JP2023178751A - Article sorting device and article inspecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an article sorting device and an article inspecting device, each enabling a sorting-object article conveyed on an inclined chute in a direction different from that of the inclined chute to have directivity, thereby enabling the sorting-object article to have stability.SOLUTION: An article separation device 3 comprises a first sorting member 26 which has, on an upper surface, a first inclined surface 26e forming a portion of an inclined surface 23a of an upstream-side inclined chute 23, which is arranged to be movable to a first sorting position protruding upper than the inclined surface 23a of the upstream-side inclined chute 23 and an inclined surface 24a of a downstream-side inclined chute 24 and to a retreating position where the first inclined surface 26e leads to the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a. The first sorting member 26 moves to the first sorting position and then guides a capsule 50 to be sorted flowing from an upstream side to a first conveyance path 26A through a first inlet port 26a, consequently the article separation device 3 sort the capsule in a direction different from directions of the upstream-side inclined chute 23 and the downstream-side inclined chute 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Patent Act Article 30, Paragraph 2 application filed June 11, 2021 Product Catalog (Catalog No. 43579-A-1) Anritsu Corporation June 15, 2021 ACHEMA Pulse 2021 (Web Exhibition) https ://www. sensum. eu/ja/achema-pulse-2021-ja/ June 15, 2021 https://www. anritsu. com/ja-jp/about-anritsu/news/news-releases/2021/2021-06-15-jp01 June 16, 2021 https://www. anritsu. com/ja-JP/infivis/products/checkweighers/for-pharma/capsule-checkweigher

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act July 19, 2021 Mail magazine addressed to registrants (Title: ■New product information■Capsule weight sorter [Anritsu])

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act November 26, 2021 Mail magazine for registrants (Title: Easy-to-understand explanation with video! Metal detector for tablets and capsules [Anritsu])

Patent Law Article 30, Paragraph 2 application filed December 1, 2021 Capsule auto checker pamphlet Anritsu Corporation December 8 to December 10, 2021 23rd Interfex Week Tokyo (Interphex Japan) December 8, 2021 Capsule auto checker 20 and 30 series models Anritsu Corporation Infivis Company

Application for Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act filed January 4, 2020 Product Catalog (Catalog No. 43579-D-1) Anritsu Corporation January 19, 2020 https://www. anritsu. com/ja-JP/infivis/products/checkweighers/for-pharma/capsule-checkweigher

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act February 2, 2020 Mail magazine to registrants (Title: 20 and 30 series types are now available in the new capsule weight sorting machine! [Anritsu]) Reiwa February 15th to February 18th, 2022 JAPAN PACK 2022

Application filed for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act March 17, 2020 YouTube address: https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=c1N3mmkP-Ys March 30, 2020 Pharm Tech Japan (Web exhibition)

Application filed for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act April 4, 2020 YouTube address: https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=3_N37bHY5L8 April 7, 2020 https://video-pqa. anritsu. com/ja-jp/detail/videos/latest-videos/video/6302795751001

The present invention relates to an article sorting device and an article inspection device.

An article inspection device is known that transports an object, such as a cylindrical capsule containing a drug and having hemispherical ends, while inspecting it, and sorts the object according to the results (patented). (See Reference 1).

This article inspection device has a main gate that operates according to the inspection results of the object and sorts the object into NG items and non-NG items, and a non-NG item path that is inclined downstream of the main gate. , a conveyance confirmation means that determines whether the object has been conveyed normally to the main gate, and a conveyance confirmation means that operates according to the results of the conveyance confirmation means to distinguish between OK goods and unknown inspection finished goods. and an exclusion gate for sorting.

When an unknown inspected product is transported to the non-NG product route, the exclusion gate projects upward from the non-NG product route, captures the non-NG product, and distributes it to the unknown product route.

JP 2017-15514 Publication

However, in the product sorting device described in Patent Document 1, when an unknown inspected product is transported to the non-NG product route, the exclusion gate protrudes upward from the non-NG product route, and the non-NG product is removed. Although it is configured to capture and distribute to an unknown item route, the exclusion gate itself does not have a conveyance path.

As a result, the unknown items sorted by the exclusion gate cannot be given directivity, and the behavior of the unknown items may become unstable.

Therefore, the present invention provides an article sorting device and an article inspection device that can stabilize the behavior of the objects to be sorted by imparting directionality to the objects to be sorted that are conveyed in a direction different from that on the inclined chute. is intended to provide.

The article sorting device of the present invention is an article sorting device that sorts objects that slide down on an inclined chute that is inclined from above to below, and has a first inclined surface that forms a part of the inclined surface of the inclined chute on the upper surface. and a first sorting position that protrudes above the inclined surface of the inclined chute, and a retracted position where the first inclined surface is continuous with the inclined surface of the inclined chute. The first sorting member has a first conveyance path therein, and the first conveyance path has a first inlet opening on the upstream side and a first inlet opening on the downstream side. and a first outlet opening at the side, and when the objects to be sorted slide down the inclined chute, the first sorting member moves to the first sorting position and the object flowing from upstream is moved to the first sorting position. The chute is configured to sort objects in a direction different from the inclined chute by guiding the objects to be sorted to the first conveyance path through the first entrance.

With this configuration, the first sorting member has a first conveyance path therein, and guides the objects to be sorted flowing from upstream to the first conveyance path through the first entrance of the first conveyance path. As a result, the objects to be sorted are sorted in a direction different from the inclined chute, so the objects to be sorted can be conveyed along the first conveyance path, and the objects to be sorted can be given directionality. Behavior can be stabilized.

Therefore, the degree of freedom in the discharge direction of the objects to be sorted can be improved, and it is possible to prevent the objects to be sorted from clogging the first conveyance path.

Further, the article sorting device of the present invention is an article sorting device for sorting objects sliding down on an inclined chute that is inclined from above to below, wherein a first has an inclined surface, and is movable between a first sorting position protruding above the inclined surface of the inclined chute and a retracted position where the first inclined surface is continuous with the inclined surface of the inclined chute. , the first sorting member has a first conveyance path therein, and the first conveyance path has a first inlet opening on the upstream side. , and a first outlet opening on the downstream side, and when the objects to be sorted slide down the inclined chute, the first sorting member moves to the first sorting position and the flow from the upstream side is moved to the first sorting position. The chute is configured to sort the objects to be sorted in a direction different from the inclined chute by guiding the objects to be sorted through the first entrance to the first conveyance path.

With this configuration, when the first sorting member is located at the first sorting position, the second sorting member is positioned at the second sorting position and the third sorting position, thereby switching the conveyance path. Objects can be classified into two types of sorting targets.

Therefore, one of the objects to be sorted can be conveyed along the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path, and one object to be sorted can be conveyed along the first conveyance path and the second object to be sorted. In addition to stabilizing the behavior, the other object to be sorted can be transported along the first conveyance path, and the other object to be sorted can be given directionality. behavior can be stabilized.

Further, in the article sorting device of the present invention, the first conveyance path includes a first straight section extending linearly in the vertical direction from the first entrance, and the slope from a downstream part of the first straight section. and a first curved portion that curves in the direction of inclination of the chute.

