JP7102029B2 - Automatic sorting and sorting system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic sorting and sorting system, and in particular, inspects a large number of sorting and sorting objects, ranks and sorts each based on the result of the inspection, and the sorting and sorting objects are given the same rank. It is related to the automatic sorting and sorting system that carries out each of the items together.

As a conventional automatic sorting and sorting system that inspects a large number of sorting and sorting objects, ranks them based on the results of the inspection, sorts and sorts them, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 can be mentioned.

The conventional automatic sorting and sorting system first inspects a plurality of sorting and sorting targets placed on a plurality of trays, and then transports the two trays to the first sorting position and the second sorting position in order. Then, using the robot arm, the first tray for sorting and sorting of the first rank are taken out from the first tray in the first sorting position and the second tray in the second sorting position, and the sorting target is initially emptied. After sorting so as to move to the unloading tray, the sorting and sorting target of the second rank is moved from the second tray to the first tray, so that the sorting and sorting target of the first rank is put together in the unloading tray. Then, the second tray for sorting and sorting is collectively carried out in the first tray, and then the second tray is moved to the first sorting position to be the first tray and has been inspected. The tray on which the sorting target is placed is supplied to the second sorting position to serve as the second tray, and the above operation is repeated.

Taiwan Patent No. I485409

However, in the conventional automatic sorting and sorting system, the sorting work can be performed on the trays arranged in the first sorting position and the second sorting position, but the first sorting position and the second sorting position can be performed. Depending on the number of sorting targets of each rank placed on the tray placed in the position, a situation may occur in which the robot arm that performs the sorting work cannot be fully operated due to congestion.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic sorting and sorting system in which tray congestion is unlikely to occur, or even if it does occur, it can be efficiently dealt with.

In view of the above problems, the present invention inspects a large number of sorting and sorting objects arranged in a plurality of accommodation units, ranks them based on the results of the inspection, and sorts them in the same manner. It is an automatic sorting and sorting system that carries out the sorting and sorting targets that are ranked as
An inspection means for inspecting each of the sorting and sorting objects arranged in each of the plurality of accommodation units, ranking each of the sorting and sorting objects based on the inspection result, and registering the sorting and sorting objects in the sorting database. ,
A temporary storage means capable of simultaneously storing a plurality of the storage units in which the sorting and sorting targets whose corresponding ranks are registered in the sorting database after being inspected by the inspection means are arranged.
Each of the sorting and sorting targets arranged in at least two of the containing units taken out from the temporary storage means is taken out from the corresponding containing units based on the corresponding rank registered in the sorting database. Sorting means to perform relocation operations to place in other containment units,
The accommodating unit was supplied to the inspection means, transported from the inspection means to the temporary storage means for storage, taken out from the temporary storage means, transported to the sorting means, and transported to the sorting means. A transport means for performing the return of the containment unit to the temporary storage means.
The transport means takes out at least two of the accommodation units from the temporary storage means, and the sorting means performs the rearrangement operation a plurality of times, so that the sorting and sorting targets having the same rank are the same. Provided is an automatic sorting and sorting system in which the accommodating unit is assembled into the accommodating unit and then carried out.

As described above, the automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention has a temporary storage means capable of simultaneously storing a plurality of storage units such as trays on which sorting and sorting targets are arranged, and transports the storage units. Since the transport means has a function of returning the storage unit transported to the sorting means to the temporary storage means, it is possible to provide the storage unit from the temporary storage means to the sorting means according to the situation of the sorting work performed by the sorting means. It is possible to return the accommodation unit transported to the sorting means to the temporary storage means, and by taking systematic measures to avoid congestion of the accommodation unit, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the sorting work performed by the sorting means.

It is a perspective view which shows the 1st Embodiment of the automatic sorting sorting system of this invention. It is a perspective view of another angle of the 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the structure of the inspection means of the 1st Embodiment, the 1st inspection path passing through the inspection means, and the 2nd inspection path. It is a top view which shows the structure of the 1st inspection path and the 2nd inspection path of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows how the tray is supplied to the 1st inspection path of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the inspection means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the 1st transfer mechanism of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the operation of the 1st transfer mechanism of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the 2nd transfer mechanism and the rotary transfer mechanism of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the temporary storage means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the part which supplies the tray from the temporary storage means to the sorting means in the transport means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the sorting means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the transport rail in the transport means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the carry-out means of the 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd Embodiment of the automatic sorting sorting system of this invention.

