JP3218357B2 - Weight sorter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to articles such as agricultural and marine products,
For example, the present invention relates to a weight sorter that weighs articles having greatly different unit weights, such as scallops, and sorts the articles into weight ranks based on the measured weight values.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of weight sorter,
A plurality of buckets for placing agricultural and marine products, which are objects to be weight-sorted, are configured to be circulated and attached to one transport device, and the articles are weighed one by one by a weighing machine and then put into the bucket, Obtaining a ranking signal according to the weight of the articles from the weighing data by the weighing machine, and when the bucket reaches the discharge station corresponding to the rank, discharges the articles from the bucket to the discharge station and sorts them into the ranks according to weight. Things are known (for example,
Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-7434).

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional weight sorter, articles to be weight-sorted are weighed individually and ranked according to weight, and then placed on a bucket and moved by a single transport device. Since the articles are ejected and sorted at the ejection station corresponding to the rank while being transported, there is a problem that the sorting efficiency is low.

In order to increase the sorting processing capacity, when a plurality of conventional weight sorters as described above are installed in parallel,
Not only the planar installation space becomes large, but also a supply device (for example, a supply conveyor) for supplying articles to the weighing machine must be installed for each weight sorter, and the structure becomes complicated, The problem that cost became high occurred. Also, without using the supply conveyor, vibration
Even if a feeder of the vibratory type is adopted,
If you try to ensure that
Must be kept at a certain level,
The structure could not be made compact.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable weight sorting of individual objects to be weighed simultaneously and in parallel, and to reduce the weight of the entire structure by making it compact and inexpensive. It is to provide a sorting machine.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems A weight sorter according to the present invention comprises a supply means for supplying articles to be weight-selected, and a vibration-type dispersion feeder for dispersing the articles supplied by the supply means to a plurality of conveying paths. And a vibration for aligning and conveying the articles dispersed by the dispersion feeder in the respective transport paths.
And the dynamic type of aligning feeder, each alignment feature for weighing the articles coming one by one transported by the respective aligning feeder
A plurality of weighing means arranged corresponding to the weighing means, a ranking means for judging and ranking the weight-based rank of the articles based on the weighed values of these weighing means, and an article discharged from each of the weighing means. A sorting conveyor to receive and transport;
Sorting control means for outputting a sorting signal corresponding to the rank of the article sent to the sorting conveyor from each of the weighing means, receiving the sorting signal of the sorting control means, and setting the sorting conveyor at a discharge position corresponding to the rank. together comprising a discharge means for discharging articles from said plurality of integer
A row feeder intersects above the sorting conveyor, and the plurality of weighing means is connected to the plurality of alignment feeders and the sorting tray.
Between the conveyors and along the transport direction of the sorting conveyor, the transport direction of the plurality of alignment feeders and the
The discharge direction of the plurality of weighing means is reversed .

[0007]

According to the structure of the present invention, the articles to be weight-sorted supplied by the supply means are distributed to the plurality of transport paths by the dispersion feeder, and the articles dispersed in the respective transport paths are each separated by the alignment transport means. The article is conveyed to the weighing means, and the weight of the article is measured. Next, the ranking by weight of the article is determined by the ranking means. When a plurality of articles are sent from each weighing unit to the sorting conveyor and reach the discharging position corresponding to the rank, the discharging means is driven by the sorting signal of the sorting control means, and the articles corresponding to each rank are discharged. As described above, since a plurality of articles are simultaneously measured in parallel while being distributed to the plurality of weighing means and discharged to the sorting conveyor, the weight sorting of each unit can be efficiently performed.

[0008] Further , a sorting conveyor for sorting a plurality of aligned feeders.
A plurality of weighing means are arranged in parallel along the transport direction of the sorting conveyor,
Since the discharge direction is arranged so that the discharge direction is opposite to the transfer direction, each transfer path from the supply means to the measurement means via the dispersion feeder can be formed linearly with respect to the sorting conveyor, and from each measurement means. Since the drop in the feeding of the articles to the sorting conveyor can be set to a minimum, the shock given to the articles can be reduced as much as possible to protect the objects to be weighed.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a scallop weight sorter to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a side view thereof. 1 and 2, the support 1a
The scallop (an example of an object to be weight-sorted) put into the stock trough 2 installed above is supplied to the supply trough 4 of the supply means 3.
Is supplied to the disc-shaped dispersion feeder 5 via the. The scallops supplied to the dispersion feeder 5 are supplied with a plurality of semi-radially arranged supply chutes 8 at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the dispersion feeder 5, and aligned transport means 9 disposed at the outlet of each supply chute 8. , A pool hopper 12 disposed at an outlet of each of the transport troughs 10, and a weighing machine 13 disposed below each of the pool hoppers 12, and are discharged to a sorting conveyor 15.

