JP4961956B2 - Tray placement position detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tray placement position detection device that detects a region where a transfer tray is arranged on a conveyor obtained by dividing a plurality of regions in the width direction.

The tray placement position detection device described in Patent Document 1 includes a tray sensor that detects the passage of a transport tray that has undergone a tracking process that determines an arrangement in an area corresponding to classification information such as harvested fruits to be packed in a sorting box. . The tray sensor is configured by providing transmission sensors in the vertical direction on both outer sides of the conveyor, and by detecting the protruding portion of the tray arranged so as to protrude partly outside the width of the conveyor, Regardless of the height dimension, the corresponding division information can be read by detecting the passage of the tray protruding sideways.
JP 2005-185993 A

  However, in order to apply the tray placement position detection device, during tracking work, the tray protrudes from the width of the conveyor and is placed close to one side and aligned so as to match the detection range of the vertical transmission sensor. Since the operation is required, there is a problem that the work efficiency is lowered due to the troublesome operation or a predetermined detection accuracy cannot be ensured.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a tray placement position detection device capable of improving work efficiency and detection accuracy while ensuring application and simple tracking work for transfer objects of various height dimensions. is there.

The invention according to claim 1 includes a conveyor (4) for placing and transporting a large number of trays (T), and the plurality of trays (T) are placed in parallel with the width of the conveyor (4). can be formed in dimensions, it is provided a tray sensor (12a) in the conveying direction outside the conveyor (4) for detecting the placement position on the conveyor of the tray to pass from the side, the tray sensor (12a) Are respectively provided on the left and right outer sides of the conveyor (4) in correspondence with the placement positions of the trays (T) respectively placed on the left and right ends of the conveyor (4). It arrange | positions in the mutually different position about the conveyance direction, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

If the tray is disposed in the outermost region of the conveyor, the tray moves with the conveyor movement operation, and the tray sensor disposed outside the tray moves the tray from the side. Detected.
The left and right tray sensors (12a, 12b) are prevented from being erroneously detected due to mutual interference between the left and right tray sensors (12a, 12b).

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the configuration of claim 1 , the conveyor (4) is provided with a plurality of partitions (4c) that are partitioned at a constant pitch in the conveying direction. Due to the partitioning, contact with the trays in the adjacent sections is avoided during the tracking operation.

Since the tray placement position detecting device having the configuration according to claim 1 can detect the tray by the tray sensor located on the outer side of the outermost divided area of the conveyor, the tray placement position detection device such as the transmission sensor system in the vertical direction is used. It is difficult to be restricted, and it is possible to facilitate the tray moving operation in the tracking work and improve the work efficiency. Since false detection due to mutual interference between the left and right when both tray sensors are arranged to face each other can be prevented, the original detection accuracy can be ensured.

The tray placement position detecting device having the configuration according to claim 2 is improved in detection accuracy because contact between trays in adjacent sections is avoided by the partition, and work efficiency is improved by facilitating the tray moving work in the sections. Can be improved.

Embodiments specifically configured based on the above technical idea will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a sorting system (tray-type transport sorting device) incorporating a tray mounting position detection device according to the present invention. As shown in the layout diagram (a) and the front-side conveyor configuration diagram (b), the sorting system 1 carries out a load receiving conveyor 2 for developing a load receiving item such as harvested fruits to be packed in a sorting box, and a boxed product. It is comprised by the circulation transfer line A for classifying the shipping conveyor 3 between these cargo receiving conveyors 2 and the shipping conveyor 3 using the free tray T for conveyance.

  The circulating transfer line A sequentially includes a tracking conveyor 4 in the tracking process, a separation conveyor 5 in the sorting process of the transfer destination, an extraction conveyor 6 in the boxing process, and a return conveyor 7 in the tray collection process in the lower stage. In addition to being connected, a bypass conveyor 8 that directly recirculates the free tray is provided so that a circulating transfer operation is possible.

The circulating conveyor line A for class sorting will be described in detail. The tracking conveyor 4 is constituted by a wide conveyor, and the single feed device 11 for supplying an empty free tray T to the central position of the conveyor width is provided upstream. In addition, a tray placement position detection device 12 for detecting the tracking position of the tray T subjected to the tracking processing, a camera 13 for tray detection, and a diversion switching unit 14 for sending a free tray to the bypass conveyor 8 according to the determination of the camera 13 It arranges in the downstream side in order.

