Arrangement

Abstract

In an arrangement device that arranges multiple objects for output from an output port, it is necessary to suppress the objects output from the output port from deviating from their positions in the width direction of the conveying path, while preventing objects from becoming blocked in the output conveying path due to the rotation of the rotary conveyor face. The arrangement device includes: a rotary conveyor that guides objects (T) supplied to the upper surface of a rotary table to the rotary conveyor face (13); inner and outer guide portions (19, 20) that are close to and above the rotary conveyor face (13) to form an output conveying path (H); and a height limiting portion (24) that limits the height of the output conveying path (H). The output conveying path (H) is formed such that, when viewed from above, it extends in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the rotary conveyor face (13) and laterally cuts through the outer periphery of the rotary conveyor face (13). In the portion of the output conveying path (H) located at least above the rotating conveying face (13), the guide surfaces (19, 21) of at least one of the inner guide portion (18) and the outer guide portion (20) are inclined upward and outward in the width direction of the conveying path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an arrangement device that arranges multiple objects into a row and outputs them from an output port. Background Technology

[0002] As for the aforementioned arrangement device, the arrangement device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-116588 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) is known in the past.

[0003] This arranging device arranges objects into a row and outputs them from the output port. A conveying device is connected to the output of the arranging device, which transports the objects output from the arranging device via a conveyor belt. The arranging device includes a sphere mounted on a base, a rotary table disposed within the sphere and on which objects are supplied on its upper surface, and a guiding mechanism that defines the transport path of the objects.

[0004] The sphere is configured to have a flange formed at the outer periphery of its opening and to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation. On the other hand, the rotary table is configured to be disposed inside the sphere in an inclined state, with the height of its upper edge being the same as the height of the upper surface of the flange of the sphere, and is arranged adjacent to the flange, and rotates about an axis of rotation orthogonal to the rotary table.

[0005] Based on the sphere and rotating worktable constructed in this way, if an object is fed onto the rotating worktable, the rotation of the rotating worktable applies a centrifugal force to the object, and the object moves towards the outer periphery of the rotating worktable by means of this centrifugal force, moving from the upper edge to the flange of the sphere.

[0006] The guiding mechanism is disposed above the flange of the ball and guides an object that moves onto the flange and moves with the flange toward the output port. The guiding mechanism includes: an outer peripheral guide and a second side guide sequentially connected and arranged toward the output port at a position inside the outer periphery of the flange; a first side guide disposed at a position outside the inner periphery of the flange and at an interval in the radial direction that allows the object to pass through, and an upper guide that limits the height of the conveying path defined by the first and second side guides.

[0007] When viewed from above, the conveying path extends in an arc along the flange of the ball, then laterally cuts the upper surface of the flange in a direction intersecting with the rotation direction of the flange, reaching the output port for outputting the object.

[0008] In this way, the object that moves from the rotary table to the flange moves together with the flange and enters between the outer peripheral guide, the second side guide and the first side guide. Under the guidance of these outer peripheral guides, the second side guide and the first side guide, it is arranged in a row and moves to the output port, from which it is output toward the conveying device.

[0009] In this way, in the arrangement device disclosed in Patent Document 1, if multiple objects are fed onto the rotating worktable, the objects move sequentially to the flange of the ball by means of centrifugal force, and are output from the output port in a row by means of the guiding mechanism.

[0010] Existing technical documents

[0011] Patent documents

[0012] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-116588 Summary of the Invention

[0013] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0014] In the conventional arrangement device shown in Patent Document 1, as described above, the object transport path (output transport path) defined by the first side guide (inner guide), the second side guide (outer guide), and the upper guide (height limiting part) is formed in such a way that when viewed from above, it transversely cuts the outer periphery of the flange (rotation transport surface) and reaches the output port.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the conveying of an object T within an output conveying path 104 defined by an inner guide 101, an outer guide 102, and a height limiting section 103 in this conventional arrangement device. The diagram is viewed from the downstream side of the conveying direction. As shown in the figure, the rotating conveying surface 105 is oriented in the same direction as the conveying direction of the object T in the output conveying path 104. Figure 6 The paper rotates in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface, thus acting on the object T in the direction of the conveyor width (which is orthogonal to the conveying direction). Figure 6 The external force (in the direction of the black arrow). As a result, the object T is directed towards... Figure 6 The hollow arrow is tilted to the side, meaning that the inner end of the object T is tilted relative to the outer end in the direction of its upward movement along the width of the conveying path. If the object T is tilted, the edge of the object will come into contact with the guide surfaces of each guide part 101, 102, causing the object T to become blocked in the output conveying path 104.

