Conveying device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a conveying device that can eliminate overlapping of conveyed objects and does not require widening the spacing between rollers. [Solution] A conveying device 1 having an inclined section on the conveying surface, wherein the inclined section is divided into a plurality of conveying zones in the conveying direction, and in at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, the conveying speed of the downstream conveying zone is faster than the conveying speed of the upstream conveying zone. At least some of the conveying zones have protruding rollers 6a that protrude from the conveying surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed, and particularly to a conveying device capable of eliminating the overlap of the objects to be conveyed.

Background Art

[0002] In a distribution site, a collection site, a warehouse, etc., a conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed is used. As such a conveying device, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a conveying device having an inclined portion where the conveying surface is inclined, and the inclined portion is divided into a plurality of conveying zones in the conveying direction. And some adjacent conveying zones have a higher conveying speed in the downstream conveying zone than in the upstream conveying zone. Further, the conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has rollers provided with convex portions.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] According to the conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the overlap of the objects to be conveyed can be eliminated. However, since the conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses rollers provided with convex portions, there is a problem that the interval between the rollers has to be widened.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that can eliminate the overlap of the objects to be conveyed and does not require widening the interval between the rollers, paying attention to the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a conveying device having an inclined section on the conveying surface, wherein the inclined section is divided into a plurality of conveying zones in the conveying direction, and at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones is characterized in that the conveying speed of the downstream conveying zone is faster than the conveying speed of the upstream conveying zone, and at least some of the conveying zones have protruding rollers that protrude from the conveying surface.

[0008] When the conveyed objects are stacked vertically, the lower object is in full contact with the conveying surface of the conveying device, while the upper object is in contact with the conveying surface at least partially. Here, the coefficient of friction between the conveyed object and the conveying surface is different from the coefficient of friction between the conveyed objects themselves. Also, because the conveying surface is inclined, the upper and lower conveyed objects move relative to each other during conveying, and the upper conveyed object becomes misaligned with the lower conveyed object. Furthermore, in the conveying device of this embodiment, there are protruding rollers that protrude from the conveying surface in at least some of the conveying zones. As a result, when the conveyed object passes over these protruding rollers, it vibrates up and down, and a momentary gap is created between the upper and lower conveyed objects. Consequently, a difference in conveying speed occurs between the lower and upper conveyed objects, and the displacement between the upper and lower conveyed objects becomes large. As a result, although there is some overlap, multiple transported objects are positioned in a front-to-back relationship with respect to the direction of transport. On the other hand, in at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, the conveying speed of the downstream conveying zone is faster than the conveying speed of the upstream conveying zone. Therefore, the conveyed objects on the front (downstream) side of the conveying direction move faster than the conveyed objects on the rear (upstream) side of the conveying direction, causing the multiple conveyed objects to be separated.

[0009] In the above-described embodiment, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and it is desirable that the protruding roller belongs to the downstream transport zone of at least one pair of adjacent transport zones and is located upstream of the center of the downstream transport zone.

[0010] For example, if the stacked objects are of the same size, when the lower object is in contact with the protruding roller and is biased, a portion of the upper object will often remain on the rear (upstream) side in the direction of transport. That is, if we consider the discharge side as the front and the opposite side as the rear, a portion of the upper object will often be on the rear side in the direction of transport. According to this embodiment, the protruding roller belongs to the downstream (front) conveying zone in the conveying direction. The protruding roller is also located upstream (rear) of the downstream conveying zone to which it belongs. Therefore, when the lower conveyed object is in contact with and biased by a protruding roller belonging to the downstream (front) conveying zone, the upper conveyed object is often partially in the upstream (rear) conveying zone in the conveying direction. That is, if we consider the discharge side as the front and the opposite as the rear, the upper conveyed object is often partially in the rear conveying zone in the conveying direction. The protruding rollers belong to the downstream conveying zone, so their conveying speed is high. As a result, the objects being conveyed below move faster than the objects being conveyed above, causing them to separate.

[0011] In each of the embodiments described above, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and it is desirable that the protruding rollers belong to at least one pair of adjacent transport zones, specifically the downstream transport zone, and are located at the upstream end of the downstream transport zone.

