JP3340485B2 - Method and apparatus for changing the direction of an article being conveyed on a 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 method for changing the direction of an article being conveyed on a conveyor to a predetermined direction and an apparatus for implementing the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a manufacturing process of an article, for example, a manufacturing process of instant noodles, while a rectangular noodle block is being conveyed by a conveyor, the direction of the noodle block on the conveyor is changed to the traveling direction. May be turned from portrait to landscape or vice versa. As a method of changing the direction of an article being conveyed in this way, for example, there is a method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 26666/1990. This is because, by arranging the conveying direction of the second conveyor orthogonal to the conveying direction of the first conveyor, the articles placed horizontally on the first conveyor are vertically arranged on the conveying surface of the second conveyor. It is a way to fix it.

[0003]

However, according to such a conventional method of changing the direction of an article during conveyor conveyance, the conveying direction of the first conveyor and the conveying direction of the second conveyor are arranged orthogonally. However, there is a problem that the equipment becomes large and complicated. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for changing the direction of an article suitable for solving such a problem.

[0004] In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a first conveyor provided continuously in the same direction.
The method of changing the direction of the article being conveyed by the first conveyor and the second conveyor located below the first conveyor and the second conveyor located below the first conveyor To the front upper surface in the traveling direction of the second conveyor, and the other to the rear upper surface in the traveling direction of the second conveyor than the one, and the moving speed of the goods on the second conveyor.
By making the degree faster than the moving speed of the article on the upper surface of the chute , one of the left and right portions of the article being transported on the upper surface of the chute is guided longer in time than the other, and the one is slower than the other. It was supplied to the conveying surface of the second conveyor.

[0005] In the method according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the method, the delayed movement of one side of the article supplied to the conveying surface of the second conveyor is blocked, so that the delayed side of the article is blocked. Was positioned further rearward in the traveling direction than the other on the conveying surface of the second conveyor. further,
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is provided continuously in the same direction.
In a device for changing the direction of an article being conveyed between a first conveyor and a second conveyor , a tip edge of a chute bridging between a tip of the first conveyor and a second conveyor located below the first conveyor. The left and right portions are evenly close to the transport surface of the second conveyor such that one of the left and right portions is located at the forward portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor and the other is located at the rear portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor. or the contacted to face, the second con
The moving speed of the goods on the carrier is
It was faster than the moving speed.

According to the present invention, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the right and left portions of the chute which are bridged between the tip of the first conveyor and the second conveyor located below the first conveyor are formed by the second conveyor. Angle of inclination with respect to the transfer surface of
Than one side of the chute right and left portions have set the other side more slowly, and, the leading end of the chute, and is faced by equally close to or in contact with the conveying surface of the second conveyor.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the above-mentioned apparatus, a guide member is provided at a position in contact with a rear portion of the article on a transport surface ahead in the traveling direction of the second conveyor. In the invention according to claim 6, the conveying speed of the second conveyor among the conveyors of the apparatus is set to be higher than that of the first conveyor.

[0008]

According to the method of the first aspect, there is a time difference between the left and right portions of the article being conveyed by the conveyor when the articles are supplied from the upper surface of the chute to the conveyance surface of the second conveyor. And the second
The moving speed of the goods on the conveying surface of the second conveyor
G is faster than the speed at which items slide down the top surface. others
First, one of the left and right parts of the goods supplied to the second conveyor
The distance that is conveyed and moved is delayed by the second conveyor.
The other of the left and right parts of the goods supplied to the
Greater than the distance. Therefore, one of the sides previously supplied to the second conveyor is transported forward in the traveling direction ,
On the conveying surface of the second conveyor
The opposite orientation is on the transport surface of the first conveyor.
As compared with the relative direction of the article with respect to the left side , the side of the one of the left and right portions that is supplied earlier to the transport surface of the second conveyor is transported forward from the traveling direction and inclined in the traveling direction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the article supplied to the second conveyor in the inclined direction is prevented from moving one of the left and right portions located rearward in the traveling direction. Thereby, the article is further rotated and its orientation is corrected in the longitudinal direction in the traveling direction. further,
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the length of the left and right portions of the chute differs because one of the left and right portions of the tip edge of the chute is located ahead of the traveling direction of the first conveyor. Therefore, one of the left and right portions of the article, on which the leading edge of the chute moves on the side located in front of the second conveyor, is guided longer on the upper surface of the chute, and the other is supplied to the second conveyor. Slower than one of them. And
The movement speed of the goods on the upper surface of the
Because it is slower than the moving speed of the object,
Distance that one of the left and right parts of the supplied goods is transported and moved
The separation is smaller than the distance that the other is transported and moved
Become.

