JP6113011B2 - Right and left separation supply device for goods - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a left / right separation and supply apparatus for articles.

  Generally, in the supply of parts such as parts supply to product assembly equipment, container supply to filling equipment, cap supply to cap fastening equipment of filling and packaging equipment, etc., it is necessary to supply the articles in a fixed quantity and in the same direction. .

  In recent article supply apparatuses, articles having complicated shapes that are difficult to handle have increased. For this reason, in order to facilitate handling of the article in the existing article supply apparatus, manual pre-processing may be performed. In addition, the article supply apparatus itself may be a robot that can handle articles having complicated shapes, but in this case as well, pre-processing for facilitating handling of articles by the robot is required.

  Therefore, an inexpensive and simple pre-processing device is required as a pre-processing for an article handled by an existing article supply device or a robot.

  As a conventional pretreatment device, there is a foreign matter sorting feeder described in Patent Document 1. This foreign material sorting feeder is tilted to the left and right from the side inclined downward and rearward with respect to the direction of movement of the glass waste at a position halfway between the end of the belt conveyor and the upper surface of the table and in the middle of the fall of the glass waste. Triangular guide plates are arranged. On this guide plate, a ridge that protrudes obliquely backward and downward with respect to the inclined side of the guide plate is provided with a height of about 3 cm. On the table in front of the guide plate, there is provided a protrusion that gives resistance to the glass waste so that the glass waste spreads in the table width direction.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-187739

  In the foreign matter sorting feeder described in Patent Document 1, the article can be separated to the left and right of the table by the guide plate, but the direction of the separated article cannot be aligned in one direction.

  An object of the present invention is to divide an article into right and left parts and align the direction of the separated article in one direction and supply it to a lower process.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an apparatus for separating and supplying articles to be separated into left and right longitudinal flows, and a lower conveyor disposed below the upper conveyor is connected to the downstream side of the upper conveyor. A bar-shaped left and right separation body facing from the downstream side to the intermediate portion in the conveyor width direction at the carry-out end of the upper conveyor is provided so as to be swingable along the transport direction of the upper conveyor above the lower conveyor, The tip is set at the article collision standby position defined downstream of the carry-out end of the upper conveyor by the torque applied by the torque generator, and receives the collision force of the article carried out from the carry-out end of the upper conveyor and receives the article collision standby. The swing is made possible in a direction away from the position.

  According to the left / right separation / supply apparatus for an article according to the present invention, the article can be separated into left and right, and the direction of the separated article can be aligned in one direction and supplied to the lower process.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a left / right separation and supply device for articles. FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of an article having no shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another example of an article having no shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of an article having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another example of an article having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing another example of an article having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a left / right separated supply state of an article by a left / right separated body. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the installation relationship between the left and right separators and the lower conveyor. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing forces acting on the left and right separators. FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a left and right separation body provided with a weight type torque generator. FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a left and right separation body provided with a spring type torque generator. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a left and right separated supply situation of an article having no shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a left / right separation supply state of an article having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 15 is a side view showing a left / right separation supply device in which a plurality of left / right separation bodies are installed in parallel.

  The left and right separation supply device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 separates the article 1 into left and right longitudinal flows and enables supply to the lower process.

  The article 1 having a biased center of gravity in the longitudinal direction is suitable as described later in that the article 1 can be supplied with the side with the center of gravity of the article 1 facing forward. As the article 1 having a length and having a biased center of gravity, there is no difference in shape in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or the shape in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. You can adopt the one with a difference. 3 to 7, X1 is the article width, Y1 is the article length, and G is the center of gravity.

  The article 1 shown in FIG. 3 has a uniform circular cross section in the longitudinal direction, and has a weight part where the center of gravity G is located on one end side and a lightweight part on the other end side.

  The article 1 shown in FIG. 4 has a uniform square cross section (or a polygonal cross section is acceptable) in the longitudinal direction, and has a weight part where the center of gravity G is located on one end side and a lightweight part on the other end side.

  The article 1 shown in FIG. 5 is a trigger pump having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction, and has one end side as a head portion where the center of gravity G is located and the other end side as a tail portion made of a hard-shaped tube.

  The article 1 shown in FIG. 6 is a trigger pump having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. One end side is a head where the center of gravity G is located, and the other end is a tail made of a soft tube.

  The article 1 shown in FIG. 7 is a push-type pump having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction. One end side is a head portion where the center of gravity G is located, and the other end side is a tail portion made of a hard and thick tube.