With this configuration, the length of the inclined chute in the inclined direction can be reduced compared to a case where the first conveyance path extends linearly in the inclined direction of the inclined chute. Therefore, the overall length of the inclined chute can be shortened and the article sorting device can be downsized.

Further, in the article sorting device of the present invention, the first conveyance path includes a first straight section extending linearly in the vertical direction from the first entrance, and the slope from a downstream part of the first straight section. a first curved part that curves in the direction of inclination of the chute, and the second conveyance path has a second straight part that extends straight from the second entrance in the vertical direction; and a second curved part that curves in the direction of inclination of the inclined chute from the downstream part of the inclined chute.

With this configuration, the length of the inclined chute in the inclined direction can be shortened compared to a case where the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path extend linearly in the inclined direction of the inclined chute. Therefore, the overall length of the inclined chute can be shortened and the article sorting device can be downsized.

Further, the article sorting device of the present invention includes a drive unit that drives the first sorting member and the second sorting member in the vertical direction.

With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the installation space of the drive unit in the direction of inclination of the inclination chute, and the length of the inclination chute in the direction of inclination can be shortened. Therefore, the overall length of the inclined chute can be shortened and the article sorting device can be downsized.

Further, an article inspection device of the present invention includes the article sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and an inspection section that inspects the objects sorted by the article sorting device. It is made up of things.

With this configuration, an article inspection device equipped with an article sorting device that can stabilize the behavior of the objects to be sorted by imparting directionality to the objects to be sorted that are conveyed in a direction different from that on the inclined chute. can be provided.

The present invention provides an article sorting device and an article inspection device that are capable of stabilizing the behavior of objects to be sorted by imparting directionality to the objects to be sorted that are conveyed in a direction other than on an inclined chute. be able to.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an article inspection device including an article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the inclined chute is removed from the main body member of the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram of an inclined chute of an article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed diagonally from above. FIG. 4 is a side view of the first sorting member of the article sorting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 4. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the size, length, and outer diameter of capsules sorted by the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7(a) shows a state in which capsules No. 5 are being transported through the transport path of the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B shows a state in which capsules No. 000 are being transported. Indicates the state of FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a downstream inclined chute of an article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a state in which a quantity of products is sorted by the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a state in which lightweight items are sorted by the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows a state in which excess items are sorted by the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 shows a state in which unknown items are sorted by the article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a movement trajectory when a capsule slides down a downstream inclined chute of an article sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the configurations of an article sorting device and an article inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 13 with reference to the drawings.

The article inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described as a weight measuring apparatus 1 that inspects, that is, weighs, the weight of an object (article) to be inspected.

In addition to weight inspection, there are other types of article inspection equipment, such as visual inspection equipment that inspects the shape and appearance of objects, and equipment that irradiates the object with X-rays and determines the mass, defects, and foreign objects from the amount of X-rays transmitted. It can also be used as an article inspection device to sort objects according to the inspection results, such as an X-ray inspection device that inspects for presence, etc., and a metal detection device that detects metal foreign objects by detecting changes in magnetic field or residual magnetism in objects. I can do it.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the object is a long cylindrical capsule 50 with hemispherical ends.

As a raw material for the capsule 50, gelatin, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, etc. can be used.

In addition, the object to be inspected by the article inspection device may be a stick package (stick-type package) in which tablets, granules, sugar, etc. are enclosed.

In FIG. 1, a weight measuring device 1 as an article inspection device includes a supply section 2 for capsules 50, an article sorting device 3 for sorting the capsules 50 into non-defective products (non-NG products) and defective products (NG products), and an inspection device. The weighing section 4 includes a weighing section 4, a sorting confirmation sensor 5, and a control section (not shown).

The capsules 50 are transported from the supply section 2 to the article sorting device 3. The article sorting device 3 includes a main body member 21 and an inclined chute 22 attached to the main body member 21.

The inclined chute 22 is inclined downward from upstream to downstream in the sliding direction of the capsule 50, and the capsule 50 slides down on the inclined chute 22 due to its own weight. In FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7 to 13, for convenience of explanation, the weight measuring device 1 is shown with the supply section 2 side (upstream side) as the rear side, and the inclined chute 22 side (downstream side) with respect to the supply section 2. This will be explained as the front side.

Here, upstream and downstream refer to upstream and downstream with respect to the direction in which the capsule 50 slides down. That is, the inclined chute 22 is downstream of the supply section 2, and the supply section 2 is upstream of the inclined chute 22.

The supply unit 2 has a hopper 6, a magazine 7, and a shutter 8, and the hopper 6, magazine 7, and shutter 8 are installed above the inclined chute 22.

A plurality of capsules 50 are put into the hopper 6. The magazine 7 communicates with the bottom of the hopper 6, and the capsules 50 are supplied from the hopper 6 to the magazine 7 by its own weight.

A supply path 7A extending in the vertical direction is formed inside the magazine 7, and the supply paths 7A are arranged in, for example, 10 rows in the left-right direction of the weight measuring device 1.

Inside the magazine 7, the capsules 50 are housed in a line in the vertical direction along the supply path 7A, and the supply paths 7A adjacent in the left and right direction are partitioned by partitions (not shown). Thereby, the capsules 50 adjacent in the left and right direction are not in contact with each other and do not interfere with each other.

The hopper 6 and the magazine 7 move periodically in the vertical direction, and the capsules 50 that fall from the hopper 6 under their own weight are guided downward along the supply path 7A of the magazine 7.

The shutter 8 is provided near the lower end opening 7a of the magazine 7, and moves vertically together with the magazine 7.

The shutter 8 is movable between a closed position where the lower end opening 7a of the magazine 7 is closed and an open position where the lower end opening 7a of the magazine 7 is opened.

When the magazine 7 is located at the lower end position, the shutter 8 is located at the release position to cause the capsule 50 located at the lowest end in the supply path 7A to fall from the lower end opening 7a, and the magazine 7 is moved upward from the lower end position. When moving, the lower end opening 7a is closed to stop the capsule 50 from falling from the lower end opening 7a.

In other words, when the magazine 7 is located at the lower end position, the shutter 8 moves to the release position for a period of time that allows one capsule 50 to fall from the lower end opening 7a.

The supply section 2 has a holding unit 9 . The holding unit 9 is provided below the magazine 7, and extends in the left-right direction with approximately the same length as the magazine 7.

Ten rows of curved recesses 9a are formed in the holding unit 9, and the curved recesses 9a are arranged discontinuously and independently in the left-right direction. The curved recesses 9a are lined up with each of the ten rows of supply paths 7A in the direction in which the capsules 50 slide down.

The capsule 50 that has fallen from the magazine 7 lands on the curved recess 9a and is held in the curved recess 9a in an inclined position with its long axis facing diagonally upward. That is, the bottom surface of the curved recess 9a is formed into an inclined surface that slopes diagonally upward from the rear toward the front.

The supply section 2 has a pusher 10. The pusher 10 is provided upstream of the holding unit 9 and is movable in the horizontal direction. The pusher 10 moves from the rear to the front of the holding unit 9 and pushes the capsule 50 located in the curved recess 9a forward.

The weighing section 4 includes a weighing table 4A, and the weighing table 4A is provided on the opposite side of the pusher 10 across the holding unit 9 in the front-rear direction. Ten weighing stands 4A are provided (ten rows) so as to be lined up in the sliding direction of the capsule 50 with each of the ten rows of curved recesses 9a.

