JP2976278B2 - Equipment for aligning loads on roller conveyors - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for arranging loads on a roller conveyor in which the direction of a load conveyed by the roller conveyor is adjusted in a predetermined direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A device such as a stacker crane or a sorter is provided at the end of a roller conveyor, and a load conveyed to the end of the roller conveyor may be automatically transferred to these devices.

At this time, in order to smoothly transfer the load to a stacker crane, a sorter, or the like, the direction of the load on the roller conveyor should be adjusted in accordance with the width of the receiving tray of the stacker crane and the direction of the branch path of the sorter. Must be arranged in a predetermined direction.

For example, when the plane shape of a load is a rectangle, the long side of the rectangle may be directed to the traveling direction of the roller conveyor. Conventionally, the load is placed on the starting end of the roller conveyor. At this stage, the workers were adjusting the direction of the load.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional example, the work of placing the load on the starting end of the roller must be performed carefully so as not to make a mistake in the direction of the load. It was bad.

Further, the direction of the load being conveyed may change due to the operator placing the load in a wrong direction, the vibration of the rollers, or the like. In such a case, the load may be changed to a stacker crane. Etc. will not be transferred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and arranges a load during conveyance in a predetermined direction so that the load can be transferred to the end portion of a roller conveyor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for arranging loads on a roller conveyor that can be smoothly transferred to a stacker crane, a sorter, or the like provided in a vehicle.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problem is solved as follows. (1) A part of a number of rollers constituting the roller conveyor is a deflecting roller whose one end is located forward of the other end, and the deflecting roller is mounted on a frame on the other end side in the vertical direction. juxtaposed a plurality of guide rollers which can be rotated in the axis in the longitudinal direction, the Niken out <br/> sensor detects the orientation of the load to form a rectangular shape as viewed in plan which is conveyed along the guide rollers, the 1 photoelectric sensor and 2nd photoelectric sensor
Spaced constituted by kicking set to, by the load detecting sensor, when the load direction is detected to be different from the desired orientation, and rush ahead of the transport path of the load, substantially the direction of the load A turning device for turning by 90 °.

(2) In the above item (1), the first photoelectric sensor
The distance between the sensor and the second photoelectric sensor in the front-rear direction is the length of the short side of the load.
And longer than the length of the long side .

(3) In the above item (1), the direction changing device
Is rotatable about the vertical axis,
It consists of a rubber roller with a circular shape,
By operation, it can be pushed forward of the load conveyance path
The turning member is provided.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the following description, the left side of FIG. 1 is referred to as “front”, the right side is “rearward”, the upper side is “right side”, and the lower side is “left side”.

The roller conveyor (1) pivotally supports both ends of a large number of rollers (3) (4) (5) arranged in the front-rear direction inside a pair of left and right side frames (2) facing the front-rear direction. A known stacker crane (S) is disposed in front of the terminal end (1b).

The stacker crane (S) receives a load (6) sent from the roller conveyor (1) by a receiving stand (S1), and transfers the receiving base (S1) to a desired storage site on a shelf (not shown). The load (6) is moved to a position and height opposite to the shelf, and the load (6) is transferred to the storage site of the shelf.

The width (L1) of the load receiving table (S1) is longer than the length (L2) of the short side (6a) of the load (6) and the length (L) of the long side (6b).
3) It is shorter.

Of the rollers (3), (4) and (5), the first deflecting roller (4) and the second deflecting roller (5) are a roller conveyor (1).
And the right end of the pivot is located forward of the left end of the pivot. The other portion of the roller conveyor (1) is provided with a parallel roller (3) having a pivot point in the left-right direction.

The rollers (3), (4) and (5) are linked to driving means (not shown) such as a motor by known transmission means (not shown) so that they can be rotated forward in synchronization with each other. Has become.

On the upper surface of the left side frame (2),
A plurality of guide rollers 7 that can rotate around a vertical axis are provided in a position aligned with the first deflecting roller 4 and the second deflecting roller 5 in a line in the front-rear direction.

The left side frame (2) is provided with a reflection-type first photoelectric sensor (8) and a second photoelectric sensor (9) as in the front-rear direction.

Each of the photoelectric sensors (8) and (9) is a guide roller.
When a load (6) sent on the first deflecting roller (4) comes in contact with each photoelectric sensor (8) while one side thereof abuts on the (7), a light emitting element (not shown) is used. The emitted light is reflected by the load, and operates by receiving the reflected light by a light receiving element (not shown).

