JP3581214B2 - Sorting device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sorting device for sorting articles on a line and a technique for saving an installation space in an article sorting device using the sorting device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the production line for foods, etc., inspect the produced products on the inspection line, send the products determined to be good to the packaging line, and remove the products determined to be defective from the conveyor once to remove the cause of the defect. However, when there are a plurality of inspection items or when a plurality of judgment criteria are set, defective articles are gathered at different positions for each of the defect factors, so that the operator can easily determine the defective items. We need to be able to get rid of the factors.
[0003]
In order to sort such articles, a sorting apparatus as shown in FIG. 8 has conventionally been used.
[0004]
This sorting device is adapted to two types of defective products. A conveyor 1 for receiving and transporting articles from the inspection line 10 and one end of each side is rotatably supported on both sides of the conveyor 1. It is composed of arms 2 and 3 and a rotation device (not shown) that drives each of the arms 2 and 3 to rotate.
[0005]
Then, for example, when an article W determined to be insufficient in weight on the inspection line side is carried in, one arm 2 is rotated in advance to the conveying path side of the conveyor 1 as shown in FIG. Is moved to the side of the arm 2, the arm 2 is rotated so as to be parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor 1, and the article W is removed to one side of the conveyor 1. When an article W determined to be excessive in weight is carried in on the inspection line side, the other arm 3 is rotated in advance to the conveying path side of the conveyor 1 so that the article W can advance to the side of the arm 3. Then, the arm 3 is rotated so as to be parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor 1, and the article W is discharged to the other side of the conveyor 1.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the sorting device in which the articles provided on both sides of the conveyor are removed by the arms provided on both sides of the conveyor, it is necessary to collect the removed articles on both sides of the conveyor. In that case, the operator must frequently move from one side to the other via the end of the continuous line. In addition, a sufficient space for the collection operation must be provided on both sides of the conveyor, and a large installation space is required.
[0007]
In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to arrange a plurality of arms on one side of the conveyor along the transport direction, but this would increase the conveyor length for sorting.
[0008]
The same problem as described above also occurs when a sorting device is configured by integrating a sorting device and an inspection device.
[0009]
The present invention, this problem was solved, in a small installation space, an article from the conveyor can be eliminated in several different positions, and its object is to provide a distribution equipment for the recovery work is performed easily.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a sorting device according to claim 1 of the present invention includes:
A base,
A conveyor supported on the base,
An extruder that is arranged on one side of the conveyor, reciprocates in a direction across the conveyor, and pushes the articles carried on the conveyor to the other side,
Disposed on the other side portion of the conveyor, a first carrier to be transferred out from the other end receiving the articles pushed out onto the conveyor by the extrusion apparatus in one end side,
A state for carrying an article extruded from the said conveyor by following substantially the horizontal state the first carrier the extrusion device at one end of the first carrier, the first one end side carrier of Tilting with the other end as a fulcrum so as to be higher than the conveyor surface of the conveyor and switching between a state in which the articles pushed out of the conveyor by the extrusion device are discharged below one end of the first conveyor. and equipment,
One end side is disposed below the first transport body, and one end side is located at a height close to one end side of the first transport body when in the substantially horizontal state, and is inclined to descend toward the other end side. In a state where one end side of the first transport body is located at a position higher than the transport surface of the conveyor, the first transport body is pushed out of the conveyor by the extruding device and is carried out below one end side of the first transport body. And a second transporter that receives the article on one end side and carries it out from the other end side .
[0011]
Further, the sorting device according to claim 2 of the present invention is the sorting device according to claim 1,
The first transport body has a structure in which an article carried into one end side is slid and carried out from the other end side, and when the one end side is switched to a position higher than the conveyor surface of the conveyor by the tilting device. Due to the inclination, the carried-in article is slid to the other end side and carried out, and the article newly pushed out from the conveyor by the extruder is carried out one end side downward.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show an article sorting apparatus 20 using the sorting apparatus according to one embodiment.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a first inspection conveyor 22 for metal inspection and a sensor block 23 are supported on an upper end of a base 21 of the article sorting apparatus 20. The first inspection conveyor 22 is attached so as to pass through a sensor block 23 formed in a rectangular frame shape.