The supply trough 4 and the dispersion feeder 5 are driven by first and second electromagnetic vibration devices 6 and 7, respectively, and the transport trough 10 is driven by a third electromagnetic vibration device 11. The first electromagnetic vibration device 6 operates when a proximity sensor 17 installed near the dispersion feeder 5 of the machine frame 16 erected on the support base 1b detects a decrease in the scallop in the dispersion feeder 5. When the accumulated amount of scallop supplied from the supply trough 4 to the dispersion feeder 5 becomes substantially constant, the operation is stopped.

The second magnetic vibration device 7 includes a distributed feeder 5
When one of the shutters 18 provided at each of the outlets 5a is opened, the shutter 18 is activated, and when all of the opened shutters 18 are closed, the shutter 18 stops. Each shutter 18
Are attached to the machine frame 16 via brackets (not shown), and are individually controlled to open and close by signals from proximity sensors 19 installed behind the entrance side end of each transport trough 10 of the alignment transport means 9. It is configured to: When the accumulated amount of scallops on the respective transport troughs 10 decreases to a predetermined amount, each of the proximity sensors 19 outputs an open signal to the corresponding shutter 18 with the detection signal, and outputs the release signal from the dispersion feeder 5 via the supply chute 8. The scallop is supplied to the corresponding transport trough 10. Transport trough 10
When the upper scallop recovers to a predetermined amount, a closing signal is output to the shutter 18 based on the detection signal at that time, and supply of the scallop from the dispersion feeder 5 is stopped.

The scallops supplied to the transport trough 10 are rearranged and aligned in a single single column by the aligning and transporting function of the aligning and transporting means 9, and the pool hopper 1 mounted on the support base 1c.
2 are transported one by one. The aligning / conveying means 9 is provided with a conveyance trough 10 having a substantially U-shaped cross section on the electromagnetic vibration device 11 so as to intersect the vibration direction of the electromagnetic vibration device 11 at a predetermined angle in a horizontal plane. A convey force in opposite directions is generated on the inner inclined surface portion, and the conveyed objects are conveyed while being aligned. Further, the aligning / conveying means 9 of this embodiment is formed so that the installation direction of a partial area of the conveying path formed by the conveying trough 10 coincides with the vibration direction of the electromagnetic vibration device 11 on a horizontal plane. In this transport area, only the transport force in the direction of transport is applied so that the transport speed of the transported object is increased, and in this area, the distance between the front and back of the transported object is increased, and the scallop supplied is Even if they are stacked one on top of the other, they are devised to ensure that they are reorganized into a single single column.

Each of the transport troughs 10 is arranged in a plurality of rows along the transport direction of the conveyor 15 so as to intersect vertically and vertically with the sorting conveyor 15 provided in the lower stage. The opening of the pool hopper 12 is exposed below the tip of the pool hopper 12, and the scallop is supplied to the pool hopper 12 one by one by opening and closing a shutter 21 attached to the machine frame 20 therebelow. . A pool hopper 12 and a weighing hopper 13a, which are provided in a stepwise manner on the support table 1c, are arranged on a sorting conveyor 15a.
Along the transport direction of the transport trough 10
Are arranged in a plurality of rows so that the discharging direction of the weighing objects is reversed, and when the synchronizing signal is output from the sorting conveyor 15, the gate of the lower weighing hopper 13a is opened and closed,
When the scallop is discharged from the weighing hopper 13a, and then the gate of the weighing hopper 13a is closed, the upper pool hopper 1 is closed.
2 is opened and closed, the scallop is supplied from the hopper 12 to the lower weighing hopper 13a, and further, when the gate of the pool hopper 12 is closed, the electromagnetic vibration device 11 and the shutter 21 of the aligning / transporting means 9 move at that timing. Each is configured to operate.

