JP7469168B2 - Equipment for sending out transported objects - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transport object delivery device that delivers transport objects at regular intervals.

JP 2012-6674 A discloses an article transport device that uses a star wheel to send out articles. This article transport device adjusts the timing of sending out articles using a star wheel placed on the side of the conveyor. When using such a star wheel, the article is fitted into a recess provided in the star wheel, and is then sent out by the belt conveyor as the star wheel rotates.

JP 2012-6674 A

The shape of the recesses in the star wheel must be designed to match the size of the item. Therefore, if the item being transported is large, a larger star wheel is required, which raises the concern that the device will become larger. Furthermore, if the star wheel becomes larger, it will become heavier, which may lead to misalignment of the operation and make it difficult to deliver the item with high accuracy.

The present invention aims to provide a transported object delivery device that can reduce the size of the device, reduce the weight of the star wheel, and deliver the transported object with precise timing.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a conveyed object sending-out device that sends out conveyed objects in a conveying direction at regular intervals. The device has two identically shaped star wheels that are arranged near the conveying path of the conveyed objects and are rotatable around a central axis perpendicular to the conveying direction and are stacked one above the other along the central axis, and a drive unit that alternately rotates the two star wheels. The star wheels have a main body and engaging protrusions that protrude outward from the radial outer edge of the main body, are capable of engaging with the side of the conveyed object, and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the two stacked star wheels are arranged with the engaging protrusions shifted in the circumferential direction when viewed in the direction along the central axis. When the engaging protrusions of one of the star wheels engage with the side of the conveyed object to hold the conveyed object, the other star wheel is rotated and the engaging protrusions send out the conveyed object in the conveying direction, and the two star wheels can alternately perform this operation.

With this configuration, when one star wheel sends out a transported object, the other star wheel stops the next transported object. By arranging the engaging protrusions of each star wheel at intervals in the circumferential direction, it is possible to make each star wheel smaller and lighter. This improves the responsiveness of the star wheel and suppresses delays in the star wheel. This makes it possible to send out transported objects with precise timing.

In the above configuration, the transported object is placed in a transport section that transports the transported object, and a force is applied from the transport section in the transport direction. When the engaging protrusion engages with the side of the transported object, the transported object is held by a force stronger than the force in the transport direction applied by the transport section. With this configuration, the transported object can be sent out at the appropriate timing.

In the above configuration, the engaging protrusion may send out the transported object at a speed faster than the transport speed of the transport section.

In the above configuration, a guide section is provided at a position facing the star wheel across the transport path to guide the transported object in the transport direction.

In the above configuration, the engaging protrusion has a locking protrusion that protrudes radially outward from the radial outer edge, and an extrusion protrusion that protrudes radially outward from the rear side of the locking protrusion of the radial outer edge in the rotational direction, and when the engaging protrusion engages with the transported object, the locking protrusion may contact the front side of the side of the transported object in the transport direction, and the extrusion protrusion may contact the rear side of the side of the transported object in the transport direction.

In the above configuration, the star wheel may rotate, causing the pushing protrusion to push the side of the transported object in the transport direction.

In the above configuration, the drive unit has an upper stage drive unit that rotates the upper stage star wheel and a lower stage drive unit that rotates the lower stage star wheel, and the upper stage drive unit and the lower stage drive unit may each be capable of independently driving the two stages of star wheels.

The present invention provides a transported object delivery device that can reduce the size of the device, reduce the weight of the star wheel, and deliver the transported object with precise timing.

1 is a schematic layout diagram of a transport device that transports a transport case as an object to be transported. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the transport device. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which a first holding shuttle and a second holding shuttle holding a transport case are moving along a linear rail. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a first holding shuttle and a second holding shuttle holding a transport case are moving along a curved rail. FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the first and second support shuttles shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the outside. 13 is a view of the first holding shuttle as seen from the upstream side in the conveying direction. FIG. 13 is a view of the second holding shuttle as seen from the upstream side in the transport direction. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a discharge unit provided in a sending device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a feed section provided in the feed device as viewed from below. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a state in which the first star wheel is holding a transport case that is located most downstream in the transport direction at time T1. FIG. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the position of the second star wheel at time T1. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the state at time T2 in which the first star wheel has sent out the transport case. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the position of the second star wheel at time T2. 13 is a plan view showing a state where the second star wheel is holding the transport case furthest downstream in the transport direction at time T3. FIG. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the position of the first star wheel at time T3. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main transport mechanism in the branching section.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

<Conveying device A>
Fig. 1 is a schematic layout diagram of a conveying device A that conveys a conveying case 7, which is an object to be conveyed. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the conveying device A. As shown in Fig. 1, the conveying device A is incorporated into a manufacturing process of a product (not shown), and conveys the conveying case 7, which is an object to be conveyed, by utilizing a linear motor.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the conveying device A has a conveying path 100, a conveying mechanism 200, a sending device 300, and a control unit 400. The conveying case 7 is conveyed along the conveying path 100.

<Transport path 100>
The conveying path 100 has a main conveying path 110, a junction conveying path 120, and a branch conveying path 130. The main conveying path 110 is a loop-shaped conveying path (hereinafter, this may be referred to as a small loop). The junction conveying path 120 merges with the main conveying path 110. The branch conveying path 130 branches off from the main conveying path 110. In the conveying path 100, the junction conveying path 120 and the branch conveying path 130 are connected by, for example, a curved conveying path 140. That is, in the conveying path 100, a part of the main conveying path 110, the junction conveying path 120, the branch conveying path 130, and the curved conveying path 140 form a loop (hereinafter, this may be referred to as a large loop). Here, the loop shape refers to a shape in which both ends are connected and closed. In this embodiment, the conveying case 7 is conveyed clockwise on each of the small loop-shaped conveying path and the large loop-shaped conveying path.

Therefore, in the following explanation, the clockwise direction in the transport path 100 is described as the transport direction Tr1. The side facing the transport direction Tr1 is referred to as the "downstream side of the transport direction" or the "front side of the transport direction" when indicating a position within a member, and the opposite side is referred to as the "upstream side of the transport direction" or the "rear side of the transport direction" when indicating a position within a member. The direction facing the outside of the part surrounded by the loop-shaped transport path may be referred to as the outward direction intersecting with the transport direction Tr1, and may simply be referred to as the "outward direction." The opposite side to the "outward direction" in the direction intersecting with the transport direction Tr1 may be referred to as the "inward direction."

As shown in FIG. 1, the main transport path 110 of the transport path 100 has a first working unit St1 that performs a predetermined task on the transport case 7. In addition, the curved transport path 140 has a second working unit St2 that performs a task different from the first working unit St1. Note that it is also possible to provide working units other than the first working unit St1 and the second working unit St2.

<Main conveying path 110>
The main conveying path 110 has a first straight portion 111, a second straight portion 112, a first curved portion 113, and a second curved portion 114. The first straight portion 111 and the second straight portion 112 are arranged in parallel. The first curved portion 113 connects the downstream side of the first straight portion 111 in the conveying direction to the upstream side of the second straight portion 112 in the conveying direction. The second curved portion 114 connects the downstream side of the second straight portion 112 in the conveying direction to the upstream side of the first straight portion 111 in the conveying direction.

In the main transport path 110, the first curved section 113 and the second curved section 114 are arc-shaped in plan view, but are not limited to this. They may be shapes other than arc-shaped as long as they are curved in such a way that the change in centrifugal force acting on the transport case 7 is gradual when moving from a straight section to a curved section and when moving along a curved section.

The main conveying path 110 is formed in a loop (small loop) by connecting the first straight section 111, the first curved section 113, the second straight section 112, and the second curved section 114 in this order.

In the main transport path 110, the transport case 7 is transported by a main transport mechanism 210 (described later) of the transport mechanism 200. In the main transport path 110, the transport case 7 is transported in the order of the first straight section 111, the first curved section 113, the second straight section 112, and the second curved section 114.

The transport case 7 is transported in a clockwise transport direction Tr1 on the main transport path 110. The main transport path 110 has a junction 115 and a branching portion 116. The junction 115 is located at the downstream end of the first straight portion 111 in the transport direction Tr1. At the junction 115, the junction transport path 120 merges with the main transport path 110.

