JP7109054B2 - Article transfer device and article transfer system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article transfer device and an article transfer system.

As a conventional article transfer device, Patent Document 1 discloses a conveyor that conveys food, a slide plate on which food is placed above a plate, and a stopper that stops the food above the plate when the slide plate slides. and a pressing plate for pressing food against a plate.

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-9835

Although it is thought that the above-described slide-type serving device can serve fixed-shaped foods one by one on a plate, it is possible to place a certain amount of a portion of a non-fixed-shaped product such as sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and pasta on a plate. It cannot be served.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an article transfer apparatus and an article transfer system capable of reliably transferring a part of an article from a group of articles to a container regardless of whether the article is of regular or non-regular shape.

An article transfer apparatus of the present invention is an article transfer apparatus for transferring a part of an article from a group of articles to a container conveyed along a conveying line, and includes a placement section on which the group of articles is placed. a first drive mechanism for moving the placement section between at least above the transfer line and a side of the transfer line; a holding section for holding a part of the article from the group of articles; a second drive mechanism for moving the holding part in a direction; and a control part for controlling the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism.

In this article transfer apparatus, the holding section holds a part of the article from the group of articles while the placing section is positioned above the conveying line, and the holding section is positioned right above the container and moves the holding section to the side of the conveying line. It is possible to perform an operation in which the placing section is moved to the second position, and the holding section transfers a part of the article to the container. In particular, by moving the placement section to the side of the conveying line while the holding section is positioned right above the container, it is possible to prevent the articles from falling outside the container on the conveying line. Therefore, according to this article transfer apparatus, it is possible to reliably transfer a part of articles from a group of articles to a container regardless of whether the articles are regular or non-regular.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the control section causes the holding section to hold a part of the article from the article group while the placing section is positioned above the transfer line, and the holding section is positioned directly above the container. The first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism may be controlled such that the placement section moves to the side of the transport line in , and the holding section transfers a part of the article to the container. By controlling in this manner, as described above, it is possible to reliably transfer some of the articles from the group of articles to the container, regardless of whether they are regular or non-regular.

The article transfer apparatus of the present invention may further include an adjustment section that adjusts the state of the article group placed on the placement section. In particular, when the group of articles has an irregular shape, by adjusting the state of the group of articles placed on the placement section, the holding section can reliably hold a portion of the articles by fixed quantity.

The article transfer apparatus of the present invention further includes a third drive mechanism that operates the adjustment section, and the control section controls the adjustment section when the placement section moves between above the transfer line and to the side of the transfer line. may control the third drive mechanism to adjust the condition of the group of articles. By controlling in this way, it is possible to efficiently adjust the state of the group of articles placed on the placing section.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the adjustment section has a plate member, and the control section controls the third drive mechanism so that the plate member moves the group of articles toward the end of the placement section. good. For example, when the group of articles is a collection of granular materials, the plate-shaped member brings the group of articles closer to the end of the placement section, so that the holding section can reliably hold a portion of the articles by fixed quantity.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the adjustment section has a plurality of rod-shaped members, and the control section controls the third drive mechanism so that the plurality of rod-shaped members are moved while being inserted into the article group. may For example, when the product group is a set of noodles, the holding unit can reliably hold a portion of the product by fixed quantity by moving the plurality of rod-shaped members inserted into the product group.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the adjustment section is fixed between the upper side of the transfer line and the side of the transfer line, and the placement section moves between the upper side of the transfer line and the side of the transfer line. You may coordinate and adjust the state of a goods group. This makes it possible to adjust the state of a group of articles placed on the placement section with a simple configuration.

In the article transfer device of the present invention, the adjusting section may have at least one of a plate-shaped member and a plurality of rod-shaped members. For example, when the group of articles is a collection of granular materials, the plate-shaped member brings the group of articles closer to the end of the placement section, so that the holding section can reliably hold a portion of the articles by fixed quantity. Further, for example, when the product group is a set of noodles, the holding unit can reliably hold a portion of the product by a certain amount by inserting a plurality of rod-shaped members into the product group.

