Combination weighing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a combination weighing device capable of suppressing discharge of an article from being hindered by a gate when moving the gate from an open position to a closed position.SOLUTION: The combination weighing device 100 includes a cylindrical member having a charging port of the article J and a discharging port of the article, a gate 7d provided movably between a fully closed position P0 where the article J is not discharged from the discharging port and an open position Px where the article J is discharged from the discharging port, and a control part 14 which controls the operation of the gate 7d so as to perform a first operation M1 for moving the gate 7d from the fully closed position P0 to a predetermined fully open position PmX among the open positions Px and a second operation M2 for moving the gate 7d from the open position PX to the fully closed position P0 at a discharge timing of the article J. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d so as to perform a third operation M3 of moving the gate 7d toward the fully open position Pmx before the gate 7d reaches the fully closed position P0 in the second operation M2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a combination weighing device that is configured to align rod-shaped objects to be weighed with their longitudinal direction facing the direction of travel, or to maintain that aligned state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-114490 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional bag-making and packaging apparatus described above, the opening at the bottom of the hopper body of the weighing hopper is opened and closed by a gate. For example, if sticky or long items stick to the inner surface of a cylindrical member such as a hopper when being discharged, causing delays in discharge, the items may become caught in the gate. As such, there is a risk that the gate may prevent the items from being discharged when the gate is moved to the fully closed position.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a combination weighing device that can prevent the gate from interfering with the discharge of articles when the gate is moved from the open position to the closed position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A combination weighing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a cylindrical member having an item inlet and an item outlet, a gate movable between a fully closed position that prevents items from being discharged from the outlet and an open position that allows items to be discharged from the outlet, and a control unit that controls the operation of the gate to perform a first operation at the timing of item discharge to move the gate from the fully closed position to a predetermined fully open position among the open positions, and a second operation to move the gate from the fully open position to the fully closed position, and the control unit controls the operation of the gate to perform a third operation to move the gate toward the fully open position before the gate reaches the fully closed position in the second operation.

[0007] In one aspect of the combination weighing device of the present invention, the control unit controls the gate operation to perform a third operation, which moves the gate toward the fully open position before the gate reaches the fully closed position in the second operation. Compared to when the third operation is not performed, the period during which the gate is positioned in the open position from which items are discharged is longer. This makes it less likely for items to become caught in the gate, even if, for example, it tends to take longer for items to pass through the discharge port and be discharged. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the gate from interfering with the discharge of items when moving the gate to the fully closed position.

[0008] (2) In the above (1), the article may be sticky. In this case, even if the sticky article sticks to the inner surface of the cylindrical member when being discharged and the discharge is delayed, the article is less likely to be caught by the gate.

[0009] (3) In (1) or (2) above, the control unit may control the operation of the gate as the third operation to move the gate from the fully closed position to a first folded position where the gate is opened wider than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the article, toward the fully open position. In this case, the gate is closed to the first folded position before reaching the fully closed position in the second operation. At the first folded position, the gate is opened wider than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the article. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the gate from interfering with the discharge of articles when moving the gate to the fully closed position.

[0010] (4) In (3) above, the control unit may control the operation of the gate as the third operation to move the gate from the first folded position toward the fully open position to the fully open position. In this case, by maximizing the amount of movement of the gate in the third operation within the range of movement of the gate in the first operation, the force applied to the items by vibration is increased, and the discharge of the items can be facilitated.

[0011] (5) In (3) above, the control unit may control the operation of the gate as the third operation to move the gate from the first turning position toward the fully open position to a second turning position, which is a gate position smaller than the fully open position. In this case, by moving the gate to the second turning position, the operation period of the gate can be shortened compared to when the gate is moved to the fully open position. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the entire combination weighing device can be suppressed.

[0012] (6) In the above (2), the combination weighing device may include a plurality of weighing hoppers each having a gate attached thereto for weighing the articles stored in the cylindrical member, and the control unit may perform combination weighing based on the weighing values ​​of the weighing hoppers. In this case, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the weighing values ​​due to some of the sticky articles remaining in the weighing hoppers.

