JP3077783B2 - Work counting 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 work counting device for counting a predetermined number of works such as products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the case of packing a plurality of types of candies, which are individually packaged in advance, into a single bag by a fixed amount, conventionally, it is performed manually. However, this was very labor-intensive and time-consuming, resulting in poor productivity.

[0003] Therefore, an apparatus for automating this operation has been developed. In this type of automation apparatus known by the present applicant, a plurality of types of candies are mixed in advance, and the mixed candies are weighed so as to be packed in a bag.
This is bagged.

[0004]

However, in this type of automatic apparatus, although the total weight of the candy packed in the bag can be kept constant, the number of pieces of each type of candy is determined by the bag. Depending on the situation, there was a possibility that a certain kind of candy could not enter at all. For this reason, this apparatus cannot be used when it is desired to put the same number of candies of any kind or when it is desired to put a certain kind of candy more than other kinds of candy.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the related art, and has as its object to provide a work counting device capable of accurately counting works.

[0006]

The present invention has the following arrangement to solve the above-mentioned problems. (A) transport mechanism. This transport mechanism is for transporting a work, and may employ a belt conveyor or the like. Here, the work may be the final product,
It may be a semi-finished product or a raw material.

(B) Supply mechanism. This supply mechanism is arranged at the start end of the transport mechanism, and has a function of supplying workpieces to the transport mechanism in a line. The format, structure, and the like are not particularly limited as long as it has this function.

(C) Dimension measurement mechanism. This dimension measuring mechanism is for measuring a separation dimension in the transport direction between successive workpieces being transported by the transport mechanism, and is provided in the middle of the transport mechanism. The dimension measuring mechanism can be constituted by, for example, a photoelectric tube sensor or a laser sensor.

(D) First elimination mechanism. The first rejection mechanism is disposed downstream of the dimension measurement mechanism. The first elimination mechanism functions to detach the workpiece from the transport mechanism when the separation dimension between the workpieces measured by the dimension measurement mechanism is equal to or smaller than a set dimension.

(E) A counting mechanism. This counting mechanism is the first
It is located downstream of the rejection mechanism. The counting mechanism counts the workpieces being transported by the transport mechanism. The counting mechanism can be constituted by, for example, a photoelectric tube sensor, a laser sensor, an image sensor, or the like.

Depending on the manner of handling the work after counting, a second elimination mechanism may be provided downstream of the counting mechanism to separate the succeeding work from the transport mechanism when the counting mechanism has counted the set number of works. It may be provided. Alternatively, a distributing machine and a plurality of transport paths may be provided downstream of the transport mechanism without providing the second elimination mechanism, and after the work is counted, the transport path of the work may be switched by the distributing machine.

The (d) first elimination mechanism and (f) the second elimination mechanism may be constituted by, for example, a high-pressure air ejector, and the work may be blown off by a high-pressure air flow to be ejected therefrom. This means is suitable when the work is lightweight and hard to break. Alternatively, various configurations and structures can be adopted, such as configuring these expulsion mechanisms with a protruding arm and extending the protruding arm to push out the work from the transport mechanism.

[0013] A collection mechanism is provided adjacent to the transport mechanism.
The work separated from the transport mechanism by the two removal mechanisms may be returned to the supply mechanism by the recovery mechanism. By doing so, the work is not wasted and the work is efficient.

[0014]

By the dimension measuring mechanism and the first elimination mechanism, successive workpieces are conveyed to a position where the counting mechanism is located while being separated from each other by a predetermined dimension or more. Therefore, the counting mechanism does not make a mistake in counting the work, and accurate counting is performed.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Note that the work counting device in this embodiment is a mode in which a plurality of individually mounted candies (work) are counted by the same number and supplied to a bag filling device.

FIG. 2 is an overall plan view of a candy supply device for feeding candy to a bag filling device (not shown). In this candy supply device, ten types of candy are made into a total of 30 pieces each of three pieces and sent to the bag filling apparatus. That is, the candy is counted by the candy counting device (work counting device) 10 by three for each type accurately, and the hopper 30A or 30B
, And further into the buckets of the bucket conveyor 40 from the hoppers 30A and 30B, and are conveyed to the bag filling device by the bucket conveyor 40.

