JP7140967B2 - Vibration transfer device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vibrating conveying apparatus capable of conveying an object to be conveyed in a predetermined direction.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been known a vibration conveying apparatus that conveys an object to be conveyed, such as a work, along a spiral or linear conveying path (track). The vibration conveying apparatus is provided with an attitude determination device capable of sorting out the attitude of the conveyed object so that the conveyed object conveyed along the traveling surface of the conveying path is conveyed to the next process with the conveyed object having the same posture.

For example, in Patent Literature 1, there is disclosed a device that determines the conveying attitude of an object to be conveyed along the running surface of a bowl conveying path of a bowl feeder, and opens parts that do not have the desired conveying attitude on the running surface. A configuration is disclosed in which the particles are blown off by air blown from an air blowing hole and dropped from the running surface into the bowl (reservoir formed on the bottom surface of the bowl).

Further, in Patent Document 2, air holes are provided in the traveling surface of the linear feeder path of the linear feeder. is blown away from the running surface by compressed air constantly ejected from the nozzle, collected in a pocket, and then returned to the bowl.

JP-A-2005-30587 JP-A-9-267912

However, in the configurations disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents, the direction in which an object to be conveyed that is not in a desired posture is removed is a horizontal direction (conveyance direction), for example, when adopting a multi-row vibrating conveying device in which a plurality of conveying paths are arranged in the width direction, it is necessary to secure an exclusion space that spreads in the horizontal direction for each conveying path in each row. There is, and it invites the enlargement of the device (increase of the installation area). Such a problem also arises in a vibration conveying apparatus in which the conveying paths are arranged in a line.

The present invention has been made with attention paid to such problems, and the main purpose thereof is to provide a dedicated space on the side of the conveying path for excluding conveying objects that are not in a desired posture (conveying objects in different postures). To provide a vibrating conveying device capable of eliminating an object to be conveyed in a different posture from a conveying path while realizing space saving in the width direction without the need to form the same.

That is, the present invention is a vibration conveying apparatus for conveying an object to be conveyed on the conveying path in a predetermined conveying direction (by vibrating the conveying path), and the object to be conveyed on the conveying path is placed in a predetermined region of the conveying path. It is a vibration conveying device that conveys in the conveying direction, and out of conveying objects conveyed on the conveying path for attitude selection constituting a predetermined area of the conveying path, an object to be conveyed in a different posture that is not in a predetermined conveying attitude is placed on the conveying path for attitude selection. The present invention is characterized by including an attitude selecting section that excludes from the conveying path including the attitude selecting conveying path through an exclusion space that opens on the upstream end side. Examples of objects to be conveyed include micro-sized electronic parts (works) and medical parts, but are not particularly limited as long as they can be conveyed by the vibration conveying apparatus of the present invention.

With such a vibration conveying apparatus according to the present invention, among the conveyed objects being conveyed on the conveying path for attitude selection that constitutes the predetermined area of the conveying path, the conveyed object having a different attitude among the conveyed objects being conveyed is moved upstream of the conveying path for attitude selecting. Since it is equipped with a posture selection section that excludes from the transport path including the posture selection transport path through the exclusion space that opens on the end side, the exclusion space is provided on the side of the posture selection transport path (direction perpendicular to the transport direction). It is possible to eliminate the object to be conveyed in a different orientation from the conveying path without the need to secure it and without causing an increase in the size of the apparatus.

In the vibration conveying apparatus according to the present invention, a step is provided at the boundary portion between the attitude selecting conveying path and the conveying path on the upstream side of the attitude selecting conveying path in the conveying direction, and a gap in the height direction is formed by the step. If the configuration is such that objects to be conveyed in different orientations are excluded into the exclusion space, the space below the conveyance path on the upstream side of the orientation selection conveyance path in the conveyance direction can be effectively utilized as the exclusion space, and a simple Despite the configuration, it is possible to appropriately perform processing for excluding objects to be conveyed in different postures while saving space in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the conveying direction).

In particular, if the vibrating transport apparatus according to the present invention is a multi-row vibrating transport apparatus in which a plurality of transport paths are arranged side by side in the width direction, the space below the transport path on the upstream side in the transport direction of the attitude selecting transport path is excluded. The widthwise dimension of the apparatus can be reduced compared to a configuration in which a dedicated exclusion space extending laterally (in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction) is formed for each transport path of each row.

