55 does not include the first nut 57, and the through hole in the frame 20 through which the first bolt 56 is inserted is a fastening hole formed with a female thread that screws together with the first bolt 56. It can also be configured as follows. In this embodiment, the first fastening member 55 corresponds to the "fastening member".

As described above, in this embodiment, the first support 50 includes the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 . At least one of the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 serves as the first fixing portion 54 . Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the first contact portion 51 is the first fixing portion 54 . Specifically, a first nut 57 is attached to a first bolt 56 inserted through a through hole formed in each of the first contact portion 51 and the upper plate portion (the portion where the upper surface 21 is formed) of the frame 20 . In the screwed state, the first contact portion 51 as the first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 (specifically, the upper plate portion). Here, the first bolt 56 is inserted through the above-described through-hole so that the head of the first bolt 56 is arranged on the upper side V1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 using the first fastening member 55, the first restricting device 5 is detachably attached to the frame 20. . Therefore, for example, by forming through-holes through which the first bolts 56 can be inserted at a plurality of locations in the transport direction T of the frame 20 (in this embodiment, the upper plate portion on which the upper surface 21 is formed), the driving Depending on the occurrence of meandering of the belt 30, it is possible to change the mounting position of the first restricting device 5 or change the number of the first restricting devices 5 to be attached.

The first gap corresponding portion 53 of the first regulating device 5 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 overlaps the inter-roller gap 13 arranged in the intermediate portion in the conveying direction T among the plurality of inter-roller gaps 13 when viewed in the vertical direction. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the first gap corresponding portion 53 of the first regulating device 5 overlaps the inter-roller gap 13 arranged at the end in the conveying direction T when viewed in the vertical direction. may be arranged to That is, among the plurality of inter-roller gaps 13 formed by the plurality of conveying rollers 10 in contact with one driving belt 30, the one arranged at the end in the conveying direction T is defined as the target inter-roller gap 14, and the first The regulating device 5 may include at least the target regulating device 7 in which the first gap corresponding portion 53 overlaps the target roller gap 14 when viewed in the vertical direction. In addition, in the present embodiment, a non-driving roller 15 that freely rotates without contacting the driving belt 30 is arranged at the end in the conveying direction T. As shown in FIG. Since the non-driving roller 15 is not in contact with the driving belt 30, the gap formed between the conveying roller 10 and the non-driving roller 15 is not included in the inter-roller gap 13 here.

Since the target regulating devices 7 can be attached to both ends in the transport direction T, the first regulating device 5 can be configured to include one or two target regulating devices 7 . When the first restricting device 5 includes the target restricting devices 7 in this manner, the first restricting device 5 may include only one or two target restricting devices 7 .

As described above, in the present embodiment, the conveyor 1 includes the first restricting device 5 that restricts the movement of the forward portion 31 in the width direction W, and the first restricting device 5 that restricts the movement of the return portion 32 in the width direction W. 2 regulating device 6 is provided. As is clear from comparing the second restricting device 6 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 with the first restricting device 5 shown in FIGS. ) corresponds to the one in which the first restricting device 5 is inverted in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. That is, the second restricting device 6 corresponds to the second support 60 corresponding to the first support 50, the third contact portion 61 corresponding to the first contact portion 51, and the second contact portion 52. A fourth contact portion 62, a second gap corresponding portion 63 corresponding to the first gap corresponding portion 53, a second fixing portion 64 corresponding to the first fixing portion 54, and a third contact portion corresponding to the first guide roller 70a. A guide roller 70c, a fourth guide roller 70d corresponding to the second guide roller 70b, a third bearing 71c corresponding to the first bearing 71a, a fourth bearing 71d corresponding to the second bearing 71b, and a first support shaft. A third support shaft 80c corresponding to 80a, a fourth support shaft 80d corresponding to the second support shaft 80b, a nut 81c corresponding to the nut 81a, and a nut 81d corresponding to the nut 81b are provided.