The first photoelectric sensor 8 at the front and the second photoelectric sensor 8 at the rear
The distance (L4) from the photoelectric sensor (9) is longer than the length (L2) of the short side (6a) of the load (6) and shorter than the length (L3) of the long side (6b). Therefore, when the front first photoelectric sensor (8) is operated, the long side (6b) of the load (6) is directed in the front-rear direction depending on whether or not the rear second photoelectric sensor (9) is simultaneously operated. Can be detected. In other words, a load detecting sensor (10) for detecting the direction of the load (6) is formed by the two photoelectric sensors (8) and (9).

The two photoelectric sensors (8) and (9) are connected via a control panel (11) to a first deflecting roller (4) in a roller conveyor (1).
Air cylinder (12) located on the left side just before
Is electrically connected to

In the control panel (11), of the two photoelectric sensors (8) and (9), only the first photoelectric sensor (8) detects the load (6), and the load detection sensor (10) detects the load (6). When an incorrect orientation is detected, an ON signal is issued to the air cylinder (12).

The air cylinder (12) is fixed to the upper surface of a mounting plate (14) provided on the base (13), and has a tip end of a piston rod (15) of the air cylinder (12). A direction changing member (16), which is rotatable about a vertical axis and made of a rubber roller having a circular shape in a plan view, is pivotally provided.

The air cylinder (12) is turned on from the control panel (11).
Upon receiving the signal, the piston rod (15) is extended, and the direction changing member (16) is kept in a state of protruding into the conveying path of the roller conveyor (1) for a certain period of time (see the solid line in the figure).
When the OFF signal is received from the control panel (11) and the set time of the timer elapses, the piston rod (15) is shortened, and the direction changing member (16) is made to stand by outside the transport path of the roller conveyor (1). The state is maintained (see the virtual line in the figure). Thus, the direction change device (17) is formed by the direction change member (16) and the air cylinder (12).

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

A load (6) is placed on the starting end (1a) of the roller conveyor (1).
Is loaded, the load (6) is transported forward by the roller conveyor (1). When placing the load (6) on the starting end (1a) of the roller conveyor (1), it is not necessary to particularly consider the direction of the load (6). For example, the load (6) faces obliquely as shown in the figure. You may.

The load (6) that has reached the first deflecting roller (4) moves obliquely left and forward by the action of the first deflecting roller (4) and contacts the guide roller (7). At this time, the load (6)
The side (6A) with the short side (6a) facing forward and backward, or
The front side state (6B) in which the long side (6b) faces the front-rear direction.

When the load (6) is in the horizontal state (6A), the load detection sensor
(10) When the first photoelectric sensor (8) detects the load (6), the length (L2) of the short side (6a) of the load (6) is changed to the load detection sensor (10). Since the distance between them is shorter than the distance (L4), the first photoelectric sensor (8) and the second photoelectric sensor (9) do not detect the load (6) at the same time. For this reason, an ON signal is issued from the control panel (11) to the air cylinder (12), and the direction changing member (16) protrudes into the transport path of the roller conveyor (1).

The load (6) advances as it is, and the direction changing member
When the load (6) contacts the load (6), the load (6) rotates substantially 90 ° while rotating the direction changing member (16), and moves forward to pass through the first deflecting roller (4). Thereafter, after the elapse of the time set by the timer, the air cylinder (12) is shortened, and the direction changing member (16) is retracted outside the conveying path of the roller conveyor (1).

The load (6), which has moved forward and reached the second deflecting roller (5), moves diagonally forward left by the action of the second deflecting roller (5) and comes into contact with the guide roller (7). It passes through the second deflecting roller (5) while maintaining the forward state, and heads toward the terminal end (1b) as it is.

The load (6) sent to the stacker crane (S) in the forward state has the short side (6a) facing left and right.
The material is smoothly transferred to the receiving tray (S1) of the stacker crane (S).

On the other hand, when the load (6) passes through the load detection sensor (10) in the forward state (6B), the length of the long side (6b) of the load (6)
Since (L3) is longer than the distance between the load detection sensors (10), the first photoelectric sensor (8) and the second photoelectric sensor (9) are simultaneously loaded.
(6) is detected and OF is sent from the control panel (11) to the air cylinder (12).
The F signal is kept being emitted, and the direction changing member (16) is kept retracted outside the conveying path of the roller conveyor (1).