Before describing the present invention in more detail, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are used repeatedly between drawings to indicate elements having similar properties or functions where appropriate.

Hereinafter, each preferred embodiment of the automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to each drawing.

The automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention inspects a large number of sorting and sorting objects arranged in a plurality of accommodation units, ranks them based on the results of the inspection, and sorts them with the same rank. The attached sorting and sorting targets are carried out together.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the first embodiment, the tray 10 is used as the accommodating unit, and a plurality of sorting and sorting target 101s are arranged in each tray 10.

The automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention includes an inspection means 3, a temporary storage means 4, a sorting means 6, a transport means 5, a carry-out means 7, an inspection means 3, a temporary storage means 4, a sorting means 6, and a transport. A control means 9 for controlling the means 5 and the carrying-out means 7 and a pedestal means 1 for supporting them are provided.

In this embodiment, the pedestal means 1 has a support base 12, and the inspection means 3, the temporary storage means 4, the sorting means 6, the transport means 5, and the carry-out means 7 are all arranged on the support base 12. The control means 9 is arranged below the support base 12 and is signalally connected to the inspection means 3, the temporary storage means 4, the sorting means 6, the transport means 5, and the control means 9 for controlling the carry-out means 7. There is.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the inspection means 3 is attached to the inspection means holding frame 13 arranged on the support base 12, and has an inspection unit 31, a processing unit 32, and an illumination unit 33. is doing.

Further, the transport means 5 corresponds to the configuration of the inspection means 3, and the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 51 and the second are parallel to each other in the X direction in the drawing and extend along the Y direction to pass through the inspection means 3. It has an inspection path 52 and a first transfer mechanism 53A arranged on one end side of the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 52.

That is, by placing a plurality of sorting and sorting targets 101 on one tray 10 and moving them along the first inspection path 51 and passing them through the inspection means 3, the front surface facing the upper side of the plurality of sorting and sorting targets 101. By reversing the tray 10 that has reached the first transfer mechanism 53A in the X direction after inspecting the tray 10, a plurality of sorting and sorting targets 101 mounted on the tray 10 are arranged in advance next to each other. The other tray 10 is placed on the other tray 10, and the other tray 10 is moved along the second inspection path 52 to pass through the inspection means 3 above the plurality of sorting targets 101. It is configured to inspect the back surface that comes to face.

In this embodiment, the inspection means 3 illuminates a plurality of sorting and sorting targets 101 mounted on the tray 10 by the lighting unit 33 which is an LED array, and the inspection unit 31 as a photographing camera displays the surface of each sorting and sorting target 101. The image taken by the processing unit 32 is analyzed, and the data ranked for each sorting and sorting target based on the analysis result (inspection result) is output to the control means 9 to be output to the sorting database. Register with.

Further, in the present invention, the configuration of the inspection means 3 is not limited to this, and various sensors such as a laser sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a photosensitive sensor are used according to the type and characteristics of the actual sorting target 101. It is also possible to apply those combinations.

The processing unit 32 does not have to be arranged next to the inspection unit 31 as shown in the figure (FIG. 6), and the control means 9 can be configured to perform the analysis process.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a first cleaning device 22 and a second cleaning device 23 are arranged in the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 52, respectively. And, as shown in FIG. 4, in the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 52, the tray 10 is divided into the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 51 by using a plurality of inspection rails 16, respectively. It is configured to move along the inspection path 52 of the above.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in this embodiment, the first transfer mechanism 53A is on a rail 532 extending in the X direction next to the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 52. It has a rotating device 533 configured to be movable along and vertically movable, and a holding plate 534 rotatably driven by the rotating device 533. With this configuration, the first transfer mechanism 53A moves next to the first inspection path 51 to move the rotating device 533 and the holding plate 534 downward to receive and hold the tray 10 from the first inspection path 51. Then, the rotating device 533 and the holding plate 534 are lifted up and moved along the rail 532 next to the second inspection path 52 to drive the rotating device 533 to be held by the holding plate 534 and the holding plate 534. By inverting the tray 10, the sorting and sorting target 101 placed on the tray 10 is dropped onto an empty tray 10 arranged in advance in the second inspection path 52.

