JP2942947B2 - Sorting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorting method in which articles are conveyed on a conveyor composed of a large number of connected slats, and the articles being conveyed are pushed by a shoe movable in the longitudinal direction of the slats in a chute direction to sort the articles. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a slat conveyor has been known as a transport device for transporting and sorting articles.
In this slat conveyor, both ends of a plurality of slats are respectively connected to an endless chain to form a transport path. Endless chains provided at both ends of the plurality of slats are respectively stretched over a pair of sprockets, and the endless chains circulate when the pair of sprockets rotate. Thereby, the plurality of slats orbit with the endless chain, and the articles on the transport path are transported.

A plurality of slats each support a shoe so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction. Usually, this shoe is arranged beforehand in alignment with one end of the slat (one side of the transport path) before sorting, and is connected to the other end of the slat by a branch guide rail provided at a predetermined chute position. (The other side of the transport path).
Thus, the shoe sorts the articles into chutes connected to the other side of the transport path.

However, in this apparatus, since one shoe is sequentially moved along a slat by one branch guide rail to push out an article, the article rotates on the slat when the article is pushed out by the shoe. May get on the shoe or interfere with the preceding and following articles. Therefore, in order to prevent interference between articles and the like, it is necessary to secure a wide interval between articles, which is a negative factor for increasing the sorting ability.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-193735 discloses a sorting apparatus for simultaneously pushing out an article being conveyed by a plurality of shoes. As shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a plurality of (three) branch guide rails 12 as one set, and a plurality of sets are provided at predetermined intervals corresponding to the positions of the chutes 20. It moves simultaneously along the slats 16. Thus, the articles 18 can be simultaneously pushed out by the three shoes 14 and sorted into the chutes 20 without rotating the articles 18.

[0006]

However, the sorting device 10 shown in FIG. 10 cannot sort into the chutes 20 on both sides of the slat 16 and cannot cope with high capacity and diversification of sorting destinations. There is. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sorting apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and can cope with higher performance and diversification of sorting destinations.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention conveys articles by moving a plurality of connected slats, and a plurality of slats held on each slat so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. In the sorting device that moves the shoe from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of each slat to sort the articles into chutes on the other end of the slat, a predetermined number of the shoes are used as a set from one end to the other end of each slat. A first branch guide rail provided with a number corresponding to the predetermined number;
A predetermined number of the shoes are guided in a direction opposite to the first branching guide rail in a direction opposite to the first branching guide rail, and a number corresponding to the predetermined number is provided. 2, a guide rail for branching, a vane rotatably supported at a lower end of the shoe, and a crossing vane guide having a guide groove for guiding the vane.
The vane is guided by the guide groove at the intersection of the branch guide rails.

According to the present invention, since the first branch guide rail and the second branch guide rail for guiding each of the predetermined number of shoes in synchronization are provided so as to intersect, the article is rotated. The articles can be conveyed with a narrower space between them, and chutes are arranged on both sides at the same conveyance position, so that sorting can be performed by effectively utilizing space efficiency.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention. The sorting device 30 includes a conveyor section 34 for moving the slats 32 and a sorting section 38 for moving the shoes 36. The sorting unit 38 is a switching unit 5
0, cross guide rail portion 52 for branching and merging means 54
It has. In the case of the present embodiment, the branching cross guide rail portion 52 is a set of three rails 76 and 78, and each set of three rails intersects. The switching means 50 and the merging means 54 are connected to the respective rails 76, 7
8 are provided for each. Since the switching means 50 of the sorting section 38, the cross guide rail section 52 for branching, and the joining means 54 are disposed below the slats 32 and the shoes 36, the switching means 50 is shown in FIGS. FIG. 6 showing the cross guide rail portion 52 and the merging means 5
8, the slat 32 and the shoe 36 are omitted in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the conveyor section according to the present invention. The conveyor section 34 is composed of a frame 40, a pair of endless chains 42, a plurality of slats 32, and the like. Endless chains 42 are stretched on both sides of the frame 40 via sprockets (not shown) so as to be able to rotate freely. . A drive motor (not shown) is connected to the sprocket so as to transmit a rotational force. The slats 32 are continuously arranged between the pair of endless chains, and link plates 44 are attached to both ends of the slats 32, respectively. Both ends of the slat 32 are connected to a pair of endless chains 42 via link plates 44. Therefore, the slats 32 can be moved in the direction of the arrow by driving the drive motor to go around the pair of endless chains 42. Thus, the article 33 on the slat 32 is transported in the direction of the arrow (hereinafter, the right side in the transport direction of the article 33 is the right side, and the left side is the left side).

