JPH112560A - Combination metering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operation efficiency and prevent the shortage of ejection amount of combined selected articles due to adhesion of the metered material by advancing an NG article transfer device in a drop to passage to receive an NG article when the NG article is ejected, and retreating the device from the drop passage to eject the NG article. SOLUTION: When combination in a target range is selected, a shutter 35b of an NG article transfer hopper 35 is put in a reference position above a NG article container 34, and a cylinder 35 is put in a reference position above a packing machine 33. Accordingly, the combination selected articles are passed through a guide chute 32 and the cylinder 35a to be discharged to the packing machine 33. When the NG article is ejected, the shutter 35b is advanced above the packing machine 33 by a driving device 37 to close the lower surface of the cylinder 35a, so that the NG article ejected on collection conveyers 30, 31 is stored in the cylinder 35a. The cylinder 35a and the shutter 35b are retreated from the drop passage by the driving devices 36, 37 and stopped above an NG article container 34. The shutter 35b is further retreated to open the lower surface of the cylinder 35a, whereby the NG article is ejected into the container 34.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combination weighing apparatus for selecting a desired combination from objects to be weighed by a plurality of weighing units and collectively discharging the selected objects.
The present invention relates to a technique for improving the efficiency of an apparatus and preventing a shortage of discharge due to the adhesion of an object to be weighed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A combination weighing apparatus supplies an object to be weighed to a plurality of weighing sections, weighs the object, and selects, from among the objects weighed by each of the weighing sections, a combination whose combination weight falls within a target range, for example. The objects to be weighed (combination selected products) selected for the combination are discharged from the weighing unit to the collecting device, and are sent out to a packaging line or the like as a whole.

[0003] In such a combination weighing apparatus, it may be impossible to select a combination that falls within a target range due to a variation in the supply amount of the object to be weighed to each weighing unit. In the weighing device, the objects to be weighed in some or all of the weighing units are temporarily discharged as NG products from the weighing unit, and new objects to be weighed are supplied to the weighing unit so that the operation is not stopped.

If the weight of the weighing object supplied to one weighing unit exceeds the target range, there is no probability that the weighing object is selected as a combination. Since it becomes impossible to participate in the combination, objects to be weighed exceeding the target range are also discharged as NG products.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional combination weighing apparatus having such an NG product discharging function.

In this combination weighing apparatus, the objects to be weighed are supplied from a supply device (not shown) to a plurality of weighing hoppers 1, 1,..., And the objects to be weighed are weighed by measuring devices 2 provided for each of the weighing hoppers. Then, based on the result of the measurement, a combination of the objects to be weighed which is in the target range is selected, and the selected combination is discharged from the weighing hopper 1 onto the collecting conveyor 3.

When an object or a combination exceeding the target range cannot be selected, the object to be weighed selected as an NG product is taken out of the weighing hopper 1 at a different timing from the combination selected product.
Is discharged to the collecting conveyor 3 from the.

[0008] The collecting conveyor 3 conveys the objects to be weighed discharged from the weighing hopper 1 to one end side and stores them in the sorting hopper 4. When the objects to be weighed received from the collecting conveyor 3 are combination selected items, the sorting hopper 4 opens the one gate 4a as shown in FIG. (Or packaging line), and the weighing object received from the collecting conveyor 3 is an NG product,
As shown in FIG. 9B, the other gate 4b is opened to discharge the stored object into the NG product container 6.

[0009]

However, as described above, the conventional combination weighing apparatus in which the combination selected product and the NG product are once stored in the sorting hopper 4 and then sorted and discharged has a problem that the operating efficiency is low.

Further, when the object to be weighed has adhesiveness, a part of the selected combination remains on the sorting hopper, and a smaller amount of the object to be weighed than the target range is discharged. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination weighing apparatus which solves this problem and has a high operation efficiency and prevents the shortage of the selected articles from being discharged even with a sticky object to be weighed. .

