JPH0597109A - Selecting/packaging device for eggs - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the processing capability of a selecting/packaging device for eggs without making the device larger. CONSTITUTION:Under a carrying device 3 which carries eggs 2 after metering in a single line, receiving conveyors 10-16, which receive eggs with the longitudinal axes to be vertical, are provided. Under the receiving conveyors, packaging lines 19-25, which make packs 17 stand by, are provided in parallel. Also, at the sides of these receiving conveyors and packaging lines, transfer devices 26-32, which transfer the eggs on the receiving conveyors to the packs on the packaging lines, are provided. The transfer devices are positioned at the leading egg line on the receiving conveyors, and the eggs are drawn by suction after the width of suction arms is adjusted, and at discharge position, the eggs are discharged in a pack after the width of the suction arms is adjusted to the pitch of storage seats of the pack.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a chicken egg sorting and packaging apparatus for sorting and packaging eggs based on their weight classification.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Eggs after being weighed are conveyed in a single row, and at a packaging position provided for each weight section on the way of transportation, the eggs are discharged into an egg pack waiting at the packaging position according to the weight section. We carry out individual packing. When the eggs that are being transported in a single row are discharged into the egg packs, if they are directly loaded, the egg pack pitch of the egg packs is narrow, so the eggs will come into contact with adjacent eggs and break the eggs. Therefore, N eggs are once received at a pitch having wide intervals, and then the pitch is released to the egg pack while shrinking the pitch to the accommodation seat pitch of the egg pack (for example, JP-A-2-72015).

[0003]

In recent years, the size of egg sorting and packaging equipment has increased, and the egg processing capacity has increased from 25,000 eggs to 30,000 eggs, 35,000 eggs, and 40,000 eggs per hour. Is going up. However, this requires a large site area because of the increase in the size of the device, and there is a problem in economic efficiency.
Therefore, although technical development was made to increase the single-row transport speed, a new problem arose. That is, the transfer speed of the egg container of the packaging conveyor provided on the way of transfer cannot meet the above-mentioned single-row transfer speed, and the container for the egg container cannot be positioned when the egg is discharged. Especially in the egg packs and the like that are usually used, the egg storage part and the lid part are integrally configured, and it takes much time to position the storage part compared to other containers in which only the storage part is ordered. Met. Therefore, according to the present invention, before storing the eggs to be discharged into the egg container, the eggs are discharged to a receiving conveyor that receives once in a state where the long axis of the egg is almost upright, and the eggs contained in the receiving conveyor are conveyed in a plurality of rows. They try to transfer it to an egg container on the way. As a result, the egg container can be packaged even at a speed lower than the single-row transfer speed of the egg container.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a chicken egg sorting and packaging apparatus for filling a packaging container with chicken eggs classified according to grades, the long axis of the eggs is held substantially vertically and N eggs are regularly arranged in rows. After carrying the first carrying means for carrying, the second carrying means for carrying an empty packaging container provided in the vicinity of the first carrying means, and holding the chicken eggs at the first interval at the first point , A transfer means for discharging to a second point at a second interval, a first signal generating means for generating a position signal of the first egg train of the first conveying means, and an empty of the second conveying means. Second signal generating means for generating a position signal of the packaging container of
There is provided a chicken egg sorting and packaging device means for receiving the signals from the first signal generating means and the second signal generating means and operating the transfer means to package the chicken eggs.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described based on a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an egg sorting and packaging apparatus for explaining a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which a weighing machine 1 sequentially weighs eggs 2 supplied from a direction A by a conveyor or manually. .. In this specific example, six weighing devices 1 are provided for weighing the eggs 2 fed in parallel in six rows, but the present invention is not limited to this, and in the case of eggs fed in one row Only one is required. Eggs 2 weighed with weighing machine 1
2 are sequentially gripped by the grip portion 4 of the transport device 3 and transported in one row in the B direction. This grip 4
As the material, those having a structure as disclosed in JP-A-57-13024 are used.

