Card insertion system

Abstract

To provide a card insertion system which contributes to the efficiency and manpower saving in a physical distribution process by automating the insertion of a card into a card holder in a returnable box with the card holder.SOLUTION: A carrier system introduced in a carrying process of a factory has a robot and a hand 30 constituting a hand tip of the robot. The hand 30 has a card chucking device 41 capable of holding a card CA1 in a state where the card is housed in a clearance 44 between plates 42 and 43. When the card CA1 is inserted into the clearance between a side plate 86 of a returnable box 80 and a card holder disposed in the side plate 86, the hand 30 is moved such that a tip 43a of the lower plate 43 is headed from the front position of the side plate 86 toward a particular place which is an upper side of the inlet portion of the card holder by the side plate 86. After the lower plate 43 comes into contact with the side plate 86, the posture of a robot body is controlled such that the tip 43a of the lower plate 43 is displaced downward along the side plate 86 and the tip 43a heads downward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a card insertion system for inserting a card into a card holder of a returnable box. [Background technology]

[0002] In a logistics process in a factory or the like, a card on which information about the goods and transportation is written is placed on a returnable box used for transporting goods, and the circulation of goods is managed using the card to improve the efficiency of the logistics process. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology for automatically inserting an identification card into a beer crate moving along a belt conveyer through an opening in the beer crate. The introduction of such a technology can contribute to labor saving in the logistics process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-111234 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Some of the above-mentioned returnable boxes are provided with a card holder for holding a card. This type of card holder is often provided on the outside of the returnable box to facilitate visual confirmation of the card. In recent years, a technology has been proposed that allows card information to be easily obtained by mechanically reading a barcode or QR code (registered trademark) attached to the card, and the technical significance of placing the card on the outside of the returnable box has increased. However, in a logistics process in which a returnable box with a card holder is used, the card is still inserted into the card holder manually by a worker. Thus, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to card insertion in order to improve the efficiency and reduce the labor required in a logistics process in which a returnable box with a card holder is used.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems exemplified above, and its main objective is to contribute to improving the efficiency of logistics processes and reducing the labor required by automating the insertion of cards into card holders for returnable boxes with card holders. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first means is a card insertion system that inserts a card into a gap between a side wall portion that forms a part of the outer peripheral surface of a storage box and a card holder provided on the side wall portion, and includes a card holding portion that has a plate that is inserted into the gap when the card is inserted into the gap and holds the card in a state overlapping the plate, a moving mechanism that moves the card holding portion, and a control portion that controls the card holding portion and the moving mechanism, wherein the control portion controls the moving mechanism so that the card holding portion moves toward a specific location with a specific edge portion of the plate facing the specific location on the side wall portion that leads to an entrance to the gap, and after the specific location is reached, the control portion controls the moving mechanism so that the posture of the card holding portion changes so that the specific edge portion faces the entrance side and the specific edge portion moves along the side wall portion toward the entrance side, and controls the moving mechanism and the card holding portion to release the hold on the card after the plate is inserted into the gap from the entrance.

[0007] As shown in the first means, by approaching the card holding part (first approach) toward the specific location with the specific edge of the plate facing the specific location of the side wall, it is possible to prevent the first approach from being hindered by a protrusion (e.g., opening flange 89) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the container. After reaching the specific location, the card holding part changes its position so that the specific edge faces the entrance side, and approaches the entrance with the specific edge along the side wall (second approach). The specific location continues to the entrance, and by displacing the specific edge along the side wall, it is possible to prevent the plate from deviating from the route toward the entrance. Furthermore, since the position of the card holding part (plate) is changed so that the specific edge faces the entrance side, it is possible to prevent the movement of the plate from being hindered by the card holder. This movement makes it possible to insert the plate from the entrance into the gap. After the plate is inserted, the card is released from the card holder, so that the card can be handed over to the card holder. With this configuration, it is possible to automate the insertion of cards into card holders, which contributes to improving the efficiency and reducing the labor required in logistics processes in which returnable boxes with card holders are used. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a transport system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] (a) Side view of a transportable box, (b) partial cross-sectional view of the transportable box. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the transport system. [Figure 4] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of transporting a returnable box by the transport system. [Diagram 5] Top view of the hand. [Figure 6] 5A is a schematic diagram showing a chuck device for a transportable box (viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5). FIG. [Figure 7] 6 is a schematic diagram showing a first chucking device for a card (viewed from the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5). [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for inserting a card. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for inserting a card. [Figure 10] 6 is a schematic diagram showing a second chucking device for a card (viewed from the arrow C in FIG. 5). [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for inserting a card. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for inserting a card. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of removing a card. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of removing a card. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a first chuck device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a second chuck device in a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] <First embodiment> Hereinafter, a first embodiment embodied in a transport system for transporting returnable boxes in a transport process in a factory will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1, the conveying system 10 includes a robot 11, which is a vertical articulated industrial robot, and conveys returnable boxes 80 (corresponding to "container boxes") loaded on a pallet PA to a conveyor CV. The returnable boxes 80 are sequentially supplied to a manufacturing line or an assembly line by the conveyor CV.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the main body portion (robot main body 20) of the robot 11 comprises a base portion 22 fixed to a pedestal or the like, a shoulder portion 23 supported by the base portion 22, a lower arm portion 24 supported by the shoulder portion 23, a first upper arm portion 25 supported by the lower arm portion 24, a second upper arm portion 26 supported by the first upper arm portion 25, a wrist portion 27 supported by the second upper arm portion 26, and a flange portion 28 supported by the wrist portion 27.

[0012] The base portion 22 and the shoulder portion 23 are formed with a first joint portion that connects the base portion 22 and the shoulder portion 23, and the shoulder portion 23 is rotatable in the horizontal direction around the connecting axis (first axis AX1) of the first joint portion. The shoulder portion 23 and the lower arm portion 24 are formed with a second joint portion that connects the shoulder portion 23 and the lower arm portion 24, and the lower arm portion 24 is rotatable in the vertical direction around the connecting axis (second axis AX2) of the second joint portion. The lower arm portion 24 and the first upper arm portion 25 are formed with a third joint portion that connects the lower arm portion 24 and the first upper arm portion 25, and the first upper arm portion 25 is rotatable in the vertical direction around the connecting axis (third axis AX3) of the third joint portion. The first upper arm portion 25 and the second upper arm portion 26 are formed with a fourth joint portion that connects the first upper arm portion 25 and the second upper arm portion 26, and the second upper arm portion 26 is rotatable in a twisting direction around the connecting axis (fourth axis AX4) of the fourth joint portion. The second upper arm portion 26 and the wrist portion 27 are formed with a fifth joint portion that connects the second upper arm portion 26 and the wrist portion 27, and the wrist portion 27 is rotatable in a vertical direction around the connecting axis (fifth axis AX5) of the fifth joint portion. The wrist portion 27 and the flange portion 28 are formed with a sixth joint portion that connects the wrist portion 27 and the flange portion 28, and the flange portion 28 is rotatable in a twisting direction around the connecting axis (sixth axis AX6) of the sixth joint portion.

[0013] The shoulder section 23, the lower arm section 24, the first upper arm section 25, the second upper arm section 26, the wrist section 27, and the flange section 28 are arranged in a series to form an arm 21 of the robot body 20, and a servo motor is provided at each joint of the arm 21 as an electric actuator for rotating the joint. A hand 30 capable of gripping a shipping box 80 is attached to the flange section 28 forming the tip of the arm 21.

[0014] Here, a supplementary explanation of the returnable box 80 will be given with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2(a) is a side view of the returnable box 80, and Figure 2(b) is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2(a).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the common box 80 includes a box body 81 having an opening 87 open to the top, and a lid (not shown) that covers the opening 87 of the box body 81. The box body 81 is composed of a rectangular bottom plate portion 82, a set of side plate portions 83, 84 that stand from the long sides of the bottom plate portion 82, and a set of side plate portions 85, 86 that stand from the short sides of the bottom plate portion 82, and protrusions extending vertically and horizontally are formed on the outer surfaces of the side plate portions 83 to 86. Specifically, an opening flange 89 formed along the upper ends of the side plate portions 83 to 86, a horizontal rib 88a formed along the lower ends of the side plate portions 83 to 86, and a vertical rib 88b that extends vertically so as to connect the opening flange 89 and the horizontal rib 88a are provided, and the box body 81 is reinforced by the opening flange 89, the horizontal rib 88a, and the vertical rib 88b.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2(a), a card holder 91 made of synthetic resin capable of holding (attaching) a card CA is disposed on the outer surface (corresponding to the "side wall") of the side plate portion 86 of the return box 80. The card CA is an identification member for identifying information relating to manufacture or transportation, and the efficiency of the logistics process is improved by using this information to manage the distribution of goods. The card holder 91 is transparent, making it difficult to impede visual confirmation of the card CA.

