JPH0643684Y2 - Dimension weight measuring device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a dimensional weight measuring device for measuring the dimensions of a rectangular parallelepiped cargo in three directions, that is, height, width, depth and weight.

[Prior Art] Despite the fact that measuring the true size and weight of a cargo is extremely important for operations such as harbors, transportation, and warehouses, there is no suitable automatic measuring device. It is customary to make inefficient manual measurements with a balance or to use inaccurate estimates by the operator's eyes.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, of the dimensions and weight, the weight can be relatively easily and automatically measured by an electronic scale. However, although the dimensions have been variously studied by applying electronic technology, they are still not practical. Rich measuring devices have not been developed.

For example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-34264, a method of imaging and detecting the area of the upper surface of a rectangular parallelepiped with a CCD camera for the purpose of measuring the volume of cargo is proposed, but in this type of image processing system, the device is generally complicated, Not only expensive,
It is difficult for non-technical engineers to easily distinguish the border of the cargo from the background on the image plane, or it may malfunction due to environmental conditions at the site of use, such as clear rain or differences in external light such as lighting. It includes the problem that it cannot be used. Further, some measuring devices can be measured only after a standard rectangular parallelepiped of known size is installed and adjusted and calibrated in advance, which is a serious obstacle to practical use.

In addition, although a measurement method for detecting reflection of ultrasonic waves or laser light from the cargo surface has been attempted, it has not been possible to reliably measure the size or volume of the cargo.

Moreover, since this type of device is not used by a professional engineer in the laboratory, it is usually handled by a non-technical person because of poor environmental conditions for installation and use, so the measurement principle and mechanism are as simple as possible. It is required to be one. Further, even if a failure due to deterioration or damage of parts occurs, it is desirable that the parts can be easily repaired or replaced at the site of use.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a dimension / weight measuring device capable of measuring the height, width, depth dimension and weight of a rectangular parallelepiped cargo with a simple configuration.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in a dimensional weight measuring apparatus according to the present invention, a dimensional weight measuring apparatus for measuring the height, width, depth dimension and weight of a rectangular parallelepiped cargo. In order to measure the height of the cargo on the transport means, a transport means for transporting the cargo in the depth direction thereof, a weighing means for weighing the cargo on the transport means together with the transport means. A first light emitting and receiving unit for horizontally projecting and receiving a light beam in a vertical plane for cutting the cargo, and a light beam for cutting the cargo to measure a width and in a vertical plane parallel to the front and rear surfaces of the cargo. A second light projecting / receiving unit for projecting / receiving light in the vertical direction, and a third projecting / receiving unit for projecting / receiving a light beam in the width direction of the cargo in a horizontal plane that cuts the cargo to measure the depth. It is characterized by It

[Operation] The dimension / weight measuring apparatus according to the present invention is arranged such that the size of the cargo transported by the transporting means and positioned is three-dimensionally combined and arranged in parallel in multiple rows by light emitting / receiving elements. By counting the number of light beams that are shielded or not shielded, the height, width, and depth are measured in three directions.
The weight is simultaneously measured by the weighing means.

[Measurement Principle] The principle structure of a known one-dimensional dimension measurement light emitting / receiving unit used as a component of the above-described three-dimensional dimension weight measuring apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 is a light emitting unit in which light emitting elements L1 to L11 are arranged, and 2 is a light receiving unit in which light emitting elements P1 to P11 are arranged. In contrast, they are arranged vertically. When a rectangular parallelepiped cargo A to be measured is placed on the reference plane B of the light projecting unit 1, the luminous fluxes emitted from the light emitting elements L1 to L5 are shielded by the cargo A, so that the light receiving elements P1 to P5 of the light receiving unit 2 are blocked. Not reach,
On the other hand, the luminous fluxes from the light emitting elements L6 to L11 are respectively received by the light receiving element P.
Since it is received by 6 to P11, the upper surface of cargo A is
It is determined to be in the middle of l6.

