JPH0938578A - Sorting-transporting apparatus for small-sized article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sort discarded slender articles by providing a first transportation passage in which the width of a slit hole is set up to be smaller than the minimum width perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of an article to be carried and a second transportation passage in which a plurality of round hole parts having a smaller diameter than the maximum width perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the article to be carried are formed. SOLUTION: When an elliptic tablet of an abnormal shape is supplied to the inlet part 5 of a transportation passage, the tablet is carried to a transportation passage 6. The passage 6 is formed in a slit shape by arranging round rods 21 at equal intervals. The width (m) of the slit is set up to be smaller than the minimum width of the tablet so that a slender piece smaller than the slit width (m) falls from the slit. Next, the tablet is carried to a transportation passage 7. In the passage 7, a plurality of round holes 23 are formed in a punching board 22, and in the diameter D of each hole 23, since the relation among the minimum width (t), maximum width (W), and length (n) of the tablet is set up to be m<t<D<W<n, only the tablet having the normal maximum width W is carried out passing through the passage 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorting and conveying apparatus for small articles, and more particularly to a technique for removing unnecessary foreign matters mixed in a conveyed object while conveying them.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional small article sorting / conveying apparatus, when a large amount of conveyed articles such as tablets stored in a hopper or the like are supplied to a conveyed object detecting section such as an imaging inspection apparatus, A punching plate having a plurality of holes of a shape and size that allows a tablet of a normal shape to pass through is provided in the transport path, and the transport path is vibrated by a vibration generator (feeder) to be placed on the upper surface of the punching plate. A common method is to pass the placed object through the round hole and convey it to the downstream side, and at the same time, drop unwanted materials such as fragments and foreign substances mixed in the object from the round hole to sort. Is used for.

As an example, for example, the actual Kaihei 4-137.
There is a sorting device disclosed in No. 780 and Jitsukaihei 2-1284.

[0004]

However, although the sorting device has no particular problem with circular objects to be conveyed,
It is not possible to sufficiently perform sorting processing on an object to be conveyed having an oblong shape such as an ellipse. That is, in the case of an irregularly shaped transported object, there are vertical fragments (hereinafter referred to as slender fragments) that were not seen in the case of a circular transported object, among the fragments generated by the cracking of the transported object. There is a problem in that they become mixed and the elongated fragments are conveyed as they are without being removed from the round hole portion of the punching plate for selection.

More specifically, in addition to the normal shaped irregular shaped tablet in which there is no large chipping, the following substances are included in the transported object generated when the elliptical irregular shaped tablet is conveyed. It is considered that (A) Elongated shards caused by the irregular-shaped tablets breaking in the longitudinal direction (B) Tip shards caused by the separation of both longitudinal ends of the irregular-shaped tablets (C) By breaking the irregular-shaped tablets in the thickness direction Thin fragment generated (D) Fine fragment caused by lack of a part from irregular shaped tablet (E) Fine foreign matter other than irregular shaped tablet (F) Powder of irregular shaped tablet In these, (B) to (F) Can be dealt with by the conventional selection method, but in particular, there is a case where the slender fragment of (A) cannot be sufficiently dealt with. That is, when passing over the punching plate, it does not fall from the round hole portion of the punching plate, and the tip of the elongated fragment is locked at the edge of the round hole portion, and as a result, the conveyance of other irregularly shaped tablets is obstructed. There is a possibility that

