Airflow control system for conveying objects and conveying device using the same

Abstract

The present application can realize a gas flow control mode corresponding to the condition of a conveyed object by configuring a supply mode capable of widely setting the pressure or flow rate of a gas flow according to the kind of the conveyed object, the conveying condition, the control mode for the conveyed object, and the like; and a gas flow control system includes a gas jet port connected to a gas flow path extending from a gas flow source and facing a conveying path, an opening / closing valve configured to be capable of opening and closing the gas flow path in an opening / closing mode corresponding to a drive waveform of a drive signal by receiving the drive signal, a conveyed object determination unit configured to determine based on a detection mode of a conveyed object detector that detects a conveyed object on the conveying path toward the gas jet port, and an opening / closing valve control drive unit configured to output a drive signal having a drive waveform corresponding to a determination result of the conveyed object determination unit and to be capable of performing opening and closing control of the opening / closing valve at a time when the conveyed object faces the gas jet port in a case where the determination result of the conveyed object determination unit is a result indicating that the conveyed object needs to be controlled by the gas flow control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an airflow control system for conveyed materials and a conveying device using the airflow control system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in conveying devices such as feeders, airflow, such as air, is sometimes blown onto the conveyed object along the conveying path to remove the object from the conveying path if it has an incorrect posture, or to cause the object to flip. The conveying surface of the conveying path is provided with jet nozzles for ejecting the aforementioned airflow. Depending on the positional relationship between the jet nozzles and the conveyed object, the object may be blown off the conveying path or rotated along the conveying path. As an airflow control system or conveying device that applies airflow to the conveyed object, the system or device described in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] In the aforementioned conveying device, an airflow path is generally established via an airflow piping system, such as a resin pipe, to supply airflow from an air supply source, such as an air compressor or air cylinder, to the aforementioned jet nozzle via an on / off valve. At this time, by installing a needle valve (throttle valve) in front of the on / off valve (on the air supply source side) and manually setting the amount of screw-in of the needle valve's needle, the air pressure supplied to the on / off valve or the airflow rate when the valve is opened can be adjusted. This needle valve is configured to control air pressure via the needle and can also be used as a speed controller.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-335487 Summary of the Invention

[0007] However, in the aforementioned existing conveying devices, due to the increasing demand for conveying micro-electronic components of millimeter or micrometer dimensions, or for high-speed delivery of conveyed materials, adjusting the pressure or flow rate of the airflow from the nozzle has become difficult. For example, insufficient airflow pressure or flow rate can lead to poor material screening as the conveyed materials may not be expelled or flipped. Conversely, excessive airflow pressure or flow rate can sometimes blow away or flip even materials before or after which airflow is not required, resulting in reduced material supply efficiency. In particular, in the case of vibrating conveyors such as feeders, the conveyed materials are transported under vibration, creating an unstable state, thus increasing the probability of problems arising from adjusting the airflow pressure or flow rate settings.

[0008] On the other hand, while considering adjusting the valve opening by proportionally controlling the driving voltage / current to regulate the airflow control pattern of the conveyed material, high-speed screening of such fine conveyed materials requires high-speed opening and closing of the valve. Therefore, such high-speed valves present the following problems: the airflow pattern experienced by the conveyed material cannot be accurately reproduced through proportional control of the valve opening, and a good airflow control pattern for the conveyed material may not be achieved. For example, although piezoelectric valves operate at high speeds, they possess temperature characteristics or hysteresis characteristics, making it difficult to achieve high-precision and reproducible airflow control of the conveyed material.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems. Its objective is to realize an airflow control mode that corresponds to the condition of the conveyed object by configuring the supply mode such as the pressure or flow rate of the airflow to be set in a wide range according to the type of conveyed object, the conveying conditions, the control mode relative to the conveyed object, etc.

[0010] To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention provides a conveying control system for a conveyed object transported along a conveying path by means of airflow control. The system comprises: a jet nozzle connected to an airflow path extending from an airflow source and facing the conveying path; an on / off valve configured to open and close the airflow path in an opening / closing mode corresponding to the driving waveform of a driving signal received from the airflow nozzle; a conveying object determination unit that determines the conveyed object on the conveying path facing the jet nozzle based on the detection mode of a conveying object detector, the conveying object detector detecting the conveyed object on the conveying path; and an on / off valve control drive unit configured to output a driving signal having the driving waveform corresponding to the determination result when the determination result of the conveying object determination unit indicates that the conveyed object needs to be controlled by airflow, and to control the opening and closing of the on / off valve according to the driving mode corresponding to the driving waveform when the conveyed object faces the jet nozzle.

[0011] According to the present invention, an on / off valve is opened and closed by a drive signal having a drive waveform corresponding to the determination result of the conveyed object, with an opening and closing mode corresponding to the drive waveform. Therefore, the mode of the airflow supplied along the airflow path can be controlled to correspond to the drive waveform corresponding to the determination result, and thus, the airflow control mode for the conveyed object can be set in a wide range according to the airflow mode suitable for the determination result. In this case, the relationship between the determination result and the drive waveform is preferably set to drive information preset according to the type of conveyed object, conveying conditions, and control mode relative to the conveyed object. This drive information (DAI) preferably has multiple drive element datasets (DAS). Here, each drive element dataset (DAS) contains multiple drive element data (DA) corresponding to the determination result (S). Furthermore, it is desirable to control the opening and closing of the on / off valve by the on / off valve control drive unit, so that an airflow waveform (V) corresponding to the drive waveform (W) of the drive signal (D) is blown from the jet nozzle to the conveyed object.

[0012] In this invention, it is preferable that when a specific determination result is obtained in the conveying determination unit, the opening / closing valve control drive unit does not output the drive signal according to the predetermined drive information. Here, it is desirable that the drive element data (DA) in the predetermined drive information (DAI) corresponding to the specific determination result (S) is drive element data in which the drive element of the drive waveform (W) is set to 0 (or invalid).

[0013] In this invention, the on / off valve control drive unit preferably includes: an on / off valve control unit that outputs a command signal matching the predetermined drive information and the time, the command signal including drive element data corresponding to the determination result; and an on / off valve drive unit that, upon receiving the command signal, outputs a drive signal having the drive waveform corresponding to the drive element data to drive the on / off valve. In this case, the on / off valve drive unit preferably includes: a drive waveform generation unit that generates the drive waveform corresponding to the drive element data; and a drive signal output unit that outputs the drive signal having the drive waveform to the on / off valve.