[0013] (7) In the above (6), the combination weighing device includes a dispersion table that disperses and transports articles supplied from above around it, a plurality of pool hoppers that temporarily store articles discharged from the dispersion table, and a weighing hopper that receives and weighs the articles discharged from the pool hoppers, and the control unit may control the operation of the gates of the weighing hoppers to perform the third operation and control the operation of the gates of the pool hoppers not to perform the third operation. In this case, by not performing the third operation in the pool hoppers, the operating period can be shortened compared to when the third operation is performed. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the entire combination weighing device can be suppressed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the gate from interfering with the discharge of articles when the gate is moved to the fully closed position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a combination weighing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a combination weighing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the combination weighing device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the combination weighing device. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an auxiliary pool hopper provided in the pool hopper. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an auxiliary hopper provided in the weighing hopper. [Figure 7] 7(a) is a diagram for explaining the width of the insertion section of an individual chute of a comparative example, and FIG. 7(b) is a diagram for explaining the width of the insertion section of the individual chute of FIG. [Figure 8] Fig. 8(a) is a side view illustrating the fully closed position, open position, fully open position, first turning back position, and second turning back position of the gate of the weighing hopper, and Fig. 8(b) is a view illustrating first to third operations of the gate of the weighing hopper. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the combination weighing device of the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an example of the posture of an article in the auxiliary hopper. [Figure 11] 10 is a side view illustrating another example of the posture of the articles in the auxiliary hopper. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0017] [Overall configuration of combination weighing device] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the combination weighing device 100 includes a dispersion supply device 1 arranged in an upper tier, and a plurality of pool hoppers 5, a plurality of weighing hoppers (hoppers) 7, individual chutes 8, a weighing unit 11, and a control unit 14 arranged in a lower tier. The combination weighing device 100 weighs an item J supplied by a conveying feeder 50 provided upstream of the dispersion unit 2 to a target weight value. The item J is, for example, a food product such as a long, sticky jerky.

[0018] The dispersion supply device 1 includes a dispersion section 2 and a plurality of transport feeders 3.

[0019] The dispersion unit 2 is disposed below the downstream end 51 of the conveying feeder 50. The dispersion unit 2 disperses the articles J supplied from above to the surrounding area. The dispersion unit 2 has a dispersion table 2a with an obtuse apex angle and a conical unit 2b with an acute apex angle that is provided coaxially above the center of the dispersion table 2a.

[0020] Articles J transported from the outside by a transport feeder 50 and discharged from the downstream end 51 are dropped onto the top of the conical section 2b and dispersed onto the dispersion table 2a. The dispersion table 2a is vibrated by a drive unit provided below the dispersion table 2a. The articles J on the upper surface 2c are dispersed while moving around a vertical axis (for example, counterclockwise when viewed from above) and sent to the surrounding transport feeders 3.

[0021] A plurality of conveying feeders 3 are arranged radially around the dispersing table 2a. Each conveying feeder 3 has a trough 3a and a drive unit provided below the trough 3a. The articles J discharged from the outer periphery 2d of the upper surface 2c of the dispersing table 2a fall onto the trough 3a. Each conveying feeder 3 vibrates the trough 3a using the drive unit, thereby conveying the articles J on the trough 3a toward the tip of the trough 3a.

[0022] In the example of Figures 2 and 3, 14 troughs 3a are arranged radially around the distribution section 2. The number and arrangement of the troughs 3a are not limited to this. The number and arrangement of the troughs 3a may be changed as appropriate, for example, depending on the number and arrangement of pool hoppers 5 described below. Furthermore, in the example of Figure 1, a weighing hopper 7 having a single-opening gate 7d is shown as an example of a hopper, but as will be described later, a weighing hopper 17 having a double-opening gate 17d as shown in Figure 4 may be used as a modified example of the hopper.

[0023] The multiple conveying feeders 3 convey the articles J in the radial direction D2 while aligning the articles J received from the dispersing table 2a so that they face the radial direction D2. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the trough 3a of the conveying feeder 3 has a bottom surface 3b that forms the conveying surface 3f of the conveying feeder 3, and a discharge portion 3d.

[0024] The bottom surface 3b extends in the radial direction D2 at the center of the width of one trough 3a. The bottom surface 3b extends linearly in the radial direction D2 to the discharge portion 3d, and is provided so as to become lower or to be substantially horizontal as it approaches the discharge portion 3d. The discharge portion 3d is a portion that continues from the bottom surface 3b at the downstream end of the trough 3a.