Further, when the slender fragments are conveyed to the imaging inspection section or the like on the downstream side of the conveying path, the belt for conveying irregularly shaped tablets is composed of slit-shaped grooves, and the tablets are adsorbed and conveyed on the grooves. In the case of the method, an elongated fragment may be caught in the slit portion, which easily causes a problem such as an imaging error. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technique, and is a small size that can be transported from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport path while removing the elongated fragments from the transport path. An object is to provide a sorting and conveying device for articles.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention as set forth in claim 1 is a sorting and conveying apparatus for small articles which conveys while removing undesired foreign matters smaller than the conveyed articles mixed in the conveyed articles. In, the width of the vibration generating body and the slit-shaped slit hole is set to be smaller than the minimum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyed object, and the longitudinal direction of the slit hole is parallel to the conveying direction. And a second transport path in which a plurality of round hole portions having a diameter larger than the minimum width and smaller than the maximum width in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transported object are formed in the transport path. And, the first transport path and the second transport path are respectively connected while being inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side, and the object to be transported is caused to vibrate by the vibration of the vibration generator. Passing through the transport path and the second transport path More were to be sorted transported object.

As a result, in the first conveying path, the conveyed object drops from the slit hole having a minimum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyed object smaller than the width of the slit hole.
Mainly slender fragments, thin fragments, minute fragments, foreign matters, and powder can be removed. In the second transport path, the maximum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transported object is Since the transported object smaller than the diameter falls from the round hole,
Mainly, it is possible to remove the transported object having the abnormal maximum width. As a result, it is possible to send out only the transferred object having a normal maximum length in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transferred object to the transfer path connected to the downstream side of the sorting and conveying apparatus.

In the invention according to claim 2, a plurality of the slits are arranged at equal intervals. As a result, the carrying capacity of the carried object is improved, and foreign matter and powder can be sorted out more quickly. Further, in the invention according to the third aspect, the slits are arranged such that the round bars are arranged in parallel to the transport direction.

With this, it is possible to form the slit hole with a simple structure, and by forming the slit surface with a curved surface having few corners, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of external damage to the conveyed object. Further, by making the upper part of the slit round, it is possible to prevent the object to be carried on the upper part of the slit from being removed, and the fragments, foreign matters, and powder are not removed.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the first transport path is arranged upstream of the second transport path. As a result, the slender fragments are arranged so as to bridge the round holes in the second conveying path, and other fragments and foreign matter pass through the round holes while riding on the upper part of the slender fragments, thereby lowering the sorting ability. In addition, it is possible to prevent the slender ends of the round holes from being locked by the round holes, and as a result, to prevent the conveyance of other conveyed objects from being disturbed.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, an example is shown in which a small-sized article sorting and conveying apparatus is used for an elliptical irregular-shaped tablet. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the entire sorting and conveying apparatus for supplying irregularly shaped tablets to an appearance inspection apparatus or the like. First, the configuration of this sorting and conveying device will be described.

A cushioning member 2a made of rubber or the like and a feeder 3 for transportation are provided on the base 1 which is the installation surface via the installation table 2, and the irregular shaped tablets supplied from the hopper 4 are provided on the upper surface of the feeder 3. A transport path inlet portion 5 that receives and supplies the irregularly shaped tablet to the downstream transport path, a first transport path 6 that is provided on the downstream side of the transport path inlet portion 5 and has a slit-shaped opening, The second conveyance path 7 provided on the downstream side of the second conveyance path 6 and having a circular opening is mounted on the conveyance path base 8. Then, the first transport path 6 and the second transport path 7
A defective product receiving portion 9 is arranged on the lower side.

Here, the hopper 4 stores the irregularly shaped tablets which are the objects to be conveyed, and supplies a predetermined amount of irregularly shaped tablets to the lower entrance of the conveying path. Further, the vibration of the feeder 3 is propagated to the entire conveying path base 8, and each conveying path is appropriately inclined and fixed to the conveying path base 8 so that the irregularly shaped tablets are smoothly conveyed on each conveying path. It has been configured.

Next, a method of selecting and removing unnecessary matters such as fragments and foreign matters by the selecting and conveying device will be described. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of each transport path as seen from the arrow 10 shown in FIG. Here, the shape of the irregularly shaped tablet is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the shape has a length n, a width W, and a thickness t.