The branching section 116 is disposed at the downstream end of the second straight section 112 in the conveying direction Tr1. At the branching section 116, the branching conveying path 130 branches off from the main conveying path 110. A run-up area 117 is provided at the downstream end of the second straight section 112 in the conveying direction Tr1. The run-up area 117 is an area where the main conveying path 110 and the branching conveying path 130 overlap.

A guide portion 118 is disposed outside the main transport path 110. The guide portion 118 is a plate member disposed along the main transport path 110. When the transport case 7 is transported through the main transport path 110, it comes into contact with the guide portion 118 and is guided therethrough.

In addition, in the main transport path 110, the guide section 118 may be configured to come into contact with the transport case 7 only when the position or angle of the transport case 7 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction is likely to shift, or when the main transport mechanism 210 cannot fully support the centrifugal force acting on the transport case 7.

The guide section 118 is preferably formed from a material that has low friction with the transport case 7 and low wear when the transport case 7 comes into contact with it. However, this is not limited to this, and a wide variety of configurations can be used that adjust the position of the transport case 7 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, such as rotatable rollers arranged in a line along the main transport path 110, and that have low friction with the transport case 7.

In this embodiment, the guide portion 118 is provided only outside the main transport path 110.
Without being limited thereto, a guide portion 118 may also be provided inside the main transport path 110 .

The main transport mechanism 210 transports the transport case 7 by holding the downstream (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the front) and upstream (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the rear) faces of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1. A bottom guide section 119 that supports the bottom face of the transport case 7 is disposed on the main transport path 110.

The bottom guide section 119 may, for example, be two rail-like members extending in parallel along the main transport path 110, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured with rollers laid out in the transport direction, or may be a plate-like member made of a material with a low coefficient of friction with the transport case 7. The bottom guide section 119 supports the transport case 7 from below, and a wide variety of structures may be adopted that are unlikely to cause resistance to transport by the main transport mechanism 210.

Note that if the main transport mechanism 210 is configured to hold the transport case 7 so that it does not fall downward, the bottom guide section 119 may be omitted. In addition, in the main transport path 110, a transport mechanism such as a top chain conveyor that supports the transport case 7 from below and moves it in the transport direction may be disposed near the junction 115 and the branching section 116. In the portion of the main transport path 110 where the transport mechanism that supports the transport case 7 from below and transports it is disposed, the bottom guide section 119 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first working unit St1 is disposed upstream of the second straight section 112 of the main transport path 110 in the transport direction Tr1. The first working unit St1 performs, for example, the task of placing a container Cv in a transport case 7. However, this is not limited to this, and the first working unit St1 may perform tasks other than placing the container Cv, or may perform other tasks in addition to the task of placing the container Cv.

<Merge conveying path 120>
The junction conveying path 120 extends along the first straight portion 111 of the main conveying path 110. In the conveying path 100, the junction conveying path 120 is straight, but is not limited to this and may have at least a curved portion. In the junction conveying path 120, the conveying case 7 is conveyed by a junction conveying mechanism 220 of the conveying mechanism 200, which will be described later.

A junction guide section 121 is disposed in the junction conveying path 120. In the junction conveying path 120, the junction guide section 121 is disposed parallel to the guide section 118 extending along the first straight section 111. The junction guide section 121 has a similar configuration to the guide section 118. As with the guide section 118, it is also possible to adopt an alternative configuration.

In the junction conveying path 120, the conveying case 7 is conveyed by the junction conveying mechanism 220 while being guided by the junction guide section 121 and the guide section 118. A sending device 300 is disposed at the downstream end of the junction conveying path 120 in the conveying direction. The sending device 300 sends out the conveying case 7 conveyed from the junction conveying path 120 to the main conveying path 110 at a predetermined timing. The detailed configuration and operation of the sending device 300 will be described later.

<Branched Conveyor Path 130>
1, the branching portion 116 is provided at the downstream end of the second straight portion 112 in the conveying direction Tr1. The branching conveying path 130 extends from the branching portion 116 in a direction extending the second straight portion 112 from the downstream end of the second straight portion 112 in the conveying direction Tr1. In the conveying path 100, the branching conveying path 130 is linear, but is not limited to this, and may have at least a curved portion. In the branching conveying path 130, the conveying case 7 is conveyed by a branching conveying mechanism 230 of the conveying mechanism 200, which will be described later.

A branch guide section 131 is arranged on the branch conveying path 130. The branch guide sections 131 are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting the conveying direction Tr1 of the branch conveying mechanism 230. In other words, the branch guide sections 131 are arranged in pairs with the branch conveying mechanism 230 in between. The branch guide sections 131 have a similar configuration to the guide section 118. As with the guide section 118, the branch guide sections 131 can also adopt an alternative configuration.

In the branched conveying path 130, the outer branched guide portion 131 is continuous with the guide portion 118 of the second straight portion 112. The inner branched guide portion 131 is continuous with the guide portion 118 of the second curved portion 114.

<Curved conveying path 140>
In the conveying path 100 shown in FIG. 1, the downstream of the branch conveying path 130 in the conveying direction is connected to the curved conveying path 140. The curved conveying path 140 merges with the merging conveying path 120. The curved conveying path 140 is arc-shaped in a plan view. The curved conveying path 140 is provided with a second working unit St2 that performs a predetermined operation on the conveying case 7, in this case, the container Cv placed in the conveying case 7. After the predetermined operation in the second working unit St2, the conveying case 7 is conveyed to the merging conveying path 120. The downstream end of the curved conveying path 140 in the conveying direction Tr1 is connected to the upstream end of the merging conveying path 120 in the conveying direction Tr1.

<Control Unit 400>
Next, the control unit 400 that controls the conveying device A will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 400 has a processing circuit 401 and a memory circuit 402. The processing circuit 401 is a circuit that processes various information, and has arithmetic circuits such as a CPU and an MPU. The processing circuit 401 also controls the conveying device A based on the processing results.

The memory circuit 402 includes semiconductor memory such as ROM and RAM, portable memory such as flash memory, and storage media such as a hard disk, or is a circuit to which a storage medium is connected. The memory circuit 402 may store various programs such as control programs or processing programs, and may call up a program corresponding to a process as necessary and run the program in the processing circuit 401 to perform the process.

The control unit 400 is connected to the linear motor driver 43, main conveyor 211, and monitoring unit 212 of the main conveyor mechanism 210, the junction conveyor 221 of the junction conveyor mechanism 220, the branch conveyor 231 and status detection unit 232 of the branch conveyor mechanism 230, the first drive unit 53 and second drive unit 54 of the discharge unit 310 of the sending device 300, and the side movement unit 611 and upward movement unit 612 of the feed unit 320.

<Transport mechanism 200>
Next, the transport mechanism 200 that transports the transport case 7 will be described in detail.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the conveying mechanism 200 has a main conveying mechanism 210, a merging conveying mechanism 220, and a branching conveying mechanism 230. The main conveying mechanism 210 is disposed on the main conveying path 110 and conveys the conveying case 7 in the main conveying path 110. The merging conveying mechanism 220 is disposed on the merging conveying path 120 and conveys the conveying case 7 in the merging conveying path 120. The branching conveying mechanism 230 is disposed from the run-up area 117 of the main conveying path 110 to the branching conveying path 130. The upstream end of the branching conveying mechanism 230 is the start of the run-up area 117. The branching conveying mechanism 230 conveys the conveying case 7 in the run-up area 117 and the branching conveying path 130.

In the approach area 117, the main conveying mechanism 210 and the branch conveying mechanism 230 can apply a force toward the main conveying path 110 (the second curved portion 114) and a force toward the branch conveying path 130, respectively, to one conveying case 7. The conveying case 7 is sent to either the branch conveying path 130 or the main conveying path 110 (the second curved portion 114) at the branching section 116 by the operation of the main conveying mechanism 210. Note that in a portion of the upstream side of the approach area 117, the conveying direction of the main conveying mechanism 210 and the conveying direction of the branch conveying mechanism 230 are the same. Details of switching the movement of the conveying case 7 at the branching section 116 will be described later.