The specific measurement sequence is L1P1, L1P2, L3P3, ...
When the light-emitting element L and the light-receiving element P are connected in pairs in this order so that they are sequentially operated, the cargo A
The outputs of the light receiving elements P1 to P5 that are shielded by are all kept off, but the light beams l6 to l11 are not shielded, so the light receiving element L6
Subsequent output is turned on. Therefore, the adjacent shaded light flux l5
It is possible to determine that the upper surface of the cargo A exists between the non-shielded luminous flux l6 and the non-shielded luminous flux l6 and measure the height H from the number of the shielded luminous fluxes l1 to l5.

[Embodiment] The present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a state in which a rectangular cargo A as a measured object is placed at a measurement position. The external appearance of the device is, for example, similar to an armchair, and a rectangular frame 10 is attached to a gantry 11 on a vertical plane for cutting the cargo A at a portion corresponding to a backrest. The frame 10 has four sides 10
It consists of a, 10b, 10c and 10d, and the left side part 10a
The height H of the measuring light emitting unit 12a is inside, the right side portion 10b is inside the same light receiving unit 12b, and the lower side portion 10c is inside the measuring light emitting unit 12c of width W. Side 10d
The light receiving unit 12d is attached to the inside of the.
Rollers 13 for cargo transportation are juxtaposed on the frame 11.
The upper surface of the roller 13 serves as a reference surface for height measurement corresponding to B in FIG. 5, and the side portion 10 is slightly above the surface.
Sides 10e and 10f are cargo A with branches from a and 10b.
Are projected parallel to each other on the horizontal plane to cut, and are shaped like the armrests of a chair. Then, on the inside of the side portion 10e, the depth measuring projection unit 12e,
The light receiving unit 12f is attached to the inside of the side portion 10f. The roller 13 is provided so that the cargo A can be easily moved. However, the roller 13 is mounted on the load detection portion of an electronic scale (not shown) mounted inside the pedestal 11, and substantially serves as a platform for the scale. It fulfills its function. Also,
A belt conveyor may be provided instead of the roller 13 for convenience of transportation. A stopper 14 is provided at the back of the roller 13, and it is noted that the depth D can be easily and accurately measured by restricting the back end surface of the cargo A at a fixed position during measurement. In addition, the fact that the cargo A has correctly contacted the stopper 14 can be detected by a micro switch or the like provided on the stopper 14 and used to instruct the reading of measurement data. A display unit 15 is attached on the side portion 10d, and displays the height H, width W, and individual dimensions of the depth D of the cargo A, the volume obtained as the product H × W × D, and the weight. It also serves as a housing that contains the electronic circuits required for measurement.

Cargo A is usually carried into the measuring device from the front to the back, but after the measurement is finished, the carry-out is not only pulled out again, but also in the back direction, that is, in the same direction as the carry-in. It is practically desirable to send it to. In this case, it is possible to easily cope with this by temporarily lowering the stopper 14 in the back direction after the measurement is completed and temporarily lowering the stopper 14 below the upper surface of the roller 13.
In consideration of the influence of friction with the cargo A on the weight measurement, the stopper 14 is attached to the roller 13 side.
It is preferable to weigh it together.

The outline view of the three-dimensional dimensional weight measuring apparatus of the present apparatus can be understood from the external view of FIG. 1, and its operation will be further described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 shows the projection direction of the luminous flux as the first
It is shown according to the figure, and the measurement procedure of the height H will be described. There is no essential difference except that the arrangement of the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 described in FIG. Of the many parallel light fluxes emitted from the unit 12a in the horizontal direction, only the light flux passing through the upper surface of the cargo A is detected by the light receiving unit 12b, and the other light fluxes are shielded by the cargo A and are received by the light receiving unit 12b. Does not reach. Therefore, the height H of the cargo A is the sum of the product of the number of light beams shielded and the distance between the light beams and the height ho at which no light beam is emitted on the surface of the reference surface B.

The width W will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The number of light beams shielded by parallel light beams emitted at equal intervals from the light projecting unit 12c located below the reference plane B toward the light receiving unit 12d vertically above. And the luminous flux interval is the width W. Then, even when the position of the cargo A at the time of measurement slightly moves in the left-right direction, the obtained measurement value W does not differ by more than one interval of the luminous flux, and substantially the same measurement result is obtained.

