Kneader

Abstract

To provide a kneader capable of determining whether or not maintenance of a detection part and a reflection part is required.SOLUTION: A kneader operated by an operator having a reflection part includes: a kneading part that kneads an input material and is accessible to the operator; a detection part having an emission part that emits detection light toward the periphery of the kneading part, and a light detection part that detects reflected light, which is detection light emitted from the emission part and reflected by the reflection part; a measurement part that measures the amount of the reflected light detected by the light detection part; and a notification part that issues an alert when the amount of light measured by the measurement part is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a kneading device. [Background technology]

[0002] A roll kneading apparatus for kneading elastomers and the like may be provided with a safety device such as that described in Patent Document 1. This safety device includes a light projector that irradiates light onto the peripheral area between at least two rolls, a detection reflector that is worn on the hand or the like of an operator of the roll kneading apparatus and receives light from the light projector and reflects only light of a specific property, a photoelectric sensor that receives only light of the specific property from the light receiving object, with the peripheral area between the two rolls as the light receiving object, and emergency stop means that stops operation of the roll kneading apparatus when at least one photoelectric sensor receives a predetermined amount of light of the specific property or more. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-83201 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a kneading machine having a safety device as described above, a check is carried out during pre-operation inspection to confirm whether a sensor system including a projector and a photoelectric sensor (i.e., a detection unit) of the safety device and a detection reflector (i.e., a reflection unit) is functioning. However, in the case of the safety device described in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to determine the deterioration level of the sensor system's detection level during inspection. Therefore, if the sensor system is deteriorated to a level that would result in the sensor system being determined to be "functioning" during pre-operation inspection, operating the kneading machine may cause the deterioration to progress to a level where the sensor system no longer functions during operation, and the safety device may no longer function.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a kneading device that can determine whether or not maintenance of a detection unit and a reflection unit is required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An aspect of the present disclosure is a kneading device operated by an operator having a reflecting portion, a kneading section that kneads the input material and is accessible to an operator; A detection unit, an emission unit that emits detection light toward the periphery of the kneading unit; a light detection unit that detects reflected light of the detection light reflected by the reflecting unit; a detection unit having a measuring unit that measures the amount of the reflected light detected by the light detecting unit; a notification unit that issues an alert when the amount of light measured by the measurement unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold; The kneading device has the following features: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the kneading device of the present disclosure, it is possible to determine whether maintenance of the detection unit and the reflection unit is required. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a kneading device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a kneading device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a detection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sensor unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of a screen displayed on a touch panel according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of a flowchart showing a flow of an inspection mode according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or omitted. In the following description, the extension direction (lateral direction) of the cylindrical member of the kneading section, the horizontal direction (front-to-back direction) perpendicular to the extension direction, and the vertical direction (up-down direction) are respectively referred to as the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. Furthermore, the vertically upward direction and the vertically downward direction are respectively referred to as the +Z side and the -Z side.

[0010] The kneading apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure is an example of an open-type kneading apparatus that kneads one or more materials introduced between two cylindrical members extending laterally and arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction. The kneading apparatus 10 kneads multiple materials, such as elastomers, reinforcing materials, and vulcanizing materials, to produce dough. Note that the materials introduced into the kneading apparatus 10 are not limited to elastomers, etc., as long as they are used to produce dough that requires a kneading process. An operator (not shown) using the kneading apparatus 10 introduces materials into the kneading apparatus 10 while wearing gloves GR (see FIG. 1) on their hands. The glove GR is provided with a reflecting portion MR. The reflecting portion MR reflects the detection light L1 emitted from an emitting portion 62 (described later) as reflected light L2. The reflecting portion MR will be described in detail later. As shown in FIG. 1, the kneading device 10 includes a device body 11, a kneading section 13, a driving device 14, a receiving section 15, a control panel 20, and a detection device 50. The device body 11 supports each part of the kneading device 10 .