  The tracking conveyor 4 is arranged so as to be parallel to the load receiving conveyor 2 across the work position B of the worker M... For appearance quality determination, and as shown in the sketch (a) of FIG. A plurality of divided areas 4a and 4b for tracking work for moving the tray T to the corresponding position while judging and classifying appearance quality such as “excellent” and “good” and placing on the tray T in the width direction It is constituted by a wide conveyor set to. Each of the divided areas 4a and 4b is set to be equal to or larger than the width dimension of the transfer tray T.

  The tray placement position detection device 12 is configured by tray sensors 12 a and 12 b that detect the passage of the transfer tray T disposed on the transfer surface of the conveyor 4. The tray sensors 12a and 12b are provided with left and right sensor units such as proximity sensors that detect the passage of the loading tray T in the outermost divided areas 4a and 4b of the plurality of divided areas from the side. It is arranged in. The tray sensor detects the side portion of the tray T placed in the area detected by the proximity sensor.

  When the tray T is placed in the outermost regions 4a and 4b of the conveyor 4 by the tracking operation, the tray placement position detection device 12 configured as described above is adapted to carry the tray T along with the conveying operation of the conveyor 4. Is moved, the passage of the tray T is detected from the side by the sensor portions 12a and 12b arranged on the outer side.

  In the case of the conventional transmission sensor system in the vertical direction, the detection values on the left and right cannot be adjusted, and the relationship condition between the conveyor conveyance width and the tray placement position is limited, but the tray placement position detection device of the present invention is Since this is not the case and it is difficult to limit the tray position, detection can be performed even if the conveyor width is wide, so that the detection accuracy is improved. It is possible to improve the work efficiency by simplifying the operation. Furthermore, left and right detection values can be set by teaching.

  As shown in the side view (b) of the main part, each of the divided areas is provided with partitions 4c... With a predetermined pitch as necessary. The partition 4c is formed by a section S formed by a cross-sectionally erected at a constant pitch in the conveying direction of the conveyor 4 so as to care about contact with the tray T adjacent to the front and rear during tracking work. Even if not, contact between trays in adjacent sections S can be prevented, and the maximum sliding range in the front-rear direction is secured by the partitions 4c... This makes it possible to improve detection accuracy and work efficiency.

  In this case, as shown in the sketch (c) of the subdivision example in the subdivision, the front and rear subdivisions are provided in the transport direction for the left and right outer areas 4a and 4b. The left and right outer end regions 4a and 4b are detected as “excellent” L1 and “excellent” corresponding to the arrangement in one section S according to the detection results of the left and right sensor units 12a and 12b of the tray placement position detection device 12. The five grades of L2, “good” L3, “average” L4, and “out of” L5 can be classified.

  Further, as shown in the sketch of the main part in FIG. 3, the left and right sensor units 12a and 12b are arranged at different positions in the conveying direction of the conveyor 4, thereby causing mutual interference between the left and right sensor units. Therefore, the original detection accuracy can be ensured.

  For the camera 13, an empty free tray T after the tracking operation is detected by image discrimination. The free tray determined to be empty by the camera 13 or the free tray that has been made unmeasurable is sent out to the bypass conveyor 8 by the direction switching control of the diversion switching unit 14. This bypass process eliminates wasteful processing of the sorting line, and the measurement failure tray is immediately supplied to the next tracking operation.

Next, you Keru sorting conveyor 5 to the sorting process, as shown in the transport system diagram of an enlarged plan view and FIG. 5 of the sorting unit of FIG. 4, the transport destination of the tracking conveyor 4, along a transport path grade The direction switching parts 5a, etc., are provided by cylinders or the like that push out by section, and reach the takeout conveyors 6 through the guide conveyors 21 that are connected to each side. These take-out conveyors 6 reach the return conveyor 7 via the lead-out conveyor 22 and return the empty trays T to the tracking process.

  Each direction switching unit 5a of the sorting conveyor 5 performs the grading process for each guide conveyor 21 based on information from the tray mounting position detection device 12 and the camera 13. The number of sorting sections by the sorting conveyor 5 can be set within the range of the number of installation rows of the guide conveyor 21.

