Plate replacement device

Abstract

To provide a plate replacement device capable of saving space for plate replacement.SOLUTION: A plate replacement device 1 is for replacing plates by a plurality of plates Wo loaded on a loading part 201 on a place conveyance device 300 for conveying the plates Wo. The plate replacement device 1 comprises: a plate holding unit 10 for holding a prescribed number of plates Wo in a lump; a moving unit for moving the plate holding unit 10; and a control unit 60 for controlling the moving unit. The control unit 60 controls, after detection of loading of the prescribed number of plates Wo on the loading unit 201, the moving unit to move the plate holding unit 10 toward the loading unit 201, and executes a holding process for supporting, from a lower side, the prescribed number of plates Wo and hold them on the plate holding unit 10 by entering the plate holding unit 10 in a horizontal direction into the lower part of the prescribed number of plates Wo.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plate transfer device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a dish plate moving device. In this dish plate moving device, when dish plates washed by a dish plate washing device are stacked above the discharge outlet of the dish plate washing device, a catcher of the dish plate moving device is first moved above the discharge outlet. Next, the catcher is moved downward to abut against the multiple dish plates. This causes the multiple dish plates to be held by the catcher. Next, the catcher is moved to place the dish plates on the placement stand, and then the catcher's hold on the dish plates is released. Then, the catcher is raised and the placement stand is lowered, so that the stacked dish plates are transferred onto a slide surface. The dish plates transferred onto the slide surface are pressed by a pusher and moved onto a crescent conveyor of a dish plate transport device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-188337 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the dish-plate moving device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when holding plates, a hanging catcher is lowered from above the stacked plates. Therefore, this dish-plate moving device requires space above the stacked plates for the catcher to move horizontally and rise and fall. In addition, the hanging catcher requires a structure above to support the members that hold the plates. This further increases the space required above the stacked plates.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a plate transfer device that can save space when transferring plates. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure is, [1] "a plate transfer device for transferring a plurality of plates stacked on a stacking section to a plate transporting device for transporting the plates, comprising a plate holding section for collectively holding a predetermined number of the plates, a moving section for moving the plate holding section, and a control section for controlling the moving section, wherein after detecting that the predetermined number of plates have been stacked on the stacking section, the control section controls the moving section to move the plate holding section towards the stacking section and to insert the plate holding section horizontally beneath the predetermined number of plates, thereby supporting the predetermined number of plates from below This is a plate transferring device that performs the following steps: a holding process in which the plate holding unit holds the predetermined number of plates; a first movement process in which, after the holding process, the moving unit is controlled to move the plate holding unit holding the predetermined number of plates from the stacking unit toward the plate conveying device; a second movement process in which, after the first movement process, the moving unit is controlled to position the plate holding unit on the conveying surface of the plate conveying device for the plates; and a placement process in which, after the second movement process, the moving unit is controlled to lower the plate holding unit toward the conveying surface and place the predetermined number of plates held by the plate holding unit on the conveying surface.

[0007] In this plate transfer device, a predetermined number of plates stacked on the stacking section are transferred to a plate conveying device by being held by a plate holding section and moved by a moving section. In particular, in this plate transfer device, when holding plates with the plate holding section, the plate holding section enters the lower part of the predetermined number of plates stacked on the stacking section in a horizontal direction, thereby supporting the predetermined number of plates from below and holding them in the plate holding section. As a result, no space is required above the plates stacked on the stacking section for the plate holding section to move, and no structure is required to support the plate holding section. This results in space savings.

[0008] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be the plate transfer device described in [1] above, [2] "wherein the moving unit includes a horizontal moving unit for moving the plate holding unit horizontally along a line from the stacking unit toward the plate conveying device, and a rotational moving unit for rotating the plate holding unit around a rotation axis along the vertical direction, and the control unit, in the first moving process, controls the rotational moving unit to rotate the plate holding unit so as to approach the line, and then controls the horizontal moving unit to move the plate holding unit along the line." In this case, the plate holding unit, which is a heavy object holding multiple plates, is rotated and brought close to the horizontal moving line, and then moved along the line. This allows for stable movement of the plate holding unit in the horizontal direction.

[0009] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be the plate transfer device described in [1] or [2] above, further comprising: [3] "a first sensor for detecting a position on the conveying surface where there is no plate, the first sensor being an optical sensor including a light-emitting unit located on one side of the conveying surface and a light-receiving unit located on the other side of the conveying surface as viewed from a direction intersecting the conveying surface, and the control unit, after the first sensor detects the position where there is no plate after the first movement process and by executing the second movement process, positions the plate holder at the position on the conveying surface where there is no plate." In this case, it is possible to reliably transfer the plate to the position on the conveying surface of the plate conveying device where there is no plate.

[0010] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be the plate transfer device described in [4] above, in which the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged so that the optical axis from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit is oblique to the conveying direction of the plate on the conveying surface. In this case, it becomes possible to detect a wider area without plates in the conveying direction on the conveying surface of the plate conveying device.

