Article aligning and supplying device, and article aligning and supplying method

Abstract

To provide an article aligning and supplying device capable of improving supply capacity of articles from a rotary aligning device to a conveyance device.SOLUTION: An article aligning and supplying device includes: a rotary aligning device 10 for aligning articles while rotating; a visual sensor 30 for recognizing the articles in a state of being aligned in the rotary aligning device 10; a transfer robot 40 for transferring the articles recognized by the visual sensor 30 to a conveyance device 60; and a control device 80 for acquiring recognition information of the articles from the visual sensor 30, and for integrally controlling a rotation aligning operation of the articles by the rotary aligning device 10 and a transfer operation of the articles by the transfer robot 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article aligning and supplying device and an article aligning and supplying method, and more particularly to an article aligning and supplying device and an article aligning and supplying method that can supply articles such as containers that have been supplied in a loose state to a conveying device in a predetermined orientation. [Background technology]

[0002] In a production line, when containers are continuously filled with liquids such as food, detergents, or cosmetics, or powders or granules such as food or medicines, the filling operation is often performed in an upright position. Therefore, before the filling process, a process is often provided in which the containers are fed onto a conveyor or other transport device in a predetermined position, such as an upright position.

[0003] The applicant of the present invention has previously proposed an article aligning and feeding device described in Patent Document 1 below as a device suitable for use in a process of feeding articles to a conveying device in a predetermined orientation as described above. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the main part of the article aligning and feeding device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. The article aligning and supplying device 100 includes a rotary aligning device 200 and a picking robot 300.

[0004] The rotary alignment device 200 includes a storage section 210 for the articles 2, and an article placement section 240 on the outer periphery of the upper part of the storage section 210 for placing the articles 2 in a line. The picking robot 300 is a robot equipped with a holding means for holding an item 2 positioned in the item placement section 240, and performs the operation of placing the item 2 held by the holding means in a predetermined posture on a nearby conveying device 400. The item alignment and supply device 100 determines the items 2 arranged on the item loading section 240 and their positions based on images taken by the imaging device, and performs a process to control the picking robot 300 to hold the items 2 and transfer them to the conveying device 400. The article aligning and supplying device 100 makes it possible to supply the articles 2 to the conveying device 400 relatively efficiently.

[0005] [Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the item alignment and supply device 100, there is a certain degree of variation in the spacing between the items 2 placed on the item placement section 240, and sometimes the items 2 are aligned with almost no gaps, and sometimes the spacing is wider than the length of the items 2. In the article aligning and supplying device 100, the operation of the rotary aligning device 200 and the operation of the picking robot 300 are controlled separately. Therefore, when the intervals between the articles 2 placed on the article placement section 240 become wider, the intervals between the picking operations of the picking robot 300 for the articles 2 also become wider, which can reduce the efficiency of supplying the articles 2 to the conveying device 400. Furthermore, if the articles 2 continue to be aligned on the article placement section 240 with almost no gaps between them, the picking robot 300 may not be able to transfer the articles 2 in time, causing some articles 2 to be missed and reducing the efficiency of supplying the articles 2 to the conveying device 400. As such, the efficiency of the item alignment and supply device 100 in supplying items 2 to the conveying device 400 may temporarily decrease, and there was room for improvement in the ability to supply items 2 from the rotary alignment device 200 to the conveying device 400. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-151441 A Summary of the Invention Means to solve the problem and their effects

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an article alignment and supply device and an article alignment and supply method that can improve the ability to supply articles from a rotary alignment device to a conveying device.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the article aligning and feeding device (1) according to the present invention comprises: a rotary alignment device that aligns articles while rotating; a visual sensor that recognizes the article in a state aligned by the rotary alignment device; a transfer robot that transfers the item recognized by the visual sensor to a conveying device; The system is characterized by being equipped with a control device that acquires recognition information of the item from the visual sensor and comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the item by the rotary alignment device and the transfer operation of the item by the transfer robot.

[0009] According to the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (1), the control device comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the article by the rotary alignment device and the transfer operation of the article by the transfer robot based on the recognition information of the article. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the article and the transfer operation of the article, it is possible to synchronize the control of these operations and perform smoother control, thereby increasing the efficiency of these operations and improving the supply capacity of the article from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device.

[0010] The article aligning and supplying device (2) according to the present invention is the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (1), an input device that inputs the articles into the rotary alignment device; The control device is characterized in that it comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the rotary alignment device to rotate and align the articles and the insertion operation of the insertion device to insert the articles.

[0011] According to the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (2), the control device further comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the articles by the rotary alignment device and the insertion operation of the articles by the insertion device. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the articles and the insertion operation of the articles, it is possible to smoothly and appropriately perform the insertion operation of the articles according to the alignment state of the articles in the rotary alignment device, and it is possible to optimize the insertion operation of the articles from the insertion device to the rotary alignment device.

[0012] Furthermore, the article alignment and supply device (3) according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned article alignment and supply device (1) or (2), the control device comprehensively controls the transfer operation of the article by the transfer robot and the transport operation of the article by the transport device.

[0013] According to the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (3), the control device comprehensively controls the article transfer operation by the transfer robot and the article transport operation by the transport device. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the article transfer operation and the article transport operation, it is possible to smoothly and appropriately transport the articles according to the transfer status of the articles by the transfer robot, and it is possible to optimize the article transport operation by the transport device.

[0014] The article aligning and supplying device (4) according to the present invention is any one of the article aligning and supplying devices (1) to (3), The rotary alignment device is an outer rotating body having an annular outer disk portion on which the articles can be placed in a line in the rotation direction; an inner rotating body having an inner disk portion disposed in an inclined position inside the outer rotating body, The visual sensor an imaging unit that images a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion; The transfer robot a holding portion for holding the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion; The control device a first control that tracks the object captured by the imaging unit and changes the rotation speed of the outer disk unit based on tracking information of the object on the outer disk unit; The present invention is characterized in that it performs a second control in which the item is tracked on the outer disk portion in response to the first control, and the item located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is held by the holding portion.

[0015] According to the above-described article aligning and supplying device (4), the control device executes the first control and the second control. Therefore, delays in these controls can be prevented. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the outer disk portion can be changed based on tracking information of the article on the outer disk portion, and the operation of tracking the article on the outer disk portion and holding the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion with the holding portion can be smoothly performed. Therefore, even if the alignment state of the articles on the outer disk portion varies, the operational efficiency of transferring the articles from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device can be improved, and the ability to supply the articles from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device can be reliably improved.

[0016] The article aligning and supplying device (5) according to the present invention is the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (4), The predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is divided into a plurality of areas in the rotation direction, The control device The first control is characterized in that it is determined in which of the multiple areas the tracked item is located, and control is performed to switch the rotation speed of the outer disk portion in accordance with the determination.

[0017] According to the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (5), the control device determines in which of the plurality of regions the tracked article is located in the first control, and controls the rotation speed of the outer disk unit to be switched in accordance with the determination. Therefore, the rotation speed of the outer disk unit can be switched in accordance with the position of the article in the predetermined region of the outer disk unit, and in the second control, the operation intervals for transferring the article located in the predetermined region of the outer disk unit to the conveying device can be equalized and shortened.

[0018] The article aligning and supplying device (6) according to the present invention is the above-mentioned article aligning and supplying device (5), The control device The first control is characterized in that the rotation speed is switched so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction among the plurality of regions than in the downstream region of the rotation direction.

[0019] According to the above-mentioned article alignment and supply device (6), in the first control, the control device controls the rotation speed so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction than in the downstream region of the rotation direction, in other words, so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is slower in the downstream region of the rotation direction than in the upstream region of the rotation direction. Therefore, when the tracked item is located in the upstream region of the rotation direction, the rotation speed can be set to a value relatively faster than that of the downstream region, thereby making it possible to shorten the interval between operations for transferring the item to the conveying device and improving the supply capacity per unit time. Furthermore, when the tracked item is located in a downstream region in the rotation direction, the rotation speed can be set to a value relatively slower than that of the upstream region, thereby delaying the distance between the item and the holder and suppressing the increase in the operation interval for transferring the item to the conveying device. Furthermore, by ensuring that the item is held within a predetermined region of the outer disk, it is possible to prevent the item from being overlooked during transfer (missing), thereby improving the supply capacity per unit time.