[0012] For example, if the stacked objects are the same size, when the lower object is in contact with the protruding roller and is biased, the upper object will, in most cases, have a portion of itself at the rear (upstream) of the conveying direction. According to this embodiment, the protruding roller belongs to the forward (downstream) conveying zone in the conveying direction, and because the conveying speed is high, the lower conveyed object moves faster than the upper conveyed object, and the two are pulled apart.

[0013] In each of the embodiments described above, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and it is desirable that the protruding rollers belong to the upstream transport zone of at least one pair of adjacent transport zones and are located downstream of the center of the upstream transport zone.

[0014] For example, if the stacked objects are the same size, when the lower object rides up onto the protruding roller and its leading edge contacts a roller downstream of the protruding roller, the upper object will, in most cases, have part of it in contact with a roller further back (upstream) of the protruding roller. According to this embodiment, the protruding roller belongs to the transport zone on the upstream side in the transport direction. The protruding roller is also located downstream of the upstream transport zone to which it belongs. Therefore, when transported objects move on the protruding roller while stacked vertically, the leading edge of the lower transported object comes into contact with the transport zone downstream of the protruding roller, and the rear end of the upper transported object comes into contact with the upstream transport zone to which the protruding roller belongs. Since the transport speed in the downstream (front) transport zone is faster than the transport speed in the upstream transport zone, the lower transported object moves faster than the upper transported object, and the two are pulled apart.

[0015] In each of the embodiments described above, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and it is desirable that the protruding rollers belong to the upstream transport zone of at least one pair of adjacent transport zones and are located at the downstream end of the upstream transport zone.

[0016] According to this embodiment, the protruding roller belongs to the transport zone on the upstream side in the transport direction. The protruding roller is also located at the downstream end of the upstream transport zone to which it belongs. Therefore, when transported objects move on the protruding roller while stacked vertically, the leading edge of the lower transported object comes into contact with the downstream transport zone, and the rear end of the upper transported object comes into contact with the upstream transport zone to which the protruding roller belongs. Since the transport speed in the downstream (front) transport zone is faster than the transport speed in the upstream transport zone, the lower transported object moves faster than the upper transported object, and the two are pulled apart.

[0017] In each of the embodiments described above, the amount H of the protruding roller from the conveying surface is preferably 10 percent to 50 percent of the diameter of the part of the protruding roller that contributes to conveying.

[0018] In each of the above-described aspects, a plurality of rollers are provided, the rollers are arranged in parallel to form a conveying surface, the rollers have a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion, and adjacent rollers are in a state where the large-diameter portion of one roller enters the position of the small-diameter portion of the other roller. It is desirable that the large-diameter portion is hollow.

[0019] In the conveying device of this aspect, the rollers have a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion, and adjacent rollers are in a state where the large-diameter portion of one roller enters the position of the small-diameter portion of the other roller. Therefore, the axial distance between the rollers is short and the gap of the conveying surface is small, so that small conveyed objects can be conveyed. Further, since the large-diameter portion is hollow, when the conveyed object collides, the roller member easily deforms to mitigate the impact of the collision. Therefore, even when the conveyed object collides, it is difficult for noise to occur. Also, it is difficult to damage the conveying portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the conveying device of the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device that can eliminate the overlap of conveyed objects and can appropriately convey conveyed objects. Also, according to the conveying device of the present invention, there is no need to widen the interval between the rollers.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] (a) is a plan view of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 2] One of the zone conveyors constituting the section of the conveying device shown in FIG. 1, showing a smooth zone conveyor with a smooth conveying surface, (a) is a plan view thereof, and (b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 3] One of the zone conveyors constituting the section of the conveying device shown in FIG. 1, showing a zone conveyor having protruding rollers, (a) is a plan view thereof, and (b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 4] A perspective view of the conveying rollers of the conveyor device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] An enlarged view of the conveying area of the conveyor device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] (a) is an exploded perspective view of the roller members of the conveyor roller, and (b) is a perspective view of the roller members during assembly. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the roller member. [Figure 8] (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams showing the behavior of the transported objects when they are stacked on top of the transport device in Figure 1, as viewed from the side. [Figure 9] (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams, viewed from the side, showing the behavior of a conveyed object when it is stacked on top of a conveying device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] (a) is a plan view of a conveying device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 11] (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views of modified zone conveyors having protruding rollers. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The conveying device 1 of this embodiment has an inclined area as shown in Figure 1, and the conveyed object is transported by climbing up the inclined conveying surface 61. The inclined area is divided into five transport zones, a through e, and each transport zone starts and stops independently. In other words, each transport zone a to e is constantly stopped. Each transport zone a to e has a load sensor (not shown), and when an object reaches a transport zone a to e and the load sensor detects the object, the transport zone is activated and transports the object to the downstream transport zone.