The article transfer apparatus of the present invention further includes a detection section that detects the state of the group of articles placed on the placement section, and the control section determines that the state of the group of articles is a predetermined state based on the detection result of the detection section. You may control a 1st drive mechanism so that it may become. Accordingly, the state of the group of articles placed on the placement section can be maintained in a state in which the holding section can easily hold a portion of the articles.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the detection section detects the height of the article group as the state of the article group placed on the placement section, and the control section detects the article group based on the detection result of the detection section. The first drive mechanism may be controlled so that the height of the group is equal to or higher than a predetermined height. Accordingly, the height of the group of articles placed on the placement section can be maintained at a height at which the holding section can easily hold a portion of the articles.

The article transfer apparatus of the present invention further includes a detection section for detecting the state of the group of articles placed on the placement section, and the control section detects the state of the articles placed on the placement section based on the detection result of the detection section. At least one of the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism may be controlled so that the holding section holds a part of the article in the holding area. Thereby, the holding portion can reliably hold a part of the article.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the detection section detects the height of the article group as the state of the article group placed on the placement section, and the control section detects the placement based on the detection result of the detection section. In the group of articles placed on the placing section, an area having a predetermined height or more is determined as a holding area, and at least the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are operated so that the holding section holds a part of the articles in the holding area. You can control one or the other. Thereby, the holding portion can reliably hold a part of the article.

In the article transfer apparatus of the present invention, the second drive mechanism moves the holding section in the vertical direction above the conveying line, and moves the holding section along the conveying line. The second drive mechanism may be controlled so that the holding portion remains positioned directly above the conveyed container when transferring a portion of the container to the container. In this case, part of the article can be reliably transferred to the container while preventing the article from falling to a region outside the container on the transfer line without stopping the conveyance of the container.

An article transfer system of the present invention is an article transfer system that transfers a part of an article from a group of articles to a container that is conveyed along a conveying line, and includes a conveying section that conveys the container along the conveying line. a placing section on which the group of articles is placed; a first driving mechanism for moving the placing section between at least above the conveying line and to the side of the conveying line; and holding a part of the articles from the group of articles. a holding section for moving the holding section, a second driving mechanism for moving the holding section in at least the vertical direction at least above the transfer line, and a control section for controlling the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism.

According to this article transfer system, as described above, it is possible to reliably transfer a part of articles from a group of articles to a container regardless of whether they are regular or non-regular.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably transfer a part of articles from a group of articles to a container regardless of whether they are regular or non-regular.

1 is a side view of an article transfer device of one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article transfer device shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of the article transfer device shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holding portion of the article transfer device shown in FIG. 1; 5 is a cross-sectional view of the holding portion shown in FIG. 4; FIG. It is a side view of the goods transfer apparatus for demonstrating operation|movement. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the article transfer device for explaining the operation; It is a side view of the goods transfer apparatus for demonstrating operation|movement. It is a side view of the goods transfer apparatus for demonstrating operation|movement. It is a side view of the goods transfer apparatus for demonstrating operation|movement. It is a side view of the goods transfer apparatus for demonstrating operation|movement. 1 is a plan view of an article transfer system of one embodiment; FIG. It is a top view of the article transfer system of other embodiments. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining tracking control;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.
[Configuration of article transfer device]

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article transfer device 10 transfers some of the articles from the article group S to the container C conveyed along the conveying line 2 . More specifically, the article transfer device 10 transfers a certain amount of a part of articles from an article group S, which is a collection of articles (for example, powdery materials), to each container C sequentially conveyed by the conveying unit 3. Transfer. In this embodiment, the transport surface 4 a of the transport conveyor 4 of the transport section 3 corresponds to the transport line 2 .

The article transfer device 10 includes a frame 20 , a first drive mechanism 30 , a second drive mechanism 40 , a third drive mechanism 50 , a placement section 60 , a holding section 70 , an adjustment section 80 and a control section 90 . Hereinafter, each configuration will be described in detail, with the horizontal direction parallel to the transport line 2 as the X-axis direction, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport line 2 as the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction as the Z-axis direction.

The frame 20 is installed at a predetermined position with respect to the transport conveyor 4 . Frame 20 supports first drive mechanism 30 , second drive mechanism 40 and third drive mechanism 50 . In the frame 20, the positions of the first driving mechanism 30, the second driving mechanism 40, and the third driving mechanism 50 are adjustable in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction.