Regarding the measurement of the depth D, similarly to FIG. 4, among the light beams emitted from the light projecting unit 12e at equal intervals in the horizontal direction, only a few light beams on the front side of the drawing are detected by the light receiving unit 12f. Then, the distance D at which no luminous flux is emitted near the stopper 14 is added to the product of the number of shielded luminous fluxes and the luminous flux interval to obtain the depth D.

In this way, the left and right positions of the cargo A in measurement are arbitrary, which is a substantial advantage. While it is extremely easy to transport cargo in the front-rear direction on both roller conveyors and belt conveyors, in the case of heavy goods, whether it is automatic or manual, the cargo on the conveyor can be finely divided in the left-right direction. This is because it is extremely difficult to perform the movement positioning.

Then, at the same time as the measurement of these dimensions, the weighing by the electronic scale is performed, and the weight of the cargo A is obtained by subtracting the weight of the known roller 13. These results are displayed on the display
Displayed in 15, printed out as needed,
Sent to a remote electrical circuit.

In the configuration diagram of FIG. 1, it is understood that the measurement is performed with the front end of the cargo A slightly protruding from the roller 13 in the back direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the rectangular projection unit 12
If all or part of a, 12c and the light receiving units 12b, 12d are installed on the front side of the drawing and the vertical light flux for measurement of the width W is passed between the adjacent rollers 13, the protrusion amount can be reduced. It can be almost eliminated.

At the time of measurement, the roller 13 which serves as a reference when measuring the height H is a platform of the weighing mechanism, and therefore sinks in proportion to the weight of the cargo A when it is placed. However, in the case of a standard strain gauge load cell type electronic balance, the amount of subsidence is about 0.4 mm even at maximum load, so the effect on height measurement can be practically ignored.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, the dimensional weight measuring apparatus according to the present invention is
It has the advantages listed below.

(1) With a simple and inexpensive device, the height, width, and depth dimensions and weight of a rectangular parallelepiped cargo can be simultaneously measured with high reliability, and the volume can be calculated.

(2) The three light emitting units for measuring height, width, and depth are also compatible with each other, and the three light receiving units are also compatible with each other. Therefore, not only is the structure simple, but maintenance is also simple. .

(3) The cargo position at the time of measurement need only be regulated on one side, and the measurement operation is simple.

(4) In addition to returning the cargo to the front side at the time of measurement, the cargo can be sent out toward the back side by temporarily pulling down the stopper, for example, so that the transportation system including the measuring device has a high degree of freedom in configuration.

(5) The measurement can be automatically started by, for example, the operation of a micro switch provided on the stopper, in addition to being started by receiving a manual command, and quick and efficient measurement can be performed without dead time.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of a dimension and weight measuring apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external view, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a height H measuring operation, and FIG. 3 is a width W. Explanatory drawing of the measurement operation of
The figure is an explanatory view of the measurement operation of the depth D, and Fig. 5 shows the height H.
3 is an explanatory view of the measurement principle of FIG. Reference numeral 10 is a frame, 11 is a mount, 12a, 12c and 12e are light projecting units, 12b, 12d and 12f are light receiving units, 13 is a roller, 14 is a stopper, and 15 is a display unit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A dimensional / weight measuring device for measuring the height, width, depth dimension and weight of a rectangular parallelepiped cargo, the transport means for transporting the cargo in the depth direction, and the cargo on the transport means. A weighing means for weighing the cargo together with the transport means, and a first means for horizontally projecting and receiving a light beam within a vertical plane for cutting the cargo to measure the height of the cargo on the transport means.
And a second light emitting / receiving unit for cutting the cargo to measure the width and for projecting / receiving a light beam in the vertical direction within a vertical plane parallel to the front and rear surfaces of the cargo, and measuring the depth. In order to do so, a third dimension light emitting and receiving unit for projecting and receiving a light beam in the width direction of the cargo in a horizontal plane for cutting the cargo is provided.