In the following description, the minimum width and the maximum width refer to the length in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the irregularly shaped tablet, that is, either the width W or the thickness t. First, when a predetermined amount of irregularly shaped tablets is supplied from the hopper 4 to the conveying path inlet portion 5, the irregularly shaped tablets are conveyed to the first conveying path 6 by the vibration of the feeder 3. The first transport path 6 is formed in a slit shape by arranging the round bars 21 at equal intervals in parallel to the transport direction as shown in FIG. 4 showing the AA cross section. By setting the slit width m to be smaller than the minimum width of the irregularly shaped tablet (here, the thickness t is indicated), the irregularly shaped tablet having the normal width W does not drop from the slit, and the irregular shape tablet is formed on the round bar 21. While abutting, it is conveyed to the downstream side of the conveying path by the vibration of the feeder.

As described above, the irregularly shaped tablet 41 having the normal width W does not fall from the slit, but the irregularly shaped tablet W of (B) as shown in FIG. The minimum width of the tip shards 42,43 is smaller than the slit width m even for a tip shard 42 larger than m or a tip slab 43 having a width W of the irregularly shaped tablet smaller than m and a thickness t larger than m. Since it is large, it is transported to the downstream side of the first transport path without dropping from the slit.

On the other hand, the elongated fragment 44 of the irregularly shaped tablet of (A) has a minimum width (here, the width W ') smaller than the slit width m. It is removed by dropping from the slit. Further, with respect to thin pieces 45 having a thickness smaller than the slit width m shown in (C) to (F), minute pieces 46 having a maximum width less than the slit width m, foreign matter 47, and powder 48. However, it is also removed. As described above, in the first transport path, the slender elongated strips 44, the thin strips 45, the minute strips 46, the foreign matter 47, and the powder 48 are removed during the transport to remove the transported object. Can be sorted.

Next, the irregularly shaped tablets having a normal shape that have passed through the first conveying path 6 without dropping from the slits and the tip fragments having a normal width W are vibrated by the feeder 3 to cause the second conveying path. It is transported to 7. This second transport path 7 is
The punching plate has a round hole 23 that penetrates from the upper surface to the lower surface of the transport path.
A plurality of circular holes 23 are formed in the circular hole 23, and the diameter D of each round hole 23 is set between the minimum width (thickness) t and the maximum width (width) W of the irregularly shaped tablet having a normal shape. That is, the diameter D of the round hole portion 23 is set to the dimension shown in the equation (1). m <t <D <W <n (1) FIG. 6 shows an outline of the sorting method in the second fragment and foreign matter removing and conveying path 7.

The irregularly shaped tablets 41 having a normal shape and the tip portion 42 having a length n of the irregularly shaped tablets smaller than that of the normal shape and a normal width W are round hole portions provided in the punching plate 51.
It can pass through the upper part of 23 without falling due to the vibration of the feeder. On the other hand, the width W of the irregular-shaped tablet is smaller than the slit width m and the thickness t is larger than m.
When passing through 23, if the width W is smaller than the width of a normal irregularly shaped tablet, it is not supported by the punching plate 22 and falls from the round hole 23.

As a result, only the irregularly shaped tablets having the normal width W can pass through the second conveying path 7, and the tip fragments can be removed. Further, the irregularly shaped tablets that have passed through the first conveying path 6 and the irregularly shaped tablet powder that has been slightly conveyed by adhering to the end pieces and the like also fall from the round hole portion 23 due to the vibration of the feeder, and It can be reliably removed.

Incidentally, the tip fragment of the irregular shaped tablet having the normal width W and the abnormal longitudinal length passes through the second conveying path 7, but is missing in the subsequent visual inspection section. It is determined that the product is defective and is rejected as a defective product. In this way,
In the first transport path 6, elongated pieces, thin pieces,
It is possible to remove minute fragments, minute foreign substances, and powder, and it is possible to remove tip fragments having a width W that is not normal in the second transport path 7. As a result, for example, in the imaging inspection unit connected on the downstream side of the sorting and conveying device, the width W
Only irregular shaped tablets can be supplied.