[0014] In this invention, the driving element data preferably represents a value that indicates the shape of the driving waveform. For example, such values ​​could be those indicating the height, time width, duty cycle, and number of pulses of the driving waveform.

[0015] In this invention, it is preferable to further include: an airflow pattern detector that detects the airflow pattern in the airflow path; and an on / off valve drive pattern correction unit that corrects the opening / closing control pattern of the on / off valve by the on / off valve control drive unit based on the detection pattern of the airflow pattern detector when the on / off valve is in the open state. In this case, it is desirable for the on / off valve drive pattern correction unit to correct the drive information (drive element dataset, or drive element data) based on the detection pattern of the airflow pattern detector when the on / off valve is in the open state. Furthermore, it is desirable for the airflow pattern detector to detect the airflow pattern in the airflow path between the on / off valve and the jet nozzle.

[0016] In this invention, the valve control drive unit is preferably configured to output a variety of drive signals whose time-dependent elements change according to the determination result. Here, the time-dependent elements of the drive signal refer to elements representing the temporal variation of the number of drive pulses, duty cycle, time width, etc. By changing the time-dependent elements of the drive signal, the temporal variation of the opening and closing state of the valve can be changed. Therefore, by adjusting the airflow from a viewpoint other than the airflow intensity (pressure or flow rate), the position or orientation of the conveyed object can be controlled more easily and precisely.

[0017] In this invention, the valve control drive unit is preferably configured to output a variety of drive signals whose intensity varies according to the determination result. Regardless of the aforementioned time-related factors, these signals can be directly changed into airflow pressure or flow rate; therefore, the intensity of the drive signal is the factor that maximizes the change in airflow pattern.

[0018] In this invention, the on / off valve is preferably a piezoelectric valve. Therefore, since the on / off state can be controlled / driven at high speed, it can easily handle high-speed or high-density conveying of materials.

[0019] Next, the conveying device according to the present invention preferably includes an airflow control system for the conveyed object and a conveying mechanism for conveying the conveyed object along the conveying path. In this case, it is preferable that the conveying mechanism conveys the conveyed object by vibrating the conveying path.

[0020] (Invention Effects)

[0021] According to the present invention, by configuring the valve to control the opening and closing of the valve via the valve control drive unit, the pressure or flow rate of the airflow can be set in a wide range according to the type of conveyed material, the conveying conditions, and the control mode relative to the conveyed material, thereby achieving the control mode of the airflow corresponding to the condition of the conveyed material, and ultimately preventing poor screening of the conveyed material or reduced supply efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a first embodiment of the airflow control system and conveying device for conveying materials according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 Figures (a)-(d) are explanatory diagrams showing the appearance of the conveyed object in each embodiment and the conveying posture corresponding to the determination result for the conveyed object.

[0024] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0025] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0026] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0027] Figure 6 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0028] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of drive signals (a) and airflow patterns (b) corresponding to each drive signal in each embodiment.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram representing the overall configuration example of the second embodiment.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a simplified flowchart illustrating the steps of the action procedure that can be used in each implementation.

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating an example of the steps of the opening / closing valve drive configuration correction unit used in the second embodiment.

[0033] Figure 12 These are schematic cross-sectional views (a) and side views (b) showing an example of a piezoelectric valve suitable as an on / off valve.

[0034] (Symbol Explanation)

[0035] 100… Conveying device (airflow control system for conveyed materials), 101… Airflow supply source, 102… Regulator, 103… Airflow piping, 104… On / off valve, 105… Airflow piping, 106… Airflow pattern detector, 109… Image acquisition device, 111… Control unit, 112… Storage unit, 113… Conveying controller, 114… Conveying drive unit, 115… Conveying material determination unit, 115a… Image processing unit, 115b… Determination output unit, 11… 6…Opening / closing valve brake drive unit, 116A…Opening / closing valve control unit, 1161…Drive information selection unit, 1162…Command signal output unit, 116B…Opening / closing valve drive unit, 1163…Drive waveform generation unit, 1164…Power supply unit, 1165…Drive signal output unit, DI…Drive information, Hv, Tm, Dt, Np…Drive element dataset, 120…Conveying mechanism, 120a…Airflow channel, 121…Conveying path, 122…Jet nozzle Detailed Implementation

[0036] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 Here, an overall configuration example of the first embodiment of the airflow control system and conveying device for conveying materials according to the present invention will be described. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram representing the overall configuration example of this embodiment. Figure 2 Figures (a)-(d) are explanatory diagrams showing examples of conveyors that are objects of airflow control in this embodiment.

[0037] The conveying device 100 of this embodiment has an airflow control system for the conveyed object. This airflow control system is used in a conveying mechanism 120 configured to convey the conveyed object P along a conveying path 121 (conveying surfaces 121a, 121b). The conveying mechanism 120 is configured, for example, by a feeder or linear feeder known as a vibrating conveying device, and detailed illustrations are omitted. In the example shown, an example is shown in which air jets 122 are respectively opened on a portion of the conveying surface 121 in a conveying path 121, and the conveying position or conveying posture of the conveyed object P is controlled by the airflow blown from the air jets 122. The conveying mechanism 120 is configured to convey the conveyed object P along the conveying path 121 by controlling the drive of the conveying drive unit 114 using a conveying controller 113. In this embodiment, an electromagnetic drive or a piezoelectric drive is used as the conveying drive unit 114, and the conveyed object P on the conveying path 121 is moved forward by vibrating the conveying path 121 at a predetermined vibration frequency, amplitude, and vibration direction. The conveying controller 113 is controlled by the control unit 111 that manages the entire conveying device 100.

[0038] The airflow control system for the conveyed material in this embodiment forms an airflow path consisting of the following components: an airflow supply source (airflow source) 101 for supplying compressed air, such as an air compressor or an air storage cylinder; a regulator 102 for controlling the airflow pressure; an airflow piping 103 connected to the regulator 102; an on / off valve 104 connected to the airflow piping 103, such as a solenoid valve or a piezoelectric valve; an airflow piping 105 connected to the on / off valve 104; and an airflow channel 120a connected to the airflow piping 105 and formed on the conveying block of the conveying path 121 constituting the conveying mechanism 120. In this airflow path, the airflow pattern is controlled according to the opening and closing state of the on / off valve 104, and the airflow blowing pattern of the outlet of the airflow channel 120a, i.e., the jet nozzle 122, relative to the conveyed material P is defined. The airflow pattern in this airflow path refers to the time-dependent variation of the airflow, such as the airflow pressure, airflow flow rate, airflow velocity, and airflow duration.