<Main transport mechanism 210>
The main transport mechanism 210 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first and second shuttles 1 and 2 holding the transport case 7 moving along the straight rail 3a. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first and second shuttles 1 and 2 holding the transport case 7 moving along the curved rail 3b. FIG. 5 is a view of the first and second shuttles 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the outside. FIG. 6 is a view of the first shuttle 1 as seen from the upstream side in the transport direction Tr1. FIG. 7 is a view of the second shuttle 2 as seen from the upstream side in the transport direction Tr1. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the main transport mechanism 210 has the first shuttle 1, the second shuttle 2, the rail 3, and the linear drive unit 4.

<Rail 3>
The rails 3 guide the movement of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the main transport mechanism 210 has a straight rail 3a and a curved rail 3b as the rails 3. The straight rail 3a and the curved rail 3b differ in that they are straight or curved in plan view, but otherwise have substantially the same configuration.

Therefore, in the following description, when no distinction is necessary, the straight rail 3a and the curved rail 3b will be referred to as rail 3. As shown in Figures 3 to 7, the rail 3 has a main rail portion 31, a grooved rail portion 32, and a flat rail portion 33.

The main rail section 31 is a cylinder with a rectangular cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the transport direction Tr1. The cross-sectional shape of the main rail section 31 has a longitudinal direction in the up-down direction. The coil 41 of the linear drive section 4 is disposed inside the main rail section 31. The main rail section 31 is formed of a material through which the magnetic force from the coil 41 can pass when the coil 41 is excited by passing a current through it. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, some stainless steels, aluminum and alloys thereof.

The grooved rail portion 32 is fixed to the upper part of the main rail portion 31. The main rail portion 31 and the grooved rail portion 32 can be fixed by welding, screwing, etc., but are not limited to these. The main rail portion 31 and the grooved rail portion 32 may be formed integrally. The grooved rail portion 32 has a groove portion 321 that is recessed from the outer surface in the direction intersecting with the conveying direction Tr1. The groove portion 321 is formed over the entire circumference of the rail 3. The grooved rail portion 32 has two groove portions 321. The two groove portions 321 are arranged vertically. The two groove portions 321 accommodate the upper roller 14 of the first holding shuttle 1, which will be described later, and the upper roller 24 of the second holding shuttle 2, which will be described later. The upper roller 14 and the upper roller 24 move along the groove portion 321.

The flat rail portion 33 is fixed to the lower part of the main rail portion 31. The main rail portion 31 and the flat rail portion 33 can be fixed to each other by welding, screwing, etc., but are not limited to these. The main rail portion 31 and the flat rail portion 33 may be formed integrally. The flat rail portion 33 has a shape in which the outer side of a cross section cut at a plane intersecting the conveying direction Tr1 is along a vertical line (see Figures 6, 7, etc.). The outer surface of the flat rail portion 33 is in contact with a lower roller 15 of the first holding shuttle 1, which will be described later, and a lower roller 25 of the second holding shuttle 2, which will be described later. The lower roller 15 and the lower roller 25 rotate while in contact with the outer surface of the flat rail portion 33.

The straight rail 3a is disposed inside the first straight section 111 and the second straight section 112 of the main transport path 110. The curved rail 3b is disposed inside the first curved section 113 and the second curved section 114 of the main transport path 110. The straight rail 3a of the first straight section 111, the curved rail 3b of the first curved section 113, the curved rail 3a of the second straight section 112, and the curved rail 3b of the second curved section 114 are connected, and further the curved rail 3b of the second curved section 114 is connected to the rail 3a of the first straight section 111 to form a loop.

<First holding shuttle 1>
The first support shuttle 1 is disposed on the outer surface of the rail 3 and is movable along the rail 3. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the first support shuttle 1 has a main body 11, a first surface pressing arm 12, a first claw arm 13, an upper roller 14, and a lower roller 15.

A magnet 42 of the linear drive unit 4, which will be described later, is disposed on the main body 11. The main body 11 is disposed outwardly of the rail 3 and facing the rail 3. The first face pressing arm 12 protrudes outwardly from the main body 11. When the first holding shuttle 1 is attached to the rail 3, the first face pressing arm 12 forms a certain angle with respect to the conveying direction Tr1 (here, perpendicular).

As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the first surface pressing arm 12 protrudes outward from the main body 11. The first surface pressing arm 12 comes into surface contact with the rear surface of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1, and presses the rear surface. An anti-slip device may be attached to at least the portion of the first surface pressing arm 12 that comes into contact with the transport case 7.

The first claw arm 13 protrudes from the main body 11 in the same direction as the first surface pressing arm 12. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first claw arm 13 is positioned above the first surface pressing arm 12 with a gap between them. The first claw arm 13 has a first claw portion 16. The first claw portion 16 protrudes forward in the transport direction Tr1 from the outer tip of the first claw arm 13.

The first holding shuttle 1 has two upper rollers 14 rotatably supported at the top. The two upper rollers 14 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. The radial outer edge of the upper rollers 14 fits into the groove portion 321 of the grooved rail portion 32.

The upper roller 14 rotates while fitted in the groove 321. This prevents the first holding shuttle 1 from shifting up and down when the first holding shuttle 1 moves along the rail 3. In other words, the first holding shuttle 1 moves accurately along the rail 3.

The first holding shuttle 1 has two lower rollers 15 rotatably supported at the bottom. The two lower rollers 15 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. The lower rollers 15 are cylindrical, and the outer peripheral surface of the lower rollers 15 contacts the outer surface of the flat rail portion 33.

The first holding shuttle 1 is attracted to the outer surface of the rail 3 by the magnetic force of a magnet 42 arranged inside. The rail 3 may be provided with an attraction part made of a metal such as iron that attracts the magnet, or it may be attracted by the magnetic force between the magnet 42 and an iron core provided in the coil 41. The first holding shuttle 1 may be movable along the rail 3, and may be attached to the rail 3 using a hook or the like so that it does not easily fall off the rail 3.

The first holding shuttle 1 is attached so that it can move along the rail 3 while being kept at a constant distance from the rail 3 by the upper roller 14 and the lower roller 15.

<Second holding shuttle 2>
The second support shuttle 2 is disposed on the outer surface of the rail 3 and is movable along the rail 3. As shown in Figures 3, 5 and 7, the second support shuttle 2 has a main body 21, a second surface pressing arm 22, a second claw arm 23, an upper roller 24, and a lower roller 25.

A magnet 42 of the linear drive unit 4 (described later) is disposed on the main body 21. The main body 21 is disposed outwardly of the rail 3 and facing the rail 3. The second face pressing arm 22 protrudes outwardly from the main body 21. When the second holding shuttle 2 is attached to the rail 3, the second face pressing arm 22 forms a certain angle with respect to the conveying direction Tr1 (here, perpendicular).

As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 7, the second surface pressing arm 22 protrudes outward from the main body 21. The second surface pressing arm 22 comes into surface contact with the front surface of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1, and presses the front surface. An anti-slip device may be attached to at least the portion of the second surface pressing arm 22 that comes into contact with the transport case 7.

The second claw arm 23 protrudes from the main body 11 in the same direction as the second face pressing arm 22. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the second claw arm 23 is positioned above the second face pressing arm 22 with a gap between them. The second claw arm 23 has a second claw portion 26. The second claw portion 26 protrudes from the outer tip of the second claw arm 23 rearward in the transport direction Tr1.

The second holding shuttle 2 has two upper rollers 24 rotatably supported at the top. The two upper rollers 24 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. The radial outer edge of the upper rollers 24 fits into the groove portion 321 of the grooved rail portion 32.

The upper roller 24 rotates while fitted in the groove 321. This prevents the second holding shuttle 2 from shifting vertically when the second holding shuttle 2 moves along the rail 3. In other words, the second holding shuttle 2 moves accurately along the rail 3.

The second holding shuttle 2 has two lower rollers 25 rotatably supported at the bottom. The two lower rollers 25 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. The lower rollers 25 are cylindrical, and the outer peripheral surface of the lower rollers 25 contacts the outer surface of the flat rail portion 33.

