JPS61166421A - Continuous automatic assortment control device for part and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reliably assort parts in arbitrary shapes, by a method wherein, from movement of a time change pattern formed based on a pass signal from each of part detecting devices dispersively located on a conveyance and an assorting line, the conveyance state of parts is recoginized for assortment control. CONSTITUTION:Parts are fed at specified intervals on an assortment line by means of a part aligning device 9, and are conveyed at specified intervals on an assortment line by means of a conveying device 8. A part device 12 for assortment is located in the vicinity of the outlet of a part aligning device 9. and a light shielding pattern produced when the part passes through the device 12 is caught by means of a change with time. A kind of part recoginizing data 2, being assortment information of the part, is detected by a kind of part recogionizing device 11, and the result is input to an assortment control instruction device 7 according to the light shielding pattern of a part. The moving state of the part is detected by a part detecting device 13 of a branching device, and assortment detecting device 14, and a passage dtecting device 15 to inout lightshielding patterns 3, 5, and 6, respectively, to the assortment control instruction device 7. The device 7 outputs a branch instruction 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a parts sorting twin for a logistics system, and in particular to a part sorting twin for a logistics system.
The present invention relates to a continuous automatic sorting control device suitable for sorting arbitrarily shaped parts and parts that are in close contact during transportation.

[Background of the invention]

In conventional distribution systems, sorting control command devices (computers, etc.) are used in component transport devices, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-7934, the movement of parts on one transport/sorting line is The movement signal detected by the tube is input to the total sorting control command device, and the storage position of the part registered in the storage register in the sorting control command device is
A common method is to move the parts as they move.

However, in this conventional technology, transport and sorting is performed using movement signals that detect the movement of moving objects from the transport and sorting line, so if multiple parts come into close contact due to an abnormality during transport, Since a plurality of parts are judged to be one part, the storage register information in the sorting control command device becomes incorrect, and there is a drawback that sorting control becomes impossible.

In fact, there are cases where objects other than parts passing on the line are detected and used as movement signals, or noise or other factors input more movement signals than actually into the sorting control command device, making sorting control impossible.

Therefore, in order to deal with the abnormalities shown above, conventionally,
An abnormality detection device was installed at a specific position on the conveyance/sorting line, and specific information that could be recognized as abnormal in the movement of parts was input to all sorting control devices to detect abnormalities. Then, when an abnormality is detected, the loading/sorting line, etc. is temporarily stopped.
Artificially modifying the memory register in the sorting control command device,
Alternatively, a method was adopted in which the conveyance conditions of the parts being conveyed were fully adjusted and then restarted.

However, with such a method, a decrease in the operating rate of the equipment is unavoidable, a separate abnormality detection device must be installed, and a place for parts panfering must be secured while the transport/sorting line is stopped. There are many problems such as securing the

Furthermore, in the prior art, it is either to sort only parts that have a unified standard, or to clearly indicate a code (information) on a part of the parts and perform sorting control using this code (information). Conveying/transporting compressed loads such as packets and pallets
Sorting control is being carried out, and even in the case of n, it is not possible to carry out sorting control by placing all parts of an arbitrary shape on the line as they are.

[Purpose of the invention]

The purpose of the present invention is to automatically and reliably sort parts of arbitrary shapes without reducing the operating rate of equipment even if an abnormality occurs in parts on a conveyance/sorting line, and to It is possible to provide a continuous automatic sorting control device for parts etc. that makes it unnecessary to secure a place for parts panfering.

[Summary of the invention]

According to the present invention, a passage signal detected as a time-varying pattern when a component passes through a component detection device is inputted to a sorting control command device for each component detection device, and distributed on a conveyance/sorting line. The conveyance state of the parts is completely recognized based on the movement of the time-varying pattern created in the sound base of the passing signal of each parts detection device, and sorting control is performed.

