Combination weighing device

Abstract

To appropriately block conveyance of items even when a plurality of rows of items with different overall heights flow on each trough.SOLUTION: A combination weighting device 1 includes a plurality of conveying units 10 that convey items 100 with different heights H relative to a transport surface, contact plates 20 that come into contact with the items 100 conveyed by the conveying units 10 from above and block the conveyance of the items 100, a drive unit 30 that switches between a first state in which the contact plates 20 come into contact with the items 100 and a second state in which the contact plates 20 do not come into contact with the items 100, and a control unit 40 that controls the drive unit 30. The plurality of contact plates 20 are disposed in the width direction W of the conveying unit 10, the plurality of contact plates 20 disposed in the conveying unit 10 are each independently switched between the first state and the second state by the drive unit 30, and the control unit 40 controls the drive unit 30 to switch from the second state to the first state, thereby blocking the conveyance of the items 100 according to the heights H of the items disposed in the width direction W of the conveyance unit 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a combination weighing device, a technique is known in which a trough tip shutter is used to block the conveyance of articles on each trough. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] WO2020 / 003408 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the prior art, when two rows of items with different overall heights flow on each trough, the trough tip shutter cannot contact the item with the shorter overall height when it comes into contact with the item with the higher overall height, and therefore cannot block the transport of the item with the shorter overall height.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a combination weighing device that can appropriately block the transport of items even when items of different overall heights are flowing in multiple rows on each trough. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A combination weighing device according to one embodiment comprises a plurality of conveying sections that convey items of different heights relative to a conveying surface; a contact plate that contacts the items being conveyed in the conveying sections from above and blocks the conveying of the items; a drive section that switches between a first state in which the contact plate contacts the items and a second state in which the contact plate does not contact the items; and a control section that controls the drive section, wherein the contact plates are arranged in multiple positions in the width direction of the conveying sections, and the multiple contact plates arranged in the conveying sections are each independently switched between the first state and the second state by the drive section, and the control section controls the drive section to switch from the second state to the first state, thereby blocking the conveying of the items according to the height of the items lined up in the width direction of the conveying section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a combination weighing device can be provided that can appropriately block the transport of articles even when articles of different overall heights flow in multiple rows on each trough. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an illustration for explaining an example of the configuration of a combination weighing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the configuration of the combination weighing device 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating an example of the configuration of the combination weighing device 1 according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are designated by identical or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional ratios and the like may differ from those of the actual parts. Therefore, specific dimensions and the like should be determined with reference to the following description. Furthermore, parts in the drawings may have different dimensional relationships and ratios. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0010] (First embodiment) A combination weighing device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figures 1 to 3 are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a combination weighing device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0011] The combination weighing device 1 according to this embodiment is configured to be able to perform combination weighing of items with non-uniform shapes (for example, frozen chicken, etc.).

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the combination weighing device 1 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of transport units 10, a plurality of contact plates 20, a drive unit 30, a control unit 40, and a plurality of pool hoppers 60.

[0013] Each of the multiple conveying units 10 conveys articles 100 having a different height H relative to the conveying surface. For example, each of the conveying units 10 may be configured with multiple troughs arranged substantially circumferentially below a dispersing table (not shown) and around the dispersing table. Each of the conveying units 10 may also be configured with a vibrating feeder that uses an electromagnetic vibrator and parallel leaf springs to advance articles on the troughs, or may be a belt conveyor.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the contact plate 20 contacts from above C the articles 100 being conveyed in each conveying section 10, and blocks the conveyance of the articles 100.

[0015] 1 and 3, a plurality of contact plates 20 are arranged in the width direction W of the conveying section 10. In this embodiment, a case where a plurality of contact plates 20 are arranged in the width direction W of the conveying section 10 will be described, but the present invention is not limited to such a case and can also be applied to a case where three or more contact plates 20 are arranged in the width direction W of the conveying section 10.

[0016] In this embodiment, the contact plate 20 has a flat plate shape, but may have any shape taking into consideration the shape of the article 100 to be conveyed and the shape of the trough.

[0017] The drive unit 30 is configured to switch between a first state in which the contact plate 20 contacts the article 100 and a second state in which the contact plate 20 does not contact the article 100.

[0018] Here, the plurality of contact plates 20 arranged in each of the transport units 10 are switched independently by the drive unit 30 between a first state and a second state.

[0019] Specifically, the driving unit 30 switches each of the plurality of contact plates 20 from the second state to the first state by causing each of the contact plates 20 to hang down from a state where the contact plates 20 are flipped up.

[0020] The control unit 40 controls the drive unit 30. Specifically, the control unit 40 controls the drive unit 30 to switch the contact plate 20 from the second state in which it bounces up to the first state in which it hangs down, thereby blocking the conveyance of the articles 100 according to the height H of the articles 100 lined up in the width direction W of the conveyor 10.