The weighing platform 4A has a pair of left and right side walls 4a (only the left side wall is shown) that sandwich the capsule 50 from the left and right sides, and the capsule 50 pushed forward from the curved recess 9a by the pusher 10 is placed on the weighing platform 4A. and is sandwiched between a pair of left and right side walls 4a.

The supply section 2 has an ejector 11. The ejector 11 is provided on the opposite side of the pusher 10 across the holding unit 9 in the front-back direction, and above the weighing table 4A.

Ten ejectors 11 are provided so as to be paired with the weighing table 4A, and are movable in the up-down and front-back directions.

A push-out portion 11a is provided at the rear lower end of the ejector 11. When transporting the capsule 50 placed on the weighing table 4A to the next process, the ejector 11 is configured such that the extrusion part 11a is located above the capsule 50 and behind the rear end of the capsule 50 (see FIG. 1), and when the extrusion part 11a and the rear end of the capsule 50 are at the same height position, it moves forward, and the extrusion part 11a pushes the capsule 50 forward from the weighing table 4A. .

Thereafter, the ejector 11 moves upward away from the weighing table 4A, and then moves rearward so that the extrusion part 11a is located behind the rear end of the capsule 50 (the state shown in FIG. 1). By repeating this operation, the capsules 50 are pushed out from the weighing platform 4A at regular intervals to the next step.

The timing at which the ejector 11 pushes the capsule 50 forward from the weighing platform 4A and the timing at which the pusher 10 pushes the capsule 50 from the curved recess 9a onto the weighing platform 4A are synchronized, and the capsule 50 is loaded onto the weighing platform 4A at a constant cycle. Supplied.

The weighing section 4 is provided in the next step of the supply section 2, and measures the weight of each capsule 50 on which the capsules 50 sent out from the supply section 2 at regular intervals are placed one by one.

The weighing section 4 includes a measuring device 4B that supports a weighing table 4A. The weighing platform 4A is supported by the measuring device 4B by a Roberval mechanism. The Roberval mechanism has a parallelogram framework in which each side can move freely.

A weighing table 4A is attached to one pillar of this framework, and the other pillar is used as a weighing sensor with a fixed end. Thereby, the accurate weight can be measured no matter where the capsule 50 is placed on the weighing table 4A. The measuring device 4B has, for example, a load cell (not shown) as a measurement sensor.

When the capsule 50 is placed on the weighing table 4A, the weighing section 4 measures the weight of the capsule 50 using an electric signal from a load cell to which a load is applied. Note that the weighing sensor is not limited to the load cell, and various other weighing sensors can be used.

The article sorting device 3 is provided in a process subsequent to the weighing section 4. The inclined chute 22 has an upstream inclined chute 23 and a downstream inclined chute 24.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upstream inclined chute 23 is provided integrally with the main body member 21, and has an inclined surface 23a that slopes downward toward the front from the weighing table 4A.

The downstream inclined chute 24 is detachably provided on the main body member 21. The upper part of the main body member 21 is open below the downstream inclined chute 24, and as shown in FIG. 1, the opening of the main body member 21 is closed when the downstream inclined chute 24 is attached to the main body member 21. There is.

As shown in FIG. 1, the downstream inclined chute 24 is inclined downwardly toward the front from the upstream inclined chute 23, and has an inclined surface 24a that is inclined at the same angle as the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23. has.

That is, the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 have inclined surfaces 23a and 24a that are inclined downward toward the front from the weighing platform 4A, and the capsule 50 pushed out from the weighing platform 4A is pushed upstream by its own weight. It slides downward from upstream to downstream along the side inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24. The inclined surfaces 23a and 24a of this embodiment constitute the inclined surfaces of the inclined chute.

Note that the left-right direction of the weight measuring device 1 is a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction of the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upstream inclined chute 23 is provided with a plurality of partition walls 23c, and the partition walls 23c are installed at regular intervals in the left-right direction. The partition wall 23c projects upward from the upstream inclined chute 23, and the capsule 50 is partitioned in the left-right direction by the partition wall 23c.

That is, the upstream inclined chute 23 is provided with 10 rows of weighing tables 4A and 10 rows of transport lanes arranged in the sliding direction of the capsules 50, and the upstream inclined chute 23 is provided with 10 rows of capsules 50 arranged in the horizontal direction. It is possible to slide down side by side.

The supply path 7A of the magazine 7, the curved recess 9a, the weighing platform 4A, and the upstream inclined chute 23 of the present embodiment constitute 10 conveyance lanes arranged in the left-right direction and in the sliding direction of the capsules 50, respectively. Therefore, the capsules 50 that are slid down along the supply path 7A of the magazine 7, the curved recess 9a, the weighing table 4A, and the upstream inclined chute 23 do not interfere with each other.

That is, the weight measuring device 1 of the present embodiment arranges the ten capsules 50 from side to side in the supply path 7A of the magazine 7, the curved recess 9a, the weighing table 4A, and the upstream inclined chute 23, and simultaneously slides them down at regular intervals. The weight of ten capsules 50 can be measured simultaneously by the weighing section 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the downstream inclined chute 24 is not provided with a partition plate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the article sorting device 3 has a first sorting member 26, and one first sorting member 26 is provided for each of the ten transport lanes of the upstream inclined chute 23. . That is, the first sorting members 26 are arranged in ten rows in the left-right direction of the article sorting device 3.

The first sorting member 26 extends longer in the vertical direction than its width in the front-rear direction. That is, in the first sorting member 26, the vertical direction is the longitudinal direction, and the front-rear direction is the lateral direction.

A first conveyance path 26A is formed inside the first sorting member 26, and the first conveyance path 26A includes a first inlet 26a that opens on the upstream side, and a first inlet 26a that is located below the first inlet 26a. and a first outlet 26b that opens on the downstream side (see FIG. 4).

The first conveyance path 26A includes a first straight portion 26c that extends linearly in the vertical direction from the first inlet 26a, and a first straight portion 26c that curves in the inclination direction L of the inclined chute 22 from a downstream portion of the first straight portion 26c. 1 curved portion 26d.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first conveyance path 26A has a U-shaped horizontal cross section, and the opening of the U-shaped cross section is closed by the side wall 21A to convey the capsule 50. It forms a rectangular closed space.

Specifically, the main body member 21 is partitioned in the left and right direction by a plurality of side walls 21A, and a first sorting member 26 and a second sorting member 27, which will be described later, are provided between the side walls 21A.

As shown in FIG. 1, an opening 23b is formed in the upstream inclined chute 23, and the first sorting member 26 can be inserted into the opening 23b.

A first air cylinder 28 is attached to the lower part of the first sorting member 26, and the first sorting member 26 is movable in the vertical direction by the first air cylinder 28.

The first air cylinder 28 has a main body part 28A accommodated in the accommodation part 21B of the main body member 21, and a rod part 28B provided in the main body part 28A so as to be freely retractable.

A coil spring (not shown) is accommodated in the main body portion 28A, and the rod portion 28B is always urged upward by the coil spring.