[0017] The card holder 91 has an elongated base portion 92 extending along the horizontal rib 88a and an upright portion 93 standing upward from the base portion 92, and is integrated with the box body 81 by fixing the base portion 92 to the horizontal rib 88a. The upright portion 93 is in the form of a plate facing the outer surface of the side plate portion 86, and a base end (lower end) of the upright portion 93 is a fixed end and a tip end (upper end) 94 is a free end. A gap 95 is formed between the upright portion 93 and the side plate portion 86, and a card CA can be inserted into this gap 95.

[0018] Here, the tip portion 94 is located below the opening flange 89, and is spaced apart from the opening flange 89. In other words, the portion of the side plate portion 86 closer to the opening flange 89 is prevented from overlapping with the upright portion 93.

[0019] 2(b), tip 94 is bent so as to be convex towards side plate 86. Above the bent portion (on the opening flange 89 side), the portion is expanded so that the distance to side plate 86 increases as it approaches opening flange 89. The portion sandwiched between tip 94 and side plate 86 forms the entrance to gap 95, i.e., entrance portion 91a of card holder 91.

[0020] In addition, the bent tip 94 makes it easy for an operator to hook his / her finger on the tip 94. When inserting / removing the card CA manually, by hooking his / her finger on the tip 94 and pulling it toward the operator, the standing portion 93 bends (elastically deforms) with the base portion 92 as the base end. This makes it easy to insert and remove the card CA into the card holder 91. After inserting the card CA, by releasing the finger from the standing portion 93, the elastic force of the standing portion 93 presses the card CA against the side plate portion 86, and the card CA is sandwiched between the standing portion 93 and the side plate portion 86. This prevents the card CA from falling off. In the following description, the standing portion 93 is referred to as the "pressing portion 93."

[0021] In addition, the card holder 91 shown in this embodiment is provided with two pressing parts 93, one on the left and one on the right (a pressing part 93a on the right side and a pressing part 93b on the left side), and the card CA is inserted so as to bridge between the pressing parts 93 on the left and right (see FIG. 2(a)). Incidentally, the pressing part 93b on the left side is wider than the pressing part 93a on the right side, and is a gate-shaped part with an opening in the center. A small pressing part 96 is disposed in this opening. The pressing part 96 also stands upward from the base part 92 like the pressing part 93, and its tip part 97 is bent. The inserted card CA can be sandwiched at two points, top and bottom, by the pressing parts 93b and 96, thereby enhancing the holding function. When the card CA is inserted into the card holder 91 by the transport system 10, the plate of the card chuck device described later is inserted further back than the tip part 97 of the pressing part 96.

[0022] Next, the electrical configuration of the transport system 10 will be further described with reference to Fig. 3. The transport system 10 includes a host controller 15 that constitutes a "control section" together with the robot controller 70, and a camera 18 that can photograph an image of a pallet area in which pallets PA (see Fig. 1) are arranged from above. The camera 18 is connected to the host controller 15, and an image photographed by the camera 18 is transmitted to the host controller 15.

[0023] The upper controller 15 is provided with an image analysis unit 16 that analyzes an image captured by the camera 18 to identify the position and orientation of the returnable box 80, and an operation command determination unit 19 that determines the returnable box 80 to be transported based on the analysis result by the image analysis unit 16 and determines an operation command that indicates the operation mode of the robot 11 when transporting the returnable box 80. The operation command determined by the operation command determination unit 19 is transmitted to the robot controller 70. This operation command includes information that indicates a target operation position of the robot 11.

[0024] The robot controller 70 receives an operation command from the upper controller 15, reads an operation program corresponding to the operation command from the program storage unit, and identifies an operation target position from the read operation program. After that, it generates a target trajectory that smoothly connects the identified operation target position and the current position of the arm 21 (each movable part), and identifies an interpolation position that is a position obtained by subdividing the target trajectory. The robot controller 70 is connected to servo motors 71 arranged at each joint and rotary encoders 72 corresponding to each of the servo motors 71, and performs drive control of the servo motors 71 based on the identified interpolation position and current position data obtained from the rotary encoder 72, i.e., the encoder value indicating the rotation angle (rotation position) of the servo motor 71.

[0025] The robot 11 is also provided with a torque sensor 73 that detects torque (force) generated at the joint. The torque sensor 73 is connected to the robot controller 70, and the robot controller 70 grasps the magnitude and direction of the force based on the information detected by the torque sensor 73, and decelerates or stops (including protection stop) the arm 21 according to the result. The robot 11 shown in this embodiment is a collaborative robot intended to cooperate with humans, and is configured to decelerate / stop the hand 30 when the arm 21 or hand 30 collides with a human or other equipment, so that safety is taken into consideration. Although details will be described later, when the hand 30 is brought into contact with the return box 80 when inserting or removing the card CA, it is determined whether or not the hand 30 has come into contact with the return box 80 based on information from the torque sensor 73.

[0026] The hand 30 is provided with a passable box chuck device 31 capable of gripping a passable box 80, and card chuck devices 41, 51 capable of holding a card CA, and both the passable box chuck device 31 and the card chuck devices 41, 51 are connected to a robot controller 70. Here, an example of a work flow by the transport system 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4.

[0027] When the pallet PA loaded with the returnable box 80 is placed in the pallet area, the returnable box 80 on the pallet PA is gripped by the returnable box chuck device 31 and moved to the work table TB provided in front of the robot 11 (S1). Specifically, the returnable box 80 is placed so that the card holder 91 faces the robot 11. The work table TB is provided with a positioning unit that determines the left-right and front-back positions of the returnable box 80, and the positional variation of the returnable box 80 is suppressed by the positioning unit. After the returnable box 80 is placed on the work table TB, the presence or absence of the card CA is confirmed based on an image captured by the camera 61 (see FIG. 3) mounted on the hand 30. If the card CA (details of the card CA2 described later) remains in the card holder 91, the card chuck device 51 is used to remove the card CA (S2). The card CA removed from the card holder 91 is moved to a card placement area (not shown) (S3), and a new card CA is picked up from the card placement area using the card chuck devices 41, 51 (S4). Thereafter, the picked up card CA is inserted into the card holder 91 of the returnable box 80 placed on the work table TB using the card chuck devices 41, 51 (S5). This completes the replacement of the card CA. After the replacement of the card CA is completed, the returnable box 80 on the work table TB is gripped by the returnable box chuck device 31 and transported to the conveyor CV (S6).

[0028] Next, the configuration of the hand 30 will be further described with reference to FIG.

[0029] As already explained, the hand 30 is mainly composed of the returnable box chuck device 31 and the card chuck devices 41, 51. The returnable box chuck device 31 has a rectangular base plate 32, and a shaft portion 33 is formed at the center thereof so as to be perpendicular to the base plate 32. The shaft portion 33 is fixed to the flange portion 28 of the arm 21 so that the central axis CL of the shaft portion 33 is coaxial with the sixth axis AX6 of the arm 21. The length of the long side portion 32a of the base plate 32 is approximately the same as the distance between the side plate portions 83, 84, and the length of the short side portion 32b is shorter than the distance. In the following explanation, the plate surface of the base plate 32 on the side where the shaft portion 33 stands is distinguished as the "upper surface" and the plate surface on the opposite side is distinguished as the "lower surface".

[0030] At the four corners of the underside of the base plate 32, there are provided movable claw portions 34 that support the commuting box 80 by abutting the opening flange 89 of the commuting box 80 from below, and a drive mechanism 35 that moves the claw portions 34 to a supporting position and a non-supporting position.

[0031] With the hand 30 positioned so that the bottom surface of the base plate 32 faces the opening 87 of the returnable box 80 and the short side portion 32b of the base plate 32 is positioned above the side plate portions 83, 84 that form the long side portion of the returnable box 80 (opening 87), each of the claw portions 34 is moved from the non-support position to the support position. This causes the returnable box 80 to be gripped (see FIG. 6). After the returnable box 80 has been transported, the grip of the returnable box 80 is released by moving the claw portions 34 from the support position to the non-support position.

[0032] The card chucking devices 41, 51 are mounted on the base plate 32 so as to protrude from the long side portion 32a of the base plate 32. In other words, in a plan view of the hand 30, the card chucking device 41 protrudes from one long side portion 32a, and the card chucking device 51 protrudes from the other long side portion 32a. The cards CA shown in this embodiment are broadly classified into a paper card CA1 (a so-called signboard) and a plastic ID card CA2 that is smaller and thicker than the card CA1. The card chucking device 41 corresponds to the card CA1, and the card chucking device 51 corresponds to the card CA2. First, the card chucking device 41 (hereinafter also referred to as the first chucking device 41) will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 7.

[0033] 7, the first chuck device 41 has a housing section 45 in which a pair of upper and lower plates 42, 43 are combined to face each other with a gap 44 between them. The housing section 45 is disposed such that the upper plate 42 (upper plate 42) overlaps the lower surface of the base plate 32, and the upper plate 42 is fixed to the base plate 32 to be integrated with the base plate 32.