[0011] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be the plate transfer device described in [5] or [4] above, in which the control unit, in the second movement process, moves the plate holding unit along the optical axis from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit, and positions the plate holding unit on the conveying surface. In this case, it is possible to transfer plates while suppressing interference between the plate holding unit and the first sensor.

[0012] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be [6] "the plate transfer device according to any one of [3] to [5] above, further comprising a second sensor for detecting a position on the conveying surface where there is no plate, the second sensor being an optical sensor including the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit, and disposed adjacent to the first sensor in the conveying direction of the plate on the conveying surface." In this case, it becomes possible to detect a wider area on the conveying surface of the plate conveying device where there is no plate in the conveying direction.

[0013] The plate transfer device according to the present disclosure may be [7] "the plate transfer device according to any one of [1] to [6] above, in which the plate holding part includes a support surface for supporting the outer periphery of the plate from below when the tail of the plate protrudes downward." In this case, the support surface of the plate holding part can reliably support a predetermined number of plates from below, while the tail of the plate protruding from the support surface can be abutted against the conveying surface of the plate conveying device. The "bottom rim" is a "high platform" that indicates a base or foot provided on the bottom of a bowl, plate, etc., and can also be called a "bottom rim" and a "cutting edge." The "bottom rim" in the present disclosure is, for example, a part that protrudes in a frame shape with a smaller diameter than the bottom of a main body part that contains an item such as a bowl or plate. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, a plate transfer device that can save space when transferring plates can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing the plate transfer device according to the present embodiment and other devices related to the plate transfer device. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of the plate transfer device shown in FIG. 1 from another direction. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the plate holding portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the plate conveying device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control unit shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a plate replacement method according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is a top view showing one step of the plate transfer method shown in FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description may be omitted.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the plate transfer device according to this embodiment and other devices related to the plate transfer device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the plate transfer device shown in Fig. 1 from another direction. The plate transfer device 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is for transferring a plurality of plates Wo, which have been washed in a plate washing device 100 and stacked on a plate stacking device 200, onto a plate conveying device 300. The plates Wo are tableware plates on which food such as sushi is placed, and the plate transfer device 1, the plate washing device 100, the plate stacking device 200, and the plate conveying device 300 are installed in the kitchen of a restaurant such as a sushi restaurant.

[0018] The dish washing device 100 is a device that automatically washes dishes Wo. The dish washing device 100 washes dishes Wo inserted through an input port (not shown) and discharges the washed dishes Wo from an output port (not shown). The dishes Wo discharged from the dish washing device 100 are introduced into the dish stacking device 200, for example, from a side of the housing of the dish stacking device 200.

[0019] The plate stacking device 200 is disposed to the side of the dish washing device 100, and is a device for stacking washed plates Wo introduced from the dish washing device 100. The plate stacking device 200 pushes the plates Wo supplied from the dish washing device 100 from below upward in sequence, thereby leading them out of a stacking section 201 provided on the upper surface 202 of the housing. In this way, the plate stacking device 200 stacks multiple plates Wo in the stacking section 201. The plate stacking device 200 has multiple stacking sections 201 (for example, two to four, four in the illustrated example) arranged in one direction.

[0020] The plate stacking device 200 has walls 204 erected on the upper surface 202 so as to surround each of the stacking units 201 from three directions when viewed from above. The walls 204 include side portions 204s provided on the left and right sides of each of the stacking units 201 (both sides in the arrangement direction of the stacking units 201) when viewed from above, and a back portion 204b extending to connect the side portions 204s to each other. The plate stacking device 200 also has a plurality of handles 203 (the same number as the stacking units 201) erected on the upper surface 202 so as to face the back portions 204b. The handles 203 are each provided at a position corresponding to each of the stacking units 201. Therefore, the plate Wo stacked on the stacking unit 201 is located between the handles 203 and the back portions 204b when viewed from above. The height of the handles 203 is lower than the height of the wall portions 204.

[0021] The plate conveying device 300 is disposed on the side of the plate stacking device 200 opposite the plate washing device 100, and is intended to convey plates Wo transferred from the plate stacking device 200 by the plate transfer device 1. The plate conveying device 300 has an endless belt 301 (e.g., a crescent chain), and conveys plates Wo placed on the conveying surface 302, which is the upper surface of the belt 301, in the horizontal direction by rotating the belt 301 in a horizontal plane. Note that in this embodiment, the plate conveying device 300 is configured lower than the plate stacking device 200. Therefore, here, the conveying surface 302 is located lower than the upper surface 202 (stacking section 201) of the plate stacking device 200.

