JP5699907B2 - Article input equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article loading facility for automatically loading articles into a transported collection container.

  A conventional article input facility is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The article input facility described in Patent Document 1 is arranged along a conveyance path of a collection container by conveying a collection container in which an article can be taken in and out through an upper opening in a horizontal direction by a conveyance device. This is a facility for dropping articles from above into a collection container to be conveyed by a dosing device. Usually, a plurality of input devices are installed along the conveyance path, and thereby a plurality of types of a plurality of articles are input into the collection container. In the article input facility, it is possible to efficiently collect articles in the collection container by automatically inputting articles to the collection container to be conveyed from the input device. In addition, in the article input facility, when an article is input from the input device to the collection container, the article to be input may fail and spill out of the collection container. Is provided.

JP 2009-35310 A

In the conventional article input facility, the space between the input device and the transfer device is opened to the side, and the articles that fall out of the input device without entering the collection container are sideways. In some cases, the opened part jumps out of the conveying device. Since the article that has jumped out of the conveying device deviates from the conveying path, it cannot be detected by the detection device. For this reason, it is necessary for the operator to find out that the input of the article into the collection container by the input device has failed and to search for the article that has jumped out of the conveying device. Articles that have jumped out of the transport device may roll into gaps between equipment installed in the equipment, and it may take time and effort to find out, and the articles may be lost without being discovered. Not a few.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent the loss of an article that has failed to be loaded into the collection container by the loading device.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the article input facility of the present invention is installed above the transfer device, a transfer device that transfers the collection container having an upper open part that allows the loading and unloading of articles along the transfer path,
Against collecting goods containers on the conveying device, a dosing device for performing the insertion of the article from above, along with the article to the outside of the conveying space existing between the transport device and the dosing device is provided with a cover to prevent falling off The cover is in a closed state for preventing the articles from dropping out of the conveyance space existing between the conveyance device and the loading device, and from the outside of the conveyance space existing between the conveyance device and the loading device. It is configured to be openable and closable between an open state where it can be taken in and out . Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the input of the article into the collection container by the input device fails and the article is spilled out of the collection container, the cover causes the gap between the transport device and the input device. Since the article can be retained in the existing conveyance space, the article is prevented from being lost. Further, by closing the cover, it is possible to prevent articles from dropping out of the transfer space existing between the transfer device and the loading device. By opening the cover, the cover is placed on the transfer device. It is possible to perform operations such as removing the dropped article 13.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the cover has translucency. With such a configuration,
This makes it easy for an operator to find an article that has fallen on the transport device from the outside of the transport device .
In the present invention, it is preferable to provide a scraper member that separates an article present on the side surface of the collection container on the transport device so as not to overlap the collection container in the transport direction. With such a configuration, the scraper member separates the collection container on the transport device and the article on the side surface of the collection container so as not to overlap in the transport direction. It is possible to detect an article that has fallen in the early stage.
Further, the present invention is configured such that the charging device is configured to travel the belt-like body on which the article is placed and to drop the article from the end of the belt-like body to be traveled. It is preferable to provide a detection device that detects an article caught in the article. With such a configuration, the article caught in the feeding device by the belt-like body is detected by the detection device, so that the article caught in the feeding device can be quickly found.

  According to the present invention, even if the input of the article into the collection container by the input device fails and the article is spilled out of the collection container, the cover exists between the transfer device and the input device. Since the article can be retained in the transfer space, the article can be prevented from being lost.

It is a top view showing the whole article input equipment composition of an embodiment of the invention. It is a side view of the principal part in FIG. It is sectional drawing seen from the front explaining the cover in FIG. It is a top view explaining the scraper member in FIG. It is the schematic diagram seen from the side surface explaining the detection apparatus in FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of an article input facility 11 for inputting an article 13 into a collection container 12. The article input facility 11 sequentially conveys a plurality of collection containers 12 having an upper opening through which an article 13 can be taken in and out along a conveyance path by a conveyance device 14 constituted by a belt conveyor device or the like. The equipment 13 collects the articles 13 in the collection container 12 by dropping the articles 13 from above into the collection container 12 to be conveyed by a plurality of input devices 15 arranged along the line.

