JPH04205589A - Carried object counting system for multi-row parallel carrying conveyer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To precisely calculate the number of objects carried by a device even when the processing capacity of an upstream side processor is changed extremely by counting the number of carried objects passing between guides from the carrying speed of a multi-row parallel carrying conveyer device read with a carrying speed reading means and a guide interval adjusted with a carrying number adjusting means. CONSTITUTION:A counting means 3 counts the number of carried objects passing between guides from the carrying speed of a multi-row parallel carrying conveyer device and the interval of the guides. Then, a the guide interval to be reference is stored by a making proper means 5 and the propriety of the guide interval is judged based on increasing tendency or decreasing tendency judged by a carried object monitoring means 4. Accordingly, even when the processing capacity of an upstream side processor is decreased extremely, since a carrying number adjusting means 1 adjusts the guide interval and specifies the number of the carried objects passing between the guides, the number of the carried objects per unit time passing between the guides becomes constant. Thus, a carried object counting system can calculate the number of the carried objects carried by the multi-row parallel carrying conveyer device precisely.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a conveyed object counting system installed in a multi-row parallel conveyor device for, for example, food cans, and in particular to a conveyed object counting system that is capable of accurately counting conveyed objects. This invention relates to a conveyed object counting system for a multi-row parallel conveyor device.

<Conventional technology> Conventionally, multi-row parallel conveyor equipment in can manufacturing plants has been used.
In order to prevent problems such as the multi-row parallel conveyor device stopping due to objects falling off the multi-row parallel conveyor belt, the conveyance capacity of the multi-row parallel conveyor device is made larger than the processing capacity of the upstream device. .

In addition, there is also a demand for accurate counting of the number of objects conveyed by a multi-row parallel conveyor device in a can manufacturing line for use in controlling the can manufacturing line. Therefore, a conveyed object counting system is added to the multi-row parallel conveyor device.

A conventional multi-row parallel conveyor device to which such a conveyed object counting system is added is composed of a plurality of conveyors 21, 23, as shown in FIG.

The conveyance speed of the conveyor 21 connected to the upstream processing device (not shown) is set higher than the conveyance speed of the conveyor 23 connected to the downstream processing device 22.

Furthermore, a pair of fixed guides 25 and 25 were provided on the conveyor 23 near the entrance of the downstream processing device 22 to bring the conveyed object (can body) 24 closer to the center of the conveyor 23.

In the multi-row parallel conveying conveyor device having such a configuration, the can bodies 24 discharged from the upstream device are conveyed by the conveyor 21 to the conveyor 23. Since the carrying capacity of the conveyor 21 is very large, the can bodies 24 are carried sparsely, as shown in FIG.

However, the can bodies 24 that were sparsely transported in this way
Since it is difficult to accurately count the can bodies 24, the can bodies 24 are collected on the conveyor 23, which has a slow conveyance speed. Moreover, the fixed guides 25.25 reduce the distance at which the objects to be transported on the conveyor 23 can be mounted.

Therefore, near the exit of the conveyor 23, the can bodies 24 are further gathered near the center thereof, and near the exit of the fixed guide 25.25 along line A-A, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG.
The conveyor 23 can convey can bodies 24 without creating gaps between adjacent can bodies 24. That is, the can body 24 passing through the outlet of the fixed guide 25.25
The number of is always constant.

Therefore, the operator only needs to measure the operating time of the conveyor 23, and the conveyance speed of the conveyor 23 and the A-A
The number of can bodies lined up on iI (because the fixed guide 25 is fixed,
(The number of can bodies is always constant), the number of can bodies 24 conveyed by the conveyor 23 can be calculated.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in such a conventional conveyance object counting system for a multi-row parallel conveyor device, the fixed guide 25.2
5 are attached to the multi-row parallel conveyor device at regular intervals. Therefore, if the processing capacity of the upstream processing device is extremely reduced, a gap will be created between the plurality of can bodies 24 being transported at the exit of the fixed guide 25.25.

As a result, the number of can bodies 24 passing through the exits of the fixed guides 25, 25 per unit time varies, making it impossible to accurately calculate the number of can bodies 24 conveyed by the conveyor 23.

Therefore, the present invention provides a multi-row parallel conveyor that can accurately calculate the number of can bodies (carried objects) conveyed by the multi-row parallel conveyor even if the processing capacity of the upstream processing device changes drastically. Its purpose is to provide a conveyance counting system for equipment.

<Means for Solving the Problem> As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a multi-row parallel conveyor device disposed between an upstream processing device and a downstream processing device. A feeding conveyor device is provided with a pair of guides that can move toward and away from each other, and a conveyance number adjusting means 1 that adjusts the guide interval and defines the number of conveyed objects passing through this interval, and a conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor device. conveyance speed reading means 2 for reading the conveyance speed reading means 2;
a counting means 3 for counting the conveyed objects passing between the guides based on the conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor device read by the conveyance speed and the guide interval adjusted by the conveyance number adjusting means 1; This is a conveyed object counting system for parallel conveyor equipment.

