JP6792228B2 - Custom food and drink carrier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a custom food and drink transport device.

In recent years, a device for automatically transporting food and drink prepared by receiving an order from a kitchen to an audience seat has been used in a restaurant (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-234880

In the interior of restaurants, kitchen space tends to be limited in order to secure a sufficient number of seats. Therefore, it is required to reduce the installation space required in the kitchen for the food and drink transport device, which has become popular in recent years. However, for example, a dolly that can carry multiple food and drink dishes has a relatively long length from the beginning to the end, so there is also a kitchen installation space reserved for placing food and drink dishes on the dolly. It increases in proportion to the length of the dolly. Normally, a drive mechanism for running the dolly is installed beside or below the transport path on which the dolly travels. Therefore, when the length of the dolly entering the kitchen becomes long, the drive mechanism of the transport device moves in the kitchen. The space occupied will also increase.

Therefore, the present specification discloses a custom-made food / drink transport device that suppresses an increase in the space occupied by the drive mechanism of the transport device in the kitchen as much as possible even if the length of the carriage entering the kitchen increases or decreases. ..

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a trolley whose course is controlled by a guide rail extending along the transport path next to the transport path is provided via a connecting portion provided near the head portion of the trolley near the audience seat. It was decided to connect the belt to a belt and run the dolly with this belt, and the belt was extended along the transport path from the middle of the transport path toward the audience seat side in the kitchen.

Specifically, the present invention is an order food and drink transport device for transporting food and drink from the kitchen of a restaurant to the audience seats, and a guide rail extending along the transport path next to the transport path from the kitchen to the audience seats. Roller brackets with rollers that hold the guide rails from both the left and right sides are fixed to the sides, and a dolly that runs on the transport path from the kitchen to the audience seats, and a belt that extends along the transport path and a motor that drives the belt. The belt is provided with a drive mechanism for driving the trolley, which is connected to the belt via a connecting portion provided near the front portion of the trolley near the audience seat, by a motor, and the belt is in the middle of the transport path in the kitchen. It extends along the transportation route from to the audience side.

In the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device, the trolley moved by the belt is connected to the belt via a connecting portion provided near the front portion of the trolley near the audience seat, so that the belt for running the trolley is in the kitchen. It extends along the transport path from the middle of the transport path toward the audience side, and even if the belt is omitted at the end of the transport path on the kitchen side, the part behind the front part of the dolly is the belt. It can be moved from the end to the kitchen side. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the space occupied by the drive device in the kitchen without hindering the work of placing food and drink on the trolley in the kitchen.

The trolley is a connecting trolley in which a plurality of trolleys having roller brackets fixed to the side portions are connected to each other, and the connecting portion may be provided on the trolley at the head portion of the plurality of trolleys near the audience seat. .. With the connecting bogie configured in this way, the bogies other than the bogie at the front portion can be brought closer to the kitchen side from the end portion of the belt. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the space occupied by the drive device in the kitchen without hindering the work of placing food and drink on each carriage in the kitchen.

Further, the roller bracket has rollers for sandwiching the guide rail from both the left and right sides at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, and the guide rail is provided at a corner portion formed at the end of the transport path on the kitchen side. It has a curve that bends along, and the belt may extend from the audience side of the corner portion in the kitchen. In the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device, the belt is omitted at the end of the transport path on the kitchen side. Therefore, for example, by curving the guide rail at the end of the transport path along the corner portion of the transport path, The preparation space for placing food and drink on the connecting carriage can be freely designed without being restricted by the design of the drive mechanism.