The configuration of the second restricting device 6 will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first restricting device 5 . The second restricting device 6 is arranged at a different position in the transport direction T from the lower guide pulley 40b. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, in the present embodiment, the second gap corresponding portion 63 is arranged on the lower side V2 with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32). The second gap corresponding portion 63 may be arranged on the upper side V1 with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the second gap corresponding portion 63 is arranged so as to overlap the roller gap 13 when viewed in the vertical direction. You may arrange|position so that it may not overlap in direction view.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d move the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) in the vertical direction V region where the drive belt 30 is arranged. 30 (specifically, return portion 32) are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the portion of the return portion 32 that does not contact any pulley 40 including the lower guide pulley 40b. It is

The third support shaft 80c is fixed to the second gap corresponding portion 63 with a nut 81c screwed onto the tip of the shaft portion of the third support shaft 80c. The shaft 80d is fixed to the second gap corresponding portion 63 in a state where the nut 81d is screwed onto the tip of the shaft portion of the shaft 80d. A third guide roller 70c is rotatably supported by the third support shaft 80c, and a fourth guide roller 70d is supported by the fourth support shaft 80d. It is supported in a rotatable state. In the present embodiment, the third guide roller 70c is configured using a plurality of (in this example, five) third bearings 71c having the same diameter and stacked in the vertical direction V, and the fourth guide roller 70d is , and a plurality (five in this example) of the same diameter fourth bearings 71d stacked in the vertical direction V are used.

The second support 60 includes a plate-shaped third contact portion 61 that contacts the lower surface 23 and a plate-shaped fourth contact portion 62 that contacts the opposing surface 22 . . The third contact portion 61 is formed to extend from the lower end portion of the fourth contact portion 62 to the widthwise first side W1, and the second gap corresponding portion 63 is the upper end portion of the fourth contact portion 62 . , to the second side W2 in the width direction.

The second support 60 has a second fixing portion 64 fixed to the frame 20 . In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 64 is arranged below the second gap corresponding portion 63 V2. As shown in FIG. 6 , the second fixing portion 64 is fixed to the frame 20 using a second fastening member 65 . Specifically, the second fastening member 65 corresponding to the first fastening member 55 includes a second bolt 66 corresponding to the first bolt 56 and a second nut 67 corresponding to the first nut 57. . The second fixing portion 64 is fixed to the frame 20 in a state in which a second nut 67 is screwed onto a second bolt 66 inserted through a through hole formed in each of the second fixing portion 64 and the frame 20 . ing. In this embodiment, at least one of the third contact portion 61 and the fourth contact portion 62 is the second fixing portion 64 . Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the third contact portion 61 is the second fixing portion 64 .

[Other embodiments]
Next, other embodiments of conveyors and restrictors will be described.

(1) In the above embodiment, the first contact portion 51 of the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 is the first fixing portion 54 as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. Both the contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 may be configured to be the first fixing portion 54 . In the latter case, the first support 50 is fixed at two locations on the frame 20 (specifically, an upper plate portion having the upper surface 21 formed thereon and a side plate portion having the opposing surface 22 formed thereon). Alternatively, a portion of the first support 50 that is different from the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 may be the first fixing portion 54 . For example, the first support 50 has a contact portion that contacts the surface of the frame 20 facing outward in the width direction W (the first side W1 in the width direction), and the contact portion serves as the first fixing portion 54. can also be configured.

(2) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the first fixing portion 54 is arranged above the first gap corresponding portion 53 V1 has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and a configuration in which the first fixing portion 54 is arranged at the same height as the first gap corresponding portion 53, or a configuration in which the first fixing portion 54 is arranged at the same height as the first gap corresponding portion It can also be configured to be arranged on the lower side V2 than 53 .

(3) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the interval in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 is uniform along the vertical direction V has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and a configuration in which the spacing in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 changes depending on the position in the vertical direction V may be employed. For example, the interval in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 can be configured to narrow toward the lower side V2. When the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 varies depending on the position in the vertical direction V, at least one of the pair of support shafts 80 is arranged along the vertical direction V, unlike the above-described embodiment. are arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction V. FIG.

(4) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) from the upper side V1 in the inter-roller gap 13 is taken as an example. explained. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and a configuration in which the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the traveling portion 31) from the lower side V2 is adopted. can also

(5) In the above embodiment, the pair of regulating members is the pair of guide rollers 70 (specifically, the first regulating member, which is one of the pair of regulating members, is the first guide roller 70a, and the pair of The second guide roller 70b is used as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and a member other than the guide roller 70 can be used as the regulating member. For example, each of the pair of restricting members may be a rod-shaped member or a plate-shaped member supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a non-rotatable state with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53 . Thus, the first restricting device 5 is supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a non-rotatable state with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53 instead of the first guide roller 70a and the second guide roller 70b. It can be configured to include a pair of members. Similarly, instead of the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d, the second regulating device 6 is a pair of rollers supported by the second gap corresponding portion 63 in a non-rotatable state with respect to the second gap corresponding portion 63. It can be configured to include a member of.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, the conveyor 1 has the second restricting device 6 in addition to the first restricting device 5 as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the conveyor 1 may be configured to include only the first restricting device 5 out of the first restricting device 5 and the second restricting device 6 .