The first drive mechanism 30 moves the receiver 60 between above the transport line 2 and to the side of the transport line 2 . That is, the first drive mechanism 30 moves the placement section 60 in the Y-axis direction at a position higher than the transport surface 4 a of the transport conveyor 4 . The first drive mechanism 30 has a linear guide 31 and an electric actuator 32 . The linear guide 31 is composed of rails and sliders. A rail of the linear guide 31 is attached to the frame 20 and guides the slider of the linear guide 31 in the Y-axis direction. The electric actuator 32 is attached to the frame 20 and moves the slider of the linear guide 31 in the Y-axis direction.

The mounting portion 60 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 31 . An article group S is placed on the placing section 60 . In the present embodiment, the tray T containing the article group S is placed on the placement section 60 . However, the placement section 60 itself may have a tray-like shape, and the article group S may be placed directly on the placement section 60 .

The second drive mechanism 40 moves the holding part 70 in the Z-axis direction above the transfer line 2 . The second drive mechanism 40 has a linear guide 41 and an electric actuator 42 . The linear guide 41 is composed of rails and sliders. A rail of the linear guide 41 is attached to the frame 20 and guides the slider of the linear guide 41 in the Z-axis direction. The electric actuator 42 is attached to the frame 20 and moves the slider of the linear guide 41 in the Z-axis direction.

The holding part 70 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 41 . The holding unit 70 holds a part of the articles from the article group S. As shown in FIG. More specifically, the holding unit 70 holds a certain amount of articles, which are part of articles, from an article group S, which is a collection of articles (for example, powdery materials).

The third drive mechanism 50 moves the plate member 81 of the adjustment section 80 in the Y-axis direction. The third drive mechanism 50 has a linear guide 51 and an electric actuator 52 as components for moving the plate member 81 in the Y-axis direction. The linear guide 51 is composed of rails and sliders. The rail of the linear guide 51 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 31 and guides the slider of the linear guide 51 in the Y-axis direction. The electric actuator 52 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 31 and moves the slider of the linear guide 51 in the Y-axis direction.

The third drive mechanism 50 moves the plurality of rod-shaped members 82 of the adjustment section 80 in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The third drive mechanism 50 has a linear guide 53 and an electric actuator 54 as components for moving the plurality of rod-shaped members 82 in the X-axis direction. The linear guide 53 is composed of rails and sliders. A rail of the linear guide 53 is attached to the frame 20 and guides the slider of the linear guide 53 in the X-axis direction. The electric actuator 54 is attached to the frame 20 and moves the slider of the linear guide 53 in the X-axis direction.

The third drive mechanism 50 has a linear guide 55 and an electric actuator 56 as components for moving the plurality of rod-shaped members 82 in the Z-axis direction. The linear guide 55 is composed of rails and sliders. The rail of the linear guide 55 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 53 and guides the slider of the linear guide 55 in the Z-axis direction. The electric actuator 56 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 53 and moves the slider of the linear guide 55 in the Z-axis direction.

The controller 90 controls the first drive mechanism 30 , the second drive mechanism 40 and the third drive mechanism 50 . More specifically, the controller 90 controls each of the electric actuators 32 , 42 , 52 , 54 and 56 . As an example, the control unit 90 is configured as a computer device including, for example, a processor, memory, storage and communication device. In that case, in the control unit 90, the processor executes a predetermined software (program) loaded in the memory or the like, controls reading and writing of data in the memory and storage, and controls communication between the control devices by the communication device. By doing so, the function of the control unit 90 is realized.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the plate member 81 of the adjusting section 80 is attached to the slider of the linear guide 51 . The plate-like member 81 is moved in the Y-axis direction together with the slider of the linear guide 51 by the electric actuator 52 (see FIG. 2) to move the article group S to the end of the tray T (the end of the placing section 60). A plurality of rod-shaped members 82 included in the adjusting section 80 are attached to sliders of the linear guides 55 . The plurality of rod-shaped members 82 are moved in the Z-axis direction together with the slider of the linear guide 55 by the electric actuator 56 and inserted into the article group S. As shown in FIG. In this state, the plurality of rod-like members 82 are moved in the X-axis direction together with the slider of the linear guide 53 by the electric actuator 54, thereby loosening and leveling the article group S. As shown in FIG. In this manner, the adjusting section 80 is operated by the third drive mechanism 50 to adjust the state of the article group S accommodated in the tray T. As shown in FIG. It should be noted that the distance between adjacent rod-shaped members 82 can be adjusted.
[Configuration of holding part]