With the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device, even if the length of the trolley entering the kitchen increases or decreases, it is possible to suppress the increase in the space occupied by the drive mechanism of the transport device in the kitchen as much as possible. is there.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ordered food and drink transport device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the custom food and drink transport device. FIG. 3 is a view showing the internal structure of the ordered food and drink transport device from above. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a point at which the speed of the belt is switched. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a motor for driving a belt of a driving device and a peripheral portion thereof. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an end portion of the custom food / drink transport device on the kitchen side.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The embodiments shown below are one aspect of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Each of the embodiments and modifications shown below is suitable for restaurants that provide various foods and drinks such as sushi, beverages, bowls such as udon, fried chicken, tempura, ramen, and grilled meat.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ordered food and drink transport device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the custom food / drink transport device 1 is a transport device for food and drink that forms a transport path 10 along the audience seats 2 where customers eat and drink. The custom food and drink transport device 1 is a device that transports food and drink prepared in response to an order from a customer sitting in the audience seat 2 from the kitchen to each audience seat 2, and travels on a transport path 10 provided along each audience seat 2. A connecting carriage 20 and a driving device 30 for running the connecting carriage 20 are provided. The order food and drink transport device 1 accepts orders via the touch panel installed in the audience seat 2. Then, the food and drink prepared in the kitchen is transported to the audience seat 2 where the touch panel that receives the order is installed. The custom-made food and drink transport device 1 may be provided in a plurality of stages above and below, or may be arranged in one or a plurality of stages on the circulation type food and drink transport device arranged adjacent to the audience seat 2.

The transport path 10 has an appropriate shape according to the layout of the audience seats 2 and the kitchen. That is, the transport path 10 has, for example, a left corner that turns 90 degrees to the left in the traveling direction and a right corner that turns 90 degrees to the right, in addition to the straight portion. When the connecting bogie 20 passes through the corner of the transport path 10, the driving device 30 switches the rotation speed of the motor of the driving device 30 so that the connecting bogie 20 passes through the corner at an appropriate speed. Even if the radius of curvature of the corner of the transport path 10 is the same at the left corner and the right corner, the rotation speed of the motor of the drive device 30 is different depending on whether the drive device 30 is outside or inside the corner. Is different. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the portion of the transport path 10 whose corner is inside the drive device 30 is referred to as the inner corner portion 11U, and the portion of the transport path 10 whose corner is outside the drive device 30 is referred to as the outer corner portion 11S. The details of the control contents of the drive device 30 at each corner portion will be described later. In FIG. 1, three types of a straight line portion, an inner corner portion 11U, and an outer corner portion 11S are shown in the transport path 10, but the transport path 10 may have, for example, a curve that bends diagonally. ..

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the ordered food and drink transport device 1. Further, FIG. 3 is a view showing the internal structure of the ordered food and drink transport device 1 from above. As shown in FIG. 2, the custom-made food and drink transport device 1 transports the guide rail 31 extending along the transport path 10 next to the transport path 10, the bogie support rail 12 on which the wheels 21 of the connecting bogie 20 are mounted, and the transport. It is provided with a belt 32 of a drive device 30 extending along the road 10. The carriage support rail 12 and the drive device 30 are attached to a support column 3 that supports the custom-made food and drink transport device 1. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the connecting carriage 20 is composed of four carriages 22A to 22D connected to each other by the connecting member 25.

Note that FIG. 2 shows a food and drink circulation transport device 101 that circulates and transports food and drink placed on the crescent chain 110 between the kitchen and the audience seats under the custom food and drink transport device 1 supported by the support column 3. However, the custom-made food and drink transport device 1 may be provided instead of the food and drink circulation transport device 101. Further, in FIG. 2, the one-stage ordered food and drink transport device 1 is supported by the support column 3, but the support column 3 may have two or more stages of the order food and drink transport device 1. Further, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover to be placed on the trolley 22 is omitted, but the trolley 22 is covered with a cover for placing a plate. Further, the connecting carriage 20 is not limited to the one composed of four carriages 22A to 22D, and may be composed of two or three or five or more carriages.