The electromagnetic vibration device 11 oscillates for a predetermined time under the control of a timer and stops. Each shutter 21 receives a signal from each proximity sensor 22 attached to the machine frame 20 so as to face the leading end of the transport trough 10. The scallop is closed by a detection signal. As a result, one scallop is thrown into each pool hopper 12 one by one. However, when two or more scallops are erroneously detected by the proximity sensor 22, the ranking means 14 stops the rank determination and sets the rank out of rank. The paper is discharged from the transport end of the sorting conveyor 15.

The scallop put into the pool hopper 12 is
Further, the weight is sent to the weighing hopper 13a of the weighing machine 13 to measure the weight. The weighing machine 13 includes
a weight detector 13b connected to a, and the obtained weighed value is input to a ranking means 14 consisting of a computer via an A / D converter.

On the other hand, the scallops put into the respective weighing hoppers 13a are discharged from the respective weighing hoppers 13a to the sorting conveyor 15 all at once after the weight is measured. As shown in a side view of FIG. 3 in a state where the support table 1c is removed, the sorting conveyor 15 has a tray for placing scallops one by one on an endless chain 23 wound between a pair of left and right pulleys 24 and 25. 15a is attached at a predetermined pitch,
The motor 26 is driven at a constant speed by an electric motor 26 connected to one pulley 25. A timing detector 40 that outputs a pulse signal every time each tray 15a passes is provided on the side of the endless chain 23. When this pulse signal is input to the rank storage means 30, the ranks by weight of the scallop of each tray 15a stored in the rank storage means 30 shift their storage addresses sequentially in synchronization with the movement of each tray 15a. It is configured. Thus, the current position of each tray 15a on the sorting conveyor 15 and the rank by weight of the scallop placed on the tray 15a can always be grasped as a pair.

A storage box 2 for storing scallops according to the weight rank is provided alongside the sorting conveyor 15 along the transport direction.
A plurality of discharge trays 7 are disposed, and at the opposite positions of the storage boxes 27 with the selection conveyor 15 interposed therebetween, the scallop whose weight is measured is discharged from the selection conveyor 15 to each storage box 27 divided according to rank. Means 28 are provided. The discharging means 28 is configured by arranging compressed air nozzles 29 in parallel, and blows the compressed air to the scallops on the sorting conveyor 15 to discharge the compressed air to the storage boxes 27 corresponding to each rank.

The operation of each compressed air nozzle 29 is performed by a drive signal from the nozzle drive control means 32. To discharge the scallop weighed to each storage box 27 corresponding to its weight rank, Emission control is performed based on the signal r determined by the ranking means 14. That is, the signal r is stored in the rank storage means 30 as a rank according to the weight of the scallop, and the storage of the rank according to the weight corresponds to each tray 15a of the sorting conveyor 15 on which the scallop is placed. It is stored at each address of the storage means 30. And each saucer 15
When a reaches the respective sorting positions, the weight-specific rank signals stored corresponding to the respective trays 15a are read out from the rank storage means 30 by the pulse signal of the timing detector 40 output at that timing. Then, it is outputted to the sorting control means 31.

The sorting control means 31 is provided for each tray 1
It is determined whether or not the weight rank of the discharge position where 5a has arrived and the read-out weight-specific ranks match, and if they match, compression of the matching selection ranks via the nozzle drive control means 32 is performed. Activate the air nozzle 29. Thus, the scallop placed on the tray 15a is discharged to the corresponding storage box 27 by the action of the compressed air.

These series of discharge controls are performed by the sorting conveyor 1
5 and the discharge timing from the weighing machine 13 are synchronized, and the pitch number according to the number of installed weighing machines 13 is set to one interval (5 pitches in the embodiment). Conveyor 15 for sorting scallop from
Each time the tray 15a advances by one pitch, the weight-specific rank signal r is read out while being sequentially shifted, and the timing at which the scallop ranked in the discharge position corresponding to the rank of the storage box 27 passes is captured, and the above is described. As described above, the discharge is performed to the storage box 27 for each rank. Also,
After discharging the scallops into each of the weighing hoppers 13a, while the sorting conveyor 15 advances five pitches, the shutters 18 and 21 and the above-described shutters 18 and 21 are connected to each other so that new scallops are surely inserted one by one to complete the measurement. The second and third electromagnetic vibration devices 7,
11 are respectively driven and controlled.