In a state where air is not supplied to the main body portion 28A, the rod portion 28B is urged upward by a coil spring, and the first sorting member 26 is configured so that the first inlet 26a is aligned with the slope of the upstream inclined chute 23. It protrudes above the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a so as to be located above the surface 23a and the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24.

A first inclined surface 26e is formed on the upper surface of the first sorting member 26, and the first inclined surface 26e is connected to the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24. They are formed at the same inclination angle.

When air is supplied to the main body 28A of the first air cylinder 28, the rod 28B moves downward against the biasing force of the coil spring and retracts into the main body 28A. At this time, the inclined surfaces 23a, 24a are arranged so that the first inclined surface 26e of the first sorting member 26 forms part of the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24. Continuous to.

In this way, the first sorting member 26 is provided movably between the first sorting position where it protrudes above the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a and the retracted position which is continuous with the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a.

In the article sorting device 3 of this embodiment, when the capsules 50 to be sorted slide down on the upstream inclined chute 23, the first sorting member 26 moves to the first sorting position, and when the capsules 50 to be sorted slide down on the upstream inclined chute 23, the first sorting member 26 moves to the first sorting position. Good products are led to the first conveyance path 26A through the first inlet 26a and sorted in a direction different from the inclined chute 22.

Further, when the good capsules 50 slide down the upstream inclined chute 23, the first sorting member 26 moves to the retracted position, and the good capsules 50 flowing from upstream are removed from the upstream inclined chute 23. It flows into the downstream inclined chute 24 through the first inclined surface 26e of the first sorting member 26.

A final inclined chute 25 is provided downstream of the downstream inclined chute 24, and the final inclined chute 25 is provided integrally with the main body member 21.

Good capsules 50 slide down onto the final inclined chute 25, and the good capsules 50 sliding down the downstream inclined chute 24 pass from the downstream inclined chute 24 to the final inclined chute 25 to the next process. transported.

The article sorting device 3 includes a second sorting member 27. The second sorting member 27 is installed below the downstream inclined chute 24 and downstream of the first sorting member 26, and pairs with the first sorting member 26 in the inclination direction L of the downstream inclined chute 24. They are arranged in 10 rows in the left-right direction of the article sorting device 3 so as to make the same arrangement.

The second sorting member 27 extends longer in the vertical direction than its width in the front-rear direction. That is, in the second sorting member 27, the vertical direction is the longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal direction is the lateral direction.

A second conveyance path 27A is formed inside the second sorting member 27, and the second conveyance path 27A includes a second inlet 27a that opens on the upstream side and a second inlet 27a that is located below the second inlet 27a. and a second outlet 27b that opens on the downstream side.

The second conveyance path 27A includes a second straight portion 27c that extends linearly in the vertical direction from the second inlet 27a, and a second straight portion 27c that curves in the inclination direction L of the inclined chute 22 from a downstream portion of the second straight portion 27c. 2 curved portions 27d.

The second sorting member 27 of this embodiment is formed in the same shape as the first sorting member 26, and it is also possible to use the second sorting member 27 as the first sorting member 26. It is also possible to use the sorting member 26 as the second sorting member 27. Therefore, like the first transport path 26A, the second transport path 27A has a U-shaped horizontal cross section, and constitutes a rectangular space in which the capsule 50 is transported.

An inclined chute 30 is provided below the downstream inclined chute 24, and the inclined chute 30 faces the downstream inclined chute 24 in the vertical direction. The inclined chute 30 has an inclined surface 30a that is inclined at the same inclination angle as the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24, and extends parallel to the downstream inclined chute 24.

The second sorting member 27 is located upstream of the upstream portion of the inclined chute 30 and is out of contact with the inclined chute 30 in the inclination direction L of the inclined chute 30.

A second air cylinder 29 is attached to the lower part of the second sorting member 27, and the second sorting member 27 is movable in the vertical direction by the second air cylinder 29.

The second air cylinder 29 has a main body part 29A accommodated in the accommodation part 21B of the main body member 21, and a rod part 29B provided in the main body part 29A so as to be freely retractable.

A coil spring (not shown) is accommodated in the main body portion 29A, and the rod portion 29B is always urged upward by the coil spring.

When air is not supplied to the main body portion 29A, the rod portion 29B is urged upward by the coil spring, and the second sorting member 27 is positioned at the uppermost position close to the downstream inclined chute 24. do.

When the second sorting member 27 is located at the uppermost position, the second inlet 27a communicates with the first outlet 26b of the first sorting member 26. The first air cylinder 28 and the second air cylinder 29 of this embodiment constitute a driving section.

A second inclined surface 27e is formed on the upper surface of the second sorting member 27, and the second inclined surface 27e is formed at the same angle of inclination as the inclined surface 30a of the inclined chute 30.

When air is supplied to the main body 29A of the second air cylinder 29, the rod 29B moves downward against the biasing force of the coil spring and retracts into the main body 29A. At this time, the second inclined surface 27e of the second sorting member 27 continues to the inclined surface 30a so as to form a part of the inclined surface 30a of the inclined chute 30 (see FIG. 2).

In this way, the second sorting member 27 is provided movably between the second sorting position and the third sorting position located below the second sorting position and forming a part of the inclined surface 30a. It is being Note that a hydraulic cylinder or the like may be used instead of the air cylinder as the drive unit.

Below the inclined chute 30, there are provided a lightweight product discharge section 32 from which a lightweight product 50b (see FIG. 9) is discharged, and an excess product discharge section 33 from which an excess product 50c (see FIG. 9) is discharged. The lightweight product 50b is one that contains less content than the regular product 50a (see FIG. 9), which contains an appropriate amount of content, and the overweight product 50c is one that contains an appropriate amount of content. More contents are accommodated than the regular quantity product 50a, and all of them are sorted against the regular quantity product 50a.

Among the capsules 50 sorted by the article sorting device 3, the correct quantity products 50a correspond to non-defective products. Furthermore, the lightweight product 50b, the excess product 50c, and the unknown product 50d (see FIG. 9), which will be described later, correspond to defective products, and the lightweight product 50b, the excessive product 50c, and the unknown product 50d correspond to objects to be sorted.

In the article sorting device 3 of this embodiment, when the first sorting member 26 is located at the first sorting position and the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position, the first conveying path The first outlet 26b of 26A and the second inlet 27a of second conveyance path 27A communicate with each other.

When the second sorting member 27 is located at the third sorting position, the excess products 50c conveyed through the first conveying path 26A of the first sorting member 26 are passed through the second inclined surface 27e and placed in the first sorting position. The waste products are sorted in the direction of and discharged to the excess product discharge section 33.

On the other hand, when the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position, the lightweight products 50b conveyed through the first conveyance path 26A of the first sorting member 26 are allowed to pass through the second conveyance path 27A. The light products are sorted in the second direction and discharged to the lightweight product discharge section 32.

In this way, when the first sorting member 26 is located at the first sorting position, by positioning the second sorting member 27 at the second sorting position and the third sorting position, the upstream slope A lightweight product 50b and an excess product 50c are sorted from the regular product 50a sliding down the chute 23, and transported in a direction different from the downstream inclined chute 24.

Note that the capsule 50 slides down along the first conveyance path 26A and the second conveyance path 27A, but the capsule 50 that slides down the first conveyance path 26A and the second conveyance path 27A will also be referred to as conveyance from now on. .

