JP2582563B2 - Combination weigher for mixing and weighing - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combination weighing scale used for packing a plurality of types of articles into a single pack at a predetermined weight.

<Prior Art> An apparatus disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-92316 is an apparatus for packing a plurality of types of articles into one pack at a predetermined weight. This involves arranging a plurality of combination weighers along the transport direction of one bucket conveyor, supplying each combination weigher with a different type of article, and each time the bucket reaches below each combination weigher. The articles selected by the combination operation are discharged from the combination weigher, a plurality of kinds of articles are collected in one bucket, and these are packed in one bag by a packing machine arranged at the end of the bucket conveyor. However, in particular, the type of articles supplied to each combination weigher should be relatively inexpensive at the end of the bucket conveyor and relatively expensive at the other end of the bucket conveyor. The weight is set independently for each type of article except for the end combination, and the target weight of the combination calculation by the end combination weigher is calculated as the total target weight of each article to be collected in one bag (one pack). of It is for setting the total weight of the target weight) other combination weigher from is actually discharged articles obtained by subtracting.

If all combination weighers set their own target weights, the total weight (actual total weight of one pack) of each type of goods actually packed in one bag may exceed the target weight of one pack. Is high, resulting in loss of producers. At some point, reducing the target weight of relatively expensive items and adjusting the total weight of the items actually packed in one bag to the target weight of one pack results in a loss for the purchaser. Therefore, in this apparatus, the target weight of the relatively inexpensive articles is adjusted, and the relatively expensive articles are packed almost by the target weight, and the actual gross weight of one pack is almost equal to the target weight of one pack. And producers are both satisfied.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In such an apparatus, since the combination weigher for relatively inexpensive articles is limited to the one at the end of the bucket conveyor, there are the following problems. That is, each combination weigher is connected to the manufacturing apparatus that manufactures the articles to be supplied thereto via the transfer device. Therefore, when changing a relatively inexpensive article to another type of article, the apparatus for manufacturing the other type of article is installed at a position closer to the other combination weigher than the terminal combination weigher, and the Despite the fact that it is possible to supply other combination weighers with a simple change of the transfer device, the transfer device must be complicatedly changed and this manufacturing device must be connected to the terminal combination weigher.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination weigher for mixing and weighing, in which a combination weigher for a relatively inexpensive article can be arbitrarily changed and a transfer device is easily changed.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plurality of weighing devices each having a plurality of weighing devices for detecting the weight of an article supplied via a transport device. A combination weighing mechanism, a plurality of control units provided for each combination weighing mechanism, a collection unit for collecting the articles discharged from each of the combination weighing mechanisms at one set point, Designating means for setting each of the units to a designated state or a non-designated state. Each of the control units is configured to determine whether or not the state is designated by the designating means. When the result of the decision is a non-designated state, the detected weights are variously combined, and Means for performing a combination calculation for selecting a combination of articles having a total weight equal to or close to a predetermined target weight, and, when the discrimination result is in a non-designated state, the total weight, or the sum of the total weight and the target weight Means for transmitting the deviation to the control unit in the designated state, and, when the result of the determination is in the designated state, the sum of the total weights transmitted from the control units in the non-designated state and the target weight of one pack. The deviation is used as a new target weight of the control unit in the designated state, or an algebraic sum of the added value of each deviation transmitted from each control unit in the non-designated state and the target weight of the control unit in the designated state. This As a new target weight of the control unit of the given condition, and means for performing the combination calculation, and a discharging means for discharging the respective article is the selected, are provided.

<Operation> Each control unit in the non-designated state selects an article whose total weight is equal to or close to the predetermined target weight, calculates a deviation between the total weight and the target weight, and transmits the deviation to the control unit in the designated state. Alternatively, the total weight is transmitted to the control unit in the designated state. The control unit in the designated state determines the difference between the added value of each total weight transmitted from each control unit in the non-designated state and the target weight of one pack with the new target weight of the control unit in the designated state. I do. Alternatively, the control unit in the designated state may calculate the algebraic sum of the added value of each deviation transmitted from each control unit in the non-designated state and the target weight of the control unit in the designated state. New target weight. The control unit in the designated state performs a combination operation using the new target weight, and selects an article whose total weight is equal to or close to the new target weight. Then, the discharge means of each control unit discharges the article from each combination weighing mechanism unit. These discharged articles are collected at one collecting point via the collection unit.
Therefore, the total weight of the articles collected at one gathering point is close to the target weight of one pack, and the weight of the articles discharged from the combination weighing mechanism controlled by the non-designated control unit in this pack is: The value is close to the target weight defined for each control unit in the non-designated state. Moreover, by the operation of the designation means,
The control unit in the designated state can be arbitrarily changed.