Further, when the vibration conveying device according to the present invention is a bowl feeder having a spiral conveying path along the inner peripheral wall of the bowl, the attitude selecting conveying path reaches the attitude selecting conveying path among the conveying paths. Exclusion space is secured on the side (inside or outside) of the conveying path for attitude selection by setting the position displaced to the outer or inner circumferential side of the conveying path through which the objects to be conveyed pass until just before the It is not necessary to do so, and an increase in the size of the apparatus can be avoided.

According to the present invention, an exclusion space that opens to the upstream end side of the attitude selecting conveying path for conveying objects having different attitudes among the conveying objects being conveyed on the attitude selecting conveying path provided in a predetermined area of the conveying path. A special space is provided on the side of the transport path for excluding objects that are not in the desired posture (transported objects with different postures). It is possible to provide a vibrating conveying apparatus that eliminates the need to form a trough and is capable of eliminating an object to be conveyed in a different orientation from the conveying path while realizing space savings in the width direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The plane schematic diagram of the vibration conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. A1 direction arrow directional view of FIG. The principal part expansion schematic diagram in the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the operation of the posture selection section in the same embodiment; The figure which shows typically the example of a changed completely type of the vibration conveying apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 (FIG. 1 is a plan view of the vibration transfer device X, and FIG. 2 is a view (side view) in the direction of arrow A1 in FIG. 1). , a plurality of linear transport paths L, which are linear transport paths, are arranged side by side in the width direction W, and an object to be transported N (see FIG. 3) on each linear transport path L is transported downstream in the transport direction T by vibration. It is possible. In this embodiment, 24 rows of linear transport paths L are arranged in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. When viewed from above the area where such multi-row linear transport paths L are arranged (multi-row transport path setting area), as shown in FIG. A fan-shaped area LA in which each linear transport path L extends in different directions as shown in FIG. can be distinguished from Each linear transport path L is vibrated by a vibrating body. That is, by transmitting the vibration of the vibrating body to each linear transport path L, the object N to be transported on each linear transport path L can be vibrated and transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction T.

To each linear transport path L in the fan-shaped area LA of the vibrating transport device X, the objects to be transported N are evenly or substantially evenly supplied from the sorting device H. The sorting device H includes a supply trough H1 that accommodates the objects to be conveyed N discharged from the bowl conveying path B1 of the bowl feeder B and is capable of swinging. L is supplied with the object N to be conveyed. In FIG. 1, the state of the supply trough H1 that swings within a predetermined angular range is indicated by a chain double-dashed line.

The vibration conveying device X of this embodiment functions as a sorting chute for sorting out the conveying attitude of the conveying objects N on the linear conveying path L. An attitude selection unit S is provided for selecting different postures N2 of transported objects N which are not in a predetermined transporting posture among the transported objects N conveyed above.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the orientation selection unit S is arranged so as to be a lower conveyance path than the conveyance path upstream of the orientation selection unit S (upstream conveyance path U) in the conveyance direction T. It is composed mainly of the attitude selecting transport path S1. 4B and 4C are schematic diagrams of the upstream transport path U and the attitude selecting transport path S1, respectively, viewed from the direction of arrow A2 in FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4(b), a V-shaped running surface is formed on the upward surface of the upstream transport path U of this embodiment. The transport object X is transported to the downstream end U2 of the upstream transport path U along this V-shaped running surface.

As shown in FIG. 4, the posture selection unit S of the present embodiment is configured to transport an object to be transported in a posture other than the normal transport posture (normal posture) on the transport path S1 for posture selection (an object to be transported in a different posture N2). are excluded from the linear transport path L including the attitude selecting transport path S1 through the exclusion space S2 opened on the upstream end side S1a side of the attitude selecting transport path S1. The attitude selecting section S provides a step between the attitude selecting transport path S1 and the upstream transport path U, and the height direction between the attitude selecting transport path S1 and the upstream transport path U is formed by the step. It is configured such that the object to be conveyed in a different orientation N2 can be discharged from the gap S3 to the exclusion space S2.

As shown in FIG. 3(c), on the upward surface of the posture selection transport path S1, a concave groove S12 opened only upward is formed over the entire length of the posture selection transport path S1. When the object N to be conveyed on the path S1 is, for example, a medical component having a flange Na, in the present embodiment, the portion Nb on the tip side of the flange Na is accommodated in the groove S12 and the opening of the groove S12. An object to be conveyed N in a suspended posture in which the collar portion Na is supported by the stepped portion S13 provided on the edge is referred to as a “normal-position conveying object N1”, and an object N not in such a posture is referred to as a “different-position conveying object”. "Item N2".