[0022] As described above, the plate transfer device 1 according to this embodiment is for transferring a plurality of plates Wo stacked on the stacking section 201 of the plate stacking device 200 to the plate conveying device 300 for conveying the plates Wo. The plate transfer device 1 is arranged to face the plate stacking device 200 in a direction intersecting the arrangement direction (arrangement direction of the stacking section 201) of the plate washing device 100, the plate stacking device 200, and the plate conveying device 300. The plate transfer device 1 includes a plate holding section 10, a first support section 20, a second support section 30, a third support section 40, a base 50, and a control section 60. The plate holding section 10 is for holding a predetermined number of plates Wo (for example, about 5 to 20) all at once. The plate holding section 10 will be described in more detail.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the dish holding portion shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the dish holding portion 10 includes a bottom wall portion 11, a side wall portion 12, and an upper wall portion 13. The bottom wall portion 11 and the upper wall portion 13 protrude from the lower end and the upper end of the side wall portion 12 toward one side of the side wall portion 12. The bottom wall portion 11 has a support surface 11s facing upward. The support surface 11s is provided with a notch 11h. The notch 11h opens toward the opposite side of the support surface 11s from the side wall portion 12.

[0024] When the plate holder 10 holds the plate Wo, the support surface 11s supports the outer periphery of the plate Wo from below in a state in which the tail of the plate Wo protrudes downward from the notch 11h. A pair of opposing walls 11p are erected on both edges in the left-right direction (a direction intersecting the direction from the side wall 12 toward the opening of the notch 11h) of the support surface 11s, and face the sides of the plate Wo in a state in which the support surface 11s supports the outer periphery of the plate Wo from below. The height of the opposing walls 11p from the support surface 11s can be, for example, approximately the thickness of the plate Wo excluding the tail of the thread.

[0025] The upper wall portion 13 is provided with a notch 13h. The notch 13 opens toward the opposite side of the upper wall portion 13 from the side wall portion 12 (i.e., toward the same side as the notch 11h). When viewed from above, the edge portion defining the notch 13h in the upper wall portion 13 faces the outer periphery of the plate Wo. On both edges in the left-right direction (the direction intersecting the direction from the side wall portion 12 toward the opening of the notch 13h) of the upper wall portion 13, a pair of opposing walls 13p are erected downward, facing at least the side portion of the uppermost plate Wo when the plate holding portion 10 holds a predetermined number of plates Wo. The height of the opposing walls 13p can be, for example, approximately the overall thickness of the plate Wo including the thread tail. In this case, the height of the opposing walls 13p is higher than the height of the opposing walls 11p.

[0026] In the illustrated example, the shape of the notch 11h and the shape of the notch 13h when viewed from above are each identical to each other in a chamfered rectangular shape, but are not limited to this and may be other shapes such as a circular shape, or may be different shapes from each other.

[0027] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first support part 20 extends along one direction (first horizontal direction D1) in a horizontal plane and supports the dish holding part 10. The first support part 20 includes a first moving part 21 that moves the dish holding part 10 along the first horizontal direction D1. The first moving part 21 includes, as an example, a rail 22 that extends along the first horizontal direction D1, and is configured to be able to move the dish holding part 10 along the rail 22.

[0028] The second support part 30 extends along the vertical direction D2 and supports the first support part 20. More specifically, the second support part 30 supports the first support part 20 in a cantilever state by being attached to a base end part of the first support part 20 in the first horizontal direction D1. The second support part 30 includes a second moving part 31 that moves the first support part 20 (i.e., the dish holding part 10) along the vertical direction D2. The second moving part 31 includes, as an example, a chain 32 that extends along the vertical direction D2, and is configured to be able to move the first support part 20 using the chain 32.

[0029] The third support 40 is attached to a base end of the second support 30 in the vertical direction D2, whereby the third support 40 supports the second support 30. The third support 40 includes a third moving part 41 that moves the second support 30 (i.e., the dish holder 10) in a horizontal plane. The third moving part 41 functions as a rotational moving part that rotates the second support 30 (i.e., the dish holder 10) around a rotation axis along the vertical direction D2, and a horizontal moving part that moves the second support 30 (i.e., the dish holder 10) along one direction (second horizontal direction D3) in the horizontal plane. The third moving part 41 (horizontal moving part) includes a rail 42 that is extended along the second horizontal direction D3 on the base 50, and is configured to be able to move the second support 30 along the rail.

[0030] The base 50 is installed on, for example, the floor of a kitchen of a restaurant via multiple legs 51, and supports the third support unit 40. The control unit 60 controls at least the first movement unit 21, the second movement unit 31, and the third movement unit 41 to move the plate holding unit 10 to an arbitrary position. The control unit 60 will be described in detail later.

[0031] As described above, in the plate transfer device 1, the first moving unit 21, the second moving unit 31, and the third moving unit 41 form a moving unit for moving the plate holding unit 10 three-dimensionally including the first horizontal direction D1, the vertical direction D2, and the second horizontal direction D3. The first horizontal direction D1 is determined by the extension direction of the first support unit 20. Therefore, when the third moving unit 41 (rotational moving unit) rotates the second support unit 30 to align the extension direction of the first support unit 20 with the second horizontal direction D3, the first horizontal direction D1 also aligns with the second horizontal direction D3.