Further, the conveyance number adjustment means 1 includes a conveyance object monitoring means 4 that monitors the conveyance objects supplied to the multi-row parallel conveyor device and determines an increasing tendency or a decreasing tendency of the conveyance objects, and a conveyance object monitoring means 4 that stores the guide interval. and an optimization means 5 that determines whether the guide spacing is appropriate based on the increasing or decreasing tendency determined by the transported object monitoring means 4, and if the optimization means 5 determines that the kite spacing is inappropriate, This is a conveyance object counting system for a multi-row parallel conveyor apparatus, which is provided with an appropriate interval calculating means 6 for calculating a guide interval according to an increasing tendency or a decreasing tendency of conveyed objects.

<Operations and Effects> In the conveyance object counting system for the multi-row parallel conveyor device according to the present invention, the conveyance number adjusting means 1 adjusts the interval between the guides. As a result, the number of conveyed objects passing between these guides is defined.

Further, the conveyance speed reading means 2 reads the conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor device.

Then, the counting means 3 counts the number of objects passing between the guides based on the conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor device and the interval between the guides.

Here, the transported object monitoring means 4 monitors the transported objects supplied to the multi-row parallel conveyor, and determines whether the transported objects are increasing or decreasing.

The optimization means 5 stores the reference guide interval, and determines the appropriateness of the guide interval based on the increasing tendency or decreasing tendency determined by the transported object monitoring means 4. Next, when the optimization means 5 determines that the guide interval is inappropriate, the appropriate interval calculation means 6 calculates the guide interval according to the increasing tendency or decreasing tendency of the conveyed objects.

Therefore, for example, even if the processing capacity of the upstream processing device is extremely reduced, the conveyance number adjusting means 1 adjusts the guide interval,
This defines the number of objects to be transported between the guides, so
There are no gaps between adjacent conveyed objects between the guides.

In this way, since the number of conveyed objects passing between the guides per unit time is constant, the conveyed object counting system can accurately calculate the number of conveyed objects conveyed by the multi-row parallel conveyor device.

<Example> Hereinafter, a conveyed object counting system according to the present invention will be installed on a multi-row parallel conveyor near the entrance of a downstream can body processing device, and will be used when counting the number of can bodies processed by the can body processing device. An example will be described below.

Note that the same parts as in the conventional example described above are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will be omitted.

In this figure, 31 is a trimmer device installed in the can manufacturing line. A multi-row parallel conveyor 23 is connected to this trimmer device 31, and this multi-row parallel conveyor 23 is also provided in the can manufacturing line via an upstream multi-row parallel conveyor (not shown). Can bodies are supplied from a deep drawing device t (not shown).

This multi-row parallel conveyor 23 is driven by a conveyor drive motor 32.
This moving operation is controlled by a slave computer 34 via a motor drive circuit 33.

That is, the slave computer 34 can know the actual conveyance speed V of the multi-row parallel conveyor 23 by transmitting a conveyor conveyance speed signal to the motor drive circuit 33 and receiving a response signal from the motor drive circuit 33. . Note that this slave computer 34 is under the control of the host computer, and its operations are controlled by the host computer.

Further, the slave computer has a well-known configuration,
It has a CPU, ROM, and RAM.

Further, the multi-row parallel conveyor 23 near the entrance of the trimmer device 31 is provided with a pair of variable guides 27, 27 for moving the can bodies 24 toward the center of the multi-row parallel conveyor 23. The distance W between the pair of variable guides 27, 27 can be changed by the guide opening/closing motor 35. Further, this variable guide 27, 270 interval changing operation is performed by the slave computer 3 via the motor drive circuit 33.
4.

By the way, in order for the can bodies to be lined up without gaps at the exit of the variable guide 27.27, the number of processing per unit time of the deep drawing machine and the number of can bodies passing per unit time at the exit of the variable guide must be approximately balanced. It is necessary to do so. Therefore, in this embodiment, changes in the processing number of the deep drawing machine are grasped by a sensor.

That is, a can body calculation area 36 having a predetermined area is provided upstream of the variable guide 27.27, and the can body calculation area 36 is defined on the multi-row parallel conveyor 23. Above the can body calculation area 36, a plurality of sensors (not shown) are arranged in a matrix to detect the presence or absence of the can body 24 within the can body calculation area 36.

Note that the output lines of these sensors are respectively connected to the slave computer 34. Therefore, by counting the detection signals of these sensors, the slave computer 34 can calculate the area occupied by the can body 24 within the can body calculation area 36, and can accurately grasp the processing number of the deep drawing machine. I can do it.

Therefore, if the area occupied by the can body 24 in the can body calculation area 36 is too large, the slave computer 34 instructs the motor drive circuit 33 to widen the interval between the variable kites 27 and 27, and increases the can f11L output area. The area occupied by the can body 24 at 36 is set to an appropriate value.

On the other hand, the slave computer 34 has a can body calculation area 36.
If the area occupied by all the can bodies 24 is too small, the motor drive circuit 33 is instructed to narrow the interval between the variable guides 27, 27, and the can body calculation area 36 sets the area occupied by all the can bodies 24 to an appropriate value. .