Here, when the conveying object N on the upstream conveying path U is dropped from the downstream end U2 of the upstream conveying path U onto the attitude selecting conveying path S1 and delivered, the conveying object N is dropped from the flange Na of the conveying object N. The conveying attitude of the conveying object N reaching the downstream end U2 of the upstream conveying path U is uniformly aligned so that the leading end portion Nb is accommodated in the concave groove S12 of the conveying path S1 for selecting the attitude. However, depending on the orientation of the object N to be conveyed, the posture shown in FIG. 3C, that is, the suspension posture in which the collar portion Na of the object N to be conveyed is supported by the stepped portion S13 provided at the opening edge of the concave groove S12. In some cases, the posture shown in FIG. 4(d), that is, the posture in which the collar portion Na of the object to be conveyed N is not supported by the stepped portion S13 of the recessed groove S12 and is caught on the upward surface of the posture selecting transport path S1. It may become Therefore, in the present embodiment, the object to be conveyed N conveyed in the posture shown in FIG. Of course, the objects to be conveyed in all postures other than the one shown in FIG. It is set so that it can be excluded from the attitude selection conveying path S1 as the different attitude conveying object N2. Note that the lowermost end of the normal-position conveying object N1 shown in FIG. 3(c) is close to the groove S12 but does not touch it, and smoothly moves toward the downstream side in the conveying direction T along the groove S12. can be transported.

As shown in FIG. 4, the orientation selection unit S of the present embodiment allows the normal orientation conveyed object N1 to move downstream in the conveying direction T on the orientation selection conveying path S1, while allowing the different orientation conveyed object N1 to move downstream in the conveying direction T. A stopper S4 is provided to restrict movement of N2 to the downstream side in the transport direction T. In particular, when the object to be transported N is in the different posture shown in FIG. The movement in the width direction W orthogonal to T is restricted, and the downstream movement in the transport direction T is also restricted by hitting the stopper S4. Therefore, the movable direction is limited to the upstream side in the transport direction T.

The orientation selection unit S of the present embodiment includes a sensor S5 that detects the different orientation conveying object N2 that hits the stopper S4 and that is in the stopped state. An air blowing portion S6 for blowing air in a direction to move the conveying object N2 upstream in the conveying direction T is provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the orientation selection section S of the present embodiment uses air (compressed air) ejected from the air ejection section S6 when the sensor S5 detects an object N2 in a different orientation that is in a state where transportation is stopped. The different-position conveying object N2 is blown away toward the upstream end side S1a of the attitude-selecting conveying path S1, and the different-position conveying object N2 passes through the gap S3 in the height direction between the attitude selecting conveying path S1 and the upstream side conveying path U. is discharged to the exclusion space S2. Therefore, the gap S3 in the height direction between the attitude selection conveying path S1 and the upstream conveying path U has at least a height dimension (height dimension S31 shown in FIG. 3A) through which the different attitude conveyed object N2 can pass. ).

In this embodiment, air is ejected only when it is determined based on the detection signal from the sensor S5 that the object N to be transported has stopped at a predetermined position for a preset time (for example, several seconds) on the transport path S1 for attitude selection. It is set to execute the exclusion process by blowing air from the portion S6. Therefore, when it is not determined that the object to be conveyed N is stopped at a predetermined position for a preset time (for example, several seconds) on the posture selection conveying path S1, the air is not ejected from the air ejection portion S6, and the object is removed. No processing is performed. Here, as a method of determining the different-position conveying object N2 using the sensor S5, for example, a predetermined position with respect to a predetermined region (predetermined region on the upstream side in the conveying direction T of the stopper S6) on the posture selection conveying path S1. It is possible to determine whether or not there is an object to be conveyed in a different orientation N2 on the orientation selection conveying path S1 based on the time during which the reflected light of the laser beam emitted from the orientation selection conveying path S1 continues to be detected.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a recovery unit R is provided below the linear transport path L for recovering different-position transport objects N2 discharged from the position-sorting transport path S1 to the exclusion space S2. It is configured such that the differently-positioned objects to be conveyed N2 collected in the section R are guided to the collection route R1 and automatically returned to the inside of the bowl feeder B (storage section B2). The recovery unit R of the present embodiment is not arranged individually for each of the linear transport paths L arranged in multiple rows, but is common to all the linear transport paths L. The size is set so that the different-position conveying object N2 discharged from the sorting conveying path S1 to the exclusion space S2 can be recovered.

