Article handling device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article processing device capable of high-speed metering while keeping the height low. The multiple hoppers of the article processing device involved in one embodiment are arranged in a circular shape, and after the articles received from the upstream in each hopper are temporarily stopped, they are discharged toward the discharge opening on the downstream side. The hoppers respectively include: a main body; a sliding part, which is provided on the downstream side of the main body and has a sliding surface extending continuously from the main body; and a gate, which is provided on the main body and switches between a first state in which the articles are stopped in the main body and a second state in which the articles are released from the main body and slide down from the main body. The sliding part has such a length or angle that in the second state, after the articles slide down on the sliding surface, they fly out from the end on the downstream side, fall freely in a space where there is no sliding surface, and reach the discharge opening, or such a length or angle relative to the horizontal direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article processing device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an article handling apparatus having a structure in which articles discharged from a hopper slide down a chute and flow toward a discharge opening (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-21609 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0007] However, oblate ellipsoidal items such as baby carrots, jelly beans, and sausages, which are similar to rugby balls, bounce around randomly in the chute, thus becoming a bottleneck during high-speed weighing.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article handling apparatus that can perform high-speed weighing and can suppress the height to a low level.

[0009] Technical solutions to technical problems

[0010] The purpose of an article handling device involved in one embodiment is: an article handling device, wherein a plurality of hoppers are arranged in a circle, and each of the plurality of hoppers discharges articles received from the upstream toward a discharge opening on the downstream side after temporarily staying, and the hoppers respectively include: a main body; a sliding part, which is provided on the downstream side of the main body and has a sliding surface extending continuously from the main body; and a gate, which is provided on the main body and switches between a first state in which the article stays on the main body and a second state in which the article is released from the main body and slides down from the main body, the sliding part having a length or an angle relative to the horizontal direction so that in the second state, the article slides down the sliding surface and then flies out from the end on the downstream side, falls freely in a space where the sliding surface does not exist, and reaches the discharge opening.

[0011] Effects of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, there is provided an article handling apparatus capable of rapid weighing and low height. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of an article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the hopper 12 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the leg portion 60 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the positional relationship between the hopper 12 and the leg portion 60 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the sliding surface 120 at the sliding portion 12B of the hopper 12 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the side cover 13 of the hopper 12 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the interior of the main body 12A of the hopper 12 of the article processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Below, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the description of the following drawings, the same or similar parts are marked with the same or similar numbers. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic diagrams, and the ratios of various dimensions, etc. are different from the actual situation. Therefore, the specific dimensions, etc. should be judged with reference to the following description. In addition, there may be parts whose mutual dimensional relationships and ratios are different from each other in the various drawings. In this specification and the drawings, for elements with substantially the same function and structure, repeated descriptions are omitted by marking the same numbers, and elements that are not directly related to the present invention are omitted from the drawings.

[0021] (First embodiment)

[0022] Below, refer to Figures 1 to 7 An article processing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0023] In this embodiment, the article processing apparatus 1 is described as an example in which the article processing apparatus 1 is a weighing apparatus configured to measure the mass value of an article using a Roberval mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited to this case.

[0024] like Figure 1As shown, the conveying device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of pool hoppers 11 , a plurality of weighing hoppers 12 , and a discharge chute 30 .

[0025] The pool hopper 11 temporarily holds items fed from a trough (not shown). Gates (not shown) are provided below the pool hopper 11. By opening and closing the gates, the items (measured objects) held in the pool hopper 11 are discharged into a weighing hopper 12 provided below the gates.

[0026] For example, such articles are food items in the form of flattened ellipsoids such as baby carrots, jelly beans, and sausages, but the articles are not limited to these.

[0027] The weighing hopper 12 temporarily holds the articles discharged from the pool hopper 11. Gates 12C (described later) are provided at the bottom of the weighing hopper 12. The articles held in the weighing hopper 12 are discharged to the discharge opening 20 on the downstream side of the weighing hopper 12 by opening and closing the gates 12C.

[0028] Here, it is assumed that the plurality of pool hoppers 11 and the plurality of weighing hoppers 12 are arranged in a circle.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, each of the plurality of weighing hoppers 12 includes a main body 12A, a slide portion 12B, and a gate 12C.

[0030] The sliding portion 12B is provided on the downstream side of the main body portion 12A, and has a sliding surface 120 extending continuously from the main body portion 12A.

[0031] The shutter 12C is provided on the main body 12A and switches between a first state in which the article 100 is retained in the main body 12A and a second state in which the article 100 is released from the main body 12A and slides down from the main body 12A. The shutter 12C opens and closes inward relative to the article handling apparatus 1 .

[0032] Here, if Figure 1 As shown, the sliding portion 12B has a length L or an angle A relative to the horizontal direction H so that in the above-mentioned second state, the article 100 slides on the sliding surface 120 and flies out from the downstream end 120E, falls freely in the space S where the sliding surface 120 does not exist, and reaches the discharge opening 20.