As described above, in the weight sorter of this embodiment, the scallop supplied by the supply means 3 is dispersed into a plurality of transport paths by the dispersion feeder 5, and the articles dispersed in each transport path are aligned and transported. By 9, one by one is transported to each weighing machine 13. Each weighing machine 13 measures the weight of the scallop, and a ranking signal r corresponding to the weight is output from the ranking means 14. Then, when the scallops are sent from each weighing machine 13 to the sorting conveyor 15 and reach the discharging position corresponding to the rank, the discharging means 28 is driven by the sorting signal of the sorting control means 31, and the scallops corresponding to each rank are discharged. You. In this manner, a plurality of scallops are weighed simultaneously and in parallel while being distributed to a plurality of weighing machines 13 one by one and ranked and discharged to the storage box 27 for sorting. It can be carried out.

Further, in the case of parallel arrangement, each transport path from the supply means 3 to the weighing machine 13 via the dispersion feeder 5 can be arranged linearly with respect to the sorting conveyor 15.
If the transport path of the entire device can be configured simply and compactly
In both cases, it is possible to easily set the arrangement position by minimizing the head drop of the feeding from the weighing machine 13 to the sorting conveyor 15, and to reduce the shock given to the object to be weighed as much as possible to reduce the object to be weighed such as the scallops. Protection can also be achieved.

In the above-described embodiment, the scallop discharging means 28 from the sorting conveyor 15 is constituted by using compressed air in consideration of the speed of operation. Alternatively, a mechanical configuration in which a bucket is placed on a conveyor and the bucket is tilted at a discharge position to perform a discharge operation may be employed. In addition, although one sorting conveyor 15 is used, a pair of sorting conveyors are arranged in parallel so as to sandwich the support table 1c on which the weighing machine 13 is installed, and the weighing machines 13 arranged in parallel are added side by side to increase the pool hopper. If the direction in which the scallop falls from 12 to the weighing machine 13 is made symmetrical with respect to the support 1c, weight sorting can be performed more efficiently, and the mode of installation is not limited to the embodiment.

[0024]

According to the weight sorter of the present invention, since a plurality of articles are simultaneously weighed and ranked and discharged while being distributed to a plurality of weighing means one by one, the weight sorting for each unit can be efficiently performed. It can be carried out. Also, since a plurality of weighing means are arranged in parallel along the transport direction of the sorting conveyor, each transport path from the supply means to the weighing means via the dispersion feeder can be formed linearly with respect to the sorting conveyor, In addition to simplifying the structure, it is also possible to minimize the drop in the feeding of the articles from the weighing means to the sorting conveyor, minimize the shock applied to the articles, and protect the objects to be weighed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a configuration of a weight sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 supply means 4 supply trough 5 dispersion feeder 8 supply chute 9 alignment transfer means 10 transfer trough 12 pool hopper 13 weighing machine 14 ranking means 15 sorting conveyor 28 discharge means 30 rank storage means 31 sorting control means 40 timing detector

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A supply means for supplying articles to be weight-selected, a vibration-type dispersion feeder for dispersing the articles supplied by the supply means to a plurality of transport paths, and an article dispersed by the dispersion feeder. A vibratory alignment feeder for aligning and transporting in each transport path, and each of the above-described weighing articles conveyed one by one by each of the alignment feeders.
A plurality of weighing means arranged corresponding to the alignment feeder ;
A ranking means for determining and ranking the weight-based rank of the articles based on the weighing values of these weighing means, a sorting conveyor for receiving and transporting the articles discharged from the weighing means, Sorting control means for outputting a sorting signal corresponding to the rank of the article sent to the sorting conveyor, and receiving the sorting signal of the sorting control means,
Together comprising a discharge means for discharging articles from the sorting conveyor at the discharge location corresponding to that rank, before
Intersect multiple aligned feeders above the sorting conveyor
The plurality of weighing means and the plurality of alignment feeders.
Arranged in parallel between the sorting conveyors and along the transport direction of the sorting conveyor, and transporting the plurality of alignment feeders
A weight sorter , wherein a direction and a discharge direction of the plurality of weighing means are reversed .