JPS5834369B2 - jidoushiwakesouchi - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically sorting articles, and more particularly to an apparatus for automatically sorting articles without sequentially detecting the movement of articles.

BACKGROUND ART In an automatic warehouse or an article transfer device using a belt conveyor, it is important to sort the articles when they are brought in and taken out.

It evolved from manual sorting of goods, and now various automatic sorting devices have been proposed.

Conventional automatic sorting equipment is firstly equipped with the same number of shift registers as there are ports, and information is read into the registers for sorting articles to be loaded on the line.Furthermore, each sort is transferred to the ports. A detector for detecting incoming articles is installed in each sorting port, and at the time of detection, the information in the shift register is read based on the detection signal of the article detected by the detector, the information is determined, and the sorting is carried out. There are automatic sorting devices that do this automatically.

According to such an apparatus, each sorting requires a number of registers corresponding to the openings, and the sorting requires a detector for detecting articles for each opening.

Therefore, it has the disadvantage of increasing the scale of the entire facility.

Second, there is an automatic sorting device that uses a detector for detecting articles and sorts articles by exchanging timing from an external circuit (Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-38812).
No., conveyor automatic control device).

This device is more advanced than the first example above in that it eliminates the detector for detecting articles, but the bit capacity of the shift register is such that the sorting has a predetermined capacity regardless of the order of sorting. This has the disadvantage of increasing the scale of the external circuit.

The present invention provides an automatic article sorting device which basically eliminates the above drawbacks.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic sorting device that basically eliminates the need for a detector for detecting articles and reduces the capacity of a shift register.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic sorting device which reduces the burden on the person controlling the sorting of articles by dividing the sorting port into several areas or zones.

The gist of the present invention to achieve such an object is to divide the sorting line into a plurality of zones, provide the corresponding zone number from the outside and the number for sorting within that zone, and automatically obtain the sorting of the articles. This automatic sorting involves equipment.

Furthermore, the gist of the present invention is to provide a shift register corresponding to each zone in order to actively utilize the function of the shift register, and the shift register has shift register elements corresponding to the sorting number. Accordingly, the automatic sorting apparatus is capable of automatically sorting the sorting stored on the shift register element based on the shift result of the opening number.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the sorting line that is the basis of the present invention and a transport device for transporting articles.

(In this figure, sorting line 1 consists of a circular line configuration.

In this sorting, line 1 has four zones Zl y Z2
It is divided into z Z3 r Z4.

Each zone has 6 sorting ports, i.e. zone Z1 has 6 sorting ports.
□.

Z12,..., Z1□, zone Z2 is Z2□,
Z2□・・・・・・Z20, zone Z3 is Z3□+Z3
□,...1. Z31, zone Z4 is Z41 +
The i categories Z42, ..., Z4□ have mouths.

In the above sorting, it is assumed that the line is fixedly supported on a support stand.

Each sorting port has a gate for taking in the articles conveyed on the line.

The gate is always closed and opens only when an item is taken in.

When the gate opens, the selected article falls toward the exit provided at the bottom of the gate.

At the boundary of each zone, a station S1. S2゜S3. S4 is provided.

Each station is provided with a detector that detects whether the arm of the transfer device has been carried in, as will be described later.

Although each station is equipped with an input section for taking in articles transferred from the outside, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that only station S1 receives articles transferred from the outside.

Therefore, the other three stations S2. S3. S does not play the role of a loading station for articles from outside, but serves only as a sorting station for each zone on the line.

The sorting of the articles into each zone of the line 1 is carried out by a transfer device 2 located above the line 1 and driven to rotate.

This transfer device 2 has four arms 21, 22, 23, 24 that allow articles to be transferred to four zones simultaneously.

Assuming that each station partitions the circular sorting line at 90° intervals, the four arms are also set at 90° intervals.

The four arm parts 21, 22, 23, 24 are fixed to a rotating shaft that is directly connected to the rotational drive unit 26.
The sorting material rotates on line 1 by the rotational drive of .