[0016] To avoid this problem, the spacing between the inner guide portion 101 and the outer guide portion 102 (the width of the output conveying path) was extended. However, in this case, the following problem exists: in the output port, which serves as the outlet of the output conveying path 104, the gap between the object T and each guide portion 101, 102 increases, and the object T output from the output port in the conveying path width direction ( Figure 6 The positional deviation in the left and right directions becomes larger.

[0017] The present invention was made in view of the above actual situation. Its purpose is to suppress the positional deviation of the object output from the output port in the width direction of the conveying path, and at the same time prevent the object from being blocked in the output conveying path due to the rotation of the rotating conveyor face.

[0018] Solutions for solving technical problems

[0019] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned technical problems relates to an arrangement device that arranges a plurality of objects in a row and outputs them from an output port. The arrangement device comprises: a rotary conveyor having a rotary table that is circular in shape when viewed from above and a horizontal rotary conveyor surface arranged to surround the rotary table in view from above and rotating in the same direction as the rotary table; the rotary conveyor is configured to guide the objects supplied to the upper surface of the rotary table onto the rotary conveyor surface; and a pair of guide portions disposed near and above the rotary conveyor surface, forming an output conveying path that guides the objects guided onto the rotary conveyor surface toward the output port. The output conveying path comprises an outer guide portion disposed on the outer side in the radial direction, an inner guide portion disposed on the inner side in the radial direction, and a height limiting portion disposed on the upper side of the output conveying path formed between the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion, thereby limiting the height of the output conveying path. The output conveying path is formed such that, when viewed from above, it extends along a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the rotating conveying surface and laterally cuts the outer periphery of the rotating conveying surface, reaching the output port. In at least the portion of the output conveying path located on the upper side of the rotating conveying surface, the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined upwards towards the outer side in the width direction of the conveying path.

[0020] According to this arrangement device, if multiple objects are fed onto the upper surface of the rotary worktable, the objects are sequentially guided onto the rotary conveyor surface by the action of the rotary worktable, and rotate together with the rotary conveyor surface around the rotation axis.

[0021] Furthermore, objects rotating together with the rotating conveyor face enter the output conveying path located between the outer and inner guide portions above the rotating conveyor face. The objects are arranged in a row by passing through this output conveying path (between the outer and inner guide portions) and are output from the output port. This output conveying path is formed such that, when viewed from above, it extends in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the rotating conveyor face and laterally cuts through the outer periphery of the rotating conveyor face, reaching the output port. Therefore, when objects are conveyed in the output conveying path, an external force is applied to the objects in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction due to the rotation of the rotating conveyor face. As a result, when viewed from the conveying direction along the output conveying path, the objects tilt about their central axis. Moreover, if this tilt causes the two ends of the objects in the width direction to abut against the guide surfaces of each guide portion, a blockage of the objects within the output conveying path may occur.

[0022] To solve this problem, in this invention, in at least the portion of the output conveying path located above the rotating conveying surface (i.e., the portion where an external force from the rotating conveying surface acts on the object), the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined upwards and outwards in the width direction of the conveying path. Therefore, even if the object tilts, this inclination allows it to avoid the two ends of the object in the width direction.

[0023] Furthermore, when only the spacing between the guide surfaces of the two guide sections is increased, the deviation of the object's position in the width direction becomes larger. However, in this invention, by tilting the guide surface upwards and outwards in the width direction of the conveyor path, the lower end position of the guide surface can be fixed at the same position as when the guide surface is not tilted. Therefore, the position of the object in the width direction of the conveyor path can be precisely limited by the lower edge of the guide surface.

[0024] In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the positional deviation of the object output from the output port in the width direction of the conveying path, and at the same time, it is possible to prevent the object from being blocked in the output conveying path due to the rotation of the rotating conveyor face.