<Effects> As described above, according to the present invention, the designated control unit can be arbitrarily changed by the designating means, so that the comparison used for adjusting the total weight of one pack to the target weight of one pack is achieved. The combination weighing mechanism and the control unit for an inexpensive article can be arbitrarily changed by the specifying means. Thank you
When changing the type of relatively inexpensive articles, the transport device is changed so as to connect this new inexpensive article manufacturing apparatus and a combination weighing mechanism unit close to the new inexpensive article manufacturing apparatus. The control unit corresponding to the combination weighing mechanism unit at the position may be made non-designated by the designating means, and the equipment can be easily modified.

<Embodiment> Figs. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment. This embodiment has combination weighing mechanisms 2a to 2d as shown in FIG. The combination weighing mechanisms 2a and 2b are assembled on the same support table 4, and the combination weighing mechanisms 2c and 2d are also assembled on the same support table 6. The combination weighing mechanism 2a radially extends outward from a half of the outer periphery of the cap 8 of the dispersion feeder 12 including the cap 8 and the vibration source 10 provided at the center of the upper surface of the support table 4. It has a plurality of electromagnetic feeders 14a that convey articles from the base end to the front end by activating a built-in vibration source. A plurality of supply hoppers 16a provided on the support base 4 so as to be respectively located below the distal ends of the electromagnetic feeders 14a, and a plurality of supply hoppers respectively provided below the supply hoppers 16a and provided in the support base 4 The combination weighing mechanism 2a also has a weighing hopper 20a coupled to the load cell 18a. Gates 17a and 19a are provided in each of the supply hopper 16a and the weigh hopper 20a, and the articles inside are discharged by opening these gates. Similarly, a plurality of electromagnetic feeders 14b are provided on the outer peripheral edge of the other half of the hat-shaped portion 8 of the dispersion feeder 12, and a supply hopper 16b and a measuring hopper 20b are similarly arranged below them in the same order. , Are connected to a load cell 18b in the support 4. The electromagnetic feeder 14b, the supply hopper 16b, the weigh hopper 20b, and the load cell 18b constitute a combination weighing mechanism 2b. Since the combination weighing mechanisms 2c and 2d are also configured on the support 6 in the same manner, the same components as those of the combination weighing mechanisms 2a and 2b are denoted by the same reference numerals with the suffixes c and d. The detailed description is omitted. On the upper surface of the support 6, a dispersion feeder 26 including a shade portion 22 and a vibrating portion 24 is provided similarly to the support 4.

A partition plate 2 is provided on the hatched portions 8 and 22 of the two dispersion feeders 12 and 26.
8 and 30 are provided, respectively, and the partition plate 28 partitions the shade portion 8 into the combination weighing mechanism 2a side and the 2b side.
Divides the shade 22 into a combination weighing mechanism 2c side and a 2d side. Supply devices 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d are provided above the partitioned portions of the cap portions 8, 22, respectively. The supply devices 32a to 32d are connected to manufacturing devices that manufacture different types of articles A, B, C, and D, respectively, via a transport device (not shown).

Below each weighing hopper 20a, 20b, an assembly shot 34a
Are provided so as to receive the articles respectively discharged from the weighing hoppers 20a and 20b and collect them in a timing hopper 36a provided at a lower portion. Below the weighing hoppers 20c, 20d, a collecting shot 34b is provided so as to receive the articles discharged from the weighing hoppers 20c, 20d, respectively, and collect them in a timing hopper 36b provided below. Below the timing hoppers 36a and 36b, there are provided shots 40a and 40b extending to the timing hopper 38. Therefore, the articles discharged from the combination weighing mechanisms 2a to 2d are collected in the timing hopper 38 at any time.

Below the timing hopper 38, a bucket conveyor 42 which is continuously operated is provided.
Are transferred to a bucket (not shown) of a bucket conveyor 42 and supplied to a packaging machine 44 as shown in FIG.
Here, it is packaged in one bag.