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the relationship between the transfer device 2 and the sorting line.

In the figure, a rotational drive unit 26 rotates a rotating shaft 25 by a motor 3 controlled by a motor control circuit 4.

This rotating shaft 25 rotates arm parts 21, 22, 23, and 24 which are directly connected through a support part 27.

The arm part 21 has a sorting line sorting opening (Z-...
・m,・,0,.

・Support plate 28 on which the article 5 is transferred and supported
have.

This configuration is exactly the same for the other arm portions 22, 23, and 24.

The sorting port consists of a gate 11 and an opening/closing drive section 10 that controls opening and closing of the gate 11, and the articles transferred by the support plates 28 of each arm of the transfer device 2 are sorted by opening the gate 11. Sorting is working.

Now, returning to FIG. 1, let us briefly describe the operation of sorting articles.

Articles to be sorted transferred from the outside first reach the entrance of station S, and then are carried into the station.

When carried in, the motor 3 rotates and simultaneously drives the four arm parts 21, 22, 23, and 24 to rotate through the rotation drive part 26 (naturally, since they are fixedly supported).

As a result, the articles move on the sorting line.

If the article requires sorting into zone Z1, the gate for the corresponding sort is opened before the transfer device 2 starts transferring.

Therefore, while the arm 21 is moving through the zone Z1, the article is transferred and falls at the open gate point.

If sorting to a zone other than zone Z1 is requested, the articles will not be sorted while the arm portion 21 is moving through zone Z1.

If it is sorted into zone Z2, when the arm 21 passes through zone Z1 and enters station S2, the arm detector provided at station S2 will detect whether the arm is sorted into station S or station S2. After confirming that the person has entered the zone, the corresponding gate is opened based on the gate number for sorting within that zone.

Then, the transfer device 2 is driven again, and when the arm 21 reaches the mouth gate of the corresponding sort, the article falls.

This completes the sorting.

When the arm 21 is located in the station S2, the arm 24, which was previously located in the station S4, is now located in the station S1.

Therefore, at this time, if a new article has arrived at the entrance of the station S1, the article is carried in and transferred by the arm section 24.

Thereafter, in the same manner, the articles that have arrived at the entrance of station S1 are conveyed along the sorting line through the arm placed on that station, and the sorting is carried out according to the request in a predetermined zone. You will get the goods sorted.

According to the above configuration, the maximum number of articles that can be sorted simultaneously is four.

If the zones are further subdivided, the efficiency of automatic sorting of articles will be increased by the subdivision.

Of course, since the configuration in which each zone has one sorting opening deviates from the purpose of the present invention, there is a limit to the subdivision.

The above explanation completely leaves out the data processing structure.

Next, an embodiment focusing on data processing will be explained with reference to FIG.

The setting panel 100 is used to set input data for sorting, and is composed of a plug board panel, a card reader, a control section with some control functions, and the like.

There are cases in which the determination of sorting is made manually and cases in which it is made automatically.

In either case, it is set in advance whether or not such articles are to be selected for each zone.

Therefore, whether the sorting is done manually or automatically depends on whether the items to be sorted are to be sorted manually or automatically.

In either case, the sorting data handled by the setting board 100 consists of zone numbers and the sorting consists of eye numbers.

The data given from this setting board 100 is read into the next stage memory 30.

The memory 30 has, for example, four addresses 301, 302,
It has 303°304.

The number of addresses is completely unrelated to the zone number, and therefore may be 20 or about 5.

The memory may be a general core memory or the like, but for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that it is composed of a shift register.

Therefore, in this case, the above addresses 301, 302,
303° and 304 will be removed from the shift register.

There are certain rules for writing data from the setting board 100 into the memory 30.

This rule is determined by the write destination determination circuit 101.
It is.

Among the shift registers in memory 30, shift register 304 is used for output.