[0020] The article aligning and supplying device (7) according to the present invention is any one of the article aligning and supplying devices (4) to (6), The rotary alignment device and the conveying device are disposed adjacent to each other, The transfer robot The holding unit is arranged so that it can be positioned downstream of the imaging unit in the rotation direction of the outer disk unit and in the area where the rotary alignment device and the conveying device are closest to each other.

[0021] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply device (7), when the transfer robot transfers the item from the outer disk portion to the conveying device, the holding portion can be moved along the shortest route, thereby shortening the time required to transfer the item and improving the ability to supply the item to the conveying device.

[0022] The article alignment and supply method (1) according to the present invention includes: The rotary alignment device aligns the articles in the rotational direction, Recognizing the articles aligned by the rotary alignment device with a visual sensor; An article aligning and supplying method in which the article recognized by the visual sensor is transferred to a conveying device by a transfer robot, The control device acquires the recognition information of the item from the visual sensor and comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the item by the rotary alignment device and the transfer operation of the item by the transfer robot.

[0023] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply method (1), by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the item and the transfer operation of the item, it is possible to synchronize the control of these operations and perform smoother control, thereby increasing the efficiency of these operations and improving the ability to supply the items from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device.

[0024] The article alignment and supply method (2) according to the present invention is the above-mentioned article alignment and supply method (1), The control device is characterized by comprehensively controlling the rotational alignment operation of the rotary alignment device to rotate the articles and the insertion operation of the articles by an insertion device that inserts the articles into the rotary alignment device.

[0025] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply method (2), by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the items and the insertion operation of the items, it becomes possible to smoothly and appropriately perform the insertion operation of the items according to the alignment state of the items in the rotary alignment device, and it is possible to optimize the insertion operation of the items from the insertion device to the rotary alignment device.

[0026] The article alignment and supply method (3) according to the present invention is the above-mentioned article alignment and supply method (1) or (2), The control device is characterized in that it comprehensively controls the transfer operation of the item by the transfer robot and the transport operation of the item by the transport device.

[0027] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply method (3), by linking the item transfer operation and the item transport operation and integrating the control, it becomes possible to smoothly and appropriately carry out the item transport operation according to the transfer status of the item by the transfer robot, and it is possible to optimize the item transport operation by the transport device.

[0028] The article alignment and supply method (4) according to the present invention is any one of the above article alignment and supply methods (1) to (3), The rotary alignment device is an outer rotating body having an annular outer disk portion on which the articles can be placed in a line in the rotation direction; an inner rotating body having an inner disk portion disposed in an inclined position inside the outer rotating body, The visual sensor an imaging unit that images a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion; The transfer robot a holding portion for holding the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion; The control device a first control that tracks the object captured by the imaging unit and changes the rotation speed of the outer disk unit based on tracking information of the object on the outer disk unit; The device is characterized by performing a second control in which the item is tracked on the outer disk portion in response to the first control, and the item located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is held by the holding portion.

[0029] According to the above-described article aligning and supplying method (4), the control device performs the first control and the second control, thereby preventing delays in these controls. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly change the rotation speed of the outer disk based on tracking information of the article on the outer disk, track the article on the outer disk in accordance with the change, and hold the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk with the holding unit. Therefore, even if the alignment state of the articles on the outer disk varies, the efficiency of the operation of transferring the articles from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device can be improved, and the ability to supply the articles from the rotary alignment device to the conveying device can be reliably improved.

[0030] The article alignment and supply method (5) according to the present invention further comprises the steps of: The predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is divided into a plurality of areas in the rotation direction, The control device The first control is characterized in that it is determined in which of the multiple areas the tracked item is located, and control is performed to switch the rotation speed of the outer disk portion in accordance with the determination.

[0031] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply method (5), in the first control, the control device determines in which of the multiple areas the tracked item is located, and controls the rotation speed of the outer disk part to be switched depending on the determination, so that the rotation speed of the outer disk part can be switched depending on the position of the item within the specified area of ​​the outer disk part, and in the second control, the operation intervals for transferring the item located within the specified area of ​​the outer disk part to the conveying device can be equalized and shortened.

[0032] The article alignment and supply method (6) according to the present invention further comprises the steps of: The control device The first control is characterized in that the rotation speed is switched so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction among the plurality of regions than in the downstream region of the rotation direction.

[0033] According to the above-mentioned item alignment and supply method (6), in the first control, the control device controls the rotation speed switching so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction among the plurality of regions than in the downstream region of the rotation direction, in other words, so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is slower in the downstream region of the rotation direction than in the upstream region of the rotation direction. Therefore, when the tracked item is located in the upstream region in the rotation direction, the rotation speed can be set to a value relatively faster than that in the downstream region, thereby making it possible to shorten the interval between operations for transferring the item to the conveying device and improving the supply capacity per unit time. On the other hand, when the tracked item is located in a downstream area in the rotation direction, the rotation speed can be set to a value relatively slower than that of the upstream area, thereby delaying the distance between the item and the holder and suppressing the increase in the operation interval for transferring the item to the conveying device. Also, by reliably holding the item within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk, it is possible to prevent the item from being overlooked during transfer (missing), thereby improving the supply capacity per unit time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an article aligning and supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2]3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a control device of the article aligning and supplying device. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device of the article aligning and supplying device. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of a processing operation performed by a rotation speed control unit of a control device, and is a plan view that schematically shows a part of an article aligning and feeding device. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the configuration of the main part of the article aligning and feeding device. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the configuration of the main part of the article aligning and feeding device. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the main parts of the article aligning and feeding device. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of a holding unit provided in a transfer robot, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 9] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams showing an example of the movement of an article held by a holder of a transfer robot. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation performed by a visual sensor of the article aligning and feeding device. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for a rotary alignment device performed by a control device of an article alignment and supply device. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for a rotary alignment device performed by a control device of an article alignment and supply device. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for a transfer robot performed by a control device of the article aligning and supplying device. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the main parts of a conventional article aligning and feeding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments of the article aligning and supplying device and article aligning and supplying method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, and therefore various technically preferable limitations are applied, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present invention is limited.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of an article aligning and feeding device according to an embodiment. The article aligning and supplying device 1 is a device that supplies articles supplied in a loose state to the rotary aligning device 10 to the conveying device 60 in a predetermined orientation. The target articles are, for example, containers filled with contents such as liquid, powder, or granular material. The container has, for example, a head having an opening through which the contents are put in and taken out, a bottom having a larger area than the opening, and a body between the head and the bottom. The cross section of the body may be circular, oval, rectangular, or another shape, and the side may be curved from the bottom to the head. The predetermined orientation is, for example, a position in which the container is upright with its bottom facing downwards.

[0037] The article aligning and supplying device 1 comprises a rotary aligning device 10, a visual sensor 30, a transfer robot 40, a loading device 65, and a conveying device 60, and each of these devices is connected to a control device 80 via a network cable 88. The control device 80 is also connected to a panel PC 70 and a server device 71 via a network 72.

[0038] The rotary alignment device 10 includes an outer rotor 11 having an annular outer disk 12 on which the articles can be placed in a line in a predetermined rotational direction, and an inner rotor 21 having an inner disk 22 disposed in an inclined position inside the outer rotor 11. The outer rotor 11 is equipped with a servo motor 18 and a servo driver 18a as drive sources for rotationally driving the outer rotor 11 including the outer disk 12. The inner rotor 21 is equipped with a servo motor 26 and a servo driver 26a as drive sources for rotationally driving the inner disk 22. The rotational movements of the outer rotor 11 and the inner rotor 21 are controlled by a control device 80.

[0039] The visual sensor 30 is a sensor for recognizing the articles in a state aligned by the rotary alignment device 10. The visual sensor 30 includes an imaging unit 31 disposed in a position capable of imaging a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion 12, and an image processing unit 32 for processing to recognize the articles from the image captured by the imaging unit 31, and recognition data of the articles recognized by the visual sensor 30 is sent to the control device 80. The recognition data of the item includes, for example, coordinate information of the item recognized within the captured image area, and the coordinate information includes, for example, coordinates indicating characteristic points such as the center and outline of the item on the image, and information regarding its posture such as its orientation (angle).