Further, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the right and left portions of the chute extending between the leading end of the first conveyor and the second conveyor located below the first conveyor have a conveying surface of the second conveyor. inclination angle formed with respect to, because you have set the side of its other than one side of the chute lateral portion more slowly, left and right portions of the article during transfer of the upper surface of the chute, the slope gentle side The distance at which the moving part is supported by the chute increases, and the moving speed decreases. Thus, the portion of the item that is long supported by the chute will be fed to the second conveyor more slowly than the other.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, one of the left and right portions of the left and right parts of the article whose direction has been changed by the above-mentioned device is located at the leading end in the advancing direction of the conveying surface of the second conveyor. By contacting the guide member, the direction is corrected in a direction in which the direction is further increased, and the direction of the article is made to coincide with the traveling direction. According to the apparatus of claim 6, since the transport speed of the second conveyor is set higher than that of the first conveyor, the interval between the articles is the first transport speed on the transport surface of the second conveyor. It is wider than the space on the surface, the space between the goods is adjusted, and the direction of the goods can be easily changed.

[0012]

1 to 4 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an instant noodle conveyor conveying process. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a first conveyor, 2 denotes a second conveyor, and the rear end of the second conveyor 2 is disposed below the front end of the first conveyor 1 and has a straight line. It has a continuous configuration above.

Although not shown in the figure, the second conveyor 2 applies a frictional force to the conveying surface to such an extent that noodles described later are prevented from excessively slipping. Are driven at predetermined intervals to form a large number of spherical projections on the conveyor surface. On the transport surface of the first conveyor 1, blocks of an instant surface, which are formed into a rectangle with a predetermined thickness by a known method and have been subjected to processing such as frying, are arranged and transported. This instant block is an article that can be turned in the present invention, and is indicated by noodles 7 in this embodiment. This noodle 7 is the first conveyor 1
It is placed sideways on the top and aligned with the front and back surfaces in contact,
As shown by the arrow in the drawing, the sheet is being conveyed toward the second conveyor 2. The second conveyor 2 is set at a higher speed than the first conveyor 1.

FIG. 2 shows a chute 3 extending between the front end of the first conveyor 1 and the rear end of the second conveyor 2. The chute 3 has guide plates standing on the left and right edges. The chute 3 has its rear edge connected to the transport surface at the front end of the first conveyor 1 so as to be continuous in the traveling direction, and its front edge is evenly placed on the rear end transport surface of the second conveyor 2. It is facing close. Thus,
A chute 3 is bridged between the front end of the first conveyor 1 and the rear end of the second conveyor 2, and the first conveyor 1 and the second conveyor 2 are connected linearly by the chute 3. You.

The leading edge of the chute 3 is formed so that the left side of the chute is oblique to the traveling direction of the conveyor such that the length of the left side of the chute is longer than the right side of the chute. Therefore, on the conveyance surface of the second conveyor 2, the leading edge of the chute 3 is located on the left side in the conveyor traveling direction, on the left side in the conveyor traveling direction, and on the right side in the conveyor traveling direction in the rear side.

The chute 3 has a straight chute surface, so that the left side of the chute 3 has a gentler inclination than the right side. By such a chute 3, the first conveyor 1 and the second conveyor 2 are linearly connected, and the noodles 7 arranged and conveyed sideways by the first conveyor 1 are transferred onto the chute 3, where And falls on the second conveyor 2.