Here, the groove width W1 (see FIG. 4) of the first conveyance path 26A and the second conveyance path 27A, which are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction or the vertical diagonal direction with respect to the sliding direction of the capsule 50, will be explained.

Capsules are classified into multiple sizes defined by the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (see Figure 6). In FIG. 6, the length mm is the length in the longitudinal direction (major axis direction) of the capsule, and the outer diameter mm is the dimension in the lateral direction (minor axis direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the capsule. Further, the dimensional tolerance is ±0.76 mm, max indicates the maximum allowable length and outer diameter of the capsule, and min indicates the minimum allowable length and outer diameter of the capsule.

As shown in FIG. 6, the capsule sizes are "No. 00", "No. 0", "No. 1", "No. 2", "No. 3", "No. 00", "No. 00", which has the largest capacity, and "No. They are classified into "No. 4" and "No. 5", and the length and outer diameter dimensions are specified for each size.

When handling capsules of different sizes in this way, a common sorting member 26, 27 having conveyance paths 26A, 27A with different groove widths W1 set according to the size of the capsules is not required, is not necessary. It is desirable to use sorting members 26 and 27 having conveyance paths 26A and 27A with groove width W1. In other words, it is desirable to be able to smoothly transport capsules of all sizes from "No. 000" to "No. 5" by using the sorting members 26 and 27 having one type of transport paths 26A and 27A.

Specifically, the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is assumed to be based on the outer diameter dimension of the capsule so that a large-sized capsule can pass through, and then a dimensional range that does not match the length of each size capsule is determined. investigated.

This is because if the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A, 27A matches the length of the capsule, the capsules may become in a bridge state inside the conveyance paths 26A, 27A, and subsequent capsules may become stuck there. It is.

For example, if the largest size is "No. 000", as shown in Figure 6, the outer diameter of the capsule is approximately 9.9 mm, and if the dimensional tolerance is 0.76 mm, the dimensional tolerance is 10.7 mm or less. If it is 0.4 mm, the groove width cannot be less than 10.3 mm.

Here, since the length range of the "No. 5" capsule and the outer diameter range of the "No. 000" capsule are similar, the conveyance path 26A has a dimension slightly larger than the outer diameter range of the "No. 000" capsule. It has been found that when the groove width W1 of 27A is set, there is a risk that the "No. 5" capsules may become clogged in the conveyance paths 26A and 27A.

Therefore, if the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is set in the range of 11.9 to 13.5 mm between the length range of the "No. 5" capsule and the length range of the "No. 4" capsule, For the frequently used capsules "No. 000" to "No. 5", the conveyance paths 26A and 27A can be commonly used, and the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is made the smallest, so that the sorting member 26, It turned out that 27 could be made smaller.

In other words, if the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is set in the range of 11.9 to 13.5 mm, the capsule 50 of "No. Capsules 50 of other sizes that do not reach the bridge state (see FIG. 7(a)) are transported without lying right sideways on the transport paths 26A and 27A from the beginning. FIG. 7(b) shows a state in which the capsule 50 numbered "000" is being transported.

Furthermore, it has been found that if a sealing failure occurs during the process of filling the capsule with medicine, etc., the length of the capsule may exceed the standard range. Such sealing failures tend to occur when capsules are filled with medicine or the like in excess, and consideration must be given to prevent clogging and to ensure proper sorting.

For example, the length of a "No. 5" capsule when the seal is defective is longer than the standard dimension, and is about 12.3 to 13.3 mm, so the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is 11.9 mm. It has been found that by setting the diameter in the range of ~12.2 mm, there is no fear of clogging and the size of the sorting members 26 and 27 can be reduced.

In short, the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A is set to a groove width W1 that allows capsules of the largest size (No. 000) to the smallest size (No. 5) to be conveyed without clogging with the minimum groove width W1. I wish I could.

Note that the groove widths of the conveyance paths 26A and 27A, which are perpendicular to the left-right direction with respect to the sliding direction of the capsule 50, are set to be slightly larger than the groove width W1 so that the capsule 50 does not tilt in the left-right direction. .

In this way, by setting the groove width W1 of the conveyance paths 26A, 27A to the necessary minimum and reducing the size of the sorting members 26, 27, it is possible to reduce the size of the article sorting device 3, and as a result, Therefore, the weight measuring device 1 can be downsized.

As shown in FIG. 2, a discharge port 24b is opened at the downstream part of the downstream inclined chute 24, and an unknown product discharge section 34 from which unknown products 50d are discharged is provided below the discharge port 24b. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body member 21 is provided with an exclusion gate 35, and the exclusion gate 35 is movable in the vertical direction. Specifically, the exclusion gate 35 is urged upward by a coil spring (not shown), and when driven by an actuator, moves downward against the urging force of the coil spring.

The exclusion gate 35 has a vertical plate portion 35A extending in the vertical direction and an inclined plate portion 35B bent toward the first sorting member 26 from the vertical plate portion 35A. The inclined plate portion 35B is inclined at the same inclination angle as the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24.

The exclusion gate 35 has a discharge port connected to the inclined surface 24a such that the inclined plate portion 35B forms a part of the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24 when the vertical plate portion 35A is located at the lowest position. 24b is closed and the vertical plate part 35A is located at the uppermost position, the inclined plate part 35B opens the discharge port 24b.

When the vertical plate portion 35A is located at the uppermost position, the vertical plate portion 35A projects upward from the downstream inclined chute 24, brings the unknown item 50d sliding down the downstream inclined chute 24 into contact with the vertical plate portion 35A, and moves the downstream inclined chute 24 to the downstream inclined chute. Unknown items 50d are sorted out from 24 and discharged to an unknown item discharge section 34.

The unknown item 50d is an object that cannot be sorted when the power is cut off, or an object whose shape is different from the correct item 50a due to a defective shape or the like. If this unknown item 50d is mixed with the correct quantity item 50a, it is necessary to perform a sorting operation between the correct quantity item 50a and the unknown item 50d in the next process. 50a and are discharged to the unknown item discharge section 34.

In other words, when the unknown product 50d is mixed into the correct quantity product 50a that slides down the downstream inclined chute 24, the correct quantity product 50a is also treated as the unknown product 50d. The exclusion gate 35 of this embodiment constitutes an opening/closing member.

The sorting confirmation sensor 5 is capable of detecting capsules 50 passing through the upstream part of the upstream inclined chute 23, and detects capsules that slide down the downstream inclined chute 24 at a timing different from that of the correct quantity product 50a due to a defect in shape. Send the results to the control unit.

The control unit is composed of a computer unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a hard disk drive, and an input/output port, all of which are not shown. .

For example, the control unit compares the weight information of the capsule stored in the RAM with the weight information of the capsule 50 transmitted from the weighing unit 4, and determines whether the capsule 50 is the correct quantity product 50a or the excessive quantity product 50c. Based on the determination result, the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 are driven by the first air cylinder 28 and the second air cylinder 29 to separate the capsules. Select 50.

When the control unit determines that the unknown item 50d has slipped into the downstream inclined chute 24 based on the information transmitted from the sorting confirmation sensor 5, it releases the exclusion gate 35 and opens the discharge port 24b.