[0011] The kneading section 13 kneads the material. The kneading section 13 has two rollers 13a. Each roller 13a is cylindrical and extends laterally. The two rollers 13a are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction. The two rollers 13a knead the material by rotating around their respective central axes so as to sandwich the material fed between them and send it downward. The kneading section 13 has a configuration that allows access by an operator. Specifically, the operator can insert his / her fingers into the gap between the two rollers 13a in order to feed material between the two rollers 13a. Furthermore, the operator can perform an operation that involves contact of the rollers 13a with his / her fingers in order to remove material adhering to the two rollers 13a.

[0012] The driving device 14 rotates the rollers 13a of the kneading section 13 around their respective axes. The driving device 14 has driving means including a motor and transmission means including one or more gears. The operation of the driving device 14 is controlled by the control unit 30 (see FIG. 2). The receiving section 15 receives the material sent downward from between the two rollers 13a. The receiving section 15 is disposed below the rollers 13a of the kneading section 13.

[0013] The control panel 20 is operated to control the operation of the kneading device 10. The control panel 20 accepts operation inputs from an operator. The control panel 20 is connected to the device main body 11, the drive device 14, and the detection device 50 by cables (not shown). The control panel 20 has a touch panel 20a and an operation unit 20b. As shown in FIG. 2, the control panel 20 has a memory unit 23 and a control unit 30.

[0014] The touch panel 20a displays screen data input from the control unit 30 as a visible screen. The screen displayed on the touch panel 20a includes at least one of characters, symbols, figures, icons, and images. The touch panel 20a is an example of a screen display unit. The worker operates a specific object displayed on the screen of the touch panel 20a. This enables the touch panel 20a to accept operation input by the worker. The screen displayed on the touch panel 20a will be described in detail below. The operation unit 20b is a physical interface that accepts operation inputs by an operator to the kneading device 10. The operation unit 20b includes physical keys and / or physical switches. The operation unit 20b includes a start switch for the kneading device 10.

[0015] The storage unit 23 is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 23 can store information related to the kneading device 10. The information related to the kneading device 10 includes screen data displayed on the touch panel 20a.

[0016] The control unit 30 controls the operation of each part of the kneading device 10. The control unit 30 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an interface. The ROM stores programs executed by the CPU. The RAM stores parameters and the like used in the programs executed by the CPU. The interface of the control unit 30 has the function of communicating with devices connected to the kneading device 10.

[0017] The control unit 30 can switch the operating mode of the kneading device 10 by an operator's operation input via the control panel 20. The operating modes of the kneading device 10 include a setting mode, an inspection mode, and an operation mode. The setting mode sets the operation details of the kneading device 10, including the inspection mode and the operation mode. The inspection mode makes it possible to inspect the operating status of the detection device 50. The control unit 30 determines whether maintenance of the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR is necessary based on the inspection results in the inspection mode. The operation mode makes it possible for the kneading device 10 to knead materials when the power supply to the motor of the drive device is not cut off.

[0018] When the control unit 30 receives a drive stop signal or an abnormality detection signal, which will be described later, it controls the motor that is currently being driven or has not yet been driven to stop driving it.

[0019] <Detection device 50> The detection device 50 has a function of sending a predetermined signal to the control unit 30 when it detects an operator's approach to the kneading unit 13, thereby putting the kneading unit 13 into a non-operating state. The detection device 50 is an example of a detection unit. The detection device 50 and a reflector MR provided on the operator's glove GR constitute a determination system 40 (see FIG. 1). The determination system 40 determines the state of the detection device 50 and the reflector MR when the kneading apparatus 10 is in inspection mode. The detection device 50, the reflector MR, and the control unit 30 of the kneading apparatus 10 constitute a safety system of the kneading apparatus 10. When an operator performs work that may pose a risk of being caught in the kneading unit 13, the safety system of the kneading apparatus 10 controls the drive unit 14 to stop driving the kneading unit 13. In this way, the safety system of the kneading apparatus 10 ensures the safety of the operator. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the detection device 50 includes a housing 52, a storage unit 53, a plurality of sensor units 60, a wiring detection unit 56, and a detection control unit .