[0040] The transfer robot 40 is a picking robot that transfers the item present on the outer disk portion 12, which has been recognized by the visual sensor 30, to the conveying device 60. For the transfer robot 40, a general-purpose robot such as a parallel link robot, a horizontal articulated robot (also called a SCARA robot), or a vertical articulated robot can be used. Among these general-purpose robots, it is preferable to use a parallel link robot, which is capable of high-speed and precise operation and has excellent tracking performance. The following explanation will be given on the assumption that a parallel link robot is used as the transfer robot 40.

[0041] 1 and 5, the transfer robot 40 includes a servo motor 44 and a servo driver 44a as drive sources for driving each of a plurality of link sections 43 arranged in parallel between a base section 41 and an end section 42 that constitute a parallel link robot. The transfer robot 40 also includes a holder 51 (FIG. 8) that holds an article and is attached to the end section 42, and servo motors 46, 48 and servo drivers 46a, 48a as drive sources for driving a first shaft section 45 and a second shaft section 47 for rotating the holder 51 in horizontal and vertical directions. The movement of the end section 42 by each link section 43 and the rotation of the holder 51 by the first shaft section 45 and the second shaft section 47 are controlled by a control device 80.

[0042] The input device 65 is a device for inputting the articles into the rotary alignment device 10. For example, it transports the articles from a hopper (not shown) to the rotary alignment device 10 via a lift conveyor or chute, etc., and replenishes the articles in the rotary alignment device 10. The input device 65 is equipped with a servo motor 66 and a servo driver 66a as drive sources for driving the lift conveyor, and the operation of these is controlled by the control device 80. For example, the control device 80 controls the driving of the lift conveyor and adjusts its driving speed in accordance with the rotational movement and rotational speed of the outer rotor 11 or the inner rotor 21 of the rotary alignment device 10. Alternatively, the control device 80 controls the driving of the lift conveyor and adjusts its driving speed so that the articles can be input into the rotary alignment device 10 in accordance with the amount of articles supplied from the rotary alignment device 10 to the transport device 60 by the transfer robot 40.

[0043] The transport device 60 is disposed adjacent to the rotary alignment device 10 and has a conveyor unit 62 (FIG. 7) for transporting the articles transferred from the rotary alignment device 10 by the transfer robot 40 to the next process. The transport device 60 is equipped with a servo motor 61 and a servo driver 61a as drive sources for driving the conveyor unit 62, and the operation of these is controlled by a control device 80. For example, the control device 80 controls the adjustment of the drive speed of the conveyor unit 62 depending on the amount of articles supplied by the transfer robot 40 from the rotary alignment device 10 to the transport device 60.

[0044] The network cable 88 is configured, for example, by a bus or network that performs periodic communication. EtherCAT (registered trademark), EtherNet / IP (registered trademark), etc. can be used for such a bus or network. The network cable 88 may be provided with a branch slave for branching connections.

[0045] The panel PC 70 is equipped with a monitor screen and operation buttons, and also functions as a control panel, allowing for the setting and input of various operating conditions, operation, monitoring of operation, and troubleshooting. The monitor screen is a touch panel screen, and can switch screens and graphically display the control status of each part that makes up the article alignment and supply device 1 in response to user touch operations.

[0046] The server device 71 is, for example, a computer device for realizing the functions of a database system or a manufacturing execution system, and has the function of, for example, acquiring information from each of the parts that make up the item alignment and supply device 1 and monitoring and managing the entire production. The network 72 can employ a general network protocol such as EtherNet (registered trademark).

[0047] The control device 80 is a device that comprehensively controls control objects such as the rotary alignment device 10, the transfer robot 40, the input device 65, and the transport device 60, or in other words, an integrated controller that integrates programs corresponding to these control objects. The control device 80 executes programs corresponding to these control objects on one platform and has the function of synchronizing and controlling the operations of the rotary alignment device 10, the input device 65, and the transport device 60 with the operation of the transfer robot 40.

[0048] Specifically, the control device 80 has the function of acquiring recognition information of the items from the visual sensor 30 and comprehensively controlling the rotational alignment operation of the items by the rotary alignment device 10 and the transfer operation of the items by the transfer robot 40. The control device 80 also has the function of comprehensively controlling the rotational alignment operation of the rotary alignment device 10 for the articles and the insertion operation of the insertion device 65 for the articles. Furthermore, the control device 80 has a function of comprehensively controlling the transfer operation of the transfer robot 40 to transfer the article and the operation of the transport device 60 to transport the article. The control device 80 may also be configured to be connected to a safety controller that configures a safety control circuit for the article aligning and supplying device 1, an emergency stop switch, and the like.

[0049] Next, the hardware configuration of the control device 80 in the article aligning and supplying device 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 80 in the article aligning and supplying device 1. As shown in FIG. The control device 80 includes a processor 81, a chipset 82, a storage 83, and a main memory 84. The control device 80 also includes a host network controller 85, an internal bus controller 86, a field network controller 87, and the like.

[0050] The processor 81 is an arithmetic processing unit and is configured to include any one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The processor 81 may be configured to have multiple cores, or multiple processors may be arranged. In other words, the control device 80 is equipped with at least one processor and / or a processor having at least one core. The processor 81 reads out a program stored in the storage 83, expands it into the main memory 84, and executes it, thereby realizing processing to comprehensively control the control targets of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Specific processing operations will be described later.

[0051] The chipset 82 is composed of an LSI set that manages the transfer of data between the processor 81, main memory 84, and other peripheral elements. The main memory 84 is composed of a volatile storage device such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM).

[0052] The storage 83 is configured by a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage 83 stores a system program for the control device 80 to realize basic functions. The storage 83 also stores at least one program created for each device to be controlled by the control device 80.

[0053] These programs include an alignment control program for the rotary alignment device 10, a robot control program for the transfer robot 40, an input control program for the input device 65, and a transport control program for the transport device 60. By integrating these programming languages, it is possible to synchronize and execute sequence control and motion control based on the status of each device of the rotary alignment device 10, the input device 65, and the transport device 60 and signals from the visual sensor 30, etc., on a single platform, as well as robot control of the transfer operation of the items by the transfer robot 40.

[0054] The host network controller 85 has a function of controlling data exchange with the panel PC 70, the server device 71, and the like via the network 72. The internal bus controller 86 has the function of controlling the exchange of data with various I / O units (not shown) attached to the control device 80. The field network controller 87 has a function of controlling the exchange of data with each device connected via a network cable 88 .

[0055] Next, the characteristic functional configuration of the control device 80 of the article aligning and supplying device 1 will be described. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a characteristic functional configuration of the control device 80 of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Note that for components of the rotary aligning device 10, the visual sensor 30, and the transfer robot 40, please refer to Figs. 1 and 5, etc. The control device 80 includes an information acquisition unit 91 , a coordinate conversion unit 92 , an arc tracking unit 93 , a rotation speed control unit 94 , and a picking control unit 95 .

[0056] The information acquisition unit 91 has processing functions for acquiring recognition data of the articles detected by the visual sensor 30, acquiring signals from rotation angle detectors (not shown) incorporated in the servo motor 26 of the inner rotor 21 of the rotary alignment device 10 and the servo motor 18 of the outer rotor 11, and acquiring signals from rotation angle detectors (not shown) incorporated in the servo motors 44, 46, 48 of the transfer robot 40. The rotation angle detectors are, for example, encoders, and the information acquisition unit 91 has processing functions for detecting angles for position control of these servo motors 18, 26, 44, 46, 48 and detecting speeds for speed control based on signals from the encoders.

[0057] The coordinate conversion unit 92 has processing functions for converting the coordinate information on the image of the item contained in the recognition data of the item obtained from the visual sensor 30 into coordinate information on the outer disk unit 12 of the rotary alignment device 10, and for converting it into robot coordinates used to control the transfer robot 40.

[0058] The arc tracking unit 93 has the function of performing calculations to track (also called follow or track) the coordinates of the item on the outer disk portion 12 in accordance with the rotational movement of the outer disk portion 12, based on the coordinate information of the item on the outer disk portion 12 converted by the coordinate conversion unit 92 and the signal from the servo motor 18 of the rotary alignment device 10 acquired by the information acquisition unit 91 (such as the signal from the rotation angle detector).

[0059] The rotational speed control unit 94 has a function of controlling the change in the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 based on the tracking information (hereinafter referred to as tracking coordinate information) of the article on the outer disk unit 12 calculated by the arc tracking unit 93. The rotational speed control unit 94 also has a function of controlling the change in the rotational speed of the inner disk unit 22 in synchronization with the change in the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12. The first control is performed by the arc tracking unit 93 and the rotational speed control unit 94.