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, a combination weighing device according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a combination weighing device based on a result of weighing from a plurality of weighing objects supplied to a plurality of weighing sections. In a combination weighing device that selects a combination, discharges the objects to be weighed selected in the combination from the weighing unit to a collecting device, and drops and discharges the objects to a predetermined position from the collecting device, the objects to be weighed by the plurality of weighing units NG item selecting means for selecting an object to be weighed having a low probability of being selected as the desired combination from among the NG items, and an NG item selected by the NG item selecting means as an object selected as the desired combination. NG discharged from the weighing unit at a different timing from the weighing object
Product discharge means, when the NG product is discharged from the weighing unit, advances into a falling path from the collecting device to the predetermined position, receives the NG product, retreats from the falling path, and returns to the predetermined position. NG products are dropped and discharged to different positions,
When the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination is discharged from the weighing unit, an NG product transfer device is provided that retreats from the falling path and passes the object to be weighed to the predetermined position.

According to the combination weighing device of the present invention, a desired combination is selected from the objects to be weighed supplied to the plurality of weighing units based on the weighing result, and the weighing target selected for the combination is selected. In a combination weighing device that discharges an object from the weighing unit to a collecting device and drops and discharges the product to a predetermined position from the collecting device, a probability that the desired combination is selected from the objects to be weighed by the plurality of weighing units. NG item selecting means for selecting an object to be weighed having a small value as an NG item, and discharging the NG item selected by the NG item selecting device from the weighing unit at a different timing from the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination. NG product discharging means, a cylindrical body having an open top and bottom, and a shutter for opening and closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body, and when the NG product is discharged from the measuring section, at least the shutters are collected. The lower surface of the cylindrical body is closed on the fall path to accommodate the NG product, and then the cylindrical body and the shutter are retreated from the fall path to move the predetermined position. When the NG product is dropped and discharged to a position different from the above, and when the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination is discharged from the weighing unit, at least the shutter is retracted from the dropping path and the weighing object is discharged. And an NG product transfer device for passing an object to the predetermined position.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams showing a schematic mechanism of a combination weighing device according to an embodiment in which articles having strong adhesiveness are weighed.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of (eight in FIG. 1) feeders 21 arranged in a horizontal line receive objects to be weighed from an unillustrated object storage portion and supply them to a pool hopper 22 arranged below. I do.

Each pool hopper 22 includes a cylindrical body (cylindrical body or square cylindrical body) 22a having an open top and bottom, and a flat shutter 22b for opening and closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body 22a. As shown in FIG. 2, each shutter 22b is slid back and forth by a driving device (for example, an air cylinder) 23 to open and close the lower surface of the cylindrical body 22a.

Below each pool hopper 22, a weighing hopper 24 is disposed as a weighing unit of this embodiment. The weighing hopper 24 includes a cylindrical body 24a having an open top and bottom like the pool hopper 22, and a flat shutter 24b that opens and closes the lower surface of the cylindrical body 24a. Each shutter 24b has a driving device as shown in FIG. 25 slides back and forth to open and close the lower surface of the cylindrical body 24a. The weighing hopper 24 and the driving device 25 are supported by a weighing device 26. Each weighing device 26 outputs a weighing signal corresponding to the total weight of the weighing hopper 24, the driving device 25, and the objects to be weighed in the weighing hopper 24.

A timing hopper 27 is arranged below each weighing hopper 24. The timing hopper 27
A collective device according to this embodiment is formed together with collective conveyors 30 and 31 and a guide chute 32, which will be described later.
7a and a flat shutter 2 for opening and closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body 27a
Each shutter 27b is slid back and forth by a driving device 28 to open and close the lower surface of the cylindrical body 27a as shown in FIG.

As described above, since the pool hopper 22, the weighing hopper 24 and the timing hopper 27 open and close the lower surface of the cylindrical body having a substantially vertical inner wall with a sliding shutter, the object to be weighed having an adhesive property is formed. Extremely low residual adhesion.