[0039] As the aforementioned on / off valve 104, it is preferable to use an on / off valve capable of high-speed opening and closing, and particularly preferable to use a piezoelectric valve that utilizes the deformation of a piezoelectric element to open or close the airflow path. For example, in Figure 12 In the piezoelectric valve 134 shown, a support body 134d and a piezoelectric element 134f are provided within the housing 134a. The support body 134d is housed and fixed in an internal space 134c communicating with the inlet 134b. The two ends of the piezoelectric element 134f are connected to a pair of tilting arms 134e. The tilting arms 134e are supported on the piezoelectric element 134f and the support body 134d in a tilting manner. The pair of tilting arms 134e respectively hold the valve core 134h via an elastic body 134g. The tilting arms 134e and the elastic body 134g constitute the displacement amplification mechanism of the piezoelectric element 134f, driving the valve core 134h. The pair of tilting arms 134e tilt inward and outward by the extension and retraction of the piezoelectric element 134f generated by the voltage supplied from the drive unit 134DR, thereby moving the valve core 134h via the elastic body 134g, thereby opening or closing the outlet 134i of the internal space 134c.

[0040] Furthermore, the on / off valve 104 is not limited to an on / off valve that can actually close the airflow path; it is acceptable as long as it can achieve the same state as when it is actually closed. For example, it can also be configured such that the airflow path is configured to open to the outside (atmosphere), and when open, the airflow flows to the outside (atmosphere), making it difficult for the airflow to flow to the downstream side of the airflow path.

[0041] On the other hand, an image acquisition device 109, such as a camera, is provided at the transport item detection section adjacent to the upstream side of the transport surface 121b where the air jet 122 is provided on the transport path 121. The image acquisition device 109 takes a picture of the transport item P at the transport item detection section and transmits the image to the transport item determination unit 115. In the transport item determination unit 115, the image processing unit 115a performs image processing on the image to determine whether the transport item P is good or bad, its transport posture, etc. For example, image binarization, edge extraction, pattern forming processing, etc. The determination output unit 115b outputs a determination result S based on the information obtained through the image processing. The determination result S indicates whether the transport item P is a good or bad product, whether it is in a normal or abnormal transport posture, and which of the multiple transport postures it is in. The determination result S is output to the on / off valve control drive unit 116. The on / off valve control drive unit 116 can output a drive signal D corresponding to the determination result S to the on / off valve 104, thereby controlling the on / off valve 104 to achieve the on / off state corresponding to the determination result S. The on / off state referred to here includes the valve opening degree, opening time, and time-varying changes in the valve opening degree of the on / off valve 104.

[0042] As the control device in this embodiment, it includes a control unit 111 equipped with an arithmetic processing unit such as an MPU (microprocessor unit), and a storage unit 112 that stores drive information DAI containing various drive element datasets DAS described later. The control unit 111 manages the entire airflow control system for the conveyed material. This control unit 111 also controls the conveying mechanism 120 as needed via the conveying controller 113. The storage unit 112 is composed of various memory devices and stores drive information DAI, which represents the drive mode of the opening and closing valve 104, which is preset according to the type of conveyed material, conveying conditions, and airflow control mode relative to the conveyed material. This drive information DAI includes multiple drive element datasets DAS corresponding to the drive waveform W of the drive signal D. More specifically, the drive element dataset DAS is, for example, a collection of data (drive element data DA) used to define the drive waveform of the opening and closing valve based on the type of the conveyed object P (values ​​representing product number, size, shape, weight, density, etc.), conveying conditions (drive frequency, drive voltage, conveying speed, conveying density, etc. of the conveying mechanism 120), the control mode of airflow on the conveyed object P (changes in conveying posture such as removing the conveyed object P from the conveying path 121, flipping the conveyed object P, etc. (including the amount of change in angle), etc.), and the airflow blowing conditions relative to the conveyed object P (opening size, opening shape, opening position, opening height, opening orientation, etc. of the jet nozzle of the conveyed object P on the conveying path). The drive element dataset DAS also includes multiple drive element data DAs corresponding to the multiple determination results S output by the conveyed object determination unit 115.

[0043] Figure 2 Figures (a)-(d) illustrate the conveying posture of the conveyed item P determined by the conveyed item determination unit 115 of this embodiment. In this embodiment, a method is shown to unify the four postures of the conveyed item P on the conveying path 121 into a single posture. Figure 2 As shown in (a), the standard conveying posture P0 is used as the objective, and airflow is blown from the jet nozzle 122 to... Figure 2 Examples of modifications to other conveying postures P1-P3 shown in (b)-(d). Furthermore, since the conveyed object P is configured as a cuboid, if the forward and backward posture in the conveying direction on the conveying path 121 is also taken into account, there are a total of eight conveying postures. However, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the forward and backward posture in the conveying direction of the conveyed object P is controlled at other locations on the conveying path 121.

[0044] Electrode portions Pa and Pb are provided at both ends of the conveying direction of the conveyed object P. One side of the side portion Pc between the electrode portions Pa and Pb has a marking portion Pd with an appearance different from the other surfaces. The image acquisition device 109 is configured to capture images of the two remaining sides of the side portion Pc, excluding the two sides that face the conveying surfaces 121a and 121b of the conveying path 121. The standard conveying posture P0 is as follows: Figure 2 The marking Pd shown in (a) is displayed on the side of the conveying surface 121b. Other conveying postures P1 are as follows: Figure 2 The marking Pd shown in (b) is present on the side of the side portion Pc opposite to the conveying surface 121b. This posture is determined when the marking Pd is not displayed on either of the two sides of the side portion Pc that are not opposite to the conveying surfaces 121a and 121b, and the side edge Pds of the marking Pd can be identified by the image acquisition device 109 on the side of the conveying surface 121b. Furthermore, other conveying postures P2 are as follows... Figure 2 The marking Pd shown in (c) is present on the side of the side portion Pc opposite to the conveying surface 121a. This posture is determined when the marking Pd is not displayed on either of the two sides of the side portion Pc that are not opposite to the conveying surfaces 121a and 121b, and the side edge Pdt of the marking Pd can be identified by the image acquisition device 109 on the side of the conveying surface 121a. Other conveying postures P3 are as follows... Figure 2 The marking part Pd shown in (d) exists in the side portion Pc in a posture that exposes the side of the conveying surface 121a. When the marking part Pd appears in the side portion Pc on the side of the conveying surface 121a, which is one of the two sides that are not opposite to the conveying surfaces 121a and 121b, this posture is determined. In addition, the remaining four conveying postures (when the front and rear orientations of the conveying direction are opposite) other than the four postures P0-P3 mentioned above are collectively referred to as P4.

