JPH0334086A - Article counter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prepare the desired number of articles by counting them correctly by stopping a carried out article promptly at the point of time of the article carried out from a carrying out part is counted up to a prescribed number. CONSTITUTION:The article thrown in from a chute 11 to one end side of a trough 7 is carried to an opening part at the other end side of the trough 7 while it is separated one by one so that a space between machine screws expands as it approaches to this opening part at the other end, and is discharged from the opening part at the other end of the trough 7. Accordingly, the machine screw can be made to pass by the positions of the article sensors 18,18 of the through holes 16,16 of guide members 15,15 as being separated one by one, and when the article sensor 18 detects the prescribed number of the articles, a shutter 19 is rotated promptly so that the carrying part of an article distributing member 13 can be closed. Thus, the desired number of the articles can be prepared by counting them correctly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to an article counting device that can immediately stop articles from being carried out when counting a predetermined number of articles and accurately count the articles.

``Prior Art'' Conventionally, an optical counter is known that uses an optical sensor such as a phototube to detect, for example, an article several millimeters or more in size that falls from an article discharge section of a parts feeder, and counts the articles.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, with conventional optical counters that use such optical sensors, for example, articles may fall continuously and almost simultaneously from the parts feeder.
In such a case, these two consecutive items would be counted as one item, and there was a possibility that correct counting could not be performed.

Therefore, in order to count the items as described above, a counting method is used in which the weight of these items is measured using a scale and the number of items is determined based on the weight.
This method not only takes time, but also has the potential to cause counting errors if minute weight errors of each article are accumulated when measuring the weight of the articles.

If a counting error may occur, when using the item,
If only the necessary number of items counted by the scale were prepared, there would be an inconvenience that the number of items would be insufficient, so a few items were added in advance and prepared. will be held. Then, when assembling the product, even though the number of added items is actually redundant, after the item is used, the number of items remaining is the same as the number of items added, and in this case, conversely, the use of the item is There was a risk of anxiety that something might have been forgotten.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to immediately prevent the articles from being carried out when a predetermined number of articles have been carried out from the carrying-out section, and to accurately count and prepare a desired number of articles. The purpose is to provide an article counting device that can perform

"Means for Solving the Problems" The present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object. That is, in the invention according to claim 1,
a guide body having a passage that extends vertically and is open at the upper end; a chute for transporting articles into the passage from a carry-out portion facing one side of an opening at the upper end of the passage; and an article introduced into the guide body through the chute. an article restraining means for blocking an article by a shutter provided facing an article introducing portion of the guide body so as to be able to push the article back toward the carrying-out portion side; and an article attached to the passage of the guide body. The structure consists of a sensor.

In the invention set forth in claim 2, in the invention set forth in claim 1, the article restraining means is configured to move in a direction from the carrying-out portion of the chute toward the other side of the upper opening edge of the channel and in the opposite direction. The shutter is movable in a reciprocating manner and is provided above the passage in close proximity to the upper opening edge of the passage.

"Operation" According to the above configuration, when the article sensor detects a set number of articles, the shutter of the article suppressing means immediately pushes the articles introduced into the guide body back toward the unloading section of the chute, thereby removing the articles from the chute. The output section is closed so that the articles can be accurately counted.

"Example" An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a substrate, and a base 2.3 and partition walls 4.5 are fixed to the substrate 1 in an upright manner at predetermined intervals. The base 2 and the base 3 are placed adjacent to each other, and the bases 2 and 3 and the partition walls 4 and 5 are provided in parallel. The base 3 is U-shaped with an upper plate 3a, and both left and right sides in FIG. 1 are open.

A motor 6 is mounted on the base 2 with its rotating shaft 6a in a vertical position. A gutter 7 is swingably attached to the upper plate 3a of the base 3 so as to be substantially orthogonal to the partition wall 4.5. This gutter 7 has a cross section in which one end (input section side) is closed, the other end (output section side) is open, and both side walls are formed in a tapered shape so that the floor gradually increases from the one end side to the other end side. The upper part of the U-shape is open. One end of the gutter 7 is cantilevered and swingably attached to the upper surface of the base 3 by a shaft 8. A shaft 9 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom of the gutter 7 at a position spaced apart from the shaft 8 by a short distance and projects downward.

One end of a lever 10 is connected to the rotating shaft 6a of the motor 6 via a shaft 6b that is eccentrically rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 6a, and the other end of the lever 10 is rotatably attached to the shaft 9. ing. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 6a of the motor 6 rotates, the gutter 7 swings about the shaft 8 as a fulcrum.

Then, motor 6, lever 10. The gutter 7 and the like constitute an individual carrying-out means.

A chute 11 is provided at the top of one end side (shaft 8 side) of the gutter 7. This chute 11 is connected to a vibrating device (a generally well-known vibrating device, not shown) attached to the base 3, and is caused to vibrate on the spot with a small amplitude by this vibrating device.

On the other hand, a square hole 12 is formed in the partition wall 5 at a position opposite to the opening at the other end of the gutter 7 . The square hole 12 has a size approximately equal to the movement range of the opening at the other end of the gutter 7.