  The left and right separation and supply device 10 is configured as shown in FIGS. That is, the lower conveyor 30 is arranged on the downstream side of the upper conveyor 20 at a position lower than the upper conveyor 20 so as to overlap with the upper conveyor 20 (length D1 described later) when viewed from above. . Then, a bar-shaped left and right separator 40 facing from the downstream side to the intermediate portion in the conveyor width direction at the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20, in the present embodiment, approximately in the center, is arranged in the conveying direction of the upper conveyor 20 above the lower conveyor 30. It is provided so that it can swing along. At this time, the left and right separator 40 is attached to the rotating shaft 51 of the torque transfer device 50 at the upper end side. And the front-end | tip which is the lower end of the right-and-left separation body 40 is set to the article | item collision standby position R defined in the downstream of the carrying-out end of the upper stage conveyor 20 against the gravity with the torque which the torque generator 50 provides, and an upper stage conveyor In response to the collision force of the article 1 unloaded from the unloading end 20, it swings in a direction away from the article collision standby position R. In addition, the article collision standby position R is set above the position where the tip of the left and right separator 40 is lowest and closer to the upper conveyor 20.

  Accordingly, in the left and right separation and supply device 10, as shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9, the articles 1 conveyed by the upper conveyor 20 in a random orientation exit from the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20 and become the left and right separators 40. When a collision occurs, the article 1 is divided into left and right parts and separated, and the side with the center of gravity G of the article 1 precedes by inertia, and the side with the center of gravity G falls first and comes into contact with the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30 first. Be transported. As a result, the articles 1 conveyed by the lower conveyor 30 are separated into two vertical columns of left and right vertical flows that precede the front side of the article 1 with the center of gravity G and are supplied to the next process. 8 shows the left and right separated and aligned state of the article 1 having no shape difference in the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 9 shows the left and right separated and aligned state of the article 1 having a shape difference in the longitudinal direction.

Hereinafter, each part structure of the right-and-left separation supply apparatus 10 is explained in full detail.
(Configuration of upper conveyor 20 and lower conveyor 30) (FIGS. 1, 2, and 9)
The upper conveyor 20 can be constituted by a belt conveyor. At this time, the material of the belt and the like are not particularly defined. However, since the article 1 is surely fed to the left and right separators 40, the surface slipperiness is preferably a standard or high grip type.

  The lower conveyor 30 can be constituted by a belt conveyor. At this time, the material of the belt and the like are not particularly defined, but the surface slipperiness is preferably a standard or high grip type in order to reliably convey the article 1 on the side where it first dropped.

  The conveyor length L1 of the upper conveyor 20 is not particularly defined, but is preferably 1.5 times or more the article length Y1.

The conveyor length L2 of the lower conveyor belt 30 is defined by the following L3.
The overlapping length D1 when the upper conveyor 20 and the lower conveyor 30 are viewed from above is preferably 0.5 times or more of the article length Y1 so that the article 1 does not fall from the gap between the upper conveyor 20 and the lower conveyor 30. .

  In the lower conveyor 30, the length L3 of the true lower conveyor 30 excluding the overlapping length D1 with the upper conveyor 20 is preferably so that the article 1 can be stably separated under the action of the left and right separators 40. 1.2 times or more of the product length Y1 is preferable, and 1.5 times or more is more preferable.

  The conveyor width W1 of the upper conveyor 20 is preferably at least 1.4 times the article length Y1 in order to prevent the article 1 from being clogged, and the article length Y1 in order to cause the article 1 to collide with the left and right separators 40 reliably. Is preferably within 1.9 times, particularly preferably within 1.7 times the article length Y1.

  The conveyor width W2 of the lower conveyor 30 is preferably set to be 1 or more times the conveyor width W1 of the upper conveyor 20 in order to prevent clogging of the articles 1.

  In the conveyor width direction of the upper conveyor 20, the distance W 3 from the side portion to the left and right separators 40 is 0.4 to 0.6 times the conveyor width W 1 of the upper conveyor 20. Normally, it is approximately 0.5 times, but when the left and right flow rates after separation of the article 1 are desired to be different, the side on which the increase in the flow rate of the article 1 is desired is made wider than the left and right separator 40.