A configuration of the holding portion 70 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holding portion 70 has a nozzle 71 , a filter 72 and a head 73 . The nozzle 71 is a cylinder having a first opening 71a and a second opening 71b. The nozzle 71 is formed with a storage space 74 communicating with the first opening 71a and the second opening 71b. A step portion 71c and a female screw portion 71d are provided inside the second opening portion 71b. The storage space 74 has the same diameter as the first opening 71 a , and the second opening 71 b has a larger diameter than the first opening 71 a and the storage space 74 . The stepped portion 71 c is formed by expanding the diameter of the second opening 71 b with respect to the storage space 74 .

The filter 72 closes the second opening 71b and defines a storage space 74. As shown in FIG. The filter 72 is a plate member having a plurality of holes 72a. Each hole 72a has a size that does not allow the passage of the articles constituting the group of articles to be transferred. In other words, the filter 72 allows the air flow to pass through, but does not allow the transfer target article group to pass through. The plurality of holes 72 a are uniformly distributed (at equal pitches) at least in the area of the filter 72 facing the storage space 74 . The filter 72 has substantially the same diameter as the second opening 71b and is arranged on the stepped portion 71c.

The head 73 is detachably attached to the slider (see FIG. 2) of the linear guide 41 . The nozzle 71 and filter 72 are detachably attached to the head 73 . In this embodiment, the female threaded portion 71d of the nozzle 71 is screwed into the male threaded portion 73a provided outside the lower end portion of the head 73, so that the first opening 71a of the nozzle 71 faces downward. A nozzle 71 and a filter 72 are attached to the head 73 in this state. At this time, the lower end of the head 73 presses the outer edge of the filter 72 against the stepped portion 71c of the nozzle 71 via the spacer 75, thereby positioning the filter 72 on the stepped portion 71c.

The spacer 75 is a circular annular member. The outer diameter of the spacer 75 is substantially the same as that of the second opening 71 b , and the inner diameter of the spacer 75 is larger than that of the first opening 71 a and the storage space 74 . An O-ring may be arranged on the stepped portion 71 c of the nozzle 71 together with the spacer 75 or instead of the spacer 75 . Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the lower end of the head 73 directly presses the outer edge of the filter 72 without using the spacer 75, O-ring, or the like.

A main channel 76 , a first branch channel 77 and a second branch channel 78 are formed in the head 73 . The main flow path 76 extends in the Z-axis direction. The main channel 76 opens downward at the lower end of the head 73 and is connected to the second opening 71 b of the nozzle 71 . A drain hose (not shown) is connected indirectly (that is, via another pipe) or directly to the end of the main flow path 76 opposite to the second opening 71b. The first branch channel 77 branches from the main channel 76 and opens to the side of the head 73 . The second branch channel 78 branches from the main channel 76 below the first branch channel 77 and opens to the side of the head 73 .

In the holding portion 70 , the main flow path 76 and the first branch flow path 77 generate a suction air flow in the nozzle 71 , and the main flow path 76 and the second branch flow path 78 generate a discharge air flow in the nozzle 71 . The suction air flow is an air flow from the first opening 71a to the second opening 71b through the storage space 74. As shown in FIG. The discharged airflow is an airflow from the second opening 71b to the first opening 71a through the storage space 74. As shown in FIG.