[0020] The housing 52 houses a plurality of sensor units 60. The housing 52 may be capable of housing a memory unit 53, a wiring detection unit 56, and a detection control unit 54. The housing 52 has a rectangular shape extending along the extension direction of the rollers 13a of the kneading unit 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 52 is disposed above the rollers 13a. In other words, the detection device 50 is disposed on the opposite side of the kneading unit 13 from the receiving unit 15. The housing 52 houses a plurality of sensor units 60 (N units, N is an integer of 2 or more).

[0021] The storage unit 53 is a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 53 is capable of storing information related to the detection device 50. The information related to the detection device 50 includes identification information, a reference value V0, a ​​first threshold value VC1, a second threshold value VC2, and a third threshold value VC3 (see FIG. 5). The information related to the detection device 50 includes message information indicating the content of the determination result of the determination unit 54b, which will be described later.

[0022] The identification information includes an identification number associated with each of the plurality of sensor units 60 . The reference value V0, the first threshold value VC1, the second threshold value VC2, and the third threshold value VC3 are numerical information that are predetermined as unique values ​​corresponding to each of the plurality of sensor units 60. The reference value V0, the first threshold value VC1, the second threshold value VC2, and the third threshold value VC3 are set by the operator when the kneading device 10 is in the setting mode. The reference value V0 is a theoretical value of the amount of light sensed when any one of the sensor units 60 receives the reflected light L2 from the reflector MR for a predetermined period of time when the determination system 40 is not deteriorated. The reference value V0 may also be an actual value of the amount of light measured by the measuring unit 54a (described later) when a new sensor unit 60 receives the reflected light L2 from a new reflector MR for a predetermined period of time when the determination system 40 is not deteriorated. The first threshold value VC1 is a numerical value smaller than the reference value V0. The first threshold value VC1 is preferably equal to or greater than 70% of the reference value V0. The second threshold value VC2 is a numerical value smaller than the first threshold value VC1. The second threshold value VC2 is preferably equal to or greater than 40% of the reference value V0. The third threshold value VC2 is a numerical value smaller than the second threshold value VC2. The third threshold value VC2 is preferably a numerical value close to "0 (zero)." The reference value V0, the first threshold value VC1, the second threshold value VC2, and the third threshold value VC3 are stored in the storage unit 53 in association with the identification information of each of the plurality of sensor units 60. The first threshold value VC1 and the second threshold value VC2 are examples of threshold values.

[0023] The sensor unit 60 detects an operator's access to the kneading unit 13. The sensor unit 60 is an example of a detection unit. The sensor unit 60 is, for example, a retro-reflective photoelectric sensor device. The multiple sensor units 60 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the extension direction of the housing 52. The sensor unit 60 has an emission unit 62 and a light detection unit 64. In this embodiment, the multiple sensor units 60 are individually assigned identification numbers corresponding to their positions within the housing 52. The multiple sensor units 60 are numbered in order, for example, from the sensor unit 60 closest to the +X side toward the -X side of the housing 52 shown in FIG. 3.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the emission unit 62 emits the detection light L1 toward the periphery of the kneading unit 13. The emission unit 62 may emit the detection light L1 toward the roller 13a. The emission unit 62 has a polarization unit 63. As shown in FIG. 4, the polarization unit 63 is disposed between the emission unit 62 and the kneading unit 13. The polarization unit 63 is, for example, a polarizing filter. The polarization unit 63 transmits the detection light L1 emitted from the emission unit 62 as detection light L1 having a predetermined polarization direction. The detection light L1 is preferably visible light so that an operator can visually check the area irradiated with the detection light L1.

[0025] The light detection unit 64 is arranged next to the emission unit 62 in the front-to-rear direction. The light detection unit 64 detects specific light that is directed toward the light detection unit 64. Specifically, the light detection unit 64 detects reflected light L2 that is directed toward the light detection unit 64. The reflected light L2 is light that is generated by reflecting the detection light L1 emitted from the emission unit 62 by the reflecting unit MR of the glove GR. The light detection unit 64 has a polarizing unit 65. As shown in FIG. 4, the polarizing unit 65 is disposed between the light detection unit 64 and the kneading unit 13. The polarizing unit 65 is, for example, a polarizing filter. The polarizing unit 65 has a function of not transmitting light having the polarization direction determined by the polarizing unit 63. By having the polarizing unit 65, the light detection unit 64 is prevented from detecting light that is emitted from the emission unit 62 and reflected by an object other than the reflection unit MR and heads toward the light detection unit 64. When the light detection unit 64 detects the reflected light L2 in the operating mode, it transmits a drive stop signal to the detection control unit .