  Both the upper conveyor 20 and the lower conveyor 30 may be provided with plate-like guides 21 and 31 (only one side is shown in FIG. 8) on the left and right sides. The height of the guides 21 and 31 from the conveyor surface of the upper conveyor 20 and the lower conveyor 30 is preferably 0.8 times or more of the article length Y1 in order to prevent the article 1 from dropping.

  The conveying speed of the upper conveyor 20 is preferably 15 m / min or more, more preferably 25 m / min or more in order to ensure that the article 1 collides with the left and right separators 40. Moreover, 60 m / min or less is preferable in order to prevent the article 1 from colliding with the left / right separator 40 with an excessively strong force and scratching the article 1.

  The conveyance speed of the lower conveyor 30 is set to 0.6 times or more, more preferably 0.8 times or more of the conveyance speed of the upper conveyor 20 in order to prevent clogging of the articles 1. If the conveying speed is increased too much, handling of the article in the next process becomes difficult, so that the maximum speed without clogging is appropriately adjusted according to the flow rate of the article 1. As an example, it is good to make it 3 times or less of the conveyance speed of the upper conveyor 20.

  The upper limit of the flow rate of the articles 1 supplied to the upper conveyor 20 is preferably 1.5 times the flow rate at which the majority of articles start to overlap on the upper conveyor surface 20, and more preferably 1.0 times. When the article 1 overlaps vertically, the article 1 becomes an obstacle to each other when the article is separated into a vertical flow by the left and right separators 40, and the effect of the left and right separators 40 is reduced. The flow rate is appropriately adjusted according to the width of the upper conveyor 20, the conveyance speed, and the size of the article 1.

(Configuration of the left / right separator 40 and the torque generator 50) (FIGS. 1, 10 to 12)
The torque generator 50 to which the left / right separator 40 is attached is fixed to a mounting bracket (not shown) so that the positional relationship between the left / right separator 40 and the upper conveyor 20 is constant. As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the mounting bracket can be adjusted in position in the vertical and horizontal height directions when viewed from the side, so that the vertical and horizontal height direction positions of the left and right separating bodies 40 can be set to the optimum positions. The torque generator 50 can apply a desired torque to the left and right separator 40.

  The article collision standby position R of the left and right separated body 40 is set so that the front end of the left and right separated body 40 is positioned below or equal to the conveyor surface of the upper conveyor 20. At this time, the shortest distance C1 between the tip of the left and right separator 40 and the upper conveyor 20 is the contact between the tip of the left and right separator 40 and the conveyor surface of the upper conveyor 20 due to the bending and inertia associated with the swing of the left and right separator 40. Therefore, the height of the upper conveyor 20 is appropriately adjusted to about 3 to 15 mm as an example to prevent the conveyor surface of the upper conveyor 20 from being damaged. Moreover, it is preferable that the tip position of the left and right separator 40 is set at a position lower than the conveyor surface (upper surface) of the upper conveyor 20 by a distance C2 so that the article 1 reliably collides with the left and right separator 40. The distance C2 is about ½ or more of the thickness of the upper conveyor 20 formed by the upper and lower surfaces of the upper conveyor 20.

  When the left and right separators 40 collide with the article 1 and are pushed and become parallel to the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 9, that is, the distance between the tip of the left and right separators 40 and the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30 is the shortest. The distance between the front end of the left and right separator 40 and the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30 is C3. C3 is set to 5 mm or more as an example so that the tip of the left and right separator 40 does not contact the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30. Further, C3 is preferably 0.6 times or more of the article width X1, more preferably 1.1 times or more of the article width X1, in order to avoid the article 1 being sandwiched between the tip of the left and right separators 40 and the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30. It is good to make it.

  The left and right separators 40 are swung to the upstream side in the conveying direction of the upper conveyor 20 and the lower conveyor 30 by the torque generator 50, and are moved by the torque generator 50 or controlled by an upstream stopper (not shown). Stop at. The angle θ1 formed by the left and right separator 40 and the vertical line when torque is applied by the torque generator 50 is set to 5 degrees or more so that the article 1 can easily collide with the left and right separator 40, and the article 1 is caught by the left and right separator 40. In order to prevent clogging, it is preferable to set it to 45 degrees or less. The position of the left / right separator 40 regulated by this θ1 is the article collision standby position where the article 1 does not collide with the left / right separator 40. θ1 is particularly preferably 15 to 30 degrees.