In this case, the side guide wheels 46 are moved along a wall (not shown) of the frame 40 so that the slats 32 are moved so as not to cause a plane deflection, and the traveling wheel 48 is guided by the frame 40. The slats 32 move along the frame 40 by moving along the roads 40a, 40a. A shoe 36 is supported by each slat 32 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views showing the switching means of the sorting section according to the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a branch state, and FIG. 4 shows a non-branch state. The switching means 50 of the sorting section 38 includes a swing rail 56, an air cylinder 58, and a photoelectric sensor 60. The swing rail 56 is provided corresponding to each of the rails 76 and 78, and guide walls 56a,
A rail groove 56 is formed in the center of the swing rail 56
c is formed. The swing rail 56 is swingably supported via a pin 62 between a branch position P1 and a non-branch position P2 (see FIG. 4).

The air cylinder 58 is connected to each of the swing rails 56, and contracts the air cylinder 58 to position the swing rail 56 at the branch position P1.
8 to extend the swing rail 56 to the non-branch position P.
Position 2 The photoelectric sensor 60 detects the vane 70 of the shoe 36 moving on the left main guide rail 63,
The detection signal is input to a control unit (not shown). The control unit includes a predetermined number of photoelectric sensors 60 (three in the case of the present embodiment).
After confirming that the shoe 36 is detected, each air cylinder 58 is operated to simultaneously switch each swing rail 56 from the branch position P1 to the non-branch position P2 or vice versa.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
2 shows a shoe not shown in FIG. A bearing 68 is rotatably supported at the lower end of the shoe 36 via a shaft 66.
0 is rotatably supported. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the vane 70 is formed in a plate shape. As the bearing 68 moves in the left main guide rail 63 of the frame 40, the shoe 36 moves together with the slat 32 while being positioned at the left end of the slat 32. Then, the vane 70 is guided by the swing rail 56 and moves along the branching cross guide rail 52 described later, so that the shoe 36 moves from the left end of the slat 32 to the right end (in the direction of the arrow). Moving.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the branching cross guide rail 52 of the sorting section according to the present invention. The branch cross guide rail portion 52 crosses a first branch guide rail 76 extending from the left main guide rail 63 to the right main guide rail 65 (see FIG. 8), and crosses the first branch guide rail 76. And a second branch guide rail 78 extending from the right main guide rail 65 to the left main guide rail 63. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first branch guide rail 76 has one end disposed on the left main guide rail 63 side formed on the frame on the switching unit 50 side. That is, as described above, the first branch guide rail 76 has three branch rails 76a, 76b and 76c arranged in parallel, and guides the vane 70 to the switching means 50 side of the branch rails 76a, 76b and 76c. The switching side vane guides 80a, 80b, 80c are provided. Also,
The second branch guide rail 78 includes three branch rails 7.
8a, 78b and 78c.

An intersection vane guide 82 is provided at the intersection of the first branch guide rail 76 and the second branch guide rail 78. Guide grooves 82a, 82b, 82c are formed in the intersection vane guide 82 along the branch rails 76a, 76b, 76c, and guide grooves 84a, 84 are formed along the branch rails 78a, 78b, 78c.
b, 84c are formed. Guide grooves 82a to 82c
And the guide grooves 84a to 84c each have a width W1 of the vane 70 so as to guide the vane 70 only in the traveling direction.
It is formed slightly wider and narrower than the length W2 of the vane 70.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG.
2 shows a shoe not shown in FIG. The bearing 68 of the shoe 36 moves while being guided by the branch rail 76a. When reaching the intersection vane guide 82, the vane 70 is inserted into the guide groove 82a of the intersection vane guide 82.
Enters. As a result, the vane 70 is
And moves to the position where it intersects the guide groove 84a (see FIG. 6). In this case, the vane 70 is
a, and continues to move along the guide groove 82a.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the merging means of the sorting section according to the present invention. On the merging means 54 side, the other end portions of the branch rails 76a, 76b, 76c of the cross guide rail portion 52 for branching are arranged. Branch rails 76a, 76b, 7
At the other end of 6c, three merging side vane guides 86a,
86b (one not shown) is provided. The merging means 54 includes swing guides 88a, 88b, 88c, and the swing guides 88a, 88b, 88c are provided with pins 90a, 90b.
(One is not shown) is supported swingably. The swing guide 88a swings between the positioning pins 92a and 92c. The swing guides 88b and 88c also swing between the positioning pins 92a and 92c, similarly to the swing guide 88a. The vane wall 65a of the right main guide rail 65 facing the swing guides 88a, 88b, 88c is formed with a recess 65b into which the tip of the swing guides 88a, 88b, 88c fits.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG.
2 shows a shoe not shown in FIG. The bearing 68 of the shoe 36 moves while being guided by the branch rail 76b. When the shoe 36 reaches the joining means 54,
The vane 70 moves along the merging-side vane guide 86b. The vane 70 moves along the swing guide 88b and enters the right main guide rail 65. Then vane 7
0 enters between the vane wall 65a of the right main guide rail 65 and the swing guide 88a (see FIG. 8), and pushes the swing guide 88a upward.