  In the article input facility 11, a plurality of work areas Z (also referred to as zones) in which a worker (not shown) takes charge of work are arranged along the transport direction of the transport device 14. Each work area Z is provided with article storage means 17 for storing the articles 13 for each type. A plurality of input devices 15 are provided for each work area Z, accepts the articles 13 taken out from the article storage means 17 by the operator, and drops them into the collection containers 12 conveyed by the conveying device 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 15 is installed above the transport device 14, and drops and throws articles into the collection container 12 transported on the transport device 14 from above. As shown in FIG. 3, a conveyance space 16 that is a space in which the collection container 12 is mainly conveyed exists between the conveyance device 14 and the input device 15. When the article 13 is dropped into the collection container 12 by the input device 15, the article 13 may spill out of the collection container 12 due to some factor. In most cases, the article 13 spilled from the collection container 12 falls on the conveyance surface 27 of the conveyance device 14 and stays in the conveyance space 16. However, the article 13 may try to jump out of the conveyance space 16. In order to prevent the article 13 from jumping out of the conveying space 16, the article 13 is prevented from jumping out of the conveying space 16 and jumping out of the conveying apparatus 14 between the conveying device 14 and the loading device 15. A cover 20 is provided.

  The cover 20 is provided in the lower part of the feeding device 15 so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the transport path of the transport device 14. The cover 20 includes a translucent plate member 21, metal members 22 attached to both ends of the plate member 21, a stop member 23 provided at a lower portion of the plate member 21, and a metal member 22 of the plate member 21. A removable hinge 24 provided and a handle 25 provided on the stop member 23 are provided.

  The article 13 that jumps out of the conveying device 14 by the plate member 21 is bounced inward and dropped onto the conveying surface 27 of the conveying device 14. The stop member 23 abuts on the side frame 50 of the transport device 14 and restricts the plate member 21 from closing more than necessary. The removable hinge 24 pivots the plate member 21 around the pivot shaft 34 to prevent the article 13 from dropping the cover 20 to the outside of the transport space 16 existing between the transport device 14 and the loading device 15. The closed state (solid line state in FIG. 3) and the open state in which the article 13 can be taken in and out from the outside of the conveyance space 16 existing between the conveyance device 14 and the input device 15 (two-dot chain line state in FIG. 3). It can be opened and closed between.

  The metal member 22 can be coupled to the magnetic member 31 provided on the support member 32 on the charging device 15 side by a magnetic force. When the magnetic member 31 pivots the plate member 21 outward about the pivot axis 34 and brings the metal member 22 of the plate member 21 close to the magnetic member 31, the metal member 22 and the magnetic member 31 are coupled by magnetic force, and the plate member 21. Can be temporarily held with respect to the magnetic member 31 at a predetermined opening angle. When the plate member 21 is pulled outward with a force equal to or greater than the coupling force between the metal member 22 and the magnetic member 31, the metal member 22 and the magnetic member 31 are separated from each other, and when the plate member 21 is closed, the stop member 23 is transported. 14, the space between the upper end of the conveying device 14 and the lower end of the feeding device 15 is covered by the cover 20 so that the article 13 does not jump out of the conveying device 14.

  The cover 20 is closed while the article 13 is being input by the input device 15 while the collection container 12 is being transferred by the transfer device 14. When the cover 20 is in a closed state, the article 13 spilled from the collection container 12 is bounced by the plate member 21 and falls onto the transport surface 27 of the transport device 14. For this reason, the spilled article 13 is prevented from jumping out of the conveying device 14. Further, since the plate member 21 of the cover 20 is made of a light-transmitting member, it is easy for an operator to find the article 13 that has fallen on the conveyance surface 27 from the outside of the conveyance device 14.

  On the other hand, when removing the article 13 that has fallen on the conveyance surface 27 of the conveyance device 14, the cover 20 is opened. When the operator opens the cover 20, the operator turns the plate member 21 around the turning shaft 34 with the handle 34 of the cover 20, and connects the metal member 22 and the magnetic member 31 to temporarily open the cover 20. To keep. As a result, the operator can remove the article 13 that has fallen on the transport surface 27 of the transport device 14 without supporting the cover 20, thereby reducing the work burden.

