JP4758816B2 - Separation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a separating apparatus that transports a tray on which tableware is placed and separates the tray and the tableware by inclining the tray during the transportation.

  Conventionally, as this type of separation device, for example, a substantially horizontal tray supported by an endless belt suspended on a frame base installed on one side of the trough is inclined when passing over the trough. A tray tableware dropping device for dropping tableware on a tray onto a trough is known.

And in this tableware dropping device (separator), among the endless belts, the endless belt for transportation suspended on the side opposite to the trough is suspended from the trough carry-in part to the trough carry-out part and carried on the trough side. The endless belt for rolling is suspended from the trough carry-in section from the trough entrance position to the upper end of the transport endless belt from the trough entrance position to the trough exit position, and is in contact with the inner surface of the counter-trough side edge of the tray. A plurality of rollers are provided, and the tray opposite to the trough side where the trough side lower surface is not held is sandwiched between the endless belt for conveyance and the rolling roller, and the tray is conveyed while being inclined on the trough. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-262575 A

  However, in the conventional separation apparatus, when a tableware such as a small dish is placed on the end side of the tray, the tray changes from a horizontal position to an inclined position, and the upper end of the tray rolls with the endless belt for conveyance. When sandwiched between rollers, tableware such as a small plate is sandwiched with the upper end of the tray, and the tray, tableware, and even the rolling roller may be damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a separation device that can appropriately separate the tray and the tableware without causing a problem that the tableware such as a small plate is sandwiched with the upper end of the tray. With the goal.

  The separation device according to claim 1 is a separation device that conveys a tray on which tableware is placed and separates the tray and the tableware by inclining the tray in the middle of the conveyance, and is a horizontal device that conveys a tray in a horizontal position. A conveying means, an inclined conveying means disposed downstream of the horizontal conveying means and conveying an inclined tray, and a lower end portion of the inclined tray is supported at a position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means. A support means; and a clamping means for clamping the upper end portion of the tray in an inclined posture in which the lower end portion is in an unsupported state away from the support means at a position on the conveyance end side of the inclined conveyance means together with the inclined conveyance means. When the tray is transferred from the horizontal conveying means to the inclined conveying means, the tray is placed on the tray at the position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means by changing from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture. The tableware slides down from the tray in the tilted posture, and the lower end of the tray in the tilted posture is in an unsupported state at the position on the transport end side of the tilted transport means, so that the support means prevents the slide-down. The tableware slides down from the inclined tray.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the separation apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the separation apparatus is disposed in the vicinity of the conveyance end portion of the horizontal conveyance means, and supports one end along the conveyance direction of the horizontal tray from above. Tilt prevention means is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the separation apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the inclined conveying means has an endless conveying belt arranged in an inclined shape, and the upper end of the conveying belt is horizontally conveyed. It is located at substantially the same height as the conveying surface of the means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the tray is placed on the tray when the tray is transferred from the horizontal conveying means to the inclined conveying means at the position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means by changing the tray from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture. The tableware that had been slid down from the tray in the tilted posture was blocked by the support means by the lower end of the tray in the tilted posture becoming unsupported at the position of the end of the inclined transport means. Since the tableware slides down from the inclined tray, there is no problem that the tableware such as a small plate is sandwiched with the upper end of the tray, and the tray and the tableware can be appropriately separated.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, since the tray tilt prevention means is provided near the conveyance terminal end of the horizontal conveyance means and supports one end along the conveyance direction of the horizontal tray from above, the horizontal conveyance is provided. It is possible to appropriately prevent the tray from tilting on the means.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the inclined conveying means has an endless conveying belt disposed in an inclined shape, and the upper end portion of the conveying belt is positioned at substantially the same height as the conveying surface of the horizontal conveying means. Therefore, the tray can be smoothly transferred from the horizontal conveying means to the inclined conveying means.

  An embodiment of a separation apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a separation device. The separation device 1 conveys a tray 3 on which dirty tableware 2 is placed in a previous stage of a dish washing device and a tray washing device (not shown). The tray 3 is tilted in the middle, and the tray 3 and the tableware 2 are separated.