[0025] The bottom surface 3b and the discharge portion 3d have a U-shaped cross section that is convex downward when viewed from the radial direction D2. Due to the shape of the bottom surface 3b and the discharge portion 3d, the article J that has fallen entirely onto the bottom surface 3b or the discharge portion 3d is guided so that it slides down to the lowest part of the bottom surface 3b or the discharge portion 3d. Therefore, the article J is oriented along the extension direction of the bottom surface 3b and the discharge portion 3d, and its longitudinal direction is aligned with the radial direction D2.

[0026] The multiple pool hoppers 5 are arranged, for example, to surround a center line (not shown) of the combination weighing device 100 that is parallel to the vertical direction. Each pool hopper 5 is arranged below the discharge section 3d at the tip of the trough 3a of each conveying feeder 3. Each pool hopper 5 has a cylindrical main body 5a, an inlet 5b opening at the upper end of the main body 5a, a discharge outlet 5c opening at the lower end of the main body 5a, and a pool hopper gate 5d rotatably attached to the main body 5a so as to open and close the discharge outlet 5c. Each pool hopper 5 temporarily stores the items J discharged from each conveying feeder 3 by closing the pool hopper gate 5d. Furthermore, each pool hopper 5 discharges the temporarily stored items J downward by opening the pool hopper gate 5d.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, an auxiliary pool hopper 4 is disposed inside each pool hopper 5. The auxiliary pool hopper 4 is a cylindrical member for temporarily storing long articles J aligned in an upright vertical position relative to the pool hopper gate 5d with the discharge port 5c closed. The auxiliary pool hopper 4 has a main body 4a, an inlet 4b, a discharge port 4c, wing portions 4d, hook portions 4e, and a tension portion 4f. The main body 4a is a member for temporarily storing articles J in an upright vertical position, and has an overall quadrangular pyramid shape that narrows toward the bottom.

[0028] The inlet 4b is provided at the upper end of the main body 4a and receives the items J discharged from the discharge section 3d at the tip of the trough 3a of each conveying feeder 3. The side edges of the inlet 4b are inclined so that the further away from the discharge section 3d of the trough 3a they are, the higher they are positioned. A pair of wing sections 4d are provided on the side edges of the inlet 4b. The wing sections 4d are plate-shaped sections that guide the items J to the inlet 4b.

[0029] The discharge outlet 4c is provided at the lower end of the main body 4a and is an opening for discharging the article J. The lower end of the main body 4a forming the discharge outlet 4c has a V-shape so as to extend opposite the inner surface of the pool hopper gate 5d when the discharge outlet 5c is closed.

[0030] The hooking portion 4e and the tensioning portion 4f are members for attaching the auxiliary pool hopper 4 to the pool hopper 5. The hooking portion 4e is a hook-shaped member (for example, U-shaped when viewed from the side) provided on a pair of outer surfaces of the main body portion 4a in the radial direction D2, and is hooked onto a corresponding portion of the pool hopper 5. The tensioning portion 4f is a protruding member (for example, U-shaped when viewed from above) provided on a pair of outer surfaces of the main body portion 4a in the direction intersecting the radial direction D2, and abuts against the inner wall of the pool hopper 5 to stabilize the auxiliary pool hopper 4.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, multiple weighing hoppers 7 are arranged, for example, surrounding the center line. Each weighing hopper 7 is arranged below each pool hopper 5 and receives the articles J discharged from the pool hopper 5. Each weighing hopper 7 has a cylindrical main body 7a, an inlet 7b opening at the upper end of the main body 7a, an outlet 7c opening at the lower end of the main body 7a, and a gate 7d rotatably attached to the main body 7a so as to open and close the outlet 7c. Each weighing hopper 7 temporarily stores the articles J discharged from each pool hopper 5 by closing the gate 7d. Furthermore, each weighing hopper 7 discharges the temporarily stored articles J downward by opening the gate 7d.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 6, an auxiliary hopper 6 (cylindrical member) is disposed inside each weighing hopper 7. The auxiliary hopper 6 is a cylindrical member for temporarily storing long articles J aligned in an upright vertical position relative to the gate 7d in a fully closed state with the discharge outlet 7c closed. The auxiliary hopper 6 has a lower main body portion 6a, an upper main body portion 6b, an inlet 6c, a discharge outlet 6d, a hook portion 6e, and a bracing portion 6f. The upper main body portion 6b and the lower main body portion 6a are cylindrical members for temporarily storing articles J in an upright vertical position, and are generally funnel-shaped, narrowing downward.