[0025] In the arrangement device of the present invention, preferably, in the portion located above the rotating conveying surface and the portion located closer to the output port than the rotating conveying surface in the output conveying path, the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined to the outer side in the width direction of the conveying path, and the inclined guide surface is formed in such a way that the inclination angle is fixed throughout the entire conveying direction of the object in the output conveying path.

[0026] According to this structure, by fixing the tilt angle of the guide surface, the guide surface is easy to process, thereby reducing processing costs. Furthermore, if the tilted guide surface is only provided on the upper part of the rotary conveyor surface, there is a concern that a step may be created between the tilted surface and the portion downstream of the conveyor, potentially causing the object to get stuck. However, as described above, by forming the tilted guide surface over the entire conveying direction of the output conveyor path, such a step can be avoided, thus preventing the object from getting stuck.

[0027] In the arrangement device of the present invention, it is preferable to set the guide surface of the outer guide portion as the inclined guide surface and set the guide surface of the inner guide portion as a vertical surface.

[0028] This structure more reliably prevents object blockage caused by tilting within the output conveyor path. Specifically, before entering the output conveyor path, the object is pressed and moved by centrifugal force against the arc-shaped guide surface. After entering the output conveyor path, it slides approximately against the guide surface of the outer guide portion and moves accordingly. Therefore, tilting the guide surface of the outer guide portion effectively suppresses object tilting. Furthermore, since the guide surface of the first side guide is a vertical surface, it can be used as a reference surface, allowing for easy adjustment of the gap between the first and second side guides based on the width of the object.

[0029] In the arrangement device of the present invention, it is preferable that the angle of inclination of the inclined guide surface relative to the vertical surface is 3° or more and 5° or less.

[0030] In other words, if the tilt angle of the guide surface relative to the vertical plane is too small, the clearance when the object tilts to the side will be reduced, and the object will easily become blocked. Conversely, if the tilt angle of the guide surface is too large, the object will easily deviate from its position in the width direction of the conveyor path. Based on this consideration, the inventors, through diligent research, finally discovered that by setting the tilt angle of the guide surface to between 3° and 5°, it is possible to both prevent the object from becoming blocked and suppress the object's deviation from its position in the width direction of the conveyor path.

[0031] Another aspect of the present invention is an arrangement device that arranges a plurality of objects in a row and outputs them from an output port. The arrangement device includes: a rotary conveyor having a rotary table that is circular in shape when viewed from above and a horizontal rotary conveyor surface arranged to surround the rotary table in view from above and rotating in the same direction as the rotary table; the rotary conveyor is configured to guide the objects supplied to the upper surface of the rotary table onto the rotary conveyor surface; and a pair of guide portions disposed near and above the rotary conveyor surface, forming an output conveying path that guides the objects guided onto the rotary conveyor surface toward the output port. A pair of guide portions are an outer guide portion disposed on the outer side in the radial direction and an inner guide portion disposed on the inner side in the radial direction at a distance from the outer guide portion through which the object can pass, and a height limiting portion that limits the height of the output conveying path formed between the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion. The output conveying path is formed such that, when viewed from above, it extends along a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the rotating conveying surface and laterally cuts the outer periphery of the rotating conveying surface, and reaches the output port. The inner guide portion and the outer guide portion are formed such that the width of the output conveying path narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side along the conveying direction of the object in the output conveying path.

[0032] According to this arrangement, in the upstream portion of the output conveyor path, the object is guided and moved by two guides on the upper surface of the rotating conveyor face. In the downstream portion, the object moves outward from the rotating conveyor face, for example, along the upper surface of a junction plate or a conveyor belt. Therefore, only in the upstream portion of the output conveyor path does the object tilt due to the rotation of the rotating conveyor face. After the object moves to the downstream portion of the output conveyor path and reaches a position further outward than the rotating conveyor face, the factors causing the object to tilt are eliminated. In this invention, this problem is addressed by forming a wider gap between the guide surfaces of the two guides in the upstream portion of the output conveyor path, ensuring sufficient clearance even if the object tilts. In the downstream portion, where the factors causing the object to tilt are absent, the gap between the guide surfaces of the two guides is narrower, restricting the movement of the object in the width direction of the conveyor path. This prevents both object blockage and suppression of positional deviation of the object in the width direction of the conveyor path.