[0045] The transport object determination unit 115 receives processing data stored in the storage unit 112 from the control unit 111, and enables the image acquisition device 109 to operate based on the processing data. Furthermore, the image processing unit 115a processes the image captured by the image acquisition device 109 according to a predetermined processing mode. Additionally, the determination output unit 115b outputs a determination result S corresponding to the transport posture P0-P4 of the transport object P based on the information obtained from the image processing unit 115a. For example, when the transport object P is in transport posture P0, the determination result S is "0"; when the transport object P is in transport posture P1, the determination result S is "1"; when the transport object P is in transport posture P2, the determination result S is "2"; when the transport object P is in transport posture P3, the determination result S is "3"; and when the transport object P is in transport posture P4, the determination result S is "4". The determination result S can be a numerical value (number), or other text or symbols, without particular limitation. Furthermore, the determination result S may not all be related to the same characteristic. For example, in this embodiment, the case of multiple conveying postures that are not any of the above-described conveying postures P0-P3 is set as "4". Alternatively, the determination method based on the above-described conveying posture can be replaced, or the determination method can be based on other viewpoints besides the conveying posture, such as whether the conveyed item is damaged or whether it is a good or defective product.

[0046] The valve control drive unit 116 receives drive information DI stored in the storage unit 112 from the control unit 111. The drive information selection unit 1161 selects drive element data DA corresponding to the determination result S output from the transport determination unit 115 based on the drive information DI. The determination result S and the drive element data DA are correlated with each other in a predetermined correspondence. The drive element dataset DAS included in the drive information DI is at least one of a plurality of parameters representing the drive waveform W, and each drive element dataset DAS contains a plurality of drive element data DA corresponding to a plurality of determination results S. For example, the drive element dataset DAS(Hv) is composed of a plurality of data DA(Hv) representing the height of the drive waveform W. In addition, the drive element dataset DAS(Tm) is composed of a plurality of data DA(Tm) representing the time width of the drive waveform W. Furthermore, the drive element dataset DAS(Dt) is composed of a plurality of data DA(Dt) representing the duty cycle of the drive waveform W. In addition, the drive element dataset DAS(Np) is composed of a plurality of data DA(Np) representing the number of drive pulses of the drive waveform W. The drive element dataset (DAS) used simultaneously can be one or more. The command signal output unit 1162 outputs a command signal C for the selected drive element dataset (DAS), and the command signal C contains the drive element data (DA) corresponding to the determination result S output from the transport determination unit 115. The drive information selection unit 1161 and the command signal output unit 1162 are equivalent to the on / off valve control unit 116A.

[0047] The aforementioned command signal C is input to the drive waveform generation unit 1163 of the valve opening / closing drive unit 116B. The drive waveform generation unit 1163 generates a drive waveform W based on the drive element data contained in the command signal C. An example of this drive waveform W is shown in... Figures 3 to 8 In addition, in Figures 3 to 8In the examples shown, it is assumed that the following conditions apply: conveying posture P0 is a standard conveying posture that does not require airflow control; conveying posture P1 rotates 90 degrees by airflow; conveying posture P2 rotates 180 degrees by airflow; conveying posture P3 rotates 270 degrees by airflow; and conveying posture P4 is discharged from the conveying path 121 by airflow. The blowing pattern of the airflow that rotates the conveyed object P, or the blowing pattern of the airflow that discharges the conveyed object P, is related to the intensity (pressure, flow rate, etc.) and duration of the airflow. Depending on the situation, it may also be related to the time-varying pattern of the airflow other than these. The drive waveform W is output to the drive signal output unit 1165, which is composed of an analog amplifier, etc. The drive signal output unit 1165 uses the power supplied from the power supply unit 1164 to form a drive signal D in a manner that is based on the signal pattern of the drive waveform W described above. As described above, the on / off valve control drive unit 116 adjusts the drive signal D according to the drive element data DA or the drive element dataset DAS, and outputs it to the on / off valve 104. Furthermore, the output timing of the drive signal D corresponds to the output timing of the command signal C. Moreover, the output timing of the command signal C is preset or adjusted so that the output timing of the drive signal D coincides with the timing when the transport object to be determined is positioned facing the jet nozzle 122.

[0048] Figure 3 In section (a), the driving signal D corresponds to each driving waveform W when the judgment result S = 1-4 is selected with the driving element dataset DAS(Hv). For example, the driving element data DA(Hv) is set to 0 when the judgment result S = 0 (conveyor posture P0), DA(Hv) = 20 when S = 1 (P1), DA(Hv) = 30 when S = 2 (P2), DA(Hv) = 40 when S = 3 (P3), and DA(Hv) = 100 when S = 4 (other). In this example, the driving element data DA(Hv) is increased or decreased according to the judgment result S, thereby increasing or decreasing the height of the driving waveform W, i.e., the voltage value Hv of the driving signal D. Moreover, the result is changed by the opening and closing action of the opening and closing valve 104, corresponding to the opening and closing state of the opening and closing valve 104. Figure 3 The pressure P of the airflow shown in (b) is increased or decreased. The on / off valve 104 controls the drive unit 116 to drive the drive signal D output from the drive element data DA. In the example shown, since only the drive element dataset DAS(Hv) is selected, the time width Tm of the drive signal D is fixed, the duty cycle Dt is 1, and the number of drive pulses Np is also 1, as an initial value associated with the unselected drive element dataset. Furthermore, when the determination result S = 0 at the delivery posture P0, the drive element data DA(Hv) = 0, therefore, the drive signal D itself with the drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then... Figure 3As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to a shape corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, the airflow intensity (pressure) P of the airflow waveform V corresponds to the height of the drive waveform W, and the height of the drive waveform W corresponds to the value of the drive element data Hv. However, in this example, based on the determination result, in addition to the drive element data DA (Hv), the time-related elements such as the number of drive pulses, the duty cycle of the drive signal, and the time width of the drive signal, which will be described later, can also be changed. Furthermore, the drive waveform W or drive signal D can be appropriately formed based on the drive element dataset DAS, which is formed by appropriately combining the above-mentioned various drive element data DA, as described below. Figures 4 to 8 The same applies to the examples shown.