The data provided from the setting panel 100 and the sorting shown in FIG. 1 are synchronized with the articles arriving at the entrance of the line 1.

For example, items ■ and ■ are displayed on the setting board 100. When the data of three articles (3) are sequentially given, the order of the articles arriving at station S1 of line 1 will also be in the order (2), (2), (3).

Such sorting is defined as being synchronized if the way in which the previous data is given matches the order in which the articles arrive at the entrance.

Therefore, the write destination determination circuit 101 operates during the data processing process to achieve such synchronization.

The write destination determination circuit 101 selectively outputs four selection signals 101a, 101b, and 101c.

101d is output.

Both the writing destination deciding circuit 101 and the setting board 100 are
Under the control of the write period command signal C, the signal C'JJ
Writing to the memory 30 is possible only while 3 tt l tt.

The write destination determining circuit 101 stores information on which register in the memory 30 data has already been written.

For example, when data has not yet been written to the memory 30, this fact is stored.

When sorting destination data is set on the setting panel 100, a transfer command signal 1 is sent from the setting panel 100 to the writing destination determining circuit 101.
00a is given.

The write destination determination circuit 101 receives this signal and immediately checks which register contains the data.

As a result, if it is determined that the data is not stored in any register, a selection signal 101d is generated to select the register 304 for data output.

When the next item is subsequently set on the setting board 100 in this state, the transfer command signal 100a is generated again to drive the write destination determination circuit 101.

Upon receiving the transfer command signal 101, the decision circuit 101 generates a selection signal 101c to select the next register 303.

As is clear from the above, the write destination determining circuit 101 performs an operation of sequentially selecting registers that do not contain data from the output side in priority order among the registers 304, 303, 302, and 301.

Of course, the selection signal 101a is for selecting the register 301, and the selection signal 101b is for selecting the register 302.

As described later, between registers, register 301 → register 302 → register 303 →
The configuration is such that data is shifted to the register 304.

Now, AND gates 102, 103, 104, and 105 are provided at the entrances of each register in the memory 30.

The AND gate is controlled by a selection signal 101a output from the write destination determining circuit 101.

101b, 101c, and 101d.

Data applied from the setting board 100 is written into a register selected through the corresponding AND gate in response to a selection signal output from the write destination determining circuit 101.

Next, when data is stored in the output register 304, it is output to the decoder 106.

This decoder is configured to input the data in the register 304 as is through the gate.

The decoder 106 decodes only the zone number in the data, and the sort number is left external as is, ie, AND gates 107, 108, 109.

Transferring to 110.

This decoder 106 decodes the zone number and generates zone selection signals 106a106b, 106c, and 106d.

Zone selection signals 106a, 106b, 107c, 106
d are signals for selecting zones Z1 p Z2 p Z3 s Z4, respectively.

A corresponding AND gate is opened according to the zone decoded through the decoder 106, and the sorting number is transferred to the next shift register group 40.

The shift register group 40 includes four shift registers provided corresponding to each zone.
It has shift registers 40L, 402, 403, and 404.

Each shift register 401, 402, 403, 404 corresponds to zone Z1. Z2. Z3. Each is compatible with Z4.

Each shift register consists of a number of register elements corresponding to the zone number.

That is, for zone Z1, one register element, i.e. the register itself, for zone Z2, two register elements 4021.4022, and for zone Z3, three register elements 4021.4032. ,4033,
For zone Z4, four register elements 404L4
From 042°4043.4044.

Data transfer between each register element is performed by shift signal C5.

For example, the data written to the register element 4021c of the register 402 (sorting is the number) is shifted to the register element 4022 by the first shift signal.

When the next shift signal arrives, the data in the register 4022 is shifted, and since there is no output light at this time, the register 4022 is in a so-called clear state.

This also applies to other registers.

Among each register element, the last stage register becomes an output register element.