[0032] Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the plate transfer device 1 further includes a first sensor 70 and a second sensor 80 for detecting a position on the conveyance surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300 where no plate Wo is present.

[0033] The first sensor 70 is an optical sensor including a light-projecting unit 71 located on one side of the conveying surface 302 when viewed from a direction intersecting the conveying surface 302 (e.g., from above), and a light-receiving unit 72 located on the other side of the conveying surface 302. As an example, the first sensor 70 can detect a position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present by changing from a state in which the detection light emitted from the light-projecting unit 71 is not received by the light-receiving unit 72 due to the presence of the plate Wo on the optical axis A7 heading from the light-projecting unit 71 to the light-receiving unit 72 to a state in which the detection light emitted from the light-projecting unit 71 is received by the light-receiving unit 72 due to the absence of the plate Wo on the optical axis A7.

[0034] The light projector 71 and the light receiver 72 are disposed so that the optical axis A7 is inclined with respect to the conveying direction Ds of the plate on the conveying surface 302. In other words, the light projector 71 and the light receiver 72 are disposed so as to be shifted from each other in the conveying direction Ds. The shift amount of the light projector 71 and the light receiver 72 in the conveying direction Ds can be set to, for example, a diameter of the plate Wo or more. This enables the first sensor 70 to detect an area R7 on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present and has a size equal to or larger than the diameter of the plate Wo in the conveying direction Ds. The distance (length) of the area R7 along the conveying direction Ds can be obtained by measuring the time during which the first sensor 70 does not detect the plate Wo and multiplying the measured time by the conveying speed of the conveying surface 302.

[0035] As an example, the second sensor 80 is configured similarly to the first sensor 70. That is, the second sensor 80 is an optical sensor including a light-projecting unit 81 located on one side of the conveying surface 302 and a light-receiving unit 82 located on the other side of the conveying surface 302 when viewed from a direction intersecting the conveying surface 302 (for example, from above). As an example, the second sensor 80 can detect a position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present by changing from a state in which the detection light emitted from the light-projecting unit 81 is not received by the light-receiving unit 82 due to the presence of the plate Wo on the optical axis A8 heading from the light-projecting unit 81 to the light-receiving unit 82 to a state in which the detection light emitted from the light-projecting unit 81 is received by the light-receiving unit 82 due to the absence of the plate Wo on the optical axis A8.

[0036] The light projector 81 and the light receiver 82 are arranged so that the optical axis A8 is inclined with respect to the conveying direction Ds of the plate on the conveying surface 302. In other words, the light projector 81 and the light receiver 82 are arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the conveying direction Ds. As an example, the optical axis A7 and the optical axis A8 are parallel to each other when viewed from above. The shift amount of the light projector 81 and the light receiver 82 in the conveying direction Ds can be set to, for example, a diameter of the plate Wo or more. This allows the second sensor 80 to detect an area R8 on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present and has a size equal to or larger than the diameter of the plate Wo in the conveying direction Ds. The distance (length) of the area R7 along the conveying direction Ds can be obtained by measuring the time during which the first sensor 70 does not detect the plate Wo and multiplying the time by the conveying speed of the conveying surface 302.

[0037] The second sensor 80 is disposed adjacent to the first sensor 70 (on the downstream side) in the conveying direction Ds. Therefore, the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80 can detect at least adjacent (e.g., continuous) plate-free areas R7 and R8 in the conveying direction Ds. The first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80 can transmit signals indicating the detection results to the control unit 60.

[0038] In this embodiment, the conveying surface 302 is formed into an ellipse by a pair of straight portions and a pair of semicircular corner portions connecting the straight portions. The first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80 are provided near the corner portions of the straight portions. In the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80, the light projecting portions 71, 81 and the light receiving portions 72, 82, one of which (light receiving portions 72, 82 in the illustrated example) is located outside the ellipse of the conveying surface 302, is closer to the corner portion than the other (light projecting portions 71, 81 in the illustrated example) is located inside the ellipse.

[0039] Next, the control unit 60 will be described. The operation of the plate transfer device 1 will be described in detail later. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 60 has a first detection unit 61, a holding processing unit 62, a first movement processing unit 63, a second detection unit 64, a second movement processing unit 65, a placement processing unit 66, and a third movement processing unit 67. The control unit 60 is an electronic control unit having, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like. The control unit 60 realizes the functions of each of the above units by, for example, loading a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing it on the CPU. The control unit 60 may be provided, for example, inside the first support unit 20, the second support unit 30, the third support unit 40, or the base 50, or may be provided outside them.