As shown in FIG. 9, the transport means 5 is further placed on the other end side of the first inspection path 51 and the first inspection path 52, that is, on the opposite side of the first transfer mechanism 53A. The transfer mechanism 53B and the rotary transfer mechanism 54 are arranged. The second transfer mechanism 53B and the rotary transfer mechanism 54 play a role of transferring the tray 10 on which the inspected sorting and sorting target 101 sent by the second inspection path 52 is placed to the temporary storage means 4. be. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the tray 10 is substantially rectangular, and in the first inspection path 51 and the second inspection path 52, the tray 10 is conveyed in a posture in which the length direction coincides with the Y direction. However, in order to make the overall configuration of the automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention more compact, the tray 10 is stored in the temporary storage means 4 in a posture in which the length direction coincides with the X direction. Therefore, the second transfer mechanism 53B moves next to the second inspection path 52 and moves its rotating device 533 and holding plate 534 downward to receive and hold the tray 10 from the second inspection path 52. Then, the rotating device 533 and the holding plate 534 are lifted up and moved along the rail 532 next to the rotating transfer mechanism 54 to drive the rotating device 533 and the tray held by the holding plate 534 and the holding plate 534. By reversing 10, the sorting and sorting target 101 placed on the tray is dropped onto an empty tray 10 pre-arranged in the rotary transfer mechanism 54, and the rotary transfer mechanism 54 holds the tray 10 on a turntable 541. Is rotated 90 degrees so that the length direction of the tray 10 coincides with the X direction, and then the tray 10 is conveyed to the temporary storage means 4.

As shown in FIG. 10, the temporary storage means 4 simultaneously holds a plurality of trays 10 which are storage units in which the sorting and sorting target 101 whose corresponding ranks are registered in the sorting database after being inspected by the inspection means 3 are arranged. It is to store.

In this embodiment, the temporary storage means 4 has a plurality of storage slots 41 for simultaneously storing a plurality of trays 10, and the storage slots 41 are configured to be arranged in the vertical direction (Z direction in the drawing). ing.

Incidentally, the X direction in each drawing of the present invention is the same direction, and the Y direction and the Z direction are also the same direction.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 9, the transport means 5 further provides the sorting means 6 with two trays 10 along a predetermined transport path extending along the front-rear direction (X direction in the figure). , Two transport rails 55 arranged on both sides of the transport path, and a first drive mechanism 56 for driving the temporary storage means 4 in the vertical direction (Z direction) and the horizontal direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the transport path. A supply device 57 that receives the tray 10 from the storage slot 41 of the temporary storage means 4 along the front-rear direction (X direction) and supplies the tray 10 to any one of the transport rails 55.

The transport means 5 uses the first drive mechanism 56 to drive the temporary storage means 4 in the vertical direction (Z direction) and the horizontal direction (Y direction) to be next to any one of the two transport rails 55. After moving, the tray 10 stored in the storage slot 41 of any one of the temporary storage means 4 is received by the supply device 57, and then moved to any one of the transport rails 55 arranged on both sides of the transport path. Therefore, it is configured so that it can be transported to the sorting means 6.

Specifically, the first drive mechanism 56 includes a Y-direction moving device 561 that drives the temporary storage means 4 along the Y direction, and a Z-direction moving device 562 that drives the temporary storage means 4 along the Z direction. And have.