[0033] That is, in the article handling apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the length L of the sliding surface 120 is extended compared to conventional article handling apparatuses in order to allow the articles 100 to fall without contacting the chute 30 as much as possible.

[0034] Furthermore, in order to keep the height of the article handling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment low, the angle A relative to the horizontal direction H is made smaller than that of conventional article handling apparatuses.

[0035] The space S represents a path connecting the downstream end 120E of the sliding portion 12B and the discharge opening 20 . In this path (space S), there is no object that would hinder the free fall of the article 100 .

[0036] According to this structure, the article 100 can freely fall from the sliding surface 120 in the space S and reach the discharge opening 20 , so that bouncing in the chute 30 can be suppressed, and high-speed weighing can be achieved.

[0037] Furthermore, according to this configuration, by reducing the angle A with respect to the horizontal direction H, the height of the article handling apparatus 1 can be suppressed to be low.

[0038] And, as Figure 1 As shown, the chute 30 may be arranged around the discharge opening 20 with respect to the vertical direction V, with a space S between the hopper 12 and the hopper 12 where the sliding surface 120 does not exist.

[0039] Here, if Figure 1 As shown, in a side view of the article handling apparatus 1 , the left and right end portions 30E of the slide 30 may be located between the boundary B between the main body 12A and the slide portion 12B and the downstream end portion 120E of the slide portion 12B.

[0040] According to this configuration, the left and right end portions 30E of the chute 30 are arranged outside the downstream end portion 120E of the sliding portion 12B, thereby minimizing the risk of the articles 100 being scattered outside the chute 30 .

[0041] Furthermore, according to this structure, the left and right end portions 30E of the slide 30 are arranged inside the boundary B between the main body 12A and the slide portion 12B, so that the aforementioned space S can be ensured, and cleaning and workability can be improved.

[0042] Furthermore, according to this structure, a chute of a conventional size is no longer necessary, and only the chute 30 of the minimum necessary size needs to be prepared, thereby reducing costs.

[0043] And, as Figure 1 As shown, the article processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment may include a main body 50 on which a plurality of pool hoppers 11 and a plurality of weighing hoppers 12 are mounted, and a plurality of legs 60 mounted on the main body 50 .

[0044] Here, if Figure 3As shown, the plurality of leg portions 60 may each include a first portion 60A extending outward from the body 50 and a second portion 60B extending downward from the first portion 60A.

[0045] Alternatively, the first portion 60A may be configured to rise upward as it moves toward the outside.

[0046] According to this configuration, the length of the second portion 60B can be shortened, and thus the height of the article handling apparatus 1 can be suppressed.

[0047] Furthermore, according to this configuration, the height of the article handling apparatus 1 can be suppressed to be low while ensuring the rigidity of the leg portion 60 .

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the downstream end 120E of the sliding portion 12B may be located below the lower surface 60A1 of the first portion of the leg portion 60 .

[0049] Here, if Figure 4 As shown, the first portion 60A may extend outward from the downstream end 120E of the slide portion 12B, and the second portion 60B may extend downward outward from the downstream end 120E of the slide portion 12B.

[0050] According to this configuration, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the article 100 falling from the downstream end 120E of the sliding portion 12B hits the lower surface 60A1 of the first portion of the leg portion 60 .

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, the sliding surface 120 may have a shape that is oriented downward from the outer side O in the width direction W toward the central portion C. For example, the sliding surface 120 may have a shape as shown in FIG. Figure 5 V-shape as shown.

[0052] In the article handling apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, since the angle A of the sliding surface 120 relative to the horizontal direction H is reduced, the sliding of the article 100 is reduced due to friction between the article 100 and the side surface 121B (described later) and the side cover 13. Therefore, by using this structure, the friction between the article 100 and the side surface 121B and the side cover 13 (described later) can be reduced, and the sliding performance of the article 100 can be improved.

[0053] like Figure 6 As shown, the sliding portion 12B may include side covers 13 that stand upright from at least a portion of both side edges 120S of the sliding surface 120 .

[0054] Here, the sliding portion 12B may include the side covers 13 along the entire length of both side edges 120S of the sliding surface 120 or may include the side covers 13 on both side edges 120S of the sliding surface 120 near the boundary B2 between the gate 12C and the sliding portion 12B.

[0055] The height of the side cover 13 may also be fixed. Alternatively, Figure 6 As shown, the height of the side cover 13 near the boundary B1 between the shutter 12C and the sliding portion 12B is higher than the height of the side cover 13 at other portions.

[0056] Furthermore, the side cover 13 may also be provided by the side surface 121B of the main body 12A (see Figure 7 ) is extended and can also be set separately from the side surface 121B of the main body 12A.

