JP6288712B2 - Stacking device and stacking method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a stacking apparatus and a stacking method for stacking non-rigid objects, and more particularly, to a stacking apparatus and a stacking method for stacking other objects on one object. .

Conventionally, as a stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects, for example, a stacking device for egg trays in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. FIG. 6 is a front view showing a conventional stacking device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the conventional stacking apparatus 100 includes a carry-in conveyor 101, a lifting / lowering rotation unit 102, a stacking and conveying mechanism 103, and a carry-out conveyor 104.

The carry-in conveyor 101 conveys a tray W containing a plurality of eggs E in the tray conveyance direction T and carries it into the stacking apparatus 100, and the tray W carried by the carry-in conveyor 101 is carried onto the lifting and rotating unit 102. . The tray W carried to the up-and-down rotation unit 102 is lifted to an appropriate height by the up-and-down rotation unit 102 every time it is carried in, and rotated 90 degrees in the horizontal direction and changed its direction. The tray W4 shown in FIG. 6 is in a state after it has been rotated 90 degrees in the horizontal direction by the elevating and rotating unit 102 and changed its orientation. Since the direction of the tray W is changed every time the tray W is carried in, the tray W2 carried in two times before the tray W4 is also rotated 90 degrees in the horizontal direction by the elevating / rotating unit 102 to change the direction.

The stacking and transporting mechanism 103 includes a pair of transporting bodies 105 that move in a face-to-face state, and the transporting body 105 transports by locking the edge of the tray W that has been loaded up to the up-and-down rotation unit 102. A transporting claw is provided. The transport body 105 ascends in the vertical direction with the edge of the tray W being locked by the transport claws. At this time, the transport body 105 transports the tray W in the rotation direction 107 of the transport body 105 along the circular transport path 106 indicated by a two-dot chain line.

The tray W transported by the transport body 105 has the first tray W1 on the carry-out conveyor 104, the second tray W2 stacked on the tray W1, and the third tray on the tray W2. The trays W3 are stacked. After that, when the trays W4 and W5 are stacked and finally the sixth tray T (not shown) is stacked, the carry-out conveyor 104 moves the tray W stacked in six steps into the tray conveyance direction. Carry out to the downstream side of T.

JP 2002-284349 A

In the conventional configuration, the edge of the tray W is locked by the conveyance claw provided on the conveyance body 105, and the tray W is raised by 7 along the circumferential conveyance path 106 in the vertical direction. If it does so, in the non-rigid object like the egg tray, there existed a subject that load was applied by the acceleration which arises when it raises to a perpendicular direction.

For example, if a tray W containing a plurality of eggs E is to be stacked, a load is applied when the tray W is raised, and the eggs E that are housed come into contact with each other and break as the tray W bends. There was a thing. Further, due to the bending of the tray W, the conveyance claw that holds the edge of the tray W may come off from the edge and the tray W may fall.

The present invention solves the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a stacking apparatus and a stacking method in which no load is applied to an object when stacking non-rigid objects.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects, and a support unit that supports a peripheral portion of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object; A receiving unit for receiving an object supported by the support unit from below the support unit, the receiving unit descending after receiving one object from the support unit, and the other object supported by the support unit next A stacking apparatus and a stacking method are provided, which receive the stacked products on the one object.

“Stacking” means stacking in the vertical direction (vertical direction).

“Maintaining the height of the object in the vertical direction” is not limited to the case where the height of the object in the vertical direction is completely constant. For example, when the support unit supports the object, the height is slightly increased. Or a case where the receiving part is slightly lowered when receiving the object from the support part.

The “peripheral part of the object” refers to a range around the object other than the center part, and includes not only the lower peripheral part of the object but also the lateral (side) and upper peripheral parts.

According to the stacking apparatus according to the present invention, the non-rigid object is supported at a certain height without being raised in the vertical direction, and the receiving unit descends after receiving the object, Since other objects are stacked on top of each other, it is possible to stack the objects without applying any load.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the stacking apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the operation | movement which the receiving part of the stacking apparatus which concerns on FIG. 1 receives one target object. It is a figure explaining the operation | movement which the receiving part of the stacking apparatus which concerns on FIG. 1 stacks and receives another target object on one target object. It is a figure explaining the operation | movement which the transfer part of the stacking apparatus which concerns on FIG. 1 transfers the target object stacked in one set unit to a carrying-out part. It is a graph which shows the position of the receiving part concerning embodiment of this invention, and the relationship of time. It is a front view which shows the structure of the conventional stacking apparatus.