In addition, the parts alignment device installed at the entrance of the sorting control line transports the parts onto the sorting control line at specified time intervals, and the parts are conveyed onto the sorting control line at predetermined time intervals. The created time change pattern is used as a basic pattern, and the difference between the time change pattern and the time change pattern created by each component detection device on the transport/sorting line is recognized, and abnormalities in the transport of parts are recognized, and the transport/sorting line is stopped. The storage register (component) information in the sorting control command device is automatically corrected.

As a means of automatically correcting the memory register in the sorting control command device, it is possible to detect the close contact of parts by the approach of the part that indicates the presence of parts among two time-varying patterns, and it is possible to detect the branching of parts. By moving the storage register information in the sorting control command device in response to the command by several parts in close contact with each other, it is possible to always match the register information with the actual conveyance state.

In addition, for parts that are in close contact with each other, by changing the branch command to the closed-loop transport device, the parts are returned to the parts alignment device via the closed-loop transport device and placed on the transport/sorting line again.

[Embodiments of the invention]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to all drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a continuous automatic sorting control device for parts, etc. In FIG. 1, at the end of the transport device A that transports all the parts (not shown) to be sorted from other places (not shown),
A continuous automatic sorting control device according to this embodiment is provided. This continuous automatic sorting control device is equipped with a parts aligning device 9 that supplies parts onto a sorting line at regular intervals, and behind it is connected a sorting line configured by alternately providing multiple stages of conveying devices 8 and branching devices 10. It is set up. And the last branching device 1
0 and the input side of the component alignment device 9 are connected by a closed loop transfer device t16.

A sorting port component detection device 12 is provided at the entrance of the first-stage conveyance device 8 connected to the component alignment device 9, and a component type recognition device 11 is disposed at a predetermined location on the side.

Passage detection devices 151 are attached to the entrances of the respective transport devices 8 on and after the next stage and the entrances of the closed loop transport device 1G.

A branching device component detection device 13 is installed at the entrance of each branching device 10.
A sorting detection device 14 is attached to the branching section of each branching device 10.

Then, a sorting control command device 7 composed of a computer etc.
Of course, a detection signal butter/(hereinafter referred to as a time change pattern) 1 obtained when the parts pass through the sorting port parts detecting device 12t is inputted to the sorting control command device 7 from the sorting port parts detecting device 12, The component type recognition device 11 transmits the component type or branching command information 2, and the branching device component detection device 13 transmits the time change pattern 37 of the components carried into the branching device 10. From the sorting detection device 14, the time change pattern 5'f of the sorted and branched parts is detected, and from the passage detection device 15, the time change pattern of the parts that pass through the passage detection device 15 without being branched by the branching device 10 up to the previous stage. It is a trap to input 6 respectively.

The sorting control command device 7 performs calculations based on each of the input signals and outputs a branching command 4 to each branching device 10, and each branching device 10 sorts parts based on the branching command 4, and detects transport/sorting abnormalities. The parts that have become the same are returned to the parts alignment device 9 by the closed-loop transport device 16, and are transported onto the sorting line again.

The general operation of the continuous automatic sorting control device having such a configuration will be described below.

The parts sent onto the sorting line at regular intervals by the parts alignment device 9 are conveyed on the sorting line at regular intervals by the conveying device 8.

The sorting port component detection device 12 is installed near the exit of the component alignment device 9 in order to record a more accurate basic time change pattern. Perceive changes over time. This sorting port light shielding pattern data 1 is used as a basic pattern as will be described in detail later.

One part type recognition data 2 serving as part sorting information is detected by the part type recognition device 11 and inputted to the sorting control command device 7 in correspondence with the light-shielding pattern of the component.

The moving state of the parts is detected by the branching device parts detection device 13, the sorting detection device 14, and the passing detection device 15, which are distributed on the sorting line.

Branching device component light shielding pattern data 3, sorting detection light shielding pattern data 5, and passage detection light shielding pattern data 6 are input to the sorting control command device 7.

The sorting control command device 7 performs various calculations according to the input data and outputs a branch command 4'@:.

If a conveyance abnormality is recognized, a branch command 4t for automatically correcting the conveyance abnormality is output, and the closed loop conveyance device 16 conveys the parts to the component alignment device 9, where they are sorted again.