That is, based on the detection information of the sorting confirmation sensor 5, when the sorting confirmation sensor 5 detects a capsule 50 or a foreign object sliding down the upstream inclined chute 23 at a timing different from the timing of the correct quantity product 50a, The exclusion gate 35 is released and the discharge port 24b is opened.

The downstream inclined chute 24 is provided with protruding chute parts 36 and 37, and the protruding chute parts 36 and 37 are located upstream of the discharge port 24b and downstream of the upstream inclined chute 23. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the protruding chute parts 36 and 37 include upstream protruding chute parts 36A and 37A and downstream protruding chute parts 36B and 37B. The upstream protruding chute parts 36A, 37A and the downstream protruding chute parts 36B, 37B are integrally molded with the downstream inclined chute 24.

The upstream protruding chute portions 36A, 37A are bent from the downstream inclined chute 24 so as to project upward from the downstream inclined chute 24, and have sliding surfaces 36a, 37a on the upper surface for allowing the capsule 50 to slide down.

The downstream protruding chute parts 36B and 37B are bent from the downstream inclined chute 24 so as to protrude upward from the downstream inclined chute 24, and are connected to the downstream parts of the upstream protruding chute parts 36A and 37A. The upstream protruding chute parts 36A and 37A constitute the protruding chute part of this embodiment.

The protruding chute portions 36 and 37 extend from one end (left end) to the other end (right end) of the downstream inclined chute 24, and the ten rows of capsules 50 are arranged on the left and right sides on the sliding surfaces 36a and 37a. slide down alongside.

As shown in FIG. 8, the inclination angle θ1 of the sliding surfaces 36a and 37a with respect to the horizontal plane H (the symbol on the protruding chute part 36 side is omitted) is the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24 with respect to the horizontal plane H (the protruding chute It is formed smaller than the portion 36 side (number omitted).

FIG. 8 shows a range S1 in which the downstream inclined chute 24 extends and a range S2 in which the protruding chute portions 36 and 37 extend.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, side plates 38 and 39 are provided at both ends (left and right ends) of the downstream inclined chute 24 in the width direction. protrudes upward. In FIG. 1, only one side plate 38 is shown.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the left and right ends of regulation walls 40 and 41 are attached to the side plates 38 and 39, and the regulation walls 40 and 41 extend in the width direction of the downstream inclined chute 24. There is.

The regulating walls 40 and 41 are located on the exclusion gate 35 side with respect to the protruding chutes 36 and 37, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8, the regulating walls 40, 41 extend from a position lower than the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a to a position higher than the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a, and extend in the inclination direction L of the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a. On the other hand, it faces sliding surfaces 36a and 37b.

The regulating walls 40 and 41 have vertical wall portions 40a and 41a that extend in the vertical direction and bent portions 40b and 41b. The bent portions 40b, 41b are bent along the downstream inclined chute 24 from the lower ends of the vertical wall portions 40a, 41a toward the discharge port 24b.

The capsule 50 sliding down the downstream inclined chute 24 slides down from the downstream inclined chute 24 along the sliding surfaces 36a and 37a of the protruding chute parts 36 and 37, thereby moving in a direction different from the inclination direction L of the downstream inclined chute 24. slipping down. At this time, the sliding speed of the capsule 50 is reduced relative to the sliding speed when sliding down the downstream inclined chute 24.

The capsule 50 sliding down along the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a is further decelerated by contacting the vertical wall parts 40a, 41a of the regulating walls 40, 41, and then passes through the vertical wall parts 40a, 41a and the downstream protruding chute part. After passing between 36B and 37B, it slides down between the bent portions 40b and 41b and the downstream inclined chute 24.

In addition, a gap W2 between the vertical wall portions 40a, 41a and the downstream protruding chute portions 36B, 37B, a gap W3 between the bent portions 40b, 41b and the downstream inclined chute 24, and a gap between the first conveyance path 26A and the second conveyance path. The groove width W1 of 27A is the same dimension.

As a result, the capsules 50 of all sizes passing between the vertical wall portions 40a, 41a and the downstream protruding chute portions 36B, 37B, and between the bent portions 40b, 41b and the downstream inclined chute 24 become clogged. can be prevented.

The inclination angle θ3 of the regulating walls 40, 41 with respect to the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a is such that the impact when the capsule 50 passing through the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a collides with the regulating walls 40, 41 is small, and the sliding speed of the capsule 50 is reduced. The angle of inclination is set so that it can be reliably reduced.

The downstream inclined chute 24 of this embodiment is configured by integrally providing protruding chute parts 36, 37, side plates 38, 39, and regulating walls 40, 41. The regulating walls 40 and 41 are integrally attached to and detached from the main body member 21. The protruding chute parts 36, 37 and the regulating walls 40, 41 of this embodiment constitute a sliding direction changing part.

Next, the operation of the article sorting device 3 of this embodiment will be explained.
The capsules 50 placed on the weighing table 4A and having their weight measured are pushed out from the weighing table 4A by the ejector 11 in a state where they are lined up in ten rows in the left-right direction.

The capsule 50 pushed out from the weighing table 4A slides down the upstream inclined chute 23 due to its own weight.

First, based on FIG. 9, the operation of the article sorting device 3 when sorting the regular quantity articles 50a will be described.
When the control unit determines that all the capsules 50 sliding down along the conveyance lane of the downstream inclined chute 24 are the correct quantity products 50a, air is supplied to the main body 28A of the first air cylinder 28.

In this state, the rod portion 28B moves downward against the biasing force of the coil spring and retracts into the main body portion 28A, the first sorting member 26 is located at the retracted position, and the first sorting member 26 The inclined surface 26e of No. 1 is continuous with the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a so as to constitute a part of the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24.

Further, since the control section does not supply air to the main body 29A of the second air cylinder 29, the rod portion 29B is biased by the coil spring and protrudes upward from the main body 29A. Therefore, the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position.

Further, in a state in which the correct quantity of products 50a slides down the downstream side inclined chute 24, the exclusion gate 35 is located at the lowest position by being driven by the actuator. Therefore, the inclined plate portion 35B is continuous with the downstream inclined chute 24 so as to form a part of the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24.

In this way, the control unit controls the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27, so that the quantity of products 50a is transferred from the upstream inclined chute 23 to the first inclined surface 26e of the first sorting member 26. The liquid flows through the downstream inclined chute 24, slides down through the inclined plate portion 35B of the exclusion gate 35 to the final inclined chute 25, and is then conveyed from the final inclined chute 25 to the next process. In FIG. 9, a movement trajectory A of the regular quantity product 50a is shown.

The operation of the article sorting device 3 when sorting lightweight articles 50b will be shown based on FIG.
When the control unit determines that the lightweight product 50b is included in the capsule 50 sliding down along the conveyance lane of the downstream inclined chute 24, the first air of the conveyance lane in which the lightweight article 50b is flowing is Air is discharged from the main body 28A of the cylinder 28.

At this time, the rod portion 28B is biased by the coil spring and moves upward to protrude from the main body portion 28A. Therefore, the first sorting member 26 is located at the first sorting position, and the first inlet 26a of the first sorting member 26 is located above the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23. The control unit also controls the second air cylinder 29 to position the second sorting member 27 at the second sorting position.