Further, in the present embodiment, in order to improve the aesthetics of the food and drink transported to the custom food and drink transport device 1 and the food and drink transported to the food and drink circulation transport device 101, the upper level than the custom food and drink transport device 1. The member supporting the connecting carriage 20 is not a plate material forming a road surface over the entire transport path 10, but a connecting carriage 20 so that the light from the lighting 4 installed in the above reaches the food and drink circulation transport device 101 below. It is formed of a bogie support rail 12 on which only the portion of the wheel 21 of the above is placed. However, the member that supports the connecting bogie 20 is not limited to a flat plate-shaped rail such as the bogie support rail 12, and may be, for example, a plate material that forms a road surface over the entire transport path 10. Further, the plate material forming the road surface over the entire transport path 10 may be a non-perforated plate material made of a material that does not transmit light, or a non-perforated plate material made of a material that transmits light. Alternatively, it may be a plate material such as punching metal provided with a large number of pores instead of a material that does not transmit light.

A roller bracket 23A formed so as to project laterally with respect to the traveling direction of the connecting carriage 20 is fixed to the side portion of the carriage 22A (an example of the "driving carriage" in the present application) constituting the connecting carriage 20. ing. The roller bracket 23A has a pair of rollers 23S and 23N that sandwich the guide rail 31 from both the left and right sides at two locations along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 31, and the course of the carriage 22A so as to move along the guide rail 31. To control. Like the carriages 22A, the carriages 22B to 22D are also provided with roller brackets 23B to 23D. The roller 23S is provided with a spring for pressing the roller 23S on the sandwiching guide rail 31.

Of the two carriages 22A and 22D at both ends of the connecting carriage 20, a magnet 24 that is magnetically connected to a magnet 34 fixed to the belt 32 is fixed to the roller bracket 23A of the carriage 22A on the audience side. Therefore, when the belt 32 moves in a state where the magnet 34 and the magnet 24 are magnetically connected to each other, the carriage 22A moves following the movement of the belt 32. Since the carriages 22B to 22D are connected to the carriage 22A via the connecting member 25, when the carriage 22A moves following the movement of the belt 32, the carriages 22B to 22D move in conjunction with the carriage 22A and are connected. The entire carriage 20 travels on the transport path 10. Further, when the connecting bogie 20 comes into contact with an obstacle during traveling, the magnet 24 and the magnet 34 are disconnected from each other. Therefore, even when the connecting carriage 20 comes into contact with an obstacle, the connecting carriage 20 in contact with the obstacle does not continue to travel on the transport path 10 following the movement of the belt 32, and the safety of the surroundings is improved. Be kept.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a point at which the speed of the belt is switched. When the connecting carriage 20 traveling from the kitchen to the audience seats approaches the inner corner portion 11U, the pair of rollers 23S and 23N provided on the roller bracket 23A of the carriage 22A begins to enter the curve of the guide rail 31. When the rollers 23S and 23N of the roller bracket 23A start to enter the curve of the guide rail 31, the posture of the roller bracket 23A having the rollers 23S and 23N changes according to the curve of the guide rail 31, so that the roller bracket 23 is fixed. The orientation of the trolley 22A also begins to change according to the curve of the guide rail 31.

For example, the carriage 22A traveling on the inner corner portion 11U of the transport path 10 passes through the inner corner portion 11U with a radius of curvature smaller than the radius of curvature of the curve of the guide rail 31 along the inner corner portion 11U. The radius of curvature of the carriage 22A when passing through the inner corner portion 11U is smaller than the radius of curvature of the belt 32 outside the corner. Therefore, the speed of the carriage 22A passing through the inner corner portion 11U is slower than the speed of the belt 32.

Further, for example, the carriage 22A traveling on the outer corner portion 11S of the transport path 10 passes through the outer corner portion 11S with a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the curve of the guide rail 31 along the outer corner portion 11S. .. The radius of curvature of the carriage 22A when passing through the outer corner portion 11S is larger than the radius of curvature of the belt 32 inside the corner. Therefore, the speed of the carriage 22A passing through the outer corner portion 11S is faster than the speed of the belt 32.