[0033] The upper main body portion 6b constitutes the upper portion of the auxiliary hopper 6, and has a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape at the top end, tapering downward to form a cylinder at the bottom end. An inlet 6c is provided at the top end of the upper main body portion 6b, and receives the articles J. The inlet 6c opens in a rectangular shape. Plate-like portions may extend upward from a pair of sides of the inlet 6c in the radial direction D2.

[0034] The lower main body portion 6a constitutes the lower part of the auxiliary hopper 6 and has a cylindrical shape that continues from the lower end of the upper main body portion 6b and narrows downward. A discharge opening 6d is provided at the lower end of the lower main body portion 6a, and the articles J are discharged toward the weighing hopper 7. The lower end of the lower main body portion 6a, which forms the discharge opening 6d, has a V-shape that extends opposite the inner surface of the gate 7d and the inner surface of the main body portion 7a when the discharge opening 6d is closed. In the example of FIG. 6, the shape of the lower end of the lower main body portion 6a corresponds to the double-hinged gate 17d.

[0035] The hooking portions 6e and the tensioning portions 6f are members for attaching the auxiliary hopper 6 to the weighing hopper 7. The hooking portions 6e are hook-shaped (e.g., crank-shaped when viewed from the side) members provided on a pair of outer surfaces of the upper main body portion 6b in the radial direction D2, and are hooked onto corresponding portions of the weighing hopper 7. The tensioning portions 6f are protruding (e.g., L-shaped when viewed from the side) members provided on a pair of outer surfaces in a direction intersecting with the radial direction D2, at the boundary between the lower main body portion 6a and the upper main body portion 6b, and come into contact with the inner wall of the weighing hopper 7 to stabilize the auxiliary hopper 6.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the individual chute 8 collects the articles J discharged from each weighing hopper 7 into the discharge section 9. The discharge section 9 is a section that discharges the articles J weighed by the combination weighing device 100 to the outside, and is located on the center line below the combination weighing device 100. The individual chute 8 receives the articles J discharged from each weighing hopper 7 and slides the articles J toward the discharge section 9.

[0037] 7(a) is a diagram for explaining the width of the feed section of an individual chute of a comparative example. In the individual chute 208 of the comparative example, the shape of the feed section 208a of the individual chute 208 arranged below the weighing hopper 7 is shown. The feed section width of one side of the rectangular opening of the feed section 208a (in the example of FIG. 7(a) , the side along the circumferential direction D1) is opened wider than the length dimension L of the item J. Therefore, there is an area in the feed section 208a where the distance between the slopes of the tapered portion matches the length dimension L of the item J.

[0038] Specifically, when an item J falls sideways into the insertion section 208a, both the upper end Ja and the lower end Jb of the item J may be supported by the tapered portion of the insertion section 208a. In this case, since there is an area in the distance between the slopes of the tapered portion that corresponds to the length L of the item J, for example, when an item J falls sideways into the insertion section 208a of the individual chute 208, both the upper end Ja and the lower end Jb of the item J may be supported (bridged) by the tapered portion in the area that corresponds to the length of the item J, preventing the item J from falling.

[0039] On the other hand, FIG. 7(b) is a diagram for explaining the width of the insertion section of the individual chute of the embodiment. In the individual chute 8 of the embodiment, the shape of the insertion section 8a (receiving opening) of the individual chute 8 arranged below the weighing hopper 7 is shown as a shape that does not expand upward, unlike the insertion section 208a. The insertion section width of one side of the rectangular opening of the insertion section 8a (one side along the circumferential direction D1 in the example of FIG. 7(b)) is opened to be smaller than the length dimension L of the item J. Therefore, there is no area in the insertion section 8a that coincides with the length dimension L of the item J. Furthermore, one side of the rectangular opening of the insertion section 8a is larger than the diameter dimension (dimension along the circumferential direction D1) of the opening of the discharge outlet 6d of the auxiliary hopper 6. This prevents both the upper end Ja and the lower end Jb of the item J from being supported in the area that coincides with the length of the item J, such as the tapered portion of the insertion section 208a. This prevents the item J from bridging within the individual chute 8, allowing the item J to fall smoothly.