The respective weights of the eggs 2 weighed by the weighing device 1 are stored in the storage device 6 in the same order as the transportation order of the eggs 2 under the control of the control device 5 including a microcomputer as shown in FIG. To be done. The above-mentioned gripping part 4 is attached to the conveying device 3 with a space h, and is composed of an endless chain 7 for moving the gripping part 4 in the B direction, a motor 8 for running the endless chain 7, and the like. An encoder 9 for detecting the traveling amount of the endless chain 7, in other words, the traveling amount of the grip portion 4, is connected to 8, and the traveling amount detected by the encoder 9 is supplied to the control device 5.

During the transportation of the transportation device 3, the egg 2 discharged from the transportation device 3 is held at a right angle to the direction B of the transportation device 3 and downward, with its major axis held substantially vertically. There is a receiving conveyor 10-16 as a first conveying means for regularly conveying five or six rows, and an empty packaging container, for example, a pack, is provided in parallel with and below the receiving conveyors 10-16. Packaging lines 19 to 25 are arranged as a second conveying means for intermittently conveying the tray 17 or the tray 18.

On the side of each of the receiving conveyors 10 to 16, a pack 17 or a tray 18 in which the eggs 2 stored in the receiving conveyors 10 to 16 are on standby on a packaging line 19 to 25.
The transfer devices 26 to 32 for transferring to (1) are installed (hereinafter, the pack 17 will be described).

The transfer devices 26 to 32 are, as shown in FIG.
For example, the pack 17 has the same number of suction arms 33 as can be accommodated in one row, and these suction arms 33 simultaneously suck two rows of eggs 2 accommodated on the receiving conveyors 10 to 16 and receive conveyors. 10 to 16 are taken out from above and put in a pack 17, for example. At this time, the receiving conveyor 10
Since the first pitch of the egg intervals accommodated on ~ 16 and the second pitch as the pitch of the accommodating seat of the eggs of the pack 17, for example, is different, at the first pitch on the receiving conveyors 10-16, After sucking and holding the egg 2 in the suction arm 33,
It is discharged to the pack 17 after being corrected to the pitch interval of the accommodation seat of the pack 17 which is the second pitch. In this way, the support arm 34 of the suction arm 33 can freely rotate, expand and contract, move up and down, and adjust the width of adjacent egg intervals. The suction at 33 is controlled by the control device 5, and the receiving conveyor 1
The eggs 2 are taken out from 0 to 16 and stored in the pack 17. At this time, the movement of the transfer devices 26 to 32 is realized by running on the rail 35. To change the pitch of the sucked eggs, see Suikai 57-15.
There is a width adjusting mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5123 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 43127/1993, and as a transfer device, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-
It may be a robot such as the replenishment / ejection arm device disclosed in No. 55011.

The control device 5 executes the program shown in the flow chart of FIG. 7, and based on the execution result, the opening mechanism 36 provided corresponding to the receiving conveyors 10 to 16 provided on the way of conveyance of the conveying device 3. 42 and drive mechanism 4
3 to 49, and drive mechanisms 50 to 56 provided corresponding to the packaging lines 19 to 25, respectively, are operated, and the weight signal from the weighing machine 1 is read, and the egg weight is stored in the storage device 6. Command the memory etc. In addition, the control device 5
Assigns a weight segment from the weight of the weighed egg, and assigns a release command to the release mechanisms 36 to 42 corresponding to this weight segment as the release position information.

By the way, as the opening mechanisms 36 to 42, those having the structure disclosed in JP-A-57-13024 are used. Each of the opening mechanisms 36 to 42 releases the egg 2 corresponding to the opening mechanism 36 to 42 from the gripper 4 in response to an opening command from the control device 5. The released eggs 2 are regularly placed in rows on the receiving conveyors 10 to 16.