[0033] Invention Effects

[0034] As described above, in the arrangement device according to the present invention, in at least the portion of the output conveying path located above the rotating conveying surface, the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined upward toward the outer side in the width direction of the conveying path, or the interval between the guide surfaces of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction of the object in the output conveying path. This can suppress the positional deviation of the object output from the output port in the width direction of the conveying path, and at the same time prevent the object from being blocked in the output conveying path due to the rotation of the rotating conveying surface. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a top view showing an arrangement and conveying system including the arrangement device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 The diagram shows an irregularly shaped tablet as an example of an object. (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a front view viewed from the longitudinal side.

[0037] Figure 3 It is an enlarged perspective view showing the first side guide and the area around the second side guide of the object being guided toward the output port.

[0038] Figure 4 It means in Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the tilting of the object in the IV-IV section.

[0039] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The V-direction view.

[0040] Figure 6 The arrangement device involved in the existing example Figure 4 Equivalent diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a top view showing an arrangement and conveying system 1 including the arrangement device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement and conveying system 1 consists of an arrangement device 10 that arranges objects T into a row and outputs them from an output port 25, a conveying device 40 that conveys the objects T output from the arrangement device 10 via a conveyor belt 41, a transfer plate 50 that transfers the objects T output from the output port 25 of the arrangement device 10 to the conveyor belt 41 of the conveying device 40, and an inspection device 60 that inspects the objects T conveyed by the conveying device 40.

[0043] Examples of objects T could include tablets, capsules, and chip capacitors. In this example, as one example... Figure 2 The irregularly shaped tablet shown is taken as object T. The irregularly shaped tablet is a planar tablet with an elongated oval shape (see reference). Figure 2 (a) The side view and the frontal view viewed from one longitudinal side are both elliptical (see reference). Figure 2 (b) and (c) a tablet having a strip-shaped planar surface on its outer periphery.

[0044] The arrangement device 10 includes a bowl-shaped ball 12 disposed on a base 11, a rotary worktable 14 on which an object T is supplied on its upper surface, and a guide mechanism 15 that defines a conveying path for the object T and guides the object T to the output port 25.

[0045] The ball 12 has a horizontal flange 13 formed on the outer periphery of its opening, which rotates about a vertical axis of rotation by a suitable drive mechanism (hereinafter referred to as "ball drive mechanism") (not shown). Moreover, the flange 13 functions as a rotating conveying surface.

[0046] The rotary table 14 is disposed within the sphere 12 in an inclined state, with its upper edge at the same height as the upper surface of the flange 13 of the sphere 12 and adjacent to the flange 13. Furthermore, the rotary table 14 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis orthogonal to itself via a suitable drive mechanism (hereinafter referred to as "table drive mechanism") (not shown).

[0047] Furthermore, the portion of the upper edge of the rotary table 14 adjacent to the flange portion 13 is the part where the object T fed onto the rotary table 14 is transferred to the flange portion 13. Hereinafter, this adjacent portion will be referred to as the transfer position. Figure 1 (Represented by symbol 14a in Chinese). Additionally, in Figure 1 In the diagram, arrow B indicates the rotation direction of the ball 12 when transporting object T, and similarly, arrow C indicates the rotation direction of the rotary table 14 when transporting object T.

[0048] Moreover, these balls 12, ball drive mechanism (not shown), rotary table 14, and table drive mechanism (not shown) function as a rotary conveying device.

[0049] The guiding mechanism 15 defines a conveying path that causes an object T, which has moved from the rotary table 14 to the flange 13 at the transfer position 14a, to move toward the output port 25. The guiding mechanism 15 includes an outer peripheral guide 16, a first side guide 18, a second side guide 20, a first upper guide 22, a second upper guide 23, and a third upper guide 24.

[0050] The outer peripheral guide 16 is located outside the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion 13, and the side closest to the center of the ball 12 (hereinafter referred to as the "center side") is a concave guide surface 17 in the shape of an arc.