[0040] Incidentally, since one side of the rectangular opening of the feeding section 8a of the individual chute 8 is smaller than the length dimension L of the articles J, a notch 8b is formed on the upper edge of the feeding section 8a in the direction intersecting with the radial direction D2 in the individual chute 8, as shown in Figure 8(a). The notch 8b is provided so that the gate 7d of the weighing hopper 7 does not interfere with the upper part of the individual chute 8 when it is opened or closed.

[0041] Returning to FIG. 1 , the weighing unit 11 is disposed in a case 13 supported by a frame 12. The weighing unit 11 has a plurality of load cells 11a. Each load cell 11a supports a corresponding weighing hopper 7. When an item J is temporarily stored in each weighing hopper 7, the weighing unit 11 measures a weight value corresponding to the mass of the item J.

[0042] In this way, the multiple weighing hoppers 7 indirectly receive the articles J transported by the conveying feeders 3 of the dispersion supply device 1 via the multiple pool hoppers 5. The weighing unit 11 weighs the articles J stored in each of the multiple weighing hoppers 7.

[0043] The control unit 14 is disposed inside the case 13. The control unit 14 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control unit 14 controls the operation of each unit of the combination weighing device 100, such as the conveying operation of the dispersing table 2a and the conveying feeder 3, the opening and closing operation of the gates of each pool hopper 5, and the opening and closing operation of the gates of each weighing hopper 7.

[0044] The control unit 14 performs combined weighing based on the weight values ​​of the items J and discharges the combined items J from the weighing hoppers 7. The control unit 14 stores the weight values ​​measured by the weighing unit 11 in association with the weighing hoppers 7 that store the items J corresponding to the weight values. The control unit 14 selects a combination of weight values ​​from the multiple weight values ​​measured by the weighing unit 11 and associated with each weighing hopper 7 so that the total value becomes the target weight value. The control unit 14 discharges the items J to the weighing hopper 7 that corresponds to the combination.

[0045] The dispersion unit 2, the plurality of conveying feeders 3, the plurality of pool hoppers 5, and the plurality of weighing hoppers 7 are directly or indirectly supported on a case 13. The individual chutes 8 and the discharge unit 9 are directly or indirectly supported on a frame 12.

[0046] The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d at the timing for discharging item J to the weighing hopper 7. The timing for discharging item J is the timing for opening the gate 7d to discharge item J for the weighing hopper 7 that has been determined to discharge item J based on the results of the combination weighing. The control unit 14 controls the drive unit 7e of the gate 7d, causing the drive unit 7e to move the gate 7d around the fulcrum 7f. Figure 8(a) shows how the gate 7d of the weighing hopper 7 is moved around the fulcrum 7f by the drive unit 7e. The gate 7d moves between a fully closed position P0 and a fully open position Pmx.

[0047] The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d to perform a first operation of moving the gate 7d from the fully closed position P0 to a predetermined fully open position Pmx among the open positions Px, and a second operation of moving the gate 7d from the fully open position Pmx to the fully closed position P0, at the timing of discharging the article J. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d to perform a third operation of moving the gate 7d toward the fully open position Pmx in the second operation before the gate 7d reaches the fully closed position P0.

[0048] The operation of the combination weighing device 100 will be described with reference to Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 9. Figure 8(a) shows the fully closed position P0, open position Px, fully open position Pmx, first return position Px1, and second return position Px2 of the gate 7d of the weighing hopper 7.

[0049] The fully closed position P0 is a position of the gate 7d that does not allow articles J to be discharged from the discharge outlet 7c (discharge outlet 6d), and is a position where the gate 7d blocks (completely closes) the discharge outlet 7c. The open position Px is a position of the gate 7d other than the fully closed position P0, and is a position in the range greater than 0 and less than or equal to 100% when the movable range of the gate 7d is expressed in %. The fully open position Pmx is a position of the gate 7d where the control unit 14 allows the gate 7d to move, and may be, for example, a 100% position.