The operation of the sorting apparatus according to the present invention, constructed as described above, will be described. When a predetermined number of vanes 70 of the shoe 36 moving on the left main guide rail 63 have passed through the photoelectric sensor 60, the control unit outputs a drive signal based on a detection signal from the photoelectric sensor 60. Each air cylinder 58 is simultaneously contracted based on this drive signal to move the swing rail 56 from the non-branch position P2 (see FIG. 4) to the branch position P1.
(See FIG. 3). In this case, since the vanes 70 of the shoes 36 are located on the upstream side of the respective swing rails 56, the vanes 70 of the respective shoes 36 are guided by the respective swing rails 56 and the first branch guide rails 76. Are guided to the switching side vane guides 80a, 80b, 80c.

Thus, the bearing 68 of the shoe 36
Is guided by the branch rails 76a, 76b, 76c,
At the intersection of the first branch guide rail 76 and the second branch guide rail 78. Then, the vane 70 is guided by the guide grooves 82a, 82b, 82c of the intersection vane guide 82.
Get inside. The guide grooves 82a to 82c are formed slightly wider than the width W1 of the vane 70, and
Is smaller than the length W2, the vane 70 moves only at the intersection in the traveling direction, and the bearing 68 of the shoe 36 moves to the merging means 54 side.

Next, the vane 70 of the shoe 36 is guided by the merging-side vane guides 86a, 86b (one is not shown), and the swing guides 88a, 88b, 88 of the merging means 54.
c. Next, the swing guides 88a, 88b,
The tip of the shoe 36c fits into the recess 65b formed in the vane wall 65a of the right main guide rail 65.
Vane 70 moves along the swing guides 88a, 88b, 88c and enters the right main guide rail 65. In this case, for example, the vane 70 moved along the swing guide 88b enters between the vane wall 65a of the right main guide rail 65 and the swing guide 88a, and the swing guide 88
Push a upward. Thereby, three shoes 36
Move simultaneously along the first branching guide rail 76, so that the article 33 can be sorted into the right chute 94 by the three shoes 36 as shown in FIG.
By forming the concave portion 65b formed in the vane wall 65a of the main guide rail 65 so as to draw a smooth curve, it is possible to eliminate the obstacle that the vane 70 abuts during movement.

The switching means 50 and the merging means 54 of the sorting section 38 have been described as being disposed on the first branching guide rail 76 side of the crossing guide rail section 52 for branching. The means 54 is similarly provided on the second branch guide rail 78 side of the branch cross guide rail portion 52. Then, along the second branch guide rail 78 of the branch cross guide rail portion 52, 3
When the three shoes 36 are simultaneously moved, the three shoes 36
Thus, the articles can be sorted into the left chute 96 (see FIG. 1).

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the three swing rails 56 of the switching means 50 are simultaneously operated and the three shoes 36 are simultaneously moved in the extrusion direction of the article has been described. Or four or more swing rails 56
To operate two or four or more shoes 36
Can be moved in the extrusion direction of the article. In addition, the timing of moving each shoe for sorting is simultaneous, but the direction of the article can be controlled with a slight shift. In addition, the first and second branch guide rails 7
6, 78 each have three branch rails, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of branch rails other than three may be provided.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the sorting apparatus of the present invention, the first branch guide rail and the second branch guide rail are provided so as to intersect. The first branch guide rail simultaneously moves the plurality of shoes from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of each slat. Thereby, the articles are simultaneously pressed by the plurality of shoes and sorted into the chutes on the other end side of the slat. On the other hand, the second branch guide rail simultaneously moves the plurality of shoes from the other end to one end in the longitudinal direction of each slat. Thus, the articles are simultaneously pressed by the plurality of shoes and sorted into the chutes on one end side of the slat. Therefore, the articles can be selectively sorted into the chutes on both sides of the slat, so that it is possible to cope with a higher capacity and a diversification of sorting destinations.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sorting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a conveyor unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a branching state of a switching unit of the sorting unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a non-branching state of the switching means of the sorting unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a branching cross guide rail portion 52 of the sorting portion according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the merging means of the sorting unit according to the present invention.

9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a conventional sorting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 sorting device 32 slat 33 article 36 shoe 76 first branch guide rail 78 second branch guide rail 94, 96 chute

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An article (33) is conveyed by the movement of a large number of connected slats (32), and a plurality of shoes (36) held on each slat (32) so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction are provided. A sorting apparatus for sorting articles into chutes on the other end of the slat by moving from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the slat, wherein a predetermined number of the shoes (36) are set as one set from one end to the other end of each slat. It guides in synchronization with the moving direction, and intersects with the first branch guide rail (76) provided with a number corresponding to the predetermined number, and intersects with the first branch guide rail (76). A predetermined number of the shoes (36) are synchronously guided as a set in a direction opposite to the one branch guide rail (76),
A second branch guide rail (78) having a number corresponding to the predetermined number; a vane (70) rotatably supported at a lower end of the shoe (36); and a vane (70). Guide grooves (82a-8)
2c, 84a to 84c), and an intersecting vane guide (82) having an intersecting portion of the branch guide rails (76, 78).
4a to 84c).