[0014]
In the sensor block 23, a magnetic field generating unit for generating a magnetic field on the transport path of the first inspection conveyor 22 and a magnetic field receiving unit for receiving the magnetic field are provided. At the upper part of the sensor block 23, a change in the magnetic field generated when the article passes through the magnetic field is detected from a signal received by the magnetic field receiving unit of the sensor block 23, and metal is mixed into the article based on the change. A determination device 24 that determines whether the operation is performed is provided.
[0015]
A second inspection conveyor 25 for weight inspection is arranged downstream of the first inspection conveyor 22. The second inspection conveyor 25 is supported by a weighing instrument 26 fixed on the base 21. The weigher 26 detects the weight of the article carried on the second inspection conveyor 25. On both sides of the loading section of the second inspection conveyor 25, a light emitter 27 and a light receiver 28 are attached so as to face each other.
[0016]
The conveyor 30 of the sorting device according to the present embodiment is disposed downstream of the second inspection conveyor 25. The conveyor 30 is supported on the upper end on the other end side of the base 21, and conveys the articles carried out from the second inspection conveyor 25 and carries them out to a subsequent line (such as a packing line).
[0017]
A column 31 is provided upright on one side of the carry-in side of the conveyor 30. The column 31 is supported by a support 32 projecting upward and downward in two steps from the back of the base 21.
[0018]
An extruding device 33 for extruding articles conveyed onto the conveyor 30 to the other side is attached to the middle portion of the column 31. The extruder 33 is composed of an air cylinder 34 attached so as to penetrate the column 31 and a flat push plate 35 attached to the tip of the cylinder shaft 34a. The articles conveyed onto the conveyor 30 are extruded by being moved substantially horizontally across the transport path from the side to the other side.
[0019]
On the other side of the carry-in side of the conveyor 30, a frame 36 bent substantially in a U-shape is attached in a direction in which side plates 36a and 36b on both sides thereof are orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor.
[0020]
Between the upper portions of the side plates 36a and 36b of the frame 36, a first transport body 38 as a transport body of this embodiment is horizontally supported substantially at the same height position on the transport surface of the conveyor 30.
[0021]
The first transport body 38 includes a rectangular frame 39, and a plurality of rollers 40 arranged vertically and horizontally inside the frame 39 and supported rotatably about an axis parallel to the transport direction of the conveyor 30. The article received on the roller 40 from the carry-in end 38a near the conveyor 30 is slid with little friction toward the carry-out end 38b far from the conveyor 30.
[0022]
Support shafts 41, 41 are protruded laterally on the discharge end 38b side of the frame 39 of the first transport body 38, and the support shafts 41, 41 are rotatable on side plates 36a, 36b of the frame 36, respectively. It is supported by. Further, the lower portion of the frame 39 of the first transport body 38 on the loading end side is restricted so as not to move downward by abutting on a stopper 37 which is suspended between the side plates 36a and 36b of the frame 36. Therefore, the first transport body 38 is moved from the substantially horizontal state in which the articles pushed out from the conveyor 30 by the extrusion device 33 can be received at the loading end 38a and slid toward the delivery end 38b, and the loading end 38a is moved from the substantially horizontal state. It can be tilted to be higher than the discharge end 38b side.
[0023]
The outer surface of one side plate 36a of the frame 36 is covered with a cover 42, and a tilting device 43 for tilting the first transport body 38 is provided inside the cover 42, as shown in FIG. . The tilting device 43 includes an air cylinder 44, and a connecting member 45 that links the tip of the cylinder shaft 44a and the intermediate portion of the frame 39 of the first transport body 38 with a link. , The first transport body 38 is rotated about the support shafts 41 and 41 so that the loading end 38a side moves upward.
[0024]
Further, a second carrier 46 is arranged below the first carrier 38. Like the first transport body 38, the second transport body 46 has a structure in which a plurality of rollers 48 are supported inside a rectangular frame 47, and one end of the second transport body 46 is a first transport body. 38 is supported in the frame 36 in a state of being inclined forward and downward as viewed from the conveyor 30 so that the other end thereof abuts against the bottom plate 36c of the frame 36 so that the other end thereof abuts on the bottom plate 36c.