[0051] Furthermore, the second side guide 20 extends from the outer peripheral guide 16 toward the output port 25, and its central side surface is a guide surface 21 connected to the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16. The end of the second side guide 20 reaches above the conveying device 40. The second side guide 20 functions as an outer guide portion.

[0052] Furthermore, the first side guide 18 is arranged facing the outer peripheral guide 16 and the second side guide 20 at a position closer to the center (inner radial direction) than the outer peripheral guide 16 and the second side guide 20, with a gap allowing the object T to pass through. Like the second side guide 20, its end reaches above the conveying device 40. Moreover, in this first side guide 18, the side facing the outer peripheral guide 16 and the second side guide 20 is a guide surface 19. Furthermore, this first side guide 18 functions as an inner guide portion.

[0053] In addition, these peripheral guides 16, the first side guides 18 and the second side guides 20 are arranged above the flange 13 with a small gap between their respective lower surfaces and the flange 13.

[0054] An output conveying path H is formed between the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. This output conveying path H receives an object T conveyed along the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16 and along an arc-shaped path, and conveys the object T toward the output port 25. When viewed from above, the output conveying path H extends from near the downstream end of the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16 along a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the flange portion 13 (in this example, it is...). Figure 1 The output conveying path H extends horizontally in the left-right direction and cuts through the outer periphery of the flange portion 13, forming a straight conveying path that reaches the output port 25. Furthermore, the height of the output conveying path H is determined by the third upper guide 24 (see later). Figure 4 )limited.

[0055] Figure 3 This is an enlarged perspective view showing the area around the output transport path H defined by the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A sectional view along line IV-IV. Furthermore, in Figure 3 For ease of observation, the third upper guide 24 has been omitted.

[0056] As shown in the figures, the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 is formed on the opposing surface of the first side guide 18 that faces the second side guide 20, and is a vertical surface that extends throughout the entire length direction of the first side guide 18. That is, the guide surface 19 is formed perpendicularly to the upper surface of the flange portion 13, which is a horizontal surface.

[0057] The guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is formed at the lower end of the opposing surface of the second side guide 20 that faces the first side guide 18. This guide surface 21 is an inclined surface extending throughout the entire length direction of the second side guide 20 (the entire length direction of the object T in the output conveying path H), inclined upwards towards the outer side in the width direction of the conveying path. The inclination angle θ of the guide surface 21 relative to the vertical plane (refer to...) Figure 4 The tilt angle θ is preferably 3° to 5°, and more preferably 4°. In this example, the tilt angle θ is set to a fixed angle (4° in this example) over the entire range from the upstream end to the downstream end in the output conveying path H.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the output port 25 of the output conveyor path H is located between the downstream edge of the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 and the downstream edge of the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20. The width dimension of the lower end of the output port 25 is only a predetermined amount larger than the width dimension of the object T. This predetermined amount is set to be less than the allowable positional deviation of the object T in the width direction of the conveyor path in the inspection device 60 described later.

[0059] return Figure 1 The first upper guide 22 is positioned above the flange 13 with a gap between it and the upper surface of the flange 13 allowing the object T to pass through. Specifically, the first upper guide 22 is constructed of an arc-shaped sheet metal that extends circumferentially along the inner periphery of the flange 13 when viewed from above. The transfer position 14a is located upstream of the first upper guide 22. The first upper guide 22 limits the height of the object T transferred from the rotary table 14 to the upper surface of the flange 13 via the transfer position 14a.

[0060] Similarly, the second upper guide 23 is disposed above the flange 13 such that the object T can pass through it. The second upper guide 23 is disposed downstream of the first upper guide 22 in the rotational direction (arrow B direction) of the flange 13, extending approximately 90° circumferentially along the inner periphery of the flange 13. The second upper guide 23 is disposed such that one end faces the end of the first upper guide 22, and the other end faces the end of the third upper guide 24.

[0061] The third upper guide 24 is arranged such that one end is adjacent to the second upper guide 23, and the other end is located above the conveying device 40. Furthermore, the third upper guide 24 is arranged to cover the output conveying path H defined by the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 and the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20. In this way, the third upper guide 24 functions as a height limiting portion defining the height of the output conveying path H. In addition, the third upper guide 24 has a gap between itself and the flange portion 13, the connecting plate 50, and the conveyor belt 41, allowing the object T to pass through.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, the conveying device 40 includes a support frame 45, a hollow, rectangular negative pressure box 46 supported on the support frame 45, a conveyor belt 41, four pulleys 44 supported on the support frame 45 in a manner surrounding the negative pressure box 46 and wound around the upper surface of the negative pressure box 46, and a drive motor 47 connected to and driving one of the pulleys 44.