[0023] Each transport zone a through e is comprised of a zone conveyor device 3. The zone conveyor device 3 of this embodiment is a short roller conveyor, in which a plurality of conveying rollers 6 are pivotally supported at predetermined intervals between a pair of left and right side frames 5, 5 that are arranged in parallel. All of the conveyor rollers 6 rotate freely. Each conveyor roller 6 consists of multiple roller members 10 arranged in series, with pulleys 16 provided at the ends.

[0024] The roller member 10 used in this embodiment is formed by joining two roller pieces 22a and 22b, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and has a hollow section 23 inside, as shown in Figure 7. An annular reinforcing member 12 is also built into the hollow section 23. The hollow section 23 has a substantially sealed structure.

[0025] A geared motor 20 is installed on the lower side of the conveyor roller 6 as shown in the figure. A drive power transmission belt 25 is wound around a pulley 16 on the geared motor 20 and a pulley 16 on one of the conveyor rollers 6, driving the conveyor roller (referred to as the drive roller) 6. The other conveyor rollers 6 rotate by receiving power transmission from the drive roller. In this embodiment, a belt (not shown) is wound around each conveyor roller 6 of the zone conveyor device 3 between adjacent conveyor rollers 6, and the rotational force of the drive roller is transmitted to the other conveyor rollers 6, causing all the conveyor rollers 6 in the zone conveyor device 3 to rotate. That is, all the conveyor rollers 6 in the conveying zone of the zone conveyor device 3 rotate.

[0026] The conveying roller 6 used in the zone conveyor device 3 of this embodiment has holding members 30 at both ends, a pulley 16 inside the holding member 30 at one end, and a conveying section 55 in the middle, as shown in Figure 4.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, the conveying section 55 consists of multiple roller members 10 and spacing members 56, 57, and 58 connected in series, with a rotating shaft member 65 inserted through these members. The pulley 16 and the multiple roller members 10 and spacing members 56, 57, and 58 that constitute the conveying section 55 are engaged with each other when adjacent to each other, and they rotate as a single unit. Furthermore, the rotating shaft member 65 is engaged with the aforementioned members and the pulley 16, and they are integrated in the rotational direction. Therefore, when the pulley 16 rotates, the rotating shaft member 65 and the multiple roller members 10 and spacing members 56, 57, and 58 rotate as a single unit.

[0028] In the zone conveyor device 3 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the conveyor roller 6 has a large-diameter section where the roller member 10 is located and a small-diameter section formed by an intermediate spacing member 57. The large-diameter section of a particular conveyor roller 6 is located at a position corresponding to the small-diameter section of an adjacent conveyor roller 6, and the small-diameter section of a particular conveyor roller 6 is located at a position corresponding to the large-diameter section of an adjacent conveyor roller 6. The distance between the axes of adjacent conveyor rollers 6 is shorter than the diameter of the large-diameter section.