Each of the drive mechanisms 43 to 49 includes a controller 5
In response to the step instruction from the step S1, the step of the row of eggs 2 on the receiving conveyors 10 to 16 is executed. Therefore, each drive mechanism 43-
49 calculates where the leading row of eggs is by counting the stepping command from the control device 5, and generates the position signal of the leading egg row of the receiving conveyors 10 to 16,
It is sent to the control device 5. Further, each of the drive mechanisms 50 to 56 also advances the respective belt conveyors of the packaging lines 19 to 25 by another stepping command from the control device 5. Further, in each of the drive mechanisms 50 to 56 as well, by counting another step command from the control device 5,
The position of the empty pack 17 is calculated, and the packing line 19
The position signals of the packs 17 above 25 are generated and sent to the control device 5. In response to the other step instruction from the control device 5, loading of eggs into the pack 17 is completed, and the next pack 1
Intermittent conveyance of the belt conveyor is executed so that eggs are put into 7.

Further, the control device 5 includes receiving conveyors 10-1.
6 receives the position signals of the leading egg row from the drive mechanisms 43 to 49 of the No. 6 and the receiving conveyor 1 to the transfer devices 26 to 32.
A suction command is output to suck the eggs 2 on 0-16. At this time, the transfer devices 26 to 32 have the receiving conveyors 10 to 16
When it is not waiting for the first egg row in the suction position a, the controller 5 confirms that it is waiting for the first egg row in the suction position a by moving to the row on the rail 35. After that, two rows of five eggs 2 are sucked, that is, ten eggs 2 are sucked. Further, the control device 5 receives the position signal of the empty pack 17 from the drive mechanisms 50 to 56 of the packaging lines 19 to 25, and outputs a command to release the sucked eggs 2 to the transfer devices 26 to 32. At this time, the transfer devices 26 to 32 discharge the packs 17 waiting on the packaging lines 19 to 28 to the packs 17,
When the transfer devices 26 to 32 are not waiting at the discharge position b, the transfer device 26 is moved to the discharge position b on the rail 35, and the controller 5 confirms that the transfer device 26 is at the discharge position b. The suction arm 34 that sucks the ten eggs 2 is packed 17
Align the width up to the pitch for discharge.

By the way, in the packaging line 19, the tray 1
No. 8 for non-standard eggs in the weight category, packaging line 20 for tray 18 for eggs weight category SS, packaging line 21 for tray 18 for trays 18 weight category S. As for the packaging, in the packaging line 22, the eggs are packaged in the weight category 2L for the tray 18, in the packaging line 23, the eggs are packaged for the weight category L in pack 17, and in the packaging line 24.
The pack 17 is packed with eggs in the weight section M, and the packing line 25 is packed in the pack 17 with eggs in the weight section MS.

Next, the operation of the egg sorting and packaging apparatus 60 thus constructed will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.
In the controller 5, first, in step 61, the controller 5 sends an opening command to the opening mechanisms 36 to 42, and the drive mechanism 4 is sent.
3 to 49 and the drive mechanism 50 to 56, the step command is sent,
Reading one egg weight from the weighing machine 1 and assigning the read egg weight to the weight classification SS to non-standard and storing device 6
To the corresponding release mechanism 36 to 42, and the travel amount is read from the encoder 9. Therefore, the weighed eggs 2 are gripped by the gripper 4 and transported in a single row. Then, the eggs 2 are put into the corresponding receiving conveyors 10 to 16 based on the weight thereof.

After step 62, a judgment is made to operate the transfer devices 26 to 32, and an instruction is issued based on the judgment result. Packaging line 2 for eggs 2 on receiving conveyor 14
The case of transferring to the pack 17 which is on standby in No. 3 will be described.