[0026] The reflecting portion MR is provided on a glove GR worn by the worker. The reflecting portion MR has a mirror surface that can reflect the detection light L1 as reflected light L2 toward the light detection unit 64. Specifically, the reflecting portion MR has a plurality of minute concave or convex mirror surfaces. This allows the reflecting portion MR to reflect the detection light L1 irradiated onto the mirror surface of the reflecting portion MR as reflected light L2 toward the light detection unit 64 regardless of the position of the reflecting portion MR. The reflecting portion MR also has polarization means including an optical element or the like. This allows the reflected light L2, which is the reflected detection light L1, to pass through the polarization portion 65 of the light detection unit 64.

[0027] The wiring detection unit 56 detects the state of the wiring connected to the emission unit 62 and the light detection unit 64 individually for each of the multiple sensor units 60. The wiring detection unit 56 monitors, for example, the voltage of the wiring connected to the emission unit 62 and the light detection unit 64. If an abnormality such as a disconnection occurs in the wiring connected to the emission unit 62 or the light detection unit 64 of any one of the multiple sensor units 60, the voltage of the wiring detected by the wiring detection unit 56 falls below a predetermined voltage value. At this time, the wiring detection unit 56 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the wiring and transmits an abnormality detection signal corresponding to the wiring in which the abnormality has been detected to the detection control unit 54. The abnormality detection signal includes identification information of the corresponding sensor unit 60.

[0028] The detection control unit 54 controls the operation of each part of the detection device 50. The detection control unit 54 is configured to include a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an interface. The ROM stores programs executed by the CPU. The RAM stores parameters and the like used in the programs executed by the CPU. The interface of the detection control unit 54 has a function of communicating with devices connected to the detection device 50. The detection control unit 54 is connected to the control unit 30 of the kneading device 10. The detection control unit 54 has the functions of a measurement unit 54a, a determination unit 54b, and a notification unit 54c by executing a control program in the CPU.

[0029] When the kneading device 10 is in the inspection mode, the measuring section 54a measures the light quantity VL of the reflected light L2 detected by the light detecting section 64 for each predetermined time period.

[0030] The determination unit 54b determines the states of the detection device 50 and the reflector MR based on the result of a comparison between the light amount VL of the reflected light L2 measured by the measurement unit 54a in the inspection mode and a first threshold value VC1 stored in the memory unit 53. The determination unit 54b determines the states of the detection device 50 and the reflector MR based on the result of a comparison between the light amount VL of the reflected light L2 measured by the measurement unit 54a in the inspection mode and a second threshold value VC2 stored in the memory unit 53. The notification unit 54c transmits data indicating the measurement result of the light quantity VL of the reflected light L2 by the measurement unit 54a to the control unit 30 of the kneading device 10. The notification unit 54c transmits message information indicating the content of the determination result of the determination unit 54b to the control unit 30. The message information indicating the content of the determination result of the determination unit 54b includes an alert. The content of the message information including the alert transmitted from the notification unit 54c is displayed on the screen of the touch panel 20a by the control unit 30. That is, the notification unit 54c notifies the alert based on the determination result of the determination unit 54b. The operations of the determining unit 54b and the notifying unit 54c in the inspection mode will be described in detail later.

[0031] When an abnormality detection signal is transmitted from the wiring detection unit 56 to the detection control unit 54, the notification unit 54c transmits the abnormality detection signal to the control unit 30 and stops driving the motor. The control unit 30 reads the identification information from the received abnormality detection signal and displays an alert on the touch panel 20a indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the wiring connected to the sensor unit 60 corresponding to the identification information. In other words, the notification unit 54c notifies the alert based on the detection result of the wiring detection unit 56. When an alert is issued in response to the wiring detection unit 56 detecting an abnormality in the wiring of any of the multiple sensor units 60, the worker performs maintenance on the wiring of the sensor unit 60 in which the abnormality was detected. Maintenance of the wiring of the sensor unit 60 includes repairing or replacing the wiring.