In this way, by controlling the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 by the control unit, the first outlet 26b of the first sorting member 26 and the second inlet of the second sorting member 27 are controlled. 27a communicates with each other.

As a result, the lightweight products 50b flowing through the conveyance lane of the downstream inclined chute 24 are thrown into the first conveyance path 26A through the first entrance 26a, and from the first conveyance path 26A to the second sorting member 27. After passing through the conveyance path 27A, it is discharged from the second outlet 27b to the lightweight article discharge section 32. In FIG. 10, a movement trajectory B of the lightweight product 50b is shown.

Based on FIG. 11, the operation of the article sorting device 3 at the time of sorting out excess articles 50c will be shown.
When the control unit determines that the excess product 50c is included in the capsule 50 sliding down along the conveyance lane of the downstream inclined chute 24, the first air of the conveyance lane in which the excess product 50c is flowing is Air is discharged from the main body 28A of the cylinder 28.

At this time, the rod portion 28B is biased by the coil spring and moves upward to protrude from the main body portion 28A. Therefore, the first sorting member 26 is located at the first sorting position.

The control unit also supplies air to the main body 29A of the second air cylinder 29. At this time, the rod portion 29B moves downward against the urging force of the coil spring and retracts into the main body portion 29A. Therefore, the second sorting member 27 is located at the third retracted position, and the second inclined surface 27e of the second sorting member 27 is continuous with the inclined chute 30 so as to constitute a part of the inclined chute 30. .

In this way, by controlling the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 by the control unit, the first outlet 26b of the first sorting member 26 and the second inlet of the second sorting member 27 are controlled. 27a is out of communication.

As a result, after the excess product 50c flowing through the conveyance lane is introduced into the first conveyance path 26A through the first entrance 26a, the excess product 50c discharged from the first outlet 26b is transferred to the second sorting member 27. After passing through the inclined surface 27e of No. 2, it is discharged along the inclined chute 30 to the excess product discharge section 33. In FIG. 11, a movement trajectory C of the excess product 50c is shown.

Here, the relationship between the input interval of the capsules 50 and the time for sorting the capsules 50 will be explained.

The timing at which the capsule 50 is pushed out from the weighing table 4A by the ejector 11 is set to the timing at which the previous capsule 50 passes through the first conveyance path 26A and the second conveyance path 27A and reaches the lightweight product discharge section 32. has been done.

In other words, the loading cycle of the capsules 50 that are sequentially loaded into the article sorting device 3 from the weighing platform 4A becomes longer than the transit time through the first conveying path 26A and the second conveying path 27A required to sort the capsules 50. The injection cycle of the capsule 50 is set as follows.

This feeding cycle represents the weight measurement ability of the weight measuring device 1, so it is desirable to have a short cycle, but it is shorter than the time required for the capsule 50 to pass through the longest transport route (transport routes 26A, 27A). It is not preferable to set it as a cycle.

As a result, no matter what pattern the weight measurement results associated with the capsules 50 that are sequentially input from the weighing table 4A to the article sorting device 3 are (sorting of lightweight products 50b or selection of excess products 50c), weight measurement is possible. The first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 are controlled so that the conveyance path is configured in the sorting direction according to the result.

The interval between the lightweight article 50b located upstream of the first inlet 26a and the lightweight article 50b located downstream of the second outlet 27b shown in FIG. 10 is the shortest interval for introducing the capsule 50.

Based on FIG. 12, the operation of the article sorting device 3 when sorting unknown articles 50d is shown.
When the control unit determines that the unknown item 50d has slipped into the downstream inclined chute 24, the actuator is controlled to move the exclusion gate 35 upward.

At this time, since the inclined plate part 35B releases the discharge port 24b, all the capsules 50 flowing through the downstream inclined chute 24 collide with the vertical plate part 35A and are guided to the discharge port 24b, and the unknown items are discharged through the discharge port 24b. The liquid is discharged to the section 34. In FIG. 12, a movement trajectory D of the unknown item 50d is shown.

Furthermore, in the event of a power cutoff, the rejection gate 35 is urged upward by the coil spring, so that all the capsules 50 flowing through the downstream inclined chute 24 are discharged from the discharge port 24b to the unknown item discharge section 34. Ru.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, the capsule 50 flowing through the downstream inclined chute 24 slides down on the sliding surfaces 36a and 37a of the protruding chute parts 36 and 37, so that the capsule 50 is different from the inclined direction L of the downstream inclined chute 24. Slide down in the direction.

Since the inclination angle θ1 of the sliding surfaces 36a, 37a with respect to the horizontal plane H is smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the inclined surface 24a of the downstream inclined chute 24 with respect to the horizontal plane H, the sliding surfaces 36a of the protruding chute parts 36, 37, 37a, the capsule 50 slides down in a direction closer to the horizontal direction than the downstream inclined chute 24, and the sliding speed of the capsule 50 is slower than the sliding speed of the capsule 50 sliding down the downstream inclined chute 24. 50 is decelerated by sliding surfaces 36a and 37a.

Further, since regulating walls 40 and 41 are provided on the downstream side of each of the protruding chutes 36 and 37, the capsule 50 that has passed through the sliding surfaces 36a and 37a of the protruding chutes 36 and 37 is 41, the speed is further reduced. In FIG. 13, a movement trajectory E of the capsule 50 is shown.

In addition, when the protruding chute part 36 and the regulating wall 40 are one set, and the protruding chute part 37 and the regulating wall 41 are one set, two sets of the protruding chute part and the regulating wall are provided in this embodiment. There may be one set or three or more sets of the protruding chute portion and the regulating wall.

Further, the deceleration time of the capsule 50 may be adjusted by adjusting the inclination angle θ3 of the protruding chutes 36 and 37 depending on the size, viscosity, etc. of the capsule 50.

Moreover, although the protruding chute parts 36 and 37 are integrally molded with the downstream inclined chute 24, a protruding chute part which is a separate member from the downstream inclined chute 24 may be provided integrally with the downstream inclined chute 24. In this case, a protruding chute portion made of a material different from that of the downstream inclined chute 24 may be provided to adjust the deceleration time of the capsule 50.

In this way, the article sorting device 3 of the present embodiment drives the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 according to the weighing result of the capsules 50, thereby controlling the quantity of articles 50a that slide down the inclined chute 22. The lightweight products 50b and the excess products 50c can be sorted out and transported in a direction different from the inclined chute 22.

Next, the effects of the article sorting device 3 of this embodiment will be explained.
The article sorting device 3 of the present embodiment has a first inclined surface 26e forming a part of the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 on the upper surface, and the inclined surface 23a of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined surface 26e. A first sorting member 26 is provided movably between a first sorting position protruding above the inclined surface 24a of the chute 24 and a retracted position where the first inclined surface 26e is continuous with the inclined surfaces 23a and 24a. has.

The first sorting member 26 has a first conveyance path 26A inside, and the first conveyance path 26A has a first inlet 26a that opens on the upstream side and a first outlet 26b that opens on the downstream side. When a lightweight product 50b or an excess product 50c to be sorted is conveyed onto the upstream inclined chute 23, the first sorting member 26 moves to the first sorting position and the object flowing from the upstream is By guiding the capsules 50 to be sorted into the first conveyance path 26A through the first inlet 26a, the capsules 50 to be sorted are sorted in a direction different from the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24.