FIG. 7 shows the sorting action for each of the above fragments. FIG. 7 shows the shape of a typical transported object (an irregularly shaped tablet). Fragments and foreign substances that have fallen from the first and second transport paths are stored in the defective product receiving section 9 disposed below each transport path. In addition, when the second transport path is installed on the upstream side of the first transport path, it is possible to achieve a sorting function that is almost the same as the above-mentioned case, but in some cases, the second transport path is installed in the second transport path. The elongated fragments are arranged in a bridging manner in the formed round hole, and the fragments and foreign substances are carried on the upper part of the elongated fragments, and the fragments and foreign substances can be transported to the downstream side without being sorted. Conceivable.

Therefore, in order to increase the sorting effect more reliably, as described in the present embodiment, the first conveying path is arranged on the upstream side of the second conveying path, and the slender fragments are formed first. It is desirable to remove it.

[0025]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the first conveying path constituted by the slits formed in the strip shape, the minimum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyed object is the slit hole. The transported object smaller than the width can be removed by dropping it from the slit hole. In the second transport path constituted by the round hole portion, the maximum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transported object is the diameter of the round hole portion. Smaller objects can be removed by dropping them from the punching plate. Further, by passing the transported object on a sorting and conveying device that is a combination of these two transporting paths, the transported object is sorted, and a longitudinal direction of the transported object is set in a transport path connected to the downstream side of the sorting and conveying device. It is possible to send out only the objects to be conveyed whose maximum width in the right-angled direction is normal, so that it is possible to reduce the occurrence of troubles in the downstream conveying path.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the conveying ability of the conveyed objects and to improve the sorting speed of the conveyed objects. According to the third aspect of the invention, the slit can be formed with a simple structure, and the surface of the slit is formed with a curved surface with few corners, thereby reducing the occurrence of external damage to the transported object. You can Further, by making the upper part of the slit round, it is possible to prevent the object to be transferred from being carried on the upper part of the slit, and to prevent fragments and foreign matter from being transferred to the downstream side of the transfer path.

According to the invention as set forth in claim 4, the elongated fragments are arranged in such a manner as to bridge the round hole portion in the second conveying path, and other fragments and foreign matters are carried on the upper part of the elongated fragment while the round holes are carried. By passing through the section, it is possible to prevent the sorting ability from being lowered, and it is possible to prevent the distal end of the slender fragment from being locked in the round hole section and obstructing the conveyance of other conveyed articles. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a sorting and conveying apparatus for small articles.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sorting and conveying path.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a shape of an irregularly shaped tablet.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the first transport path.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a sorting operation in a first transport path.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sorting operation in a second transport path.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a sorting operation in the first transport path and the second transport path.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Feeder 6 1st transport path 7 2nd transport path 21 Round bar 22 Punching plate 23 Round hole 41 Normal shaped irregular shaped tablet 42 Tip fragment 43 Tip fragment 44 Thin fragment 46 Thin fragment 46 Small fragment 47 minute foreign matter

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sorting / conveying apparatus for a small article, which conveys while removing unnecessary foreign matters smaller than the conveyed articles mixed in the conveyed articles, comprising a vibration generator that generates vibration and a slit-shaped slit hole. A width is set smaller than a minimum width in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyed object, and a first conveying path in which the longitudinal direction of the slit hole is arranged parallel to the conveying direction; A second conveyance path in which a plurality of round hole portions having a diameter smaller than the maximum width in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveyed article are formed in the conveyance path, and the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path are provided. The objects are connected by being inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side, and the conveyed objects are caused to pass through the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path by the vibration of the vibration generator, so that the conveyed objects are Sorting and transporting device for small articles characterized by sorting Place. 2. The apparatus for sorting and conveying small articles according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the slits are arranged at equal intervals. 3. The apparatus for sorting and conveying small articles according to claim 1, wherein the slits are formed by arranging round bars in parallel with the conveying direction. 4. The small article sorting / conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first conveying path is arranged upstream of the second conveying path. .