[0029] Therefore, in this embodiment, the zone conveyor device 3 has densely arranged conveying rollers 6, which increases the opportunities for contact between the conveyed object and the conveying rollers 6, and the conveyed object is less likely to rattle. As a result, the impact on the conveyed object is small.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the external appearance of the conveyor roller 6 is such that a large-diameter section 121 and a small-diameter section 122 are arranged alternately around the central axis. The large-diameter section 121 has a hollow structure. Because the conveyor roller 6 has a hollow section 23 inside, the roller member 10 deforms easily when it collides with a conveyed object, mitigating the impact of the collision. Therefore, even when a conveyed object collides with it, it is less likely to generate noise and less likely to damage the conveyed object. In the zone conveyor device 3 of this embodiment, both ends of the conveyor rollers 6 are rotatably supported by opposing side frames 5. In the zone conveyor device 3, the conveying rollers 6 are arranged closely together, and in adjacent conveying rollers 6, the larger diameter portion 121 of one conveying roller 6 is positioned where the smaller diameter portion 122 of the other conveying roller 6 is located. In other words, in the zone conveyor device 3, as shown in Figure 5, the distance L between the axes of adjacent conveying rollers 6 is short. As shown in Figure 5, if the diameter of the large diameter section 121 is D, then the distance L between the axes is smaller than the diameter D of the large diameter section 121. If the diameter of the small diameter section 122 is d, then (D+d) / 2 is slightly smaller than the distance L between the axes. That is, (D+d) / 2 is 70 percent or more of the inter-axis distance L, and more preferably 80 percent or more.

[0031] Therefore, the gap Sa between the small-diameter portion 122 and the large-diameter portion 121 of the adjacent conveyor roller 6 is extremely small, and the gap Sa is 15 percent or less of the diameter D of the large-diameter portion 121, more preferably 10 percent or less.

[0032] Furthermore, if we let the length of the large-diameter portion 121 be A and the length of the small-diameter portion 122 be B, then the length A of the large-diameter portion 121 is slightly smaller than the length B of the small-diameter portion 122. In other words, the length A of the large-diameter portion 121 is 70 percent or more of the length of the small-diameter portion 122, and more preferably 80 percent or more. Therefore, the axial gap Sb between the large-diameter portions 121 of adjacent conveyor rollers 6 is extremely small. Therefore, the zone conveyor device 3 has very few gaps overall and is densely packed.

[0033] While not limiting, the diameter D of the large-diameter section 121 is approximately 25 mm to 80 mm, and preferably approximately 30 mm to 60 mm. The gap Sa between the small-diameter portion 122 and the large-diameter portion 121 of adjacent conveying rollers 6 is 10 mm or less, preferably 3 mm or less.

[0034] In this embodiment, the zone conveyor device 3 has densely arranged conveyor rollers 6, resulting in frequent contact between the conveyed object and the conveyor rollers 6, which prevents the conveyed object from rattling. Furthermore, because the gaps between the conveyor rollers 6 are small, even when conveying small objects, the objects are less likely to fall between the conveyor rollers 6.

[0035] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment is a combination of zone conveying devices 3a and 3b connected in series. In this embodiment, two types of zone conveyor devices 3a and 3b are used. The first type of zone conveyor device 3a is a standard type, and as shown in Figure 2, the conveying surface is smooth. The second type of zone conveyor device 3b has irregularities on the conveying surface, as shown in Figure 3.

[0036] As described above, the zone conveyor devices 3a and 3b have a plurality of conveying rollers 6, and the conveying surface is formed by arranging the conveying rollers 6 in parallel. The conveying rollers 6 used in this embodiment have a large diameter portion 121 and a small diameter portion 122, and the outer circumference of the large diameter portion 121 substantially contacts the conveyed object and contributes to conveyance. Therefore, in the zone conveyor devices 3a and 3b used in this embodiment, the conveying surface is formed by the upper surface of the large-diameter portion 121.

[0037] In the first form of the zone conveyor device 3a, as shown in Figure 2, the central axis 60 of the conveying rollers 6 is, in principle, arranged in a straight line, and the conveying surface 61 formed by each conveying roller 6 is a single smooth surface. In contrast, the second-mode zone conveyor device 3b, as shown in Figure 3, has one conveyor roller (protruding roller) 6a positioned above the other conveyor rollers 6, and this conveyor roller (protruding roller) 6a protrudes upward from the conveying surface formed by the other conveyor rollers 6. In other words, the second-mode zone conveyor device 3b has a protruding roller 6a that protrudes from the conveying surface.