According to the vibration conveying apparatus X according to the present embodiment, among the conveying objects N being conveyed on the attitude selecting conveying path S1 constituting the predetermined area of the linear conveying path L, the different posture conveying object N2 is , the attitude selecting section S is provided to eject the attitude selecting conveying path S1 to the upstream side in the conveying direction T through the exclusion space S2 which communicates with the upstream end side S1a side of the attitude selecting conveying path S1 and is opened. There is no need to secure a dedicated exclusion space on the side of the paper transport path S1 (a direction perpendicular to the transport direction T and coinciding with the width direction W), and different posture transport can be performed without increasing the size of the apparatus. The object N2 can be excluded from the linear transport path L (the entire area of the linear transport path L including the attitude selection transport path S1). In addition, the vibration conveying apparatus X according to the present embodiment is configured so that the conveying object N that has not been excluded from the linear conveying path L (the entire area of the conveying path L including the conveying path S1 for attitude selection) by the sorting process by the posture sorting unit S That is, the normal-orientation conveyance object N1 is conveyed toward the downstream end S1b of the orientation selection conveyance path S1. In this embodiment, the same number of downstream linear transport paths D as the attitude selecting transport paths S1, which are continuous with the downstream end S1b of the attitude selecting transport path S1, are arranged in multiple rows. It is configured to discharge (supply) from the downstream end D2 toward a predetermined supply destination. When the entire arrangement area of the multi-row downstream linear transport paths D is viewed from above, each downstream linear transport path D is arranged so that the width dimension of the entire arrangement area of the downstream linear transport paths D gradually decreases toward the downstream end D2. The extension angle of the transport path D is appropriately set.

In the vibration conveying apparatus X according to the present embodiment, a step is provided at the boundary portion between the attitude selecting conveying path S1 and the conveying path U on the upstream side in the conveying direction T from the attitude selecting conveying path S1. Since the object to be conveyed in a different orientation N2 is ejected to the exclusion space S2 from the gap S3 in the height direction, the object to be conveyed N2 is disposed in the lower space of the conveying path U on the upstream side in the conveying direction T from the conveying path S1 for orientation selection. The exclusion space S2 can be formed, and while the configuration is simple, the space in the width direction W can be saved, and the different-position conveying object N2 can be appropriately excluded.

In particular, the vibration transfer apparatus X according to the present embodiment is a multi-row vibration transfer apparatus in which a plurality of linear transfer paths L are arranged side by side in the width direction W. Since the exclusion space S2 is formed in the space below the transport path U on the upstream side in the transport direction T from S1, the exclusion space S2 that spreads laterally (in the width direction W) is formed for each row of the linear transport paths L. The dimension in the width direction W of the device can be suppressed to approximately half of the configuration.

The posture selection unit S in this embodiment contacts the different-position conveying object N2 moving on the posture-selecting conveying path S1 and restricts the different-position conveying object N2 from moving further downstream in the conveying direction T. and the air ejection part S6 that pushes back the different-position conveying object N2 that hits the stopper S4 and does not move downstream toward the upstream end S1a of the position-selecting conveying path S1. To reliably remove an object to be conveyed in a different orientation N2 from a linear conveying path L including the conveying path S1 for orientation selection through an exclusion space S2 opened on the upstream end S1a side of the conveying path S1 for orientation selecting, while having a simple configuration. can be done.

In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an attitude selection unit that can be applied to a configuration that selects the transportation attitude of an object to be transported on the linear transport path was illustrated, but the attitude selection part that selects the transportation attitude of the object to be transported on the bowl transport path can be realized with a configuration conforming to the posture selection unit described above. That is, the attitude selecting unit applicable to the bowl feeder includes a posture selection conveying path arranged so as to be a lower conveying path than the conveying path on the upstream side in the conveying direction (upstream conveying path) of the bowl conveying paths. It serves as the main body, and removes the different attitude conveyed object on the attitude selecting conveying path from the attitude selecting conveying path through the exclusion space opened at the upstream end of the attitude selecting conveying path. In this case as well, a step is provided between the attitude selecting transport path and the upstream transport path, and the object to be transported in a different attitude is detected from the gap in the height direction between the attitude selecting transport path and the upstream transport path formed by this step. What is necessary is just to constitute so that an object can be discharged|emitted to exclusion space.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the vibration conveying device X is a bowl feeder B having a spiral conveying path B1 along the inner peripheral wall of the bowl BA, the orientation selecting conveying path S1 is positioned on the conveying path. Until just before reaching the posture selection transport path S1, the transport path (upstream transport path U) through which the object to be transported N passes is displaced to the outer peripheral side or the inner peripheral side (the outer peripheral side in the illustrated example). Attitude selection in which an object N2 having a different orientation on the transportation path S1 is removed from the attitude selection transportation path S1 toward the upstream side in the transportation direction T through the exclusion space S2 that communicates with the upstream end S1a of the attitude selection transportation path S1 and opens. It can be configured with a part S. In this case, although the lower area of the upstream transport path U cannot be utilized as the exclusion space S2, there is no need to secure the exclusion space S2 on the side (inner side or outer side) of the attitude selection transport path S1. is advantageous.