The outputs from each register element are respectively Antogame N11.
Station inventory detection unit 500. and gate 11
2. Station inventory detection unit 501° and gate 11
3. Station inventory detection unit 502, AND gate 11
4. Output to station inventory detection section 503.

The AND gates 111, 112, 113, and 114 are connected to the decoders 600, 601, 602, and 603, and the station inventory detection units 500, 501, 502, and 503 are connected to the inventory detection circuit 115.

AND gates 111, 112, 113, and 114 are gates that are controlled by the read command signal CtO outputted through the flip-flop 56 and send the contents of the register elements for output to the decoders 600, 601, 602, and 603. It is.

Therefore, if the sort number is stored in the output register element and the readout period is in progress, the decoder 600
゜601, 602, 603 heads will continue to output.

The decoders 600, 601, 602, and 603 decode the eye numbers of the sent out categories, and decode which category corresponds to the mouth.

Therefore, the number of output signals corresponds to the total number of sorting within one zone section.

The sorting numbers decoded by the decoder and the sorting for each zone are determined by the rogate drive circuits 700, 701, 70.
2.703 respectively.

Each gate drive circuit 700.701.702.703 is
One gate drive element 7001, 7002, . . .
...7001.7011,7012,...
701i.

7021.7022, 702i, 703
1°7032,...,703i.

Therefore, sorting is done by decoders 700 and 701 according to the item number.
.

702 and 703 are selected, and the corresponding gate drive circuit among the gate circuits is selected to open a predetermined gate.

Station inventory detection unit 500.501, 502, 50
3 is, of course, station S1. S2. S
3. It is determined whether the goods are in stock in S4.

It is also possible to detect the presence or absence of articles by providing a detector for detecting articles at each station.
The presence or absence of articles in the station can also be determined by whether or not the sort number has been shifted to the register element of each register.

In this embodiment, the latter detection method without a detector is used.

The output signals of each of the inventory detection units 500, 501, 502, and 503 are collectively processed by the inventory detection circuit 115.

The inventory detection circuit 115 generates an in-station inventory detection holding signal C3 if an article is present in any one station.

However, if the article has reached the entrance of station S1, it is treated as cargo within the station.

This process is also executed by the inventory detection circuit 115.

Next, the relationship between the transfer device 2 and data processing will be briefly described.

The details will be described later. In Fig. 2, detector 5
0 detects whether or not the arm of the transfer device 2 is stopped within the station, and is made of a phototube or the like as described above.

As is clear from the explanation of FIG. 1, each arm of the transfer device 2 is
When stopped, it is located on all stations.

Therefore, the detector 50 is only installed on one station, for example station S1.

The detection signal C1 obtained from the detector 50 is not generated while each arm moves through the zone section, and the detection signal C1 becomes the central signal for data processing and motor drive.

This detection signal C1 is outputted as a trigger only at the start of the location.

FIG. 4 shows a time chart of various signals.

Make full use of this in the basement.

The period during which the arm of the transfer device remains within the station is predetermined.

If this residence period, that is, the stop period is Tdl, the detection signal C1 of the detector 50 is input to the monostable multi-by-break 51 which generates a pulse with a width of the stop period Tdt, and generates a pulse signal with a pulse width Td1. .

This pulse signal is the transfer device stop signal C2 in FIG.

This transfer device stop signal C2 is input to the motor control circuit 4,
Stop the motor drive.

On the other hand, the detection signal C1 is applied to the reset input terminal R1 of the delay circuit 52 and flip-flop 55 having a delay time Tdt.
The signal is input to a delay circuit 53 having a delay time Td2.

The signal delayed by the time Tdt through the delay circuit 52 is input to the ant gate 54 .

The output of this ant gate 54 is the flip-flop 5
5 is input to the set input terminal S1 as the set input signal.

On the other hand, the AND gate 54 receives the inventory detection holding signal C3 of the in-station article inventory detection circuit 115.