FIG. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the sorting control command device 7 according to this embodiment.

The sorting control command device 7 is 1. A process input/output device 17 that transfers input/output data, a parts sorting detection device 18,
It is comprised of a branch control device 19 that performs various calculations and performs branch control, and a component transport register 20 that stores input/output data of components in correspondence with transport lines. The sorting gate light-shielding pattern data 1 and the component type recognition data 2 are input to the component type recognition device 18 via the process input/output device 17t, and the device 18 registers this information in the component transport register 20.

The branching control device 19 takes in the branching device component light-shielding pattern data 3 via the process input/output device 17, and performs a logical operation on this data 3 and the component information registered in the component transport register 20. Furthermore, 1 branch control device 1
9 also detects component movement by pattern matching the branching device component light shielding pattern data 3, the sorting detection light shielding pattern data 5, the passing detection light shielding pattern data 6, and the component information in the component transport register 20.

Then, these logical operations and raster 2 of parts movement
All parts information in 0 is updated, and a branch command 4 is output to the branching device 10 via the process input/output device 17.

This output result is transmitted to the sorting detection device 14 of the branching device 10.
This can be confirmed by pattern matching between the sorting detection light-shielding pattern data 5 from the passing detection device 15, the passing detection light-shielding pattern data 6 from the next passing detection device 15, and the updated parts information in the parts transport register 20. The component information in the component transport register 20 is updated again according to the state.

FIG. 3 shows the stage configuration within the component transport register 20 corresponding to the transport/sorting line.

The stages include a basic stage 21 corresponding to the transport device,
23. . . , 25 and corresponding intermediate stages 22, 24 . ..., 26 is a pair f21, 22),
(23, 24), . . . (25, 26) are arranged consecutively for the number of branches.

Incidentally, at the very end, a closed loop component transport stage 27 is provided for managing the closed loop transport device.

Component information from the component type recognition device 18 is pushed to the first basic component transport stage 21 .

Further, the branching control device 19 corresponding to each branching device 10 moves from the basic component transportation stage to the intermediate component transportation stage, and further from the intermediate component transportation stage to the next basic component transportation stage (the final one is the closed loop component transportation stage 27).
) in FIFO format.

FIG. 4 is a processing flow diagram of the component type recognition device.

In block A, the light-shielding state of phototubes, etc. is sampled at a prescribed cycle that is sufficiently fast compared to the moving time of the parts, in accordance with the passing time of the parts when the parts pass through the inner metal of the sorting port parts detection device 12, and Register all shading patterns.

In block B, a component feature extraction pattern is created based on the light shielding pattern. By creating this feature extraction pattern, it becomes easier to determine movement or abnormalities of parts.

In block C, the feature extraction pattern of the component is PUSed to the first basic component transport stage 21 in the component transport register 20.
Have sex.

In block D, all component type recognition data serving as branch instruction information is input, and the PU is sent to the first basic transport stage 21 in the component transport register 20 in correspondence with the feature extraction pattern of one part.
SH.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a feature extraction pattern for part X.

The sorting port component detection device 17 will be described below as an example.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram when the component X is transported at a constant speed by the transport device 8 and passes through the sorting port component detection device 12.

FIG. 6(b) is an example of a shading graph when a part

(This figure is a graph in which the light shielding result at the sampling timing is approximated as the state during the sampling cycle.) The specified part passage time is such that the entire part passes through the part detection device from the start end to the end end. The time is set within a range that is longer than time and shorter than the specified component supply cycle of the component alignment device, that is, the time from the start of one component to the start of the next component, for example.

Figure (C) shows the feature extraction pattern of part X created from the shading graph shown in Figure (b) K.

In this example, the shading graph within the specified part passage time is divided by one sampling width, and the presence or absence of shading data within the sampling width is calculated as the number of total shading points.

Figure 6 shows an example of a feature extraction pattern for a part Y whose shape is different from that of the part X (both parts X and Y are shown as square blocks in Figures 5 and 6 for convenience of drawing). be.