[0032] In the operation mode, when a drive stop signal is sent from the light detection unit 64 to the detection control unit 54, the notification unit 54c sends the drive stop signal to the control unit 30 to stop the driving of the motor. At this time, the control unit 30 displays a message on the touch panel 20a indicating that "the drive of the motor has been stopped due to the detection of an operator's access to the kneading unit in operation." The state in which the motor is stopped due to the drive stop signal can be released by the operator operating the control panel 20.

[0033] <Method for determining the state of the detection device 50 and the reflecting part MR> Next, a method for determining the state of the detection device 50 and the reflecting part MR will be described with reference to FIG. First, an operator operates the control panel 20 to start up the kneading device 10. When the kneading device 10 is started up, the control unit 30 performs the following processes. The control unit 30 determines whether the determination unit 54b has confirmed that the deterioration of the sensor units 60 and the reflecting units MR is within the allowable range for all sensor units 60 provided in the detection device 50 (step S20). If it is determined in step S20 that "it has been confirmed that the deterioration of all sensor units 60 and the reflecting units MR is within the allowable range (YES)" for all sensor units 60, the control unit 30 supplies power to the driving units 14 to put the kneading device 10 into a state in which it can transition to the operating mode (step S22). If it is determined in step S20 that "it has not been confirmed that the deterioration of all sensor units 60 and the reflecting units MR is within the allowable range (NO)" for all sensor units 60, the control unit 30 cuts off the power supply to the motors of the driving units 14 to transition the kneading device 10 to the inspection mode (step S24). In other words, if the kneading device 10 has not been inspected, the control unit 30 puts the kneading unit 13 into a power-off state. The power-off state is an example of a non-operating state. When the kneading device 10 is in the inspection mode, the operator performs the following pre-operation inspection.

[0034] The worker operates the control panel 20 to select one sensor unit 60n (n = 1, 2, ..., N) from among the multiple sensor units 60 to be inspected (step S30). Then, the worker inspects the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR (step S32). Specifically, the worker uses gloves GR to reflect the detection light L1 emitted from the emitter 62n of the sensor unit 60n toward the light detector 64n of the sensor unit 60n with the reflector MR. At this time, the worker causes the light detector 64n to continuously detect the reflected light L2, which is the reflected light of the detection light L1, for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0035] Next, the measurement unit 54a measures the light intensity VL of the reflected light L2 detected by the light detection unit 64n, and stores numerical information indicating the measured value of the light intensity VL in the storage unit 53 (step S40). Next, the determination unit 54b reads the light amount VL measured by the measurement unit 54a and the first threshold value VC1 and the second threshold value VC2 corresponding to the sensor unit 60n stored in the storage unit 53. Thereafter, the determination unit 54b determines whether "the light amount VL is smaller than the first threshold value VC1" and whether "the light amount VL is smaller than the second threshold value VC2" (step S44). Thereafter, the notification unit 54c issues an alert based on the determination result of the determination unit 54b in step S44 (i.e., the comparison result between the light amount VL and the first threshold value VC1 and the second threshold value VC2) (step S50).

[0036] Steps S44 and S50 will be described in detail. If it is determined in step S44 that "the light intensity VL is equal to or greater than the first threshold value VC1," the determination unit 54b determines that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is slight" and that "maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is unnecessary" (first determination result). The determination that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is slight" means that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is within an acceptable range." Maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR includes cleaning or replacing the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR. Thereafter, the notification unit 54c reads first message information indicating the content of the first determination result from the storage unit 53 and transmits it to the control unit 30. The first message information includes numerical information on the measured light intensity VL. The control unit 30 displays the first message information on the touch panel 20a. Then, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0037] If it is determined in step S44 that "the light intensity VL exceeds the second threshold value VC2 and is smaller than the first threshold value VC1," the determination unit 54b determines that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is moderate" and that "maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is unnecessary" (second determination result). The determination that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is moderate" means that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is within an acceptable range." Thereafter, in step S50, the notification unit 54c reads second message information indicating the content of the second determination result from the storage unit 53 and transmits it to the control unit 30. The second message information includes numerical information on the measured light intensity VL and a first alert. The first alert is based on the determination result that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is moderate" and includes "notification to prepare for maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR." The control unit 30 causes the touch panel 20a to display the second message information on the screen. In this way, the notification unit 54c notifies the first alert when the light amount VL is smaller than the first threshold VC1. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the next step S60.