[0063] The interior of the negative pressure box 46 is connected to the negative pressure supply source (not shown) to form a negative pressure, and a slit hole (not shown) is formed longitudinally on its upper surface, from which negative pressure is applied to the outside.

[0064] The conveyor belt 41 has protrusions 42 on both sides, and a longitudinally extending slit 43 is formed between the two protrusions 42. The negative pressure of the negative pressure box 46 acts between the two protrusions 42 through the slit 43. Moreover, the conveyor belt 41 rotates in the direction of arrow D through a pulley 44 driven by the drive motor 47.

[0065] The transfer plate 50 is located above the protrusion 42 of the conveyor belt 41. The transfer plate 50 is configured with a small gap between it and the flange 13 such that its base does not interfere with the rotation of the flange 13.

[0066] The inspection device 60 is a conventional inspection device disposed above the conveying device 40 to inspect whether the shape of the object T is a specified shape.

[0067] Next, the method of arranging the object T using the arranging device 10 having the above structure will be described.

[0068] First, the object T supplied to the rotary table 14 is moved towards the outer periphery of the rotary table 14 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotary table 14. The object T, having moved to the outer periphery of the rotary table 14, is transferred from the rotary table 14 to the flange portion 13 at the transfer position 14a. While the transferred object T is placed on the flange portion 13 along with the rotation of the ball 12, it moves along the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16.

[0069] Next, the object T on the flange 13 enters below the first upper guide 22. At this time, if the object T is in a state of being stacked two or more layers or in an upright state, this state is eliminated and it returns to the sphere 12. Only the object T within the specified height range enters below the first upper guide 22. The object T that has entered below the first upper guide 22 moves along the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16. Moreover, if the object T has already passed the downstream end of the first upper guide 22, the object T in an undesirable posture with its major axis pointing towards the diameter direction of the sphere 12 falls into the sphere 12 and is eliminated. The remaining object T that has not fallen further enters below the second upper guide 23. Moreover, the object T that has entered below the second upper guide 23 moves downstream with the rotation of the flange 13, reaching the ends of the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20. At this time, objects T, such as objects T transported at a position closer to the inner circumference of the flange portion 13 than the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18, that fail to enter the space between the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20 are rejected by the first side guide 18 and return to the ball 12.

[0070] Furthermore, the object T that did not return to the ball 12 but remained on the flange 13 separates from the guide surface 17 of the outer peripheral guide 16, as... Figure 4 As shown, the object T enters the output conveying path H, which is surrounded by the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20, the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18, the third upper guide 24, and the flange portion 13. Furthermore, the object T entering the output conveying path H moves downstream due to a component force along the forward direction of the output conveying path H as the flange portion 13 rotates. After moving to a position outside the flange portion 13, it moves onto the transfer plate 50. The object T on the transfer plate 50 is propelled by a rearward thrust, and after being output from the output port 25, it is transferred to the upper surface of the conveyor belt 41.

[0071] The object T transferred from the transfer plate 50 to the upper surface of the conveyor belt 41 is conveyed toward the inspection device 60 by the drive of the conveyor belt 41, and a prescribed inspection is performed by the inspection device 60. At this time, the object T on the conveyor belt 41 is conveyed in a state where it is attracted and adsorbed onto the protrusions 42 of the conveyor belt 41 by the suction force of the negative pressure mechanism (not shown).