(7) The configuration disclosed in each embodiment described above may be applied in combination with the configuration disclosed in the other embodiment unless there is a contradiction. combinations) are also possible. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[Overview of the above embodiment]
An outline of the conveyor and the restricting device described above will be described below.

a plurality of conveying rollers arranged side by side with a gap in a conveying direction; a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers; and a drive mechanism rotating the plurality of conveying rollers. wherein each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the drive mechanism includes a plurality of the a driving belt that contacts the conveying roller from below; a plurality of pulleys around which the driving belt is wound; and a driving source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. A regulating device for regulating movement of the driving belt in the width direction with a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction as viewed in the vertical direction along the width direction is further provided, the regulating device comprising a support attached to the frame, and a pair of and a regulating member, wherein the support includes a gap corresponding portion that is a portion that overlaps with the inter-roller gap formed between the pair of conveying rollers adjacent in the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction, The pair of regulating members are supported by the gap-corresponding portion, and are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. .

According to this configuration, the pair of regulating members included in the regulating device are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. Movement in the direction can be restricted from both sides in the width direction by a pair of restricting members. Therefore, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range in the width direction of the drive belt is limited to a range corresponding to the gap between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is unlikely to meander significantly. can be made

As described above, according to this configuration, it is possible to make it difficult for the drive belt to make a large meandering motion. It must be attached while avoiding interference with the conveying roller that rotates as it moves. Regarding this point, according to this configuration, the regulating device includes a support attached to the frame, and the pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portions that are portions of the support that overlap the inter-roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction. It is In this way, the support is attached to the frame so as to have a portion (gap corresponding portion) arranged in a space that overlaps the inter-roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction, and the pair of regulating members are supported in this portion. By doing so, the regulating device is arranged such that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, while avoiding interference with the conveying roller. The attached conveyor is easier to implement.

Here, it is preferable that the gap corresponding portion is arranged so as to cover the drive belt from above in the gap between the rollers.

According to this configuration, the presence of the gap corresponding portion at the location where the restricting device is attached makes it difficult for a part of the operator's body or other objects to approach the contact portion between the conveying roller and the drive belt. can. Therefore, it is possible to improve safety. Further, according to this configuration, even when the conveying rollers are assembled to the frame, the drive belt is arranged such that the gap corresponding portions that support the pair of regulating members are brought close to the gap between the rollers from above. The regulating device can be mounted so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region. Therefore, it is easy to realize a conveyor in which the restricting device can be easily assembled.

Further, the first regulating member, which is one of the pair of regulating members, is a first guide roller supported by the gap corresponding portion in a rotatable state with respect to the gap corresponding portion. The other second restricting member is preferably a second guide roller supported by the gap corresponding portion in a rotatable state with respect to the gap corresponding portion.

According to this configuration, since the first regulating member is the first guide roller, when the drive belt moves to one side in the width direction to the extent that it contacts the first regulating member, the frictional force between the drive belt and the drive belt While rotating the first guide roller, it is possible to regulate the movement of the drive belt to one side in the width direction. Further, since the second regulating member is the second guide roller, when the drive belt moves to the other side in the width direction to such an extent that the second regulating member contacts the second regulating member, the frictional force between the drive belt and the second guide roller causes the second guide roller to move. While rotating the roller, movement of the drive belt to the other side in the width direction can be restricted. Therefore, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be restricted within a range corresponding to the distance between the first and second regulating members, while suppressing damage to the drive belt.

As described above, in the configuration in which the first regulating member is the first guide roller and the second regulating member is the second guide roller, the regulating device has a pair of support shafts along the vertical direction. The pair of support shafts are supported by the gap corresponding portion so as to be aligned in the width direction, and the first support shaft, which is one of the pair of support shafts, is supported by the first support shaft. The second guide roller is rotatably supported with respect to a shaft, and the second guide roller is rotatably supported with respect to the second support shaft on a second support shaft that is the other of the pair of support shafts, It is preferable that the widthwise interval between the pair of support shafts is set according to the widthwise dimension of the drive belt, the diameter of the first guide roller, and the diameter of the second guide roller. .