  The separating apparatus 1 receives the tray 3 from the horizontal transport means 5 disposed downstream of the horizontal transport means 5 and the horizontal transport means 5 for placing and transporting the horizontal tray 3 on the horizontal transport surface 5a. Inclined conveying means 6 for placing and conveying the tray 3 in the inclined posture on the inclined conveying surface 6a is provided.

  Further, the separating device 1 supports the lower end of the inclined tray 3 from the lower side at the position of the conveying start end of the inclined conveying means 6 and guides the inclined tray 3 along the conveying direction while maintaining the inclined posture. The support means (tray support guide) 7 that is a guide means and the upper end portion of the tray 3 in an inclined posture in which the lower end portion is in an unsupported state away from the support means 7 at a position on the end side of the inclined transfer means 6 are inclinedly transferred. A clamping means (tray clamping plate) 8 for clamping from above and below is provided together with the means 6.

  The horizontal transport means 5 includes an endless transport body 11 that is horizontally disposed and a transport roller body 12 that is disposed in the vicinity of the transport end portion of the transport body 11. The transport body 11 is composed of a plurality of elongated plate members 13 and the like, and is spanned between a pair of rotating bodies 14 that are spaced apart from each other. The rotating body 14 is rotatably attached to the frame body 15 and is rotated by power from a driving unit such as a motor (not shown). When the transport body 11 rotates as the rotating body 14 rotates, the horizontal tray 3 placed on the transport body 11 is transported in the transport direction while maintaining the horizontal position.

  Also, in the vicinity of the conveyance end portion of the horizontal conveyance means 5, one end along the conveyance direction of the horizontal tray 3 (the tray 3 is inclined) so that the tray 3 does not tilt on the horizontal conveyance means 5. The upper end of the tray 3 is supported from above so that the end does not float up, and the horizontal posture is maintained until substantially the entire horizontal tray 3 is transferred to the inclined conveying means 6. A tray tilt prevention means (tray tilt prevention guide) 16 is provided.

  The tray tilt prevention means 16 is configured by, for example, a tilt prevention plate 18 that is attached to the plate mounting portion 17 of the frame 15 and is horizontally disposed in the transport direction. A guide surface portion 19 for guiding the tableware 2 on the tray 3 to the center side of the tray 3 is formed at the longitudinal end of the tilt prevention plate 18 on the rear side in the transport direction.

  The inclined conveying means 6 has a removable endless conveying belt 21 arranged in an inclined shape. The conveyor belt 21 is stretched between a pair of rotating bodies 22 such as a pair of rotating shafts that are spaced apart from each other. Further, the upper end portion along the conveying direction of the inclined conveying belt 21 is positioned at substantially the same height as the conveying surface 5 a of the horizontal conveying means 5.

  Then, when the conveyor belt 21 rotates with the rotation of the rotator 22 based on the power from the drive unit 23 such as a motor, the conveyor surface 6a of the conveyor belt 21 and the mounting surface positioned on the same plane as the conveyor surface 6a The tray 3 in an inclined posture placed on the inclined plate 25 that is the surface portion is conveyed in the conveying direction while keeping the inclined posture.

  At this time, when the tray 3 is transferred from the horizontal conveying means 5 to the inclined conveying means 6 at the position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means 6, the tray 3 changes from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture by its own weight. The tableware 2 that has been placed slides down from the tray 3 in an inclined posture in which the upper end portion is in the non-clamping state and the lower end portion is in the supporting state toward the conveyance direction side.

  In addition, at the position on the conveying end side of the inclined conveying means 6, the lower end portion of the inclined tray 3 is separated from the supporting means 7 and is in an unsupported state, so that the table 7 has been prevented from slipping down by the supporting means 7. 2 slides down from the tray 3 in an inclined posture in which the upper end portion is sandwiched and the lower end portion is in an unsupported state toward the conveyance direction side.

  The tableware 2 slid down from the tray 3 is guided toward a dishwasher (not shown) by a plate-shaped guide chute 26 arranged in an inclined manner.

  The rising plate 27 erected on the rear end of the guide chute 26 in the conveying direction is caught on the lower end of the inclined tray 3 and does not slide down, that is, the lower end of the inclined tray 3. A tableware dropping plate 28 is attached to contact the tableware 2 that is rarely separated even when the section is unsupported and separates the tableware 2 from the tray 3.