The second holding shuttle 2 is attracted to the outer surface of the rail 3 by the magnetic force of the magnet 42 arranged inside. The rail 3 may be provided with an attraction part made of a metal such as iron that attracts the magnet, or it may be attracted by the magnetic force between the magnet 42 and an iron core provided in the coil 41. The second holding shuttle 2 may be movable along the rail 3 and may be attached to the rail 3 using a hook or the like so that it does not easily fall off the rail 3.

The second holding shuttle 2 is attached so that it can move along the rail 3 while being kept at a constant distance from the rail 3 by the upper roller 24 and the lower roller 25.

<Linear drive unit 4>
The linear drive unit 4 will be described with reference to the drawings. The linear drive unit 4 employs a linear motor mechanism. The linear drive unit 4 is capable of driving each of the first holding shuttles 1 and each of the second holding shuttles 2 independently.

The linear drive unit 4 has a plurality of coils 41, a magnet 42, and a linear motor driver 43 (see FIG. 2). The plurality of coils 41 are arranged inside and along the rail 3.

The magnet 42 is a permanent magnet and is arranged inside the main body 11 of the first holding shuttle 1 and the main body 21 of the second holding shuttle 2. The magnet 42 arranged in the main body 11 of the first holding shuttle 1 and the multiple coils 41 arranged inside the rail 3 form a linear motor. The magnet 42 arranged in the main body 21 of the second holding shuttle 2 and the multiple coils 41 arranged inside the rail 3 also form a linear motor. In other words, the main transport mechanism 210 is a linear motor transport mechanism that uses a linear motor.

The linear motor driver 43 is connected to the control unit 400. The linear motor driver 43 is also connected to a power supply circuit (not shown). The linear motor driver 43 supplies power from the power supply circuit to a specified coil 41 based on an instruction from the control unit 400. The linear motor driver 43 may include a circuit such as a power supply circuit that adjusts the voltage and current supplied to each coil 41.

By sequentially switching the coils 41 that supply current, the coils 41 and magnets 42 operate as a linear motor, and the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 move along the rail 3. The movement of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 is independently controlled by the control unit 400.

In addition to the linear drive unit 4, the main transport mechanism 210 also has a main transport conveyor 211 located at the junction 115. The main transport conveyor 211 is located to assist the movement of the transport case 7 from the junction transport path 120.

The main transport mechanism 210 has a monitoring unit 212 connected to the control unit 400. The monitoring unit 212 monitors the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 passing through the adjustment standby position Sp1 upstream of the transport direction Tr1 of the main transport conveyor 211. The monitoring unit 212 checks whether the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 have passed and whether they are holding a transport case 7. Then, it sends the result to the control unit 400 as monitoring information.

<Converging Conveyor Mechanism 220 and Diverging Conveyor Mechanism 230>
The merging conveyor mechanism 220 has a merging conveyor 221. The merging conveyor 221 is arranged along the merging conveyor path 120. The merging conveyor 221 can place the conveying case 7 on its upper portion, and conveys the conveying case 7 placed on its upper portion in the conveying direction Tr1 along the merging conveyor path 120. The merging conveyor 221 is controlled by the control unit 400 (see FIG. 2). Note that, examples of the control of the merging conveyor 221 by the control unit 400 include, for example, the start and stop of conveying the conveying case 7 by the merging conveyor 221, and the conveying speed, but are not limited thereto, and other controls may be performed.

The branch conveyor mechanism 230 has a branch conveyor 231. The branch conveyor 231 is disposed in the run-up area 117 and along the branch conveying path 130. The branch conveyor 231 is capable of placing a conveying case 7 on its upper portion, and conveys the conveying case 7 placed on its upper portion in the conveying direction Tr1 along the branch conveying path 130. The branch conveyor 231 is controlled by the control unit 400 (see FIG. 2).

The branching conveying mechanism 230 also has a status detection unit 232. The status detection unit 232 is disposed upstream of the approach area 117 of the second straight section 112 of the main conveying path 110 in the conveying direction Tr1. The status detection unit 232 monitors the conveying case 7 that reaches the approach area 117, acquires the status of the conveying case 7, and sends it as detection information to the control unit 400 (see FIG. 2). Based on the detection information, the control unit 400 determines whether to send the conveying case 7 to the branching conveying path 130 or to the second curved section 114 of the main conveying path 110. Details of the branching of the conveying of the conveying case 7 will be described later.

<Sending device 300>
Next, details of the delivery device 300 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the delivery device 300. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the discharge section 310 provided in the delivery device 300.

As shown in FIG. 1 etc., the sending device 300 is connected to the downstream end of the merging conveying path 120 in the conveying direction. The sending device 300 sends out the conveying case 7 conveyed on the merging conveying path 120 to the merging section 115 and conveys it to the main conveying path 110. The sending device 300 has an unloading section 310 and a sending section 320.

<Exit Section 310>
The discharge unit 310 stops the transport case 7 transported downstream in the transport direction Tr1 of the merging transport path 120 at the downstream end of the merging transport path 120, and sends out the transport case 7 stopped at a timing that does not interfere with the transport case 7 transported to the main transport path 110. Note that sending out refers to the operation of pushing out the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1. The discharge unit 310 has a first star wheel 51 and a second star wheel 52, a first drive unit 53 and a second drive unit 54.

<First Star Wheel 51 and Second Star Wheel 52>
In the discharge section 310, the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 are arranged vertically so as to be independently rotatable with their central axes aligned. As shown in Fig. 9, the first star wheel 51 is arranged above the second star wheel 52. The first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 have the same configuration. Therefore, the first star wheel 51 will be referred to as a representative example. In addition, the second star wheel 52 will be described in terms of its correspondence with the first star wheel 51.

As shown in FIG. 9, the first star wheel 51 has a main body 511 and three engaging protrusions 512. The main body 511 is disk-shaped in a plan view. Note that the main body 511 is not limited to being disk-shaped, but is preferably disk-shaped in order to allow the first star wheel 51 to rotate smoothly.

The three engaging protrusions 512 extend radially outward from the radial outer edge of the main body 511. The three engaging protrusions 512 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of the three engaging protrusions 512 has the same shape. The engaging protrusions 512 engage with the side of the transport case 7, temporarily stopping the transport case 7 that has been transported to the downstream end of the merging transport path 120.

Now, we will explain the transport case 7. The transport case 7 is transported through the main transport path 110, the merging transport path 120, the branching transport path 130, and the curved transport path 140. The transport case 7 is a box with an opening 70 at the top. The transport case 7 has an outer surface 71, a rear corner 72, a front corner 73, a rear surface 74, and a front surface 75.

The outer surface 71 is a flat surface facing outward, and faces outward in a direction intersecting the conveying direction Tr1. The rear surface 74 is the rear surface in the conveying direction Tr1. The front surface 75 is the front surface in the conveying direction Tr1.

The rear corner 72 is disposed between the outer surface 71 and the rear surface 74. The front corner 73 is disposed between the outer surface 71 and the front surface 75. The rear surface 74 has a recess 741 that is shaped like a through hole. The front surface 75 has a recess 751 that is shaped like a through hole. Note that the recesses 741 and 751 do not have to be shaped like a through hole.

The engaging protrusions 512 engage with the rear corners 72 and the front corners 73 of the transport case 7. The transport case 7 has the corners 72 and 73, allowing the engaging protrusions 512 to smoothly and reliably engage with the transport case 7.

As shown in Figures 8, 9, etc., the engagement protrusion 512 has a locking protrusion 513 and an extrusion protrusion 514. The first star wheel 51 rotates in a rotational direction Rt1 that is counterclockwise in a plan view. The locking protrusion 513 protrudes radially outward from the front end of the radial outer edge of the engagement protrusion 512 in the rotational direction Rt1. The extrusion protrusion 514 protrudes radially outward from the rear end of the radial outer edge of the engagement protrusion 512 in the rotational direction Rt1.

In the discharge section 310, the radially outer end of the engaging protrusion 512 of the first star wheel 51 is disposed inside the merging conveying path 120 so as to engage with the corners 72 and 73 of the conveying case 7 conveyed to the merging conveying path 120. More specifically, the locking protrusion 513 and the pushing protrusion 514 of the engaging protrusion 512 of the first star wheel 51 come into contact with the front corner 73 and the rear corner 72 of the conveying case 7.