As shown in FIG. 3, the combination weighing mechanisms 2a to 2d are provided with corresponding combination weighing controllers 46a to 46d.
The operation is controlled by 6d. Each of the combination weighing control units 46a to 46d is provided with a target weight setting unit 48a to 48d, respectively, and sets a target weight of an article to be weighed by each of the combination weighing mechanism units 2a to 2d. The sum of these target weights has been selected to be equal to the target weight of one pack. Each of the combination weighing controllers 46a to 46d is also provided with a selection switch 50a to 50d, respectively. The combination weighing control unit designated by the selection switch controls the target weight of the total weight of one pack to one pack. It performs the function of adjusting to be very close to

Each of the combination weighing controllers 46a to 46d is constituted by, for example, a micro computer, and includes load cells 18a to 1d.
Each of the weighing signals from 8d is input, these weighing signals are combined, and a combination of articles whose total weight is equal to or close to the target weight is selected, and as described later, each combination weighing controller 46a to 46d Between the gates 19a to 17d and the gate driving units 52a to 52d for controlling the gates 17a to 17d and the gates 19a to 19d, respectively, so as to discharge articles from the weighing hoppers 20a to 20d.
Open 19d, discharge and empty weighing hoppers 20a to 20d
The gates 17a to 17d are opened so that the articles are supplied from the upper supply hoppers 16a to 16d. Similarly, a signal is sent to feeder driving units 54a to 54d for controlling the dispersion feeders 12, 26 and the electromagnetic feeders 14a to 14d, respectively, and the articles are sent to the empty supply hoppers 16a to 16d.
Each electromagnetic feeder that supplied articles from a to 14d and supplied articles
The articles are supplied from the dispersion feeders 12, 26 to 14a to 14d.

In addition to this, each time the bucket of the bucket conveyor 42 arrives below the timing hopper 38, it responds to a signal from a detector (not shown) for detecting the timing and generates a first timing pulse. A pulse generator 56 is provided. The first timing pulse is supplied to the timing hopper driving unit 58, and the timing hopper driving unit 58
58 opens the timing hopper 38. When the first timing hopper 38 is opened and the time required for completely discharging the articles therein has passed, the timing pulse generator 56
Transmits the second timing pulse to the timing hopper driver 60.
a, supply to 60b. In response, the timing hopper drive units 60a and 60b open the timing hoppers 36a and 36b, respectively. When the time required for the articles to be completely ejected from the timing hoppers 36a and 36b has elapsed, the timing pulse generator 56 supplies a third timing pulse to each of the combination controllers 46a to 46d. In response, each of the combination weighing control units 46a to 46d discharges articles from each of the combination weighing mechanism units 2a to 2d. The timing hoppers 36a, 36b, 38 and the gates 17a to 17d, 19a to 19d are configured to be automatically closed after being opened.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Now, a relatively inexpensive article A is supplied from the article supply device 32a to the combination weighing mechanism 2a.
2b to 2d are supplied with relatively expensive articles B to D, respectively, from the article supply devices 32b to 32d, the selection switch 50a of the combination weighing controller 46a is closed, and the timing hopper is
36A has an article A weighed first by the combination weighing mechanism units 2a and 2b,
B is collected, the articles C and D previously weighed by the combination weighing mechanisms 2c and 2d are collected in the timing hopper 36b, and the articles C and D are collected in the timing hoppers 36a and 36b first in the timing hopper 38. It is assumed that collected items A, B, C, and D are collected.

In this state, the bucket of the bucket conveyor 42 reaches below the timing hopper 38, and the timing pulse generator
When 56 generates the first timing pulse as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the timing hopper 38 opens as shown in FIG. 4 (b) and the articles A, B,
C and D are transferred to the bucket and conveyed to the packaging machine 44. When the articles in the timing hopper 38 are discharged and closed,
A second timing pulse is generated, and FIG.
As shown in (d), the timing hoppers 36a and 36b open,
The items in the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are
Start gliding towards 38.

