JP6915768B2 - Custom food and drink transport device - Google Patents

Description

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

In recent years, restaurants have been providing food and drink using a transport device (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-152904

The custom-made food and drink transport device that transports custom-made food and drink from the kitchen to the audience seats by a belt conveyor has diversified transport routes, such as providing a branch route in the transport route in order to respond to the increase in size of restaurants and the diversification of store layouts. Is required. However, since the custom-made food and drink transport device also needs to transport the food and drink at an appropriate speed, it is not easy to achieve both the proper transfer of the food and drink from the transport path to the branch road and the optimization of the transport speed. ..

Therefore, the present application discloses a custom-made food and drink transport device that enables proper transfer of food and drink from a transport path to a branch path while realizing transport at a desired transport speed in a transport path formed by a belt conveyor. do.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a third belt conveyor is provided between the first belt conveyor forming the transport path and the second belt conveyor forming the branch path branching from the transport path. When food and drink transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor transfers from the third belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor, the second belt conveyor is operated at a lower speed than the third belt conveyor. I made it.

Specifically, the custom-made food and drink transport device disclosed in the present application is a custom-made food and drink transport device that transports food and drink by a transport path and a transport path having a branch path branching from the transport path, and forms a transport path. A food and drink that is transferred from the first belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor by forming a first belt conveyor, a second belt conveyor that forms a branch path, and a path that branches from the transfer path to the side of the transfer path. A third belt conveyor on which objects are temporarily placed, and a second belt when food and drink transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor is transferred from the third belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor. It includes a control means for operating the conveyor at a lower speed than the third belt conveyor.

In the case of a transport path and a branch path formed by a belt conveyor, it takes some time for food and drink to transfer from the transport path to the branch path. Therefore, if the distance between the foods and drinks lined up in the transport path is narrow, the foods and drinks may come into contact with each other at the branching point. When foods and drinks are transported at a relatively high speed on the transport path, the foods and drinks that come into contact with each other may move unexpectedly, and the foods and drinks may roll over, for example.

Therefore, in order to avoid contact between foods and drinks, the distance between the foods and drinks lined up in the transport path is relatively wide. However, if each food or drink reaches the audience seat with the distance between them widened, the customer's hand may not reach each food or drink. In this respect, in the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device, when the food and drink transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor is transferred from the third belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor, the second belt is used. Since the conveyor operates at a lower speed than the third belt conveyor, the distance between each food and drink on the second belt conveyor is larger than the distance between each food and drink on the third belt conveyor. Also narrows. Therefore, the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device realizes transport at a desired transport speed while suppressing the possibility that the customer's hands cannot reach each food and drink, and the food and drink from the transport path to the branch path. It is possible to make a proper transfer.

In the above-mentioned custom-made food and drink transport device, the first belt conveyor, the second belt conveyor, and the third belt conveyor are not limited to a single conveyor composed of one belt. For example, the first belt conveyor is a concept including a form composed of a plurality of conveyors.

The control means operates the third belt conveyor at least at the same speed as or faster than the same speed when the food and drink is transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor. There may be. According to this, the possibility of food and drink coming into contact with each other can be further suppressed.

Further, the second belt conveyor may form a branch path extending along the longitudinal direction of the third belt conveyor. According to this, since the transfer from the third belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor is smoothly performed, the interval between the foods and drinks on the second belt conveyor can be appropriately narrowed.

Further, a fourth belt conveyor extending to the kitchen side of the first belt conveyor and having a length capable of arranging a plurality of food and drink dishes side by side at predetermined intervals is further provided, and the control means is When the transfer start operation is performed, the first belt conveyor may be operated at a higher speed than the fourth belt conveyor. According to this, when placing food and drink on the custom food and drink transport device, it is not necessary to widen the space between the food and drink, so that the work of placing the food and drink on the custom food and drink transport device is easy.

Further, when the transport start operation is performed, the control means means that no food or drink is placed on either the first belt conveyor or the second belt conveyor, and the second belt conveyor is stopped. It may operate the fourth belt conveyor. According to this, even if the food and drink are continuously transported to various destinations, the food and drink can be properly transported to each destination.