When the transport case 7 is transported by the merging conveyor 221, the locking protrusion 513 comes into contact with the front corner 73. The locking protrusion 513 is then pressed by the front corner 73 as the transport case 7 is transported. This causes the first star wheel 51 to rotate in the rotation direction Rt1. When the transport case 7 moves to the merging waiting position Jp1 (see FIG. 1) of the merging transport path 120, the locking protrusion 513 of the first star wheel 51 presses against the front corner 73 of the transport case 7, restricting the movement of the transport case 7 in the transport direction. This causes the transport case 7 to be temporarily stopped at the merging waiting position Jp1.

When the transport case 7 is temporarily stopped at the junction waiting position Jp1, the pushing protrusion 514 comes into contact with the rear corner 72. Then, as the first star wheel 51 rotates from this state in the rotation direction Rt1, the pushing protrusion 514 pushes the rear corner 72 downstream in the transport direction Tr1. As a result, the transport case 7 is sent out toward the downstream side in the transport direction Tr1.

The first star wheel 51 has the configuration described above. The second star wheel 52 has a main body portion 521 and an engaging protrusion portion 522. The main body portion 521 corresponds to the main body portion 511 of the first star wheel 51, and the engaging protrusion portion 522 corresponds to the engaging protrusion portion 512. In addition, the locking protrusion portion 523 and the extrusion protrusion portion 524 of the engaging protrusion portion 522 correspond to the locking protrusion portion 513 and the extrusion protrusion portion 514 of the engaging protrusion portion 512, respectively.

The first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 are arranged vertically so that their central axes coincide. In plan view, the engagement protrusion 512 of the first star wheel 51 and the engagement protrusion 522 of the second star wheel 52 are arranged so as to be misaligned in the circumferential direction.

<First Drive Unit 53 and Second Drive Unit 54>
The first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 are connected to the control unit 400, and operate based on instructions from the control unit 400. The first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 have the same configuration.

The first drive unit 53 is a power source that rotates the first star wheel 51. Note that the first drive unit 53 may be, for example, a configuration including an electric motor, but is not limited to this, and a wide variety of configurations that can rotate the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 can be adopted. As shown in FIG. 9, in the discharge section 310, the first drive unit 53 is disposed above the first star wheel 51.

The second drive unit 54 is a power source that rotates the second star wheel 52. Like the first drive unit 53, the second drive unit 54 may include an electric motor, or may have a configuration capable of rotating the second star wheel 52 in other ways. As shown in FIG. 9, in the discharge section 310, the second drive unit 54 is disposed below the second star wheel 52.

Although not shown in the figure, the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 both have output shafts. The first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 are arranged so that the centers of their output shafts coincide. In other words, the first drive unit 53, the first star wheel 51, the second star wheel 52, and the second drive unit 54 are lined up from the top in this order so that their centers are aligned on the same line.

When the first star wheel 51 temporarily stops the transport case 7, the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 may operate as brakes that limit the rotation of the first star wheel 51 and the rotation of the second star wheel 52, respectively. In addition, a separate brake mechanism may be provided that independently stops the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52, respectively.

In this embodiment, the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 are configured to rotate the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52, respectively, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 can be driven synchronously using a power transmission mechanism using gears, belts, chains, etc., the power sources may be combined into one. The discharge unit 310 has the configuration shown above. The transport case 7 sent out by the discharge unit 310 is sent to the main transport path 110 by the feed unit 320.

<Feeding section 320>
Next, details of the sending section 320 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the sending section 320 provided in the sending device 300, seen from below. Note that the main transport conveyor 211 and the merging conveyor 221 are omitted from Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the sending section 320 has a sending-out moving section 61 and a contact section 62. The sending-out moving section 61 has a lateral moving section 611 and an upward moving section 612. The contact section 62 has a first contact section 621 and a second contact section 622.

As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the lateral movement section 611 is disposed outward from the main conveying path 110. The lateral movement section 611 is, for example, a linear top chain conveyor having a vertically erected belt surface 6111. The belt surface of the lateral movement section 611 is perpendicular to the belt surface above the merging conveyor 221. The upstream portion of the lateral movement section 611 in the conveying direction Tr1 is disposed above the merging conveying path 120, and approaches the main conveying path 110 as it moves downstream. Note that, although a belt conveyor is given as an example of the lateral movement section 611, it is not limited to this.

The upward moving section 612 is disposed above the upper surface of the transport case 7. The upward moving section 612 is, for example, a linear belt conveyor having upper and lower belt surfaces 6121. The lower belt surface of the upward moving section 612 faces the merging conveyor 221 from above and below. The upstream side of the upward moving section 612 in the transport direction Tr1 overlaps with the merging transport path 120 from above and below, and approaches the main transport path 110 as it moves downstream. Note that, although a belt conveyor is given as an example of the upward moving section 612, it is not limited to this.

The first contact portion 621 is fixed to the belt surface 6111 of the lateral movement portion 611. The first contact portion 621 has a triangular prism shape in a plan view. When the first contact portion 621 is attached to the belt surface 6111, it has a first contact surface 623 that comes into contact with the outer surface 71 of the transport case 7. The first contact surface 623 is a vertical surface, and its normal line is perpendicular to the transport direction Tr1. In other words, the first contact surface 623 is inclined with respect to the belt surface 6111 of the lateral movement portion 611.

A second contact portion 622 is fixed to the belt surface 6121 of the upward moving portion 612. The second contact portion 622 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. When the first contact portion 621 is attached to the belt surface 6121, it has a second contact surface 624 that comes into contact with the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7. The second contact surface 624 is a vertical surface, and its normal line is parallel to the transport direction Tr1. In other words, the normal line of the second contact surface 624 is inclined with respect to the movement direction of the belt surface 6121 of the upward moving portion 612.

Both the lateral movement unit 611 and the upward movement unit 612 are controlled by the control unit 400. Examples of the control of the lateral movement unit 611 and the upward movement unit 612 by the control unit 400 include, but are not limited to, starting, stopping, and adjusting the speed of the operation of the lateral movement unit 611 and the upward movement unit 612.

The transport device A for transporting objects has the configuration described above. Next, the operation of the transport device A for transporting objects will be described. First, the operation of the main transport mechanism 210, the merging transport mechanism 220, and the branching transport mechanism 230 on the main transport path 110 will be described.

<Transportation Operation>
The first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 of the main transport mechanism 210 are used to apply a force to move the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1 and to stabilize the position of the transport case 7.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 to 5, etc., the first holding shuttle 1 holds the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7. The second holding shuttle 2 holds the front surface 75 of the transport case 7. When the transport case 7 is transported along either the first straight section 111 or the second straight section 112 of the main transport path 110, the first surface pushing arm 12 of the first holding shuttle 1 comes into contact with the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7, and the second surface pushing arm 22 of the second holding shuttle 2 comes into contact with the front surface 75 of the transport case 7. In this way, the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 hold the transport case 7.

When the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 transport the transport case 7 in the first straight section 111 or the second straight section 112, the first face pressing arm 12 and the second face pressing arm 22 hold the rear and front faces of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1. At this time, the first claw portion 16 of the first claw arm 13 and the second claw portion 26 of the second claw arm 23 are respectively positioned inside the recesses 741 and 751 of the transport case 7 (see FIG. 3). Note that when the transport case 7 is transported along the straight section, the first claw portion 16 and the second claw portion 26 do not engage with the recesses 741 and 751, respectively.

When the transport case 7 is transported along either the first curved section 113 or the second curved section 114 of the main transport path 110, as shown in FIG. 4, the first claw portion 16 of the first claw arm 13 of the first holding shuttle 1 engages with the recess 741 of the transport case 7, and the second claw portion 26 of the second claw arm 23 of the second holding shuttle 2 engages with the recess 751 of the transport case 7.

As shown in Figures 1, 3, etc., the transport case 7 held by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 is transported along the linear rail 3a while maintaining a constant posture with respect to the transport direction Tr1. For example, as shown in Figure 3, in the transport case 7 moving along the linear rail 3a, the outer surface 71 faces outward in a direction intersecting with the transport direction Tr1. The rear surface 74 and the front surface 75 are perpendicular to the transport direction Tr1. The posture of the transport case 7 when moving along the linear rail 3a while being held by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 in this manner is referred to as the reference posture Gs (see Figures 1, 3, etc.).