  On the other hand, the support means 7 is composed of, for example, a support plate 31 that is long in the transport direction and is disposed near the lower end of the inclined plate 25 below the transport start end side of the tilted transport means 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the support plate 31 is disposed orthogonal to the inclined plate 25 located on the same plane as the conveying surface 6 a of the inclined conveying means 6, and extends along the lower end of the inclined plate 25. Located.

  The support plate 31 includes a support plate main body 32 that is long in the transport direction and has a substantially rectangular plate shape, and a plurality of, for example, two protrusions 33 that protrude from the upper end of the support plate main body 32. Each upper surface of the support plate main body 32 and the protrusion 33 that contacts the tableware 2 and the tray 3 is a smooth surface. The length dimension (height dimension) in the short direction of the support plate main body 32 is slightly larger than the height dimension of the tray 3 (see FIG. 6). The longitudinal length of the support plate body 32 is slightly larger than the longitudinal length of the tray 3 (see FIG. 1).

  The sandwiching means 8 is constituted by a sandwiching plate 41 that is long in the transport direction and is disposed above the transport end side of the inclined transport means 6, for example. As shown in FIG. 4, the sandwiching plate 41 includes a sandwiching plate main body 42 that is long and substantially rectangular in the transport direction and is positioned along a surface parallel to the transport surface 6 a of the inclined transport means 6. The plate main body 42 has a protruding plate 43 that protrudes from both ends in the longitudinal direction and gradually moves away from a plane parallel to the conveying surface 6a toward the front end, and the tray 3 of the holding plate main body 42 and the protruding plate 43 is provided. Each lower surface in contact with is a smooth surface.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, if only the tableware 2 is mistakenly placed on the horizontal transfer means 5 at the transfer start end side position of the inclined transfer means 6, the tableware 2 drops to a desired position. An opening 44 for preventing the stagnation of the tableware is provided.

  Next, the operation and the like of the separation device 1 will be described.

  When the tray 3 on which the dirty tableware 2 is placed is placed on the transport surface 5a of the horizontal transport means 5, the horizontal posture of the tray 3 is transported in the transport direction on the transport surface 5a of the horizontal transport means 5 in the horizontal position. Is done.

  In the vicinity of the conveyance end portion of the horizontal conveyance means 5, one end portion along the conveyance direction of the horizontal tray 3 is supported from above by a tilt prevention plate 18 that is a tray tilt prevention means 16. The horizontal posture of the tray 3 is maintained until substantially the entire tray 3 is transferred to the upper end portion of the conveying belt 21 of the inclined conveying means 6 (see FIG. 5).

  When substantially the entire horizontal tray 3 is transferred to the upper end of the conveyor belt 21 of the inclined conveying means 6 and one end of the horizontal tray 3 is separated from the anti-tilt plate 18, the tray 3 has its own weight and The posture is changed from a horizontal posture to an inclined posture depending on the weight of the tableware 2, the bottom surface portion of the tray 3 is supported by the conveying surface 6 a of the inclined conveying means 6 and the inclined plate 25, and the lower end portion of the tray 3 is the supporting means 7. Is supported by a support plate 31 (see FIG. 6).

  As a result, at the position on the conveyance start end side of the inclined conveyance means 6, the tableware 2 placed on the tray 3 is removed from the inclined tray 3 in which the upper end portion is in a non-nipping state and the lower end portion is in a supported state. It slides down in the direction of the conveyance direction, gets over the upper end of the support plate main body 32 of the support plate 31, and is guided to the dishwasher (not shown) by the guide chute 26.

  Further, the tray 3 in the inclined posture is conveyed in the conveying direction on the conveying surface 6a of the inclined conveying means 6 while being guided in the supporting plate body portion 32 of the supporting plate 31 which is the supporting means 7 while being in the inclined posture.

  Then, the upper end of the inclined tray 3 is sandwiched between the conveying surface 6a of the conveying belt 21 of the inclined conveying means 6 and the clamping plate 41 which is the clamping means 8, and the lower end of the inclined tray 3 is the support plate 31. The support plate main body 32 is separated from the support plate main body portion 32 and is in an unsupported state (see FIG. 7).

  As a result, at the position on the rear end side of the inclined conveying means 6, the tableware 2 that has been prevented from slipping down by the support plate body 32 of the support plate 31 that is the support means 7 is held in the upper end portion and The lower end part slides down from the inclined tray 3 in the unsupported state toward the conveyance direction side, and is guided to the dish washing apparatus side (not shown) by the guide chute 26.