[0060] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the processing operation performed by the rotation speed control unit 94 of the control device 80, and is a plan view that schematically shows a part of the article aligning and feeding device 1. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the inner disk portion 22 and the outer disk portion 12 of the rotary alignment device 10 are each configured to rotate counterclockwise. The transport device 60 includes a linear conveyor portion 62, and is disposed in a position close to the outside of the outer disk portion 12 of the rotary alignment device 10. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the conveyor portion 62 is configured to transport the articles 2 in a rightward direction.

[0061] The transfer robot 40 is arranged above the area where the rotary alignment device 10 and the transport device 60 are closest to each other. A circle of a predetermined radius having its center point at the area where the rotary alignment device 10 and the transport device 60 are closest to each other indicates the movable area of ​​a holder 51 (FIG. 8) provided on the transfer robot 40, i.e., a picking area 52. The center point of this picking area 52 is set as the origin (reference position) P of the holder 51 of the transfer robot 40. The rotary alignment device 10, the transfer robot 40, and the transport device 60 are arranged in a positional relationship such that a line connecting the origin P of the holder 51 and the center Q of the inner disk part 22 and the outer disk part 12 is perpendicular to the conveyor part 62 of the transport device 60.

[0062] The imaging unit 31 of the visual sensor 30 is disposed in a position where it can image a partial area of ​​the outer disk 12, upstream in the rotation direction of the outer disk 12 from the area where the picking area 52 and the outer disk 12 overlap. The imaging unit 31 is configured to include a lens, an imaging element, lighting, etc. (not shown), and image data captured by the imaging unit 31 is sent to the image processing unit 32. The imaging unit 31 is provided with a protective cover to reduce the effects of ambient light. The visual sensor 30 may be equipped with multiple imaging units 31. In this way, the transfer robot 40 is positioned so that the holding unit 51 can be positioned downstream of the imaging unit 31 in the rotation direction of the outer disk unit 12 and in the area where the rotary alignment device 10 and the conveying device 60 are closest to each other.

[0063] In order to execute characteristic processing by the rotational speed control unit 94 of the control device 80, the area where the picking area 52 and the outer disk part 12 overlap, i.e., the area on the outer disk part 12 within the picking area 52, is divided into multiple areas. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the area on the outer disk part 12 within the picking area 52 is set to be divided into three areas, a first range B, a second range C, and a third range D, in that order from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the outer disk part 12. That is, the first range B is the area upstream of the origin P of the holding portion 51 in the rotational direction, the second range C is the area downstream of the first range B in the rotational direction and downstream of the origin P of the holding portion 51 in the rotational direction, and the third range D is the area downstream of the second range C in the rotational direction.

[0064] The rotational speed control unit 94 has the function of determining in which of multiple areas (first range B, second range C, third range D) the item 2 tracked by the arc tracking unit 93 is located, and performing control (first control) to switch the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 in accordance with that determination.

[0065] When making the above-mentioned judgment, in order to minimize the failure of the transfer robot 40 to pick up the item 2, it is preferable to judge whether the item 2 is located in the area downstream in the rotation direction of the outer disk part 12. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 4, first it is judged whether the item 2 is located in the third range D, and if the item 2 is not located in the third range D, it is next judged whether the item 2 is located in the second range C, and if the item 2 is not located in the second range C, it is next judged whether the item 2 is located in the first range B.

[0066] In the control for switching the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 in response to the determination, the rotation speed is switched so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 is faster in the upstream region of the plurality of regions in the rotation direction of the outer disk portion 12 than in the downstream region of the rotation direction of the outer disk portion 12. In the switching control, for example, a process is performed in which a control signal for switching the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 by the servo motor 18 is output to the servo driver 18a of the outer rotor 11.

[0067] For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, when an item 2 is located in the third range D, the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 is controlled to be switched to speed D. Furthermore, when an item 2 is not present in the third range D and is located in the second range C, the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 is controlled to be switched to speed C. Furthermore, when an item is not present in the third range D or the second range C and the item 2 is located in the first range B, the rotational speed is controlled to be switched to speed B. Furthermore, when an item 2 is not located in the first range B either, the rotational speed is controlled to be switched to speed A. In this case, the rotational speeds are set to increase in the order of speed D, speed C, speed B, and speed A, and such settings make it possible to reliably improve the throughput (processing capacity per unit time) of the picking operation of the item 2 by the transfer robot 40.

[0068] In other words, when the item 2 is located in the first range B or upstream of the first range B in the rotation direction, the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 is increased relatively, thereby accelerating the movement of the item 2 located on the outer disk portion 12 and enabling the picking operation to be performed in an area as close as possible to the origin P of the holding portion 51. On the other hand, when the item 2 is located in the second range C or the third range D, the rotational speed of the outer disk part 12 is relatively slowed down, thereby slowing down the movement of the item 2 on the outer disk part 12, and making it possible to perform the picking operation in an area that does not stray as far as possible from the origin P of the holding part 51. Note that when the item is located in the third range D, the rotational speed of the outer disk part 12 may be temporarily set to zero.

[0069] The picking control unit 95 has a function of controlling (second control) the picking operation in which the holding unit 51 holds the item 2 located within the area on the outer disk unit 12 in the picking area 52 and transfers it to the conveying device 60, based on the tracking coordinate information calculated by the arc tracking unit 93. In other words, the second control is executed by the arc tracking unit 93 and the picking control unit 95.

[0070] Based on a control signal from the picking control unit 95, the transfer robot 40 performs a picking operation in which the holding unit 51 follows the item 2 present on the outer disk unit 12, holds the item 2 with the holding unit 51, and transfers it to the conveying device 60. In the example shown in Figure 4, the movement direction of the conveyor section 62 of the transport device 60 is opposite to the rotation direction of the outer disk section 12 of the rotary alignment device 10, but in other embodiments, they may be the same direction.

[0071] Next, an example of a specific configuration of the article aligning and feeding device 1 will be described. Fig. 5 is a partially sectional front view showing the configuration of the main parts of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Fig. 6 is a partially sectional side view showing the configuration of the main parts of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of the main parts of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a holding unit 51 provided in the transfer robot 40.

[0072] The article aligning and supplying device 1 includes, as its main components, a rotary aligning device 10, a visual sensor 30, and a transfer robot 40, and is further equipped with a transport device 60. First, the configuration of the rotary alignment device 10 will be described. The rotary alignment device 10 includes an outer rotating body 11 and an inner rotating body 21 . The outer rotating body 11 includes an outer disk portion 12 , a bowl-shaped inner wall portion 13 , a bowl-shaped inner wall support portion 14 , a rotation support portion 15 , a cylindrical body 16 , a gear 17 , and a servo motor 18 . The bowl-shaped inner wall portion 13 has a bowl shape with an inner diameter larger at the top than at the bottom, and has a circular opening 13a at the bottom.

[0073] The outer disk portion 12 is provided to protrude outward from the upper end of the bowl-shaped inner wall portion 13, has a circular shape in a plan view on which the articles 2 can be placed in a line in the rotational direction, and has a fall prevention wall 12a formed on its outer periphery to prevent the articles 2 from falling. In addition, an annular article placement member 12b is arranged on the article placement surface of the outer disk portion 12, and the article placement member 12b has an inclined portion 12c that is lower on the outside than on the inside. The width of the outer disk portion 12 is approximately larger than the width of the body of the articles 2, in other words, is wide enough to arrange the articles 2 in a line.

[0074] Bowl-shaped inner wall support 14 is a member that supports outer disk 12 and bowl-shaped inner wall 13. It has a shape that surrounds bowl-shaped inner wall 13, and its upper end is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of bowl-shaped inner wall 13. A circular opening 14a is formed in the center of the bottom of bowl-shaped inner wall support 14, and the upper part of rotation support 15 is fixed to opening 14a. A cylinder 16 is disposed inside rotation support 15, and rotation support 15 is rotatably attached to cylinder 16. The lower end of cylinder 16 is fixed to first base 19, which is fixed to mount 5. Rotation support 15 is supported by cylinder 16, which is fixed to first base 19, in a state where it can rotate about a vertical axis.