  As shown in the enlarged plan view of FIG. 6, the guide plate 21b is pivotally supported by the support shaft 21c at the transition portion 21a from the separation conveyor 5 to the guide conveyor 21 so that the guide angle θ can be adjusted. The guide angle θ is matched with a transition locus that changes according to the conveyance speed of the sorting conveyor 5, so that the tray T is stably moved to the guide conveyor 21 side without the need for speed adjustment of the direction switching unit 5 a. Therefore, high-speed sorting becomes possible by simple control.

  As shown in the enlarged plan view of the main part of FIG. 7, the takeout conveyor 6 in the boxing process includes a front entrance gate 6a and a rear exit gate 6b, and a predetermined number (two in the illustrated example) of trays T. It is configured so that flow control is possible. The entrance gate 6a accepts a predetermined number (two in the illustrated example) of trays T by the operation of switches S and S for each of the two rows of guide conveyors 21 and 21, and the entrance gate 6b is used for boxing. The empty tray is released to the delivery conveyor 22 by opening the empty tray after the worker has taken out the item according to the detection of the sensor D. Further, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the configuration example of FIG. 8, the take-out conveyor 6 is provided with a guide rail R that prevents the tray T from being lifted, so that the boxing operator can smoothly remove the sorted product W from the tray T. Can be taken out.

By the flow control, depending on the working conditions of the packing operator M, it is possible to take out the tray T placing the fruit W to packing in the operator's intention from the guide conveyor 21 to take-out conveyer 6, the fruit W takeout After that, the empty tray T can be automatically detected and supplied to the delivery conveyor 22, so that the work efficiency is good.

A gate 22a for confluence control to the return conveyor 7 is provided at the outlet position of each lead-out conveyor 22 so that a plurality of empty trays can be stored. In the merge control of the gate, when the storage tray reaches a predetermined number, it is discharged from the gate 22a by the signal of the sensor 22b and merged with the reflux conveyor 7. With this merge control, empty trays can be discharged with a priority according to the amount of storage.
Moreover, by setting the priority order of the merging process for each of the delivery conveyors 22, it is possible to preferentially discharge a place where the trays are likely to accumulate.

  Instead of the above merging control, as shown in the plan view of the main part in FIG. 9, the return conveyor 7 is configured to be wide so that it can be transferred in multiple rows, and the guide rails 7a, 7a are distributed to these transfer rows from each outlet conveyor 22. By providing the sorting means such as the trays, the trays can be collected from each of the outlet conveyors 22 without adjusting the merging.

It is the layout figure (a) of a sorting system, and a front side conveyor block diagram (b). It is the top view (a) of a tracking conveyor, a principal part side view (b), and the top view (c) of the example of a fine division. It is a principal part sketch of a sensor part. It is an enlarged plan view of a sorting part. It is a conveyance system diagram of a sorting part. It is an enlarged plan view of a transition part. It is a principal part enlarged plan view of the conveyor for extraction. It is sectional drawing of the example of a conveyor structure for extraction. It is a principal part top view of the conveyor for recirculation | reflux.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sorting system 2 Load receiving conveyor 3 Shipping conveyor 4 Tracking conveyor 4a, 4b Outermost side area 4c Partition 5 Separation conveyor 6 Extraction conveyor 7 Reflux conveyor 11 Single feed device 12 Tray placement position detection device 12a, 12b Sensor part ( Tray sensor)
13 Camera 21 Guide conveyor 22 Outlet conveyor T Transport tray W Sorted goods (fruit)

Claims (2)

A conveyor (4) for placing and transporting a large number of trays (T) is provided, and the width of the conveyor (4) is formed to a dimension that allows a plurality of trays (T) to be placed in parallel. A tray sensor (12a) for detecting the placement position on the conveyor of the tray (T) passing therethrough is provided on the outside in the transport direction of (4) ,
The tray sensors (12a) are provided on both the left and right outer sides of the conveyor (4) in correspondence with the placement positions of the trays (T) respectively placed on the left and right ends of the conveyor (4). The tray mounting position detecting device, which is arranged at different positions in the conveying direction of the conveyor (4) . The tray placement position detection device according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor (4) is provided with a plurality of partitions (4c) which are partitioned at a constant pitch in the transport direction .

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