[0049] Figure 4 In Figure (a), the drive signal D corresponds to each drive waveform W when the decision result S = 1-4 is selected for the drive element dataset DAS(Tm). For example, the drive element data DA(Tm) is set to 0 when the decision result S = 0 (conveyor posture P0), DA(Tm) = 20 when S = 1 (P1), DA(Tm) = 30 when S = 2 (P2), DA(Tm) = 40 when S = 3 (P3), and DA(Tm) = 100 when S = 4 (other). In the example, since only the drive element dataset DAS(Tm) is selected, the height Hv of the drive signal D is fixed, the duty cycle Dt is 1, and the number of drive pulses Np is also 1, as the initial value associated with the unselected drive element dataset. Furthermore, when the decision result S = 0 at conveyor posture P0, the drive element data DA(Tm) = 0, so the drive signal D itself with drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then as shown in the figure... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to the shape corresponding to the driving signal D. That is, the duration of the airflow in the airflow waveform V corresponds to the time width of the driving waveform W, which corresponds to the value of the driving element data DA(Tm).

[0050] Figure 5In Figure (a), the drive signal D corresponds to each drive waveform W when the decision result S = 1-4 is selected for the drive element dataset DAS(Dt). For example, the drive element data DA(Dt) is set to 0 when the decision result S = 0 (conveyor posture P0), DA(Dt) = 20 when S = 1 (P1), DA(Dt) = 30 when S = 2 (P2), DA(Dt) = 40 when S = 3 (P3), and DA(Dt) = 90 when S = 4 (other). In the example, since only the drive element dataset DAS(Dt) is selected, the height Hv of the drive signal D is a fixed value, and the number of drive pulses Np is 3, as the initial value associated with the unselected drive element dataset. Furthermore, when the decision result S = 0 at conveyor posture P0, the drive element data DA(Dt) = 0, so the drive signal D itself with drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then as shown in the figure... Figure 5 As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to the shape corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, the intensity (pressure) or duration of the airflow in the airflow waveform V corresponds to the duty cycle of the drive waveform W, which corresponds to the value of the drive element data DA(Dt).

[0051] Figure 6 In diagram (a), the drive signal D corresponds to each drive waveform W when the decision result S = 1-4 is selected for the drive element dataset DAS(Np). For example, the drive element data DA(Np) is set to 0 when the decision result S = 0 (conveyor posture P0), DA(Np) = 3 when S = 1 (P1), DA(Np) = 6 when S = 2 (P2), DA(Np) = 9 when S = 3 (P3), and DA(Np) = 12 when S = 4 (other). In the example diagram, since only the drive element dataset DAS(Np) is selected, the height Hv of the drive signal D is a fixed value, and the duty cycle Dt is also a fixed value, as an initial value associated with the unselected drive element dataset. Furthermore, when the decision result S = 0 at conveyor posture P0, the drive element data DA(Np) = 0, so the drive signal D itself with drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then... Figure 6 As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to the shape corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, the intensity (pressure) or duration of the airflow in the airflow waveform V corresponds to the number of drive pulses in the drive waveform W, which corresponds to the value of the drive element data DA(Np).

[0052] Figure 7In diagram (a), the driving signal D corresponds to each driving waveform W when the judgment results S = 1-4 are selected with driving element datasets DAS(Hv) and DAS(Tm). For example, when the judgment result S = 0 (conveyor posture P0), the driving element data DA(Hv) = 0 and DA(Tm) = 0; when S = 1 (P1), DA(Hv) = 40 and DA(Tm) = 60; when S = 2 (P2), DA(Hv) = 60 and DA(Tm) = 70; when S = 3 (P3), DA(Hv) = 80 and DA(Tm) = 90; and when S = 4 (other), DA(Hv) = 100 and DA(Tm) = 100. In this example, the driving element data DA(Hv) and DA(Tm) are increased or decreased together according to the judgment result S, so that the height and time width of the driving waveform W, i.e., the voltage value Hv and time width Tm of the driving signal D, are increased or decreased together. Furthermore, the result is that the opening and closing action of the on / off valve 104 corresponds to the opening and closing state of the on / off valve 104, thereby causing Figure 3 The pressure P of the airflow shown in (b) is increased or decreased, wherein the on / off valve 104 is driven by the on / off valve control drive unit 116 according to the drive signal D output by the drive element dataset DAS. In the example shown, since only the drive element datasets DAS(Hv) and DAS(Tm) are selected, the number of drive pulses Np of the drive signal D is 1 as an initial value associated with the unselected drive element datasets. Furthermore, when the determination result S = 0 at the delivery posture P0, the drive element data DA(Hv) = 0 and DA(Tm) = 0, so the drive signal D itself with the drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then as Figure 7 As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to the shape corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, the intensity (pressure) or duration of the airflow in the airflow waveform V corresponds to the height or time width of the drive waveform W, which corresponds to the values ​​of the drive element data DA(Hv) or DA(Tm).

[0053] Figure 8In Figure (a), the driving signal D corresponds to each driving waveform W when the decision results S = 1-4 are selected for the driving element datasets DAS(Hv) and DAS(Dt). For example, when the decision result S = 0 (transport posture P0), the driving element data DA(Hv) = 0 and DA(Dt) = 0; when S = 1 (P1), DA(Hv) = 50 and DA(Dt) = 20; when S = 2 (P2), DA(Hv) = 70 and DA(Dt) = 30; when S = 3 (P3), DA(Hv) = 85 and DA(Dt) = 40; and when S = 4 (other), DA(Hv) = 100 and DA(Dt) = 90. In the example figure, since only the driving element datasets DAS(Hv) and DAS(Dt) are selected, the number of driving pulses Np of the driving signal D is a fixed value (3) as the initial value associated with the unselected driving element datasets. Furthermore, when the determination result S = 0 at the conveying posture P0, the drive element data DA(Hv) = 0 and DA(Dt) = 0, therefore, the drive signal D with the drive waveform W is not output. If these drive signals D are provided to the on / off valve 104, then as Figure 8 As shown in (b), the shape of the airflow in the airflow path (airflow waveform V) changes to the shape corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, the intensity (pressure) or duration of the airflow in the airflow waveform V corresponds to the height and duty cycle of the drive waveform W, which in turn corresponds to the values ​​of the drive element data DA(Hv) and DA(Dt).

[0054] Furthermore, when the aforementioned driving element datasets (DAS) are selected, the initial values ​​of other unselected driving element datasets are preset and stored in the storage unit 112, etc. These initial values ​​are read as needed when the specified driving element dataset (DAS) is selected, in order to determine conditions other than the selected driving element dataset. Of course, even for unselected driving element datasets, initial values ​​that are not needed when generating the driving waveform W are not required.