This stock detection holding signal C3 is transmitted while the goods are stocked.
That is, the presence detection signal is held during the time span of the stop signal C2, and therefore, the time span is naturally the maximum time width Tdt.

The reason why the term "maximum time span" is used here is that the presence detection is not necessarily performed at the same time as the transfer device 2 is stopped.

In any case, from 1 to 0 of the inventory detection hold signal C3
The time when the transfer device 2 stops is synchronized with the stop end time of the transfer device 2.

Therefore, if both inputs are received through the AND gate 54, the flip-flop 55 will be set to 1.

The output of the flip-flop 55 is input to the motor control circuit 4.

The motor control circuit 4 receives the output signal of the flip-flop 55 and operates the motor 3 while the signal is 1.

The output signal of this flip-flop 55 becomes the movement instruction signal C4 of the transfer device 2.

On the other hand, the detection signal C1 of the detector 50 has the role of resetting the flip-flop 55.

That is, the time when the movement instruction signal C4 is set to 1 is the time from the time Td after the detection signal c1 is generated to the next detection signal C.
1 until it is detected.

Of course, when there are no goods in the station,
The motor 3 maintains a stopped state.

Further, when sorting is not being performed, the motor 3 is in a stopped state even if the motor control circuit 4 is passed through a manual switch or the like (not shown).

Next, the detection signal C1 of the detector 50 is delayed by the delay circuit 53 for a time Td2.

This delayed signal is the shift signal C5 shown in FIG. 4 and explained in the data processing process above.

The reason why the shift signal C5 has a delay time of time Td2 with respect to the detection signal C1 is to synchronize the shift with the actual start of the article in the station. Specifically, the detection signal C1 may be used as a shift signal.

However, as a matter of course, there is a difference between Tdl and Ta2.
The relationship rd t >'rd 2 exists.

On the other hand, the write period designation signal C4 is synchronized with the movement instruction signal of the transfer device 2, that is, the output signal of the flip-flop 55.

Therefore, the output signal C4 of the flip-flop 55 is used instead of the write period designation signal C'4.

In the following, the remaining signals shown in FIG. 4 will be explained.

In FIG. 4, the station internal load detection signals C6, C
7, C8, and C9 are the inventory detection units 500 and 500 shown in FIG.
This is an inventory detection signal detected by 501, 502, and 503.

The timing of this detection signal is the same as the detection signal C1.

However, since there is a slight delay time in each circuit operation, the signal actually lags slightly behind the detection signal C1.

Data read designation signal C1o is an AND gate 111°1
12. This is a gate command signal to 113 and 114.

Since the designation signal CIO is an instruction signal for opening the gate, it is formed by the output signal of the flip-flop 56, which is set by the shift signal C5 and reset by the detection signal.

What is set by the shift signal C5 is the transfer device 2.
This is because it is necessary to open the gate for the sorting before starting the movement.

If the gate is opened at the start of movement, the first gate, apart from the second gate, may not open in time for the transfer device to move the parts.

At this time, the articles cannot flow out through the gate, and the sorted articles move along the line without knowing their destination.

In order to eliminate this drawback, the gate is kept open before the transfer using the shift signal C6.

In-zone gate open signal C1l j c1□tc13+
C14 is synchronized with the above read signal.

This signal C1l l C121C131C14 is an output signal from the decoder 700°701.702,703.

Next, the flow of data in the memory 30 and the shift register group 40 and the relationship between sorting and lines will be specifically explained.

This will further facilitate understanding of the present invention and the embodiments of the present invention described in FIGS. 1 to 5 above.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the flow of data between the memory 30, the shift register 40, and the sorting line 1.

In the figure, the names of the articles are indicated by ■, ■, ■, ■, and ■ is carried into zone Z1, ■ is carried into zone Z2, ◎ is carried into zone Z3, and ■ is carried into zone Z4.

Furthermore, each zone is sorted using the gate number as the gate number, and the gate number as G1°G2. G3. It shall be stipulated that...