A first invention is a stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects, and a support unit that supports a peripheral portion of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object, and a support unit And a receiving unit that receives the object supported by the support unit from below the support unit. The receiving unit descends after receiving the one object from the support unit, and the other object supported by the support unit next is received by the first unit. It is a stacking device that receives and stacks on the object.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the non-rigid object is supported at a certain height without being raised in the vertical direction, and the receiving unit descends after receiving one object, Since other objects are stacked in a stack, it is possible to stack the objects without applying a load.

In the second invention, in particular, the receiving part in the first invention descends after receiving one object from the support part, and stacks another object supported by the support part next on the one object. It is a stacking device that rises to receive.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the receiving unit descends more than the vertical width of the one object received by the receiving unit, and rises to a position where it can receive another object to be carried in next. Stacking can be performed on the upper part of the object without interfering with the support part and other objects.

In the third invention, particularly in the first invention or the second invention, the position when the receiving unit is lowered varies depending on the number of objects existing on the receiving unit, and the number of objects existing on the receiving unit. The lower the number is, the higher the position when the receiving unit is lowered is the stacking device.

According to the third invention, since the distance between the object supported by the support part and the receiving part or the distance between the object supported by the support part and the object existing on the receiving part is small, Even if the object falls from the support part, the object is not greatly damaged.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, a moving unit that moves an object supported by the support unit and an object stacked in a predetermined number on the receiving unit. The apparatus further includes an unloading unit for unloading and a transfer unit for transferring the objects stacked up to a predetermined number to the unloading unit, and the transfer unit moves the object at the same time as the moving unit moves the object. This is a stacking device that transfers the objects stacked up to the carry-out section.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the objects stacked up to a predetermined number are unloaded by transferring the objects stacked up to the predetermined number to the carry-out unit and simultaneously moving the objects supported by the support unit. There is no need to wait for the transfer to the part, and the processing speed of the stacking apparatus is improved. Note that the moving unit “moves the object supported by the support unit” means that the moving unit moves the object directly or indirectly by moving the support unit that supports the object. Includes moving objects.

A fifth invention is a stacking method for stacking non-rigid objects, the step of supporting a peripheral portion of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object, and A step of receiving the object from below, a step of lowering the receiving unit after receiving one object, and a step of receiving another object supported in a stacked manner on the one object And a multi-layer method.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the non-rigid object is supported at a certain height without being raised in the vertical direction, and the receiving unit descends after receiving the object so that the other object is placed on the one object. Since the objects are stacked, the objects can be stacked without any load.

(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. [1a] of FIG. 1 is a front view of the stacking apparatus 1, and [1b] of FIG. 1 is a plan view of the stacking apparatus 1 when cut along a cutting line indicated by a one-dot chain line in [1a]. . The stacking apparatus 1 includes a carry-in unit 2, a support unit 3, a moving unit 4, a receiving unit 5, a transfer unit 6, and a carry-out unit 7.

In an upstream process (not shown) on the upstream side in the tray conveyance direction T, the eggs E are accommodated in the accommodating portion of the tray W, and the tray W in which the eggs E are accommodated is loaded into the stacking device 1 by the loading portion 2. The The carry-in unit 2 is a belt conveyor for conveying the tray W. In the present embodiment, the carry-in unit 2 is a belt conveyor for carrying the tray W from the upstream process. For example, the operator manually carries the tray W in which the eggs E are stored into the stacking device 1. It may be a place to carry in. In this case, the stacking apparatus 1 may be configured not to include a belt conveyor for carrying in the tray W.

The tray W carried in by the carry-in unit 2 is a rectangular tray for eggs made of synthetic resin capable of accommodating 30 eggs E in a housing unit divided into 5 × 6, and the trays W are stacked. It is a so-called American tray that can be stacked while accommodating eggs E by sometimes changing the direction of one tray W by 90 degrees horizontally. The loading unit 2 of the stacking apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can load not only American trays but also non-rigid objects such as pulp mold trays and cardboard boxes. You can stack things.

Next, the support part 3 will be described. The support part 3 is provided with support claws N for supporting the peripheral part of the tray W carried in by the carry-in part 2, and the support part 3 supports the peripheral part of the tray W carried in by the carry-in part 2. It is supported by the nail N, and the vertical position (height) of the tray W is maintained. Note that “supporting the peripheral portion” includes a case where the peripheral portion is merely supported from below, and a case where the peripheral portion of the object is supported. The support claw N includes an opening / closing mechanism that supports the tray W on the transport unit 2 and is detached from the tray W on the receiving unit 5.