Below the timing hopper 27, a pair of left and right collecting conveyors 30, 31 are provided. The collective conveyor 30 on the left side has four timing hoppers 27 on the left side.
The right conveyor collects the objects discharged from the four right-side timing hoppers 27, and conveys the objects discharged from the four right-side timing hoppers 27 leftward. Drops and discharges downward from the gap.

A guide chute 32 is arranged below the gap between the collecting conveyors 30 and 31, and a packing machine 33 (or a packing line) is arranged below the guide chute 32 at intervals.

The guide chute 32 is provided on both the conveyers 3
The objects to be weighed carried out from 0 and 31 are guided to a falling path toward the packaging machine 33. In addition, behind the packaging machine 33, N
An NG product container 34 for storing the G product is arranged.

An NG product transfer hopper 35 as an NG product transfer device is disposed between the guide chute 32 and the packaging machine 33. The NG product transfer hopper 35 includes a cylindrical body 35a having an open top and bottom, and a flat shutter 35b for opening and closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body 35a.

The cylindrical body 35a is connected to a driving device 36 and extends between the guide chute 32 to the packaging machine 33 and the falling path of the object to be weighed (the position above the packaging machine 33) and the position above the NG product container 34. It is supported so that it can move back and forth within.

The shutter 35b is connected to the driving device 37 and moves back and forth within the range from the guide chute 32 to the packaging machine 33, the falling path of the object to be weighed, the position above the NG product container 34 and further back. Supported to be able. Like the hoppers described above, the NG product transfer hopper 35 opens and closes the lower surface of a cylindrical body 35a having a substantially vertical inner wall with a sliding shutter 35b. Very little residue.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the combination weighing device of this embodiment. In FIG. 3, the weight calculating means 41 receives a weighing signal from each weighing device 26,
The difference between the weighing signal when the weighing object is not stored in the weighing hopper and the weighing signal after the weighing object is stored in the weighing hopper is calculated, and the weighing signal of the weighing object stored in each of the weighing hoppers 24 is calculated. The weight is obtained, and this is used as the combination selection means 42 and NG
Output to the product selection means 43.

The combination selecting means 42 includes, for example, the packaging machine 33
Each time a combination request signal R output at a predetermined cycle is received, a combination calculation of the weight of the weighing object determined by the weight calculating means 41 is performed, and the combination of the weighing objects whose combination weight is within the target range is calculated. And outputs a combination selection signal to the weighing hopper opening / closing control means 44, which specifies a weighing hopper containing the objects to be weighed included in the selected combination. If a combination of objects to be weighed that falls within the target range cannot be selected, an NG product discharge request signal is output to the NG product selection means 43.

The NG product selection means 43 determines, for example, the maximum weight and the minimum weight of the weighing object among the weights of the weighing object determined by the weight calculating means 41 at the time of receiving the NG product discharge request signal. As this selected NG
An NG product selection signal designating the weighing hopper containing the product is output to the weighing hopper opening / closing control means 44. In addition to the maximum and minimum weights, the weights exceeding the upper limit of the target range of the combination selection are unconditionally selected as NG products.

The weighing hopper opening / closing control means 44 receives the combination selection signal output from the combination selection means 42 and the NG product selection signal output from the NG product selection means 44, and sends it to the weighing hopper 24 designated by these selection signals. By controlling the corresponding driving device 25, the shutter 24b of the designated weighing hopper 24 is opened and closed, and the objects to be weighed in the weighing hopper are stored in the corresponding timing hoppers 27, respectively.

The pool hopper opening / closing control means 45 includes a shutter 22b of the pool hopper 22 corresponding to the weighing hopper from which the objects to be weighed have been discharged by the weighing hopper opening / closing control means 44.
Open and close to supply a new weighing object to the weighing hopper,
The feeder driving means 46 includes a pool hopper opening / closing control means 4.
By driving the feeder 21 corresponding to the pool hopper 22 from which the objects to be weighed have been discharged by 5 for a predetermined time, a new object to be weighed is supplied to the pool hopper 22.