  In the unlikely event, the tableware 2 caught on the lower end of the inclined tray 3 is separated from the tray 3 by coming into contact with the dish drop plate 28 and guided to the tableware washing apparatus side by the guide chute 26.

  The tray 3 carried out from the inclined conveying means 6 is sent to the tray cleaning device side by a conveying means (not shown).

  As described above, according to the separating apparatus 1, when the tray 3 is transferred from the horizontal conveying means 5 to the inclined conveying means 6 at the position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means 6, the tray 3 is changed from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture. The tableware 2 placed on the tray 3 slides down from the inclined tray 3 and the lower end portion of the inclined tray 3 becomes unsupported at the position of the inclined conveying means 6 on the conveyance end side. Since the tableware 2 that has been prevented from slipping down by the support means 7 is configured to slide down from the inclined tray 3, there is a problem that the tableware 2 such as a small plate is sandwiched with the upper end of the tray 3 unlike the conventional case. The tray 3 and the tableware 2 can be appropriately separated.

  In addition, since the tray tilt prevention means 15 is provided near the conveyance end of the horizontal conveyance means 5 and supports one end along the conveyance direction of the horizontal tray 3 from above, the tray tilt prevention means 15 is provided on the horizontal conveyance means 5. 3 can be appropriately prevented from tilting.

  The horizontal conveying means 5 and the inclined conveying means 6 may be composed of a belt conveyor having a conveying belt or a roller conveyor having a plurality of conveying rollers.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the upper end portion along the conveyance direction of the inclined conveyance belt 21 of the inclined conveyance unit 6 is positioned at substantially the same height as the conveyance surface 5a of the horizontal conveyance unit 5. For example, although not shown, the upper end portion along the conveyance direction of the inclined conveyance belt 21 is arranged at a position lower than the conveyance surface 5a, and the horizontal tray 3 from the conveyance surface 5a is substantially the same as the conveyance surface 5a. You may make it catch on the upper end part of the inclination conveyance means 6 located in the height, ie, the upper end part of the conveyor frame which supports the conveyance belt 21, for example.

  Furthermore, the dish drop plate 28 is not limited to a plate shape depending on the type and size of the tableware, but may be a brush or comb having elasticity.

It is a perspective view of the separation device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a separation apparatus same as the above. It is a front view of a separation apparatus same as the above. It is a side view of a separation apparatus same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the tray currently conveyed in the separation apparatus same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the tray currently conveyed in the separation apparatus same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the tray currently conveyed in the separation apparatus same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Separator 2 Tableware 3 Tray 5 Horizontal conveyance means
5a Conveying surface 6 Inclined conveying means 7 Support means 8 Nipping means
16 Tray tilt prevention means
21 Conveyor belt

Claims (3)

A separation device that conveys a tray on which tableware is placed and separates the tray and tableware by inclining the tray during the conveyance,
Horizontal conveying means for conveying a tray in a horizontal position;
An inclined conveying means disposed downstream of the horizontal conveying means for conveying an inclined tray; and
A support means for supporting the lower end of the inclined tray at a position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means;
A clamping means for clamping the upper end portion of the tray in an inclined posture in which the lower end portion is in an unsupported state away from the supporting means at a position on the conveyance end side of the inclined conveying means, together with the inclined conveying means;
When the tray is transferred from the horizontal conveying means to the inclined conveying means at the position on the conveying start end side of the inclined conveying means, the tableware placed on the tray is inclined when the tray changes from the horizontal attitude to the inclined attitude. Sliding down from the posture tray,
At the position on the conveyance end side of the inclined conveying means, the lower end of the inclined tray is in an unsupported state, so that the tableware that has been prevented from sliding down by the supporting means slides down from the inclined tray. Separation device characterized by. The separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a tray tilt prevention unit that is disposed near a conveyance end portion of the horizontal conveyance unit and supports one end of the horizontal tray along the conveyance direction from above. The inclined conveying means has an endless conveying belt arranged in an inclined shape,
The separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an upper end portion of the conveyor belt is positioned at substantially the same height as a conveyor surface of the horizontal conveyor unit.

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