  When the cover 20 is unnecessary, the cover 20 is provided with the removable hinge 24, so that the cover 20 can be completely removed by the removable hinge 24. Thereby, when the maintenance of the transfer device 14 and the loading device 15 is performed, the operation can be performed with the cover 20 removed.

  An auxiliary cover 35 is provided above the cover 20. There may be a slight gap in the height direction between the upper end of the cover 20 and the lower end of the throwing device 15, and the lightweight and small article 13 may jump out of such a gap. The auxiliary cover 35 prevents a small, lightweight article 13 from jumping out of the conveying device 14 from the gap in the height direction between the cover 20 and the loading device 15. The auxiliary cover 35 is preferably constituted by a flexible member. Thereby, even if the cover 20 and the auxiliary cover 35 contact, the opening / closing operation | movement and removal operation | movement of the cover 20 can be performed without a problem.

  When the article 13 spills out of the collection container 12, the article 13 may jump out upstream or downstream from the input device 15. In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 2, a cover 20 ′ that shields the side of the space above the transport device 14 may be provided on the upstream side or the downstream side in the transport direction from the input device 15. As with the cover 20, the cover 20 'can be opened and closed between an open state and a closed state, and can be removed.

  A detection device 28 capable of distinguishing and detecting the collection container 12 and an object other than the collection container is provided at a position downstream of the input device 15 in the transport direction. The detection device 28 is used, for example, to detect the article 13 that has fallen and dropped from the feeding device 15 and spilled on the transport surface 27 of the transport device 14 without completely entering the collection container 12. The detection device 28 is configured by an optical sensor including two sets of light projectors and light receivers arranged at positions on both sides of the transport device 14. The two sets of optical sensors have different detection optical path heights. In this case, when both detection lights of the two sets of light sensors are blocked, it is determined that the collection container has been detected. When only the lower detection light of the two detection lights is blocked, other than the collection container It is determined that no article has been detected. The detection device 28 can automatically detect an article dropped on the conveyance surface 27, so that it is possible to quickly find out that the insertion device 15 has failed to input the article 13.

  However, since the detection device 28 composed of an optical sensor does not distinguish and detect the length (width) of the object in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the article is placed on the side surface that is substantially parallel to the transport direction of the collection container 12. Even if 13 is present, it is determined that only the collection container 12 is detected, and the article 13 cannot be detected. In order to separate the article 13 existing on the side surface substantially parallel to the conveyance direction of the collection container 12 from the collection container 12 in the conveyance direction and enable detection by the detection device 28, FIG. The scraper member 52 shown in FIG. The scraper member 52 separates the article 13 present on the side surface of the collection container 12 on the conveying device 14 so as not to overlap the collection container 12 in the conveyance direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the scraper member 52 is formed longer than the collection container 12 in the height direction. The scraper member 52 is fixed so as to be positioned at a height between the transport device 14 and the feeding device 15, and is provided on the upstream side of the detection device 28. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of scraper members 52 are provided centering on the transport direction of the collection container 12, and are arranged so as to incline downstream in the transport direction toward the center of the transport path in plan view. Yes. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the scraper member 52 contacts the both sides of the collection container 12 to be conveyed, scrapes off the articles 13 existing on the side surface of the collection container 12, and Separate upstream. The article 13 separated by the scraper member 52 is detected as the article 13 by the detection device 28. Further, the article 13 separated by the scraper member 52 can be easily found from the outside of the conveying device 14, and can be found at an early stage. Note that the scraper member 52 may be formed of a translucent member so that an operator can easily confirm the state on the transport device 14 from the outside.