In addition, although not shown, when the vibration conveying device is a linear feeder, the conveying path for posture selection is used as the conveying path (upstream side) through which the object to be conveyed passes until just before reaching the conveying path for posture selecting among the conveying paths. Conveyance path), and conveys objects with different orientations on the conveyance path for orientation selection from the conveyance path for orientation selection through an exclusion space that opens and communicates with the upstream end side of the conveyance path for orientation selection. It is possible to adopt a configuration provided with a posture selection unit for rejecting toward the direction upstream side. In this case, although the lower area of the upstream transport path cannot be used as the exclusion space, it is still advantageous in that there is no need to secure the exclusion space on the side of the attitude selecting transport path.

In this way, the orientation selection section in the present invention can be applied to either the linear conveying path or the bowl conveying path.

In the configuration in which the linear transport paths are arranged in multiple rows, the number of rows of the linear transport paths is not particularly limited. Further, the vibration conveying apparatus of the present invention includes a configuration in which the linear conveying paths are not arranged in multiple rows.

The cross-sectional shape of the concave groove formed on the upper surface (upward surface) of the attitude selection transport path can be appropriately set according to the shape, size, etc. of the object to be transported.

A specific configuration for excluding an object to be conveyed in a different orientation on the orientation selection conveying path into an exclusion space that opens on the upstream end side of the orientation selection conveying path is not limited to the use of the above-described stopper and air blow section, A configuration may be adopted in which an object to be conveyed in a different orientation is removed to the exclusion space by a wiper operation, a sweep operation, or the like.

In addition, the orientation selection unit in the present invention removes the different orientation conveyance object from the conveyance path including the orientation selection conveyance path by dropping it downward under its own weight through the exclusion space that opens at the upstream end side of the orientation selection conveyance path. It may be something to do. In this case, there is no need to positively move the object to be conveyed in a different orientation toward the exclusion space toward the upstream side in the conveying direction, and parts such as an air ejection portion are not required.

Objects to be conveyed that can be conveyed by the vibration conveying apparatus of the present invention are not limited to medical parts, electronic parts, and the like. The dimensions of the transport path including the attitude selection transport path and the shape and dimensions of the groove formed on the upward surface of the attitude selection transport path can be appropriately set and changed according to the weight and size of the transport object.

In addition, the specific configuration of each part such as the rotation mechanism is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

L... Linear transport path S1... Posture sorting transport path S2... Exclusion space S... Posture sorting unit X... Vibration transport device

Claims (3)

A vibration conveying device that conveys an object to be conveyed on the conveying path in a predetermined conveying direction by vibrating the conveying path,
Among the objects to be conveyed on the attitude selecting conveying path constituting the predetermined area of the conveying path, the conveying objects having different attitudes that are not in the predetermined conveying attitude are passed through the exclusion space opened at the upstream end side of the attitude selecting conveying path. A posture selection unit that excludes from the transport path including the posture selection transport path ,
A step is provided at a boundary portion between the attitude selecting transport path and the transport path on the upstream side in the transport direction of the attitude selecting transport path, and the different attitude transport is performed from a height direction gap formed by the step. A vibratory conveying device characterized in that it is configured to exclude an object to the exclusion space . 2. The vibrating conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said linear conveying paths are arranged side by side in the width direction . The vibrating conveying device is a bowl feeder having a spiral conveying path along the inner peripheral wall of the bowl, and the conveying path for attitude selection is maintained until just before reaching the conveying path for attitude selecting among the conveying paths. 2. The vibration conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object is displaced toward the outer circumference or the inner circumference of the conveying path through which the object passes .

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