The load (6) passes through the first deflecting roller (4) while being in contact with the guide roller (7), and is conveyed to the end portion (1b) of the roller conveyor (1) in a forward state. , Is smoothly transferred to the receiving table (S1).

According to this embodiment, the roller conveyor
Regardless of the direction in which the load (6) is placed on the starting end (1a) of (1), the load (6) is placed in a forward-facing state in which the short side (6a) faces left and right, and the roller conveyor (1). The load (6) can be smoothly transferred to the receiving table (S1) of the stacker crane (S).

Also, the direction of the load (6) after passing through the first deflecting roller (4) may be slightly changed due to the passage of the direction changing member (16) or the vibration of the roller conveyor (1). However, since the second deflecting roller (5) and the guide roller (7) provided immediately after the end portion (1b) of the roller conveyor (1) are adjusted to the forward state again, the load (6) is received. Transfer to the table (S1) can always be performed smoothly.

In this embodiment, the reflection type photoelectric sensors (8) and (9) are used as the load detection sensors (10). However, a light emitting element is provided on one side of the roller conveyor (1), and the roller conveyor is provided. (1) A transmission type photoelectric sensor in which a light receiving element is provided on the other side, and the light transmitted from the light emitting element to the light receiving element is blocked by the load (6) to detect the load (6). May be used.

[0037]

(A) According to the present invention, no matter what direction the load is placed on the starting end of the roller conveyor,
Since the load is always sent to the end of the roller conveyor in a desired direction, the load can be smoothly transferred to a stacker crane, a sorter, or the like provided at the end of the roller conveyor.

(B) According to the present invention, a load detection sensor
Is separated from the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor in the front-rear direction.
The direction of the load
Transport without suspending load transport when detecting
While detecting.

(C) According to the present invention, the guide roller
May be any guide roller that can rotate freely.
There is no particular need for a driving device for the roller.

(D) According to the second aspect of the present invention,
Thus, the direction of the load can be easily and accurately detected.

(E) According to the third aspect of the present invention,
Since the direction changing member is a roller, the direction of the load can be changed.
Is performed smoothly, and the direction changing member is made of rubber.
Therefore, the load will not be damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) Roller conveyor (1a) Start end (1b) End (2) Side frame (3) Parallel roller (4) First deflecting roller (deflecting roller) (5) Second deflecting roller (6) Load (6a ) Short side (6b) Long side (6A) Load in horizontal state (6B) Load in forward state (7) Guide roller (8) First photoelectric sensor (9) Second photoelectric sensor (10) Load detection sensor (11 ) Control panel (12) Air cylinder (13) Base (14) Mounting plate (15) Piston rod (16) Direction change member (17) Direction change device (S) Stacker crane (S1) Loading stand (L1) Loading stand (L2) Length of short side of load (L3) Length of long side of load (L4) Distance between first photoelectric sensor and second photoelectric sensor

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A part of a large number of rollers constituting a roller conveyor is a deflecting roller whose one end is located forward of the other end, and a frame on the other end of the deflecting roller is provided on a frame. juxtaposed a plurality of guide rollers which can be rotated in the vertical direction about the axis in the longitudinal direction, the Niken detection sensor detects the orientation of the load to form a rectangular shape as viewed in plan which is conveyed along the guide rollers, the first photoelectric In front of the sensor and the second photoelectric sensor
Constituted by providing spaced backward, by the load detecting sensor, when the load direction is detected to be different from the desired orientation, and rush ahead of the transport path of the load, the orientation of the load A device for arranging loads on a roller conveyor, the device comprising: a direction changing device for changing the direction by approximately 90 °. 2. Before and after the first photoelectric sensor and the second photoelectric sensor.
The distance in the direction is longer than the length of the short side of the load and the length of the long side
The roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller is provided to be shorter than the length.
Equipment for aligning loads on conveyors. 3. The direction changing device is rotated around a vertical axis.
A rubber row that is free to roll and has a circular shape in plan view.
The load detection sensor is activated,
With a turning member that can be pushed forward
2. The roller conveyor according to claim 1, wherein
Equipment for arranging loads.