  In order to prevent clogging of the article 1, the maximum angle θ <b> 2 at which the left and right separator 40 can swing until it is strongly pushed by the collision of the article 1 and swings and is regulated by the downstream stopper 41 is set to 10 degrees or more. The If θ2 is too large, the left and right separator 40 is strongly pressed by the article 1 and then the time for returning to the article collision standby position becomes long, and the article 1 may pass through the left and right separator 40 during this time. For this reason, θ2 is preferably set to 40 degrees or less. θ2 is particularly preferably set to 15 degrees to 30 degrees. θ2 may be set by a downstream stopper 41 whose position can be adjusted so as to be freely determined. The portion of the downstream stopper 41 that contacts the left and right separators 40 is not a point but a line or surface, and the material is a slightly flexible material such as urethane rubber. The left and right separators 40 collide with the downstream stopper 41. Thus, it is preferable not to bend the left / right separator 40.

  In order to prevent the left and right separator 40 from clogging the article 1, the tip of the left and right separator 40 swung in the direction away from the article collision standby position to the downstream side can be held at the separated position for a certain period of time. For example, the torque generator 50 causes the left / right separator 40 to swing from the position θ1 to the position θ2 at a constant period and is held at the position θ2 for a predetermined time. As an example of the period, it is possible to swing to θ2 after setting it to θ1 for 3 seconds, return to the θ1 position after holding for 0.5 seconds at θ2.

  When the clogging of the article 1 due to the left and right separator 40 is detected by a camera or a sensor, the left and right separator 40 is forcibly retracted to the position θ2 by the torque generator 50 and held for a certain time. In order for the torque generating device 50 to perform this operation, the torque generating device 50 may be configured by a lorry actuator.

  The material of the left and right separator 40 is not particularly limited, and may be a metal or a resin. In this embodiment, stainless steel is used.

  The cross-sectional shape of the left and right separators 40 is preferably a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon with rounded corners. In particular, by making the portion in contact with the article 1 a curved surface, the article 1 can be prevented from being damaged. Further, the size of the cross section of the left / right separator 40 is slightly reduced toward the tip, so that the article 1 can be prevented from being entangled with the left / right separator 40 and clogging. In this embodiment, a round bar is used.

  It is possible to prevent the article 1 from being damaged by smoothing the surface where the left and right separators 40 are in contact with the article 1. Moreover, the left-right separator 40 can prevent clogging due to the article 1 being entangled by making the surface low friction. In order to achieve low friction, there are methods such as improving the surface finishing accuracy, applying a sliding tape, performing a coating treatment for improving the slipperiness, or manufacturing with a material having a good slipperiness such as high density polyethylene. In this embodiment, a high-density polyethylene sliding tape is attached to the surface of the stainless steel rod.

  The length of the left / right separator 40 (the length from the attachment portion to the tip of the rotating shaft 51 of the torque generating device 50 to the tip) P1 is set to be equal to or longer than the length Y1, so that the article 1 is stood and conveyed. However, it is possible to prevent the article 1 from coming into contact with the torque generating device 50 and being damaged or clogged. Further, if the length P1 of the left and right separating bodies 40 is too long, the equipment becomes large, or the left and right separating bodies 40 are bent and deformed, so that the tip contacts the upper conveyor 20 and damages the conveyor surface. P1 is preferably within 3 times the article length Y1. In this embodiment, the length is about 1.5 times the article length Y1.

  The thickness of the left / right separator 40 is not particularly limited as long as the left / right separator 40 does not deform when the article 1 collides with the left / right separator 40. When the article 1 has a dent, by making the thickness of the left and right separator 40 equal to or larger than the width of the dent part, the tip of the left and right separator 40 fits into the dent part of the article 1 and does not come out. Troubles such as 1 being caught in the upper conveyor 20 can be prevented. There is no problem as long as the left and right separators 40 have some strength, so long as the tip does not contact the upper conveyor 20. In the present embodiment, the left and right separator 40 is composed of a stainless steel rod having a diameter of 8 mm.

  The force Ft applied to the left / right separator 40 by the torque generator 50 is F1 or more and F1 when the force component acting in the swing direction (rotational direction) of the left / right separator 40 is F1. 3 times or less.