[0050] The first turning position Px1 is the position of the gate 7d that is the starting point of the third operation. The first turning position Px1 is the position where the gate 7d is opened from the fully closed position P0 to a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the article J. The maximum clamping dimension can be, for example, the width dimension Jw that is larger than the thickness dimension when a long article J is aligned along the inner wall surface of the weighing hopper 7.

[0051] The second turning position Px2 is the position of the gate 7d that is the end point of the third operation. The second turning position Px2 may be a position of the gate 7d that is smaller than the fully open position Pmx. In this case, the second turning position Px2 may be a position that is smaller than 100%.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 8(b) and 9, first, the control unit 14 moves the gate 7d from the fully closed position P0 to a predetermined fully open position Pmx as a first operation M1 at the timing of discharging the article J (step S11). As part of the second operation M2, the control unit 14 moves the gate 7d from the fully open position Pmx toward the fully closed position P0 (step S12). Here, in the auxiliary hopper 6 disposed in the weighing hopper 7, the long article J temporarily stored in an upright vertical position aligned with respect to the gate 7d in a fully closed state with the discharge outlet 7c closed is discharged downward. However, because the article J is long, it may take time to discharge it. Furthermore, due to the adhesiveness of the article J, it may take even longer to discharge it. Therefore, in the second operation M2 of step S12, the control unit 14 moves the gate 7d to the first turning position Px1 instead of the fully closed position P0. The first turning position Px1 is a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the article J, so that the article J that is discharged later is prevented from being caught in the gate 7d and is easily discharged.

[0053] Thereafter, as a third operation M3, the control unit 14 moves the gate 7d from the first turning position Px1 to the second turning position Px2 (step S13). The second turning position Px2 is, for example, a position smaller than the fully open position Pmx, and the movement time of the gate 7d is shorter than when the gate 7d moves to the fully open position Pmx. Furthermore, when the gate 7d switches from opening to closing at the second turning position Px2, vibrations are generated, which shakes the auxiliary hopper 6 and the weighing hopper 7. This makes it easier for the articles J to fall off, even if they are attached to the inner wall surface of the auxiliary hopper 6 or the weighing hopper 7, and thus facilitates the discharge of the articles J.

[0054] Finally, as a continuation of the second operation M2 of step S12, the control unit 14 moves the gate 7d from the second return position Px2 to the fully closed position P0 (step S14). This operation moves the gate 7d to the fully closed position P0, thereby completing the movement of the gate 7d to discharge the articles J in the weighing hopper 7 at the current discharge timing of the articles J. In this way, the second operation M2 of step S12 and the second operation M2 of step S14 constitute the second operation in which the gate 7d is moved from the fully open position Pmx to the fully closed position P0.

[0055] As described above, in the combination weighing device 100, the control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d to perform the third operation M3, which moves the gate 7d toward the fully open position Pmx, before the gate 7d reaches the fully closed position P0 during the second operation M2. Compared to when the third operation M3 is not performed, the period during which the gate 7d is positioned at the open position Px from which the item J is discharged is longer. This makes it less likely that the item J will become caught in the gate 7d, even if, for example, it tends to take longer for the item J to pass through the discharge port 7c and be discharged. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the gate 7d from interfering with the discharge of the item J when the gate 7d is moved to the fully closed position P0.

[0056] In the combination weighing device 100, the item J is sticky. Even if the sticky item J sticks to the inner surface of the auxiliary hopper 6 when being discharged, causing a delay in discharge, the item J is less likely to be caught by the gate 7d.

[0057] In the combination weighing device 100, the control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d as the third operation M3 to move the gate 7d from the fully closed position P0 to the first turning position Px1, where the gate 7d is opened to a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the item J, toward the fully open position Pmx. In this configuration, the gate 7d is closed to the first turning position Px1 by the time the gate 7d reaches the fully closed position P0 in the second operation M2. At the first turning position Px1, the gate 7d is opened to a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the item J. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the gate 7d from interfering with the discharge of the item J when the gate 7d is moved to the fully closed position P0.