When the transport case 7 moves along the curved section, the first claw portion 16 and the second claw portion 26 engage with the recesses 741 and 751, so that part of the centrifugal force is supported by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. In addition, the main transport path 110 has a guide portion 118 on the outside. Therefore, the centrifugal force of the transport case 7 is also supported by the guide portion 118. As a result, the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 are prevented from falling off the rail 3 due to the centrifugal force of the transport case 7.

When the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 hold and transport the transport case 7 in the curved section, at least a portion of the first surface pushing arm 12 comes into contact with the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7. Therefore, when transporting the transport case 7 in the curved section, the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7 is pushed by the first surface pushing arm 12 and transported.

<Regarding the junction of the transport cases 7 at the junction 115>
The transport cases 7 transported on the junction transport path 120 are temporarily stopped at the junction standby position Jp1 by the discharge section 310, and then sent out one by one by the discharge section 310. The sent out transport cases 7 are then moved in the transport direction Tr1 by the pushing force from the discharge section 310 and the junction conveyor 221, and sent to the sending section 320. First, the operation of the discharge section 310 will be described, and then the operation of the sending section 320 will be described.

<Operation of the Unloading Unit 310>
The above-mentioned sending out of the transport case 7 by the discharge section 310 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the first star wheel 51 holds the transport case 7 furthest downstream in the transport direction at time T1. Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the position of the second star wheel 52 at time T1. Fig. 13 is a plan view showing a state in which the first star wheel 51 has sent out the transport case 7 at time T2. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing the position of the second star wheel 52 at time T2.

Figure 15 is a plan view showing the state at time T3 when the second star wheel 52 is holding the transport case 7 furthest downstream in the transport direction. Figure 16 is a plan view showing the position of the first star wheel 51 at time T3. In Figures 11 to 16, the second star wheel 52 is dot-hatched to make it easy to distinguish it from the first star wheel 51. Also, in Figures 11 to 16, the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 are shown separately, but in reality, they operate in a vertically stacked state as shown in Figure 9 etc.

As shown in FIG. 11, at time T1, corners 72 and 73 of the transport case 7 engage with the engaging protrusion 512 of the first star wheel 51. As a result, the transport case 7 is temporarily stopped at the junction waiting position Jp1. At this time, the first drive unit 53 applies a force to the first star wheel 51 so that the first star wheel 51 restricts the movement of the transport case 7. In addition, upstream of the junction waiting position Jp1 in the transport direction Tr1, multiple transport cases 7 are stopped in a state of contact with each other.

Meanwhile, at the same time T1, the second star wheel 52 has just sent out the previous transport case 7, and with the momentum of the sending out, the locking protrusion 523 of the next engaging protrusion 522 in the rotational direction Rt1 comes into contact with the rear corner 72 of the currently paused transport case 7 and stops (see FIG. 12). At this time, part of the tip of the locking protrusion 523 of the second star wheel 52 overlaps with the transport case 7 when viewed in the transport direction Tr1.

Then, at time T2, the first drive unit 53 rotates the first star wheel 51. As a result, the rear corner 72 of the transport case 7, which has been temporarily stopped, is pushed in the transport direction Tr1 by the pushing protrusion 514. As a result, the transport case 7 is sent out in the transport direction Tr1 (see FIG. 13).

When the extrusion protrusion 514 pushes the transport case 7 due to the rotation of the first star wheel 51, a force acts on the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1 and in a direction intersecting the transport direction Tr1. Therefore, at the junction 115, the transport case 7 is guided by the guide portion 118 arranged between the junction transport path 120 and the main transport path 110, and moves in the transport direction Tr1.

The transport case 7 pushed in the transport direction Tr1 by the extrusion protrusion 514 moves in the transport direction by the force of the pushing force of the extrusion protrusion 514, and is transported in the transport direction Tr1 by the merging conveyor 221. As a result of being transported by the merging conveyor 221, the transport case 7 is sent to the feed section 320 at a predetermined speed.

Meanwhile, at the same time T2, the locking protrusion 523 of the second star wheel 52 is pressed against the front corner 73 in the transport direction of the transport case 7 that has been transported to the junction waiting position Jp1. This causes the second star wheel 52 to rotate in the rotation direction Rt1 (see FIG. 14). At this time, the second drive unit 54 may detect the rotation of the second star wheel 52 and apply a rotational force to the second star wheel 52. At this time, the second drive unit 54 may apply the rotational force to the second star wheel 52 for a fixed period of time, or may continue until the transport case 7 in contact with it reaches the junction waiting position Jp1.

As shown in FIG. 15, at time T3, the next transport case 7 reaches the junction waiting position Jp1. At this time, the engaging protrusion 522 of the second star wheel 52 engages with the corners 72 and 73 of the transport case 7. In this state, the second drive unit 54 fixes the second star wheel 52. This causes the new transport case 7 to temporarily stop at the junction waiting position Jp1.

Meanwhile, at the same time T3, the locking projection 513 of the engaging protrusion 512 of the first star wheel 51 comes into contact with the rear corner 72 in the transport direction Tr1 of the transport case 7 that is temporarily stopped at the junction waiting position Jp1 and stops (see FIG. 16). By repeating the states shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 16, the transport case 7 that has been transported through the junction transport path 120 is temporarily stopped at the junction waiting position Jp1 and then sent out at the timing determined by the control unit 400.

In the unloading section 310, the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 are arranged on the same central axis and are stacked. Then, one of the star wheels rotates to send out the transport case 7 that has been temporarily stopped at the junction waiting position Jp1. At the same time, the other star wheel temporarily stops the transport case 7 that has been next transported to the junction waiting position Jp1. As a result, in the unloading section 310, the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 alternately and seamlessly stop and send out the transport case 7. In other words, by using the unloading section 310, the transport case 7 is sent out sequentially at a predetermined timing.

In addition, while one star wheel sends out a transport case 7 from the junction waiting position Jp1, the other star wheel simultaneously stops the next transport case 7 at the junction waiting position Jp1.

Since the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 are configured to operate alternately, it is possible to reduce the number of engaging protrusions 512 of the first star wheel 51 and the number of engaging protrusions 522 of the second star wheel 52 (here, three each). This allows the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 to be made smaller and lighter. This improves the responsiveness of the first star wheel 51 to the driving force from the first drive unit 53 and the responsiveness of the second star wheel 52 to the driving force from the second drive unit 54. This suppresses the response delay of the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52, enabling highly accurate sending.

<Operation of the feeding unit 320>
The transport case 7 is sent out from the discharge section 310 while maintaining the reference position Gs. The sent out transport case 7 is then transported by the merging conveyor 221 while maintaining the reference position Gs.

The transport case 7 in the reference position Gs is transported to the feed section 320. The side movement section 611 and the upward movement section 612 are controlled in synchronization by the control section 400. Synchronization can be, for example, but is not limited to, the movement speed of the belt surface 6111 of the side movement section 611 and the belt surface 6121 of the upward movement section 612 being equal.

The control unit 400 also adjusts the timing of the movement, and the first contact portion 621 and the second contact portion 622 move while maintaining a constant relative position. To explain in more detail, the first contact surface 623 of the first contact portion 621 and the second contact surface 624 of the second contact portion 622 are perpendicular to each other, and the first contact portion 621 and the second contact portion 622 move while maintaining a constant relative distance between them.

The outer surface 71 of the transport case 7 is supported by the first contact surface 623 of the first contact portion 621, and the rear surface 74 is supported by the second contact surface 624 of the second contact portion 622. This maintains the transport case 7 in the reference position Gs.

At the junction 115, the movement of the transport case 7 sent out from the discharge section 310 in the transport direction Tr1 is mainly performed by the junction conveyor 221. The first contact section 621 attached to the side movement section 611 is pushed toward the main transport path 110 while the transport case 7 maintains the reference position Gs while moving in the transport direction Tr1. The second contact section 622 attached to the upper movement section 612 pushes the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1, thereby assisting the transport of the transport case 7 by the junction conveyor 221 and maintaining the reference position Gs. Therefore, the transport case 7 is moved by the feed section 320 along a direction inclined with respect to the transport direction Tr1 in the first straight section 111 while maintaining the reference position Gs, and is sent to the main transport path 110.

