Combination weighing apparatus

Abstract

To correctly count the number of articles supplied onto a shutter.SOLUTION: A combination weighing device 1 according to an embodiment includes an upstream conveyance unit 21 that conveys a plurality of articles 100, a downstream conveyance unit 11 that is disposed downstream of the upstream conveyance unit 21 and further conveys the articles 100 conveyed from the upstream conveyance unit 21, a camera 3 that captures an image including the articles 100 conveyed from the upstream conveyance unit 21 in the downstream conveyance unit 11, and a control unit 12 that calculates the number of the articles 100 conveyed by the downstream conveyance unit 11 based on the image and performs combination calculation using at least the calculated number. The controller 12 calculates at least one of information on a reference position for determining the number of the objects 100 in the predetermined region R in the image and information on an area ratio occupied by the objects 100, and calculates the number of the objects 100 based on the calculated at least one of the information on the reference position and the information on the area ratio.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, in a combination weighing device, a technology is known in which an image of an item supplied from a radial feeder (upstream conveying section) onto a shutter (downstream conveying section) is taken with a camera at the time of supply to a hopper, and the number of items supplied onto the shutter is determined using image processing technology. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent application No. 2023-016158 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional technology, if a supplied item flies out of the radial feeder and only part of the item is placed on the shutter, the image captured by the camera shows that the item is not counted in the number of items supplied on the shutter, but since the item falls after the shutter is opened, there is a problem in that this can lead to an error in counting the number of items supplied on the shutter.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a combination weighing device that can correctly count the number of articles supplied onto the shutter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A combination weighing device according to one embodiment comprises an upstream conveying unit that conveys a plurality of items, a downstream conveying unit that is positioned downstream of the upstream conveying unit and further conveys the items conveyed from the upstream conveying unit, a camera in the downstream conveying unit that takes images including the items conveyed from the upstream conveying unit, and a control unit that calculates the number of items conveyed by the downstream conveying unit based on the images and performs a combination calculation using at least the calculated number, wherein the control unit calculates at least one of information regarding a reference position for determining the number of items in a specified area within the image and information regarding the area ratio occupied by the items, and calculates the number of items based on at least one of the calculated information regarding the reference position and information regarding the area ratio. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a combination weighing device can be provided that can correctly count the number of articles supplied onto the shutter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a combination weighing device 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining how an image of an article supplied onto a shutter is captured in the combination weighing device 1 according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

[0010] (First embodiment) A combination weighing device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of the combination weighing device 1 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating how an image of an item supplied onto a shutter is captured in the combination weighing device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the combination weighing device 1 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of upstream transport units 21, a plurality of hoppers 10 / 15, a plurality of downstream transport units 11, a camera 3, and a control unit 12.

[0012] Each of the plurality of upstream conveying sections 21 is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of pool hoppers 10, and is configured to convey the articles 100 received from the dispersing table and supply them to each of the plurality of pool hoppers 10. Here, the articles 100 may be articles having different shapes.

[0013] 1, each of the upstream conveying sections 21 is arranged radially around the dispersion table at the center of the device. Furthermore, each of the upstream conveying sections 21 may be configured as a supply feeder that vibrates a trough with an electromagnetic vibrator, or may be a belt conveyor.

[0014] The plurality of hoppers 10 are pool hoppers provided corresponding to the plurality of upstream conveying sections 21, respectively, and receive and store the articles 100 conveyed from the plurality of upstream conveying sections 21, respectively.

[0015] In the example of Figure 1, multiple weighing hoppers 15 are arranged below multiple pool hoppers 10, but the upper pool hoppers 10 may be eliminated and weighing hoppers 15 may be arranged therein.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of downstream conveying sections 11 are arranged downstream of the upstream conveying section 21, and further convey the articles 100 conveyed from the upstream conveying section 21.

[0017] For example, the multiple downstream conveying sections 11 may be arranged at the item inlet ports of the multiple hoppers 10, and may be shutters that temporarily receive the items 100 that are inserted into the hoppers 10 when in a closed state, as shown in Figure 2.