[0038] If it is determined in step S44 that "the light quantity VL exceeds the third threshold value VC3 and is smaller than the second threshold value VC2," the determination unit 54b determines that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is severe" and that "maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is necessary" (third determination result). Thereafter, in step S50, the notification unit 54c reads third message information indicating the content of the third determination result from the storage unit 53 and transmits the third message information to the control unit 30. The third message information includes numerical information on the measured light quantity VL and a second alert. The second alert is based on the determination result that "the deterioration of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR is severe" and includes "notification of maintenance of the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR." In other words, the second alert is different from the first alert. The control unit 30 displays the third message information on the touch panel 20a. In this way, the notification unit 54c issues a second alert when the light amount VL is smaller than the second threshold value VC2. In this case, the process then proceeds to the next step S60.

[0039] After the notification unit 54c issues an alert in step S50, the control unit 30 determines whether the determination unit 54b has determined that "maintenance is not required" for all sensor units 60 and reflectors MR (step S60). If the control unit 30 determines that the determination unit 54b has not determined that "maintenance is not required" for all sensor units 60 and reflectors MR (NO), the process returns to step S30, and a sensor unit 60 other than sensor unit 60n is selected and inspected, and the process up to step S60 is repeated. That is, the process from step S30 to step S60 is repeated until the determination unit 54b determines that "maintenance is not required" for all sensor units 60 and reflectors MR. At this time, for the sensor units 60 that have been determined to "require maintenance," the worker performs maintenance on the sensor units 60 and then inspects the sensor units 60 and reflectors MR again. The timing for performing maintenance on the sensor units 60 may be when it is determined that "maintenance is necessary" for each sensor unit 60, or when the determination results of the determination unit 54b for all sensor units 60 are confirmed. At this time, the power-off state of the kneading unit 13 is maintained. In other words, the control unit 30 puts the kneading unit 13 into the power-off state when the notification unit 54c notifies the second alert.

[0040] If the control unit 30 determines that "the determination unit 54b has determined that 'maintenance is not required' for all sensor units 60 and reflecting units MR (YES)," the process returns to step S20. Thereafter, the control unit 30 determines that "the deterioration of all sensor units 60 and reflecting units MR is within an allowable range," and proceeds to step S22, where it supplies power to the driving device 14 to bring the kneading device 10 into a state in which it can transition to the operating mode. In step S44, the determination unit 54b further determines whether the light amount VL is smaller than the third threshold value VC3. If the determination unit 54b determines in step S44 that the light amount VL is smaller than the third threshold value VC3, the notification unit 54c does nothing. This prevents the notification unit 54c from issuing a second alert when the operator does not reflect the detection light L1 off the reflection unit MR during the pre-operation inspection. Specifically, during a pre-operation inspection, when the worker is not reflecting the detection light L1 off the reflector MR, such as between tasks, the light intensity VL measured by the measurement unit 54a is "0 (zero)." Therefore, if the notification unit 54c were set to issue a second alert when it was determined that the "light intensity VL is smaller than the second threshold VC2," an error would occur in which the notification unit 54c would issue the second alert when the worker is not reflecting the detection light L1 off the reflector MR. The third threshold VC3 is set to prevent this error.

[0041] When the kneading device 10 is in the inspection mode, the control unit 30 reads various information from the storage units 23, 53 and displays the screen frame GM corresponding to the inspection mode shown in FIG. 5 on the touch panel 20a. The screen frame GM displays multiple display frames B1 to B7 at predetermined positions within the screen. The screen frame GM displays information related to each of the multiple sensor units 60 individually via the display frames B2 to B7. FIG. 5 shows the screen displayed when, in the inspection mode, the reference value V0 is "1000" and the light amount VL measured by the measurement unit 54a (i.e., detected by the light detection unit 64) is "800." The light amount VL at this time is greater than the first threshold value VC1.