The candy counting device 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The candy counting device 10 includes a candy storage tank 11, a scraping conveyor 12, an aligner 13, a conveyor (transportation mechanism) 14, a chute 15, and a return conveyor (collection mechanism) 16.

A large number of candy before counting is stored in the candy storage tank 11.
1 to the aligning machine 13. The aligning machine 13 is arranged at the start end of the conveyor 14, and the candy is placed on the conveyor 14 one by one by the aligning machine 13 in order. In this embodiment, the candy storage tank 11 and the conveyer 1
2 and the aligning machine 13 constitute a supply mechanism. The conveyor 14 conveys the candy at a constant speed toward a chute 15 provided at the end of the conveyor 14.

FIG. 3 shows the chute 15 and the hopper 30A (3
0B) and a schematic sectional view of the bucket conveyor 40 as viewed from the front. The chute 15 has a cylindrical shape, and its inside is divided into two collection chambers 18 and 19 by a partition wall 17. An entrance damper 20 is rotatably provided at the upper end of the partition wall 17. By rotating the entrance damper 20, the candy 1 conveyed by the conveyor 14 is dropped into any of the collection chambers 18 and 19. Can be switched. On the other hand, at the lower end of the partition wall 17, an exit damper 21 is provided rotatably. By rotating the exit damper 21, any of the collection rooms 1
It is possible to switch between opening the lower openings of 8, 19.

The inlet damper 20 and the outlet damper 21 are connected to rotate. That is, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, when the entrance damper 20 closes the upper part of the collection chamber 18 and opens the upper part of the collection chamber 19, the exit damper 21 opens the lower part of the collection chamber 18 and opens the lower part of the collection chamber 19. close. In this state, the candy 1 sent by the conveyor 14 is put into the collection room 19 and accumulates here.

On the other hand, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, when the entrance damper 20 rotates and closes the upper part of the collection chamber 19 and opens the upper part of the collection chamber 18, the exit damper 21 also rotates and collects the cargo. The lower part of the chamber 18 is closed and the lower part of the collection chamber 19 is opened. In this state, the candy 1 sent by the conveyor 14 is put into the collection chamber 18 and accumulates therein.

As described above, one collection chamber of the chute 15 is always in a state in which the candy 1 can be put in, and is in a standby state so that the candy 1 can be put into the hopper 30A (30B) at any time.

When the lower portions of the collection chambers 18, 19 are opened by the outlet damper 21, the candy 1 stored in the collection chambers 18, 19 falls into the hopper 30A (30B). A door 31 is rotatably provided below the hoppers 30A and 30B. Normally, the door 31 is closed and the hopper 30A
The bucket 4 of the bucket conveyor 40 is directly under (30B).
1 passes, the door 31 opens and the hopper 30A (3
The candy 1 stored in OB) is dropped into the bucket 41. Thereafter, when the door 31 is closed again, the outlet damper 21 rotates, and the next candy 1 is placed in the hopper 30A (30B).
It is thrown into.

Incidentally, the candy 1 is counted while being conveyed by the conveyor 14. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, at a position adjacent to the conveyor 14, a dimension measurement sensor (dimension measurement mechanism) including an optical sensor
22 and a counting sensor (counting mechanism) 23, and high-pressure air injectors (first and second removing mechanisms) 24 and 25 are provided.

The dimension measuring sensor 22 is arranged in the middle of the conveyor 14, and a high-pressure air injector 24 is arranged immediately downstream of the dimension measuring sensor 22. The dimension measurement sensor 22 measures the separation dimension of the candy 1 that is successive on the conveyor 14. If the separation dimension measured by the dimension measurement sensor 22 is smaller than a preset minimum dimension, high-pressure air High-pressure air is injected from the injector 24 to blow the subsequent candy 1 from the conveyor 14 to the return conveyor 16. The candy 1 that has moved onto the return conveyor 16 returns to the candy storage tank 11.