[0034] The distance between the plates 42, 43 is greater than the thickness of the card CA1, so that the card CA1 can be accommodated in an expanded state in the gap 44. The accommodation section 45 has a rectangular shape in a plan view of the hand 30, and one end thereof extends from the long side section 32a of the base plate 32. An outlet 45a through which the card CA1 is ejected is provided at this one end.

[0035] The first chuck device 41 is provided with a chuck member 47 that is switchable between a holding state for holding a stored card CA and a non-holding state, and a switching mechanism 48 that switches the chuck member 47 between the holding state and the non-holding state. By holding the card CA with the chuck member 47, the card CA is prevented from falling off.

[0036] The storage section 45 is formed with a slit 45b extending in the short direction of the base plate 32, i.e., in the extending direction of the storage section 45. A chuck member 47 is disposed in the slit 45b, and the chuck member 47 is slidable along the slit 45b (see FIG. 5). The first chuck device 41 is provided with a slide mechanism 49 for sliding the chuck member 47, and the chuck member 47 and the slide mechanism 49 constitute an ejector 46 for ejecting the card CA from the discharge opening 45a. Specifically, the chuck member 47 is configured to abut against an end of the card CA1 stored in the gap 44, more specifically, an end on the opposite side to the discharge opening 45a, and the chuck member 47 slides toward the discharge opening 45a, so that the card CA pressed by the chuck member 47 is ejected from the storage section 45 through the discharge opening 45a (see FIG. 7(c)).

[0037] Here, in the first chuck device 41 shown in this embodiment, the card CA1 is delivered to the card holder 91 by ejecting the card CA1 while the accommodation portion 45 is inserted into the gap 95 between the card holder 91 and the side plate portion 86. In order to smoothly perform such a movement, one of the features is that the positions of the tip portion 42a of the upper plate 42 and the tip portion 43a of the lower plate 43 are shifted. Specifically, the protrusion amount of the lower plate 43 from the base plate 32 is larger than the protrusion amount of the upper plate 42 from the base plate 32, and a part of the lower plate 43 extends from the upper plate 42. In other words, a part of the lower plate 43 extends from a portion facing the upper plate 42, and the tip of the extending portion (tip portion 43a) forms the "predetermined edge portion." The specific configuration for shifting the positions of the tip 42a and the tip 43a is arbitrary, and the first plate and the second plate may be made different in length (width), or the first plate and the second plate may be arranged shifted in the length direction (width direction). In the following, the flow of inserting the card CA1 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, taking into account the relationship between the two plates 42 and 43.

[0038] When inserting the card CA1 into the card holder 91 of the shipping box 80, the first chuck device 41 (hand 30) is placed in a horizontal state in front of the side plate portion 86 in a preparation position for insertion (see FIG. 8(a)). More specifically, the tip portion 43a of the lower plate 43 is placed in a position (specific portion SP1) on the side plate portion 86 that is lower than the opening flange 89 and higher than the card holder 91 (entrance portion 91a).

[0039] After the placement at the insertion preparation position is completed, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the first chuck device 41 (hand 30) moves horizontally toward the specific location SP1. This makes it possible to prevent the movement of the hand 30 from being hindered by the opening flange 89. The horizontal movement of the hand 30 continues until the lower plate 43 of the first chuck device 41 abuts against the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 8(b)). Hereinafter, the approach from the insertion preparation position to abutting against the side plate portion 86 is also referred to as the first approach.

[0040] The first chuck device 41 is capable of accommodating the card CA1 without the card CA1 protruding beyond the tip portion 43a of the lower plate 43. This prevents the card CA1 from hitting the side plate portion 86 before the lower plate 43 hits the side plate portion 86 when the first chuck device 41 is moved toward the side plate portion 86 in the first approach.

[0041] After the first approach is completed, the process moves to the second approach in which the first chuck device 41 is moved to the insertion target position. In the second approach, the first chuck device 41 (hand 30) is tilted so that the tip 43a of the lower plate 43 faces the entrance portion 91a (downward), and the tip 43a is displaced along the side plate portion 86 toward the entrance portion 91a (downward) (see FIG. 8(c)). At this time, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the first chuck device 41 (hand 30) rotates around the tip 43a, thereby preventing the tip 43a from moving away from the side plate portion 86 due to the rotation.

[0042] As described above, since the tip portion 43a of the lower plate 43 extends further than the tip portion 42a of the upper plate 42, when the position of the first chuck device 41 is changed, the tip portion 42a of the upper plate 42 is less likely to come into contact with the side plate portion 86, thereby restricting the change of position.

[0043] Here, an opening flange 89 is located above the first chuck device 41, and if the first chuck device 41 is tilted significantly, there is a possibility that the first chuck device 41 will hit the opening flange 89. Therefore, when changing the tilt, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the distance between the first chuck device 41 and the tip EP of the opening flange 89 is constant, thereby making it possible to minimize the tilt of the first chuck device 41 with respect to the side plate portion 86 while avoiding a collision with the opening flange 89.

[0044] By displacing the tip 43a of the lower plate 43 toward the entrance portion 91a while changing the inclination of the first chuck device 41, the lower plate 43 comes into contact with the card holder 91, more specifically, the tip 94 of the pressing portion 93. At this time, since the lower plate 43 is inclined obliquely, the pressing portion 93 is pushed away from the side plate portion 86 by the lower plate 43, and the gap 95 (entrance portion 91a) is expanded by the elastic deformation of the pressing portion 93. After that, the inclination of the lower plate 43 with respect to the side plate portion 86 becomes smaller, and the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the tip 43a of the lower plate 43 is displaced downward along the side plate portion 86. When the lower plate 43 reaches the bottom (rear portion) of the card holder 91, the second approach is completed, and the arm 21 is temporarily stopped (see FIG. 8(d)). That is, the first chuck device 41 (hand 30) is disposed at the insertion target position. Thereafter, the switching mechanism 48 is operated to switch the chuck member 47 from the holding state to the non-holding state, and the slide mechanism 49 is operated to slide the chuck member 47 toward the discharge opening 45a. This causes the card CA1 to be pushed out from the discharge opening 45a (see FIG. 9(e)).

[0045] When ejecting the card CA1, the first chuck device 41 starts the removal operation from the gap 95 in conjunction with (for example, in synchronization with) the movement of the chuck member 47. In this removal operation, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the storage section 45 is displaced to the side opposite the chuck member 47 (see FIG. 9(f)). This prevents the ejected card CA1 from being pinched between the bottom of the card holder 91 and the chuck member 47 and being bent or crushed. This is preferable in terms of preventing a decrease in the visibility of the card CA1.

[0046] Thereafter, during the removal operation of the first chuck device 41, the lower plate 43 and the pressing portion 93 of the card holder 91 separate, and the pressing portion 93 returns toward the side plate portion 86 due to elastic force, so that the card CA1 is sandwiched between the pressing portion 93 and the side plate portion 86 (see Figure 9 (g)).

[0047] Here, when inserting the card CA into the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91, it is ideal to place the card CA on the extension of the entrance portion 91a and move it straight to the entrance portion 91a. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2(b), since the opening flange 89 is located on the extension of the entrance portion 91a, such a movement is unrealistic (see imaginary line FL1 in FIG. 2(b)). On the other hand, if a straight route to the entrance portion 91a (see imaginary line FL2 in FIG. 2(b)) is secured by avoiding the tip EP of the opening flange 89, high accuracy is required for setting the movement trajectory, and the possibility of failure in inserting the card CA increases. In this regard, the insertion of the card CA1 by the first chuck device 41 can be reduced by aiming at the entrance portion 91a in the above-mentioned first and second approaches.

[0048] Next, the card chucking device 51 (hereinafter also referred to as the second chucking device 51) will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0049] 10, the second chuck device 51 has a rectangular plate 52 fixed to the base plate 32 via a spacer. The plate 52 is parallel to the lower surface of the base plate 32, and one end portion (hereinafter referred to as a tip portion 52a) extends from the base plate 32. In the following description, the plate surface of the plate 52 facing the base plate 32 is referred to as the "upper surface," and the plate surface on the opposite side is referred to as the "lower surface 52b."

[0050] On the lower surface 52b side of the plate 52, there are provided a chuck member 54 capable of holding the card CA2 by sandwiching the card CA2 between the plate 52 and the chuck member 54, and a switching mechanism 56 that switches the chuck member 54 between a holding state in which the card CA2 is held (see FIG. 10(a)) and a non-holding state in which the card CA2 is not held (see FIG. 10(b)). To provide further explanation regarding the card CA2, since the card CA2 is small compared to the card holder 91, it is conveniently operated in a state where it is housed in a transparent case, and the second chuck device 51 is configured to insert the card CA2 together with the case into the card holder 91.