[0042] The display frame B1 displays a unique identification number (for example, a line number) assigned to the kneading device 10 as equipment. Display frame B2 displays the identification number assigned to the sensor unit 60 associated with the information displayed in screen frame GM. Display frame B2 displays two selection touch keys KS, as shown in Fig. 5. The selection touch keys KS are objects that are operated by the worker to select the sensor unit 60 for which inspection work is to be performed. The display frame B3 displays information relating to the specifications of the sensor unit 60n, such as the product model and / or sensing method. The display frame B4 displays message information indicating an outline of the determination result of the determination unit 54b with respect to the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR in step S50. The message information displayed in the display frame B4 is included in each of the first message information, the second message information, and the third message information. The display frame B5 displays a notification of maintenance or preparation for maintenance for the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR based on the determination result of the determination unit 54b for the sensor unit 60n and the reflector MR in step S50. The message information displayed in the display frame B5 is included in both the second message information and the third message information. The message information displayed in the display frame B5 may be included in the first message information. The display frame B6 displays text information indicating the determination criteria of the determination unit 54b related to the sensor unit 60n in step S44. Display frame B7 displays the light quantity VL measured by the measurement unit 54a in step S40 in the form of a bar graph. The bar graph displays a reference value V0, a ​​first threshold value VC1, and a second threshold value VC2 as scales. Display frame B7 displays the numerical value of the light quantity VL measured by the measurement unit 54a in step S40 above the bar graph in FIG. 5. It is preferable that the third threshold value VC3 is not displayed in the screen frame GM corresponding to the inspection mode, so that the content of the pre-operation inspection work displayed on the touch panel 20a can be easily understood by the worker.

[0043] (Action and effect) Next, the operation and effects of the kneading device 10 will be described.

[0044] The kneading apparatus 10 of the embodiment includes the notification unit 54c, which issues an alert when the light intensity VL measured by the measurement unit 54a is smaller than a predetermined first threshold value VC1 or a predetermined second threshold value VC2. The alert allows the operator to determine whether maintenance is required for the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR. Therefore, the kneading apparatus 10 of the embodiment can determine whether maintenance is required for the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR.

[0045] The notification unit 54c of the embodiment issues a second alert different from the first alert when the light intensity VL is smaller than the second threshold VC2. Furthermore, the control unit 30 of the embodiment switches the kneading unit 13 to a power-off state when the notification unit 54c issues the second alert. When the notification unit 54c issues the second alert, the operator performs maintenance on the detection device 50. If power is supplied to the kneading unit 13 during maintenance of the detection device 50, there is a risk that the kneading unit 13 will operate due to an operator's erroneous operation, etc. On the other hand, in the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, the notification unit 54c switches the kneading unit 13 to a power-off state when it issues the second alert, so that the kneading unit 13 will not operate during maintenance of the detection device 50. Therefore, according to the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, the safety of the kneading device 10 can be maintained during maintenance of the detection device 50.

[0046] The detection device 50 has a wiring detection unit 56. Furthermore, the notification unit 54c issues an alert based on the detection result of the wiring detection unit 56. Therefore, according to the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, it is possible to determine whether maintenance of the wiring of the detection device 50 is required.

[0047] The notification unit 54c displays the content of the alert on the touch panel 20a. Therefore, according to the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, the operator can visually confirm information indicating the details of the content of the alert.

[0048] The ejection unit 62 and the light detection unit 64 are disposed on the opposite side of the receiving unit 15 with respect to the kneading unit 13. When an operator's fingers enter a side where there is a risk of them being caught between the two rollers 13a of the kneading unit 13, the kneading device 10 causes the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR to function as a safety system for the kneading device 10. Therefore, according to the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR function as a safety system when an operator's fingers enter a side where there is a risk of them being caught between the two rollers 13a.