At this time, the left side portion of the leading edge of the chute 3 is located ahead of the right side portion on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 in the traveling direction, and the noodles 7 transferred to the chute 3 are: Since the left part is supported by the chute 3 for a longer time than the right part, the left part will be fed on the second conveyor 2 later than the right part. In addition, items on the conveyor surface of the conveyor 2
The moving speed is the movement of the goods sliding down the upper surface of the chute 3.
Faster than speed.

The right side portion of the noodles 7 which is quickly supplied on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 is conveyed and moved faster by the speed of the second conveyor 2 , and the right side portion moves.
The noodles 7 moved to the chute 3 in the horizontal direction move forward on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 because the noodles 7 are moved sideways to the chute 3 because the distance to the left moves.
The left part is left behind. In this way, the noodle 7 is changed from a horizontal position on the transport surface of the first conveyor 1 to a vertical position on the transport surface of the second conveyor 2.

The angle of the direction which can be changed is basically largely determined by the angle of the right and left portions of the leading edge of the chute 3 with respect to the traveling direction of the conveyor and the setting of the speed of the second conveyor 2. The falling speed of the left and right portions of the noodle 7 on the surface of the chute 3 is also relevant. That is,
In the case of this embodiment, if the right side of the chute 3 forms a larger angle with respect to the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 than its left side, the right side portion of the noodle 7 is conveyed to the second conveyor 2 earlier. Therefore, the angle of the direction change becomes large.

As shown in FIG. 1, a guide plate 4a opposed to the left and right sides of the chute 3 is provided on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 so as to be continuous with the guide plates on the left and right side edges. Similarly, plate-shaped guide plates 4b, 4c, and 4d are provided along the conveyor traveling direction. These guide plates 4a, 4b,
4c and 4d (these are collectively referred to as a guide plate 4) constitute a guide member of the present invention.

The guide plates 4a to 4d provided on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 are arranged so that the positions thereof can be adjusted in the width direction of the second conveyor 2 by the bracket 6, and the noodle 7 The direction angle can be adjusted appropriately. The first guide plate 4a is carried by two sets of brackets 6 so as to be continuously the same width as the guide plate at the leading edge of the chute 3, and the noodles having a constant width toward the rear of the second conveyor 2. It is installed so as to form a transport path.

In this embodiment, the second guide plate 4b is erected at a relatively short distance to the left in the traveling direction.
The noodle 7 is erected by a set of brackets 6 so as to come into contact with the rear part of the noodle 7 to further change the direction of the noodle 7 and guide it forward in the traveling direction. Further, the third guide plate 4c is provided on both the left and right sides on the front intermediate transfer surface of the second conveyor 2, and the left guide plate 4c is opened slightly to the left with respect to the traveling direction and is inclined. Thus, it is erected by two sets of brackets 6. The right guide plate 4c is connected to the left guide plate 4c.
It is erected by two sets of brackets 6 so as to narrow the course of the noodles 7 further to the left than the inclination of c, and is set so that the noodles 7 can be guided longer than the left guide plate 4c. In addition, when the direction of the noodle 7 is other than the predetermined direction, the noodle 7 is in contact with a part of the noodle 7 on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 at the tip of the left guide plate 4c. Direction correcting rod 12 for correcting the movement of
Has been erected.

The fourth guide plate 4d is mounted on the right side in the traveling direction on the forward conveying surface of the second conveyor 2, and is fixed by a set of brackets 6 in the same direction as the traveling direction. . 3 and 4 show the structure of the bracket 6 for adjusting the position of the guide plate 4 used in this embodiment.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, one of the brackets 6 for adjusting the position of the guide plate 4 is formed by vertically combining two L-shaped members 8 each having an elongated hole 11 into a crank shape, and using a bolt 10 and a nut. 9. Then, the L-shaped member 8 located outside the conveyor is fixed to the frame 5 as shown in FIG. Further, a guide plate is fixed to and supported by the other L-shaped member 8. The bracket 6 is adjusted to extend and contract by loosening the bolt 10 and the nut 9 so that the position and the direction of the guide plate 4 are in a predetermined direction corresponding to the size of the noodle 7 and the desired direction of the noodle. And fix it appropriately.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the structure of the bracket 6 for correcting the orientation of the noodle 7 used in this embodiment. The bracket 6a uses an L-shaped member 8 having a long hole 11 and a direction correcting rod 12 which is a rod having a male thread at the top.
Is fixed by a nut 9 above the long hole 11, and the direction correcting rod 12 is hung below the L-shaped member 8. And
As shown in FIG. 6, the L-shaped member 8 is fixed to the frame 5.