Thereby, the lightweight product 50b and the excess product 50c can be transported along the first conveyance path 26A, and the behavior of the lightweight product 50b and the excess product 50c is stabilized by giving directionality to the light product 50b and the excess product 50c. be able to.

Therefore, the degree of freedom in the discharge direction of the lightweight product 50b or the excess product 50c can be improved, and it is possible to prevent the lightweight product 50b or the excess product 50c from clogging the first conveyance path 26A.

Further, the article sorting device 3 of this embodiment is provided downstream of the first sorting member 26 and moves between a second sorting position and a third sorting position located below the second sorting position. It has a second sorting member 27 that is freely provided, and the second sorting member 27 has a second inclined surface 27e on the upper surface and a second conveyance path 27A inside.

The second conveyance path 27A has a second inlet 27a that opens on the upstream side and a second outlet 27b that opens on the downstream side, the first sorting member 26 is in the first sorting position, and When the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position, the first outlet 26b and the second inlet 27a communicate with each other.

When the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position, the second sorting member 27 sorts the excess products 50c conveyed through the first conveyance path 26A in the first direction by passing through the second inclined surface 27e. , when located at the third sorting position, the lightweight articles 50b conveyed through the first conveyance path 26A are passed through the second conveyance path 27A and sorted in the second direction.

Thereby, when the first sorting member 26 is located at the first sorting position, the second sorting member 27 is located at the second sorting position and the third sorting position, thereby switching the conveyance path. The objects to be sorted can be classified into lightweight items 50b and oversized items 50c.

Therefore, the lightweight product 50b can be transported along the first transport path 26A and the second transport path 27A, and the behavior of the lightweight product 50b can be stabilized by giving directionality to the lightweight product 50b. In addition, the excess product 50c can be transported along the first conveyance path 26A, and the behavior of the excess product 50c can be stabilized by giving directionality to the excess product 50c.

Further, according to the article sorting device 3 of the present embodiment, the first conveyance path 26A includes a first straight portion 26c extending linearly in the vertical direction from the first entrance 26a, and a first straight portion 26c. It has a first curved part 26d that curves in the inclination direction L of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 from the downstream part.

This makes the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 more incline than in the case where the first conveyance path 26A extends linearly in the inclination direction L of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24. The length in the direction L can be shortened, and the article sorting device 3 can be made smaller.

Further, according to the article sorting device 3 of the present embodiment, the second conveyance path 27A includes a second straight portion 27c that extends linearly in the vertical direction from the second entrance 27a, and a second straight portion 27c. It has a second curved portion 27d that curves in the inclination direction L of the upstream side inclined chute 23 and the downstream side inclined chute 24 from the downstream part.

As a result, the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 are more inclined than the case where the second conveyance path 27A extends linearly in the inclination direction L of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24. The length in the direction L can be shortened, and the article sorting device 3 can be made smaller.

Further, according to the article sorting device of this embodiment, since it has the first air cylinder 28 and the second air cylinder 29 that drive the first sorting member 26 and the second sorting member 27 in the vertical direction, the upstream The installation space of the first air cylinder 28 and the second air cylinder 29 can be reduced with respect to the inclination direction L of the side inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24, and the inclination direction L of the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 can be reduced. The length of can be shortened. As a result, the article sorting device 3 can be downsized.

Moreover, since the weight measuring device 1 of this embodiment includes the article sorting device 3 and the weighing section 4 that inspects the capsules 50 sorted by the article sorting device 3, the upstream inclined chute 23 and the downstream inclined chute 24 The behavior of the objects to be sorted can be stabilized by giving directionality to the lightweight products 50b and the excess products 50c that are transported in different directions.

Although embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is apparent that modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. All such modifications and equivalents are intended to be included in the following claims.

1 Weight measuring device (article inspection device)
3 Article sorting device 4 Weighing section (inspection section)
22 Inclined chute 23a, 24a Inclined surface (slanted surface of inclined chute)
26 First sorting member 26A First conveyance path 26a First inlet 26b First outlet 26c First straight section 26d First curved section 26e First inclined surface 27 Second sorting member 27A Second Conveyance path 27a Second inlet 27b Second outlet 27c Second straight section 27d Second curved section 27e Second inclined surface 28 First air cylinder (drive section)
29 Second air cylinder (drive part)
50 capsules (object)
50b Lightweight items (objects to be sorted)
50c Excess product (object to be sorted)
50d Unknown item (object to be sorted)

Claims (7)

An article sorting device (3) for sorting objects (50) sliding down on an inclined chute (22) inclined from above to below,
a first sorting position having a first inclined surface (26e) forming a part of the inclined surface of the inclined chute on the upper surface and protruding above the inclined surface of the inclined chute; a first sorting member (26) whose inclined surface is movably provided to a retracted position where the inclined surface is continuous with the inclined surface of the inclined chute;
The first sorting member has a first conveyance path (26A) inside,
The first conveyance path has a first inlet (26a) that opens on the upstream side and a first outlet (26b) that opens on the downstream side,
When the objects (50b, 50c) to be sorted slide down the inclined chute, the first sorting member moves to the first sorting position, and the objects (50b, 50c) to be sorted that have flowed from upstream are moved to the first sorting position. An article sorting device that sorts articles in a direction different from the inclined chute by guiding them to the first conveyance path through a first entrance. a second sorting member located downstream of the first sorting member and provided movably between a second sorting position and a third sorting position located below the second sorting position; 27),
The second sorting member has a second inclined surface (27e) on the upper surface and a second conveyance path (27A) inside,
The second conveyance path has a second inlet (27a) that opens on the upstream side and a second outlet (27b) that opens on the downstream side, and the first sorting member is located at the first sorting position. and when the second sorting member is located at the second sorting position, the first outlet and the second inlet communicate with each other,
When the second sorting member is located at the third sorting position, the second sorting member passes the object to be sorted, which is conveyed along the first conveyance path, through the second inclined surface and selects the first sorting member. When the object is sorted in a direction and is located at the second sorting position, the object to be sorted, which is conveyed through the first conveyance path, passes through the second conveyance path and is sorted in a second direction. The article sorting device according to claim 1. The first conveyance path includes a first straight section (26c) extending linearly in the vertical direction from the first entrance, and a direction (L) of the tilted chute from a downstream part of the first straight section. The article sorting device according to claim 1, further comprising a first curved portion (26d) that is curved in a direction. The first conveyance path includes a first straight section that extends straight in the vertical direction from the first entrance, and a first straight section that curves in the direction of inclination of the inclined chute from a downstream part of the first straight section. It has a curved part,
The second conveyance path includes a second linear portion (27c) extending linearly in the vertical direction from the second entrance, and a curved portion downstream of the second linear portion in the direction of inclination of the inclined chute. The article sorting device according to claim 2, further comprising a second curved portion (27d). The article sorting device according to claim 2 or 4, further comprising a drive unit (28, 29) that drives the first sorting member and the second sorting member in the vertical direction. An article inspection device (1) comprising the article sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and an inspection section (4) that inspects the object sorted by the article sorting device. . An article inspection device comprising: the article sorting device according to claim 5; and an inspection section that inspects the objects sorted by the article sorting device.

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