[0021] For example, when the conveying unit 10 starts conveying the item 100, the drive unit 30 may raise each of the multiple contact plates 20 in response to a control signal from the control unit 40, and when the conveying ends, the drive unit 30 may lower each of the multiple contact plates 20 in response to a control signal from the control unit 40.

[0022] According to the above-described configuration, even if multiple rows of articles of different heights flow on each conveying section 10, each of the multiple contact plates 20 can hold down both high-height and low-height articles and prevent their forward movement, regardless of the overall height of the articles 100, thereby blocking the conveyance of the articles 100 in synchronization with the stop control of the conveying section 10.

[0023] 2, each of the contact plates 20 may be inclined from an upper side C to a lower side D as it moves from an upstream side A to a downstream side B.

[0024] Experiments have shown that if each of the contact plates 20 is positioned horizontally without being tilted, even when the contact plate 20 comes into contact with the article 100, the article 100 is likely to escape from the contact plate 20 and flow downstream. Therefore, by tilting the downstream side downward with the upstream side of the contact plate 20 as the center as described above, such a situation can be prevented and the conveyance of the article 100 can be blocked at an appropriate position.

[0025] The stopper 50 is a member that temporarily prevents the discharge of the articles 100 downstream of the downstream end 10E of the conveying section 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the stopper 50 is arranged so as to cover the lower part of the downstream end 10E of the conveying section 10. When preventing the discharge of the articles 100, the downstream side of the stopper 50 rises, and even if the articles 100 held down by the contact plate 20 pass through the contact plate 20, the stopper 50 prevents the discharge of the articles 100. Furthermore, when discharging the articles 100, the downstream side of the stopper 50 descends, so that the articles 100 that have stopped just before the pool hopper 60 are discharged toward the pool hopper 60.

[0026] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the articles 100 from being discharged into the pool hopper 60 even though the conveying section 10 has been stopped.

[0027] Each of the plurality of pool hoppers 60 is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of conveying sections 10, and receives and stores the articles discharged from each of the plurality of conveying sections 10.

[0028] 1, a shutter 60A for temporarily retaining articles 100 may be provided at the opening of pool hopper 60. Shutter 60A is configured to rotate from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position around hinges provided on opposite side edges of pool hopper 60 body, thereby discharging articles 100 on shutter 60A into pool hopper 60.

[0029] The camera 70 is positioned so as to be able to photograph the articles 100 remaining on the shutter 60A of the pool hopper 60.

[0030] 2, each of the contact plates 20 may be disposed upstream of the downstream end 10E of the transport section 10. This configuration makes it possible to prevent each of the contact plates 20 from appearing in the image captured by the camera 70.

[0031] 3, the drive unit 30 may be configured with an air cylinder 30A. The air cylinder 30A may set the lowering position of the downstream end of the contact plate 20 taking into consideration the height H of the article 100, which has a short overall height. With this configuration, when the downstream end of the contact plate 20 presses down on the article 100, the air cylinder 30A acts as a damper, thereby preventing the pressed article 100 from being damaged by the edge of the contact plate 20.

[0032] Furthermore, each of the stopper 50 and the contact plate 20 may be controlled to operate in conjunction with the stopping of the conveying unit 10. With this configuration, the articles 100 passing under the contact plate 20 can be stopped more reliably without the need for the pool hopper 60.

[0033] According to this embodiment, even when multiple rows of articles with different overall heights are flowing on each conveying section 10, the conveyance of the articles can be appropriately blocked.

[0034] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the above-described embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is intended to be illustrative and explanatory and does not have any limiting meaning on the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1...Combined weighing device 10...Transport unit 10E...Downstream end of conveying section 20...Contact plate 30...Drive unit 30A...Air cylinder 40...Control unit 50...Stopper 60...Pool Hopper 70...Camera 100...Goods H: Height of the item W: Width direction of the conveying section

Claims

1. a plurality of conveying units for conveying articles having different heights relative to a conveying surface; a contact plate that contacts the article being conveyed in the conveying section from above and blocks the conveyance of the article; a driving unit that switches between a first state in which the contact plate contacts the article and a second state in which the contact plate does not contact the article; a control unit that controls the drive unit, a plurality of the contact plates are arranged in the width direction of the conveying section, the plurality of contact plates arranged in the transport section are each independently switched between the first state and the second state by the drive section; The control unit controls the drive unit to switch from the second state to the first state, thereby blocking the conveyance of the items according to the height of the items lined up in the width direction of the conveying unit, in a combination weighing device.

2. the drive unit switches from the second state to the first state by lowering the contact plate from above; 2. The combination weighing device according to claim 1, wherein the contact plate is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side.

3. The combination weighing device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper located downstream of the downstream end of the conveying section, the stopper temporarily blocking the discharge of the articles.

4. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact plate is disposed upstream of a downstream end of the transport section.

5. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving unit is an air cylinder.

6. The combination weighing device according to claim 3 , wherein the stopper and the contact plate are interlocked with the transport unit.

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