[0058] In the combination weighing device 100, the control unit 14 controls the operation of gate 7d as the third operation M3 to move gate 7d from the first turning position Px1 toward the fully open position Pmx to a second turning position Px2, which is a position of gate 7d smaller than the fully open position Pmx. In this configuration, by moving gate 7d to the second turning position Px2, the operation period of gate 7d can be shortened compared to when gate 7d is moved to the fully open position Pmx. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the entire combination weighing device 100 can be suppressed.

[0059] The combination weighing device 100 includes a plurality of weighing hoppers 7, each equipped with a gate 7d, for weighing the articles J stored in the auxiliary hoppers 6. The control unit 14 performs combination weighing based on the weighing values ​​of the weighing hoppers 7. This configuration can prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the weighing values ​​due to some of the sticky articles J remaining in the weighing hoppers 7.

[0060] The combination weighing device 100 includes a dispersion table 2a that distributes and transports items J supplied from above around it, multiple pool hoppers 5 that temporarily store items J discharged from the dispersion table 2a, and a weighing hopper 7 that receives and weighs the items J discharged from the pool hoppers 5. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gate 7d of the weighing hopper 7 to perform the third operation M3, and controls the operation of the pool hopper gate 5d of the pool hopper 5 not to perform the third operation M3. In this configuration, by not performing the third operation M3 in the pool hopper 5, the operating period for discharging items J from the combination weighing device 100 as a whole can be shortened compared to when the third operation M3 is performed. As a result, a decrease in the efficiency of the entire combination weighing device 100 can be suppressed.

[0061] The combination weighing device 100 is equipped with a plurality of weighing hoppers 7, each equipped with a gate 7d. The auxiliary hoppers 6 are disposed inside the weighing hoppers 7, and the auxiliary hoppers 6 temporarily store long items J aligned in an upright vertical position relative to the gates 7d in the fully closed position P0. In this configuration, since the items J aligned in a vertical position by the auxiliary hoppers 6 are long, it tends to take a long time for the items J to pass through the discharge outlet 6d and be discharged, making the items J more likely to get caught in the gates 7d. Therefore, the effect of preventing the gates 7d from interfering with the discharge of the items J when the gates 7d are moved to the fully closed position P0, as described above, becomes more pronounced.

[0062] The combination weighing device 100 is equipped with individual chutes 8, each arranged below a plurality of weighing hoppers 7, and each having an input section 8a that receives an item J from the weighing hoppers 7. The opening dimension of the input section 8a is smaller than the longitudinal dimension L of the item J. For example, if the opening dimension is equal to or larger than the longitudinal dimension L of the item J, as in the case of the input section 208a of the comparative example, the item J that has entered the input section 8a may become stuck inside the input section 208a. In contrast, in this configuration, by making the opening dimension of the input section 8a of the individual chute 8 smaller than the longitudinal dimension L of the item J, such sticking can be suppressed.

[0063] Although the embodiment and the modified examples of the weighing device according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and the modified examples.

[0064] For example, in the above embodiment, the weighing hopper 7 having the gate 7d that opens on one side is shown as an example of a hopper, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As a modified example of the hopper, a weighing hopper 17 having a gate 17d that opens on both sides may be used.

[0065] 10 is a side view illustrating an example of the position of an item in an auxiliary hopper. In the case of a single-wing gate 7d, an item J is supported at three points in the weighing hopper 7, and two of the three points may abut against the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6. Support at three points may occur when the upper end Ja of the item J is supported on one surface of the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6, a portion of the lower end Jb of the item J is supported on the surface of the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6 facing the one surface, and another portion of the lower end Jb of the item J is supported on the inner surface of the gate 7d. In this situation, even when the single-wing gate 7d is open, the item J may be difficult to drop because two points abut against the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6.