The generation timing of these airflows is controlled by the control unit 90 (see FIG. 1) of flow rate adjusting units (not shown) connected to the first branch flow path 77 and the second branch flow path 78, respectively. is adjusted. As an example, when the holding unit 70 holds an article, a suction air flow is generated in the nozzle 71, and in this state, the first opening 71a of the nozzle 71 is brought into contact with the article group S, and the nozzle 71 of storage space 74 is filled with articles. As a result, a fixed amount of articles corresponding to the volume of the storage space 74 is held by the holding section 70 . When the holding unit 70 discharges the article, the first opening 71a of the nozzle 71 is moved to a position immediately above the transfer destination, and at that position, the nozzle 71 is caused to generate a discharge air flow, Articles are discharged from the storage space 74 of the nozzle 71 .

Since the nozzle 71 is detachable from the head 73, a nozzle 71 having an appropriate shape can be selected according to the amount of articles to be held, the shape of the transfer destination, and the like. Similarly, since the filter 72 is also detachable from the head 73, a filter 72 having an appropriate shape can be selected according to the size of the article to be held.
[Control by controller]

Control by the control unit 90 will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the control section 90 performs the first drive so that the tray T (the placement section 60) is positioned above the transfer surface 4a (the transfer line 2) of the transfer conveyor 4. Control mechanism 30 . Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the control unit 90 controls the holding unit 70 to hold a part of the articles from the article group S with the tray T positioned above the conveying surface 4a. It controls the second drive mechanism 40 . More specifically, the control unit 90 controls the flow rate adjustment unit so that the suction airflow is generated in the holding unit 70 . Then, the control unit 90 controls the holding unit 70 to come into contact with the article group S in a state in which the suction air flow is generated in the holding unit 70 , and then moves the holding unit 70 away from the article group S after contact for a predetermined time. 2 controls the drive mechanism 40; As a result, a fixed amount of articles is held by the holding section 70 .

Subsequently, the transport of the container C by the transport conveyor 4 is stopped, and as shown in FIG. The first drive mechanism 30 is controlled so that the tray T moves sideways. At this time, the control unit 90 controls the third drive mechanism 50 so that the plate member 81 moves the article group S toward the end of the tray T. As shown in FIG. For example, if the article group S is viscous and needs to be loosened or smoothed, the control unit 90 moves the plurality of rod-shaped members 82 inserted into the article group S. The third driving mechanism 50 is controlled so as to (for example, swing in the X-axis direction).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 90 controls the holding unit 70 to transfer a portion of the article to the container C while the container C is stopped directly below the holding unit 70. 2 controls the drive mechanism 40; More specifically, the control unit 90 controls the second driving mechanism 40 so that the holding unit 70 is positioned in the vicinity of the position directly above the container C in a state where the suction air flow is generated in the holding unit 70 . The control unit 90 controls the flow rate adjusting unit so that the discharge air flow is generated in the holding unit 70 in a state where the holding unit 70 is positioned in the vicinity of the position directly above the container C. As shown in FIG. As a result, a fixed amount of articles is discharged from the holding section 70 to the container C. As shown in FIG. Subsequently, the transport of the container C by the transport conveyor 4 is resumed, and the control unit 90 causes the holding unit 70 to move above the transport surface 4a (transport line 2) of the transport conveyor 4, as shown in FIGS. The second drive mechanism 40 is controlled to position. After that, the above-described control is repeatedly performed for each container C successively transported by the transport conveyor 4 .
[Configuration of goods transfer system]

As shown in FIG. 12 , the article transfer system 1 includes a transport section 3 and a plurality of article transfer devices 10 . A plurality of article transfer devices 10 are installed along the transport line 2 (that is, the transport surface 4a of the transport conveyor 4 of the transport section 3). As an example, the article transfer system 1 transfers a plurality of types of foods as articles to the respective containers C that are sequentially conveyed by the conveying section 3 . The plurality of types of foods are, for example, grains such as sesame, noodles such as pasta, and solids such as hamburgers, and are transferred to predetermined areas in the container C, respectively.

When the article group S is a collection of irregular-shaped articles (for example, grains such as sesame, noodles such as pasta), the article transfer apparatus 10 transfers a portion of the articles from the article group S by a fixed amount. When the object to be transferred is a collection of granular materials such as sesame seeds, the holding section 70 described above is suitable. When the object to be transferred is a set of noodles such as pasta, for example, a tongue having a comb-shaped tip is appropriate as the holding portion 70 . Further, when the article group S is a collection of fixed-shaped articles (for example, solid articles such as hamburgers), the article transfer apparatus 10 transfers a part of articles from the article group S by a fixed number. In that case, for example, tongues are suitable as the holding part 70 . As described above, each article transfer device 10 includes a holding unit 70 suitable for the characteristics of the article group S to be transferred by the device itself.