Therefore, in order to make the speeds of the carriages 22A to 22D when passing through the inner corner portion 11U and the speeds of the carriages 22A to 22D when passing through the outer corner portion 11S both the same, the drive device 30 uses a belt. The motor that drives 32 is controlled as follows.

Here, the radius of curvature of the center line of the transport path 10 in the inner corner portion 11U and the radius of curvature of the center line of the transport path 10 in the outer corner portion 11S are both set to the same radius of curvature R _H, and when passing through the inner corner portion 11U. The speed of the connecting trolley 20 and the speed of the connecting trolley 20 when passing through the outer corner portion 11S are both set to the same speed V _H. Further, the radius of curvature of the belt 32 in the inner corner portion 11U is R _BU , the radius of curvature of the belt 32 in the outer corner portion 11S is R _BS, and the speed of the belt 32 when the trolley 22A passes through the inner corner portion 11U. Is VA _BU, and the speed of the belt 32 when the carriage 22A is passing through the outer corner portion 11S is defined as VA _BS, and V _BU and V _BS are expressed by the following mathematical formulas, respectively.
VA _BU = V _H * R _BU / R _H
VA _BS = V _H * R _BS / R _H

Further, the speed of the belt 32 when the carriages 22B to 22D pass through the inner corner portion 11U after the carriage 22A has passed through the inner corner portion 11U is set to VBC D _BU , and the carriage 22A has passed through the outer corner portion 11S. If the speed of the belt 32 when the carriages 22B to 22D pass through the outer corner portion 11S is defined as VBCD _BS , VBCD _BU and VBCD _BS are expressed by the following mathematical formulas.
VBCD _BU = VBCD _BS = V _H

That is, when the connecting carriage 20 passes through the inner corner portion 11U, the speed of the belt 32 when the carriage 22A passes through the inner corner portion 11U and when the carriages 22B to 22D pass through the inner corner portion 11U. Is different. The same applies when the connecting carriage 20 passes through the outer corner portion 11S. Therefore, in the custom-made food and drink transport device 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the trolley 22A is a point where the trolley 22A starts to enter the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S (hereinafter referred to as “advance point”), the trolley 22A. Is the point where the vehicle finishes passing through the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S (hereinafter referred to as the "intermediate point"), and the point where the dolly 22D finishes passing through the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S (hereinafter referred to as the "backward point"). in), the driving device 30 by switching the speed of the belt 32, connecting carriage 20 is controlled so as to pass through the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S at a constant velocity V _H.

That is, for example, when the connecting carriage 20 traveling from the kitchen to the audience seat passes through the inner corner portion 11U, the drive device 30 gradually moves the belt 32 so that the speed of the belt 32 becomes VA _BU at the forward point. Decelerates to (for example, 60 m / min → 10 m / min). Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 in VA _BU until the intermediate point is reached, and switches the speed of the belt 32 from VA _BU to V _H at the intermediate point. Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 at V _H until the retreat point is reached, and gradually accelerates the speed of the belt 32 from V _H after passing the retreat point (for example, 10 m / min → 60 m / min). ).

Further, for example, when the connecting carriage 20 traveling from the kitchen to the audience seat passes through the outer corner portion 11S, the drive device 30 gradually moves the belt 32 so that the speed of the belt 32 becomes VA _BS at the forward point. Decelerates to (for example, 60 m / min → 10 m / min). Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 in VA _BS until it reaches the intermediate point, and switches the speed of the belt 32 from VA _BS to V _H at the intermediate point. Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 at V _H until the retreat point is reached, and gradually accelerates the speed of the belt 32 from V _H after passing the retreat point (for example, 10 m / min → 60 m / min). ).

Further, for example, when the connecting carriage 20 traveling from the audience seat to the kitchen passes through the inner corner portion 11U, the drive device 30 gradually moves the belt 32 so that the speed of the belt 32 becomes V _H at the retreat point. Decelerates to (for example, 60 m / min → 10 m / min). Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 at V _H until the intermediate point is reached, and at the intermediate point, the speed of the belt 32 is switched from V _H to VA _BU . Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 in the VA _BU until it reaches the retreat point, and gradually accelerates the speed of the belt 32 from the VA _BU after passing the advance point (for example, 10 m / min → 60 m / min). ).