A member (chute) 13 is provided between the partition walls 4 and 5, located just below the part facing the square hole 12, and for distributing articles. It is attached so that its position can be adjusted freely. For article distribution, the member 13 has an upright plate portion 13a at the upper end, and an upright plate portion 13a at the upper end.
The slanted portions 13b and 13c are bifurcated symmetrically with respect to the upright plate portion 13a. There is no gap between the partition walls 4, 5 and the article distribution member 13.

Further, a support plate 14 is provided below the member 13 for distributing articles, and is positioned between partition walls 4.degree. 5, parallel to the substrate 1. The support plate 14 is attached to the partition walls 4 and 5.

On the support plate 14, the inclined part 1 of the member 13 is placed for the distribution of the goods.
A pair of guide bodies 15, 15 are attached below the respective tips (export portions) of 3b and 13c. Coaxial through holes (passages) 16 and 17 are formed in the guide body 15 and the support plate 14, respectively. At the upper end of each inner peripheral surface of each through hole 1616 of the guide body 15.15, these through holes 1
Article sensor 18,1 for detecting articles passing through 6.16
8 is attached.

A shutter 19 is provided at the top of each guide body 15.15.
', 19 are rotatably provided. The shutter 19 is a bell crank-shaped member made of an abbreviated plate, and is centered on a fulcrum shaft 20 attached to the partition walls 4 and 5, located on the center line of each through hole 16.16 and perpendicular to the partition wall 4.5. It is designed to rotate.

On the other hand, above between the partition walls 4.5, a pair of solenoids 21, 21 are provided near the fulcrum shaft 20°20. These pairs of solenoids 21 and 21 are respectively attached to the partition walls 4 and 5 via brackets (not shown). The upper end of the shutter 19.19 is rotatably connected to each solenoid 21.21 via a link 22.22, respectively. Accordingly, the lower end of the shutter 19.19 is exposed to the through hole 16 by actuation of the solenoid 21.21.
Close to the upper opening edge, the articles are reciprocated in the direction from the tip of the member 13 (one side of the upper opening edge of the through hole 16) to the other side of the upper opening edge of the through hole 16, and in the opposite direction. It is made to be movable.

Further, the other end opening of the gutter 7 is provided with an outlet adjustment means 22 for adjusting the width of the other end opening, that is, the outlet. This outlet adjustment means 22 includes a bracket 23 attached to the side wall of the gutter 7, and right-handed screws on the left and right sides, respectively.
A threaded rod 24 formed with a left-hand thread and screwed onto the bracket 23, a pair of movable plates 25 that are non-rotatably screwed onto the threaded rod 24 and can move toward and away from each other, and these movable plates 25. 25, facing the opening at the other end of the gutter 7, and movable toward and away from each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gutter 7. Brush 26, 26 hair is brush 26.2
6 in the direction of movement.

A pair of unloading guides 27, 27 having a U-shaped cross section are provided at the front part of the partition wall 4 (the lower side of the partition wall 4 in FIG. 2), spaced apart from each other and passing through the partition wall 4. This carry-out guide 27.27 is provided perpendicularly to the partition wall 4 and inclined. ．． The upper end of 27 faces the lower part of each through hole 17.17 of the support plate 14, and the lower end is located on a pair of storage boxes 28.28 whose upper part is open and installed on the substrate 1. .

Note that a controller (not shown) is electrically connected to the motor 6 and the article sensor 18, and a display (not shown) is connected to this controller.

Next, the operation of the article discharging device configured as described above will be explained. Here - as an example, the left and right storage boxes 28
．． A case where a predetermined number of machine screws are stored in 28 will be explained.

When the threaded rod 24 of the outlet adjustment means 22 is turned, the pair of brushes 2
6.26 interval is adjusted wide or narrow, so the machine screws to be counted and stored in the storage box 28 can be passed from the tip of the gutter 7 to the space between the brushes 26.26 and 26.26. In the interval,
Adjust the spacing between the brushes 26.26 and guide body 15.15
A state in which a through hole 16.17 is opened between the storage box 28.28 and the storage box 28.28, with no machine screw present and the lower end of the member 13 and the lower end of the shutter 19 open for the purpose of distributing the goods. shall be. Further, the number of machine screws to be stored in the storage boxes 28 and 28 is set in the controller.

In this state, the
Activate the motor 6. Then, the gutter 7 swings about the shaft 8 via the lever 10.

Here, an arbitrary number of machine screws to be counted and ejected are inserted into the shoe 11.

Then, since chute 11 is vibrating, chute 1
The small screw in 1 easily falls into the gutter 7, and since the gutter 7 is swinging, the small screw comes into contact with both side walls of the gutter 7 and is bounced back, but the both side walls are tapered. Therefore, when the screw is repelled by these side walls, it is repelled almost in the same way as light is reflected in optics, and the distance between the screws is widened as it approaches the opening at the other end of the gutter 7. It is discharged from between the brushes 28 and 26 of the end opening.