In the present embodiment, in the transport means 5, the supply device 57 has a supply rail 571, and the tray 10 is supplied from the storage slot 41 of the temporary storage means 4 to the transport rail 55 via the supply rail 571. The tray 10 as an accommodating unit can be returned from the transport rail 55 to the accommodating slot 41 of the temporary accommodating means 4 via the supply rail 571.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the sorting means 6 has a pick-up unit 61 capable of picking up the sorting target 101 from the tray 10 and a front-rear direction (X direction) in which the pick-up unit 61 substantially coincides with the transport path. A second drive mechanism 62 for driving in the vertical direction (Z direction) and the horizontal direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the front-rear direction is provided, and the pick-up unit 61 is driven by the second drive mechanism 62. Then, the control means 9 controls each sorting and sorting target 101 arranged on the two trays 10 carried from the temporary storage means 4 to the sorting means 6 by the two transport rails 55 on both sides of the transport path. Based on the original, the step (relocation operation) of replacing the tray 10 at the placement destination is executed based on the corresponding rank registered in the sorting database.

Specifically, the second drive mechanism 62 includes an X-direction drive device 621 that drives the pick-up unit 61 in the X direction, a Z-direction drive device 622 that drives the pick-up unit 61 in the Z direction, and a pick-up unit 61. It is configured to have a Y-direction drive device 623 that drives in the Y-direction.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the pick-up unit 61 is configured to have a suction cup that holds the sorting object 101 by suction force.

As shown in FIGS. 11, 13, and 14, each transport rail 55 is configured to further extend from the sorting means 6 to the unloading means 7.

When the control means 9 determines that the number of sorting and sorting targets 101 having the same rank arranged on one tray 10 has reached a predetermined value by the work of the sorting means 6, the carrying-out means 7 is the sorting means 6. The tray 10 is carried out from.

Specifically, the carrying-out means 7 may move the storage frame 71 arranged on the tip side of the transport rail 55 extending from the sorting means 6 and capable of storing a plurality of trays at the same time, and the storage frame 71 in the Y direction. It is equipped with a carry-out drive mechanism 72 (see FIG. 14) that can be carried out. With this configuration, when the control means 9 determines that the number of sorting and sorting objects 101 having the same rank arranged on one tray 10 has reached a predetermined value, the tray 10 is sorted along the transport rail 55. By moving the storage frame 71 that is carried out from the means 6 and stored in the storage frame 71 of the carry-out means 7 and driven by the carry-out drive mechanism 72 along the Y direction, the sorting and sorting target 101 having the same rank is assigned. It is also possible to store all the trays 10 arranged together.

With the above configuration, the transport means 5 can be provided with a function of temporarily returning the tray 10 as a storage unit from the transport rail 55. That is, in order to preferentially carry out the sorting and sorting target 101 having a predetermined rank based on the judgment of the control means 9, there is no sorting and sorting target 101 having the rank in the tray 10 currently being processed. In this case, the tray 10 currently being processed is temporarily returned to the temporary storage means 4, and another tray 10 on which the sorting and sorting target 101 having the rank is arranged is supplied to the sorting means 6, so that the tray 10 is combined with one tray 10. Since the number of sorting and sorting targets 101 having the same rank to be arranged can be quickly reached to a predetermined value and carried out, the storage unit (tray) can be carried out according to the situation of the sorting work executed by the sorting means 6. Since 10) can be provided from the temporary storage means 4 to the sorting means 6 and the storage unit transported to the sorting means 6 can be returned to the temporary storage means 5, the storage unit can be systematically congested so as not to cause congestion. By taking measures, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the sorting work performed by the sorting means.

FIG. 15 shows a second embodiment of the automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, the transport means 5 arranges the first pair of trays 10 (accommodation unit) and the second pair of trays 10 (accommodation unit) in a predetermined transport path (X direction). Along the transport path, the temporary storage means provides the transport rail 55 to the sorting means, and each pair of trays 10 is arranged on both sides of the transport path.

The sorting means 6 drives the picking unit 61 by using the second drive mechanism 62, and is arranged on the first pair of trays 10 and the second pair of trays 10 carried from the temporary storage means 4 to the sorting means 6, respectively. Under the control of the control means 9, each sorting and sorting target 101 is subjected to a step of replacing the tray 10 at the placement destination based on the corresponding rank registered in the sorting database.

That is, the sorting means 6 can be configured to simultaneously perform sorting processing on a plurality of pairs of storage units (tray 10).

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and includes all modifications and equal configurations as various configurations included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation. It shall be.