The belt conveyor of the packaging line 23 is intermittently conveyed by the drive mechanism 47. This intermittent conveyance is executed as a step for one row of the accommodation seat of the pack 17, and the drive mechanism 47 can position the pack 17 at the discharge position b by counting the step command output from the control device 5. By receiving this position signal, or by a sensor or the like (not shown), it is detected whether the pack 17 is intermittently conveyed to the discharge position b, and the pack 17 is detected.
The control device 5 may be informed by detecting (step 62).

When the pack 17 stands by at the discharging position b, it is determined by the position signal from the drive mechanism 54 whether or not the row of eggs 2 put on the receiving conveyor 14 has been intermittently conveyed to the suction position a ( Step 63). When the front row of eggs in the receiving conveyor 14 is positioned in the suction position a, the transfer device 30 determines whether or not the front row of eggs is waiting (step 64), and the front row of the eggs is determined. When the transfer device 30 is not waiting at the suction position a
The transfer device 30 is moved to the position of the first egg row in the inside (step 65).

When the control device 5 detects that the transfer device 30 is located at the position of the leading egg row, the spacing between the eggs received on the conveyor 14 by the support arm 34 of the transfer device 30 is shown in FIG. And the width is adjusted to the first pitch (step 66). After that, the support arm 34 whose width has been adjusted to the first pitch descends, and the suction arm 33 sucks ten eggs 2 in the receiving conveyor 14 in two rows simultaneously (step 67).

After the egg 2 is sucked by the suction arm 33, the support arm 34 is raised and the transfer device 30 is moved to the discharge position b where the pack 17 waits (step 68). When the control device 5 detects that the transfer device 30 is at the discharge position b by the movement of the transfer device 30, as shown in FIG.
The support arm 34 is contracted to the second pitch as the pitch of the egg storage seats of the pack 17 and the width is adjusted (step 6).
9). After that, the support arm 34 that has been moved to the second pitch descends, and the egg 2 sucked by the suction arm 33 is discharged to the pack 17 (step 70). The above is repeated as one cycle.

As another embodiment, a chicken egg sorting and packaging apparatus for transferring and packaging a plurality of receiving conveyors and packaging lines by one transfer apparatus may be used.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transportation of the egg container can be performed even if the transportation speed of the egg is slower than the single-row transportation speed, without increasing the size of the egg sorting and packaging apparatus.
It has become possible to increase the processing capacity of chicken eggs. Further, with the configuration according to the present invention, a sufficient egg interval can be secured even when the chicken eggs are introduced while being conveyed in a single row at a high speed, so that there is no fear of breaking the eggs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an egg sorting and packaging apparatus for explaining a preferred specific example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial detailed view of the specific example shown in FIG.

3 is an electrical block diagram of the specific example shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a receiving conveyor and a packaging line of the specific example shown in FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram explaining an operation of the transfer device of the specific example shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the transfer device of the specific example shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a program executed in the specific example of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measuring device 2 Egg 3 Conveying device 4 Gripping part 5 Control device 6 Memory device 7 Endless chain 8 Motor 9 Encoder 10-16 Receiving conveyor 17 Pack 18 Tray 19-25 Packaging line 26-32 Transfer device 33 Suction arm 34 Support arm 35 rails 36-42 opening mechanism 43-49 drive mechanism 50-56 drive mechanism 60 egg sorting and packaging device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device for filling a packaging container with chicken eggs classified according to grades, the first conveying means for holding chicken eggs substantially vertically with their major axes substantially vertically and conveying them in N rows. Second transport means for transporting an empty packaging container provided in the vicinity of the first transport means, and holding the eggs at the first spacing at the first location, and then at the second spacing to the second location. Transfer means for discharging at, a first signal generating means for generating a position signal of the first chicken egg sequence of the first conveying means, and a first signal generating means for generating a position signal of an empty packaging container of the second conveying means Receiving the signals from the second signal generating means, the first signal generating means and the second signal generating means, and positioning the transfer means to the first chicken egg row of the first transport means. Egg sorting and packaging equipment.