Now, suppose that article 0 has arrived at the entrance of station S1,
Furthermore, it is assumed that there is no article to be sorted on the line and there is no register in the memory 30.

At this time, from the setting board 100, the writing destination determination circuit 101
Based on the instruction, the register 304 of the memory 30 stores the zone number Z3, the gate number G2 of the corresponding sort, and more important data.

Furthermore, if the article ■ is to be sorted after the article ■, the zone number Z1 and the gate number G1 for sorting are written to the register 303 according to instructions from the write destination determination circuit 101. be included.

Under such conditions, no data has yet been stored in any register element of shift register group 40.

Such a state is shown in Figure A.

Next, article O is carried into station S1, and then
The last stage register 30 of the memory 6 is activated by the shift signal C5.
The data in 4 is output to the coder 106.

Furthermore, the data in register 303 is also shifted into register 304.

The data shifted from register 304 is zone number Z
3, the decoder 106 selects the selection signal 10.
6C occurs, opening AND gate 109 and storing gate number C2 in register element 4031 of register 403.

The results are shown in the opening. The above operations of the 11 ports are performed during the period when the transfer device 2 is stopped.

During this period, detection of whether data is stored in the register group 40, that is, inventory detection is performed through the inventory detection circuit 115.

This inventory detection circuit 115 generates an inventory detection signal when the article ◎ is in stock.

As described in FIG. 4, this detection signal is held while the transfer device 2 is stopped, and becomes the inventory detection holding signal C3.

Next, when the stop period of the transfer device 2 ends, the flip-flop 55 is set to 1, and the motor 3 is driven to rotate through the Tanabata control circuit 4.

As a result, the article (2) is transferred over the zone Z1 through the arm portion 21 of the transfer device 2. During this time, no output data is generated from the output register elements of the register group 40, so the gate on the zone Z1 is Both are closed.

During this period, if there is a request for sorting new articles, data according to the request is stored in a predetermined register in the memory 30.

At the current point in time, the new article is article 0, and the previous gate for its sorting is G3.

The corresponding register in the memory 30 is the register 303.

Corresponding zone Z3 and gate number G for items ◎
Data number 3 is selectively stored in register 303.

No shift signal is generated during the transport period within the article C shame zone Z1, and therefore the contents of the shift register group 40 are also unchanged.

Also, during this transfer period, the article (2) to be carried in next arrives at the entrance of the station S1.

Such a state is shown in Figure C. Next, when the article ◎ passes through the zone Z1 and reaches the station S2, the transfer device 2 stops, and the article ■ that was placed at the entrance of the station S1 is carried into the station S1.

Furthermore, the contents of the memory 30 and the shift register group 40 are shifted by the shift signal C5.

As a result of this shift, in the memory 30, the contents of the register 304 are decoded according to its zone number Z1, and the AND gate 102 is opened and the gate number G1 is transferred to the register 40.
Transfer to 1.

Additionally, the contents of register 303 are shifted into register 304.

Register group 40? In this case as well, in the register 403, the contents G2 of the register element 4031 are the contents of the register element 40.
32.

On the other hand, during this time, a new sorting is requested, and the data for the sorting is given from the setting board 100 as the request contents: zone number Z2, gate number G2 f, jr of article (2).
It is stored in the register 303 of the memory 30.

This situation is shown in Figure 2.

Then, when the stop period ends, the transfer device 2 is driven,
The articles (2) and (2) currently in stock are conveyed to stations S1 and S2, which are constructed by the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

On the other hand, in Figure 2, the register 30 is filled with one element.
Since the data G1 is stored in the register 301, the data G1 in the zone Z1 corresponding to the register 301 is
G1 is open.

Since the item ◎ has not yet reached the output register element, the gate is not opened (1).

Therefore, among the articles transferred by the arms of the transfer device 2,
In the zone Z1, when the goods 1-G are reached during the transfer process, the articles 2 are sorted and discharged to the outside through the gate G1.