In the article input facility, another problem is that the article remains in the input device without being input. Conventionally, the problem that articles remain without being thrown into the throwing device has been revealed for the first time in the form of a shortage of articles to be collected in the collection container. Since there are various factors in the shortage of articles to be collected in the collection container, the operator needs to consider various factors, and until it is actually discovered that articles remain in the input device. Took a lot of time and effort to study and explore. The remaining of the articles in the throwing device is particularly likely to occur in the throwing device 15 of a type in which the article 13 is thrown using a throwing belt as shown in FIG. The throwing device 15 of the type using the throwing belt travels the throwing belt 42 which is a belt-like body on which the article 13 is placed,
The article 13 is thrown in by dropping the article 13 from the end of the throwing belt 42 to be run. More specifically, the charging device 15 is a drive that rotationally drives any one of the rotating shafts 40, and an endless body 41 that includes a plurality of rotating shafts 40, a chain wound around the rotating shafts 40, and the like. A motor 43, a closing belt 42 having a starting end attached to a part of the endless body 41, and a belt feeding mechanism 44 including a pressing roller that pinches or feeds the terminal end of the closing belt 42 downward. In order to detect the article 13 remaining in the throwing device 15, a detection device 46 for detecting the article 13 caught in the throwing device 15 by the throwing belt 42 is provided inside the throwing device 15. . The detection device 46 detects the article 13 present in the space between the start end side of the input belt 42 and the internal frame 45.

  When the throwing device 15 starts dropping the article 13, as shown in FIG. 5A, the throwing belt 42 remains above the belt feeding mechanism 44 by about one third on the end side. As shown in FIG. 5B, by driving the belt feeding mechanism 44, about one third of the end side of the closing belt 42 is first fed out. Then, when the throwing belt 42 hangs down while placing the article 13 and hangs for a certain distance in the height direction, the endless body 41 starts to rotate, and the throwing belt 42 circulates at the start end side. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the article 13 placed on the charging belt 42 is a thin article, the article 13 is sandwiched between the rotating shaft 40 and the charging belt 42, and the charging device The article 13 is wound inside the throwing device 15 in the space between the inner frame 45 and the throwing belt 42. A detection device 46 that detects the entrainment of the article 13 is provided between the input belt 42 and the inner frame 45. As shown in FIG. 5D, when the article 13 having a small thickness is caught between the inner frame 45 and the throwing belt 42 by driving the throwing belt 42, the detection device 46 is displaced by the article 13 and the detection member 46 is displaced. A detection signal is output to the control device by oscillating or the like when the 47 is pressed against the article 13 in which it is involved. Based on the detection signal input from the detection device 46, the control device operates an alarm device or the like to notify the operator that the article 13 has been caught inside the input device 15. Accordingly, it is possible to quickly find that the article 13 remains in the throwing device 15 and to quickly find the article 13 for which the throwing by the throwing device 15 has failed.

  Note that, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which articles are input by the input device to the collection container transported by the transport device is described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited thereto, and the transport device is intermittently driven. The present invention can also be applied to a case in which articles are input by the input device to the collection container that is stopped below the input device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Article input equipment 12 Collection container 13 Article 14 Conveyor 15 Input device 16 Conveyance space 20 Cover 21 Plate member 22 Metal member 23 Stopping member 24 Detachable hinge 27 Conveyance surface 28 Detector 30 Holding means 31 Magnetic member 46 Detector 52 Scraper material

Claims (4)

A transporting device for transporting a collection container having an upper opening capable of taking in and out the articles along the transporting path;
An input device that is installed above the transfer device and that drops articles from above with respect to the collection container on the transfer device;
A cover is provided to prevent the articles from dropping out of the conveying space existing between the conveying device and the charging device, and the cover is configured to allow the articles to move outside the conveying space existing between the conveying device and the charging device. It is configured to be openable and closable between a closed state that prevents the dropout and an open state in which articles can be taken in and out from the outside of the transport space existing between the transport device and the input device <br>/> An article input facility characterized by the following. The article input facility according to claim 1, wherein the cover has translucency.   If the article on the side of the collection container on the transport device overlaps the collection container in the transport direction
Provided a scraper member to separate
The article input facility according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein   The throwing device travels the strip with the article on it and drops the article from the end of the strip
It is configured to input the goods by letting
  A detection device is provided in the input device to detect articles caught in the input device by a belt-like body.
Was it
The article input facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:

Images