According to this configuration, since each of the first guide roller and the second guide roller is rotatably supported with respect to the support shaft along the vertical direction, the axial direction of the first guide roller and the second guide roller The movable range in the width direction of the driving belt can be restricted to the same extent over the entire arrangement area. Therefore, even if the drive belt moves or vibrates in the vertical direction due to contact with the first guide roller or the second guide roller, etc., it is possible to maintain a state in which large meandering of the drive belt is unlikely to occur.

Further, it is preferable that the support includes a fixing portion arranged above the gap corresponding portion and fixed to the frame, and the fixing portion is fixed to the frame using a fastening member. is.

According to this configuration, since the fixed portion of the support that is fixed to the frame is arranged above the gap corresponding portion, a conveyor is realized in which the regulating device can be attached while the conveying roller is assembled to the frame. Cheap. That is, it is easy to realize a conveyor in which the restricting device can be easily assembled, and it is easy to apply this configuration to existing conveyors.

In the structure in which the support includes the fixing portion as described above, the frame has an upper surface facing upward and a surface along the vertical direction facing the end surface of the conveying roller facing outward in the width direction. and a facing surface, wherein the support has a plate-shaped first contact portion that contacts the upper surface, and a plate-shaped second contact portion that contacts the facing surface. The gap corresponding portion is formed to extend along the width direction from the second contact portion, and at least one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is connected to the fixed portion. It is preferable that

According to this configuration, the first contact portion is brought into contact with the upper surface of the frame and the second contact portion is brought into contact with the opposing surface of the frame, thereby moving the restricting device vertically and in the width direction with respect to the frame. can be positioned. Therefore, the regulating device can be easily attached to the frame so that the gap corresponding portion and the pair of regulating members supported by the gap corresponding portion are arranged at appropriate positions in the vertical direction and the width direction with respect to the drive belt. It is easy to realize a simple conveyor.

In the conveyor having each of the configurations described above, among the plurality of inter-roller gaps formed by the plurality of conveying rollers in contact with one drive belt, the gaps arranged at the ends in the conveying direction are between the target rollers. As the gap, it is preferable that the regulating device includes at least a target regulating device in which the gap corresponding portion overlaps the target roller gap when viewed in the up-down direction.

The widthwise position of the intermediate portion of the drive belt in the conveying direction is generally determined according to the widthwise positions of both ends of the drive belt in the conveying direction (specifically, the portions wound around the end pulleys). Therefore, if the end of the drive belt in the conveying direction is displaced from the proper position in the width direction, meandering of the drive belt is likely to occur. Since the target roller gap is the roller gap arranged at the end in the conveying direction, according to this configuration, the portion of the drive belt near the end in the conveying direction can be moved in the width direction by the target regulating device. The range can be limited within a range according to the spacing between the pair of regulating members. Therefore, the regulating device can be attached at an effective position from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the drive belt to make a large meandering motion.

a plurality of conveying rollers arranged side by side with a gap in the conveying direction; a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers; wherein each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the drive mechanism includes a plurality of the Used in a conveyor provided with a drive belt that contacts a conveying roller from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys and a pair of regulating members, wherein the support has a gap-corresponding portion that supports the pair of regulating members. A gap between the rollers and the gap formed between a pair of the conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction in a state in which the support is attached to the frame, with the width direction being the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed. In the region in the vertical direction where the corresponding portions overlap when viewed in the vertical direction, and where the driving belt is arranged, a pair of the regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the driving belt.

According to this configuration, in a state where the support is attached to the frame, the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. The widthwise movement of the drive belt can be restricted from both sides in the widthwise direction by the pair of restricting members. Therefore, by using the regulating device of this configuration for a conveyor, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction is within the range corresponding to the gap between the pair of regulating members. to prevent the drive belt from making a large meander.

As described above, by using the regulating device of this configuration for a conveyor, it is possible to make it difficult for the drive belt to make a large meandering motion. It is necessary to avoid interference with the conveying roller that is arranged and rotates as the drive belt circulates. Regarding this point, according to this configuration, in a state in which the support is attached to the frame, the gap corresponding portion that supports the pair of regulating members is arranged so as to overlap the gap between the rollers when viewed in the vertical direction. In this way, the portions of the support that support the pair of regulating members (gap-corresponding portions) are arranged in a space that overlaps the gap between the rollers when viewed in the vertical direction. It is easy to attach the regulating device to the conveyor so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the is arranged.