When the article group S is a collection of non-standard objects, the article transfer device 10 may include an imaging section for detecting the height of the article group S on the placing section 60, for example. In that case, the second drive mechanism 40 is used to move the holding section 70 in, for example, the X-axis direction in addition to the Z-axis direction, and the control section 90 controls the article group S to be at an appropriate height based on the imaging result of the imaging section. The second drive mechanism 40 may be controlled such that the holding portion 70 moves to a position having the height. Further, when the article group S is a set of fixed-shaped articles, the article transfer device 10 may include an imaging section for detecting the position of each fixed-shaped article on the placing section 60, for example. In that case, the second drive mechanism 40 is used to move the holding unit 70 in, for example, the X-axis direction in addition to the Z-axis direction, and the control unit 90 detects an object to be gripped based on the imaging result of the imaging unit. The second drive mechanism 40 may be controlled such that the holding portion 70 moves to the position.

The article transfer device 10 has a configuration in which the placement section 60 moves between the upper side of the transfer line 2 and the side of the transfer line 2 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13, a workbench D can be installed on the side of the transport line 2 together with the article transfer device 10, and a worker W can perform part of the transfer work. Thus, the article transfer apparatus 10 is an apparatus that can easily coexist with the worker W in the article transfer system 1 .
[Action and effect]

As described above, in the article transfer apparatus 10, the holding section 70 holds a part of the article from the article group S in a state where the placing section 60 is positioned above the transfer line 2, and holds the article directly above the container C. The placement section 60 moves to the side of the transport line 2 while the section 70 is positioned, and the holding section 70 transfers a part of the article to the container C, which can be performed. In particular, by moving the placing section 60 to the side of the conveying line 2 while the holding section 70 is positioned directly above the container C, it is possible to prevent the articles from falling outside the container C on the conveying line 2. . Therefore, according to the article transfer device 10, it is possible to reliably transfer a part of the articles from the article group S to the container C regardless of whether the articles are regular or non-regular.

Further, in the article transfer device 10, the control section 90 controls the first drive mechanism 30 and the second drive mechanism 40 so that the above-described operations are performed. By controlling in this manner, as described above, it is possible to reliably transfer some of the articles from the article group S to the container C regardless of whether they are regular or non-regular.

In the article transfer device 10 , the adjustment section 80 adjusts the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60 . In particular, when the article group S has an irregular shape, by adjusting the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60, the holding section 70 can reliably hold a portion of the articles by fixed quantity.

Further, in the article transfer device 10, when the placement section 60 moves between the upper side of the transfer line 2 and the side of the transfer line 2, the adjustment section 80 is controlled to adjust the state of the article group S. A section 90 controls the third drive mechanism 50 . By controlling in this way, the state of the article group S placed on the placing section 60 can be efficiently adjusted.

Further, in the article transfer device 10 , the control section 90 controls the third drive mechanism 50 so that the plate member 81 moves the article group S toward the end of the placing section 60 . For example, when the article group S is a collection of granular materials, the plate-like member 81 moves the article group S to the end of the placing section 60, so that the holding section 70 can reliably hold a part of the articles by fixed quantity. .

Further, in the article transfer device 10 , the control section 90 controls the third drive mechanism 50 so that the plurality of bar members 82 are moved while being inserted into the article group S. For example, when the product group S is a set of noodles, the holding unit 70 can reliably hold a portion of the products by fixed quantity by moving the plurality of rod-shaped members 82 inserted into the product group S.