[0075] A servo motor 18 is attached to the first base 19, and a gear 17 attached to the rotation shaft of the servo motor 18 is in mesh with a gear (not shown) provided at the bottom of the rotation support part 15. Therefore, the rotation of the servo motor 18 is transmitted to the bowl-shaped inner wall part 13 and the outer disk part 12 via the gear 17, the rotation support part 15, and the bowl-shaped inner wall support part 14, thereby rotating the outer rotating body 11.

[0076] The inner rotor 21 includes an inner disk portion 22, a shaft portion 23, a rotation support portion 24, a gear 25, and a servo motor 26. Inner disk 22 is disposed in an inclined position inside bowl-shaped inner wall 13 of outer rotor 11. A shaft 23 inclined with respect to the horizontal plane is attached to the center of the lower surface of inner disk 22, and the lower part of shaft 23 is attached to the upper inclined surface of second base 27. A rotation support 24 is rotatably attached to shaft 23, and the upper part of rotation support 24 is fixed to the lower surface of inner disk 22.

[0077] The lower part of second base 27 is fixed to the upper part of cylindrical body 16, and servo motor 26 is attached to second base 27. Gear 25 attached to the rotation shaft of servo motor 26 is in mesh with a gear (not shown) provided at the lower part of rotation support part 24. Therefore, the rotation of servo motor 26 is transmitted to inner disk part 22 via gear 25 and rotation support part 24, and can rotate inner rotor 21. In this way, inner rotor 21 and outer rotor 11 are configured to rotate by separate drive sources.

[0078] Furthermore, inner disk portion 22 is rotatable around shaft portion 23 that is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, and is disposed so that its outer periphery is close to bowl-shaped inner wall portion 13. The angle of inclination of inner disk portion 22 relative to the horizontal plane is preferably designed to be approximately 10° to 20°, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the size, weight, shape, etc. of article 2.

[0079] The shape of the inner disk portion 22 is designed so that the highest point of the outer periphery is at approximately the same height as the outer disk portion 12. It is preferable that the gap formed between the outer periphery of the inner disk portion 22 and the bowl-shaped inner wall portion 13 is designed to be as narrow as possible so that the article 2 does not fall through the gap.

[0080] Additionally, a sliding section 22a is provided on the outer periphery of the inner disk section 22, sloping downward outward, and is configured so that the height of the tip of the sliding section 22a and the inner end of the article placement member 12b are at approximately the same level at the highest point of the inner disk section 22, i.e., a flat inclined state with no steps. This configuration allows the articles 2 to move more smoothly and reliably from the inner disk section 22 to the outer disk section 12 and be aligned in a line.

[0081] If the shape of the article 2 is a bottle with a round cross section of the body, it is preferable that the article placing member 12b disposed on the outer disk portion 12 has an inclined portion 12c, but if the shape of the body of the article 2 is a bottle with a square or flat cross section, it is preferable that the article placing member 12b has a horizontal shape. Also, it is preferable that the article placing member 12b has a color that can be easily distinguished from the article 2, and it is configured to be interchangeable depending on the color of the article 2.

[0082] Next, the operation of aligning articles by the rotary aligning device 10 will be described. An item 2 is fed from a feeding device 65 into a storage section 28 for the item 2, which is formed by the bowl-shaped inner wall section 13 of the outer rotating body 11 and the inner disk section 22 of the inner rotating body 21, and when the outer rotating body 11, including the inner disk section 22 and the bowl-shaped inner wall section 13, rotates, the item 2 in the storage section 28 rotates within the storage section 28 as the inner disk section 22 and the bowl-shaped inner wall section 13 rotate.

[0083] When the article 2 rotates in the circumferential direction within the storage section 28 in conjunction with the rotation of the inner disk section 22, centrifugal force acts on the article 2, causing it to move from the center toward the outside. As the article 2 moves toward the outside, when it reaches the height of the outer disk section 12 on the inner disk section 22, the article 2 moves toward the outer disk section 12, as if being pushed from the inner disk section 22 toward the outer disk section 12.

[0084] Since a fall prevention wall 12a is provided on the outer periphery of the outer disk portion 12, the article 2 is placed with its length aligned with the fall prevention wall 12a. Thereafter, the article 2 rotates along with the rotation of the outer rotating body 11 while remaining placed on the article placement member 12b of the outer disk portion 12. If the article 2 is not removed from the outer disk portion 12, the article 2 continues to rotate.

[0085] When the item 2 is removed from the outer disk portion 12 and a space for the item 2 is created on the outer disk portion 12, the item 2 in the storage portion 28 is placed in the vacant space on the outer disk portion 12 as the inner disk portion 22 etc. rotates. Furthermore, if the open space on the outer disk 12 is narrow and the article 2 is placed at the highest position on the outer periphery of the inner disk 22 at an angle to the outer disk 12, as the outer rotor 11 and the inner disk 22 rotate, the inner disk 22 becomes lower in height relative to the outer disk 12, and the article 2 is no longer supported by the inner disk 22. Therefore, any article 2 that is not placed in an aligned state on the outer disk 12 falls into the storage section 28 and rotates again within the storage section 28.

[0086] Therefore, only the articles 2 lined up along the fall prevention wall 12a of the outer disk portion 12 rotate in the circumferential direction on the outer disk portion 12. Note that the orientation of the articles 2 lined up on the outer disk portion 12, for example, the direction of the head relative to the bottom, is not the same, but regardless of the orientation of the articles 2 lined up, as will be described later, the transfer robot 40 can place the articles 2 in the same orientation and transfer them to the transport device 60.

[0087] The rotary alignment device 10 is capable of placing and aligning items 2 on the annular outer disk portion 12 formed toward the upper outside of the outer rotating body 11, with the head and bottom facing in the circumferential direction, by the action of the outer rotating body 11 and the inner disk portion 22 of the inner rotating body 21. It is preferable that the rotation directions of the outer rotating body 11 and the inner disc portion 22 of the inner rotating body 21 are the same so that the movement of the item 2 from the inner disc portion 22 to the outer disc portion 12 proceeds smoothly, and that the rotational movements are also synchronized.

[0088] Next, the configuration of the transfer robot 40 will be described. The transfer robot 40 is a device for placing the item 2 rotating on the outer disk portion 12 of the rotary alignment device 10 on the conveyor portion 62 of the transport device 60 in a predetermined position, for example, in an upright position with the top of the item 2 facing up and the bottom facing down.

[0089] 5 and 6, the transfer robot 40 is fixed to a cross member 7 disposed on the upper part of the frame body 6. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7, the transfer robot 40 is arranged so that the holding unit 51 can be positioned downstream of the imaging unit 31 in the rotation direction of the outer disk unit 12 and above the area where the rotary alignment device 10 and the transport device 60 are closest to each other. This makes it possible to minimize the travel distance of the article 2 from when it is held by the holding unit 51 until it is placed on the transport device 60, thereby shortening the time required to transfer the article 2.

[0090] The transfer robot 40 is configured as a parallel link robot in which three link sections 43 are arranged in parallel between an upper base section 41 and a lower end section 42, and a holding section 51 shown in Fig. 8 can be attached to an end effector 49 attached to the end section 42. In addition, the transfer robot 40 has a first shaft section 45 and a second shaft section 47 arranged between the base section 41 and the end section 42.

[0091] Each link unit 43 includes an upper arm 43a and a parallel arm 43b, with a rotary joint 43c provided between the base unit 41 and the upper arm 43a, a spherical joint 43d provided between the upper arm 43a and the parallel arm 43b, and a spherical joint 43e provided between the parallel arm 43b and the end unit 42. A servo motor 44 for driving the rotary joint 43c to rotate is attached to the base unit 41. The operation of these three link units 43 enables the end unit 42 to move in three-dimensional space, i.e., in the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions, while maintaining a constant posture.

[0092] The first shaft portion 45 and the second shaft portion 47 each include a rotary telescopic shaft with universal joints at both ends. A servo motor 46 for rotating and extending the first shaft portion 45 is attached to the base portion 41, and operation of the first shaft portion 45 enables the end effector 49 to rotate in the horizontal direction.

[0093] In addition, a servo motor 48 for rotating and extending the second shaft portion 47 is attached to the base portion 41, and the operation of the second shaft portion 47 makes it possible to rotate a rotation support portion 49a provided on the end effector 49 in the vertical direction. The rotation support portion 49a has a generally concave shape, and is provided with an attachment portion at its lower end for attaching a holding portion 51.