[0040] The first detection unit 61 detects that a predetermined number of plates Wo (that can be held) have been stacked on the stacking unit 201 by receiving a signal indicating that at least a predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked on the stacking unit 201 from a sensor provided in the plate stacking device 200. Note that the plate holding unit 10 cannot enter below the handle 203 in the stacking unit 201, and therefore can hold plates stacked above the handle 203. Therefore, the sensor can transmit a signal to the first detection unit 61 when a predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked above the handle 203. The sensor can also transmit a signal including information indicating which of the multiple stacking units 201 has the predetermined number of plates Wo stacked on it.

[0041] After the first detection unit 61 detects that a predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked on the stacking unit 201, the holding processing unit 62 controls the first moving unit 21, the second moving unit 31, and the third moving unit 41 to move the plate holding unit 10 toward the stacking unit 201 and perform a holding process in which the plate holding unit 10 holds the predetermined number of plates Wo while supporting them from below by having the plate holding unit 10 enter the stacking unit 201 horizontally by causing the plate holding unit 10 to enter the stacking unit 201 horizontally below the predetermined number of plates Wo.

[0042] After the holding processing unit 62 has performed the holding processing, the first movement processing unit 63 controls the first movement unit 21, the second movement unit 31, and the third movement unit 41 to perform a first movement processing to move the plate holding unit 10 holding a predetermined number of plates Wo from the stacking unit 201 toward the plate conveying device 300.

[0043] The second detection unit 64 receives signals from the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80, thereby detecting a position on the conveying surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300 where no plate Wo is present.

[0044] The second movement processing unit 65 executes a second movement processing to position the plate holding unit 10 on the conveying surface 302 by controlling at least the first movement unit 21 after the first movement processing unit 63 executes the first movement processing and after the second detection unit 64 detects a position in the conveying process where the plate Wo is not present.

[0045] After the second movement processing unit 65 executes the second movement processing, the placement processing unit 66 controls at least the second movement unit 31 to lower the plate holding unit 10 toward the conveying surface 302 and executes a placement processing in which a predetermined number of plates Wo held by the plate holding unit 10 are placed on a position on the conveying surface 302 where there are no plates Wo.

[0046] After the placement processing unit 66 has performed the placement processing, the third movement processing unit 67 controls the first movement unit 21, the second movement unit 31, and the third movement unit 41 to move the plate holding unit 10 away from its position on the conveying surface 302 and to a predetermined waiting position.

[0047] Next, an example of a plate transfer method according to this embodiment will be described by explaining the details of the operation of the plate transfer device 1. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a plate transfer method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, first, the control unit 60 determines whether the first detection unit 61 has detected that a predetermined number of plates Wo (that can be held) have been stacked on the stacking unit 201 (step S1).

[0048] If the result of the determination in step S1 is that the first detection unit 61 has not detected that the predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked on the stacking unit 201 (step S1: NO), the control unit 60 repeats the determination in step S1 at predetermined time intervals.

[0049] If the result of the judgment in step S1 is that the first detection unit 61 detects that a predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked on the stacking unit 201 (step S1: YES), the holding processing unit 62 controls the second moving unit 31 and the third moving unit 41 to move the plate holding unit 10 along the vertical direction D2 and the second horizontal direction D3 toward the stacking unit 201 among the multiple stacking units 201 where the first detection unit 61 has detected that a predetermined number of plates Wo have been stacked, and brings the plate holding unit 10 facing the stacking unit 201 (i.e., the stacked plates Wo) along the first horizontal direction D1 (step S2: holding processing).

[0050] Next, the holding processing unit 62 controls the first moving unit 21 to move the dish holding unit 10 along the first horizontal direction D1 toward the stacking unit 201, thereby causing the dish holding unit 10 to enter beneath a predetermined number of dishes Wo stacked on the stacking unit 201 along the first horizontal direction D1 (step S3: holding processing). At this time, the holding processing unit 62 moves the dish holding unit 10 so that the bottom wall portion 11 of the dish holding unit 10 enters between the dish Wo that is the predetermined number from the top and the dish Wo just below it. As a result, the predetermined number of dishes Wo are positioned between the bottom wall portion 11 and upper wall portion 13 of the dish holding unit 10.

[0051] Next, the holding processing unit 62 controls the second moving unit 31 to raise the plate holding unit 10 and hold the predetermined number of plates Wo in a lump on the plate holding unit 10 (step S4: holding processing). At this time, the plate holding unit 10 holds the predetermined number of plates Wo by supporting the outer periphery of the plate Wo by the support surface 11s in a state in which the thread tail of the lowest plate Wo among the predetermined number of plates Wo protrudes downward from the cutout 11h of the support surface 11s.

[0052] 6 and 7, the first movement processing unit 63 controls the first movement unit 21, the second movement unit 31, and the third movement unit 41 to move the plate holding unit 10 holding a predetermined number of plates Wo from the stacking unit 201 toward the plate conveying device 300 (step S5: first movement processing). Here, as an example, when the plate holding unit 10 reaches a predetermined standby position in front of the conveying surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300, the movement of the plate holding unit 10 is stopped and the plate holding unit 10 is placed in a standby state.

