JP2803737B2 - belt conveyor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a belt conveyor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a belt conveyor suitable for application to a belt conveyor type checkout device used in stores such as supermarkets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 11 and 12 show a schematic structure of a conventional belt conveyor. In these figures, reference numerals 2 and 2 denote rotating bodies, reference numeral 3 denotes an endless belt stretched between the rotating bodies 2 and 2, and reference numeral 4 denotes a conveyor drive section for rotating the rotating bodies. When the rotating body 2 is rotated by using the conveyor driving unit 4, the belt 3 rotates, and the transport surface 3a is moved in a predetermined transport direction (the direction of the arrow X).

When the belt conveyor needs to keep the conveyor surface 3a of the belt 3 clean for sanitary control or the like, a cleaning device for cleaning the conveyor surface 3a is provided. Often.
Here, the cleaning device includes a rotating roller 6 rotatable in a state where a peripheral surface 6 a formed by a cleaning member such as a sponge is in contact with the conveying surface 3 a of the belt 3, and a drive for rotating the rotating roller 6. Generally, it is composed of a part 7 and the like.

[0004]

In a belt conveyor provided with the above-described cleaning device, the rotating roller 6 is conveyed with a uniform pressing force in the longitudinal direction (the direction of the arrow Y) due to an assembling error or a processing error. It is difficult to make contact with the surface 3a, and there is a possibility of one-side contact. In a state in which such a one-sided contact occurs, the belt 3 may laterally move in the width direction (Y direction) of the transport surface 3a to cause meandering, and smooth transport operation may not be performed. In addition, the rotation roller 6 of the cleaning device is liable to be reduced, and it is difficult to clean the transfer surface for a long time without leaving or evenly wiping the transfer surface.

[0005] In particular, when the above-mentioned inconvenience occurs in a check-out device equipped with a belt conveyor having a cleaning device, a quick and smooth accounting process cannot be performed, which is a serious problem.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a belt conveyor capable of cleaning the belt conveying surface without wiping or even wiping while preventing meandering.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning head for slidingly contacting a conveying surface of a belt for cleaning; and a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the cleaning head in the width direction of the conveying surface. And synchronous control means for driving the belt so that the transport surface of the belt moves by a distance equivalent to the diameter of the cleaning head while the cleaning head makes one reciprocation. It is characterized by.

[0008]

According to the present invention, when cleaning the conveying surface of the belt,
The transport surface is moved in the transport direction, and in this state, the cleaning head slidably contacting the transport surface is reciprocated in the width direction of the transport surface using a reciprocating mechanism. At this time, the movement of the belt conveyance surface and the reciprocating movement of the cleaning head are synchronized by the synchronization control means, and the conveyance surface is moved by a distance equivalent to the diameter of the cleaning head during one reciprocation of the cleaning head. Drive control is performed as follows. Therefore, the cleaning head is moved in a state in which the cleaning head is in sliding contact with the entire surface of the transfer surface, and the transfer surface can be cleaned without wiping or even wiping. Also, during one reciprocation of the cleaning head, the pressing force of the cleaning head against the belt transport surface becomes uniform as a whole in the width direction of the belt transport surface, thereby preventing meandering. As a result, it is possible to clean the belt conveying surface without wiping or even wiping while preventing meandering.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
A belt conveyor 1 according to the present embodiment is applied to a checkout device 10 shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, and as shown in FIG. (Conveyor drive unit 4) and the like, and a cleaning device 20 for cleaning water, mud, etc. attached to the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 as the goods are conveyed. 8 to 10,
11 to 17 are components of the checkout device 10, 11 is a commodity reading device (barcode scanner), 12 is
Is a PLU keyboard; 13 is a display device; 14 is a POS terminal for registering bar code data read by the commodity reading device 11 and operation data of the PLU keyboard 12;
Reference numerals 5 and 16 denote a basket table on which the shopping basket 8 is placed, and reference numeral 17 denotes an auxiliary table.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning device 20 uses a mounting bolt 29 or the like to convey the main body 1A of the conveyor.
And includes a housing 20A, a cleaning head 21, a rotation applying mechanism 31, a reciprocating mechanism 41, and a synchronization control means 51.

The cleaning head 21 is a means for slidingly contacting the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 to clean dirt on the conveying surface 3a. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
And a cleaning member 23 attached to the upper portion of the head body 22. The cleaning member 23 is formed of an elastic member (a buff in this embodiment) such as a water-absorbing buff or sponge.