[0057] According to this structure, it is possible to suppress the article 100 from falling to the outside from the both side edges 120S of the sliding surface 120 .

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, the side surface 121B of the main body 12A may be embossed. Here, the side surface 121B of the main body 12A may have a non-embossed region X near the boundary B1 between the shutter 12C and the slide portion 12B.

[0059] Here, the region X may be formed by flattening a portion of the relief processed on the side surface 121B of the main body portion 12A by pressing or welding a flat plate.

[0060] In the article handling apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, since the angle A of the sliding surface 120 relative to the horizontal direction H is reduced, the possibility of the article 100 being hooked on the relief provided on the side surface 121B of the main body 12A and becoming a state called a bridging state increases.

[0061] According to this configuration, by providing the region X near the boundary B1 between the gate 12C and the slide portion 12B, where the bridging state is most likely to occur, the occurrence of the bridging state can be suppressed.

[0062] In addition, if Figure 6 As shown, the side cover 13 may be embossed. Here, the side cover 13 may have a region not embossed near the boundary B1 between the shutter 12C and the slide portion 12B.

[0063] According to this structure, similar to the side surface 121B of the main body portion 12A, the occurrence of the above-mentioned bridging state can be suppressed.

[0064] like Figure 7As shown, it can also be formed as follows: the length L1 of the width direction W of the conveying surface 121A of the article 100 near the boundary B1 between the gate 12C and the sliding part 12B is longer than the length L2 of the width direction W of the conveying surface 121A of the article 100 at the upstream part compared with the boundary B1.

[0065] That is, the conveying surface 121A for the article 100 may have an inverted tapered shape (a tapered shape) in which the length in the width direction W increases from upstream to downstream within the main body 12A.

[0066] According to this structure, even when the article 100 is hooked on the side surface 121B of the main body 12A at a certain point on the conveying surface 121A of the article 100, the length of the width direction W of the conveying surface 121A of the article 100 becomes longer as it moves downstream, and the article can easily detach from the side surface 121B of the main body 12A, so the occurrence of the above-mentioned bridging state can be suppressed.

[0067] Here, the conveying surface 121A for the article 100 may have a shape that faces downward from the outer side O in the width direction W toward the center portion C, similar to the sliding surface 120 .

[0068] According to the article processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, high-speed weighing can be performed while keeping the height low.

[0069] While the present invention has been described in detail using the above-described embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. The present invention can be implemented in various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0070] Description of Reference Numerals

[0071] 1: Article handling device; 12: Hopper; 12A: Main body; 12B: Slide portion; 12C: Gate; 13: Side cover; 20: Discharge opening; 30: Slide; 50: Main body; 60: Leg portion; 60A: First portion; 60B: Second portion; 100: Article; 120: Slide surface.

Claims

1. An article processing device, wherein a plurality of hoppers are arranged in a circular shape, each of the plurality of hoppers temporarily stopping an article received from an upstream side and then discharging the article toward a discharge opening on a downstream side, wherein: The hoppers are respectively equipped with: Body part; a sliding portion provided on a downstream side of the main body portion and having a sliding surface continuously extending from the main body portion; a gate provided on the main body, switching between a first state and a second state, wherein the first state causes the article to remain on the main body, and the second state causes the article to be released from the main body and to slide off the main body; and The chute is arranged around the discharge opening in a state where a space where the sliding surface does not exist is separated from the hopper in a vertical direction, The sliding portion has a length or an angle relative to the horizontal direction such that in the second state, the article slides down the sliding surface, flies out from the downstream end, freely falls in a space where the sliding surface does not exist, and reaches the discharge opening.

2. The article processing device according to claim 1, wherein: In a side view of the article handling device, left and right end portions of the slide are located between a boundary between the main body and the slide portion and a downstream end portion of the slide portion.

3. The article processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The article processing device comprises: a body, on which the plurality of hoppers are mounted; and A plurality of legs are mounted on the body. The plurality of legs respectively include: a first portion extending outwardly from the body; as well as The second portion extends downward from the first portion.

4. The article processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The downstream end of the sliding portion is located below the lower surface of the first portion of the leg portion.

5. The article processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The sliding surface has a shape that faces downward from the outer side in the width direction toward the center.

6. The article processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The sliding portion includes side covers rising from at least a portion of both side edges of the sliding surface.

7. The article processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The side of the main body is embossed. The side surface of the main body has an area where the embossing process is not performed near the boundary between the gate and the main body.

8. The article processing device according to claim 6, wherein: The side covers are embossed. The side cover has a region where the embossing process is not performed near a boundary between the shutter and the slide portion.

9. The article processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The widthwise length of the article conveying surface near the boundary between the gate and the slide portion is longer than the widthwise length of the article conveying surface upstream of the boundary.

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