[0038] The amount of protrusion H of the protruding roller 6a from the conveying surface is preferably 10 to 50 percent of the diameter of the part of the protruding roller that contributes to conveying (large diameter section 121). More preferably, it is 15 to 30 percent. Expressed numerically, the amount of protrusion H is 5 mm to 20 mm, and more preferably 8 mm to 12 mm. If the protrusion amount H is too small, the effect is minimal, and if the protrusion amount H is too large, the transported object will collide with it and fail to ride up.

[0039] The protrusion amount H should ideally be increased as the weight of the conveyed object increases. For example, it is recommended to make the mounting holes for attaching the conveying rollers 6 to the side frames 5, 5 elongated so that the amount of protrusion H can be adjusted according to the conveyed object.

[0040] In the zone conveyor device 3b used in this embodiment, the protruding roller 6a is a conveying roller located at the upstream end in the conveying direction. That is, in the zone conveyor device 3b, when the discharge direction of the zone conveyor device 3b is considered to be forward and the opposite direction to be backward, the protruding roller 6a is provided at the rear end in the conveying direction. The position of the protruding roller 6a is not limited, but it is preferable that it be on the upstream side of the zone conveyor device 3b. In other words, it is preferable that the position of the protruding roller 6a be upstream (rear) of the center of the conveying zone, and the most recommended position is the rear end (upstream end) in the conveying direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, the transport zone c is composed of the second-mode zone conveyor device 3b, while the other transport zones are composed of the first-mode zone conveyor device 3a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the conveying device 1 has an inclined section divided into five conveying zones in the conveying direction, and in adjacent conveying zones a vs b, b vs c, c vs d, and d vs e, the conveying speed of the downstream conveying zone is faster than the conveying speed of the upstream conveying zone. In addition, in this embodiment, the conveying device 1 has a protruding roller 6a that protrudes from the normal conveying surface in conveying zone c. Furthermore, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and the protruding roller 6a belongs to the downstream transport zone c, which is adjacent to the transport zones b and c, and is located at the upstream end of the downstream transport zone c.

[0042] Next, I will explain the functions of the transport device 1. The conveying rollers 6 in each conveying zone that make up the conveying device 1 are always stopped. When an object reaches a conveying zone, or the conveying zone before it, that conveying zone is activated and conveys the object to the downstream conveying zone. The conveying speeds of each conveying zone are all different, with the speed increasing as you move downstream. In other words, the transport speed in the uppermost transport zone e is the fastest, and the transport speed in the lowermost transport zone a is the slowest. The relationship between the transport speed and the transport speed is as follows:

[0043] a <b<c<d<e

[0044] Transport zones c and b are adjacent to each other. Furthermore, transport zone c is located downstream of transport zone b, and the transport speed of the downstream transport zone c is faster than the transport speed of the upstream transport zone b. Furthermore, in the adjacent conveying zones b and c, a protruding roller 6a is provided at the rear end in the conveying direction of conveying zone c, which is located at the front in the conveying direction.

[0045] The conveying device 1 is designed to handle thin items 200 and 201 (thin items) such as postcards, envelopes, and booklets, with a maximum thickness of 2 cm or less. Furthermore, it is assumed that the transported items 200 and 201 will be transported in a stacked state, and the inclined section will be used to eliminate the overlap.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8(a), when the transported objects 101 and 102 are transported to the transport device 1 in a heavy state and reach the protruding roller 6a of the second-mode zone conveyor device 3b, a portion of the transported objects 101 and 102 ride up onto the protruding roller 6a belonging to the downstream transport zone c, causing the transported objects 101 and 102 to vibrate. As a result, as shown in Figure 8(c), the transported objects 101 and 102 bounce, and a small gap is created between them. Even if they do not separate, the load on the upper transported object 102 is reduced. Since the conveying device 1 is tilted so that the downstream side is upward, vibrations cause the conveyed object 102 above to shift relatively downward.