The rotation imparting mechanism 31 is means for imparting a rotational movement to the cleaning head 21. In the present embodiment, the rotation applying mechanism 31 includes a cleaning head motor 32 and a transmission gear block 33 that changes the rotation of the motor 32.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the reciprocating mechanism 41 moves the cleaning head 21 to the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3.
Means for reciprocating in the width direction (arrow Y direction).
In the present embodiment, the reciprocating mechanism 41 enables the guide shaft 42 and the spiral shaft 43 disposed in parallel in the Y direction and the rotation applying mechanism 31 (therefore, the cleaning head 21) to reciprocate on both the shafts 42 and 43. It is configured to include a support body 44 for supporting. In this embodiment, the reciprocating movement mechanism 41 includes a spiral shaft 43.
Is appropriately rotated using the synchronization control means 51,
The cleaning head 21 is configured to reciprocate via the support 44 and the like.

The synchronous control means 51 synchronizes with the movement of the transfer surface 3a so that the transfer surface 3a of the belt 3 can be cleaned by the cleaning head 21 which is reciprocated in the Y direction without leaving or even wiping. Means for moving the cleaning head 21 back and forth.

More specifically, the synchronization control means 51 is involved in the traveling mechanism of the belt 3 (in the present embodiment, the conveyor driving section 4) and the reciprocating movement mechanism 41, and the cleaning head 21 makes one reciprocation. This is means for controlling the drive so that the transport surface 3a moves by a distance equivalent to the diameter of the head 21 (the "equivalent diameter" includes not only the same distance as the diameter but also a distance slightly shorter or longer than the diameter. ).

In this embodiment, the synchronization control means 51
Is controlled by using the motor 4a of the conveyor driving unit 4 as a power source and using a belt transmission mechanism so that the transport surface 3a of the belt 3 moves by a distance equivalent to the diameter of the head 21 while the cleaning head 21 makes one reciprocation. It has a configuration. That is, the synchronization control means 51 includes a driving pulley 52 connected to the motor 4a via gears 4b and 4c, a reciprocating pulley 53 mounted on the spiral shaft 43 of the reciprocating moving mechanism 41, and a pulley 52 between the pulleys 52 and 53. The belt 54 and the pulleys 52, 53 are disposed between the belt 54 and the pulleys 55. The solenoid 56 is provided for selectively tensioning and relaxing the belt 54 via a pressing pulley 55. Here, the diameters of both pulleys 52 and 53 are such that the distance L over which the transport surface 3a moves during one reciprocation of the cleaning head 21 is equivalent to the diameter D of the head 21 (equivalent to D in the present embodiment). Selected. When the belt 54 is pressed by the pressing pulley 55 to be tensioned by turning on the solenoid 56, the rotation of the motor 4a is controlled by the spiral shaft 4 via the belt 54 and the like.
The cleaning head 21 is transmitted to the third side and reciprocated in the Y direction. On the other hand, when the solenoid 56 is turned off, the belt 54 is relaxed, so that the rotation of the motor 4a is not transmitted to the spiral shaft 43 side, and the reciprocating movement of the cleaning shaft head 21 is stopped.

In this embodiment, the motor 4a of the above-described conveyor driving section 4, the cleaning head motor 32, the solenoid 56, and the like are controlled by a control device 61 for controlling the driving of the entire belt conveyor 1, as shown in FIG. You. Further, the control device 61 has a start / stop switch 62 for instructing start / stop of the belt conveyor 1 and an overall / instruction for selecting / instructing whether to completely or partially clean the conveying surface 3 a of the belt 3. Partial switch 63, transfer surface 3
A moving speed setting device 64 for setting the moving speed of a and a timer (not shown) are connected. (Note that
In FIG. 5, 65 and 67 are drivers for the motors 4a and 32, respectively. Further, in this embodiment, in particular, the belt conveying surface 3a
In order to reduce the sliding time of the cleaning head 21 with the cleaning head 21 and to suppress wear of both parts, the cleaning head 21 is provided with a cleaning head elevating means 71 for slidingly contacting the cleaning head 21 with the belt conveying surface 3a only during cleaning. . As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning head elevating means 71 has a head holder 72 having inclined grooves 73, 73 interposed between the cleaning head 21 and the rotation applying mechanism 31 and rising in a direction opposite to the rotation direction. Utilizing the rotational force applied to the cleaning head 21 from the applying mechanism 31, the head 21 is raised along the inclined grooves 73, 73 via the mounting shaft 74 and the mounting hole 75 to make sliding contact with the belt conveying surface 3 a. It has a configuration. When the rotation of the cleaning head 21 is stopped, the rotational force disappears, and the cleaning head 21 is inclined by its own weight.
And separates from the belt conveying surface 3a.

Next, the operation will be described.