With the custom-made food and drink transport device, it is possible to properly transfer food and drink from the transport path to the branch path while realizing transport at a desired transport speed in the transport path formed by the belt conveyor.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a custom food and drink transport device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of control contents executed by the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device. FIG. 3 is a first diagram showing a transport state of food and drink. FIG. 4 is a second diagram showing a transport state of food and drink. FIG. 5 is a third diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 6 is a fourth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 7 is a fifth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 8 is a sixth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 9 is a seventh diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 10 is an eighth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modified example of the ordered food and drink transport device.

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 an overall configuration diagram of a custom food and drink transport device according to an embodiment. The custom-made food and drink conveyor 10 delivers the food and drink prepared in response to the customer's order from the kitchen of the restaurant to the audience table 31L1, table 31L2, table 31R1, table 31R2, table 32L1, table 32L2, table 32R1, and table 32R2. As shown in FIG. 1, the supply conveyor 1A (an example of the "fourth belt conveyor" referred to in the present application) and the transport path conveyor 1B (the "first belt conveyor" referred to in the present application). (Example), standby conveyor 2A1 (an example of the "third belt conveyor" in the present application), branch road conveyor 2B1 (an example of the "second belt conveyor" in the present application), standby conveyor 2A2 (an example). It is provided with an example of a "third belt conveyor" referred to in the present application) and a branch road conveyor 2B2 (an example of the "second belt conveyor" referred to in the present application). The supply conveyor 1A, the transport path conveyor 1B, the standby conveyor 2A1, the branch path conveyor 2B1, the standby conveyor 2A2, and the branch path conveyor 2B2 are all belt conveyors and have a width on which tableware for food and drink to be transported can be placed.

The supply conveyor 1A is a conveyor in the area where the staff of the restaurant puts food and drink, and is installed in the kitchen. The supply conveyor 1A has a length capable of placing four foods and drinks side by side along the longitudinal direction. The conveyor 1B is a conveyor that forms a linear conveyor on an extension of the supply conveyor 1A in the longitudinal direction. The standby conveyor 2A1 and the standby conveyor 2A2 form a path that branches at a right angle from the middle of the conveyor 1B to the side of the conveyor 1B. Therefore, in the transport path conveyor 1B, the course changing member 1B1 for transferring the food and drink on the transport path conveyor 1B from the transport path conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A1 and the food and drink on the transport path conveyor 1B are transferred to the transport path conveyor 1B. A course changing member 1B2 for transferring from 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2 is provided. The course changing member 1B1 is a member that is projected from the side on the transport path formed by the transport path conveyor 1B, and an oblique guide that gradually guides food and drink conveyed by the transport path conveyor 1B toward the standby conveyor 2A2 side. It is formed. The course changing member 1B1 is moved by a built-in rotary solenoid (not shown), and is taken in and out of the conveyor 1B by the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10. The course changing member 1B2 is the same as the course changing member 1B1.

The branch line conveyor 2B1 is a conveyor that forms a branch path that branches from the transfer path formed by the transfer path conveyor 1B. As shown in FIG. 1, the branch road conveyor 2B1 forms a branch road perpendicular to the side of the transport road conveyor 1B. Table 31L1, table 31L2, table 31R1, and table 31R2 are installed on both sides of the branch conveyor 2B1. Like the branch road conveyor 2B1, the branch road conveyor 2B2 also forms a branch road that branches from the transport road formed by the transport road conveyor 1B. A table 32L1, a table 32L2, a table 32R1, and a table 32R2 are installed on both sides of the branch road conveyor 2B2.

The standby conveyor 2A1 is a conveyor interposed between the conveyor 1B and the branch conveyor 2B1, and food and drink transferred from the conveyor 1B to the branch conveyor 2B1 is temporarily placed on the standby conveyor 2A1. As shown in FIG. 1, the standby conveyor 2A1 forms a branch path perpendicular to the side of the conveyor 1B from the conveyor 1B. Like the standby conveyor 2A1, the standby conveyor 2A2 is a conveyor interposed between the 1B and the branch road conveyor 2B2, and food and drink transferred from the transport path conveyor 1B to the branch road conveyor 2B2 is temporarily placed on the standby conveyor 2A2.