On the other hand, the high-pressure air injector 25
, And a counting sensor 23 is disposed immediately upstream of the high-pressure air injector 25. The counting sensor 23 counts the number of candies 1. When a predetermined number (three in this embodiment) of candies 1 is counted by the counting sensor 23, high-pressure air is injected from the high-pressure air injector 25. , The candy 1 sent after that, on the conveyor 14
From the air to the return conveyor 16. The candy 1 that has moved onto the return conveyor 16 is the candy storage tank 1
Return to 1. The injection of the high-pressure air from the high-pressure air injector 25 is performed by the rotation of the inlet damper 20 and the collection chambers 18 and 19.
Is continued until is switched. Thereby, the collection room 1
This prevents the number of the candy 1 from being set to 8, 19 or more.

The reason why the dimension of the candy 1 is ensured by the dimension measuring sensor 22 and the high-pressure air injector 24 to be equal to or larger than the minimum dimension is as follows. Since the conveying speed of the conveyor 14 is faster than the operating speed of the entrance damper 20, when the candy is in a state of being close to each other, the collection room into which the third candy is put is located at the entrance damper 2.
Before being closed by zero, the fourth candy may be thrown into this collection room. Such a situation is avoided by adopting the minimum dimension.

The counting error of the counting sensor 23 installed downstream is prevented. After counting the three candies by the counting sensor 23, when the fourth and the fourth candies are close to each other when the fourth candies are blown out by the high-pressure air injector 25, the fourth candies are obtained. There is a risk that the third candy will be blown away along with the candy. Such a situation is avoided by adopting the minimum dimension.

According to this candy supply device, ten kinds of candy 1
Are accurately counted by the candy counting device 10, respectively, and six types of candy 1 are put into the hopper 30A, and four types of candy 1 are put into the hopper 30B. Then, when the bucket 41 of the bucket conveyor 40 passes below the hopper 30A, the door 31 of the hopper 30A opens, and three types of candy are provided for each type, that is, 18 types in total.
When the individual candy 1 is put into the bucket 41 and the bucket 41 passes below the hopper 30B, the door 31 of the hopper 30B is opened, and three candy 1 of each kind are stored in the bucket 41.
Kinds, that is, a total of twelve candies 1 are put into the bucket 41. As a result, a total of 30 pieces of candy 1 are put into the bucket 41, three kinds of candy 1 for each type. Therefore, after that, if the bag is sent to the bag packing device by the bucket conveyor 40 and packed into bags, 30 bags of 10 kinds of candies 1 are packed in each bag, for a total of 30 candies.

In this embodiment, the chute 15 is divided into two collection chambers 18 and 19, but the invention is not limited to this, and three or more collection chambers may be used to increase the production capacity. Is desirable.

In this embodiment, all kinds of candies are collected in the bucket 41 by the same number. However, depending on the use mode, the number of collected candies can be changed for each kind of candies. . By doing so, it is possible to set the number appropriately for each type of candy and pack it in a bag.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The work counting device is provided with (a) a transport mechanism, (b) a supply mechanism, (c) a dimension measuring mechanism, (d) a first elimination mechanism, and (e) a counting mechanism, whereby the work is accurately counted. An excellent effect that it becomes possible is achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a candy counting device.

FIG. 2 is an overall plan view of the candy supply device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a terminal portion of the candy counting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 candy (work) 10 candy counting device (work counting device) 11 candy storage tank (supply mechanism) 12 scraping conveyor (supply mechanism) 13 alignment machine (supply mechanism) 14 conveyor (transport mechanism) 22 dimension measurement sensor (dimension measurement mechanism) 23) Counting sensor (counting mechanism) 24 High-pressure air injector (first elimination mechanism) 25 High-pressure air injector (second elimination mechanism)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06M ^7/ 00-11/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transfer mechanism for transferring a work,
(B) a supply mechanism that is arranged at the start end of the transport mechanism and supplies the workpieces to the transport mechanism in a line, (c) a dimension measurement mechanism that measures a separation dimension between the workpieces transported by the transport mechanism, D) a first elimination mechanism that is disposed downstream of the dimension measurement mechanism and separates the workpiece from the transport mechanism when the separation dimension between the workpieces measured by the dimension measurement mechanism is equal to or smaller than a set dimension; A counting mechanism disposed downstream of the first rejection mechanism and counting the works being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism. 2. The work counting device according to claim 1, wherein a downstream work is separated from the transport mechanism when the count mechanism counts a set number of works downstream of the count mechanism. A workpiece counting device provided with a mechanism.