Further, for example, when the connecting carriage 20 traveling from the audience seat to the kitchen passes through the outer corner portion 11S, the drive device 30 gradually moves the belt 32 so that the speed of the belt 32 becomes V _H at the retreat point. Decelerates to (for example, 60 m / min → 10 m / min). Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 at V _H until the intermediate point is reached, and at the intermediate point, the speed of the belt 32 is switched from V _H to VA _BS . Then, the drive device 30 maintains the speed of the belt 32 in the VA _BS until the retreat point is reached, and gradually accelerates the speed of the belt 32 from the VA _BS after passing the retreat point (for example, 10 m / min → 60 m / min). ).

When the connecting carriage 20 passes through the outer corner portion 11S and the inner corner portion 11U, the drive device 30 switches the speed of the belt 32 as described above, so that the connecting carriage 20 sets the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S. It passes at a constant speed V _H. Therefore, the connecting carriage 20
Does not cause unnatural acceleration / deceleration when passing through the inner corner portion 11U and the outer corner portion 11S.

The drive device 30 determines the timing for switching the speed of the belt 32 based on, for example, the rotation speed of the motor that drives the belt 32. That is, the drive device 30 grasps the position of the connecting bogie 20 starting from the kitchen based on the counter value of the pulse number of the stepping motor that drives the belt 32, and the timing at which the connecting bogie 20 reaches the preset position. The speed of the belt 32 is switched with. However, the ordered food and drink transport device disclosed in the present application is not limited to such a control method. Even if the drive device 30 switches the speed of the belt 32 based on the position information of the connecting carriage 20 detected by, for example, an optical sensor installed in the outer corner portion 11S or the inner corner portion 11U. Alternatively, the speed may be switched by another control method.

In the above embodiment, since the magnet 24 magnetically connected to the magnet 34 fixed to the belt 32 is fixed to the roller bracket 23A of the trolley 22A, the connecting trolley 20 passes through the outer corner portion 11S and the inner corner portion 11U. During the period, the speed of the belt 32 is changed in two steps, but when the magnet 24 is provided on the roller bracket 23B of the trolley 22B or the roller bracket 23C of the trolley 22C, the speed of the belt 32 is changed in three steps. Will be done. Further, when the magnet 24 is provided on the roller bracket 23D of the carriage 22D, for example, the positional relationship between the forward point, the intermediate point, and the backward point is opposite to that of the above embodiment.

In the ordered food and drink transport device 1 of the above embodiment, the drive device 30 and the guide rail 31 for traveling the connecting bogie 20 are provided next to the transport path 10, so that, for example, the course of the connecting bogie 20 is guided. Compared with the case where the guide rail is provided in the transport path or the case where the drive device for traveling the connecting bogie 20 is provided under the transport path, the installation space of the ordered food and drink transport device 1 in the vertical direction can be reduced. Therefore, in the case of the custom-made food and drink transport device 1 of the above-described embodiment, the installation space in the vertical direction can be suppressed as much as possible while the straight line portion and the corner portion can be freely provided according to the layout of the store. It is possible.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a motor for driving the belt 32 of the drive device 30 and a peripheral portion thereof. Various forms are conceivable as mounting positions of the drive devices such as the motor 35 that drives the belt 32. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the drive gear 36 that is driven by the motor 35 of the drive device 30 is attached. If it is provided in the empty space in the inner corner portion 11U, the entire drive device 30 can be miniaturized.

Further, in the case of the custom food / drink transport device 1, the motor 35 projects below the transport path 10 because a space for taking out the food / drink is required on the transport path 10 for the convenience of taking out the food / drink from the carriages 22A to 22D. When the order food and drink transport device 1 is installed in a plurality of stages, the space for taking out is effectively utilized if the space for taking out is effectively utilized if the space is arranged so as to project above the transport path 10 as shown in FIG. In addition, the motor 35 does not become an obstacle to the lower device.