[0051] In this embodiment, the chuck members 54 include a first chuck member 54a that presses the vicinity of the mouth of the case, and a second chuck member 54b that presses the case and the card CA2 together. The first chuck member 54a presses the vicinity of the mouth of the case to prevent the card CA2 from falling out of the case. In addition, the card CA2 and the case have a certain degree of strength. The second chuck member 54b clamps the card CA2 together with the case, thereby preventing the case from sagging while being held, so that the configuration corresponding to the lower plate 43 of the first chuck device 41 can be omitted.

[0052] When the card CA2 is inserted into the card holder 91 using the second chuck device 51, the second chuck member 54b passes through the gaps 99 between the left and right pressing portions 96, thereby avoiding interference with the card holder 91. Also, the movement path of the first chuck member 54a is stopped just before the card holder 91 (entrance portion 91a) in the case, thereby avoiding interference with the card holder 91.

[0053] Provided on the underside of the plate 52 are a push-out member 58 that is slidable toward and away from the tip 52a of the plate 52, and a slide mechanism 59 that slides the push-out member 58. The push-out member 58 is disposed at a position where it abuts against the card CA2 held by the chuck member 54 from the opposite side to the tip 52a, and when the slide mechanism 59 is actuated to slide the push-out member 58 toward the tip 52a, the card CA2 pushed by the push-out member 58 is forcibly ejected from the second chuck device 51 (see FIG. 10(c)).

[0054] Next, the flow of inserting the card CA2 using the second chuck device 51 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0055] When inserting the card CA2 into the card holder 91 of the shipping box 80, the hand 30 is placed in a horizontal state in front of the side plate portion 86 in an insertion preparation position (see FIG. 11(a)). More specifically, the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 of the second chuck device 51 is placed so as to face a portion of the side plate portion 86 that is lower than the opening flange 89 and higher than the card holder 91 (entrance portion 91a).

[0056] After the arrangement at the insertion preparation position is completed, the posture of the arm 21 is changed to tilt the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) so that the tip 52a of the plate 52 faces a specific spot SP2 near the base of the opening flange 89 (see FIG. 11(b)). At this time, the second chuck device 51 rotates around the tip 52a, so that the position of the tip 52a remains the same.

[0057] After the second chuck device 51 is tilted, the hand 30 is slid toward the specific location SP2. Specifically, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the hand 30 is slid in parallel to the surface of the plate 52. The sliding movement of the hand 30 ends when the plate 52 of the second chuck device 51 abuts against the side plate portion 86, and stops with the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 abutting against the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 11(c)). If the plate 52 is moved horizontally to target the specific location SP2, there is a high possibility that the plate 52 and the tip of the opening flange 89 will collide before reaching the specific location SP2. In this regard, as described above, by approaching the specific location SP2 from an obliquely downward side, such inconvenience can be prevented from occurring.

[0058] A triangular rib 88c is formed near the base of the opening flange 89 so as to connect the opening flange 89 to the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 5). Meanwhile, a notch 52c is formed in the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 to avoid contact with the triangular rib 88c. When the plate 52 is moved to the specific location SP2, the triangular rib 88c fits into the notch 52c, so as not to impede the movement to the specific location SP2.

[0059] After the first approach is completed, the second approach is started to move the second chuck device 51 to the insertion target position. In the second approach, the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) is tilted so that the tip 52a of the plate 52 faces the entrance portion 91a side (downward), and the tip 52a is displaced along the side plate portion 86 toward the entrance portion 91a side (downward) (see FIG. 11(d)). At this time, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) rotates around the tip 52a, thereby preventing the tip 52a from moving away from the side plate portion 86 due to the rotation. Note that this is similar to the second approach using the first chuck device 41 in that the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the distance between the second chuck device 51 and the tip EP of the opening flange 89 is constant.

[0060] By changing the inclination of the second chuck device 51 and moving the tip 52a of the plate 52 closer to the entrance portion 91a, the card CA2 (specifically, the case) overlapping the plate 52 comes into contact with the pressing portion 93 (specifically, the tip 94) of the card holder 91. At this time, since the plate 52 is inclined obliquely, the pressing portion 93 is pushed away from the side plate portion 86 by the plate 52, and the gap 95 (entrance portion 91a) is expanded by the pressing portion 93 being elastically deformed. After that, the inclination of the plate 52 with respect to the side plate portion 86 becomes smaller, and the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the tip 52a of the plate 52 is displaced downward along the side plate portion 86. By changing the inclination in this way, the card CA2 or the case is prevented from getting caught by the tip 94 of the pressing portion 93.

[0061] When the plate 52 reaches the bottom (rear) of the card holder 91, the second approach is completed and the arm 21 stops (see FIG. 12(e)). That is, the hand 30 is placed at the insertion target position. After that, the switching mechanism 56 is operated to switch the chuck member 54 from the holding state to the non-holding state (see FIG. 12(f)). At this point, the card CA2 is sandwiched between the pressing portion 93 and the plate 52. Therefore, even if the chuck member 54 is switched to the non-holding state, the card CA2 does not necessarily fall by its own weight. Therefore, after the chuck member 54 is switched to the non-holding state, the slide mechanism 59 is operated to slide the push-out member 58 toward the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 (see FIG. 12(g)). In conjunction with such a movement of the push-out member 58, a removal operation is started to remove the second chuck device 51 from the gap 95. Specifically, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 is displaced upward while increasing the inclination of the second chuck device 51 relative to the side plate portion 86. This prevents the card CA2 from moving in conjunction with the plate 52.

[0062] Thereafter, during the removal operation of the second chuck device 51, the plate 52 and the pressing portion 93 of the card holder 91 separate, and the pressing portion 93 returns toward the side plate portion 86 due to elastic force, so that the card CA2 is sandwiched between the pressing portion 93 and the side plate portion 86 (see Figure 12 (h)).

[0063] Here, while the first chuck device 41 has the function of inserting a card CA1 into the card holder 91, the second chuck device 51 has the function of inserting a card CA2 into the card holder 91 as well as the function of removing the card CA2 from the card holder 91. The reason why the second chuck device 51 has a single plate is to enable the second chuck device 51 to perform both insertion and removal of the card CA2.

[0064] The flow of removing the card CA2 using the second chuck device 51 will be described below with reference to Figures 13 and 14. In this embodiment, the movement of the arm 21 when removing the card CA2 is basically the same as the movement of the arm 21 when inserting the card CA2, and the control program is simplified. For convenience, in Figures 13 and 14, the case and the ID card are not distinguished and are collectively referred to as the card CA2.

[0065] When removing card CA2 from card holder 91 of box 80, hand 30 is placed in a horizontal position in front of side plate 86 in a removal preparation position (see FIG. 13(a)). More specifically, tip 52a of plate 52 in second chuck device 51 is placed facing a position (specific position SP1) on side plate 86 that is lower than opening flange 89 and higher than card holder 91 (entrance portion 91a). Note that the removal preparation position and insertion preparation position are the same position.

[0066] After the arrangement at the removal preparation position is completed, the posture of the arm 21 is changed to tilt the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) so that the tip 52a of the plate 52 faces the specific point SP2 that is closer to the opening flange 89 than the specific point SP1, specifically, the specific point SP2 that is the base of the opening flange 89 (see FIG. 13(b)). At this time, the second chuck device 51 rotates around the tip 52a, so that the position of the tip 52a remains the same.

[0067] After tilting the second chuck device 51, the hand 30 is slid toward the specific location SP2. Specifically, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the hand 30 slides parallel to the surface of the plate 52. This prevents the movement of the hand 30 from being hindered by the opening flange 89. The sliding movement of the hand 30 ends when the plate 52 of the second chuck device 51 abuts against the side plate portion 86, and stops with the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 abutting against the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 13(c)). In other words, the first approach from the removal preparation position to abutting against the side plate portion 86 is the same as the first approach when inserting the card CA2.

[0068] The case of the card CA2 inserted in the card holder 91 protrudes to a position midway between the opening flange 89 and the card holder 91. If the position of the card CA2 varies up and down, the distance between the case and the opening flange 89 may become even smaller. Therefore, in the first approach, the tip 52a of the plate 52 is abutted against the base of the opening flange 89, thereby preventing the tip 52a from abutting against the case.

[0069] After the first approach is completed, the second approach is started to move the second chuck device 51 to the removal target position. In the second approach, the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) is tilted so that the tip 52a of the plate 52 faces the entrance portion 91a side (downward), and the tip 52a is displaced downward along the side plate portion 86. At this time, the posture of the arm 21 is changed so that the second chuck device 51 (hand 30) rotates around the tip 52a, thereby preventing the tip 52a from moving away from the side plate portion 86 due to the rotation. By moving the tip 52a of the plate 52 closer to the entrance portion 91a while changing the inclination of the second chuck device 51, the tip 52a of the plate 52 is inserted between the case (card CA2) and the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 13(d)). Thereafter, the inclination of the plate 52 with respect to the side plate portion 86 becomes smaller and the position of the arm 21 is changed so that the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 is displaced downward along the side plate portion 86.