[0053] As described above, the third moving unit 41 includes a horizontal moving unit for moving the dish holding unit 10 in the second horizontal direction D3 along the line ML from the stacking unit 201 toward the dish conveying device 300, and a rotational moving unit for rotating the dish holding unit 10 around a rotation axis along the vertical direction D2. Then, in step S5, the first moving processing unit 63 first controls the rotational moving unit of the third moving unit 41 to rotate the dish holding unit 10 so as to approach the line ML, and then controls the horizontal moving unit to move the dish holding unit 10 along the line ML. Also, in step S5, the first moving processing unit 63 may move the dish holding unit 10, which has been moved to the tip side of the first support unit 20 in step S3, back to the base end side of the first support unit 20, prior to the movement by the second moving unit 31 and the third moving unit 41.

[0054] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the conveying surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300 is located below the stacking unit 201 of the plate stacking device 200. Therefore, in step S5, the first movement processing unit 63 moves the plate holding unit 10 holding a predetermined number of plates Wo from the stacking unit 201 toward the plate conveying device 300 (conveying surface 302) while lowering it.

[0055] In the next step, the control unit 60 determines whether the second detection unit 64 has detected a position on the conveying surface 302 where there is no plate Wo by receiving signals from the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80 (step S6). If the result of the determination in step S6 is that the second detection unit 64 has not detected a position on the conveying surface 302 where there is no plate Wo (step S6: NO), the control unit 60 repeats the determination in step S6 at predetermined time intervals.

[0056] If the result of the judgment in step S6 is that the second detection unit 64 detects a position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present (step S6: YES), the control unit 60 sends a signal to the plate conveying device 300 to stop driving the conveying surface 302, i.e., stopping the conveying of the plate Wo by the plate conveying device 300 (step S7).

[0057] Next, the second movement processing unit 65 controls the first movement unit 21 and the third movement unit 41 to move the dish holding unit 10 along the first horizontal direction D1 and the second horizontal direction D3, and position the dish holding unit 10 on the conveying surface 302 (step S8: second movement processing). In step S8, the second movement processing unit 65 positions the dish holding unit 10 at a position (area R7, R8) on the conveying surface 302 where there is no dish detected by the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80. In particular, in step S8, the second movement processing unit 65 moves the dish holding unit 10 along the optical axes A7, A8 (i.e., obliquely with respect to the conveying direction Ds), and can position the dish holding unit 10 on the conveying surface 302.

[0058] Next, the placement processing unit 66 controls the second moving unit 31 to lower the plate holding unit 10 toward the conveying surface 302, and places the predetermined number of plates Wo held by the plate holding unit 10 on the conveying surface 302 (step S9: placement processing). Here, the tail of the lowest plate Wo among the predetermined number of plates Wo held by the plate holding unit 10 protrudes downward from the plate holding unit 10. Therefore, when the plate holding unit 10 is lowered, the tail of the plate Wo comes into contact with the conveying surface 302, and the entire predetermined number of plates Wo moves upward relative to the plate holding unit 10. As a result, support of the plates Wo by the support surface 11s of the plate holding unit 10 is released, and the predetermined number of plates Wo automatically transfer from the support surface 11s to the conveying surface 302 and are placed on the conveying surface 302.

[0059] Next, the third movement processing unit 67 controls the first movement unit 21, the second movement unit 31, and the third movement unit 41 to retreat the plate holding unit 10 from its position on the conveying surface 302 and move it to a predetermined waiting position (step S10). After that, at an appropriate timing, the control unit 60 sends a signal to the plate conveying device 300 to resume driving the conveying surface 302, i.e., to resume conveying the plate Wo by the plate conveying device 300. This completes the plate transfer method according to this embodiment.

[0060] As described above, in the plate transfer device 1 according to this embodiment, a predetermined number of plates Wo stacked on the stacking section 201 are transferred to the plate conveying device 300 by moving the plates Wo by the moving sections (first moving section 21, second moving section 31, and third moving section 41) while being held by the plate holding section 10. In particular, in the plate transfer device 1, when the plates Wo are held by the plate holding section 10, the plate holding section 10 is inserted under the predetermined number of plates Wo stacked on the stacking section 201, so that the predetermined number of plates Wo are supported from below and held by the plate holding section 10. Therefore, no space is required above the plates Wo stacked on the stacking section 201 for the plate holding section 10 to move, and no structure is required to support the plate holding section 10. This results in space saving.

[0061] In the plate transfer device 1, when a predetermined number of plates Wo are placed on the conveying surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300, the plate holding unit 10 can be moved horizontally while entering the conveying surface 302 and positioned on the conveying surface 302. In this case, it is possible to reduce the movement space of the plate holding unit compared to, for example, the dish and plate moving device described in the above Patent Document 1, in which a plate holding unit such as a hanging catcher is lowered from above while entering the conveying surface.