Each belt conveyor is provided with a drive motor that can control rotation independently of each other. Each drive motor is connected to a control device (an example of "control means" referred to in the present application) (not shown), and is controlled based on the operation content input to the operation panel and the signal from each sensor. Hereinafter, the operation of the custom food and drink transport device 10 realized by the control device will be described.

When the transfer start operation is performed on the operation panel, the control device of the order food and drink transfer device 10 operates each belt conveyor to transfer the food and drink to any of the designated tables. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of control contents executed by the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10. Hereinafter, the control contents executed by the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10 will be described with reference to the flow chart of Table 3. In the description of the control contents described below, the case where the table 32L2 is designated as the transfer destination table will be described.

FIG. 3 is a first diagram showing a transport state of food and drink. In the control device of the order food and drink transport device 10, after the food and drink is placed on the supply conveyor 1A, any table is selected on the operation panel (S101), and when the transport start operation is performed, the supply conveyor 1A transports the food and drink. The road conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 are started (S102). In this step S102, the control device of the ordered food and drink transfer device 10 operates the transfer path conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 at the same speed. Further, in this step S102, the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10 operates the supply conveyor 1A at a lower speed than the transport path conveyor 1B. Further, in the step order food and drink transport device 102, the control device of the custom food and drink transport device 10 retracts the course change member 1B1 from the transport path conveyor 1B and projects the course change member 1B2 onto the transport path conveyor 1B. Put it in a state.

FIG. 4 is a second diagram showing a transport state of food and drink. When the above step S102 is executed and the supply conveyor 1A, the conveyor belt 1B, and the standby conveyor 2A2 are activated, the food and drink 5 starts to transfer from the supply conveyor 1A to the conveyor belt 1B as shown in FIG. Then, when all the foods and drinks 5 on the supply conveyor 1A are transferred to the conveyor 1B (S103), the control device of the order food and drink transfer device 10 stops the supply conveyor 1A (S104). Since the conveyor 1B has a higher speed than the conveyor 1A, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, the interval between the foods and drinks 5 after the transfer from the conveyor 1A to the conveyor 1B is the supply conveyor. It is wider than the interval of each food and drink 5 before transferring from 1A to the conveyor 1B. The control device of the custom-made food and drink transport device 10 is used until after all the food and drink 5 mounted on the supply conveyor 1A has been transferred to the transport path conveyor 1B and before the food and drink 5 comes into contact with the course changing member 1B2. The speed of the conveyor 1B may be temporarily accelerated.

FIG. 5 is a third diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. Since the conveyor 1B continues to operate even after the above step S104 is executed, the food and drink 5 eventually approaches the course changing member 1B2. Then, the food and drink 5 eventually comes into contact with the course changing member 1B2.

FIG. 6 is a fourth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. When the transport path conveyor 1B continues to operate and the food and drink 5 comes into contact with the course changing member 1B2, the food and drink 5 on the transport path conveyor 1B begins to transfer to the standby conveyor 2A2. Since the transport path conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 have the same speed, the food and drink 5 is transferred from the transport path conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2 in a state where the intervals between the food and drink 5 are relatively wide. Therefore, the food and drink 5 are transferred from the conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2 at appropriate intervals without contacting each other. Therefore, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the standby conveyor 2A2 is also kept substantially constant. However, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on which the standby conveyor 2A2 is placed is not constant only when the conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 have the same speed. The distance between each of the foods and drinks 5 on which the standby conveyor 2A2 is placed is kept substantially constant even when the standby conveyor 2A2 transfers at a higher speed than the conveyor 1B.

FIG. 7 is a fifth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. When all the foods and drinks 5 on the conveyor 1B are transferred to the standby conveyor 2A2 (S105), the control device of the custom foods and drinks transfer device 10 stops the foods and drinks 5 and the standby conveyor 2A2 (S106). Since the transfer of the food and drink 5 from the transport path conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2 is performed in a state where the intervals between the food and drink 5 are relatively wide, as can be seen from FIG. 7, they are mounted on the standby conveyor 2A2. The distance between the foods and drinks 5 is kept substantially constant.