On the other hand, the timing hopper opening / closing control means 47
Opens and closes the timing hopper 27 in order of distance from the guide chute 32 so that the objects to be weighed discharged from the weighing hopper 24 to the timing hopper 27 are collected on the collecting conveyors 30 and 31.

NG shutter movement control means 48 and NG
When the combination selection signal is continuously output from the combination selection unit 42 by moving the NG product transfer hopper 35, the cylindrical body movement control unit 49 is configured to move the NG product transfer hopper 35.
When the NG product discharge request signal is output from the combination selection unit 42, the NG product selection unit 43 that has received the NG product discharge request signal passes the combination selection products sequentially dropped and discharged from the packaging machine 33. The selected NG product is received by the NG product transfer hopper 35 on the falling path between the guide chute 32 and the packaging machine 33 and is accommodated in the NG product container 34.

Next, the discharge operation of the object to be weighed by the combination weighing apparatus will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG.

When the combination request signal R1 is input and a combination within the target range is selected and the combination selection signal S1 is output as shown in FIG.
The weighing hopper 24 designated by 1 is opened and closed at the timing shown in FIG. 4B, and the selected combination products are simultaneously discharged to the respective timing hoppers 27.

The opening / closing timing of each timing hopper 27 is shifted from a position far from the guide chute 32 to a position closer to the guide chute 32, as shown in FIGS.
The timing hopper 27 accommodating each combination selected product is opened and closed when its opening and closing timing comes. It should be noted that the timing hopper 27 that does not contain the object to be weighed is
Are not opened and closed even when the opening and closing timing comes.

For example, when the first, fourth, and sixth weighing hoppers 24 from the left are selected as a combination and discharged to the corresponding timing hoppers 27, FIG. As shown, first, the first timing hopper 27 from the left is opened and closed, and the combination selected product W1 is discharged onto the collecting conveyor 30, and the combination selected product W1 is discharged.
As shown in FIG. 5 (b), when almost reaches below the third timing hopper 27 from the left, the sixth timing hopper 27 from the left is opened and closed, and the combination selected product W2 is discharged onto the collecting conveyor 31. Is done. Then, the combination selected products W1 and W2 on the collecting conveyors 30 and 31 are shown in FIG.
As shown in (5), when they reach the fourth and fifth lower positions from the left, respectively, the fourth timing hopper 27 from the left is opened and closed, and the selected combination product W3 is discharged so as to overlap with the selected combination product W1.

In this way, the selected combination products W1 assembled in a lump on the assembly conveyors 30, 31
~ W3 will be carried out from between the collecting conveyors 30 and 31, but (g) and (h) in FIG. 4 and (a) in FIG.
As shown in the figure, when a combination within the target range is selected for the combination request signal R, the NG product transfer hopper 3
The shutter 35b of No. 5 is located at a reference position above the NG product container 34, and the cylinder 35a is located at a reference position of the packaging machine 33. Therefore, the combination selected products W1 to W3 are
As shown in (d), the paper passes through the guide chute 32 and the cylindrical body 35a of the NG product transfer hopper 35 and is discharged to the packaging machine 33. The cylinder 35a of the NG product transfer hopper 35
Functions as a guide for guiding the combination selection product from the guide chute 32 to the packaging machine 33.

When the next combination discharge request R2 is input and the combination selection signal S2 is output before the combination selected product selected in response to the combination discharge request R1 is carried out from the conveyers 30 and 31, the combination selection signal S2 is output. In the same manner as described above, the object to be weighed is discharged from the weighing hopper 24 designated by the combination selection signal S2 to the timing hopper 24, for example, as shown by a dotted line in FIG.
W3 'is sequentially discharged onto the collecting conveyors 30 and 31.