When the articles in the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are discharged and closed, a third timing pulse is generated, and the combination weighing control units 46a, 46b, 46c and 46d operate the weighing hoppers as shown in FIG. Gates 19a, 19b, 19c, 1 of 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d
Open 9d to eject a group of items each. Gate 19
When a, 19b, 19c and 19d are closed, empty weighing hoppers 20a and 20
b, 20c and 20d have upper supply hoppers 16a, 16b, 16c and 16
The gates 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d of d are opened, and articles are supplied. The supplied articles are load cells 18a, 18b, 18c, 1
8d, the weighing signal is sent to each combination weighing controller 46
a, 46b, 46c, 46d.

Then, the combination weighing control units 46b, 46c, and 46d whose selection switches are open perform the combination calculation and perform the weighing hopper 20b,
From the articles in 20c and 20d, select an article whose total weight is equal to or close to the respective target weight, and calculate the obtained total weight from the target weight set in each of the combination weighing controllers 48b, 48c, and 48d. The subtraction is performed, and the subtraction value is transmitted to the combination weighing controller 46a.

The combination weigher control unit 46a adds the respective subtracted values transmitted to the set target weight, performs a combination operation using the added value as the target weight, and selects an article whose total weight is equal to or close to the target weight. I do. When this selection is complete,
The articles ejected from the timing hoppers 36a and 36b first reach the timing hopper 38, and
A group of articles A and B discharged from a and 20b respectively reach the timing hopper 36a, and are weighed hoppers 20c and 20d.
The group of articles C and D respectively discharged from the hopper reaches the timing hopper 36b. Then, the first timing pulse is generated again, and thereafter, the same operation as described above is performed.

In order to perform the above-described operation, each of the combination weighing controllers 46a to 46d executes a program shown by a flowchart in FIG. First, it is determined whether the third timing pulse has been received (step S2), and step S2 is repeated until the determination becomes YES. That is, the timing hoppers 36a and 36a
When the articles in 6b are discharged and the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are closed, it is determined whether or not a combination completion signal has been received from another combination weighing controller (step S4), and this step S4 is repeated until YES. Repeatedly, when YES, the discharge routine is executed (step S6), and the articles selected by the preceding combination operation are discharged by opening the gate of the weighing hopper containing them. Then, the supply routine is executed (step S8), the gate of the supply hopper above the empty weighing hopper is opened, and the articles are supplied to the empty weighing hopper. Next, the weighing routine is executed (step S10),
A weighing signal indicating the weight of the article newly supplied to the weighing hopper is input to the combination weighing controller.

Then, it is determined whether the selection switch is turned on (step S12). If NO, a combination calculation routine is executed (step S14), various input weighing signals are variously combined, and a combination having a total weight G equal to or close to the target weight TW is selected from among these combinations. . Then, the total weight G is subtracted from the target weight TW, a deviation ΔG is calculated (step S16), the deviation ΔG is transmitted to another combination weighing control unit (step S18), and then a combination completion signal is transmitted to another combination weighing controller. The data is transmitted to the combination weighing controller (step S20). In the example above,
The combination weigher controllers 46b, 46c, 46d execute steps S14 to S20.

If the determination in step S12 is YES, it is determined whether deviations ΔG have been received from all the other combination weighing controllers (step S2).
2) Repeat step S22 until YES is reached. When this step S22 becomes YES, the target weight TW and each deviation △ G are added, and this is set as a new target weight (step S2).
4) The combination calculation routine is executed in the same manner as described above (step S26), an article whose total weight is equal to or close to the target weight is selected, and step S20 is executed to transmit a combination completion signal. In the above example, the combination weigher controller 46
a executes steps S22, S24, S26 and S20. As described above, any combination weighing control unit performs steps S14, S16, S18, and S20.
And steps S22, S24, S26 and S20 can be executed, but which one is executed depends on whether or not the selection switch is on.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, two sets of combination weighing mechanisms are assembled on one support in the first embodiment, but one set of combination weighers is assembled for each support. The configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment. That is, a combination weighing mechanism 2a, 2b, 2c is assembled on each of the supports 4a, 4b, 4c, and each combination weighing mechanism 2a, in the center of the upper surface of each support 4a, 4b, 4c.
Dispersion feeders 12a, 12b, and 12c for supplying articles to the respective electromagnetic feeders 14a, 14b, and 14c of 2b and 2c are provided. Above the dispersion feeders 12a, 12b, and 12c, article supply devices 32a, 32b, and 32c that supply articles of different types A, B, and C, respectively, are provided. Below each combination weighing mechanism 2a, 2b, 2c, collecting chutes 34a, 34
b, 34c are provided, and timing hoppers 36a, 36b, 36c are provided below these, respectively, which are
It is connected to the timing hopper 38 via 0a, 40b, 40c.