FIG. 8 is a sixth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. When the step S106 is completed, the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10 starts the standby conveyor 2A2 and the branch road conveyor 2B2 (S107). In this step S107, the control device of the order food and drink transport device 10 operates the branch road conveyor 2B2 at a lower speed than the standby conveyor 2A2. When this step S107 is executed and the standby conveyor 2A2 and the branch road conveyor 2B2 are operated, the food and drink 5 starts to transfer from the standby conveyor 2A2 to the branch road conveyor 2B2 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a seventh diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. When all the foods and drinks 5 on the standby conveyor 2A2 are transferred to the branch road conveyor 2B2 (S108), the control device of the order food and drink transfer device 10 stops the standby conveyor 2A2 (S109). Since the branch road conveyor 2B2 is slower than the standby conveyor 2A2, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 7 and 9, the interval between each food and drink 5 after transferring from the standby conveyor 2A2 to the branch road conveyor 2B2 is the standby conveyor. The distance between each food and drink 5 before transferring from 2A2 to the branch conveyor 2B2 is narrower.

FIG. 10 is an eighth diagram showing a state of transporting food and drink. The control device of the order food and drink transport device 10 stops the branch road conveyor 2B2 when the food and drink 5 on the branch road conveyor 2B2 arrives at the table 32L2 (S110). The foods and drinks 5 that arrived at the table 32L2 are lined up on the branch road conveyor 2B2 in a state where the foods and drinks 5 are closely spaced from each other. Therefore, the customer of the table 32L2 can take all the foods and drinks 5 without moving his / her hand significantly.

The operation contents performed in the order food and drink transport device 10 are as described above. In the above description of the operation, the case where the food and drink 5 is transported to the table 32L2 has been described, but the same applies to the other tables.

By repeating the above operation, the order food and drink transport device 10 transports food and drink to various selected tables. Therefore, the control device of the ordered food and drink transport device 10 is set with the following operating conditions so as not to interfere with the operation even if the food and drink are repeatedly transported. For example, when any table along the branch road conveyor 2B1 is selected as the transport destination, in the process of step S102, the food and drink 5 is not placed on either the transport path conveyor 1B or the standby conveyor 2A1, and the food and drink 5 is on standby. This is executed when the conveyor 2A1 is stopped. Further, in the process of step S106, for example, when the number of foods and drinks 5 transferred from the supply conveyor 1A to the transport conveyor 1B and the number of foods and drinks 5 transferred from the transport conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A1 match. Will be executed. If the number of foods and drinks 5 transferred from the supply conveyor 1A to the conveyor 1B and the number of foods and drinks 5 transferred from the conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A1 match, the foods and drinks 5 are placed on the conveyor 1B. It can be determined that it is not listed.

By the way, the interval between the foods and drinks 5 on the branch road conveyor 2B2 can be adjusted as follows. Regarding the speed setting when the food and drink 5 is transferred between the conveyors, for example, the supply conveyor 1A and the branch conveyor 2B2 are set to the same speed, and the conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 are set to the same speed and the supply conveyor 1A and the branch are branched. When the speed is higher than that of the road conveyor 2B2, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the branch road conveyor 2B2 is the same as the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the supply conveyor 1A. Further, for example, when the branch road conveyor 2B2 is slower than the supply conveyor 1A, the transport road conveyor 1B and the standby conveyor 2A2 are at the same speed as each other, and are faster than the supply conveyor 1A and the branch road conveyor 2B2, the branch road conveyor 2B2 is used. The distance between the foods and drinks 5 placed on the food and drinks 5 is narrower than the distance between the foods and drinks 5 when they are placed on the supply conveyor 1A. The interval between the foods and drinks 5 mounted on the branch road conveyor 2B2 can be appropriately changed by adjusting the speed of each conveyor when the foods and drinks 5 are transferred between the conveyors in this way. The interval between the foods and drinks 5 placed on the branch road conveyor 2B1 can also be adjusted by the same method as described above.

Further, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the branch conveyor 2B2 is detected by, for example, a detection means such as an output signal of an optical sensor or an image analysis of a camera to detect the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the standby conveyor 2A2. It is also possible to adjust the timing of transferring from the standby conveyor 2A2 to the branch road conveyor 2B2 by changing the timing according to the detection result. If such a process is performed, for example, even if the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the standby conveyor 2A2 varies, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the branch road conveyor 2B2 can be set as specified. Can be aligned. Such processing is effective when the size and type of each food and drink 5 to be transported at one time are various.