The operating procedure of the article counting routine of the article counting system for the multi-row parallel conveyor conveyor having the above configuration will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

Here, the variables used in this flowchart will be explained. W is the appropriate interval of the variable guide 27.27, n is a natural number (
(can be set arbitrarily by the operator), d is the diameter of the can body, ■
is the conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor 23, T is the number of can bodies supplied to the trimmer device, and f is the number of intervals when T is determined from the above-mentioned V and W.

The flowchart will be explained below.

First, the slave computer 34 reads the sensor detection signal (Step Sl) and counts it to calculate the area occupied by the can body 24 in the can body calculation area 36 (S
2).

Next, the slave computer 34 uses the can body calculation area 36.
It is determined whether the area occupied by the can body 24 is within an appropriate range (S3).

If the judgment result is No, the slave computer 34
Since the area occupied by the can body 24 in the can body calculation area 36 is outside the appropriate range, it is determined whether the area occupied by the can body 24 in the can body calculation area 36 is excessive (S4).

If the determination result is YES, the number of processing operations of the deep drawing machine has increased, so the slave computer 34 adds nd to W to find the appropriate interval W between the variable guides 27 and 27.

Then, the slave computer 34 connects the motor drive circuit 33 to the variable guides 27, 27 based on this appropriate interval W.
This variable guide 27.27
The number of can bodies 24 passing through the outlet of the variable guide 27.27 is set to a prescribed number (a number that allows can bodies to pass through the outlet of the variable guide 27.27 without any gaps) (S5). The slave computer 34 then proceeds to step S7.

On the other hand, if the determination result in step S4 is No, the area occupied by the can body 24 in the can body calculation area 36 is too small;
The slave computer 34 subtracts nd from W to find the appropriate interval W between the variable guides 27.27. Based on this appropriate interval W, the slave computer 34 instructs the motor drive circuit 33 to narrow the interval between the variable guides 27.27, so that the number of can bodies 24 passing through the outlet of this guide 27.27 is controlled as specified. (S6). The slave computer 34 then proceeds to step s7.

In step S7, the slave computer 34 reads the conveyance speed V of the multi-row parallel conveyor 23 (step S7
). Then, the slave computer 34 calculates the number of can bodies conveyed to the trimmer device 31 based on the conveyance speed V of the multi-row parallel conveyor 23 and the interval W between the variable guides 27.27 and the interval f (S8 ).

As explained above, in the conveyed object counting system for a multi-row parallel conveyor device according to the present invention, even when the throughput of a deep drawing machine changes drastically, for example, the slave computer 3
4 instructs to narrow or widen the interval between the variable guides 27.27, so that the number of can bodies 24 passing through the outlet of this guide 27.27 is set to a specified value.

Therefore, there is no gap between adjacent can bodies 24 at the exits of the guides 27.27.

As a result, the number of cans JIPJ24 passing through the outlet of the variable guide 27.27 per unit time becomes constant, so that the conveyed object counting system can accurately calculate the number of conveyed objects conveyed by the multi-row parallel conveyor device 23. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conveyed object counting system of a multi-row parallel conveyor device according to the present invention by means of functional implementation means, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conveyed object counting system of a multi-row parallel conveyor device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A block diagram of the system, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the object counting routine of the object counting system of the multi-row parallel conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. A plan view showing the conveyor device, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4. 1... Conveyance number adjusting means, 2... Conveyance speed reading means, 3... Counting means, 4... Conveyed object monitoring means, 5... Optimization Means, 6... Appropriate interval calculation means, 22... Downstream processing device, 23... Multi-row parallel conveyor device, 24... Conveyed object, 27... Variable guide .

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a multi-row parallel conveyor device disposed between an upstream processing device and a downstream processing device, the multi-row parallel conveyor device is provided with a pair of guides that can freely move toward and away from each other, and the guides a conveyance number adjustment means for adjusting the interval and prescribing the number of conveyed objects passing through the interval; a conveyance speed reading means for reading the conveyance speed of the multi-row parallel conveyor device; and a multi-row read by the conveyance speed reading means. A multi-row parallel conveyor, comprising: a counting means for counting conveyance items passing between the guides based on the conveyance speed of the parallel conveyor device and the guide interval adjusted by the conveyance number adjusting means. Conveyance counting system for equipment. (2) The conveyance number adjusting means includes a conveyance object monitoring means that monitors the conveyance objects supplied to the multi-row parallel conveyor device and determines an increasing tendency and a decreasing tendency of the conveyance objects, and a conveyance object monitoring means that stores the above-mentioned guide interval. There is an optimization means that determines whether the guide interval is appropriate based on the increasing or decreasing tendency determined by the conveyed object monitoring means, and if the optimization means determines that the guide interval is inappropriate, the conveyed object is 2. The conveyance object counting system for a multi-row parallel conveyor apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an appropriate interval calculation means for calculating a guide interval according to an increasing tendency or a decreasing tendency.