[0070] When plate 52 reaches the bottom (rear) of card holder 91, the second approach is completed and arm 21 stops (see FIG. 14(e)). That is, hand 30 is positioned at the target removal position. In this state, card CA and case are pressed against plate 52 by pressing portion 93 of card holder 91. Thereafter, switching mechanism 56 is operated to switch chuck member 54 from the open state to the closed state (see FIG. 14(f)).

[0071] Thereafter, the position of the arm 21 is changed so that the inclination of the second chuck device 51 relative to the side plate portion 86 becomes greater and the tip portion 52a of the plate 52 is displaced upward (see FIG. 14(g)). Then, the card CA2 and the case held by the second chuck device 51 are released from the card holder 91 together with the second chuck device 51, completing the removal of the card CA2 (see FIG. 14(h)).

[0072] According to the first embodiment described above in detail, the following excellent effects can be expected.

[0073] As shown in this embodiment, by approaching the card chuck devices 41, 51 from the front side of the side plate portion 86 toward the specific points SP1, SP2 with the tip portions 43a, 52a of the plates 43, 52 facing the specific points SP1, SP2 of the side plate portion 86, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a problem in which the approach is hindered by the opening flange 89 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the return box 80. After reaching the specific points SP1, SP2, the attitude of the card chuck devices 41, 51 is changed so that the tip portions 43a, 52a face the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91, and the tip portions 43a, 52a approach the entrance portion 91a along the side plate portion 86. The specific points SP1, SP2 are continuous with the entrance portion 91a, and the distal ends 43a, 52a are displaced along the side plate portion 86, so that the plates 43, 52 are prevented from deviating from the route toward the entrance portion 91a. The card chuck devices 41, 51 are changed in position so that the distal ends 43a, 52a face the entrance portion 91a, so that the movement of the plates 43, 52 is prevented from being hindered by the card holder 91. This movement allows the plates 43, 52 to be inserted into the gap 95 from the entrance portion 91a. When inserting the card CA, the card CA can be handed over to the card holder 91 by releasing the holding of the card CA after the plates 43, 52 are inserted. When removing the card CA, the card CA2 can be received from the card holder 91 by holding the card CA2 after the plate 52 is inserted. With this configuration, it is possible to automate the insertion / removal of the card CA into the card holder 91, which can contribute to improving the efficiency and reducing the labor required in the logistics process in which the returnable box 80 with the card holder 91 attached thereto is used.

[0074] In the configuration in which the card CA is automatically inserted into the card holder 91 as described above, it is assumed that the card CA may be bent or crushed during insertion, which not only reduces the visibility of the card CA but also makes it difficult to remove the card CA. Here, if the card CA protrudes from the tip portions 43a and 52a, the card CA is likely to be deformed or caught when the plates 42 and 53 move near the side plate portion 86 or the card holder 91. This is a concern as a cause of the above-mentioned inconvenience. Therefore, as shown in this embodiment, there is technical significance in being able to hold the card CA without the card CA protruding from the tip portions 43a and 52a.

[0075] When the gap 95 between the card holder 91 and the side plate portion 86 is small, the greater the distance between the plates 43, 52 (tips 43a, 52a) and the side plate portion 86 when the tips 43a, 52a are moved along the side plate portion 86, the more difficult it becomes to approach the gap 95. Therefore, as shown in this embodiment, if the plates 43, 53 (tips 43a, 52a) are configured to abut against the side plate portion, the second approach toward the entrance portion 91a can be started in a state in which the plates 43, 52 and the side plate portion 86 are in abutment with each other, which contributes to improving the accuracy of the second approach. This is preferable in terms of reducing the chance of failure in inserting the plates 43, 52. This effect becomes more noticeable as the distance between the specific points SP1, SP2 and the entrance portion 91a becomes shorter.

[0076] When changing the inclination (posture) of the card chuck devices 41, 51 in the second approach, by rotating the card chuck devices 41, 51 around the tip portions 43a, 52a, it is possible to easily prevent the tip portions 43a, 52a from moving away from the side plate portion 86 due to the rotation. This is preferable in terms of suppressing the complexity of control.

[0077] In order to smoothly insert the plates 43, 53 into the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91, it is preferable to minimize the inclination of the plates 43, 53 relative to the side plate portion 86 (to approach parallelism). However, an opening flange 89 is provided on the extension of the entrance portion 91a, and this opening flange 89 becomes an obstacle to inclining the plates 43, 53. In other words, it becomes practically difficult to displace the tip portions 43a, 52a toward the entrance portion 91a after sufficiently inclining the plates 43, 53. In this regard, as shown in this embodiment, in the second approach, if the change in the posture of the card chuck device 41, 51 and the displacement of the tip portions 43a, 52a toward the entrance portion 91a are configured to occur in parallel, the influence of the opening flange 89 can be reduced. In addition, by configuring the second approach so that the posture of the card chuck devices 41, 51 changes while keeping the distance between the card chuck devices 41, 51 and the opening flange 89 (tip EP) constant, the influence of the opening flange 89 can be further reduced.

[0078] In this embodiment, the chuck device 31 for the returnable box and the chuck devices 41, 51 for the cards are integrated in one hand 30. Therefore, the transport of the returnable box and the insertion of the card, etc. can be performed without replacing the hand 30, in other words, by simply rotating the hand 30 around the sixth axis AX6 and changing its direction, so that the work efficiency in the transport process can be favorably improved. In particular, when the returnable box 80 is transferred to the work table TB, the returnable box is positioned so that the card holder 91 is positioned in front of the robot 11, so that the hand 30 can be inserted / removed without having to rotate the hand 30. This favorably improves the work efficiency when the returnable box 80 is transported and the card CA is inserted / removed by the one robot 11.

[0079] <Second embodiment> In the first chuck device 41 shown in the first embodiment described above, the card CA1 accommodated between a pair of plates 42, 43 (gap 44) is pushed out by the chuck member 47, thereby transferring the card CA1 to the card holder 91. In the first chuck device shown in this embodiment, the chuck member 47 is omitted, and the configuration relating to holding the card CA1 is also changed in accordance with the omission of the chuck member 47. Hereinafter, the first chuck device 41X in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 15, focusing on the differences from the first chuck device 41 shown in the first embodiment.

[0080] The first chuck device 41X is similar to the first chuck device 41 shown in the first embodiment in that the storage section 45X for storing the card CA1 is configured by an upper plate 42X and a lower plate 43X facing each other with a gap 44X in between. On the other hand, the first chuck device 41X is different in configuration from the first chuck device 41 in that a variable mechanism 63X is provided for varying the distance between the plates 42X and 43X, i.e., the size of the gap 44X. Specifically, the lower plate 43X is displaceable in the arrangement direction of the plates 42X and 43X (the same direction as the central axis CL shown in FIG. 6), and by displacing the lower plate 43X in the arrangement direction, the state of the storage section 45X can be switched between a closed state in which the gap 44X is smaller than the thickness of the card CA1 and an open state in which the gap 44X is larger than the thickness of the card CA1.

[0081] The storage section 45X switches from an open state to a closed state when the card CA1 is picked up from the card placement area. This causes the card CA1 to be clamped between the plates 42X and 43X, preventing the card CA1 from falling out. When inserting the card CA1 into the card holder 91, the first chuck device 41X is placed in an insertion preparation position in front of the side plate portion 86 so that the tip portion 43aX of the lower plate 43X faces the specific portion SP1 of the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 15(a)). After being placed in the insertion preparation position, the first chuck device 41X is moved horizontally while maintaining the posture of the first chuck device 41X, and the tip portion 43aX of the lower plate 43X is brought into contact with the side plate portion 86 (specific portion SP1) (see FIG. 15(b)).

[0082] After the tip 43aX comes into contact with the specific location SP1, the tip 43aX is displaced downward along the side plate 86 while decreasing the inclination with respect to the side plate 86, that is, the attitude of the first chuck device 41X is changed so that the inclination of the first chuck device 41X with respect to the horizontal plane increases (see FIG. 15(c)). The behavior after the tip 43aX is inserted into the entrance portion 91a to the gap 95 differs from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, when the angle of the first chuck device 41X with respect to the side plate 86 becomes a predetermined angle (for example, 45°), the tip 43aX is separated from the side plate 86 by the change in attitude (rotation) of the first chuck device 41X (see FIG. 15(d)). This ensures a drop path for the card CA1 from the discharge port 45aX of the storage section 45X toward the bottom of the card holder 91.

[0083] Thereafter, when the tip 43aX reaches the insertion completion position, which is the halfway position between the entrance portion 91a and the bottom of the card holder 91, the movement of the first chuck device 41X is stopped, and the storage section 45X is switched from the closed state to the open state (see FIG. 15(e)). As a result, the stored card CA1 falls along the lower plate 43X due to its own weight. After switching from the closed state to the open state, the first chuck device 41X is released from the card holder 91 (see FIG. 15(f)).