In this embodiment, the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that one type of article is supplied to each of the timing hoppers 36a, 36b and 36c.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment. In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, a combination weighing mechanism is assembled for each support base, and a collective shot 34 is provided below each combination weighing mechanism.
a, 34b, 34c, 34d are provided, and timing hoppers 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d are provided below these, respectively, and shots 48a, 48b for supplying articles from the timing hoppers 36a, 36b to the timing hopper 46a are provided. The timing hopper 36
Provided are shorts 48c and 48d for supplying articles from c and 36d to the timing hopper 46b, and the timing hoppers 46a and 46b are provided.
In this embodiment, there are provided shots 50a and 50b for supplying articles to the timing hopper 38.

In this embodiment, the articles of the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are collected by the timing hopper 46a,
The operation is the same as in the first embodiment, except that the articles c and 36d are collected in the timing hopper 46b and then sent to the timing hopper 38.

In each of the above embodiments, the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are opened after the timing hopper 38 is closed. However, before the timing hopper 38 is closed, the timing hoppers 36a and 36b are closed.
You may open 6b. This is the same as timing hopper 38 and 36
Since there is a height difference between a and 36b, the timing hopper
Even if timing hoppers 36a and 36b are opened before 38 closes,
Items in the timing hoppers 36a and 36b and the timing hoppers
This is because the articles in 38 do not mix with each other. For similar reasons, the articles may be ejected from the weighing hoppers 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d before the timing hoppers 36a, 36b close.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the articles are discharged from the lightweight hoppers 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d.
Provide auxiliary hoppers below a, 20b, 20c, 20d, respectively.
Each of the weighing hoppers 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d is configured to be able to supply the articles to the lower auxiliary hopper and to discharge the articles to the collecting chute. May be weighed, and a combination operation may be performed on the articles in the auxiliary hopper and the articles in the weighing hopper. Further, in each of the above embodiments, the combination weighing control unit with the selection switch turned off calculates the deviation between the total weight and the target weight, transmits this to the combination weighing control unit with the selection switch turned on, and turns the selection switch on. The combination weighing control unit adds the transmitted deviations and the target weight, and sets the added value as a new target weight.However, the combination weighing control unit with the selection switch off turns off the total weight by the selection switch. The combination weigher control unit which transmits the signal to the combination weigher control unit which is ON and the selection switch is ON subtracts the added value of the transmitted total weights from the target weight of one pack, and performs the combination calculation using this value as the target weight. You may.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a part of a first embodiment of a combination weighing scale according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a schematic configuration of the remaining part of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a timing chart of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the third embodiment. 2a to 2d: combination weighing mechanism, 40a, 40b, 40c, 50a, 50
b: shunt (collecting unit), 46a to 46d: control unit.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Seiji Yamano 5-22 Chasonba-cho, Akashi City Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-58-139026 (JP, A) JP-A-58- 139027 (JP, A) JP-A-59-92316 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of combination weighing mechanisms each having a plurality of weighing devices for detecting the weight of an article supplied via a transport device, and a plurality of weighing mechanisms provided for each of these combination weighing mechanisms. And the articles respectively discharged from each combination weighing mechanism section
A collecting unit that collects data at the gathering point; and a designation unit that sets each of the control units to a designated state or a non-designated state. Each of the control units determines whether the designated state is set by the designation unit. Discriminating means for discriminating, and when the discrimination result is in a non-designated state, a combination operation for variously combining the detected weights and selecting a combination of articles having a total weight equal to or close to a predetermined target weight from among them. Means for transmitting the total weight or a deviation between the total weight and the target weight to the control unit in the specified state when the result of the determination is a non-designated state; and In this case, the deviation between the added value of each of the total weights transmitted from each of the control units in the non-designated state and the target weight of one pack is used as a new target weight of the control unit in this designated state, or Status Means for performing the above-described combination calculation, using the algebraic sum of the added value of each deviation transmitted from each control unit and the target weight of the control unit in the designated state as a new target weight of the control unit in the designated state. And a discharging means for discharging the selected articles. A combination weigher for mixing and weighing.