When a combination within the target range cannot be selected with respect to the combination discharge request R3 input before the combination selected products W1 'to W3' are unloaded from the conveyers 30 and 31. NG product discharge request signal is output from the combination selection means 42, and FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The G product selection signal N1 is output, and the NG product is output from the weighing hopper 24 to the timing hopper 27 as in the case of the combination selected product.
Is discharged to

The NG shutter movement control means 48 which has received the NG product discharge request signal, as shown in FIG. 4 (g), sets the combination selected product (in this example) before the NG product discharge request signal is output. In the timing hoppers that discharge W1 'to W3'), the shutter 35b is moved to the reference position after a lapse of a certain time T from the opening timing of the fourth and fifth timing hopper 27 from the left closest to the guide chute 32, for example. It is advanced from above (above the NG product container 34) to above the packaging machine 33, and the lower surface of the cylindrical body 35a is closed.

During the time T, the NG product transfer hopper 35 starts from the opening timing of the fourth and fifth timing hoppers 27 for the combination selected product before the NG product discharge request signal is output.
Is the time required to completely pass through the cylindrical body 35a.

For this reason, the NG products discharged from the timing hopper 27 onto the collecting conveyors 30 and 31 from the timing hopper 27 in the same manner as the combination-selected products, as shown in FIG. It is housed in the body 35a.

After a lapse of a predetermined time T from the opening timing of the fourth and fifth timing hoppers 27 from the left among the timing hoppers 27 discharging the NG product, that is, the NG product is transferred to the NG product transfer hopper 35. After completely housed in the cylindrical body 35a, as shown in FIGS.
Then, the shutter 35b retreats at substantially the same speed and retreats from the falling path from the guide chute 32 to the packaging machine 33. At this time, the cylinder 35a stops above the NG product container 34 as shown in FIG. 6C, and the shutter 35b further retreats as shown in FIG. open.

Therefore, the NG product stored in the NG product transfer hopper 35 is dropped and stored in the NG product container 34.

When the NG product contained in the NG product transfer hopper 35 is completely discharged to the NG product container 34, the cylinder 35a and the shutter 35b are both advanced to their respective reference positions, that is, as shown in FIG. Return to the position shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the combination discharge request R4 input during the transfer of the NG product is ignored, and the same operation as described above is performed for the next combination discharge request R5.

As described above, the NG product transfer hopper 35 simply forms a passage for the combination selected product, and drops the selected combination product to a predetermined position with almost no contact with the object to be weighed. The product is stored once and dropped and discharged to another position.

For this reason, in a normal operation state in which the frequency of discharging the selected combination product is much higher than the frequency of occurrence of the NG product, the operation efficiency can be extremely increased.

Further, since the combination-selected product passes through the cylindrical body 35a whose inner wall is substantially vertical, the combination-selected product does not adhere to and remain in the NG product transfer hopper 35, and the discharge weight of the combination-selected product becomes insufficient. Absent. The NG product transfer hopper 35 has a sliding shutter 3 on the lower surface of the cylindrical body 35a.
NG housed inside because it opens and closes at 5b
Since the product can be reliably discharged without remaining, even if the cylinder 35a is returned above the packaging machine 33, a part of the NG product is not discharged to the packaging machine 33 together with the combination selected product. In addition, it is possible to prevent an excessive weight of the combination selected product.

[0050]

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the cylinder 35a and the shutter 35b of the NG product transfer hopper 35 are driven by separate driving devices. However, as in the case of the NG product transfer hopper 55 shown in FIG. If the shutter 55b is configured to interlock with the movement of the body 55a, the transfer of the NG product can be performed with only one driving device 56. In this case, the combination selection product is packaging machine 3
NG product transfer hopper 55 when discharged toward
As shown in FIG. 7A, the whole is located at a position retreated from above the packaging machine 33, and when receiving an NG product, it advances above the packaging machine 33 as shown in FIG. After receiving the product, the user exits the packaging machine 33 as shown in FIG. 7C and discharges the NG product into the NG product container 34.