In the present embodiment, the support unit 3 supports two opposite sides parallel to the tray conveyance direction T among the four sides of the peripheral portion of the rectangular tray W, but may support the four sides of the peripheral portion. The support part 3 can support the tray W reliably by supporting the four sides of the peripheral part. In addition, by supporting only two opposite sides parallel to the tray transport direction T, the support claws N provided on the support unit 3 can be used for the tray 3 even when the support unit 3 is moved upstream in the tray transport direction T. Since it does not interfere with W, there is no need to lift and move the support portion 3 or to wait for the support portion 3 on the spot until the receiving portion 5 is lowered. In addition, the support part 3 may support not only the peripheral part of the tray W by the support claw N but also the peripheral part by a rod-like member such as a rail.

Next, the moving unit 4 will be described. The moving unit 4 is a drive mechanism for moving the tray W supported by the support unit 3 to the receiving unit 5. In the present embodiment, the moving unit 4 is configured to move the tray W to the receiving unit 5 by horizontally moving the support unit 3 to the receiving unit 5. Moreover, if the support part 3 is not the support claw N but the structure which supports the peripheral part of the tray W with the rod-shaped member parallel to the tray conveyance direction T, the moving part 4 does not move the support part 3 instead. The tray W supported by the bar-shaped member of the support unit 3 may be slid along the tray transport direction T and moved to the receiving unit 5.

Next, the receiving unit 5 will be described. The receiving unit 5 is configured to receive the tray W supported by the support unit 3 from below the support unit 3. A rotary elevating mechanism (not shown) is provided below the receiving unit 5. The receiving unit 5 descends after receiving one tray W, and the supporting unit 3 supports another tray W supported next. The tray W is configured to be stacked and received.

In addition, the receiving unit 5 is configured to descend after receiving one tray W and to rise so that the other tray W supported next by the support unit 3 is stacked on the one tray W. In the stacking apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the trays W1 to W6 are configured to be stacked and carried out in six stages as one set unit U, and the receiving unit 5 is placed on the receiving unit 5. The position (height) when descending is changed according to the number of existing trays W. In this embodiment, the trays W are stacked in six stages, but the number of stacks may be changed as necessary. For example, a six-stage stack and a four-stage stack may be alternately carried out.

The receiving unit 5 may be set so as to always descend to a certain position when there is no possibility of the tray W falling from the support unit 3, but the number of trays W present on the receiving unit 5 is small. By setting so that the position when descending is higher, the distance between the tray W supported by the support unit 3 and the receiving unit 5 or the tray W supported by the support unit 3 and the receiving unit 5 Since the distance from the trays W stacked in the stack is always smaller than the case where the tray W is always lowered to a certain position, even if the target object falls from the support part, the target object is not greatly damaged. Furthermore, the time required for stacking the trays W can be shortened by changing the position of the lowering.

When stacking the trays W according to the present embodiment, the trays W cannot be stacked unless the trays W are rotated 90 degrees horizontally and the direction of the trays W is changed. The trays W are stacked by alternately repeating the case where the direction of the tray W is changed by 90 degrees in the direction and the case where only the lowering is performed without changing the direction of the tray W. Here, the timing to rotate 90 degrees is not limited to the time of lowering, and may be before the lowering or after the lowering. Further, it may be rotated 45 degrees when descending and may be rotated 45 degrees when ascending. Furthermore, the rotation angle may be arbitrarily set according to the objects to be stacked. For example, a pulp mold tray that can accommodate 40 eggs E in a storage section divided into 5 × 8. For example, stacking is possible by rotating 180 degrees horizontally.

In the stacking apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the tray W is rotated 90 degrees in the horizontal direction as the receiving unit 5 rotates. For example, an egg described in JP 2001-163308 A is disclosed. Using the storage tray orientation method and apparatus, the tray W may be rotated 90 degrees horizontally on the conveyor in the upstream process in the tray transport direction T, and the orientation may be changed. And the tray W may be rotated 90 degrees horizontally to change the direction before being stacked on the receiving unit 5.

Next, the transfer unit 6 will be described. The transfer unit 6 is an extrusion member that pushes out the trays W stacked up to one set unit U in order to transfer the tray W to the carry-out unit 7. The transfer unit 6 is connected to the support unit 3. When the moving unit 4 moves the first tray W1 of the next collective unit U supported by the support unit 3 to the receiving unit 5, the trays W stacked up to the first collective unit U are simultaneously transported out. It is transferred to. Further, in the stacking device 1 according to the present embodiment, the support unit 3 and the transfer unit 6 are connected, but each may be driven by an independent driving device. In that case, it may be transferred to the carry-out section 7 by a pull-out member for pulling out the stacked trays W from the receiving section 5.