[0049] The notification unit 54c issues an alert based on the comparison result between the light quantity VL measured by the measurement unit 54a and the first threshold value VC1 and the second threshold value VC2 during pre-operation inspection of the kneading device 10. Therefore, in the kneading device 10 of the embodiment, it is possible to operate the kneading device 10 after determining whether or not maintenance of the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR is required. Specifically, if a notification is received before operation that "the deterioration of the detection device 50 and the reflecting unit MR is severe," the worker can perform maintenance on the detection device 50 and the reflecting unit MR to eliminate the deterioration of the safety system function before operating the kneading apparatus 10. Therefore, according to the kneading apparatus 10 of the embodiment, the safety of the kneading apparatus 10 can be improved. Furthermore, if the operator is notified before operation that "the deterioration of the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR is moderate," the operator can prepare for maintenance of the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR before the next start-up of the kneading apparatus 10. This allows the maintenance to be carried out smoothly when maintenance of the detection device 50 and the reflection unit MR becomes necessary. Therefore, according to the kneading apparatus 10 of the embodiment, the operability of the kneading apparatus 10 can be improved.

[0050] As described above, an embodiment of the present invention has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the kneading section 13 has two rollers 13a. However, the kneading section according to the present disclosure may have three or more rollers. Furthermore, the kneading section according to the present disclosure is not limited to a configuration having rollers, as long as it can knead the material. The kneading section according to the present disclosure may have a configuration in which, instead of rollers, multiple rotors each having a cylindrical shaft and a spiral blade disposed around the shaft are combined.

[0052] The kneading device 10 has a touch panel 20a that can accept operation inputs from an operator. However, the screen display unit according to the present disclosure does not have to be able to accept operation inputs from an operator.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the detection control unit 54 of the detection device 50 has the functions of the measurement unit 54a, the determination unit 54b, and the notification unit 54c. However, the kneading device 10 according to the present disclosure may have an aspect in which the control unit 30 has the functions of the measurement unit 54a, the determination unit 54b, and the notification unit 54c.

[0054] The notification unit 54c of the kneading device 10 notifies the content of the alert by displaying it on the touch panel 20a. However, the notification unit 54c according to the present disclosure may notify the content of the alert using a patrol lamp provided on the kneading device 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10 Kneading equipment 11 Device body 13 Mixing section 13a Laura 14 Drive unit 15 Receiving part 20 Control Panel 20a Touch panel (example of screen display) 20b Operation section 30 Control Unit 40 Judgment System 50 Detection device (an example of a detection unit) 52 Case 54 Detection control unit 54a Measuring section 54b Judgment part 54c Notification Department 56 Wiring detection unit 60 Sensor unit 62 Injection part 63 Polarization section 64 Light detection unit 65 Polarization section GR Gloves MR reflector VL light intensity VC1 First Threshold VC2 Second Threshold

Claims

1. A kneading device operated by an operator having a reflecting portion, a kneading section that kneads the input material and is accessible to an operator; A detection unit, an emission unit that emits detection light toward the periphery of the kneading unit; a light detection unit that detects reflected light of the detection light reflected by the reflecting unit; a detection unit having a measuring unit that measures the amount of the reflected light detected by the light detecting unit; a notification unit that issues an alert when the amount of light measured by the measurement unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold; A kneading device comprising:

2. Further, a control unit for controlling the kneading unit is provided. the threshold values ​​include a first threshold value and a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value; the notification unit issues a first alert when the amount of light is smaller than the first threshold, and issues a second alert different from the first alert when the amount of light is smaller than the second threshold; The kneading device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit deactivates the kneading unit when the notification unit issues the second alert.

3. the detection unit further includes a wiring detection unit that detects a state of wiring connected to the emission unit and the light detection unit, The kneading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the notification unit issues an alert based on a detection result of the wiring detection unit.

4. It has a screen display unit, The kneading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the notification unit causes the screen display unit to display the content of the alert.

5. The kneading unit further includes a receiving portion disposed on a first direction side relative to the kneading unit and configured to receive the material kneaded in the kneading unit, 5. The kneading device according to claim 1, wherein the ejection unit and the light detection unit are disposed on an opposite side of the kneading unit from the receiving unit.

6. The kneading device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the notification unit issues an alert based on a result of comparison between the light intensity and the threshold value during a pre-operation inspection of the kneading device.

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