In this case, since the NG product transfer hopper 55 does not contact the selected product at all, there is no shortage of discharge weight of the selected product.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the NG product transfer device is formed by the cylinder and the shutter. Any shape can be used as long as it can be dropped and discharged to a position different from the predetermined position, and its shape, drive type, and transfer direction are arbitrary.

In the above embodiment, the objects to be weighed by the weighing hopper are discharged to the collecting conveyor via the timing hopper. However, the objects to be weighed are discharged directly from the weighing hopper to the collecting conveyor or the collecting chute. The present invention can be similarly applied to a combination weighing device. When the weighing hopper is arranged in a ring shape, a funnel-shaped collecting chute may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, the combination is selected only with the objects to be weighed in the weighing hopper. However, the objects to be weighed by the weighing hopper are moved into the timing hopper, and If one of the weight of the object to be weighed or the total weight of the object to be weighed in the timing hopper and the object to be weighed in the weighing hopper corresponding to the timing hopper is made to participate in the combination, the number of combinations is further increased. Increases accuracy.

[0055]

As described above, the combination weighing device according to the present invention is designed so that when the NG product is discharged from the weighing section, the N weighing product is discharged.
The G product transfer device is advanced from the collecting device to the fall path to the predetermined position, receives this NG product, and then withdraws from the fall route to the predetermined position to drop and discharge the NG product to a position different from the predetermined position and select a combination. When the product is discharged from the weighing section, the product is passed from the collecting device to a predetermined position in a substantially non-contact state with respect to the combination selected product.

Therefore, the operation efficiency is remarkably improved, and there is no shortage of the discharge of the selected combination product due to the adhesion of the object to be weighed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view for explaining the operation of the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a main part of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a conventional apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a schematic front view for explaining the operation of the conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 24 weighing hopper 26 weighing device 27 timing hopper 30, 31 assembly conveyor 32 guide chute 33 packaging machine 34 NG product container 35 NG product transfer hopper 35a cylinder 35b shutter 35, 36 drive unit 42 combination selection means 43 NG product selection means 44 weighing Hopper open / close control means 48 NG shutter movement control means 49 NG cylinder movement control means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A desired combination is selected from the objects to be weighed supplied to a plurality of weighing units based on the weighing result, and the objects to be weighed selected in the combination are discharged from the weighing unit to a collecting device; A combination weighing device that drops from the collecting device to a predetermined position, wherein an object to be weighed having a low probability of being selected as the desired combination from among the objects weighed by the plurality of weighing units is selected as an NG product. Product selection means; NG product discharge means for discharging the NG product selected by the NG product selection device from the weighing unit at a different timing from the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination; When the NG product is ejected from the unit, the NG product advances to the falling path from the collecting device to the predetermined position to receive the NG product, exits from the falling path, and falls to a position different from the predetermined position. And an NG product transfer device that, when the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination is discharged from the weighing section, retreats from the falling path and passes the object to be weighed to the predetermined position. A combination weighing device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. A desired combination is selected from the weighing objects supplied to the plurality of weighing units based on the weighing result, and the weighing objects selected as the combination are discharged from the weighing units to the collecting device. A combination weighing device that drops from the collecting device to a predetermined position, wherein an object to be weighed having a low probability of being selected as the desired combination from among the objects weighed by the plurality of weighing units is selected as an NG product. Article selection means; NG article discharge means for discharging the NG article selected by the NG article selection means from the weighing section at a timing different from the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination; And a shutter for opening and closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body. When the NG product is discharged from the measuring section, at least the shutter is advanced to a falling path from the collecting device to the predetermined position. After closing the lower surface of the cylindrical body on the falling path and storing the NG product, the NG product is dropped and discharged to a position different from the predetermined position by retracting the cylindrical body and the shutter from the falling path. When the object to be weighed selected in the desired combination is discharged from the weighing section, at least the shutter is withdrawn from the dropping path, and the NG product transfer that passes the object to be weighed to the predetermined position. A combination weighing device comprising: a device;