Further, according to the article transfer system 1, since the article transfer apparatus 10 described above is provided, a part of the articles from the article group S can be reliably transferred to the container C regardless of whether the articles are regular or non-regular.
[Modification]

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the second drive mechanism 40 may move the holding part 70 vertically above the transfer line 2 and move the holding part 70 along the transfer line 2 . 14A, 14B, and 14C, the control unit 90 controls the transported container C when the holding unit 70 transfers a part of the article to the container C. You may control the 2nd drive mechanism 40 so that the holding|maintenance part 70 may continue being positioned right above. In this case, even if the transportation of the container C is not stopped, it is possible to reliably transfer a part of the article to the container C while preventing the article from falling to the area outside the container C on the transfer line 2 .

Further, the adjusting section 80 is not limited to having the plate-shaped member 81 or the plurality of rod-shaped members 82, and members having various shapes according to the article group S can be applied. Alternatively, the article transfer device 10 may not include the third drive mechanism 50 and the adjustment section 80 may be fixed to the frame 20 . In other words, the adjustment section 80 is fixed between the upper side of the transfer line 2 and the side of the transfer line 2, and interlocks with the movement of the mounting section 60 between the upper side of the transfer line 2 and the side of the transfer line 2. You may adjust the state of the goods group S by doing. In this case as well, the adjusting unit 80 moves the article group S placed on the placing unit 60 by moving the placing unit 60 between the upper side of the carrying line 2 and the side of the carrying line 2 . Move relatively. Accordingly, the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60 can be adjusted with a simple configuration.

In addition, the article transfer apparatus 10 further includes a detection section that detects the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60, and the control section 90 detects the state of the article group S based on the detection result of the detection section. You may control the 1st drive mechanism 30 so that a state may turn into a predetermined state. As a result, the state of the group of articles S placed on the placing section 60 can be maintained in a state in which the holding section 70 can easily hold a part of the articles. In this case, the detection section detects the height of the article group S as the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60, and the control section 90 detects the article group S based on the detection result of the detection section. The first drive mechanism 30 may be controlled so that the height of the is equal to or higher than a predetermined height. Thereby, the height of the article group S placed on the placing section 60 can be maintained at a height at which the holding section 70 can easily hold a part of the articles.

In addition, the article transfer apparatus 10 further includes a detection section that detects the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60, and the control section 90 controls the placement section 60 based on the detection result of the detection section. determining a holding area in the group of articles S to be placed on the device, and controlling at least one of the first drive mechanism 30 and the second drive mechanism 40 so that the holding section 70 holds a part of the article in the holding area good too. Thereby, the holding part 70 can surely hold a part of the article. In this case, the detection section detects the height of the article group S as the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60, and the control section 90 controls the placement section based on the detection result of the detection section. The first drive mechanism 30 and the second drive mechanism are operated such that an area having a predetermined height or higher in the group of articles S placed on the table 60 is determined as a holding area, and the holding section 70 holds a part of the articles in the holding area. 40 may be controlled. Thereby, the holding part 70 can surely hold a part of the article.

Examples of the detection unit that detects the height (shape) of the article group S as the state of the article group S placed on the placement unit 60 include a camera, a line sensor, a near-infrared sensor, and the like. In this case, based on the detection result of the detection unit, the control unit 90 determines the coordinates that satisfy the insertion depth of the holding unit 70 (insertion depth with respect to the article group S) required to realize holding of the target holding amount. can be extracted. Further, the higher the height of the article group S, the shorter the moving distance of the holding section 70, and the higher the transfer capacity of the article transfer device 10 can be. Furthermore, the control section 90 can also determine the insertion depth, angle, and open state of the holding section 70 based on the detection result of the detection section.

Further, as an example of the detection unit that detects the density (mass) of the article group S as the state of the article group S placed on the placement unit 60, there is an X-ray sensor or the like. In this case, the control unit 90 can extract coordinates having a density suitable for realizing retention of the target retention amount based on the detection result of the detection unit. For example, when the product group S is pasta, if the noodles are entangled with each other, it becomes difficult to control the holding amount, so it is desirable to avoid areas with too high a density. Conversely, if holding by the holding unit 70 is performed in an area where the density is too low, the density does not increase in the holding state, and there is a risk of failing to hold the object. be.

A camera or the like is an example of a detection section that detects the color of the article group S as the state of the article group S placed on the placement section 60 . In the case of an article group S in which several types of articles are mixed, it is necessary to transfer the articles evenly among the types. Therefore, the control unit 90 determines the distribution of the articles from the colors based on the image captured by the camera, and extracts an appropriate holding area.