[0055] As described above, the on / off valve control drive unit 116 generates a drive waveform W based on the drive element data DA corresponding to the determination result S from one or more drive element datasets DAS selected from the drive information DAI, and outputs a drive signal D having the drive waveform W to the on / off valve 104. This forms the airflow pattern (airflow waveform V) of the airflow path through the on / off valve 104, thereby achieving an airflow control pattern for the transported object P corresponding to the determination result S of the transported object P by blowing airflow from the jet nozzle 122 to the transported object P. Here, the airflow waveform V is an airflow pattern that includes the time variation of the airflow. Therefore, unlike the conventional case where the valve opening of the on / off valve 104 can only be (proportional) controlled by the value of the drive voltage or drive current, the on / off valve 104 can achieve a wide range of airflow patterns (airflow waveform V) corresponding to the drive waveform W by using the drive signal D having the drive waveform W corresponding to the determination result S. Therefore, an on / off valve control drive unit 116 as in this embodiment and an on / off valve 104 as in this embodiment are required. The on / off valve control drive unit 116 has the function of generating a drive waveform W based on drive element data DA corresponding to the determination result S, and the on / off valve 104 can form an airflow pattern (airflow waveform V) that includes a time-dependent element corresponding to the drive waveform W of the drive signal D.

[0056] However, when a piezoelectric valve is used for the on / off valve 104 as described above, due to the fast response of the piezoelectric valve, it is sometimes difficult to achieve the desired opening / closing configuration through the opening / closing action of the on / off valve 104 corresponding to the drive signal D. That is, sometimes it is impossible to achieve the change in airflow pressure P corresponding to the drive waveform W of the drive signal D, for example, airflow overshoot occurs during the rising edge of the drive signal D, etc. In addition, even if it is not a piezoelectric valve, the same problem may sometimes occur depending on the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104. In such cases, when the drive waveform W is generated in advance based on the drive element data, and the command signal C is output considering the responsiveness of the on / off valve 104 and other drive characteristics, the drive waveform generation unit 1163 corrects (shapes) the drive waveform W based on waveform correction data when generating the drive waveform W from the drive element data DA. This waveform correction data is preset according to the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104. Alternatively, a digital filter or the like can be used to shape the drive waveform W formed based on the drive element data DA. Furthermore, when outputting the drive signal D based on the drive waveform W, or supplying the drive signal D to the on / off valve 104, the signal waveform can be corrected using circuit constants, etc., instead of the aforementioned waveform correction data, to make it a drive signal D corresponding to the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104. In this way, the on / off valve 104 can be driven appropriately without complicating the command signal C or increasing the data volume of the command signal C. However, the command signal output unit 1162 can also be configured to output a command signal C that includes the aforementioned drive input data DA and waveform correction data corresponding to the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104. In the drive waveform generation unit 1163, a drive waveform W that has been corrected using both the drive element data DA and the aforementioned waveform correction data can also be generated. Furthermore, the unit that corrects (shapes) the drive waveform W or drive signal D based on the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104 as described above is described below. Figure 9 The second embodiment shown can also be configured in the same way.

[0057] Next, refer to Figure 9The second embodiment will be described. This second embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment described above and operates substantially the same way; therefore, descriptions of the same configuration and its operation are omitted. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that it includes an airflow pattern detector 106 and an opening / closing valve drive pattern correction unit 1166. The airflow pattern detector 106 detects the airflow pattern in the airflow path, and the opening / closing valve drive pattern correction unit 1166 corrects the opening / closing control pattern of the opening / closing valve 104 by the opening / closing valve control drive unit 116 based on the detection value of the airflow pattern detector 106 when the opening / closing valve 104 is in the open state. In this embodiment, the control unit 111 detects the airflow pattern (airflow waveform V) in the airflow path when the opening / closing valve 104 is in the open state based on the detection signal T from the airflow pattern detector 106, and derives the correction content of the drive element dataset DAS or drive element data DA based on the airflow pattern. Furthermore, as... Figure 9 As shown, the valve drive configuration correction unit 1166 corrects the drive element dataset DAS, which may be included in the command signal C output by the command signal output unit 1162, or the specified drive element data DA in the drive element dataset DAS that corresponds to the determination result S. Furthermore, instead of the command signal C containing the specified drive element data DA, it outputs a command signal C′ containing the corrected drive element data DA′ obtained by correcting the specified drive element data DA. The drive waveform generation unit 1163 generates a drive waveform W′ corresponding to the correction based on the command signal C′, and the drive signal output unit 1165 outputs a drive signal D′ corresponding to the correction. Thus, a drive signal D′ that matches the shape of the airflow in the actual airflow path is obtained, thereby correcting the shape of the airflow blown from the nozzle 122 to the conveyor P to a more suitable shape.

[0058] Furthermore, the valve drive mode correction unit only needs to output a drive signal D′ that has the drive waveform W′ corrected according to the detection signal T. Therefore, the valve drive mode correction unit of the present invention may also differ from the valve drive mode correction unit 1166 described above, and may be configured to correct the drive element data DA in the valve control unit 116A before the output command signal C′, or to correct the drive waveform W or drive signal D in the valve drive unit 116B.

[0059] In this embodiment, as illustrated in the figure, as a preferred example, the airflow pattern detector 106 is configured to detect the airflow pattern within the airflow piping 105 between the on / off valve 104 and the jet nozzle 122 (airflow channel 120a). This allows for more accurate detection of the airflow pattern corresponding to the opening / closing state of the on / off valve 104. However, it could also be configured to detect the airflow pattern within the airflow channel 120a or near the jet nozzle 122. Furthermore, although indirect, the pressure, flow rate, and velocity of the airflow flowing in the jet nozzle 122 can be inferred from the pressure or flow rate variation pattern upstream of the airflow path corresponding to the opening / closing state of the on / off valve 104. Therefore, the airflow pattern detector 106 could also be configured to detect the airflow pattern in the airflow piping 103 upstream of the on / off valve 104.

[0060] Figure 10 This is a simplified flowchart illustrating the processing steps of the action program executed by the control unit 111 in each of the above embodiments. Furthermore, the control unit 111 is not limited to using an MPU as the processing unit as in this embodiment; various hardware configurations can be employed. It should be understood that regardless of the hardware configuration, Figure 10 All of these represent the general operating procedures of the control unit 111.