[0072] In the arrangement device 10 configured as described above, as mentioned earlier, if the object T enters the output conveying path H, a component force along the conveying direction of the object T along the output conveying path H is applied to the object T along with the rotation of the flange 13. Furthermore, a component force in the width direction of the conveying path, orthogonal to the conveying direction, is also applied to the object T. Therefore, as... Figure 4 As shown by the white arrow, object T is transported from the direction of object T ( Figure 4 When viewed perpendicular to the paper, the object T is tilted about its central axis. As a result, the object T becomes tilted in the output conveying path H, with its inner end rising higher than its outer end in the width direction. Therefore, if the object T is tilted, there is a concern that the two ends of the object T in the width direction may come into contact with the guide surfaces 19 and 21 of each guide 18, 20, causing the object T to become blocked in the output conveying path H. In contrast, in this example, by tilting one of the guide surfaces 21 upwards at an angle θ towards the outer side in the width direction of the conveying path, the tilt of the guide surface 20 can avoid the ends of the object T, thus preventing blockage. Furthermore, since the lower end of the guide surface 21 can be fixed at the same position as when the guide surface 21 is not tilted, thus... Figure 5 As shown by the double-dotted line, when the object T moves from the output port 25 to the transfer plate 50, the position of the object T in the width direction of the conveying path can be precisely limited by the lower edges of the two guide surfaces 19 and 21.

[0073] Therefore, according to the arrangement device 10 in this example, it is possible to suppress the positional deviation of the object T output from the output port 25 in the width direction of the conveying path, and at the same time, it is possible to prevent the object T from being blocked in the output conveying path H due to the rotation of the flange portion 13.

[0074] In this example, only the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is tilted, while the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 is a vertical surface.

[0075] According to this structure, object blockage caused by object T tilting inside the output conveying path H can be prevented more reliably. Specifically, before object T enters the output conveying path H, it is pressed and moved by the guide surface 17 of the outwardly guiding 16 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the flange 13. Therefore, object T entering the output conveying path H slides and moves in contact with the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20, which serves as the outer guide. In this state, if object T tilts, the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 firmly contacts the end of object T, causing blockage. Therefore, in this example, by tilting the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 at the aforementioned angle θ, sufficient clearance is ensured when object T tilts, effectively preventing blockage of object T. Furthermore, since the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 is a vertical surface, the guide surface 19 can be used as a reference surface, thereby making it easy to adjust the gap between the first side guide 18 and the second side guide 20 according to objects T of various width dimensions.

[0076] In addition, in this example, the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is formed in such a way that the tilt angle θ is fixed throughout the entire range of the conveying direction of the object T in the output conveying path H.

[0077] According to this structure, by tilting the guide surface 21 at the same angle throughout the entire range of the conveying direction of the object T in the output conveying path H, the guide surface 21 is easy to process, thereby reducing processing costs. Furthermore, tilting only the portion of the guide surface 21 located above the flange 13 would create a step on the guide surface 21. However, as shown in this example, by tilting the guide surface 21 throughout the entire range of the conveying direction in the output conveying path H, such a step that would obstruct the conveying of the object can be prevented.

[0078] Furthermore, in this example, the inclination angle θ of the guide surface 21 provided on the second side guide 20 relative to the vertical plane is set to 3° or more and 5° or less.

[0079] By setting the tilt angle θ of the guide surface 21 within such an angle range, it is possible to prevent the object T from getting stuck and to suppress the object T from deviating from its position in the width direction of the conveying path.

[0080] Other Implementation Methods

[0081] In the described embodiment, the object T is prevented from being blocked by tilting the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20, but this is not a limitation. For example, both the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 and the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 can be made vertically beforehand, so that the width of the output conveying path H narrows from the upstream side towards the downstream side in the conveying direction of the object T along the output conveying path H. In this case, the two guide surfaces 19 and 21 of the output conveying path H are tilted towards the downstream side and inwards towards each other when viewed from above.

[0082] According to this structure, in the upstream portion of the output conveying path H affected by the rotation of the flange 13, the width of the output conveying path H is made wider to ensure sufficient clearance when the object T tilts to the side. After the object T moves to the outside of the flange 13 (that is, the downstream portion of the output conveying path H), the width of the output conveying path H is narrowed, thereby precisely limiting the positional deviation of the object T output from the output port 25 in the conveying path width direction.

[0083] Furthermore, in the described embodiment, the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is formed with a fixed tilt angle θ regardless of the position of the object T in the conveying direction of the output conveying path H. However, it is not limited to this; for example, the tilt angle θ of the guide surface 21 may be reduced as it moves from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying direction. In this case, it is preferable that the tilt angle θ is set to 0° at the position of the output port 25.