In this example, υ,
(b) Shading graph of part Y, (C) % characteristic extraction pattern,
The number of shaded points is calculated.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, even if the light-shielding pattern, which is the passage pattern when a component passes through a phototube, etc., which is a component detection device, is an arbitrary shape that differs depending on the component, By creating a feature extraction pattern from the light-shielding pattern (graph) within the specified passage time, the stock status of the parts can be recognized to the extent of one part thin.

FIG. 7 shows the branching device i for the first branching device
This diagram shows the sorting of parts B from K and the sorting of parts in the parts transport register 20.

Branching equipment parts shading pattern data 3ti Branching equipment parts detection device 13 Sorting detection shading pattern data 5 when a gold part passes through is passing detection shading pattern data 6 when a part passes through a sorting detection device 14 15
t is a signal (information) when a component passes, and the component information in the component transport register 20 moves in accordance with the passing direction of the component (rightward in FIG. 7).

The example in FIG. 7 shows the state when a component C passes through the branching device component detection device 13, and the component information of the component C is transferred from the first basic component transportation stage 21 to the first intermediate component transportation stage 2.
2 as shown by arrow 3'. Also, at this time, a logical operation is performed on the branching device component light-shielding pattern 3 of the component B obtained just before and the component information, and a branching command 4t- is output. Part B is branched by this branching command 4, and the part information of part B is deleted from the first intermediate parts transport stage 22 (arrow 5') based on the light shielding pattern data 5 from the sorting detection device 14.

Part C is further conveyed to the right side in FIG.
5t-, the part information of part C moves from the first intermediate part transport stage 22 to the second basic transport stage 23 (
arrow 6').

FIG. 8 is a processing flow diagram of the branch control device.

In block A, the branching device component light-shielding pattern data 3t of the passing component is manually generated.

In block B, a feature extraction pattern for the p1 passing component is created based on the shading pattern data input in block A. At this time, the creation method is similar to the method of the component type registration device described above.

In block C, the basic parts transport stage sends part information t-POP.

In block D, the feature extraction pattern of the passing part created in block B and the feature extraction pattern in the part information popped up in block C are tested.

In block E, depending on the test result in block D, it is determined whether the feature extraction pattern of the passing part is normal or abnormal.

Judging everything.

The process proceeds to block F if the judgment in block E is normal, and it is determined whether the passing part is a part to be sorted or branched based on the part information popped up in block C.

If the judgment in block F is sorting branching, the process proceeds to block G, where a sorting branching command 4 is output to the branching device 10.

In block H, the sorting state of the parts is detected based on the sorting detection light-shielding pattern data 5, and the corresponding information in the parts transport register 20 is erased.

If the judgment is made in block F or if the process is to pass, the process proceeds to block I and outputs a branch command 4t to pass to the branching device 10.

In block J, the passing state of the component is detected based on the passing detection light shielding pattern data 6, and the registered position of the information in the component transport register 20 is updated.

If the judgment in block E is abnormal, the process advances to block KK and outputs a branching command 4t- to the branching device 10 to convey to the closed loop conveying device 16.

In block L, the conveyance state of the component corresponding to the output direction of the branch command 4 is detected, and the relevant information in the component conveyance register 20 is updated.

FIG. 9 shows an example of parts inspection under normal conditions.

This figure shows a normal light shielding graph and a component recognition processing consideration model when components X and Y pass through the component detection device.

Using the same method as in the case of detecting parts at the sorting opening described above, the shading graph t is obtained, and this is divided into sampling widths that match the transport speed of the sorting opening section, and the presence or absence of a shading take within the sampling width is determined as a shading pattern. Continuously calculate.

Next, the specified part passage time is considered as the starting point of the point where the presence of the shading pattern is detected, and the feature extraction pattern and the number of shading points in that section are determined.

According to the obtained result, from the basic extraction bar of the parts information already registered in the parts transport register 20 and the basic number of light shielding points, the first passed part is X, and similarly,
If we consider the next light-shielding pattern, we can see whether it is the next passed part or Y.
It can be recognized that

FIG. 10 shows an example of component inspection in the event of an abnormality.