At the junction 115, the main transport conveyor 211 is arranged parallel to and adjacent to the junction conveyor 221. Then, at the feed section 320, the transport case 7 moves from the upper part of the junction conveyor 221 to the upper part of the main transport conveyor 211 as it moves in the transport direction Tr1. The control unit 400 controls the transport speeds of the junction conveyor 221 and the main transport conveyor 211 to be the same. This prevents the position of the transport case 7 from being disturbed. However, this is not limited to this, and the transport speeds of the junction conveyor 221 and the main transport conveyor 211 may be adjusted so that the position of the transport case 7 is not disturbed.

In this embodiment, the movement of the transport case 7 in the transport direction Tr1 at the junction 115 is performed by the junction conveyor 221 and the main transport conveyor 211, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the transport case 7 can be moved smoothly and stably to the main transport path 110, the main transport conveyor 211 may be omitted. In addition, instead of the main transport conveyor 211, a configuration in which rollers are laid out so that the transport case 7 can be moved smoothly may be arranged. Furthermore, if the discharge section 310 and the feed section 320 can move the transport case 7 to the main transport path 110, the junction conveyor 221 may be up to the junction waiting position Jp1. In addition, instead of the junction conveyor 221 at the junction 115, a configuration in which rollers are laid out so that the transport case 7 can be moved smoothly may be arranged.

The control unit 400 is connected to the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 of the discharge unit 310, and the side movement unit 611 and the upward movement unit 612 of the feed unit 320, and controls them in synchronization. First, the control unit 400 controls the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 to rotate the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 alternately. As a result, the transport case 7 is pulled out sequentially by the first star wheel 51 and the second star wheel 52 at a predetermined timing.

The control unit 400 then controls the lateral movement unit 611 and the upward movement unit 612 in synchronization with the first drive unit 53 and the second drive unit 54 so that the first contact unit 621 contacts the outer surface 71 of the transport case 7 that has reached the feed unit 320, and the second contact unit 622 contacts the rear surface 74 in the transport direction Tr1. This makes it possible to send the transport case 7 sent out by the discharge unit 310 to the main transport path 110 without delay.

The transport case 7 that joins the main transport path 110 at the junction 115 is held at its rear surface 74 and front surface 75 by the first holding shuttle 1 and second holding shuttle 2 of the main transport mechanism 210. In the main transport mechanism 210, the first holding shuttle 1 and second holding shuttle 2 move along the rail 3 and circulate on the main transport path 110 in the transport direction.

Then, a portion of the transport case 7 held by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 is sent to the branched transport path 130 at the branching section 116, and the remainder passes through the second curved section 114 and returns to the first straight section 111, i.e., the adjustment standby position Sp1. A portion of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 move to the adjustment standby position Sp1 while still holding the transport case 7. At the junction 115, the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 that are not holding the transport case 7 can hold the transport case 7 sent out from the sending device 300.

The control unit 400 then checks whether the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 are holding a transport case 7 based on monitoring information from the monitoring unit 212. The control unit 400 passes the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 that it determines are not holding a transport case 7 through the adjustment standby position Sp1. The control unit 400 controls the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 that have passed through the junction 115 so that they hold the rear surface 74 and the front surface 75 of the transport case 7 between them.

If it is determined that the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 are holding a transport case 7, the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 are temporarily placed on standby at the adjustment standby position Sp1. The control unit 400 then moves the first holding shuttle and the second holding shuttle 2 holding the transport case 7 from the adjustment standby position Sp1 to the junction 115 so as not to interfere (contact, etc.) with the transport case 7 sent from the sending device 300.

At this time, the control unit 400 may move the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 at a timing such that the held transport case 7 does not come into contact with the first contact portion 621 and the second contact portion 622 of the feed unit 320, or may adjust the speed after moving to the junction 115 to prevent contact.

By configuring in this way, it is possible to have all of the first holding shuttles 1 and second holding shuttles 2 sent to the junction 115 hold the transport case 7. This makes it possible to eliminate the first holding shuttles 1 and second holding shuttles 2 that are sent to the first working section St1 without holding the transport case 7, thereby making it possible to improve the efficiency of work.

In this embodiment, the first contact portion 621 is attached to the lateral movement portion 611, and the second contact portion 622 is attached to the upward movement portion 612, but this is not limited to this. For example, the first contact portion 621 and the second contact portion 622 may be attached to one output movement portion 61. When there is one output movement portion 61, it may be the lateral movement portion or the upward movement portion. It may also be located at a position other than these.

<Operation at branching portion 116>
In the conveying device A, as described above, the first working unit St1, which is disposed midway along the second straight section 112, performs the task of placing the container Cv in the conveying case 7. Then, the conveying case 7 in which the container Cv has been placed in the first working unit St1 is sent via the branch conveying path 130 to the second working unit St2, which includes the next manufacturing process. The container Cv is sent to the first working unit St1 from another manufacturing process (not shown). Then, the sent container Cv is placed in the conveying case 7.

There may be cases where the number of containers Cv in the first working unit St1 is small and containers Cv cannot be placed in the transport case 7. In this case, the control unit 400 may stop the transport case 7 at the first working unit St1 and wait for the containers Cv to be sent. On the other hand, when there are a large number of transport cases 7, stopping the transport case 7 at the first working unit St1 until the containers Cv are sent will cause transport cases 7 to be transported later to pile up, resulting in a backlog of transport cases 7.

Therefore, when there is a shortage of containers Cv, the control unit 400 controls the main transport mechanism 210 to pass the transport cases 7 through the first working unit St1 so that the transport cases 7 do not accumulate in the first working unit St1. As a result, transport cases 7 with and without containers Cv are transported to the branching unit 116 located downstream of the transport cases 7 in the transport direction Tr1.

Details of the operation at the branching section 116 will now be described. FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing the operation of the main transport mechanism 210 at the branching section 116. The control section 400 acquires status information indicating the status of the transport case 7 being transported to the run-up area 117 from the status detection section 232 (step S101). Note that the status information includes, for example, information on whether or not a container Cv is placed in the transport case 7, but is not limited to this. It may also include other information. The status information includes information for determining whether or not to send the transport case 7 to the second working section St2.

The control unit 400 determines whether or not a container Cv is placed in the transport case 7 based on the status information from the status detection unit 232 (step S102). If a container Cv is not placed in the transport case 7 (No in step S102), the control unit 400 maintains the operation of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 (step S103) and ends the branching operation.

By maintaining the operation of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2, the transport case 7 is transported while being held by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. The first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 then move from the second straight section 112 to the second curved section 114 at the branch section 116. At this time, the first claw section 16 of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second claw section 26 of the second holding shuttle 2 engage with the recesses 741 and 751 of the transport case 7. As a result, the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 pull the transport case 7 towards the second curved section 114.

If it is determined from the state information that a container Cv is placed in the transport case 7 (Yes in step S102), the control unit 400 checks whether the transport case 7 has reached the run-up area 117 (step S104). The control unit 400 waits until the transport case 7 has reached the run-up area 117 (if No in step S104, step S104 is repeated).

As described above, in the approach area 117, the underside of the transport case 7 is supported by the branch conveyor 231. In the approach area 117, the transport case 7 is transported by the first holding shuttle 1, the second holding shuttle 2, and the branch conveyor 231. At this time, the transport speed of the branch conveyor 231 is the same as the transport speed of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. However, this is not limited to this, and as described below, the transport speeds of the branch conveyor 231, the first holding shuttle 1, and the second holding shuttle 2 may be determined so that the transport case 7 is stably transported by the branch conveyor 231 when the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 move away from the transport case 7.

When the transport case 7 reaches the run-up area 117 (Yes in step S104), the control unit 400 controls the linear motor driver 43 to accelerate the second holding shuttle 2 (step S105). This causes the second surface pushing arm 22 and the second claw arm 23 of the second holding shuttle 2 to move away from the front surface 75 of the transport case 7.