Also, during this transfer period, the next article 0 to be carried in arrives at the entrance of station S1, and the data to be newly sorted - C1 article ■ data, that is, zone number Z
4. Data related to the gate number G1 is given to the register 302 from the setting board 100.

Such a state is shown in Figure E.

Next, each arm of the transfer device 2 reaches each station and the transfer device 2 stops moving.

Along with this stop, station S1 shown in Fig.
Items ◎ that were being held at the entrance of station S1
be brought inside.

Then, a shift signal C5 is generated, and the contents of the register 304 of the memory 30 are transferred to the register element 4031 of the register 403 of the register group 40 via the coder 106, the contents of the register 303 are transferred to the register 304, and the contents of the register 302 are transferred to the register 302 of the register group 40.
The contents of are shifted to the registers 303, respectively.

Furthermore, in the shift register group 40, the register 40
1 is shifted, that is, cleared, and the contents of register 4032 of register 403 are shifted to register 4033.

At this stage, if there is no request for sorting new items,
The above results are shown in figure below.

During this suspension period, register element 403 of register 403
Since G2 is stored in zone Z3 as data, gate G2 of zone Z3 is opened by this data G2.

Next, after the stop period has passed, the transfer device 2 starts transferring.

The goods are currently at station S3, ◎, and at station S1.
Since ◎ is in stock at the top, these two articles are transferred on zone Z1 and zone Z3, respectively.

During the transfer period in zone Z1, the sorting gate is not open, so article 0 is not sorted.

However, in zone Z3, gate G2 is open, so when article ◎ reaches zone G2 during the transfer process,
The article ◎ is carried outside through gate G2 and is sorted.

Also, during this time, the article (2) scheduled for the next sorting has arrived at the entrance of the station S1 and is ready for sorting.

Figure 5 shows such a state.

Next, when each arm of the transfer device 2 reaches the station, the transfer device 2 enters a stop section.

During this stop period, the article (2), which had been placed at the entrance of station S1, is carried into station S1.

Furthermore, a shift signal C5 is generated, and the contents of the register 304 of the memory 30 are transferred to the register group 40 through the decoder 106.
is sent to the register element 4021 of the corresponding register 402.

Furthermore, the contents of register 303 are shifted to register 304.

Furthermore, in the register group 40, the contents of the output register element 4033 of the register 403 are shifted and cleared, and the contents of the register element 4031 are shifted to the register element 4032.

In such a state, no gate opening operation is performed, and therefore, during the next movement period, the articles ■ and ◎ simply move on the zone.

Such a situation is shown in Figure 1.

The above describes the flow of data in detail.

However, overall, an extremely ideal situation is considered.

For example, although the shift signal C5 is applied to each register at the same time, it is difficult to do so in practice.

If data is already stored in a specific register, and data is also stored in the register before the register, if a shift signal is applied at the same time, the above shift relationship becomes completely meaningless.

In other words, the order is to shift the data to the first register, and then shift the data to the blank register.
It is necessary to shift the data from the register.

However, if shifts are applied at the same time, this will be ignored and the data shift relationship will be completely confused.

Therefore, in practice, it is necessary to output the shift signal with a certain delay.

In order to satisfy this delay condition in the above embodiment, it is necessary to delay each shift signal according to the order of the registers.

For the time being, in the above embodiment, if each register is configured to satisfy this delay condition within each register, this condition is satisfied.

Of course, this becomes even clearer if a delay circuit for delaying the shift signal according to the order of the registers is provided before each register.

In addition, in the above example, as seen in article ◎, for example,
Identical goods were classified as the same zone, but within the zone, goods◎
It is more practical to sort a plurality of items such as , ◎', and ■''.

In any case, the type of articles to be assigned to each zone is determined by the way the request is made, and the present invention does not specifically discuss this matter.

Next, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the gate mechanism for sorting.

The gate mechanism includes a gate drive circuit 700 shown in FIG.
, 701, 702, 703.