[0061] First, the control unit 111 stands by until an input is made to the operation unit (operation panel and other input units not shown) (step 141). When there is an operation input related to the type of conveyed object P, the conveying conditions (drive frequency, conveying speed, etc.), the structure of the conveying path 121 (whether the conveying surface is flat or concave), the airflow control mode relative to the conveyed object P (flipping or rejection, flipping angle, etc.), and the airflow blowing conditions relative to the conveyed object P (opening area of ​​the jet nozzle, height position, etc.), one or more drive element datasets DAS (such as DAS(Hv), DAS(Tm), DAS(Dt), DAS(Np), etc.) corresponding to the operation input are retrieved from the drive information DAI stored in the storage unit 112 and output to the on / off valve control drive unit 116 (step 143). At this time, the control unit 111 can also automatically select the drive element dataset DAS (automatically input the input signal corresponding to the above operation input) based on the configuration conditions of the control drive unit 116 of the pre-registered output destination opening and closing valve (e.g., the airflow control mode or airflow blowing conditions relative to the conveyed object P).

[0062] Next, the valve control drive unit 116 selects one or more drive element datasets DAS from the drive information DAI, and sets itself to retrieve drive element data DA from the selected drive element dataset DAS that corresponds to the determination result S output by the transport object determination unit 115. Finally, it outputs a drive signal D with a drive waveform W corresponding to the determination result S based on the drive element data DA (step 144). Then, it stands by before starting the transport process of the transport object by an input signal such as a linkage signal or operation input output from the transport mechanism 120 (step 145). When the transport process starts, the transport object determination unit 115 processes the image captured by the image acquisition device 109 (step 146), determines the transport object P, and outputs a determination result S (step 147). Here, the valve control drive unit 116, having received the determination result S, retrieves the drive element data DA corresponding to the determination result S. At this time, when airflow control of the conveyed item P is required based on the drive element data DA (when conveying postures P1-P4) (step 148), a drive signal D with a drive waveform W is output based on the drive element data DA (step 149). The opening and closing valve 104 is activated by the opening and closing control corresponding to the drive signal D, and airflow is blown from the jet nozzle 122, thereby controlling the position or posture of the conveyed item P. Then, as long as the conveying process is not finished, the same determination process is repeated for the next conveyed item P. When the determination result S is that airflow control of the conveyed item P is not required (when conveying posture P0), as long as the conveying process of the conveyed item is not finished, the same determination process is directly repeated for the next conveyed item. When the conveying process is finished (step 150), as long as no stop signal is output from the conveying mechanism 120 or no stop operation input is made, the system returns to the standby state of the operation input. In addition, the above processing steps are also performed when the airflow pattern detector 106 is provided. When the system finally stops (step 151), the processing ends. On the other hand, if the system does not stop, it returns to the initial standby state (step 141).

[0063] Figure 11This is a simplified flowchart illustrating the additional steps in the second embodiment of the above-described operation procedure, where the airflow pattern detector 106 and the valve-opening / closing drive pattern correction unit 1166 are used, and the valve-opening / closing valve 104 is driven by a drive signal D′ corrected based on the detection signal T. The control unit 111 determines whether the drive element dataset DAS needs correction based on the drive signal D when the valve-opening / closing valve 104 is in the open state, i.e., the aforementioned drive element dataset DAS, and the detection signal T of the airflow pattern detector 106 at this time. If correction of the drive element dataset DAS is required, the control unit 111 derives the correction content. Specifically, the control unit 111 obtains detection information (values) of the airflow pattern, including pressure, flow rate, velocity, duration, etc., representing the airflow path, from the detection signal T when the valve-opening / closing valve 104 is in the open state due to the drive signal D output by the valve-opening / closing control drive unit 116, and determines how to correct the drive element data based on this detection information. For example, in the case of drive element datasets DAS(Hv), DAS(Tm), DAS(Dt), and DAS(Np), when it is determined from the relationship between the drive signal D and the detection information that the difference between the detection information and the benchmark assumed based on the drive signal D is greater than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 111 determines that the drive element dataset DAS needs to be corrected, and corrects the drive element dataset DAS accordingly. Based on this, the command signal C is changed to the command signal C′ according to the drive element data DA′ corrected in the valve drive mode correction unit 1166. As a result, the drive signal generation unit 1163 generates the drive waveform W′, and the drive signal output unit 1165 outputs the drive signal D′. Furthermore, the correction target may not be the entire drive element dataset DAS, but only the drive element data DA corresponding to the output judgment result S. Additionally, the correction target may not be the drive element data DA, but any one of the command signal C, the drive waveform W, or the drive signal D.

[0064] According to the embodiments described above, the control unit 111 selects a driving element dataset based on the driving information DI, the on / off valve control unit 116A generates command signals C and C' containing the driving element data corresponding to the determination result S, and the on / off valve drive unit 116B provides driving signals D and D' having driving waveforms W and W' corresponding to the driving element data to the on / off valve 104, thereby forming an airflow pattern corresponding to the driving waveforms W and W'. Therefore, since a wide range of airflow patterns corresponding to the type of transported material P, the structure of the transport path 121, and the airflow control pattern relative to the transported material P can be realized, poor screening of the transported material or reduced supply efficiency can be prevented.

[0065] In particular, in the second embodiment, the opening and closing valve can drive the shape correction unit 1166 to generate a command signal C′, a drive waveform W′ or a drive signal D′ that is corrected according to the detection signal T of the airflow shape detector 106. Therefore, the shape of the airflow corresponding to the situation can be made more suitable, and the airflow control shape of the conveyed material can be further improved.

[0066] Furthermore, when using a high-speed and fast-response valve structure as the on / off valve 104, it is sometimes difficult to ensure the accuracy or reproducibility of the airflow pattern, i.e., the pressure, flow rate, and velocity of the airflow blown from the jet port 122 to the conveyed material P. In particular, while a high-speed response piezoelectric valve can handle high-speed and high-density conveying mechanisms 120, conventional piezoelectric valves have the problem that it is difficult to accurately and reproducibly set the airflow pattern for controlling the conveyed material's airflow based on differences in temperature characteristics or hysteresis characteristics. However, in this embodiment, by using a drive signal D that drives the on / off valve 104 with a drive waveform W based on one or more drive element datasets DAS, the on / off control pattern of the on / off valve 104 can be set over a wide range, thus providing the advantage of being able to accurately and reproducibly set the airflow pattern for controlling the conveyed material's airflow.