[0025]
Therefore, while the carry-in end 38a side of the first carrier 38 is moved upward, the articles pushed out of the conveyor 30 by the extruder 33 drop onto the second carrier 46, and the bottom plate 36c of the frame 36 Will be carried out from the tip of
[0026]
A label pasting machine 50 is arranged above the carry-out side of the conveyor 30. The label pasting machine 50 is supported so as to be suspended by a support mechanism 51 attached to the upper end of the column 31, pulls out a roll-shaped label paper 52, and applies necessary items (product name, After printing the date, price, etc., the label is peeled off, and the peeled-off label is affixed to the article on the conveyor 30 by the suction blowing section 54.
[0027]
Further, a main controller 56 is supported on the column 31 via a rotary arm 55. The main controller 56 receives the weighing signal of the weighing device 26 and the signal of the photodetector 28, and determines whether the weight of the article conveyed to the second inspection conveyor 25 is within a non-defective weight range. It has a function and a function of controlling the extruding device 33, the tilting device 43, and the label sticking machine 50 based on the metal mixing determination result and the weight determination result from the determination device 24.
[0028]
After the main controller 56 detects the carry-in of the article to the second inspection conveyor 25 by the light receiver 28, the timing at which the article is completely transferred onto the second inspection conveyor 25 and the output of the weighing device 26 is stabilized. The weight determination is performed by comparing the captured weight value with the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the non-defective product weight range. The main controller 56 determines the timing at which the article subjected to the metal contamination inspection and the weight inspection reaches the front of the push plate 35 and the timing at which the article arrives below the labeling machine 50, based on the output of the light receiver 28 and the conveying speed of each conveyor. Detect based on
[0029]
Next, the operation of the article sorting device 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the article W carried into the first inspection conveyor 22 of the article sorting apparatus 20 from the preceding line (not shown) passes through the sensor block 23, undergoes the metal contamination inspection, and undergoes the second inspection. It is carried out onto the conveyor 25 and undergoes a weight inspection on the second inspection conveyor 25.
[0030]
The article which is determined to be in the non-defective weight range with no metal mixed therein is conveyed onto the conveyor 30, passes through the push plate 35 of the extruder 33, and reaches below the label pasting machine 50 when it reaches below. Is affixed to a label and is carried out to a subsequent line (not shown).
[0031]
When it is determined that metal is mixed on the first inspection conveyor 22 or that there is excess or deficiency in the weight on the second inspection conveyor 25, the main control device 56 executes the processing shown in FIG. As shown in (2), the air cylinder 34 is driven at the timing when the defective article W 'reaches a position in front of the push plate 35 of the conveyor 30, and the defective article W' is pushed out of the conveyor 30.
[0032]
At this time, when the defective article W 'is a metal-containing article, the main controller 56 keeps the first transport body 38 in a horizontal state as shown in FIG. It is carried out onto the first carrier 38. If the defective article W ′ is an article with excess or lack of weight, the first transport body 38 is loaded just before the defective article W ′ reaches the front of the push plate 35 as shown in FIG. The end 38a is flipped up, and the defective article W 'is carried out onto the second carrier 46.
[0033]
The defective article W ′ carried out on the first carrier 38 and the second carrier 46 moves so as to slide on each carrier and is carried out from the respective carry-out end side, and the collection container 60, 61 and the like.
[0034]
The operator removes the cause of the defect of the defective article W ′ stored in the containers 60 and 61 and transports the defective article W ′ onto the first inspection conveyor 22 again.
[0035]
As described above, the sorting device of the article sorting device 20 according to the embodiment can sort and carry out the defective article to a position corresponding to the cause of the defect only on one side of the conveyor, so that the collection operation can be easily performed. In addition, the length of the conveyor can be reduced, and the entire apparatus can be installed along a wall or the like, so that a narrow space can be effectively used.
[0036]
In addition, since the first and second conveyors composed of a plurality of rollers are used, even non-slip articles such as wrapped food can be reliably carried out from the conveyor.
[0037]
Further, as in this embodiment, in the sorting device in which the defective article is carried out to a different position by flipping up the carry-in end 38a side of the first carrying body 38, even if articles having different defective factors continue, high-speed operation is performed. Switching becomes possible. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the carry-in end 38a of the first carrier 38 is lowered almost at the same time as the overweight / underweight article W ″ is carried onto the second carrier 46. 7B, or immediately after the metal-containing article W ″ is completely carried into the carry-in end 38a of the first carrier 38, as shown in FIG. 7B. The carry-in end 38a is flipped up, and the subsequent overweight / underweight article W 'can be carried out to the second carrier 46 side.