[0094] The end effector 49 attached to the end portion 42 is capable of three-dimensional movement in the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions by the three link portions 43, and is also capable of horizontal rotation by the first shaft portion 45, and the rotation support portion 49a is capable of vertical rotation by the second shaft portion 47.

[0095] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing an example of a holding unit 51 provided on the transfer robot 40, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a side view. The holding part 51 is an adsorption-type holding means, and is composed of a suction box 51a, two adsorption pads 51b provided on the underside of the suction box 51a, a connection part 51c provided on the side of the suction box 51a for connecting a hose for vacuum suction and exhaust, and an attachment part 51d for attaching to the rotation support part 49a of the end effector 49.

[0096] The suction pad 51b is a bellows-type pad with at least one stage so that the article 2 can be quickly and securely held and released, and is made of a material such as nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, or natural rubber. The suction pads 51b are detachable from suction pad insertion holes provided on the underside of the suction box 51a and can be replaced as appropriate depending on the size and shape of the article 2. In the example of Fig. 7, the holder 51 has two suction pads 51b, but the number of suction pads 51b may be one, or three or more.

[0097] 8 shows an example in which the holding part 51 is of the suction type, but the holding part 51 is not limited to the suction type, and may be of a gripping type that holds by pinching, depending on the article 2. The type of the holding part 51 can be selected appropriately depending on the article 2.

[0098] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the movement of an article held by the holder 51. In FIG. FIG. 9(a) shows a state in which the articles 2 lying aligned on the outer disk portion 12 of the rotary alignment device 10 are held by the suction pads 51b of the holding portion 51. 9(a), the suction pad 51b of the holding unit 51 also rotates vertically by 90°, and the article 2 is now in a state where its head faces up and its bottom faces down, as shown in FIG. 9(b). The direction in which the rotation support unit 49a is rotated vertically by 90° is controlled according to the orientation of the head of the article 2 when it is aligned and lying on the outer disk unit 12, so that the head of the article 2 faces up and its bottom faces down.

[0099] When the end effector 49 is rotated horizontally by 90° from the state shown in Figure 9(b), the suction pad 51b of the holding portion 51 also rotates horizontally by 90° while the article 2 remains upright, resulting in the state shown in Figure 9(c). Then, by operating the link section 43 of the transfer robot 40, the holding section 51 holding the item 2 is moved onto the conveying device 60, and then the item 2 is detached from the suction pad 51b of the holding section 51, and the item 2 is placed in an upright position on the conveyor section 62.

[0100] 9(a), (b), and (c), it is preferable to operate the end effector 49 and the holding unit 51 so that the movements of the article 2 proceed substantially simultaneously. Furthermore, the movement of the end unit 42 in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions due to the operation of the link unit 43 is also performed in parallel with the movement of the article 2 by the end effector 49 shown in Fig. 9. Therefore, after the article 2 in the rotary alignment device 10 is held by the holding unit 51, the movement of the article 2 in an upright state to the nearby conveying device 60 can be performed in an extremely short time.

[0101] Next, we will explain an example of the operation of aligning and supplying articles performed by the control device 80 of the article aligning and supplying device 1. Note that for each component of the article aligning and supplying device 1, please refer to Figures 1 to 9. The control device 80 performs overall control over the visual sensor 30, the rotary aligning device 10, and the transfer robot 40.

[0102] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation performed by the visual sensor 30. This loop processing is a process for recognizing an article 2 moving on the outer disk portion 12, and is repeatedly executed while the power of the visual sensor 30 is in an ON state.

[0103] First, in step S1, the visual sensor 30 detects a trigger signal indicating the timing of capturing an image, and the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, the visual sensor 30 performs a process of capturing an image including a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion 12 using the imaging unit 31, and the process proceeds to step S3. The trigger signal may be, for example, a timer signal indicating a predetermined time interval set according to the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12, or a detection signal output from a sensor such as a photoelectric sensor that is arranged downstream in the rotation direction of the imaging unit 31 and detects the passage of an article 2 present on the outer disk portion 12. The timer signal may be obtained from the control device 80.

[0104] In step S3, the visual sensor 30 performs image recognition processing on the image captured in step S2 in the image processing unit 32, and then proceeds to step S4. In the image recognition processing, for example, processing is performed to extract feature points (coordinates on the image) such as the outline and center point of the article 2 from the captured image, and processing is performed to determine the presence or absence of the article 2 by pattern matching or the like, and to extract the feature points (coordinates on the image) and orientation (angle on the image) of the article 2.

[0105] In step S4, the visual sensor 30 determines whether or not the item 2 has been recognized from the captured image as a result of image processing in the image processing unit 32, and if it determines that the item 2 has not been recognized, it returns to step S1 and repeats the process. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that the article 2 has been recognized, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the visual sensor 30 performs a process of outputting image recognition information of the article 2 to the control device 80. The image recognition information of the article 2 includes, for example, image frame information, image capture timing (time), coordinate information indicating feature points of the recognized article 2 (for example, X and Y coordinates on the image indicating the center point of the article 2, etc.), and information such as the orientation of the article 2 (angle θ with respect to the X and Y axes of the image).

[0106] After step S5, the loop process is repeated if the power is on, and ends if the power is off. The continuation condition for the loop process may be, in addition to the above-mentioned power on state, until a predetermined time has elapsed, or until a predetermined number of articles 2 have been recognized.

[0107] Next, an example of the processing operation of the rotary aligning device 10 and the transfer robot 40 performed by the control device 80 will be described. 11 and 12 are flowcharts showing an example of a control operation (alignment control program) for the outer rotating body 11 of the rotary alignment device 10, which is performed by the control device 80. Note that synchronous control is also performed for the inner rotating body 21 of the rotary alignment device 10.

[0108] The loop process shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is repeatedly executed while the power supply to the servo motor 44 of the outer rotating body 11 is ON, for example. As shown in FIG. 11, the control device 80 starts a loop process. First, in step S11, the information acquisition unit 91 of the control device 80 performs a process of acquiring image recognition information of the article 2 from the visual sensor 30, and then the process proceeds to step S12.

[0109] In step S12, the coordinate conversion unit 92 of the control device 80 performs a process of converting the coordinate system of the image recognition information of the article 2 acquired from the visual sensor 30 into the coordinate system of the outer disk unit 12 and the transfer robot 40. For example, the coordinate conversion unit 92 performs a process of converting coordinate information including the position and orientation of the article 2 on the image into coordinate information on the outer disk unit 12 and into robot coordinates of the transfer robot 40, and then proceeds to step S13. The coordinate information on the outer disk unit 12 may be coordinates based on the center Q of the outer disk unit 12. The robot coordinates may also be coordinates based on the origin P of the holder 51. The coordinate information of the article 2 on the outer disk unit 12 may also be converted into the robot coordinates.

[0110] In step S13, the arc tracking unit 93 of the control device 80 starts the arc tracking process for the article 2. In the arc tracking process, a calculation process is performed to track the moving position (coordinates) of the article 2 on the outer disk portion 12 based on the coordinate information of the article 2 on the outer disk portion 12 converted in step S12 and velocity information such as the angular velocity of the outer disk portion 12. The calculated tracking coordinate information of the article 2 is sequentially stored in the main memory 84. The speed information of the outer disk part 12 is calculated using, for example, a signal obtained from an encoder of the servo motor 18 that rotates the outer rotor 11. The relationship between the signal from the encoder and the rotation distance (rotation angle) of the outer disk part 12 is set in advance by calibration or the like.

[0111] The processes of steps S11 to S13 are executed every time image recognition information of a new article 2 is acquired, and the tracking coordinate information of each imaged article 2 is stored in the main memory 84 one by one.

[0112] The control device 80 is configured to simultaneously perform the loop processing shown in Fig. 12 in parallel with the loop processing shown in Fig. 11. The loop processing shown in Fig. 12 is executed, for example, at predetermined intervals. In step S14 shown in Fig. 12, the rotational speed control unit 94 of the control device 80 reads the tracking coordinate information of one or more articles 2 calculated in step S13, and proceeds to step S15.

[0113] In step S15, the rotation speed control unit 94 determines whether the coordinates of the item 2 are within the third range D (FIG. 4) in the picking area 52 based on the tracking coordinate information of one or more items 2. 4, in this embodiment, the picking area 52 overlapping with the outer disk part 12 is divided into three judgment areas, a first range B, a second range C, and a third range D, from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the outer disk part 12. The number of divisions of the judgment areas is not limited to three, and may be two, four or more. However, dividing into three is preferable from the viewpoint of efficiently improving the throughput of the picking operation of the transfer robot 40 without complicating the speed switching process of the outer disk part 12, which will be described later.