[0067] In particular, in the second embodiment, since the drive element data, drive waveform W, drive signal D, etc., can be corrected based on the detection signal T of the airflow pattern detector 106, the airflow control of the conveyed material can be performed more accurately and with good reproducibility. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the accuracy or reproducibility of the opening state of the on / off valve 104 can sometimes be affected by the airflow pattern (pressure or flow rate) or temperature of the airflow path, the shape of the drive signal, etc. In particular, in on / off valves capable of high-speed operation, such as piezoelectric valves, the opening area in the open state varies depending on the pressure or flow rate of the airflow path, ambient temperature, drive voltage, drive current, opening and closing speed, etc., therefore, it is impossible to accurately and reproducibly achieve the correct airflow pattern blown from the jet nozzle 122. In such cases, as described above, by correcting the drive pattern using the on / off valve drive pattern correction unit 1166, the influence of the on / off valve can be eliminated.

[0068] In the above embodiments, an airflow filter may be formed in the air supply path (airflow piping 105) closer to the downstream side of the on / off valve 104, either together with or instead of the correction (shaping) of the drive waveform W or drive signal D required according to the drive characteristics of the on / off valve 104. This airflow filter refers to a ventilation structure element that influences the airflow in the airflow path provided from the outlet of the on / off valve 104 to the airflow channel 120a or the jet nozzle 122, so that, according to the opening and closing pattern generated by the opening and closing action of the on / off valve 104 based on the drive signal D, the shape of the airflow flowing in the airflow channel 120a or the shape of the airflow ejected from the jet nozzle 122 is changed to a shape suitable for airflow control of the transported material. Examples of airflow filters include path structures for mitigating pressure fluctuations in the airflow, such as throttling orifices (throttling sections) or labyrinth structures formed in the pipe, and ventilation filters inserted into the pipe.

[0069] In the second embodiment, regardless of the driving characteristics of the on / off valve 104, in order to make the opening and closing mode of the on / off valve 104 suitable for achieving a good airflow pattern, feedback control is implemented based on the airflow pattern in the airflow path relative to the opening and closing action of the on / off valve 104. This is because, especially when used as an on / off valve 104... Figure 12 In the case of a piezoelectric valve like the piezoelectric valve 134 shown, the operating mode of the piezoelectric element is sensitive to temperature changes, and the valve core's operating structure is easily affected by the pressure before and after the airflow path. Therefore, in piezoelectric valves and the like, accurate output (flow rate or pressure) cannot be obtained solely through voltage control. This is because there is a hysteresis characteristic between the voltage applied to the valve and the ejection pressure (the movement distance of the valve core). Therefore, feedback control is indispensable to ensure the accuracy of the valve's opening and closing action. The configuration of the second embodiment is extremely effective in stabilizing the opening and closing mode of the valve 104 relative to disturbances such as temperature changes through the drive signal D, regardless of the driving characteristics of the valve 104, thus achieving the desired airflow mode (pressure P) with high precision. Furthermore, as feedback control, it is possible to replace the feedback control based on the airflow mode of the second embodiment, or, based on this, perform drive control corresponding to the difference between the drive signal D and the detection signal based on the detection signal that directly represents the opening and closing mode of the valve core of the valve 104. In the first or second embodiment, if the movement mode (position, posture, etc.) of the valve core of the opening and closing valve 104 is detected by a detector such as a strain sensor and the drive waveform W or drive signal D is controlled, the opening and closing mode can be further adapted to the drive characteristics of the opening and closing valve 104.

[0070] Furthermore, the airflow control system and conveying device for transporting materials involved in this invention are not limited to the examples shown in the figures above, and various modifications can certainly be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the various features of the above embodiments can be combined with each other in any combination without any obstacles.

[0071] Furthermore, in this specification, the airflow pattern refers to the existence, state, and appearance of the airflow in the airflow path or jet nozzle, such as the pressure, flow rate, and velocity of the airflow in the airflow path or jet nozzle 122. Additionally, the control pattern relative to the conveyed object refers to controlling the shape of the conveyed object by blowing airflow from the jet nozzle; that is, the existence, state, and appearance of the airflow control for the conveyed object. Here, the control of the conveyed object refers to moving or changing the posture of the conveyed object through processes such as elimination, flipping, and distribution.

Claims

1. An airflow control system for conveying materials, wherein airflow controls the conveyed materials along a conveying path, characterized in that, have: The jet nozzle is connected to the airflow path extending from the airflow source and faces the delivery path; The on / off valve is configured to open or close the airflow path in an opening / closing mode corresponding to the driving waveform of the driving signal by receiving a driving signal. The transport object determination unit makes a determination based on the detection pattern of the transport object detector, wherein the transport object detector detects the transport object on the transport path that is facing the jet nozzle; as well as The valve control drive unit is configured to output a drive signal having a drive waveform corresponding to the determination result when the transport determination unit determines that the transport needs to be controlled by airflow, and to control the opening and closing of the valve according to the drive mode corresponding to the drive waveform when the transport faces the jet nozzle. The valve control drive unit is configured to generate a drive waveform corresponding to the determination result and form a drive signal based on the drive waveform, thereby outputting a variety of drive signals whose time-dependent elements vary according to a variety of drive waveforms, wherein the variety of drive waveforms are different from each other according to a variety of determination results.

2. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, When a specific determination result is obtained from among multiple determination results in the conveying material determination unit, the opening / closing valve control drive unit does not output the drive signal according to the predetermined drive information.

3. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The on / off valve control drive unit has: The valve control unit outputs a command signal in accordance with the time specified, the command signal containing drive element data corresponding to the determination result based on predetermined drive information; as well as The valve opening / closing drive unit outputs a drive signal having a drive waveform corresponding to the drive element data when it receives the command signal, so as to drive the valve opening / closing.

4. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 3, characterized in that, The on / off valve drive unit has: The drive waveform generation unit generates the drive waveform corresponding to the drive element data; and The drive signal output unit outputs the drive signal having the drive waveform to the on / off valve.

5. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving element data represents the numerical values ​​that indicate the shape of the driving waveform.

6. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also has: An airflow pattern detector detects the airflow pattern along the airflow path; and The valve opening / closing drive mode correction unit corrects the opening / closing control mode of the valve opening / closing control unit based on the detection mode of the airflow mode detector when the valve is in the open state.

7. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The time-related element is the number of driving pulses of the driving signal.

8. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The time-related element is the duty cycle of the drive signal.

9. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The time-related element is the time width of the driving signal.

10. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The valve control drive unit is configured to output a variety of drive signals whose intensity varies according to the determination result.

11. The airflow control system for conveying materials according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The opening and closing valve is a piezoelectric valve.

12. A conveying device, characterized in that, have: The airflow control system for the conveyed material as described in claim 1 or 2; and A conveying mechanism that transports the transported items along the conveying path.

13. The conveying device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism conveys the transported object by vibrating the conveying path.

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