[0062] In addition, in the plate transfer device 1, the third moving unit 41 includes a horizontal moving unit for moving the plate holding unit 10 in the second horizontal direction D3 along the line ML from the stacking unit 201 toward the plate conveying device 300, and a rotational moving unit for rotating the plate holding unit 10 around a rotation axis along the vertical direction D2. In the first movement process, the first movement processing unit 63 controls the rotational moving unit to rotate the plate holding unit 10 so as to approach the line ML, and then controls the horizontal moving unit to move the plate holding unit 10 along the line ML. Therefore, the plate holding unit 10, which is a heavy object holding multiple plates Wo, is rotated and brought close to the movement line in the second horizontal direction D3, and then moved along the line ML. This allows the plate holding unit 10 to move stably in the second horizontal direction D3.

[0063] The plate transfer device 1 further includes a first sensor 70 for detecting a position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present. The first sensor 70 is an optical sensor including a light projecting unit 71 located on one side of the conveying surface 302 when viewed from a direction intersecting the conveying surface 302 (e.g., from above), and a light receiving unit 72 located on the other side of the conveying surface 302. After the first sensor 70 detects a position where the plate Wo is not present after the first movement process, the second movement processing unit 65 executes a second movement process to position the plate holding unit 10 at the position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present. This makes it possible to reliably transfer the plate Wo to a position on the conveying surface 302 where the plate Wo is not present.

[0064] In addition, in the plate transfer device 1, the light projecting unit 71 and the light receiving unit 72 are arranged so that the optical axis A7 from the light projecting unit 71 toward the light receiving unit 72 is oblique to the conveying direction Ds of the plates Wo on the conveying surface 302. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect a region R7 on the conveying surface 302 where there are no plates Wo, which is wider in the conveying direction Ds.

[0065] In the plate transfer device 1, the second movement processing unit 65, in the second movement processing, moves the plate holding unit 10 along the optical axis A7 to position the plate holding unit 10 on the conveying surface 302. This makes it possible to transfer the plate Wo while suppressing interference between the plate holding unit 10 and the first sensor 70.

[0066] The plate transfer device 1 further includes a second sensor 80 for detecting a position on the conveying surface 302 where there is no plate Wo. The second sensor 80 is an optical sensor including a light projector 81 and a light receiver 82, and is disposed adjacent to the first sensor 70 in the conveying direction Ds of the plate on the conveying surface 302. This makes it possible to detect areas R7 and R8 on the conveying surface 302 where there is no plate Wo that are wider in the conveying direction Ds.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveying surface 302 is positioned below the stacking section 201. In the plate transfer device 1, the first movement processing section 63, in the first movement process, moves the plate holding section 10 holding a predetermined number of plates Wo from the stacking section 201 toward the plate transfer device 300 while lowering it. In this way, even if the conveying surface 302 of the plate transfer device 300 is configured to be lower than the stacking section 201 of the plates Wo, it is possible to transfer the plates Wo while saving space.

[0068] Furthermore, in the plate transfer device 1, the plate holding unit 10 includes a support surface 11s for supporting the outer periphery of the plate Wo from below when the end of the plate Wo protrudes downward. Therefore, the support surface 11s of the plate holding unit 10 can reliably support a predetermined number of plates Wo from below, while allowing the end of the plate Wo protruding from the support surface 11s to come into contact with the conveying surface 302.

[0069] The above embodiment describes one aspect of the present invention, therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as desired.

[0070] 7, the plate transfer device 1 may further include a cover 90 that is provided on the opposite side to the plate stacking device 200 and covers at least the plate holding portion 10, the first support portion 20, the second support portion 30, and the third support portion 40 when viewed from the opposite direction to the plate stacking device 200. In the plate transfer device 1, for example, the cover 90 is closed during operation, but can be opened when stopped to access the inside.

[0071] Furthermore, the plate conveying device 300 may be provided with a cover (not shown) so as to cover most of the conveying surface 302 (for example, a portion excluding the vicinity of the corner portion where the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80 are provided). This makes it possible to use the upper surface of the cover as a work table while allowing the plate Wo to be transferred on the portion of the conveying surface 302 exposed from the cover.

[0072] Furthermore, the plate transfer device 1 may have a function for engaging a predetermined number of plates Wo with the plate holding part 10 when the plate holding part 10 holds the predetermined number of plates Wo. As an example, the plate transfer device 1 may have a tilt function for tilting the plate holding part 10 so that the predetermined number of plates Wo are supported by leaning against the side wall part 12 of the plate holding part 10 after the plate holding part 10 holds the predetermined number of plates Wo in the holding process. Alternatively, the plate transfer device 1 may have a mechanism for pressing the predetermined number of plates Wo from the upper wall part 13 towards the bottom wall part 11 after the plate holding part 10 holds the predetermined number of plates Wo in the holding process.