  That is, when the torque is applied by the torque generator 50, the force component that the gravity F0 due to the mass of the article 1 acts in the swing direction of the left and right separator 40 is F1 in the rotational radius direction of the left and right separator 40 as shown in FIG. If the applied force is F2, then F1 = F0 × sin θ1. In this embodiment, when the weight of the article 1 is 0.035 g, F0 = 0.34N and θ1 = 20 degrees are set, and F1 = 0.12N. If the torque of the torque generator 50 is determined to be F1, the left and right separator 40 is pushed back by the article 1 and the acting force on the article 1 is lost. The force Ft exerted on the article 1 is made larger than F1. Ft is preferably about 1.3 to 3.0 times that of F1, and more preferably 1.7 to 2.3 times that of F1. Here, when Ft = 2.0 × F1, Ft = 0.24N. From the length P1 of the left and right separator 40, the optimum torque that the torque generator 50 should generate is T = Ft × P1. Here, when P1 = 0.25 m, T = 0.06 N · m. When the torque generator 50 is an air rotary actuator, the air pressure may be determined so that this torque is obtained. In the torque generator 50 of this embodiment, CRBU2W15-90S manufactured by SMC is used. From the diagram of the air pressure and the generated torque, in order to make T = 0.06 N · m, the air pressure is 0.25. It may be set to MPa.

  The torque generation means of the torque generator 50 is not particularly limited, but a rotary actuator that can arbitrarily set the magnitude of torque is easy to handle. In particular, when the pneumatic rotary actuator shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 10 or the like is used, a commercially available product can be used as it is, and the torque can be easily adjusted by the magnitude of the air pressure, which is most preferable. Also, an electric rotary actuator capable of setting torque can be used.

  As the torque generator 50, a weight type using the weight unit 60 shown in FIG. The left and right separators 40 are swung to the upstream side along the conveying direction of the upper conveyor 20 by the weight unit 60, stopped at the upstream stopper 61, set to the article collision standby position (position of θ 1), and When it swings to θ2 due to a collision, it is regulated by the downstream stopper 62. The weight unit 60 includes a weight mounting bar 60A attached to the upper end side of the left and right separator 40 and a weight 60B. When the weight attaching bar 60A is attached in the vicinity of the center of the rotation axis of the left and right separating body 40, the locus of the weight 60B moves with the same rotation radius with respect to the swing center of the left and right separating body 40. Is preferable. The weight 60B can be additionally attached to and detached from the weight mounting bar 60A, or the position of fixing to the weight mounting bar 60A can be adjusted, so that the magnitude of the generated torque can be freely adjusted.

  As the torque generating device 50, a spring type using the spring unit 70 shown in FIG. The left and right separator 40 is swung upstream by the spring force of the spring 70A of the spring unit 70, stops at the upstream stopper 71, and is set to the article collision standby position (position θ1). It is regulated by the downstream stopper 72 when it is swung up. One end of the spring 70A is attached to a spring fixing portion 70B provided on the upper end side of the left and right separator 40 so that the tip of the left and right separator 40 generates torque toward the upstream side along the conveying direction of the upper conveyor 20. The other end of the spring 70A is attached to a spring fixing portion 70C fixed to a mounting bracket (not shown). The spring 70A can be removed and replaced, and the position of the spring fixing portion 70B and the spring fixing portion 70C can be adjusted, so that the magnitude of the torque generated by the spring 70A can be freely adjusted.

Hereinafter, a specific operation of the left and right separation and supply device 10 will be described.
FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show the use state of the left and right separation supply device 10 in which the left and right separators 40 are installed at a single central position along the conveyor width direction of the upper conveyor 20. Here, FIG. 13 shows the right and left separation and supply status of the article 1 (having the circular cross section shown in FIG. 3) having no shape difference in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, FIG. 14 has shown the right-and-left separation supply condition of the articles | goods 1 (trigger pump shown in FIG. 5) which has a shape difference in a longitudinal direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, when the article 1 conveyed in a random orientation by the upper conveyor 20 collides with the left and right separators 40 and is separated into left and right, it falls and reaches the lower conveyor 30, In the lower conveyor 30, the articles 1 are separated and aligned in two columns of left and right longitudinal flows preceded by the side with the center of gravity of the article 1. In addition, since the article 1 that has already been in the vertical flow in the upper conveyor 20 hardly collides with the left and right separators 40, the vertical flow is maintained even if it falls on the lower conveyor 30. If the article 1 is facing backward on the upper conveyor 20 side with the center of gravity, the lower conveyor 30 side also has a longitudinal flow with the side with the center of gravity facing backward. In addition, a constant interval can be formed between the preceding and following articles 1 and 1 flowing vertically on the lower conveyor 30.

  As shown in FIG. 14, even if the article 1 such as a trigger pump is easily entangled with each other because the head is an uneven shape and the tail is a U-shaped tube, the articles 1 are separated into two vertical flow streams. And can be aligned.