After the belt conveyor 1 is started by using the start / stop switch 62 shown in FIG. 5 to rotate the belt 3, the entire surface of the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 is cleaned by the entire / partial cleaning. Switch 6
Use 3 to select / instruct overall cleaning. Then, the control device 61 rotates the cleaning head motor 32 via the driver 67 and turns on the solenoid 56.
Then, the belt 54 is tensioned via the pressing pulley 55.
As a result, the rotation of the motor 4a of the conveyor drive unit 4 is transmitted to the spiral shaft 43 via the belt 54 and the like, and the cleaning head 21 reciprocates in the width direction (Y direction) of the transport surface 3a in sliding contact with the transport surface 3a. Be moved. At this time, the moving operation of the belt conveying surface 3a and the reciprocating movement of the cleaning head 21 are synchronized by the synchronization control means 51, and the conveying surface 3a is moved by the diameter of the head 21 during one reciprocation of the cleaning head 21. Drive control is performed so as to be moved by a distance equivalent to D. Therefore,
As shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 7, the cleaning head 21 is moved all the way with the entire surface of the transfer surface 3a slidably in contact with the transfer surface 3a, so that the transfer surface 3a can be cleaned without wiping or even wiping. . Also, the cleaning head 21
During one reciprocating movement, the pressing force of the cleaning head 21 against the transport surface 3a becomes uniform as a whole in the width direction (Y direction) of the transport surface 3a, thereby preventing meandering. As a result, the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 is prevented while meandering is prevented.
Can be cleaned without wiping or even wiping.

Partial Cleaning When it is desired to quickly clean only a specific portion of the transport surface 3a of the belt 3, when the specific portion of the transport surface 3a enters the cleaning area CA shown in FIG. Command a partial cleaning using the full / partial switch 63.
Then, the control device 61 controls the motor 4 of the conveyor driving unit 4.
a is driven for a time set by a timer (not shown) and then stopped. Thereby, the specific portion of the transport surface 3a is positioned at a position facing the cleaning head 21. Next, the control device 61 drives the motors 32 and 4a for the time set by the timer, and turns on the solenoid 56. Thus, only a specific portion of the belt transport surface 3a is cleaned.

In the above embodiment, the synchronous control means 51 uses the motor 4a of the conveyor drive unit 4 as a power source to move the transport surface 3a and reciprocate the cleaning head 21 using a belt transmission mechanism. Although it is configured to synchronize, a unique motor 45 for driving the reciprocating movement mechanism 41 is provided as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 without using a belt transmission mechanism, and the ratio of the rotational speed of both motors 4a and 45 is reduced. By appropriately setting using the ratio setting unit 59 shown in FIG. 6, the drive control may be performed such that the transport surface 3a is moved by a distance corresponding to the diameter D of the head 21 during one reciprocation of the cleaning head 21. . Even in a belt conveyor provided with the synchronization control means 51 having such a configuration,
As in the case described above, the entire surface cleaning and the partial cleaning can be performed smoothly. In particular, when performing partial cleaning, the belt 3
After the specific portion of the transfer surface 3a is positioned at a position facing the cleaning head 21, the cleaning head 21 can be reciprocated in the Y direction using the reciprocating motor 45 without moving the transfer surface 3a. , Partial cleaning can be performed more quickly.

As described above, the entire surface (or a specific portion) of the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 can be smoothly cleaned without wiping or even wiping, so that the checkout device 10 including the belt conveyor 1 can quickly And smooth accounting can be performed.

Although the belt conveyor 1 is applied to the checkout device 10 in the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied to other various industrial equipment.

[0024]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cleaning device including a cleaning head for cleaning by sliding on a conveying surface of a belt, and a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the cleaning head in the width direction of the conveying surface. Synchronous control means for controlling the drive so that the transport surface of the belt moves by a distance equivalent to the diameter of the cleaning head while the cleaning head makes one reciprocation is involved in the traveling mechanism of the belt and the reciprocating mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to clean the transfer surface without wiping or even wiping while preventing meandering.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a movement operation of a belt conveyance surface and a reciprocating operation of a cleaning head are synchronously performed by a synchronization control unit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an attachment relationship between a cleaning head and a rotation applying mechanism according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an electrical configuration of a belt conveyor.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a modification of the electrical configuration of the belt conveyor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an axis trace of a cleaning head with respect to a belt conveyance surface.

FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of a checkout device to which one embodiment is applied.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a checkout device to which an embodiment is applied.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a checkout device to which one embodiment is applied.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional belt conveyor.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional belt conveyor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 belt 3a belt conveyance surface 4 conveyor driving unit (running mechanism) 20 cleaning device 21 cleaning head 41 reciprocating movement mechanism 51 synchronization control means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI // B08B 1/02 B08B 1/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A cleaning device that includes a cleaning head that slides on and cleans the conveyance surface of the belt and a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates the cleaning head in the width direction of the conveyance surface; A belt conveyer provided with synchronous control means for driving and controlling the transport surface of the belt to move by a distance corresponding to the diameter of the cleaning head while the cleaning head makes one reciprocation.