[0084] <Third embodiment> In the first embodiment, the plate 52 of the second chuck device 51 is inserted between the card CA2 placed in the card holder 91 and the side plate portion 86 of the return box 80. Here, if the card is large and protrudes significantly from the inlet portion 91a of the card holder 91 toward the opening flange 89, it may be difficult to insert the plate 52 between the card and the side plate portion 86 depending on the positional relationship between the opening flange 89 and the inlet portion 91a. One of the features of the present embodiment is that it is devised in consideration of such circumstances. Hereinafter, the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 16, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0085] In this embodiment, the card CA2Y protrudes upward from the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91, and the edge of the card CA2Y is close to the opening flange 89 of the returnable box 80. In the process of inserting a card into the returnable box 80, first, similarly to the first embodiment, the second chuck device 51Y is placed in a removal preparation position in front of the side plate portion 86 (see FIG. 16(a)). Specifically, the posture of the robot main body 20 (see FIG. 1, etc.) is changed so that the second chuck device 51Y is horizontal and the tip portion 52aY of the plate 52Y faces the side plate portion 86 of the returnable box 80. In this state, the protruding portion of the card CA2Y is located at the tip of the tip portion 52aY (on an extension of the plate 52Y).

[0086] The second chuck device 51Y does not include various components (various components mounted on the lower surface side of the plate 52) such as the chuck member 54 and the ejector 57 shown in the first embodiment. Here, a supplementary explanation will be given of the configuration for holding the card CA2Y in the second chuck device 51Y. The plate 52Y is formed with a plurality of fine holes 65Y that are open to the upper surface 52dY side, and these fine holes 65Y are connected to a suction pump 66Y. When the suction pump 66Y is operated, air is sucked through the fine holes 65Y, and an object that is in contact with or close to the upper surface 52dY is sucked. That is, in this embodiment, the upper surface 52dY of the plate 52Y is an suction surface that sucks the card CA2Y.

[0087] After being placed in the removal preparation position, the second chuck device 51Y is moved horizontally while maintaining the posture of the second chuck device 51Y, and the tip portion 52aY of the plate 52Y is brought into contact with the card CA2Y (see FIG. 14(b)). That is, this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the plate 52Y comes into contact with the card CA2Y, not with the side plate portion 86.

[0088] Next, the posture of the robot body 20 is changed so that the inclination of the plate 52Y relative to the side plate portion 86 becomes smaller while displacing the tip portion 52aY of the plate 52Y downward along the side plate portion 86 (parallel to the side plate portion 86). In this process, the plate 52Y is inserted into the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91, specifically, between the pressing portion 93 of the card holder 91 and the card CA2Y. That is, the plate 52Y of the second chuck device 51Y is sandwiched between the pressing portion 93 of the card holder 91 and the card CA2Y (see FIG. 16(c)). Since the side plate portion 86 is slightly inclined toward the outside of the return box 80, the card CA2Y, which has lost support from the pressing portion 93 in the above process, is likely to lean against the plate 52Y.

[0089] After reaching the removal target position, the suction pump 66Y (see FIG. 16(a)) is operated to suck the card CA2Y to the plate 52Y. After the suction pump 66Y is operated, the attitude of the robot body 20 is first changed so that the inclination of the plate 52Y with respect to the side plate portion 86 becomes larger around the plate 52Y, that is, the inclination with respect to the horizontal plane becomes smaller (see FIG. 16(d)). This is a device to prevent the card CA2Y from slipping off. Thereafter, while the suction pump 66Y is kept operating, the second chuck device 51Y is raised and the attitude of the robot body 20 is changed so that the inclination with respect to the side plate portion 86 becomes even larger (see FIG. 16(e)). As a result, the card CA2Y is released from the card holder 91 while being held by the second chuck device 51Y (see FIG. 16(f)).

[0090] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be implemented as follows. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to each of the above-described embodiments, or may be applied in combination with a part or all of the following configurations to each of the above-described embodiments.

[0091] In the second approach when inserting the plates 43, 52 of the card chuck devices 41, 51 into the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91 to insert / remove the card CA, it is not necessarily necessary to simultaneously displace (lower) the tip portions 43a, 52a of the plates 43, 52 toward the entrance portion 91a and change (rotate) the posture of the plates 43, 52. For example, the posture of the arm 21 may be controlled so that the tip portions 43a, 52a are displaced toward the entrance portion 91a after the posture change.

[0092] In the first embodiment, after the plates 43, 52 of the card chuck devices 41, 51 are brought into contact with the side plate portion 86 of the return box 80 when inserting / removing the card CA, the tip portions 43a, 52a of the plates 43, 52 are displaced along a pre-programmed trajectory, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the presence or absence of a reaction force from the side plate portion 86 is monitored based on information (feedback) from the torque sensor 73, and the tip portions 43a, 52a are displaced while adjusting to maintain the state in which the reaction force is generated, thereby suitably suppressing the separation of the tip portions 43a, 52a from the side plate portion 86. The target trajectory through which the tip portions 43a, 52a pass may be set slightly inside the outer surface of the side plate portion 86 (toward the center of the return box 80). By setting such a target trajectory, the tip portions 43a, 52a are pressed against the side plate portion 86 by the movement of the arm 21. Incidentally, the plates 43 and 52 can be slightly bent to absorb the deviation between the outer surface to be contacted and the target trajectory.

[0093] In the first embodiment, both the upper plate 42 and the lower plate 43 of the first chuck device 41 are flat, but it is sufficient that the card CA1 accommodated in the gap 44 between the plates 42, 43 can be ejected by the ejector 46, and it is also possible for the plates 42, 43 to be curved. In addition, the plate 52 of the second chuck device 51 may also be curved as long as it is possible to prevent the card CA2 from floating at the tip portion 52a of the plate 52.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 are arranged so as to protrude from the long side portion 32a of the base plate 32, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 can also be arranged so as to protrude from the short side portion 32b of the base plate 32. However, when changing the posture of the arm 21 to tilt the hand 30 when inserting / removing the card CA, the distance from the shaft portion 33 to the tip of the first chuck device 41 and the distance from the shaft portion 33 to the tip of the second chuck device 51 become large, which makes it easier for the hand 30 and the arm 21 to interfere with each other. Considering that it is preferable to greatly tilt the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 with respect to the horizontal plane when inserting / removing the card, there is technical significance in arranging the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 on the long side portion 32a of the base plate 32 as shown in the above embodiments. Although the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 are arranged separately so that the first chuck device 41 protrudes from one of the long side portions 32a and the second chuck device 51 protrudes from the other of the long side portions 32a, it is also possible to arrange the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 so that they protrude from the same long side portion 32a.

[0095] In each of the above embodiments, an example was given of the case where the entrance portion 91a of the card holder 91 faces upward, but even if the entrance portion of the card holder faces sideways, it is possible to insert / remove the card using the conveying system 10.

[0096] In the second embodiment, the lower plate 43X is displaced in the arrangement direction of the plates 42X, 43X to increase / reduce the distance between the plates 42X, 43X, but the upper plate 42X may be displaced in the arrangement direction of the plates 42X, 43X to increase / reduce the distance between the plates 42X, 43X. Also, the plates 42X, 43X may be displaced individually to increase / reduce the distance between the plates 42X, 43X.

[0097] The specific configuration for realizing the movement of the card CA when it is inserted or removed as shown in each of the above embodiments is arbitrary. For example, the movement of the robot 11 when inserting or removing the card CA may be configured to execute the movement (control points, etc.) stored in advance in the storage unit of the robot controller 70 as is without considering the actual position of the card holder 91 or the position of the opening flange 89, or the position of the card holder 91 and the opening flange 89 of the shipping box 80 is confirmed from an image captured by the camera 61, and the insertion preparation position when inserting the card CA, the removal preparation position when removing the card CA, the specific points SP1, SP2, etc. may be corrected according to the position of the card holder 91 and the position of the opening flange 89.

[0098] In the transport system 10 shown in each of the above embodiments, the robot 11 is engaged in three tasks: transporting the returnable box 80 and inserting / removing the card CA. However, the tasks may be divided among multiple robots. That is, for example, a robot may be divided into one engaged in transporting the returnable box 80, one engaged in inserting the card CA, and one engaged in removing the card CA.

[0099] In the above embodiments, the transfer system 10 (card insertion system) is constructed using a 6-axis vertical articulated robot, but it is also possible to construct a transfer system using other articulated robots such as 3-axis to 5-axis or 7-axis robots. Also, the transfer system may be constructed using a horizontal articulated robot instead of the vertical articulated robot. Note that the specific configuration for moving the configuration corresponding to the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 is arbitrary and is not necessarily limited to the robot 11. For example, instead of the robot 11, a dedicated moving facility for moving the configuration corresponding to the first chuck device 41 and the second chuck device 51 may be provided.