Further, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the conveyor 1B is detected by, for example, a detection means such as an output signal of an optical sensor or an image analysis of a camera to detect the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the supply conveyor 1A. It is also possible to adjust the timing of transferring from the supply conveyor 1A to the transport path conveyor 1B by changing the timing according to the detection result. If such a process is performed, for example, even if the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the supply conveyor 1A varies, the distance between the foods and drinks 5 on the conveyor 1B can be set as specified. Can be aligned.

Further, the custom-made food and drink transport device 10 of the above embodiment may be modified as follows, for example. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modified example of the ordered food and drink transport device 10. In the custom-made food and drink transport device 10A according to the modified example, two branch paths adjacent to each other are formed. That is, the branch road conveyor 2B1L and the branch road conveyor 2B1R adjacent to each other form two branch roads adjacent to each other. A standby conveyor 2A1L is interposed between the transport path conveyor 1B and the branch path conveyor 2B1L, and a standby conveyor 2A1R is interposed between the transport path conveyor 1B and the branch path conveyor 2B1R. Then, in order to transfer the food and drink on the conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A1L and the food and drink on the conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A1R. The course changing member 1B1R is provided.

Further, in the custom-made food and drink transport device 10A according to the modified example, the branch road conveyor 2B2L and the branch road conveyor 2B2R that are adjacent to each other are adjacent to each other at a position different from the branch road formed by the branch road conveyor 2B1L and the branch road conveyor 2B1R. Form two branch roads. A standby conveyor 2A2L is interposed between the transport path conveyor 1B and the branch path conveyor 2B2L, and a standby conveyor 2A2R is interposed between the transport path conveyor 1B and the branch path conveyor 2B2R. Then, the transport path conveyor 1B has a course changing member 1B2L for transferring the food and drink on the transport path conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2L, and the transport path conveyor 1B for transferring the food and drink on the transport path conveyor 1B to the standby conveyor 2A2R. The course changing member 1B2R is provided.

In the custom-made food and drink transport device 10A according to the present modification, even if food and drink remain in a specific branch road, food and drink can be transported in the adjacent branch road adjacent to the branch road. Therefore, more food and drink can be transported than the custom food and drink transport device 10 of the above embodiment.

10,10A ... Custom food and drink conveyors: 31L1, 31L2, 31R1, 31R2, 32L1, 32L2, 32R1, 32R2 ... Table: 1A ... Supply conveyor: 1B ... Conveyor route conveyor: 2A1,2A2, 2A1L, 2A1R , 2A2L, 2A2R ... Standby conveyor: 2B1, 2B2, 2B1L, 2B1R, 2B2L, 2B2R ... Branch conveyor: 1B1, 1B2, 1B1L, 1B1R, 1B2L, 1B2R ... , 32L1, 32L2, 32R1, 32R2 ... Table: 5 ... Food and drink

Claims (4)

A custom-made food and drink transport device that transports food and drink through a transport path and a transport path having a branch path branching from the transport path.
The first belt conveyor forming the transport path and
The second belt conveyor forming the branch path and
A third belt conveyor that forms a path branching from the transport path to the side of the transport path and temporarily carries food and drink transferred from the first belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor.
A fourth belt conveyor extending to the kitchen side of the first belt conveyor and having a length capable of arranging a predetermined number of tableware for food and drink along the longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals.
When the food and drink transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor transfers from the third belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor, the second belt conveyor is transferred to the third belt conveyor. and control means for operating at a lower speed than,
The third belt conveyor has a length capable of arranging the predetermined number of the tableware side by side.
When the transfer start operation is performed, the control means operates the first belt conveyor at a higher speed than the fourth belt conveyor.
Custom food and drink transport device. The control means operates the third belt conveyor at the same speed as or faster than the first belt conveyor when food and drink are transferred from the first belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor. ,
The ordered food and drink transport device according to claim 1. The second belt conveyor forms the branch path extending along the longitudinal direction of the third belt conveyor.
The ordered food and drink transport device according to claim 1 or 2. When the transfer start operation is performed, the control means means that no food or drink is placed on either the first belt conveyor or the second belt conveyor, and the second belt conveyor is stopped. To operate the fourth belt conveyor,
The ordered food and drink transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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