It is sufficient that the conveyor and the restricting device according to the present disclosure can exhibit at least one of the effects described above.

1: Conveyor 2: Articles 3: Drive Mechanism 4: Drive Source 5: First Regulating Device (Regulating Device)
7: Target regulating device 10: Conveying roller 11: End surface 13: Gap between rollers 14: Gap between target rollers 20: Frame 21: Upper surface 22: Opposing surface 30: Drive belt 40: Pulley 50: First support (support)
51: first contact portion 52: second contact portion 53: first gap corresponding portion (gap corresponding portion)
54: First fixed part (fixed part)
55: First fastening member (fastening member)
70: Guide roller (regulating member)
70a: First guide roller (first restricting member)
70b: Second guide roller (second restricting member)
80: Support shaft 80a: First support shaft 80b: Second support shaft A: Rotation axis L1: First length (interval between a pair of support shafts in the width direction)
L2: Second length (dimension in the width direction of the drive belt)
T: transport direction V: vertical direction V1: upper side V2: lower side W: width direction

Claims (8)

a plurality of conveying rollers arranged side by side with a gap in a conveying direction; a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers; and a drive mechanism rotating the plurality of conveying rollers. A conveyor for conveying along
each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction;
The drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. and
The width direction is a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction in a vertical view along the vertical direction,
further comprising a restricting device that restricts movement of the drive belt in the width direction;
The regulating device includes a support attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members,
The support includes a gap corresponding portion that overlaps a roller gap formed between a pair of conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction in the vertical direction,
The pair of regulating members are supported by the gap-corresponding portion, and are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. , conveyor. 2. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein said gap corresponding portion is arranged to cover said drive belt from above in said inter-roller gap. a first regulating member, which is one of the pair of regulating members, is a first guide roller supported by the gap corresponding portion in a rotatable state with respect to the gap corresponding portion;
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second restricting member, which is the other of the pair of restricting members, is a second guide roller supported by the gap corresponding portion in a rotatable state with respect to the gap corresponding portion. conveyor. The regulating device includes a pair of support shafts along the vertical direction,
The pair of support shafts are supported by the gap corresponding portions so as to be aligned in the width direction,
the first guide roller is supported by a first support shaft, which is one of the pair of support shafts, so as to be rotatable with respect to the first support shaft;
the second guide roller is supported by a second support shaft, which is the other of the pair of support shafts, so as to be rotatable with respect to the second support shaft;
4. The widthwise interval between the pair of support shafts is set according to the widthwise dimension of the drive belt, the diameter of the first guide roller, and the diameter of the second guide roller. Conveyor according to . The support includes a fixing portion arranged above the gap corresponding portion and fixed to the frame,
5. The conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said fixed portion is fixed to said frame using a fastening member. The frame includes an upper surface facing upward and a facing surface facing the end surface of the transport roller facing outward in the width direction and extending along the vertical direction,
The support includes a first contact portion that is formed in a plate shape and contacts the upper surface, and a second contact portion that is formed in a plate shape and contacts the opposing surface,
The gap corresponding portion is formed to extend along the width direction from the second contact portion,
6. The conveyor according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said first contact portion and said second contact portion is said fixed portion. Among the plurality of inter-roller gaps formed by the plurality of conveying rollers in contact with one drive belt, the one arranged at the end in the conveying direction is defined as the target inter-roller gap,
The conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the regulating device includes at least a target regulating device in which the gap corresponding portion overlaps with the target roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction. a plurality of conveying rollers arranged side by side with a gap in the conveying direction; a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers; wherein each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the drive mechanism includes a plurality of the Used in a conveyor provided with a drive belt that contacts a conveying roller from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys a regulated device comprising:
comprising a support attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members,
the support includes a gap-corresponding portion that supports the pair of regulating members;
The width direction is a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction in a vertical view along the vertical direction,
In a state in which the support is attached to the frame, an inter-roller gap formed between a pair of the conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction overlaps with the gap corresponding portion when viewed in the vertical direction, and The regulating device, wherein the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction with respect to the driving belt in the vertical region where the driving belt is arranged.

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