The control unit 400 also controls the linear motor driver 43 to decelerate the first holding shuttle 1 (step S106). This causes the first surface pressing arm 12 and the first claw arm 13 of the first holding shuttle 1 to move away from the rear surface 74 of the transport case 7. This causes the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 to move away from the transport case 7.

Then, the transport case 7 is transported by the branch conveyor 231 toward the branch transport path 130. Note that within the branch transport path 130, the transport case 7 is guided and transported by the branch guide section 131. Note that by being guided by the branch guide section 131, the transport case 7 is transported within the branch transport path 130 while maintaining the reference position Gs.

In addition, in the branch section 116, the branch guide section 131 is formed so that the upstream side in the transport direction Tr1 is wider. By forming it in this manner, even if the transport case 7 shifts or its posture is disturbed when the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 move away from the transport case 7, it is possible to correct the posture and position accurately and enter the inside of the branch transport path 130.

The transport case 7 in which the container Cv is placed is transported through the branch transport path 130 and reaches the curved transport path 140. The curved transport path 140 is housed inside the second working unit St2. In this embodiment, the transport case 7 is transported through the curved transport path 140 by a transport mechanism provided in the second working unit St2, for example, a transport wheel having a recess on its outer periphery into which the transport case 7 can fit.

Then, the second working unit St2 places a lid on the container Cv that has been placed in the transport case 7 and transported, and moves only the container Cv to the outside of the transport device A. The transport case 7 is sent from the curved transport path 140 to the merging transport path 120 without the container Cv placed inside. The transport case 7 is then transported again through the merging transport path 120 and merges with the main transport path 110 from the junction 115.

As described above, when the transport case 7 is in the main transport path 110, it is clamped from the front and rear in the transport direction Tr1 by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. The first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 can be operated independently by the linear motor driver 43. Therefore, at the junction 115, the transport case 7 can be easily and reliably transferred from the sending device 300 to the main transport mechanism 210.

Similarly, the conveying direction of the conveying case 7 at the branching section 116 can be easily and reliably switched simply by changing the conveying speed of the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2.

Although the branch conveyor 231 has been described as an example of the branch transport mechanism 230, this is not limiting. For example, a shuttle may be operated along the branch transport path 130 by a linear motor and have a configuration similar to the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. In this case, the shuttle of the branch transport mechanism 230 may be configured to hold the main transport mechanism 210 from the side opposite the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2. It may also be configured to hold the main transport mechanism 210 from the bottom.

In addition, in this embodiment, the transport case 7 transported into the branch transport path 130 is configured to return to the merging transport path 120 via the curved transport path 140, but this is not limited to the configuration. The branch transport path 130 may send the transport case 7 to another device outside the transport device A. In this case, the merging transport path 120 may send the transport case 7 from another external device, or the transport cases 7 may be stored separately and the transport cases 7 may be sent out sequentially.

As described above, by integrating and controlling the transport path 100, the transport mechanism 200, and the sending device 300 with the control unit 400, it is possible to transport the transport case 7 stably for a long period of time without the transport case 7 becoming stuck in a part of the transport path 100 or falling off to the outside.

The monitoring unit 212 and the status detection unit 232 described above may be configured to irradiate light and detect the status based on the detection status of the light, or may capture an image using an imaging element and send the captured image data to the control unit 400.

In addition, in this embodiment, the configuration includes a monitoring unit 212, but is not limited to this. In the main transport path 110, the transport case 7 that returns to the first straight section 111 is selected at the branching section 116. Therefore, it is also possible to obtain the holding state of the transport case 7 by the first holding shuttle 1 and the second holding shuttle 2 that reach the adjustment standby position Sp1 based on the operation at the branching section 116. Therefore, the monitoring unit 212 may be omitted. Note that in this embodiment, the accuracy is further increased by using both information based on the operation at the branching section 116 and information from the monitoring unit 212.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this content. Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

100 Conveying path 110 Main conveying path 111 First straight section 112 Second straight section 113 First curved section 114 Second curved section 115 Merging section 116 Branching section 117 Run-up area 118 Guide section 119 Lower surface guide section 120 Merging conveying path 121 Merging guide section 130 Branching conveying path 131 Branching guide section 140 Curved conveying path 200 Conveying mechanism 210 Main conveying mechanism 211 Main conveying conveyor 212 Monitoring section 1 First holding shuttle 11 Main body section 12 First face pressing arm 13 First claw arm 14 Upper roller 15 Lower roller 16 First claw section 2 Second holding shuttle 21 Main body section 22 Second face pressing arm 23 Second claw arm 24 Upper roller 25 Lower roller 26 Second claw portion 3 Rail 3a Rail 3b Rail 31 Main rail portion 32 Grooved rail portion 33 Flat rail portion 4 Linear drive portion 41 Coil 42 Magnet 43 Control portion 44 Linear motor driver 220 Merging conveyor mechanism 221 Merging conveyor 230 Branching conveyor mechanism 231 Branching conveyor 232 Status detection portion 300 Sending device 310 Discharge portion 51 First star wheel 511 Main body portion 512 Engaging protrusion 513 Locking protrusion 514 Pushing protrusion 52 Second star wheel 521 Main body portion 522 Engaging protrusion 523 Locking protrusion 524 Pushing protrusion 53 First drive portion 54 Second drive portion 320 Feed portion 321 Groove portion 61 Sending movement portion 611 Side moving part 6111 Belt surface 612 Upward moving part 6121 Belt surface 62 Contact part 621 First contact part 622 Second contact part 623 First contact surface 624 Second contact surface 400 Control part 401 Processing circuit 402 Memory circuit A Conveying device 7 Transport case Cv Container Gs Reference position Jp1 Junction waiting position Rt1 Rotation direction Sp1 Adjustment waiting position St1 First working part St2 Second working part Tr1 Conveying direction

Claims (8)

A conveyed object sending device that sends out conveyed objects in a conveying direction at regular intervals,
two star wheels of the same shape that are arranged near the conveying path of the object to be conveyed, are rotatable about a central axis perpendicular to the conveying direction, and are stacked one above the other along the central axis;
A drive unit that alternately rotates the two star wheels,
The star wheel is
A main body portion,
and engaging protrusions that protrude outward from a radially outer edge of the main body, are engageable with a side portion of the object, and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction,
The two-tiered star wheels are arranged such that the engaging protrusions are shifted in the circumferential direction when viewed in a direction along the central axis,
This is a device for sending out transported objects, in which when the engaging protrusion of one star wheel engages with the side of the transported object to hold the transported object, the other star wheel is rotated and the engaging protrusion sends out the transported object in the transport direction alternately using the two star wheels. the transported object is disposed in a transport section that transports the transported object, and a force is applied from the transport section in a transport direction;
2. The device for sending out transported objects according to claim 1, wherein when the engaging protrusions engage with the sides of the transported object, the transported object is held by a force stronger than a force applied in the transport direction by the transport section. The delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the engaging protrusion delivers the transported object at a speed faster than the transport speed of the transport section. The sending device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which has a guide section that guides the transported object in the transport direction at a position facing the star wheel across the transport path. The engaging protrusion is
A locking protrusion protruding radially outward from a radial outer edge;
an extrusion protrusion protruding outward in the radial direction from a rear side in the rotational direction relative to the locking protrusion of a radial outer edge,
A device for sending out transported objects as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the engaging protrusion engages with the transported object, the locking protrusion contacts the front side of the side of the transported object in the transport direction, and the extrusion protrusion contacts the rear side of the side of the transported object in the transport direction. The transported object delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the star wheel rotates, causing the pushing protrusion to push the side of the transported object in the transport direction. The drive unit is
an upper stage drive unit that rotates the upper stage star wheel;
a lower stage drive unit that rotates the lower stage star wheel;
7. The device for sending out transported objects according to claim 1, wherein the upper stage drive unit and the lower stage drive unit are each capable of independently driving the two stages of star wheels. The transported object sending device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the transported object is sent to a main transport path having a linear transport section including a transport shuttle that moves in the transport direction while holding the front and rear faces of the transported object in the transport direction.

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