[0018] When the downstream conveying section 11 is opened, the articles 100 temporarily remaining on the downstream conveying section 11 fall into the article inlet of the hopper 10.

[0019] At the downstream conveying section 11, the camera 3 captures an image including the article 100 conveyed from the upstream conveying section 21. Here, the range of the image captured by the camera 3 can be adjusted by the control section 12.

[0020] The control unit 12 calculates the number of items 100 to be transported by the downstream transport unit 11 based on the images of the items 100 captured by the camera 3, and performs a combination calculation using at least the calculated number of items 100.

[0021] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the control unit 12 calculates at least one of information regarding a reference position for determining the number of items 100 and information regarding the area ratio occupied by the items 100 in a specified area R within the image of the items 100 captured by the camera 3, and calculates the number of items 100 based on at least one of the calculated information regarding the reference position and information regarding the area ratio.

[0022] Here, the reference position for determining the number of articles 100 may be the center of gravity of the articles 100 or the intersection of the diagonals of a polygonal figure of the articles 100. Note that the control unit 12 may consider the thickness of the articles 100 to be constant, and may consider the center position of the image of the articles 100 captured by the camera 3 to be the center of gravity of the articles 100.

[0023] According to the above-described configuration, even if an item 100 is not entirely placed on the downstream conveying section 11 as shown in FIG. 2, the item 100 that is likely to fall after the downstream conveying section 11 is opened can be included in the number of items 100, thereby preventing errors when calculating the number of items 100.

[0024] For example, the control unit 12 may count the number of articles 100 for which the reference position is located within the range of the predetermined region R. According to this configuration, since the reference position is located within the predetermined region R, the articles 100 that are likely to fall after the downstream conveying unit 11 is opened can be included in the number of articles 100.

[0025] Furthermore, the control unit 12 may count the number of articles 100 for which the area ratio of the articles 100 in the predetermined region R is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. According to this configuration, since the area ratio of the articles 100 in the predetermined region R is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the articles 100 that are likely to fall after the downstream conveying unit 11 is opened can be included in the number of articles 100.

[0026] Furthermore, the control unit 12 may be able to adjust the range of the predetermined region R. With this configuration, by adjusting the range of the predetermined region R depending on the state of the downstream conveying unit 11 and the state (weight, etc.) of the articles 100, it is possible to accurately define the articles 100 that are likely to fall after the downstream conveying unit 11 is opened.

[0027] The shape of the predetermined region R may be any shape including the shape of the downstream transport section 11. For example, the predetermined region R may be the same as or similar to the shape of the downstream transport section 11, or may be a different shape from the shape of the downstream transport section 11. Furthermore, for example, the predetermined region R may be circular or rectangular.

[0028] According to this embodiment, the number of articles 100 supplied onto each shutter 11 can be counted correctly.

[0029] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the above-described embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is intended to be illustrative and explanatory and does not have any limiting meaning on the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1...Combined weighing device 3. Camera 10, 15...Hopper 11...Downstream conveying section 12...Control unit 21...Upstream transport section 100...Goods R…Predetermined area

Claims

1. an upstream conveying section that conveys a plurality of articles; a downstream conveying section disposed downstream of the upstream conveying section and further conveying the articles conveyed from the upstream conveying section; a camera in the downstream conveying section that captures an image including the item conveyed from the upstream conveying section; a control unit that calculates the number of the articles to be conveyed by the downstream conveying unit based on the image and performs a combination calculation using at least the calculated number of articles; The control unit calculating at least one of information regarding a reference position for determining the number of the items in a predetermined area within the image and information regarding an area ratio occupied by the items; A combination weighing device that calculates the number of the items based on at least one of the calculated information about the reference position and the information about the area ratio.

2. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit counts the number of articles when the reference position is located within the range of the predetermined area.

3. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit counts the number of articles when the area ratio in the predetermined region is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

4. a hopper that receives and stores the articles transported from the downstream transport section, The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the downstream transport section is a shutter that is disposed at an article inlet of the hopper and that temporarily receives the articles that are input into the hopper when the shutter is closed.

5. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is capable of adjusting the range of the predetermined region.

6. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the objects are objects having different shapes.

Images