[0100] <Inventions extracted from the above embodiments> The following describes the features of the inventions extracted from the above-mentioned embodiments, while indicating, as necessary, their effects, etc. In the following, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately indicated in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0101] <Feature A Group> Card insertion The following feature group A is related to the background technology that states, "In logistics processes in factories and the like, cards bearing information about the goods and their transportation are placed on returnable boxes used to transport goods, and the cards are used to manage the circulation of goods, thereby improving the efficiency of the logistics process. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technology in which an identification card is automatically inserted into a beer crate traveling on a conveyer belt through an opening in the beer crate. The introduction of such technology can contribute to reducing the labor required in logistics processes." The feature group B states, "Some of the returnable boxes mentioned above are provided with card holders that hold cards. This type of card holder prevents cards from being visually confirmed. In order to facilitate the transfer of cards, they are often provided on the outside of the returnable box. In recent years, technology has been proposed that allows card information to be easily obtained by mechanically reading barcodes or QR codes (registered trademarks) attached to cards, and the technical significance of placing cards on the outside of the returnable box has increased. However, in the physical distribution process where returnable boxes with card holders are used, the reality is that the insertion of cards into the card holders is still performed manually by workers. Thus, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to card insertion in order to improve the efficiency and reduce the labor required in the physical distribution process where returnable boxes with card holders are used. This was made in consideration of the background and issues that

[0102] Feature A1. A card insertion system (transport system 10) that inserts a card (card CA) into a gap (gap 95) between a side wall portion (outer surface of side plate portion 86) that forms a part of the outer peripheral surface of a storage box (commutable box 80) and a card holder (card holder 91) provided on the side wall portion, a card holding section (card chuck device 41, 51) having a plate (plate 43, 52) to be inserted into the gap when the card is inserted into the gap, and holding the card in a state overlapping the plate; a movement mechanism (robot body 20) that moves the card holder; A control unit (e.g., a robot controller 70) that controls the card holding unit and the moving mechanism; Equipped with The control unit is controlling the moving mechanism so that the card holding portion moves toward a specific portion (specific portion SP1, SP2) leading to an entrance (entrance portion 91 a) to the gap in a state in which a specific edge portion (tip portion 43 a, 52 a) of the plate faces the specific portion at the side wall portion; after the card reaches the specific location, the position of the card holding portion is changed so that the predetermined edge portion faces the entrance side, and the moving mechanism is controlled so that the predetermined edge portion moves toward the entrance side along the side wall portion; a card insertion system that controls the moving mechanism and the card holding portion to release the holding of the card after the plate is inserted into the gap from the entrance;

[0103] As shown in this feature, by approaching the card holding part (first approach) toward the specific location with the specific edge of the plate facing the specific location of the side wall, it is possible to prevent the first approach from being obstructed by a protrusion (e.g., opening flange 89) formed on the outer circumferential surface of the container. After reaching the specific location, the card holding part changes its position so that the specific edge faces the entrance side, and approaches the entrance with the specific edge along the side wall (second approach). The specific location continues to the entrance, and by displacing the specific edge along the side wall, it is possible to prevent the plate from deviating from the route toward the entrance. Furthermore, since the position of the card holding part (plate) is changed so that the specific edge faces the entrance side, it is possible to prevent the movement of the plate from being obstructed by the card holder. This movement makes it possible to insert the plate from the entrance into the gap. After the plate is inserted, the card is released from the card holder, so that the card can be handed over to the card holder. With this configuration, it is possible to automate the insertion of cards into card holders, which contributes to improving the efficiency and reducing the labor required in logistics processes in which returnable boxes with card holders are used.

[0104] Feature A2. The card insertion system according to Feature A1, wherein the card holding portion is capable of holding the card such that the card does not protrude from the predetermined edge portion.

[0105] As shown in feature A1, in a configuration in which a card is automatically inserted, it is assumed that the card may be bent or crushed during insertion, which not only reduces the visibility of the card but also makes it difficult to remove the card. Here, if the card protrudes from the specified edge, the card is likely to be deformed or get caught when the plate moves near the side wall or the card holder. This is a concern as a cause of the above-mentioned inconvenience. Therefore, as shown in this feature, there is technical significance in being able to hold the card without the card protruding from the specified edge.

[0106] Feature A3. A detection unit (torque sensor 73) capable of detecting that the plate hits the side wall portion when the plate is moved from a position in front of the side wall portion toward the specific location is provided; A card insertion system described in Feature A1 or Feature A2, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism to end the movement of the plate toward the specific location based on the detection unit detecting that the plate has hit the side wall portion.

[0107] When the gap between the card holder and the side wall is small, the greater the distance between the plate (predetermined edge) and the side wall when moving the predetermined edge along the side wall, the more difficult it becomes to approach the gap. Therefore, as shown in this feature, if the plate (predetermined edge) is configured to abut against the side wall, the second approach can be started with the plate and the side wall abutting, which contributes to improving the accuracy of the second approach. This is preferable in terms of reducing the chance of failure in inserting the plate. It is preferable to configure the predetermined edge and the side wall to remain in abutting state during the second approach.

[0108] Feature A4. A card insertion system described in any one of Features A1 to A3, wherein the control unit changes the posture of the card holding unit by controlling the moving mechanism so that the card holding unit rotates around the specified edge when the specified edge moves along the side wall toward the entrance side.

[0109] By rotating the card holder around the predetermined edge, it is possible to easily prevent the predetermined edge from moving away from the side wall due to the rotation, which is preferable in terms of preventing the control from becoming complicated.

[0110] Feature A5. A card insertion system described in any one of Features A1 to A4, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism so that after reaching the specific location, the posture of the card holding portion is changed so that the specified edge portion faces the entrance side, while the specified edge portion moves along the side wall portion toward the entrance side.

[0111] In order to smoothly insert the plate, it is preferable to minimize the inclination of the plate relative to the side wall (to approach parallelism). However, as described above, a convex portion is often formed on the outer circumferential surface of the return box, and if the convex portion is located near a specific location, the convex portion may hinder the inclination of the plate. In other words, it may be practically difficult to displace the specified edge toward the entrance side after sufficiently inclining the plate. In this regard, as shown in this feature, in the second approach, if the position change of the card holding portion and the displacement of the specified edge toward the entrance side are configured in parallel, the influence of the inclination restriction caused by the convex portion can be suitably mitigated even if the convex portion is located near a specific location.

[0112] Feature A6: A protrusion (opening flange 89) is formed on the side wall portion, facing the card holder across the specific location, A card insertion system described in any one of Features A1 to A5, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism so that the posture of the card holding portion changes while keeping the distance between the plate and the protrusion (e.g., the tip EP) constant or approximately constant when the specified edge portion moves along the side wall portion toward the entrance side.

[0113] According to the configuration showing this feature, it is possible to minimize the inclination of the plate with respect to the side wall portion while taking into consideration the restriction by the protruding portion.

[0114] Note that "constant or approximately constant distance" refers to the possibility that the distance will vary due to the influence of errors when the predetermined position of the protrusion differs from the actual position of the protrusion, or that when movement is determined by image analysis, etc., the distance will vary due to the influence of accuracy of the image analysis.

[0115] Feature A7: Ejector 46, 57 for ejecting the card from the card holder; A card insertion system described in any one of Features A1 to A6, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism and the card holding unit so that the retention of the card is released after the plate is moved to the back of the gap, and after the retention of the card is released, controls the ejection unit and the moving mechanism so that the ejection operation of the card by the ejection unit and the removal operation of the card holding unit from the card holder by the moving mechanism are performed in parallel.

[0116] The configuration in which the card is forcibly ejected using the ejection section is preferable in order to prevent the card from being left behind on the card holding section side. If the card is forcibly ejected, it may bend or warp. Such deformation may reduce the visibility of the card. In this regard, as shown in this feature, after the card is released from the holder, the card ejection operation and the card holder release operation are performed in parallel, which reduces the load on the card when it is ejected and suppresses deformation of the card.

[0117] Feature A8. The plate is a first plate; the card holding section is provided with a second plate (upper plate 42) that faces the first plate across a gap (gap 44) and is inserted into the gap together with the first plate; The card insertion system according to any one of Features A1 to A7, wherein the card is accommodated in a gap between the first plate and the second plate.

[0118] When the first plate is inserted into the gap between the card holder and the side wall, the card may be distorted or bent and move away from the first plate, causing inconvenience such as the card getting caught in the card holder or being turned over. In this regard, if the card is stored in the gap between two opposing plates, it is possible to suppress the card from being distorted or bent, and to reduce insertion errors. In order to change the position of the card holding part by preventing the predetermined tip part from moving away from the side wall part as much as possible when the predetermined tip part of the card holding part moves toward the entrance side along the side wall part, it is preferable that the "card holding part" is configured such that "the first plate has a part extending from a part facing the second plate, and the tip of the extending part forms the predetermined edge part." For example, the first plate and the second plate may have different lengths (widths), or the first plate and the second plate may be arranged with a shift in the width direction.