[0047] Furthermore, since the coefficient of friction between the lower conveyed object 101 and the upper conveyed object 102 is generally lower than the coefficient of friction between the conveying roller 6 and the lower conveyed object 101, the upper conveyed object 102 slides relatively downward. In other words, because the coefficient of friction between the conveying roller 6 and the lower conveyed object 101 is high and slippery, the lower conveyed object 101 moves in accordance with the rotation of the conveying roller 6 and synchronously with the rotation of the conveying roller 6. In contrast, the coefficient of friction between the upper conveyed object 102 and the lower conveyed object 101 is low and slippery, so the upper conveyed object 102 cannot follow the lower conveyed object 101 and slides. As a result, part of the upper conveyed object 102 (the front end) rests on the lower conveyed object 101, and the remaining part of the upper conveyed object 102 (the rear end) rests on the upstream conveyed zone b on the upstream side (lower side). Furthermore, the lower conveyed object 101 maintains a state in which its lower surface is in contact with the conveying surface of the downstream conveying zone c.

[0048] Here, each conveying zone is faster as you move downstream, so the lower conveyed object 101 is pulled faster by the fast conveying roller 6 (including the protruding roller 6a) in conveying zone c, while the upper conveyed object 102 is on the slower conveying roller 6 in conveying zone b and moves slower. As a result, conveyed objects 101 and 102 are separated as shown in Figure 8(d).

[0049] In the embodiment described above, the protruding roller 6a is provided at the upstream end of the zone conveyor device 3b. However, if the transport speed of each transport zone is to increase as it moves downstream, the protruding roller 6a may be placed on the downstream side of the zone conveyor device 3. More specifically, the position of the protruding roller 6a may be downstream (in front of) the center of the transport zone, and the recommended position is the downstream end in the transport direction. For example, instead of the second-mode zone conveyor device 3b described above, a third-mode zone conveyor device 3c is used in which the protruding roller 6a is provided at the downstream end in the conveying direction. In the third form of the zone conveyor device 3c, as shown in Figures 9 and 11(a), the position of the protruding roller 6a is at the downstream end in the conveying direction.

[0050] Figure 9 is a side view illustrating the behavior of conveyed objects when they are stacked on top of a conveying device 1a, where the conveying zone b is composed of a third-type zone conveyor device 3c. Specifically, in the conveying device 1a shown in Figure 9, the conveying zone b is composed of a third-type zone conveyor device 3c, while the other conveying zones are composed of a first-type zone conveyor device 3a. In this embodiment, the conveying device 1a has an inclined section divided into five conveying zones in the conveying direction, and in adjacent conveying zones a vs b, b vs c, c vs d, and d vs e, the conveying speed of the downstream conveying zone is faster than the conveying speed of the upstream conveying zone. In addition, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment has a protruding roller 6a that protrudes from the normal conveying surface in conveying zone b. Furthermore, the transport zones are started and stopped individually, and the protruding roller 6a belongs to the upstream transport zone b, which is adjacent to the transport zones b and c, and is located at the downstream end of the upstream transport zone b.

[0051] As shown in Figure 9(a), when the transported objects 101 and 102 are transported to the transport device 1 in a heavy state and reach the protruding roller 6a of the third-mode zone conveyor device 3c, a portion of the transported objects 101 and 102 ride up onto the protruding roller 6a belonging to the upstream transport zone b, causing the transported objects 101 and 102 to vibrate. As a result, similar to the previous embodiment, the transported objects 101 and 102 bounce, and a small gap is created between them. Even if they do not separate, the load on the upper transported object 102 is reduced. Since the conveying device 1a is tilted so that the downstream side is upward, vibrations cause the conveyed object 102 above to shift relatively downward.

[0052] As the conveyed objects 101 and 102 move further, as shown in Figure 9c, the lower conveyed object 101 protrudes significantly from the protruding roller 6a, and the leading edge of the lower conveyed object 101 comes into contact with the downstream conveying zone c. When the leading edge of the lower conveyed object 101 comes into contact with the downstream conveying zone c, the rear end of the upper conveyed object 102 comes into contact with the upstream conveying zone b. As a result, part of the upper conveyed object 102 (the upper end) rests on the lower conveyed object 101, and the remaining part of the upper conveyed object 102 (the lower end) rests on the upstream (lower) conveying zone b. The lower conveyed object 101 maintains a state where its leading edge is in contact with the conveying surface of the downstream conveying zone c.