  FIG. 15 shows a use state of the left and right separation supply device 10 in which a plurality of left and right separators 40 are arranged in parallel at a plurality of positions along the conveyor width direction of the upper conveyor 20. FIG. 15 shows an example in which two left and right separators 40, 40 are used, and the article 1 is separated and aligned into three longitudinal flows.

According to the left and right separation and supply device 10 of the present embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(a) When the article 1 conveyed in a random direction by the upper conveyor 20 collides with the left and right separator 40 set at the article collision standby position at the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20, the article 1 is separated into the left and right. At the same time, it is separated into two vertical streams of left and right and aligned and supplied to the lower process.

  In addition, since the articles 1 that have already been in the vertical flow in the upper conveyor 20 hardly collide with the left and right separators 40, the vertical flow is maintained even if they fall on the lower conveyor 30.

  Therefore, most of the articles 1 (for example, 90% with respect to the flow rate) that have reached the lower conveyor 30 are vertically flowed in two rows.

  (b) The tip of the left and right separator 40 set at the article collision standby position is set below the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20. As a result, the articles 1 conveyed in a random direction reliably collide with the left and right separators 40 at the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20.

  (c) The tip of the left / right separating body 40 swung in a direction away from the article collision standby position is held at a position away from the article collision standby position for a certain period of time. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the article 1 from being sandwiched between the left and right separators 40 and the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20, thereby preventing the article 1 from clogging the carry-out end of the upper conveyor 20.

  (d) A plurality of left and right separators 40 are installed in parallel at a plurality of positions along the conveyor width direction of the upper conveyor 20. Thereby, the article 1 that reaches the lower conveyor 30 through the plurality of left and right separators 40 can be separated into N columns of vertical flows determined by N = (number of installed left and right separators +1).

  (e) When the article 1 has a center of gravity bias in the longitudinal direction, the article 1 can be easily aligned in a longitudinal flow along the longitudinal direction with the side having the center of gravity preceded. That is, the side with the center of gravity of the article 1 falls first and is brought into contact with the conveyor surface of the lower conveyor 30 first. As a result, the articles 1 conveyed by the lower conveyor 30 are separated into two left and right columns of vertical flow with the side of the center of gravity of the articles 1 leading forward and are aligned and supplied to the lower process. In addition, since the articles 1 that have already been in the vertical flow in the upper conveyor 20 hardly collide with the left and right separators 40, the vertical flow is maintained even if they fall on the lower conveyor 30. At this time, if the side with the center of gravity of the article 1 is facing backward, the article 1 is in a longitudinal flow with the side with the center of gravity facing backward. Accordingly, the articles 1 that are more than half of the longitudinal flow that has reached the lower conveyor 30 (for example, 70% or more of the flow rate) are preceded by the side with the center of gravity.

  According to the present invention, an article can be separated into left and right, and the direction of the separated article can be aligned in one direction and supplied to a lower process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Article 10 Left-right separation supply apparatus 20 Upper conveyor 30 Lower conveyor 40 Left-right separation body 50 Torque generator

Claims (5)

A left and right separation and supply device for an article that is supplied by separating the article into left and right longitudinal flows,
A lower conveyor disposed below the upper conveyor is connected to the downstream side of the upper conveyor,
A bar-shaped left and right separator that faces the intermediate part in the conveyor width direction at the carry-out end of the upper conveyor from the downstream side is provided so as to be swingable along the conveying direction of the upper conveyor above the lower conveyor,
The tip of the left and right separators is set at the article collision standby position determined downstream of the carry-out end of the upper conveyor by the torque applied by the torque generator, and receives the collision force of the article carried out from the carry-out end of the upper conveyor An apparatus for separating and supplying left and right articles which is swingable in a direction away from the article collision standby position.   The left and right separation / supply apparatus for articles according to claim 1, wherein the leading ends of the left and right separation bodies set at the article collision standby position are set below the carry-out end of the upper conveyor.   The left / right separation / supply apparatus for articles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tip of the left / right separation body swung in a direction away from the article collision standby position is held at a position away from the article collision standby position for a predetermined time.   The apparatus for separating left and right articles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of left and right separators are installed in parallel at a plurality of positions along the conveyor width direction of the upper conveyor.   The apparatus for separating left and right articles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the article has a bias in the center of gravity in the longitudinal direction.

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