The position of the direction correcting rod 12 hanging below the L-shaped member 8 is determined if any of the noodles 7 being conveyed by the second conveyor is not changed in a predetermined direction. The noodles 7 are brought into contact with the direction correcting rods 12, whereby the noodles 7 are conveyed as they are when the orientation of the noodles 7 is in a predetermined direction. It is adjusted using the long hole 11.

The bracket 6a, like the bracket 6 for adjusting the position of the guide plate, is also provided with the direction correcting rod 12 so as to have a predetermined orientation corresponding to the size of the noodle 7 and the desired orientation of the noodle. The position shall be fixed appropriately. Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. Since the left and right portions of the chute 3 facing the rear end of the second conveyor are longer on the left side than on the right side, the right side of the noodles 7 conveyed in the horizontally long direction by the first conveyor 1 comes first in the second conveyor 2. Touches the transfer surface. Therefore, when the right side of the noodle 7 advances further in the traveling direction and the noodle 7 is completely on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2, the direction of the noodle 7 is such that the right side in the traveling direction is ahead of the left side. Posture.

Further, since the transport speed of the second conveyor 2 is higher than that of the first conveyor 1, the preceding noodle 7 and the following noodle 7
Is supplied onto the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 with a certain distance. Since the chute 3 is hung over the second conveyor 2 as described above, its chute surface is inclined obliquely to the right. However, the noodles 7 are transferred on the chute 3 by the guide plate 4 installed on the chute 3. It does not fall during the run.

The noodles 7 supplied in the above-mentioned direction on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2 are supplied between the first guide plates 4a opposed to each other on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 2. Transported in the direction of And since the direction of the 2nd guide board 4b guides to the diagonally right side with respect to the advancing direction, the part of the front left corner of the noodle 7 in the advancing direction contacts the guide board 4b, The part is blocked from flowing in the second conveyor 2.

Therefore, the noodles 7 move on the transport surface along the second guide plate 4b, and the direction is the vertical direction in which the right side in the traveling direction is located rearward. Next, the noodle 7 is normally guided by the second guide plate 4b to the guide plate 4c provided on the left side of the third guide plate 4c. At this time, if the second guide plate 4b causes the noodles 7 to be flipped to the right due to the speed of the second conveyor 2 and the like. The noodles 7 are guided by a guide plate 4c provided on the right side.

After the guidance of the left guide plate 4c is finished, if any of the noodles 7 to be guided has not changed in the predetermined direction, the noodles 7 come into contact with the , Whereby the orientation is corrected to a predetermined orientation. And the noodles 7 that have passed through the third guide plate 4c
Moves further to the fourth guide plate. Since the fourth guide plate 4d is installed so as to guide the noodles 7 in the same direction as the traveling direction, the direction of the noodles 7 finally becomes vertical, and the direction of the noodles 7 being conveyed by the conveyor is changed. be able to.

In this embodiment, the position and the direction of the guide plate 4 are adjusted in accordance with the size of the noodle 7 and the desired direction, and the direction correcting rod 12 is connected to the second conveyor 2. The upper width direction position can be variously adjusted by loosening the bolt 10 and the nut 9 and moving the bracket 6 in the axial direction. As described above, in this embodiment, the noodles 7 in the horizontal direction are set in the vertical direction and are conveyed with an interval between them, but the noodles 7 in the vertical direction may be changed to the horizontal direction. In addition, it goes without saying that the article to be conveyed may be other than the noodle 7.

[0033]

As described above, one of the right and left portions of the article being transported on the upper surface of the chute, which is bridged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor, is guided longer in time than the other. Is supplied to the conveying surface of the second conveyor later than the other, so that the direction of the article being conveyed by the conveyor is
The device can be automatically changed to a predetermined orientation without increasing the size and complexity of the device.