As described above, the automatic sorting and sorting system of the present invention provides a storage unit from the temporary storage means to the sorting means according to the situation of the sorting work executed by the sorting means, and provides the storage unit transported to the sorting means. Since it is possible to return to the temporary storage means, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the sorting work performed by the sorting means by systematically taking measures so as not to cause congestion of the accommodation unit.

1 → Pedestal means 10 → Tray 101 → Sorting target 12 → Support stand 13 → Inspection means holding frame 16 → Inspection rail 22 → First cleaning device 23 → Second cleaning device 3 → Inspection means 31 → Inspection unit 32 → Processing unit 33 → Lighting unit 4 → Temporary storage means 41 → Storage slot 5 → Transport means 51 → First inspection route 52 → Second inspection route 532 → Rail 533 → Rotating device 534 → Holding plate 53A → First transfer Mechanism 53B → Second transfer mechanism 54 → Rotational transfer mechanism 55 → Transfer rail 56 → First drive mechanism 561 → Y direction moving device 562 → Z direction moving device 57 → Supply device 571 → Supply rail 6 → Sorting means 61 → Pick-up unit 62 → Second drive mechanism 621 → X-direction drive device 622 → Z-direction drive device 623 → Y-direction drive device 7 → Carry-out means 71 → Storage frame 72 → Carry-out drive mechanism 9 → Control means

Claims (5)

A large number of sorting and sorting targets arranged in a plurality of accommodation units are inspected, and the sorting and sorting targets having the same rank are ranked and sorted based on the result of the inspection. It is an automatic sorting and sorting system that carries out each item together.
An inspection means for inspecting each of the sorting and sorting targets arranged in each of the plurality of accommodation units, ranking each of the sorting and sorting targets based on the inspection result, and registering the sorting and sorting targets in the sorting database. When,
A temporary storage means capable of simultaneously storing a plurality of the storage units in which the sorting and sorting targets whose corresponding ranks are registered in the sorting database after being inspected by the inspection means are arranged.
Each of the sorting and sorting targets arranged in at least two of the containing units taken out from the temporary storage means is taken out from the corresponding containing units based on the corresponding rank registered in the sorting database. Sorting means to perform relocation operations to place in other containment units,
The accommodating unit was supplied to the inspection means, transported from the inspection means to the temporary storage means for storage, taken out from the temporary storage means, transported to the sorting means, and transported to the sorting means. A transport means for performing the return of the containment unit to the temporary storage means.
The transport means takes out at least two of the accommodation units from the temporary storage means, and the sorting means performs the rearrangement operation a plurality of times, so that the sorting and sorting targets having the same rank are the same. An automatic sorting and sorting system in which the containment unit is carried out after being put together in the containment unit. The transport means has transport rails that provide the two containment units to the sorting means along a predetermined transport path, and the two containment units are arranged on both sides of the transport path, respectively.
Further, the transport means has a first drive mechanism for driving the temporary storage means in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport path, and the temporary storage means is driven by using the first drive mechanism. 1 Automatic sorting and sorting system described in. When the number of the same-ranked sorting and sorting targets arranged in one of the accommodating units reaches a predetermined value by the rearrangement operation of the sorting means, the accommodating unit is carried out from the sorting means. The automatic sorting and sorting system according to claim 1, further comprising means. The sorting means includes a picking unit capable of picking up the sorting and sorting target from the accommodating unit, a front-back direction in which the pick-up unit substantially coincides with the transport path, and a vertical direction and a left-right direction orthogonal to the front-back direction. The automatic sorting and sorting according to claim 2, further comprising a second drive mechanism for driving the pick-up unit, and using the second drive mechanism to drive the pick-up unit to perform the rearrangement operation. system. The transport means is arranged so that the first pair of the storage units and the second pair of the storage units are arranged in the transport path and provided from the temporary storage means to the sorting means along the transport path. With rails, each pair of containment units is located on either side of the transport path.
The sorting means drives the picking unit using the second driving mechanism, and the first pair of the accommodating units and the second pair of the accommodating units carried from the temporary storage means to the sorting means. The automatic sorting and sorting system according to claim 4, wherein the rearrangement operation is performed on each of the sorting and sorting targets arranged in each unit.

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