[0084] According to this structure, in the upstream part of the output conveying path H affected by the rotation of the flange 13, the tilt angle θ of the guide surface 21 is set to be large, which fully ensures the clearance when the object T tilts to the side. After the object T moves to the outside of the flange 13 (that is, the downstream part of the output conveying path H), the tilt angle θ of the guide surface 21 is reduced as much as possible, thereby suppressing the position deviation of the object T output from the output port 25 in the width direction of the conveying path.

[0085] In the embodiment described, the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is formed at the angle θ over approximately the entire range of the conveying direction of the object T in the output conveying path H, but is not limited thereto. For example, the guide surface 21 may be inclined only in the portion located on the upper side of the flange portion 13.

[0086] In the embodiment described, in order to prevent the object T from tilting to the side, the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 is tilted, but it is not limited to this. For example, both the guide surface 21 of the second side guide 20 and the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 can be tilted to the outside in the direction of the width of the upper conveying path, or only the guide surface 19 of the first side guide 18 can be tilted to the outside in the direction of the width of the upper conveying path.

[0087] In the described embodiment, the rotary table 14 is arranged at an angle relative to the vertical axis, but it is not limited to this and can also be arranged horizontally. That is, as long as a rotary conveying device is provided, it can be of any structure, which has a rotary table that is circular when viewed from above and a horizontal rotary conveying surface arranged around the rotary table and rotating in the same direction as the rotary table.

[0088] This invention includes any combination of the various embodiments described above.

[0089] Furthermore, all aspects described above are illustrative and not restrictive. Suitable modifications and alterations can be made by those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is not shown by the above embodiments, but by the claims. Moreover, variations based on embodiments equivalent to the claims are included within the scope of the invention.

[0090] [Symbol Explanation]

[0091] H Output Conveyor

[0092] T object

[0093] θ angle

[0094] 10 Arrangement device

[0095] 13. Flange section (rotary conveyor surface, rotary conveyor device)

[0096] 14. Rotary worktable (rotary conveyor device)

[0097] 18 First side guide (inner guide section)

[0098] 19 Guide Surface

[0099] 20 Second side guide (outer guide section)

[0100] 21 Guide Surface

[0101] 24 Third upper guide (height limit section)

[0102] 25 Output Ports

Claims

1. An arrangement device, characterized in that, The arranging device arranges multiple objects into a row and outputs them from the output port. The arranging device comprises: A rotary conveyor having a rotary table that is circular when viewed from above and a horizontal rotary conveying surface that is arranged to surround the rotary table when viewed from above and rotates in the same direction as the rotary table, the rotary conveyor being configured to guide the object supplied to the upper surface of the rotary table onto the rotary conveying surface. A pair of guide portions, positioned near and above the rotating conveyor surface, form an output conveying path that guides the object onto the rotating conveyor surface toward the output port. The pair of guide portions consists of an outer guide portion located radially outward and an inner guide portion located radially inward, separated from the outer guide portion by a gap through which the object can pass. A height limiting section that limits the height of the output conveying path formed between the inner guide section and the outer guide section. The output conveying path is formed such that, when viewed from above, it extends along a direction intersecting the rotation direction of the rotating conveying surface, laterally cuts through the outer periphery of the rotating conveying surface, and reaches the output port. In at least the portion of the output conveying path located above the rotating conveying surface, the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined upward and outward in the width direction of the conveying path.

2. The arrangement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the output conveying path, of both the portion located above the rotating conveying surface and the portion located closer to the output port than the rotating conveying surface, the guide surface of at least one of the inner guide portion and the outer guide portion is inclined upwards and outwards in the width direction of the conveying path. The inclined guide surface is formed with a fixed inclination angle throughout the entire range of the conveying direction of the object in the output conveying path.

3. The arrangement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide surface of the outer guide portion is set as an inclined guide surface. The guiding surface of the inner guide portion is set as a vertical surface.

4. The arrangement device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide surface of the outer guide portion is set as the inclined guide surface. The guiding surface of the inner guide portion is set as a vertical surface.

5. The arranging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The angle of inclination of the inclined guide surface relative to the vertical plane is more than 3° and less than 5°.

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