[0034] In the above method, the delayed movement of one side of the articles supplied to the transport surface of the second conveyor is interrupted so that the delayed side of the articles is transported on the transport surface of the second conveyor. The same effect can be obtained by a method of being located further backward in the traveling direction than the other in the above. Even if the direction of the article immediately after leaving the chute is not sufficiently changed, the direction is sufficiently changed here be able to.

Further, the leading edge of the chute is positioned such that one of the left and right portions is located at the forward portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor, and the other is located at the rear portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor. The above-mentioned effects can be obtained by using the existing conveyor as it is, and changing only the chute, thereby making it possible to cope with various articles and directions by uniformly approaching or contacting the conveying surface of the second conveyor. In addition to the above, various conditions can be dealt with at low cost.

Further, the inclination formed by the right and left portions of the chute and the conveying surface of the second conveyor is made gentler than the other side and the leading edge of the chute is set to the conveying surface of the second conveyor. The same effect can be obtained even when the object is brought close to or in contact with the object. Further, by providing a guide member disposed on the conveying surface of the second conveyor at a position in contact with the rear portion of the article, the direction of the article can be more thoroughly corrected.

Further, by setting the conveying speed of the second conveyor to be higher than that of the first conveyor, the interval between the articles on the conveying surface of the second conveyor is made smaller than the interval on the conveying surface of the first conveyor. It is possible to adjust the product supply interval, and it is easy to change the direction of the product because the side of the left and right of the product that contacts the second conveyor moves forward at high speed. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chute spanning a first conveyor and a second conveyor used in the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bracket for fixing a position of a guide plate used in the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a direction correcting rod and a bracket for correcting a position of an article used in the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st conveyor 2 2nd conveyor 3 Chute 4,4a-4d Guide plate 7 Article

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 47/22-47/32

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] A first connector provided continuously in the same direction;
In the method of changing the direction of an article being conveyed by a conveyor and a second conveyor , one of the right and left ends of a leading edge of a chute bridged over a leading end of the first conveyor and a second conveyor located below the leading end. By facing the front upper surface in the traveling direction of the second conveyor, and facing the other of the left and right end portions to the rear upper surface in the traveling direction of the second conveyor more than the one. Guide one of the left and right parts of the article being transported longer in time than the other .
Move the speed of the goods on the conveyor to the goods on the top of the chute.
Changing the direction of the article being conveyed on the conveyor , wherein one of the left and right portions of the article is supplied to the conveying surface of the second conveyor later than the other. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the delayed side of the articles supplied to the conveying surface of the second conveyor is blocked by the second side of the second conveyor. A method of changing the direction of an article being conveyed by a conveyor, wherein the article is positioned further rearward in the traveling direction than the other on the conveying surface. 3. A first core provided continuously in the same direction.
In an apparatus for changing the direction of an article being conveyed between a conveyor and a second conveyor, the leading edge of a chute that is bridged between the leading end of the first conveyor and a second conveyor located below the leading end of the first conveyor. One of the left and right portions is located at the forward portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor, and the other is located at the rear portion in the traveling direction of the second conveyor so as to uniformly approach or contact the conveying surface of the second conveyor. Let the second conveyor
Moving speed is higher than the moving speed of the goods on the chute upper surface.
A device that changes the direction of goods being conveyed on a conveyor, characterized by speeding up . 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the left and right portions of the chute extending between the tip of the first conveyor and the second conveyor located below the first conveyor have a conveying surface of the second conveyor. inclination angle formed with respect to, rather than one side of the chute right and left portions have set the other side more slowly, and, the leading edge of the chute, equally close to the conveying surface of the second conveyor Or, a device for changing the direction of an article being conveyed by a conveyor, which is brought into contact. 5. The conveyor according to claim 3, further comprising a guide member disposed on a transport surface ahead of the chute in a conveyor traveling direction, at a position in contact with a rear portion of the goods. A device that changes the direction of the item being transported. 6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveying speed of the second conveyor is set higher than that of the first conveyor. A device that changes the direction of goods.