The machine screw discharged from the gutter 7 has its path restricted by the partition walls 4.5, and the articles distributed fall onto the member 13 between the partition walls 4 and 5. Then, the machine screws are distributed to the left or right of the upright plate part 13a of the member 13 in FIG. 1, and fall along the sloped parts 13b, 13c. The through hole 16 of the guide body 15.15 passes between the tip of the guide body 13c and the shutter 19.
17, and storage box 2 via unloading guides 27 and 27.
It was dropped and stored on 8.28. And these machine screws are
The pieces are released from the gutter 7 one by one, fall down the slopes 13t) and 13c one by one, pass through the through hole 16 one by one, are detected by the article sensor 18, and based on the detection signal are sent to the controller via the controller. It is counted. This counted value is then displayed on a display (not shown) via a controller.

When the article sensor 18 detects the number of small drops set by the controller, the solenoids 21, 21 are activated immediately, and the upper ends of the shutters 19, 19 are pulled toward the solenoids 21, 21, respectively, and the motor 6 is activated via the controller. Stop. As a result, in FIG. 1, the shutter 19 on the left side rotates counterclockwise, and the shutter 19 on the right side rotates clockwise, and the lower end of each shutter 19. , and prevents the machine screws from falling on these inclined parts 13b and 13c. Therefore, only the number of machine screws set by the controller is stored in the storage box 28.28.

According to the present embodiment, as described above, articles thrown into one end of the gutter 7 from the chute 11 are transferred to the other end opening of the gutter 7, so that the distance between machine screws increases as the distance approaches the other end opening. Since the pieces are carried out at a distance one by one and discharged from the other end opening of this gutter 7, the machine screws are spaced one by one and passed through at the article sensor 18.18 position of the through hole 16.16 of the guide body 15.15. When the article sensor 18 detects a set number of articles, the shutter 19 immediately rotates to close the delivery section of the member 13 for all the articles, and based on this, the machine screws can be accurately counted. can do.

In addition, since the machine screws ejected from the other end port (export port) of the gutter 7 are distributed to the left and right in FIG. 1 by the member 13, the left and right article sensors t8. ts allows machine screws to be counted at two locations at the same time, resulting in extremely high counting efficiency.

In addition, since the machine screws discharged from the other end side opening (export port) of the gutter 7 are distributed to the left and right in FIG. 1 by the member 13, the left and right article sensors detect the article ( By setting the numbers to be counted to different numbers, it is convenient because the number of articles to be stored in the left and right storage boxes 28 can be set to a desired different number.

In the above embodiment, the gutter 7 is swung by the lever 10, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, a motor, a cam connected to the motor, etc. may be used within the scope of the present invention. It may be oscillated by other means.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the shutter 19 is operated by the solenoid 21, but the shutter 19 is not limited to this, and may be operated by, for example, a cam or cylinder mechanism connected to a motor.

Further, in the above embodiment, the chute 11 is vibrated, but although it is desirable to vibrate, it is not necessarily necessary to vibrate the chute 11.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the articles discharged from the gutter 7 are sorted into two routes and stored in the storage box 28, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to downsize the device by storing it in the box 28. In this case, it is also possible to arrange a large number of compact article discharging devices in parallel, and to simultaneously count machine screws of various sizes and store them in each storage box 28 according to type.

"Effects of the Invention" According to the present invention, there is provided a guide body having a passage extending vertically and having an open upper end, and a chute for carrying out articles into the passage from a carrying-out portion facing one side of an opening at the upper end of the passage. ,
The article introduced into the guide body through the chute,
A structure consisting of an article restraining means for blocking the article with a shutter provided facing the article introduction part of the guide body so as to be able to push the article back toward the carrying-out part side, and an article sensor attached to the passage of the guide body. Therefore, when the article sensor detects the set number of articles, the shutter of the article restraining means immediately moves the articles introduced into the guide body to one of the chute.
The article delivery section of the chute can be closed by pushing it back toward the mountain part, thereby making it possible to accurately count and prepare a desired number of articles.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a front view and FIG. 2 being a plan view. 4.5... Bulkhead, 6... Motor, 7.
...Gutter, 10...Lever 13...
・The distribution of items is parts (chutes), 15...
Guide body, 16.17...Through hole (passage), 1
8...Article sensor, 19...Shutter, 2I...Solenoid, 22...Export port adjustment means, 28...Storage box.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A guide body having a passage extending vertically and opening at the upper end, a chute for carrying out articles into the passage from a carry-out portion facing one side of the opening at the upper end of the passage, and a guide body through which the article is conveyed to the passage through the chute. an article restraining means for blocking an article introduced into the body by a shutter provided facing the article introducing section of the guide body so as to be able to push the article back toward the carrying-out section; and attached to the passage of the guide body. 1. An article counting device comprising: an article sensor; (2) The article restraining means is located close to the upper opening edge of the passage so as to be reciprocally movable in a direction toward the other side of the upper opening edge of the passage from the carrying-out portion of the chute and in the opposite direction. 2. The article counting device according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter provided above.