Moreover, the article transfer system 1 may include at least one article transfer device 10 .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Article transfer system, 2... Conveyance line, 3... Conveyance part, 10... Article transfer apparatus, 30... 1st drive mechanism, 40... 2nd drive mechanism, 50... 3rd drive mechanism, 60... Placement part , 70... Holding part, 80... Adjusting part, 81... Plate-like member, 82... Rod-like member, 90... Control part, C... Container, S... Article group.

Claims (14)

An article transfer device for transferring a part of an article from a group of articles to a container conveyed along a conveying line,
a placement section on which the group of articles is placed;
a first drive mechanism that moves the placement section at least between above the transfer line and to the side of the transfer line;
a holding unit that holds a part of the article from the article group;
a second drive mechanism that moves the holding part in at least the vertical direction at least above the transfer line;
An article transfer device, comprising: a controller that controls the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism. The control section controls the holding section to hold a part of the article from the article group with the placement section positioned above the conveying line, and the holding section with the holding section positioned directly above the container. controlling the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism so that the placement section moves to the side of the transfer line and the holding section transfers a portion of the article to the container; Item 1. An article transfer device according to Item 1. 3. The article transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjusting section that adjusts the state of the group of articles placed on the placing section. Further comprising a third drive mechanism for operating the adjustment unit,
The control section controls the third drive mechanism so that the adjustment section adjusts the state of the article group when the placement section moves between above the transfer line and to the side of the transfer line. 4. The article transfer device according to claim 3, which controls the The adjusting section has a plate-like member,
5. The article transfer device according to claim 4, wherein said control section controls said third drive mechanism such that said plate-like member moves said article group to an end of said placement section. The adjustment unit has a plurality of rod-shaped members,
6. The article transfer device according to claim 4, wherein said control section controls said third drive mechanism so that said plurality of rod-shaped members move while being inserted into said article group. The adjustment section is fixed between the upper side of the transfer line and the side of the transfer line, and is interlocked with the movement of the mounting section between the upper side of the transfer line and the side of the transfer line. 4. The article transfer device according to claim 3, which adjusts the state of the article group. 8. The article transfer device according to claim 7, wherein said adjustment section has at least one of a plate-shaped member and a plurality of rod-shaped members. further comprising a detection unit that detects the state of the group of articles placed on the placement unit;
The article according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the control section controls the first drive mechanism so that the state of the article group is in a predetermined state based on the detection result of the detection section. Transfer device. The detection unit detects a height of the group of articles as a state of the group of articles placed on the placing section,
10. The article transfer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control section controls said first drive mechanism based on the detection result of said detection section so that the height of said article group is equal to or higher than a predetermined height. further comprising a detection unit that detects the state of the group of articles placed on the placement unit;
The control unit determines a holding area in the group of articles placed on the placement unit based on the detection result of the detection unit, and the holding unit holds a part of the articles in the holding area. The article transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one of said first drive mechanism and said second drive mechanism is controlled in such a manner as to The detection unit detects a height of the group of articles as a state of the group of articles placed on the placing section,
Based on the detection result of the detection unit, the control unit determines an area having a predetermined height or more in the group of articles placed on the placement unit as the holding area, and the holding unit is positioned in the holding area. 12. The article transfer device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said first drive mechanism and said second drive mechanism is controlled to hold a portion of said article. The second drive mechanism moves the holding part in the vertical direction above the transfer line and moves the holding part along the transfer line,
The control unit controls the second drive mechanism so that the holding unit continues to be positioned directly above the conveyed container when the holding unit transfers the part of the article to the container. The article transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 12. An article transfer system for transferring a part of an article from a group of articles to a container conveyed along a conveying line,
a conveying unit that conveys the container along the conveying line;
a placement section on which the group of articles is placed;
a first drive mechanism that moves the placement section at least between above the transfer line and to the side of the transfer line;
a holding unit that holds a part of the article from the article group;
a second drive mechanism that moves the holding part in at least the vertical direction at least above the transfer line;
An article transfer system, comprising: a controller that controls the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism.

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