[0073] In addition, the mechanism for moving the plate holder 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned first moving unit 21, second moving unit 31, and third moving unit 41, and may be any mechanism. In addition, the plate transfer device 1 may not have at least one of the first sensor 70 and the second sensor 80. However, in the plate transfer device 1, by providing the second sensor 80 in addition to the first sensor 70, it is possible for the second sensor 80 to function as an interlock. That is, even if the first sensor 70 detects an area R7 where there is no plate Wo, there is a possibility that the plate Wo may actually remain in that area R7 (i.e., a detection miss occurs). For this reason, the second sensor 80, which is located downstream of the first sensor 70 in the conveying direction Ds, detects the area R8 where there is no plate Wo following the first sensor 70, and then places the plate Wo in that area, thereby making it possible to reliably place the plate Wo in a position where there is no plate Wo.

[0074] Furthermore, by having the second sensor 80 perform detection in conjunction with the detection by the first sensor 70, it is possible to reliably detect whether a place for placing the plate Wo on the conveying surface 302 is empty. At this time, the detection time of the second sensor 80 may be made longer than the detection time of the first sensor 70 (for example, longer by the time it takes to move from the first sensor 70 to the second sensor 80 at the conveying speed of the conveying surface 302). Furthermore, in the plate transfer device 1, the detection state of the second sensor 80 changes from a state in which the plate Wo is absent after the plate Wo is placed on the conveying surface 302 to a state in which the plate Wo is detected, making it possible to determine that the placement of the plate Wo has been performed (completed).

[0075] In addition, the specific structure of the plate holding unit 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned example, and may be any structure capable of supporting a predetermined number of plates Wo from below. Furthermore, the vertical positional relationship between the stacking unit 201 of the plate stacking device 200 and the conveying surface 302 of the plate conveying device 300 is not limited to the above-mentioned example, and may be any structure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1...plate transferring device, 10...plate holding section, 11s...support surface, 21...first moving section (moving section), 31...second moving section (moving section), 41...third moving section (moving section, horizontal moving section, rotational moving section), 60...control section, 70...first sensor, 71, 81...light projecting section, 72, 82...light receiving section, 201...stacking section, 300...plate conveying device, 302...conveying surface, A7, A8...optical axis, D1...first horizontal direction, D2...vertical direction, D3...second horizontal direction, Ds...conveying direction, ML...line, Wo...plate.

Claims

1. A plate transfer device for transferring a plurality of plates stacked on a stacking section to a plate conveying device for conveying the plates, a plate holding portion for holding a predetermined number of the plates together; A moving unit for moving the plate holding unit; A control unit for controlling the moving unit; Equipped with The control unit is a holding process in which, after detecting that the predetermined number of plates have been stacked on the stacking section, the moving section is controlled to move the plate holding section toward the stacking section and cause the plate holding section to enter the lower portions of the predetermined number of plates in a horizontal direction, thereby supporting the predetermined number of plates from below and holding them in the plate holding section; a first moving process for moving the plate holding unit holding the predetermined number of plates from the stacking unit toward the plate conveying device by controlling the moving unit after the holding process; a second movement process for controlling the movement unit after the first movement process to position the plate holding unit on a conveying surface of the plate conveying device; a placement process for placing the predetermined number of plates held by the dish holding unit on the conveying surface by controlling the moving unit after the second movement process; and Execute Plate changing device.

2. The moving unit includes a horizontal moving unit for moving the dish holding unit horizontally along a line from the stacking unit toward the dish conveying device, and a rotational moving unit for rotating the dish holding unit around a rotation axis along a vertical direction, In the first movement process, the control unit controls the rotational movement unit to rotate the dish holding unit so as to approach the line, and then controls the horizontal movement unit to move the dish holding unit along the line. The plate transfer device according to claim 1.

3. a first sensor for detecting a position on the conveying surface where the tray is not present; the first sensor is an optical sensor including a light-projecting unit located on one side of the transport surface and a light-receiving unit located on the other side of the transport surface when viewed from a direction intersecting the transport surface, the control unit performs the second movement process after the first movement process and after the first sensor detects a position where no plate is present, thereby positioning the plate holding unit at the position where no plate is present on the conveying surface. The plate transfer device according to claim 1.

4. The light-projecting unit and the light-receiving unit are disposed so that an optical axis extending from the light-projecting unit to the light-receiving unit is inclined with respect to a conveying direction of the plate on the conveying surface. The plate transfer device according to claim 3.

5. In the second movement process, the control unit moves the dish holding unit along an optical axis from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit, and positions the dish holding unit on the conveying surface. The plate transfer device according to claim 3.

6. a second sensor for detecting a position on the conveying surface where the tray is not present; The second sensor is an optical sensor including the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and is disposed adjacent to the first sensor in the conveying direction of the plate on the conveying surface. The plate transfer device according to claim 3.

7. The plate holding portion includes a support surface for supporting an outer periphery of the plate from below when the end of the plate protrudes downward. The plate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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