Next, the carry-out unit 7 will be described. The carry-out unit 7 is a belt conveyor for transporting trays W stacked up to one set unit U, and is stacked up to one set unit U in a downstream process (not shown) on the downstream side in the tray transport direction T. Unload the tray W. In the present embodiment, the carry-out unit 7 is a belt conveyor for transporting trays W stacked up to one set unit U to a downstream process. For example, an operator uses a forklift or the like from the stacking device 1. It is good also as a carrying-out place for carrying out the tray W stacked in one set unit U. In this case, the stacking apparatus 1 may be configured not to include a belt conveyor for carrying out.

In the stacking apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the vertical positions (heights) of the carry-in unit 2 and the carry-out unit 7 are configured to be equal, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the position of the carry-out unit 7 is determined. You may comprise so that it may become a position lower than the carrying-in part 2. FIG. In this case, when the stacking is completed up to one set unit U, the receiving unit 5 does not need to rise to the same height as the carry-in unit 2.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 2-5, the operation | movement when the stacking apparatus based on this Embodiment stacks tray W is demonstrated.

As shown in [2a] of FIG. 2, with respect to the stacking apparatus according to the present embodiment, a tray W1 containing a plurality of eggs E is carried into the carry-in unit 2 and provided to the support unit 3. The peripheral edge portion of the tray W1 is supported by the support claws. Thereafter, the support unit 3 supporting the tray W1 is moved in the D1 direction by the moving unit 4, so that the tray W1 moves up to the receiving unit 5 while maintaining the height in the vertical direction.

Next, as shown in [2b] of FIG. 2, when the tray W1 is moved onto the receiving portion 5, the support claws provided on the support portion 3 are disengaged from the peripheral portion of the tray W1, and the tray W1 Received by 5. The receiving portion 5 that has received the tray W1 from the support portion 3 is lowered in the direction D2 from the position of the origin (the position of the receiving portion 5 in [2b] in FIG. 2) by a rotary elevating mechanism provided below. At this time, the receiving unit 5 rotates 90 degrees horizontally while descending.

Next, as shown in [2c] in FIG. 2, the receiving unit 5 is configured such that the vertical width of the tray W X and the upper part of the egg E protruding upward from the tray W are 3 and the vertical width “Y that does not come into contact with other trays W supported by the support portion 3”, the support portion 3 moves in the direction D3 and is then carried in. The tray W2 is supported.

Next, as shown in [3 a] in FIG. 3, when the support unit 3 supports the tray W <b> 2 that has been carried in next by the carry-in unit 2, the support unit 3 is again moved in the direction D <b> 4 by the moving unit 4. Thus, the tray W2 moves up to the receiving unit 5 while maintaining the height in the vertical direction. By doing so, when the tray W2 is moved onto the receiving portion 5, the lower portion of the tray W2 does not come into contact with the upper portion of the tray W1. When the tray W2 moves up to the receiving unit 5, the receiving unit 5 moves up in the D5 direction by Y.

Next, as shown in [3b] of FIG. 3, the receiving unit 5 that has been raised by Y stacks the tray W2 on the tray W1, and descends again in the direction D6 when the stacking is completed. At this time, the receiving unit 5 rotates 90 degrees horizontally while descending.

Next, as shown in [3c] in FIG. 3, when the receiving unit 5 is lowered by a distance obtained by adding 2X, which is the sum of the widths in the vertical direction of the tray W1 and the tray W2, and Y, the support unit 3 is D7. The tray W3 is moved in the direction and supported next.

Thereafter, the same operation is performed for the trays W3 to W6, and finally, as shown in [4a] in FIG. 4, one set unit U in which six trays W are stacked is completed on the receiving unit 5. . When the receiving unit 5 is lowered by a distance obtained by adding 6X, which is the total width in the vertical direction of the tray W1 to the tray W6, and Y, the support unit 3 moves in the direction D8, and the tray W1 that is next carried in Support. At this time, the tray W1 carried in by the carry-in unit 2 becomes the first stage of the next set unit U.

When the support unit 3 moves to a position where the tray W1 as the first stage of the next set unit U can be supported, the receiving unit 5 moves upward in the D9 direction to the origin position shown in [4b] of FIG. Returning, when the support unit 3 supports the tray W1 which is the first stage of the next set unit U, the support unit 3 is moved in the direction D10 by the moving unit 4, so that the tray W1 maintains the height in the vertical direction. In this state, it moves to the receiving unit 5. At the same time, one set unit U is transferred to the carry-out unit 7 by the transfer unit 6.