In the figure, drive elements 7001, 7002 of the drive circuit 700
This embodiment is driven by.

The cylinder 10 is driven by the drive elements 7001, 7002.

The cylinder 10 has a cylinder shaft 12, which is driven left and right by the drive elements 7001 and 7002.

The cylinder shaft 12 is directly connected to a support shaft 13 through a fixed fulcrum, and the support shaft 13 is connected to the gate 1 through a fixed fulcrum 15.
It is directly connected to 1.

While the driving element 7t)01.7002 issues a command to close the gate, the gate 11 is held at the position shown by the solid line.

This state is a gate closed state. 1 driving element 700
When the command to open the gate is issued from L or 7002,
The gate 11 moves to the position shown by the dotted line, and is in an open state.

Therefore, when the gate is closed, the articles pass directly over the gate, and when the gate is open, the articles fall and are sorted when they approach the gate.

The embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above.

According to this embodiment, automatic sorting of articles can be performed by detecting the articles at the mouth for each sorting.

In particular, since sorting lines are roughly divided into zones,
The automatic sorting mechanism has become extremely simple, and it has become possible to sort articles with high reliability.

In the above embodiments, the sorting line is a circular line, but the present invention can be applied to any general fJ closed loop line as well as the circular line.

Furthermore, this method can be applied to a straight line that is an open loop if the arms are returned to the starting end when the line reaches the end.

Also, the number of slots in each zone was set to be the same;
They do not necessarily have to match.

In addition, the station where the goods should be brought in is set to station S.
Although only one station is used, it is also possible to carry in articles from a plurality of stations.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the zones need not be limited to four zones, and generally a plurality of zones is sufficient.

Further, in the above embodiment, the sorting line is fixed and the transfer device is movable (although the reverse may be used).

That is, the sorting of the articles becomes possible by using a movable t4-turntable on the line and leaving the articles stopped at each station.

Of course, a transfer device is not required at this time.

Further, although the gate is driven by a cylinder, it may be driven electromagnetically.

Although the memory is configured as a shift register, it goes without saying that a core memory or the like may also be used.

However, in that case, a read-write cycle may be provided instead of a shift, and this cycle may be used to perform the same function as a shift.

Furthermore, if the data is written in sequence and a predetermined address is set at the time of reading, the above-mentioned read/write cycle becomes unnecessary.

Furthermore, although the data structure has been shown using zone numbers and sorting numbers, article names may also be added.

This has the advantage that articles currently being processed or about to be processed can be posted outside at any time.

Furthermore, it is also possible to specify the article name instead of the zone number.

At this time, the zone is determined by the type of article, and is essentially equivalent to displaying the zone number.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the transfer device and the sorting line of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention from the perspective of data processing. , FIG. 4 is a time chart thereof, FIG. 5 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a diagram of an embodiment of the gate mechanism. 1... Sorting is done on the line, 2... Transfer device,
Zl, Z2゜Z3 r Z4...Zone, S1
+ 82+ 83+ 84...Station.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 For multiple sorting, a sorting with multiple zones with openings is a line; articles are sorted according to the required order, and articles are sorted by the previous zone number, and categories within the zone number are sorted by the opening number. a data setting means for sequentially setting data; a memory for sequentially storing data obtained from the core setting means; the above sorting corresponds to each zone of the line;
A plurality of registers each having a number of register elements corresponding to the zone number; each zone has a plurality of registers; the above-mentioned sorting is performed by reading data indicating the goods from the memory as the goods are carried into the line; means for transferring and storing the sorting number in the data to the input register element of the corresponding register according to the zone number in the data; means for moving the article for each zone on the line for said sorting; The sorting is performed by means of shifting the slot number between the register elements of the register as the register moves; the output register element 0 among the register elements of the register; The automatic sorting device is equipped with a means for sorting the articles in the corresponding zone according to the number and opening the door to take out and sort the transferred articles.