[0040]
In the above-described embodiment, an air cylinder is used as a drive source of the pushing device and the tilting device. However, another drive source such as a motor may be used.
[0041]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the metal inspection unit and the weight inspection unit are provided on the front stage side on the same base of the sorting device, but only one of them may be provided. For example, when a metal inspection unit is provided at the preceding stage, the metal inspection unit determines not only the presence or absence of mixed metal but also its type (ferrous metal and non-ferrous metal), and determines the discharge position according to the type of mixed metal. change. When the weight inspection unit is provided in the preceding stage, the excess weight and the short weight are separately discharged.
[0042]
In addition, the above-described sorting device can be used alone as a sorting device that is disposed after another inspection device and performs sorting in multiple stages.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As explained above, the sorting device of the present invention
An extruder that is arranged on one side of the conveyor, reciprocates in a direction across the conveyor, and pushes the articles carried on the conveyor to the other side ,
A first carrier that is arranged on the other side of the conveyor, receives the article extruded from the conveyor by the extrusion device at one end, and carries out the article from the other end ,
A state in which the first transport body is brought into a substantially horizontal state, and the article extruded from the conveyor by the extruder is loaded into one end side of the first transport body, and the one end side of the first transport body is Tilting with the other end as a fulcrum so as to be higher than the conveyor surface of the conveyor and switching between a state in which the articles pushed out of the conveyor by the extrusion device are discharged below one end of the first conveyor. and equipment,
One end side is disposed below the first transport body, and one end side is located at a height close to one end side of the first transport body when in the substantially horizontal state, and is inclined to descend toward the other end side. In a state where one end side of the first transport body is located at a position higher than the transport surface of the conveyor, the first transport body is pushed out of the conveyor by the extruding device and is carried out below one end side of the first transport body. And a second transporter that receives the article on one end side and carries it out from the other end side .
[0044]
For this reason, articles can be sorted and discharged at one side of the conveyor at a high speed, collection and the like can be easily performed, the conveyor length can be shortened, and installation space can be saved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment; FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a main part of one embodiment; FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view for explaining the operation of one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view for explaining the operation of one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of one embodiment. 8: Plan view of conventional sorting device [Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 20 article sorting device 21 base 22 first inspection conveyor 23 sensor block 24 determination device 25 second inspection conveyor 26 weighing device 30 conveyor 33 extrusion device 35 push plate 38 first transport body 43 tilting device 50 label pasting machine 56 Main controller

Claims (2)

A base,
A conveyor supported on the base,
An extruder that is arranged on one side of the conveyor, reciprocates in a direction across the conveyor, and pushes the articles carried on the conveyor to the other side,
Disposed on the other side portion of the conveyor, a first carrier to be transferred out from the other end receiving the articles pushed out onto the conveyor by the extrusion apparatus in one end side,
A state for carrying an article extruded from the said conveyor by following substantially the horizontal state the first carrier the extrusion device at one end of the first carrier, the first one end side carrier of Tilting with the other end as a fulcrum so as to be higher than the conveyor surface of the conveyor and switching between a state in which the articles pushed out of the conveyor by the extrusion device are discharged below one end of the first conveyor. and equipment,
One end side is disposed below the first transport body, and one end side is located at a height close to one end side of the first transport body when in the substantially horizontal state, and is inclined to descend toward the other end side. In a state where one end side of the first transport body is located at a position higher than the transport surface of the conveyor, the first transport body is pushed out of the conveyor by the extruding device and is carried out below one end side of the first transport body. And a second carrier for receiving the article at one end and carrying it out from the other end . The first transport body has a structure in which an article carried into one end side is slid and carried out from the other end side, and when the one end side is switched to a position higher than the conveyor surface of the conveyor by the tilting device. 2. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the article which has been carried in is slid to the other end side due to the inclination thereof and carried out, and the article newly pushed out from the conveyor by the extruding device is carried down one end side . Sorting device.

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