By the way, the belt 32 of the drive device 30 does not need to be arranged along the transport path 10 over the entire transport path 10. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an end portion of the ordered food and drink transport device 1 on the kitchen side. In the connecting carriage 20, the carriage 22A is connected to the belt 32 via magnets 24 and 34, and the other carriages 22B to 22D are not connected to the belt 32. Therefore, in the custom-made food and drink transport device 1 of the above embodiment, the belt 32 extending along the transport path 10 may be omitted at the end portion on the kitchen side. In other words, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, it may be arranged so as to extend along the transport path 10 from the middle of the transport path 10 toward the audience seats in the kitchen.

In the interior of restaurants, kitchen space tends to be limited in order to secure a sufficient number of seats. In this respect, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, if the belt 32 along the transport path 10 is omitted in the middle of the transport path 10, the space occupied by the drive device 30 in the kitchen can be reduced. .. Of the plurality of trolleys 22A to 22D, if the trolley 22A at the front portion closer to the audience seat is the connecting trolley 20 connected to the belt 32, the trolleys 22B to 22D other than the trolley 22A at the head portion are placed in the kitchen from the end of the belt 32. You can move it to the side. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the space occupied by the drive device 30 in the kitchen without hindering the work of placing food and drink on the carriages 22A to 22D in the kitchen.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, the guide rail 31 is curved along the corner portion of the transport path 10 at the end on the kitchen side, and the belt 32 is more seated in the kitchen than the curved portion of the guide rail 31. If it extends from the side, it is possible to freely design a preparation space for placing food and drink on the connecting carriage 20 without being restricted by the design of the drive mechanism 30.

1 ・ ・ Order food and drink transport device: 10 ・ ・ Transport path: 11U ・ ・ Inner corner part: 11S ・ ・ Outer corner part: 12 ・ ・ Cart support rail: 20 ・ ・ Connecting cart: 21 ・ ・ Wheels: 22A-22D・ ・ Bogie: 23 ・ ・ Roller bracket: 23S, 23N ・ ・ Roller: 24 ・ ・ Magnet: 25 ・ ・ Connecting member: 30 ・ ・ Drive unit: 31 ・ ・ Guide rail: 32 ・ ・ Belt: 34 ・ ・ Magnet: 35 ・ ・ Motor: 36 ・ ・ Drive gear: 2 ・ ・ Audience seat: 3 ・ ・ Support: 4 ・ ・ Lighting: 101 ・ ・ Food and drink circulation transport device: 110 ・ ・ Crescent chain

Claims (3)

It is an order food and drink transport device that transports food and drink from the kitchen of the restaurant to the audience seats.
A guide rail extending along the transport path next to the transport path from the kitchen to the audience seats,
A roller bracket having rollers for sandwiching the guide rail from both the left and right sides is fixed to the side portion, and a trolley traveling on a transport path from the kitchen to the audience seats.
The carriage, which has a belt extending along the transport path and a motor for driving the belt, is connected to the belt via a connecting portion provided near the head portion of the carriage near the audience seat. A drive mechanism for traveling by the motor is provided.
The belt extends along the transport path from the middle of the transport path toward the audience seat side in the kitchen.
Custom food and drink transport device. The bogie is a connecting bogie in which a plurality of bogies in which the roller brackets are fixed to the side portions are connected to each other.
The connecting portion is provided on the front trolley near the audience seat among the plurality of trolleys.
The ordered food and drink transport device according to claim 1. The roller bracket has rollers that sandwich the guide rail from both the left and right sides at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail.
The guide rail has a curve that bends along the transport path at a corner portion formed at the end of the transport path on the kitchen side.
The belt extends from the audience side of the corner portion in the kitchen.
The ordered food and drink transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

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