[0114] In step S15, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines that the coordinates of the item 2 are within the third range D of the picking area 52, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of switching the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 to a predetermined speed D (<speed C<speed B<speed A). For example, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of outputting a control signal for switching to the speed D to the servo driver 18a of the rotary alignment device 10. Thereafter, if the motor power supply is ON, the loop process is repeated, and if the motor power supply is OFF, the loop process is terminated. In the rotary alignment device 10, the rotational operation of the servo motor 18 is controlled by the servo driver 18a so that the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 becomes the speed D based on a control signal for switching to the speed D obtained from the control device 80.

[0115] On the other hand, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines in step S15 that the coordinates of the item 2 are not within the third range D of the picking area 52, the process proceeds to step S17. In step S17, the rotational speed control unit 94 determines whether the coordinates of the item 2 are within the second range C (Figure 4) of the picking area 52 based on the tracking coordinate information of one or more items 2 read in step S14.

[0116] In step S17, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines that the coordinates of the item 2 are within the second range C of the picking area 52, the process proceeds to step S18. In step S18, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of switching the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 to a predetermined speed C. For example, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of outputting a control signal for switching to the speed C to the servo driver 18a of the rotary alignment device 10. Thereafter, if the motor power supply is in an ON state, the loop process is repeated, and if the motor power supply is in an OFF state, the loop process is ended. In the rotary alignment device 10, the rotational operation of the servo motor 18 is controlled by the servo driver 18a so that the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 becomes the speed C based on a control signal for switching to the speed C obtained from the control device 80.

[0117] On the other hand, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines in step S17 that the coordinates of the item 2 are not within the second range C of the picking area 52, the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, the rotation speed control unit 94 determines whether the coordinates of the item 2 are within the first range B (Figure 4) of the picking area 52 based on the tracking coordinate information of one or more items 2 read in step S14.

[0118] In step S19, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines that the coordinates of the item 2 are within the first range B of the picking area 52, the process proceeds to step S20. In step S20, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of switching the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 to a predetermined speed B. For example, the rotational speed control unit 94 performs a process of outputting a control signal for switching to the speed B to the servo driver 18a of the rotary alignment device 10. Thereafter, if the motor power supply is in an ON state, the loop process is repeated, and if the motor power supply is in an OFF state, the loop process is terminated. In the rotary alignment device 10, the rotational operation of the servo motor 18 is controlled by the servo driver 18a so that the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 becomes the speed B based on a control signal for switching to the speed B obtained from the control device 80.

[0119] On the other hand, in step S19, if the rotation speed control unit 94 determines that the coordinates of the item 2 are not within the first range B of the picking area 52, i.e., that the item 2 is located upstream of the picking area 52 in the rotation direction, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, the rotation speed control unit 94 performs a process of switching the rotation speed of the outer disk unit 12 to a predetermined speed A. The rotation speed control unit 94 performs a process of outputting a control signal for switching to the speed A to the servo driver 18a of the rotary alignment device 10, for example. Thereafter, if the motor power supply is in an ON state, the loop process is repeated, and if the motor power supply is in an OFF state, the loop process is ended. In the rotary alignment device 10, the rotational operation of the servo motor 18 is controlled by the servo driver 18a so that the rotational speed of the outer disk portion 12 becomes the speed A based on a control signal for switching to the speed A obtained from the control device 80.

[0120] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a control operation (robot control program) for the transfer robot 40 performed by the control device 80. The control for the rotary aligning device 10 and the control for the transfer robot 40 are executed in parallel.

[0121] 13 is repeatedly executed while the power of the transfer robot 40 is in an ON state. The control device 80 starts the loop process, and in step S31, the picking control unit 95 of the control device 80 performs a process to make the holder 51 of the transfer robot 40 wait at a predetermined position (for example, the position of the origin P). For example, the picking control unit 95 performs a process to output a wait signal to the transfer robot 40, and then proceeds to step S32. Based on the wait signal acquired from the control device 80, the transfer robot 40 controls the operation of each unit such as the link unit 43 so that the holder 51 waits at a predetermined position (the origin P).

[0122] In step S32, the picking control unit 95 determines whether or not there is an item 2 in the picking area 52 based on the tracking coordinate information of one or more items 2. In step S32, if the picking control unit 95 determines that there is no item 2 in the picking area 52, it returns to step S31 and continues waiting processing, whereas if it determines that there is an item 2 in the picking area 52, it proceeds to step S33.

[0123] In step S33, the picking control unit 95 reads the tracking coordinate information of the item 2 located most downstream in the picking area 52 from the arc tracking unit 93, and then proceeds to step S34. In step S34, the picking control unit 95 performs processing to control the picking operation in which the transfer robot 40 transfers the item 2 from the outer disk unit 12 to the conveying device 60 based on the tracking coordinate information of the item 2 located furthest downstream.

[0124] In the picking operation, a target holding position by the holding unit 51 is determined based on tracking coordinate information (orientation and center coordinates) of the most downstream item 2, and further a process is performed to determine the rotation direction of the item 2 in the vertical plane to place the item 2 in an upright position. Then, while operating the link unit 43, the first shaft unit 45, and the second shaft unit 47 so that the holding unit 51 follows the item 2 moving on the outer disk unit 12, the holding unit 51 holds the item 2 at the target holding position, and while rotating the item 2 in the determined rotation direction, the item 2 is placed on the conveyor unit 62 of the transport device 60 in an upright position. Thereafter, if the power is on, the loop processing is repeated, and if the power is turned off, the loop processing is terminated.

[0125] According to the article aligning and supplying device 1 of the above-described embodiment, the control device 80 comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the article 2 by the rotary alignment device 10 and the transfer operation of the article 2 by the transfer robot 40 based on image recognition information of the article 2. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the article 2 and the transfer operation of the article 2 on one platform, it is possible to synchronize the control of these operations and perform smoother control, thereby increasing the efficiency of these operations and improving the supply capacity of the article 2 from the rotary alignment device 10 to the conveying device 60.

[0126] Furthermore, according to the article aligning and supplying device 1, the control device 80 also comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the articles 2 by the rotary alignment device 10 and the insertion operation of the articles 2 by the insertion device 65. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the rotational alignment operation of the articles 2 and the insertion operation of the articles 2, it becomes possible to smoothly and appropriately insert the articles 2 depending on the alignment state of the articles 2 in the rotary alignment device 10, and it is possible to optimize the insertion operation of the articles 2 from the insertion device 65 to the rotary alignment device 10.

[0127] Furthermore, according to the article alignment and supply device 1, the control device 80 comprehensively controls the transfer operation of the article 2 by the transfer robot 40 and the transport operation of the article 2 by the transport device 60. Therefore, by linking and integrating the control of the transfer operation of the article 2 and the transport operation of the article 2, it is possible to smoothly and appropriately transport the article 2 depending on the transfer status of the article 2 by the transfer robot 40, and the transport operation of the article 2 by the transport device 60 can be optimized.

[0128] Furthermore, according to the article aligning and supplying device 1, the control device 80 executes the rotational speed control (first control) of the outer disk unit 12 and the picking control (second control) of the article by the transfer robot 40. This prevents delays in these controls. Furthermore, the rotational speed of the outer disk unit 12 can be changed based on the tracking coordinate information of the article 2 on the outer disk unit 12, and the operation of holding the article 2 located within a predetermined area (first range B, second range C, third range D) of the outer disk unit 12 by the holding unit 51 can be smoothly executed while tracking the article 2 on the outer disk unit 12. Therefore, even if the alignment state of the articles 2 on the outer disk unit 12 varies, the operational efficiency of transferring the articles 2 from the rotary alignment device 10 to the conveying device 60 can be improved, and the supply capacity of the articles 2 from the rotary alignment device 10 to the conveying device 60 can be reliably improved.

[0129] Furthermore, according to the article aligning and supplying device 1, in the rotation control (first control) performed by the rotation speed control unit 94, it is determined in which of a plurality of areas (first range B, second range C, third range D) the tracked article 2 is located, and control is performed to switch the rotation speed of the outer disk unit 12 in accordance with this determination. Therefore, the rotation speed of the outer disk unit 12 can be switched in accordance with the position of the article 2 within the predetermined area of ​​the outer disk unit 12, and in the picking control (second control), it is possible to equalize and shorten the operation intervals for transferring the article 2 located within the predetermined area of ​​the outer disk unit 12 to the conveying device 60.