[0119] Feature A9: When inserted into the gap, the first plate is on the card holder side and the second plate is on the side wall side; The card insertion system of Feature A8, wherein the first plate extends beyond an edge of the second plate at the predetermined edge side.

[0120] As shown in this feature, by configuring the edge positions of the first plate and the second plate to be offset, when a specified edge of the first plate is brought closer to the entrance along the side wall portion, it is possible to easily prevent the second plate from hitting the side wall portion and preventing the position of the card holding portion from changing, i.e., preventing the specified edge of the first plate from moving away from the side wall portion.

[0121] Feature A10. The moving mechanism is an arm (arm 21) of a robot (robot 11), The card insertion system according to any one of features A1 to A9, wherein the card holding portion is attached to the arm.

[0122] According to this characteristic configuration, the card holder can be moved and its position changed by the robot arm.

[0123] Feature A11. The arm is provided with a torque sensor (torque sensor 73) that detects the torque generated at the joint of the arm, The card insertion system of feature A12, wherein the control unit determines whether the card holding portion has contacted the side wall portion based on information from the torque sensor when moving the card holding portion toward the specific location.

[0124] If the arm is configured to determine whether the card holding part hits the side wall part based on information from a torque sensor, the card holding part can be prevented from becoming complicated in configuration. For example, even when an end effector is constructed by combining multiple card holding parts to handle multiple types of cards, there is no need to provide a sensor (such as a proximity sensor or pressure sensor) for monitoring the hit of each card holding part.

[0125] <Feature B> Card removal The following feature B group is "In a logistics process, the efficiency of the logistics process is sometimes improved by placing cards on which information about the goods and their transportation is written in returnable boxes used for transporting goods, and using the cards to manage the distribution of goods. Some of the returnable boxes mentioned above are provided with card holders for holding cards, and this type of card holder is often provided on the outside of the returnable box in consideration of the visibility of the card, etc. Here, for example, Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Publication 7-275825 A) proposes a technology for removing a label from a pocket of a container traveling on a belt conveyor. Specifically, the configuration describes a configuration in which the label is attracted by a vacuum nozzle, and then the vacuum nozzle is rotated to remove the label from the pocket. Such a technology reduces the cost of the logistics process. Regarding the background technology of "returnable boxes, which can contribute to reducing manpower required," the document was made in consideration of the following background and issues: "However, the outer peripheral surface of returnable boxes is not necessarily flat, and in many cases protrusions such as ribs or opening flanges are formed for the purpose of reinforcement, etc. Furthermore, card holders generally have a certain degree of depth in order to prevent cards from falling out, etc. In other words, it can be difficult to remove a card that is inserted deeply while avoiding the peripheral protrusions. Furthermore, in logistics processes where returnable boxes with card holders are used, the reality is that cards are still removed from the card holders by hand. Thus, in order to improve efficiency and reduce manpower in logistics processes where returnable boxes with card holders are used, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to card removal."

[0126] Feature B1. A card removal system (transport system 10) that removes a card (card CA2) from a gap (gap 95) between a side wall portion (outer surface of side plate portion 86) that forms a part of the outer peripheral surface of a storage box (commuter box 80) and a card holder (card holder 91) provided on the side wall portion, a card holding section (second chuck device 51) having a plate (plate 52) that is inserted into the gap when the card is removed from the gap and capable of holding the card in a state where the card is overlapped with the plate; a movement mechanism (robot body 20) that moves the card holder; A control unit (e.g., a robot controller 70) that controls the card holding unit and the moving mechanism; Equipped with The control unit is the card holding portion moves toward a specific portion (specific portion SP2) leading to an entrance (entrance portion 91a) to the gap at the side wall portion with a specific edge portion (tip portion 52a) of the plate facing the specific portion, and when the movement of the card holding portion is hindered by the side wall portion, the posture of the card holding portion changes so that the specific edge portion faces the entrance side, and the movement mechanism is controlled so that the specific edge portion moves toward the entrance side along the side wall portion; A card removal system that holds the card placed in the gap after the plate is inserted into the gap from the entrance, and controls the card holding section and the moving mechanism so that the plate removes from the gap while holding the card.

[0127] As shown in this feature, by approaching the card holding part (first approach) toward the specific location with the specific edge of the plate facing the specific location of the side wall, it is possible to prevent the first approach from being blocked by a convex part (e.g., opening flange 89) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the container box. After the side wall prevents further movement, the card holding part changes its position so that the specific edge of the plate faces the entrance side, and the specific edge approaches the entrance along the side wall (second approach). The specific location continues to the entrance, and by displacing the specific edge along the side wall, it is possible to prevent the plate from deviating from the route toward the entrance. Then, since the position of the card holding part (plate) is changed so that the specific edge faces the entrance side, it is possible to prevent the movement of the plate from being blocked by the card holder. This movement makes it possible to insert the plate from the entrance into the gap. After the plate is inserted, the card is held, and the plate is removed from the gap while holding the card. With this configuration, it is possible to automate the removal of cards from the card holders, which contributes to improving the efficiency and reducing the labor required in logistics processes in which returnable boxes with card holders are used.

[0128] Feature B2: A protrusion (opening flange 89) is formed on the side wall portion, facing the card holder across the specific location, The card removal system according to feature B1, wherein the specific location is set to be a location on the side wall portion adjacent to the protrusion.

[0129] The amount of protrusion from the card holder may vary depending on the type of card and its position. If a protrusion is formed facing the card holder across a specific point, the specific point is set to a point on the side wall that is close to the protrusion, making it easier to insert the plate between the card and the side wall.

[0130] Feature B3. A card removal system described in Feature B1 or Feature B2, in which the control unit controls the moving mechanism so that the specified edge portion of the plate is maintained in contact with the side wall portion when the specified edge portion is moved toward the entrance.

[0131] According to this characteristic configuration, the plate is prevented from being separated from the side wall when the plate is moved toward the inlet side, which is preferable for inserting the plate between the side wall and the card.

[0132] Feature B4. The moving mechanism is an arm (arm 21) of a robot (robot 11), The card removal system according to any one of features B1 to B3, wherein the card holding portion is attached to the arm.

[0133] According to this characteristic configuration, the card holder can be moved and its position changed by the robot arm. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 10...transport system, 11...robot, 20...robot body, 30...hand, 32...base plate, 41...first chuck device (card chuck device), 42...upper plate, 43...lower plate, 44...gap, 45...storage section, 46...ejector, 47...chuck member, 51...second chuck device (card chuck device), 52...plate, 54...chuck member, 57...ejector, 58...extrusion member, 70...robot controller, 73...torque sensor, 80...transport box, 89...opening flange, 91...card holder, 91a...entrance portion, 93...pressing portion, 94...tip portion, 95...gap.

Claims

1. A card insertion system for inserting a card into a gap between a side wall portion forming a part of an outer circumferential surface of a storage box and a card holder provided on the side wall portion, a card holding section having a plate that is inserted into the gap when the card is inserted into the gap, and holding the card in a state overlapping the plate; a moving mechanism for moving the card holding unit; a control unit for controlling the card holding unit and the moving mechanism; Equipped with The control unit is controlling the moving mechanism so that the card holding portion moves toward a specific portion in a state where a predetermined edge portion of the plate faces the specific portion leading to an entrance of the gap on the side wall portion; after the card reaches the specific location, the position of the card holding portion is changed so that the predetermined edge portion faces the entrance side, and the moving mechanism is controlled so that the predetermined edge portion moves toward the entrance side along the side wall portion; a card insertion system that controls the moving mechanism and the card holding portion to release the holding of the card after the plate is inserted into the gap from the entrance;

2. 2. The card insertion system of claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the posture of the card holding unit by controlling the moving mechanism so that the card holding unit rotates around the specified edge when the specified edge moves along the side wall toward the entrance side.

3. a protrusion is formed on the side wall portion so as to face the card holder across the specific location, 2. The card insertion system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism so that when the specified edge portion moves along the side wall portion toward the entrance side, the posture of the card holding portion changes while keeping the distance between the plate and the protrusion constant or approximately constant.

4. a discharge unit that discharges the card from the card holding unit, 2. The card insertion system of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the moving mechanism and the card holding unit so that the retention of the card is released after the plate is moved to the back of the gap, and after the retention of the card is released, the control unit controls the ejection unit and the moving mechanism so that the ejection operation of the card by the ejection unit and the removal operation of the card holding unit from the card holder by the moving mechanism are performed in parallel.

5. the moving mechanism is a robot arm, 5. The card insertion system according to claim 1, wherein the card holder is attached to the arm.

Images