This figure shows a light shielding graph and a processing consideration model for component recognition when components X and Y pass through the component detection device and these components are in close contact due to transport abnormality.

Similar to the explanation in FIG. 9, if we consider the specified part passage time as the starting point If the state where the KX light shielding pattern is present is detected,
If the feature extraction pattern for that section is consistent over the entire section, it can be determined that the part was not conveyed normally (close passage).

In this case, from the component information registered in the component transport register 20, the matching state between the basic extraction pattern of the component information to be moved and the feature extraction pattern to be considered is tested, and the matching rate or the specified rate (Cn ) and above, then f'
Ltl - Determined as a drawing part.

Here, f(Cp is the basic feature extraction pattern, f(Npi is
) is the considered feature extraction pattern, and the sum n is the component recognition range concavity of the basic feature extraction pattern.

By this consideration process, it can be recognized that the first half of the considered light-shielding pattern is component

FIG. 11 shows an example of updating the component transport register during normal operation.

A case is shown in which part B is moved to the next stage by detecting the passing of a normal part.

FIG. 12 shows an example of updating the component transport register in the event of an abnormality.

Although it is a one-time consideration process, since the detection result of the passage of parts was that two parts passed closely together, the corresponding parts B and Ct-
Indicates when moving to the next stage.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to sort arbitrarily shaped parts by using a part detection device t that detects the presence or absence of target parts such as phototubes, and by using only passing signals as a gold standard, and furthermore, it is possible to sort parts of arbitrary shapes. However, the memory registers in the sorting control device can be automatically corrected without stopping the entire conveyance/sorting line, making continuous automatic sorting possible at low cost and with high equipment availability, while eliminating all human errors associated with corrections. The effect of enabling control can be seen.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a continuous automatic sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of a sorting control command device, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a parts transport register, and Fig. 4 is a part type recognition Processing flow diagram of the device, FIG. 5(a). (bL (C) is an explanatory diagram of the feature extraction pattern of part Parts sorting explanatory diagram, Fig. 8 is a processing flow diagram of the branch control device, Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of parts inspection in normal conditions, Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram of parts inspection in abnormal conditions, and Fig. 11 is parts transportation in normal conditions. Register update explanatory diagram, Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram of parts transfer register update in case of abnormality. 1... Sorting port shading pattern data, 2... Component type recognition data, 3... Branching device parts shading Pattern data, 4... Branch 1 instruction (branch instruction), 5... Sorting detection shading pattern data, 6... Passing detection shading pattern,
7... Sorting control command device, 8... Conveyance equipment & (components conveyance device), 9... Parts alignment device, 10... Branching device, 11... Parts type recognition device, 12... Sorting control command device (sorting Nikko tube), 13... branching device parts detection device (branching device phototube), 14... sorting detection device (sorting phototube), 15... passing detection device (passing phototube),
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 16... Closed loop conveyance device, 17... Process input/output device, 18... Component type registration device, 19... Branch control device, 20... Component transfer register, 21... First basic component Conveyance stage, 22... First intermediate component conveyance stage, 23... Second basic component conveyance stage, 24
. . . second intermediate component transport stage, 25 . . . n th basic component transport stage, 26 . . . n th intermediate component transport stage, 27 .

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sorting line consisting of a plurality of transport devices that transport parts of arbitrary shapes and a branching device interposed between these transport devices;
A sorting control device comprising a sorting control command device that outputs a branching command to each of the branching devices, wherein component detection devices are distributed in the sorting line, and the parts are conveyed from a terminal end to a starting end of the sorting line. The sorting control commanding device recognizes the parts based on the passage pattern of the parts detected by the parts detection device, outputs a branching command, and sends the parts that cannot be sorted to the sorting line using the closed loop conveyance device. A continuous automatic sorting control device for parts, etc., characterized in that the parts are returned to the starting end. 2. The continuous automatic sorting control device for parts and the like as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a parts aligning device for conveying parts onto the sorting line at prescribed intervals at a starting end of the sorting line.