[0053] Here, each conveying zone is faster as you move downstream, so the lower conveyed object 101 is pulled faster by the faster conveying roller 6 in conveying zone c, while the upper conveyed object 102 is on the slower conveying roller 6 in conveying zone b and moves slower. As a result, conveyed objects 101 and 102 are separated as shown in Figure 9(d).

[0054] In the conveying device 1 described above, the area shown in Figure 1 is divided into 5 conveying zones a through e. However, this is merely a representation of the 5 zones for illustrative purposes, and the number of conveying zones is arbitrary. In particular, the number of zones into which the inclined section is divided is also arbitrary. In the conveying device 1 shown in Figure 1, only one of the conveying zones c that make up the inclined section has a protruding roller 6a. However, this is merely for the sake of drawing, and it is desirable to have protruding rollers 6a in multiple conveying zones of the inclined section. In actual conveying devices 1, protruding rollers 6a are often provided in multiple conveying zones that make up the inclined section. In other words, there may be protruding rollers 6a in multiple transport zones.

[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 11(b) and (c), there may be multiple protruding rollers 6a in a single conveying zone. Figures 11(b) and 11(c) show examples of zone conveyor devices 3d and 3e that constitute a single transport zone, in which multiple protruding rollers 6a are provided. The zone conveyor device 3d shown in Figure 11(b) has protruding rollers 6a at consecutive positions. The zone conveyor device 3e shown in Figure 11(b) has protruding rollers 6a at separate positions. The position of the protruding roller 6a may be in the intermediate region of the zone conveyor device 3, but it is recommended that it be located at the upstream or downstream end. In the embodiments described above, the zone conveyor device 3 has a conveyor roller 6 with a large diameter section 121 and a small diameter section 122 on its central axis, as shown in Figure 5, but it may also be a normal cylindrical conveyor roller.

[0056] The conveying device 1b shown in Figure 10 has an inclined section divided into eight conveying zones a to h. The zone conveyor device 3 of the conveying device 1b consists of ordinary cylindrical conveying rollers 50 arranged in parallel. In the conveying device 1b shown in Figure 10, there are protruding rollers 50a in conveying zone c and conveying zone e. The positions of the conveying rollers 50a are all at the downstream end of the zone conveyor device 3.

[0057] The inventions according to the embodiments described above can be substituted or combined as long as no contradictions arise. Furthermore, the above embodiments allow for the free substitution or addition of components between each embodiment, as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1, 1b: Conveyor device, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e: Zone conveyor device, 6, 50: Conveyor roller, 6a, 50a: Protruding roller, 10: Roller member, 23: Cavity, 61: Conveying surface, 121: Large diameter section, 122: Small diameter section, 101, 102: Conveyed object, a to e: Conveying zone, H: Protrusion amount

Claims

1. A conveying device having an inclined section on which the conveying surface is inclined, The inclined section is divided into a plurality of transport zones in the transport direction, and at least one pair of adjacent transport zones has a transport speed in the downstream transport zone that is faster than the transport speed in the upstream transport zone. A conveying device characterized by having protruding rollers that protrude from the conveying surface in at least some of the conveying zones.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying zones are started and stopped individually, the protruding roller belongs to the downstream conveying zone of at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, and is located upstream of the center of the downstream conveying zone.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying zones are started and stopped individually, the protruding roller belongs to the downstream conveying zone of at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, and is located at the upstream end of the downstream conveying zone.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying zones are started and stopped individually, the protruding roller belongs to the upstream conveying zone of at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, and is located downstream of the center of the upstream conveying zone.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying zones are started and stopped individually, the protruding roller belongs to the upstream conveying zone of at least one pair of adjacent conveying zones, and is located at the downstream end of the said upstream conveying zone.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount H of the protruding roller from the conveying surface is 10 percent to 50 percent of the diameter of the part of the protruding roller that contributes to conveying.

7. It has multiple rollers, and the rollers are arranged in parallel to form a conveying surface. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the roller has a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and adjacent rollers are such that the large diameter portion of one roller fits into the position of the small diameter portion of the other roller, and the large diameter portion is hollow.

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