Next, as shown in [4c] in FIG. 4, when the tray W1 moves to above the receiving portion 5, the support claws provided on the support portion 3 are disengaged from the peripheral portion of the tray W1, and the tray W1 Received by 5. The receiving portion 5 that has received the tray W1 from the support portion 3 is lowered in the direction D11 from the position of the origin by a rotary lifting mechanism provided below. At this time, the unloading unit 7 completes a series of operations related to one collective unit U by carrying out one collective unit U on which six trays W are stacked to a downstream process.

[5a] in FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the position of the receiving unit 5 and time in a series of operations from [2a] in FIG. 2 to [4c] in FIG. The points 2a to 4c in the graph correspond to the positions of the receiving unit 5 shown in FIGS. [5a] in FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the position of the receiving unit 5 and time when the vertical width of the object is not constant like the tray W in which the egg E is accommodated. Note that [5a] in FIG. 5 is a graph when the tray W is always continuously loaded into the loading section 2, and when the tray W is not continuously loaded, the receiving section 5 waits at the lowered position. Thus, the graph does not repeat rising and falling at regular intervals.

[5b] in FIG. 5 shows the position of the receiving unit when the stacking apparatus according to the present embodiment stacks an object having a constant vertical width such as a cardboard box in six stages. It is a graph which shows the relationship of time. As shown in [5b] of FIG. 5, if the “width of the object in the vertical direction” Z is always constant, the object on the receiving part 5 is supported by the support part 3 or the object supported by the support part 3. Since the upper part of the object does not come into contact, it is not necessary to descend below the distance of Z every time the object is stacked, and it is not necessary to ascend when receiving the object.

In the stacking apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the support unit 3 moves while supporting the tray W to move the tray W up to the receiving unit 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the tray 2 can carry the tray W up to the receiving unit 5, the support unit 3 only needs to be configured to support the tray W that has been carried in on the receiving unit 5. It is not necessary to provide the moving part 4.

The embodiment disclosed this time is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the scope described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is effectively used for preventing a load on an object in a stacking apparatus and a stacking method for stacking non-rigid objects.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stacking apparatus 2 Carry-in part 3 Support part 4 Moving part 5 Receiving part 6 Transfer part 7 Unloading part 100 Conventional stacking apparatus 101 Loading conveyor 102 Lifting rotation unit 103 Stacking conveyance mechanism 104 Unloading conveyor 105 Conveyance body 106 Circumferential conveyance Path 107 Rotation direction E Egg N Support claw T Tray transport direction U Collecting unit W Tray

Claims (5)

A stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects,
A support part for supporting the peripheral part of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object;
A receiving unit for receiving an object supported by the support unit from below the support unit;
The receiving part descends after receiving one object from the support part, and rises to receive another object that the support part supported next on the one object. Stacking device. A stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects,
A support part for supporting the peripheral part of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object;
A receiving section for receiving an object supported by the support section from below the support section ;
A moving unit for moving an object supported by the support unit above the receiving unit;
A carry-out unit for carrying out the objects stacked up to a predetermined number in the receiving unit;
A transfer unit that transfers the objects stacked up to a predetermined number from the receiving unit to the carry-out unit ;
Said receiving unit is lowered after receiving an object from the support portion, will receive the support portion is then supported by the other object by staked on said one object,
The transfer unit is configured to transfer an object stacked up to a predetermined number from the receiving unit to the carry-out unit at the same time as the moving unit moves the object above the receiving unit. . A stacking device for stacking non-rigid objects,
A support part for supporting the peripheral part of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object;
A receiving section for receiving an object supported by the support section from below the support section ;
An unloading unit for unloading the objects stacked up to a predetermined number in the receiving unit ;
The receiving unit descends downward from the carry-out unit after receiving one object from the support unit, and stacks the other objects supported next by the support unit on the one object. Receive the stacking device. A stacking method for stacking non-rigid objects,
Supporting the peripheral portion of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object;
A receiving unit receiving the supported object from below;
The receiving unit descends after receiving an object;
And a step of raising the receiving unit to receive the stacked object on the one object. A stacking method for stacking non-rigid objects,
Supporting the peripheral portion of the object so as to maintain the vertical height of the object;
Moving the supported object above the receiver;
A step of said receiving unit receives the supported object from below,
The receiving unit descends after receiving an object;
Next, the receiving unit stacks and receives other supported objects on the one object;
Transferring the objects stacked up to a predetermined number from the receiving unit to the unloading unit;
The unloading unit unloads the objects stacked up to a predetermined number,
The stacking method , wherein the moving step and the transferring step are performed simultaneously .

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