[0130] Furthermore, according to the article alignment and supply device 1, in the rotation control (first control) performed by the rotation speed control unit 94, the rotation speed is switched so that, among the multiple regions (first range B, second range C, third range D), the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 is faster in the region upstream of the rotation direction (first range B) than in the region downstream of the rotation direction (third range D), in other words, so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion 12 is slower in the region downstream of the rotation direction (third range D) than in the region upstream of the rotation direction (first range B).

[0131] Therefore, when the tracked item 2 is located in the upstream region (first range B) of the rotation direction, the rotation speed can be set to a relatively faster value than when the tracked item 2 is located in the downstream region (second range C, third range D), thereby making it possible to shorten the distance between the item 2 and the holder 51. Therefore, the operation interval for transferring the item 2 to the conveying device 60 can be shortened, and the supply capacity per unit time can be improved. Furthermore, when the tracked item 2 is located in the downstream area in the rotation direction (second range C, third range D), the rotation speed can be set to a value relatively slower than that in the upstream area (first range B), thereby delaying the distance between the item 2 and the holding unit 51 and suppressing the increase in the operation interval for transferring the item 2 to the conveying device 60. Furthermore, by ensuring that the item 2 is held within a specified area of ​​the outer disk unit 12, it is possible to prevent the item 2 from being dropped off, thereby improving the supply capacity per unit time.

[0132] Furthermore, according to the article aligning and supplying device 1, the rotary alignment device 10 and the conveying device 60 are arranged in close proximity, and the transfer robot 40 is arranged so that the holding unit 51 can be positioned downstream of the imaging unit 31 in the rotation direction of the outer disk unit 12 and in the area where the rotary alignment device 10 and the conveying device 60 are closest to each other. With this configuration, when the transfer robot 40 transfers the article 2 from the outer disk unit 12 to the conveying device 60, the holding unit 51 can be moved via the shortest route, which shortens the transfer time of the article 2 and improves the supply capacity of articles per unit time to the conveying device 60. Furthermore, the article alignment and supply device 1 is designed so that the rotary alignment device 10, visual sensor 30, transfer robot 40, and conveying device 60 are arranged in a very compact manner, making it small and space-saving, and allowing it to be easily added to existing factories or existing filling lines, etc.

[0133] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the above description is merely an example of the present invention. It goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1. Item alignment and supply device 2 Goods 5 Mounting stand 6 Frame 7 Cross beam 10 Rotary Alignment Device 11 Outer rotating body 12 Outer disc 12a Fall prevention wall 12b Item placement member 12c Slope 13 Bowl-shaped inner wall 13a opening 14 Bowl-shaped inner wall support 14a opening 15 Rotation support part 16 Cylinder 17 gears 18 Servo motor 18a Servo driver 19 The First Foundation 21 Inner Rotor 22 Inner disc 22a Sliding section 22b End 23 Shaft 24 Rotation support part 25 gears 26 Servo motor 26a Servo driver 27 The Second Foundation 28 Storage section 30 Visual Sensor 31 Imaging unit 32 Image processing section 40 Transfer robot 41 Base 42 End section 43 Link section 43a Upper arm 43b Parallel Arm 43c Rotational Joint 43d spherical joint 43e Spherical joint 44 Servo motor 44a Servo driver 45 First shaft section 46 Servo motor 46a Servo driver 47 Second shaft section 48 Servo motor 48a Servo driver 49 End Effector 49a Rotation support part 51 Holding part 51a Suction box 51b Suction pad 51c Connection 51d Mounting part 52 Picking Area 60 Conveyor 61 Servo motor 61a Servo driver 62 Conveyor section 65 Feeding device 66 Servo motor 66a Servo driver 70 Panel PC 71 Server equipment 72 Network 80 Control device 81 processors 82 chipset 83 Storage 84 main memory 85 Upper network controller 86 Internal Bus Controller 87 Field Network Controller 88 Network Cable 91 Information Acquisition Department 92 Coordinate conversion section 93 Arc Tracking Section 94 Holding position determination section 95 Rotational speed control section 96 Picking control unit 100 Article alignment and supply device 200 Rotary Alignment Device 210 Storage unit 240 Item placement area 300 Picking Robot 400 Conveyor

Claims

1. a rotary alignment device that aligns articles while rotating; a visual sensor that recognizes the article in a state aligned by the rotary alignment device; a transfer robot that transfers the item recognized by the visual sensor to a conveying device; An article alignment and supply device characterized by comprising a control device that acquires recognition information of the article from the visual sensor and comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the article by the rotary alignment device and the transfer operation of the article by the transfer robot.

2. an input device that inputs the articles into the rotary alignment device; 2. The article aligning and feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the article by the rotary alignment device and the insertion operation of the article by the insertion device.

3. 2. The article aligning and supplying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprehensively controls the article transfer operation by the transfer robot and the article transport operation by the transport device.

4. The rotary alignment device is an outer rotating body having an annular outer disk portion on which the articles can be placed in a line in the rotation direction; an inner rotating body having an inner disk portion disposed in an inclined position inside the outer rotating body, The visual sensor an imaging unit that images a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion; The transfer robot a holding portion for holding the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion; The control device a first control that tracks the object captured by the imaging unit and changes the rotation speed of the outer disk unit based on tracking information of the object on the outer disk unit; An article alignment and supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it performs a second control in which the article is tracked on the outer disk portion in accordance with the first control, and the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is held by the holding portion.

5. The predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is divided into a plurality of areas in the rotation direction, The control device An article alignment and supply device as described in claim 4, characterized in that in the first control, it is determined in which of the multiple areas the tracked article is located, and control is performed to switch the rotation speed of the outer disk portion depending on the determination.

6. The control device The article alignment and supply device described in claim 5, characterized in that in the first control, the rotation speed is switched so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction among the multiple regions than in the downstream region of the rotation direction.

7. The rotary alignment device and the conveying device are disposed adjacent to each other, The transfer robot 5. An article alignment and supply device as described in claim 4, characterized in that the holding unit is positioned downstream of the imaging unit in the rotation direction of the outer disk unit and in the area where the rotary alignment device and the conveying device are closest to each other.

8. The rotary alignment device aligns the articles in the rotational direction, Recognizing the articles aligned by the rotary alignment device with a visual sensor; An article aligning and supplying method in which the article recognized by the visual sensor is transferred to a conveying device by a transfer robot, A method for aligning and supplying items, characterized in that a control device acquires recognition information of the items from the visual sensor and comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the items by the rotary alignment device and the transfer operation of the items by the transfer robot.

9. 9. The article alignment and supply method according to claim 8, wherein the control device comprehensively controls the rotational alignment operation of the article by the rotary alignment device and the insertion operation of the article by an insertion device that inserts the article into the rotary alignment device.

10. 9. The method for aligning and supplying articles according to claim 8, wherein the control device comprehensively controls the article transfer operation by the transfer robot and the article transport operation by the transport device.

11. The rotary alignment device is an outer rotating body having an annular outer disk portion on which the articles can be placed in a line in the rotation direction; an inner rotating body having an inner disk portion disposed in an inclined position inside the outer rotating body, The visual sensor an imaging unit that images a partial area of ​​the outer disk portion; The transfer robot a holding portion for holding the article located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion; The control device a first control that tracks the object captured by the imaging unit and changes the rotation speed of the outer disk unit based on tracking information of the object on the outer disk unit; A method for aligning and supplying items as described in any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a second control is performed in accordance with the first control, which tracks the items on the outer disk portion and controls the operation of holding the items located within a predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion with the holding portion.

12. The predetermined area of ​​the outer disk portion is divided into a plurality of areas in the rotation direction, The control device The article alignment and supply method described in claim 11, characterized in that in the first control, it is determined in which of the multiple areas the tracked article is located, and control is performed to switch the rotation speed of the outer disk portion depending on the determination.

13. The control device The article alignment and supply method according to claim 12, characterized in that in the first control, the rotation speed is switched so that the rotation speed of the outer disk portion is faster in the upstream region of the rotation direction among the plurality of regions than in the downstream region of the rotation direction.

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