[0066] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating another example of the position of an item in an auxiliary hopper. In the case of a double-hinged gate 17d, an item J is supported at three points in the weighing hopper 17, with one of the three points abutting against the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6. In this case, support at three points refers to a case in which the upper end Ja of the item J is supported on the inner wall surface of the lower main body portion 6a of the auxiliary hopper 6, a portion of the lower end Jb of the item J is supported on the inner surface of one of the two double-hinged gates 17d, and another portion of the lower end Jb of the item J is supported on the inner surface of the other gate 17d. When the double-hinged gate 17d opens, the lower end Jb of the item J, which had been abutting against the inner surface of each gate 17d at two points, no longer abuts. In this way, the item J is more likely to be supported by the inner surface of the gate 17d at two points, which reduces the likelihood of the item J falling compared to a case in which the item J is supported by the inner wall surface of the auxiliary hopper 6 at two points.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the third operation M3 is not performed in the pool hopper 5, but the present invention is not limited to this example. The third operation M3 may also be performed in the pool hopper 5.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the second turning position Px2 is a position smaller than the fully open position Pmx, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, the second turning position may be a position corresponding to the fully open position Pmx. In the combination weighing device 100, the control unit 14 may control the operation of the gate 7d as the third operation M3 so that the gate 7d moves from the first turning position Px1 toward the fully open position Pmx to the fully open position Pmx. In this case, by maximizing the amount of movement of the gate 7d in the third operation M3 within the range in which the gate 7d moves in the first operation M1, the force applied to the item J by vibration is increased, and the discharge of the item J can be facilitated.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the predetermined fully open position Pmx is when the gate 7d is 100% open within the movable range of the gate 7d, but this is not limited to this example. The predetermined fully open position Pmx may also be when the gate 7d is opened less than 100% within the movable range of the gate 7d. The first turning position Px1 is the position where the gate 7d is opened to a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the article J, but this is not limited to this example. The first turning position Px1 may be any open position other than the fully closed position.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the auxiliary hopper 6 is disposed inside the weighing hopper 7, but the auxiliary hopper 6 may be omitted. The auxiliary pool hopper 4 is disposed inside the pool hopper 5, but the auxiliary pool hopper 4 may be omitted.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the object J is an elongated sticky jerky, but the object is not limited to this example. The object does not have to be elongated or sticky.

[0072] In the combination weighing devices of the above embodiment and the above modified example, the pool hopper 5 is provided in front of the weighing hopper 7, but the pool hopper 5 may be omitted. Also, although a booster hopper is not provided below the weighing hopper 7, a booster hopper may be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 2a...dispersion table, 6c...feeding port, 6d, 7c...discharge port, 5...pool hopper, 7d...gate, 6...auxiliary hopper (cylindrical member), 7...weighing hopper (hopper), 8...individual chute, 8a...feeding section (receiving port), 11...weighing section, 14...control section, 17...weighing hopper, 100...combination weighing device, J...item, L...dimension, M1...first operation, M2...second operation, M3...third operation, P0...fully closed position, Pmx...fully open position, Px...open position, Px1...first turn-back position, Px2...second turn-back position.

Claims

1. a cylindrical member having an inlet for inserting an item and an outlet for ejecting the item; a gate that is movable between a fully closed position that prevents the articles from being discharged from the discharge port and an open position that allows the articles to be discharged from the discharge port; a control unit that controls the operation of the gate to perform a first operation of moving the gate from the fully closed position to a predetermined fully open position among the open positions at the timing of discharging the article, and a second operation of moving the gate from the fully open position to the fully closed position, The control unit controls the operation of the gate so that a third operation is performed to move the gate toward the fully open position before the gate reaches the fully closed position in the second operation.

2. The combination weighing device according to claim 1 , wherein the article has adhesive properties.

3. 3. The combination weighing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the gate as the third operation to move the gate from the fully closed position to a first folded position where the gate is opened to a position larger than the maximum clamping dimension of the outer shape of the item, toward the fully open position.

4. The combination weighing device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit controls, as the third operation, the operation of the gate so as to move the gate from the first turning position toward the fully open position to the fully open position.

5. 4. The combination weighing device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the gate as the third operation to move the gate from the first turning position toward the fully open position to a second turning position that is a position of the gate smaller than the fully open position.

6. a plurality of weighing hoppers each having the gate attached thereto, for weighing the articles stored in the cylindrical member; The combination weighing device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit performs combination weighing based on the weight values ​​of the weighing hoppers.

7. a dispersion table that distributes and conveys the articles supplied from above around it; A plurality of pool hoppers that temporarily store the articles discharged from the dispersing table; a weighing hopper that receives and weighs the articles discharged from the pool hopper, The combination weighing device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the gates of the weighing hoppers so as to perform the third operation, and controls the operation of the gates of the pool hoppers so as not to perform the third operation.

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