Conveying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveying device that can suppress changes in the posture and position of products on a conveyor when the conveyor is stopped to discharge products to the side of the conveyor. [Solution] The conveying device M includes a high-speed conveyor 17 and a front conveyor 18, a downstream pusher 30B that discharges the product P1 brought onto the front conveyor 18 in the supply direction D2, and a system controller 6A that controls the operation of the high-speed conveyor 17 and the front conveyor 18. After the product P1 is brought onto P1, the system controller 6A reduces the first conveying speed to a conveying speed close to the second conveying speed of the front conveyor 18 before transporting the product P1 onto the front conveyor 18, and controls the front conveyor 18 so that the product P1 stops at the central position PC on the front conveyor 18.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a device for conveying an article in a conveying direction by a conveyor and sending out the article to the side of the conveyor (a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, for example, a horizontal direction) at an appropriate timing is known. For example, in the conveying device (packaging system) described in Patent Document 1, an article (or a product) is conveyed on a plurality of conveyors arranged in order from upstream to downstream, and is sent into a packaging device by a pusher. After the article is weighed in the weighing unit of the packaging device, packaging of the article, labeling of the packaged product, and the like are performed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional conveying device, the conveying speed of each conveyor is controlled, but specific information regarding the conveying speed of each individual conveyor is not disclosed. In this type of device or system, an increase in the conveying speed is required from the perspective of processing capacity. However, conveying a product on a conveyor at high speed leads to suddenly stopping the conveyor when sending (discharging) the product into the packaging device. If the conveyor is suddenly stopped (for example, slipping occurs) and the posture and position of the product change, it may affect the handling of the product. There is also a method of gradually reducing the conveying speed and then stopping the conveyor, but in this method, since the conveying distance until the product stops becomes long, as a result, another problem occurs in that the overall length of the conveyor becomes long.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a conveying device that can suppress changes in the posture and position of goods on a conveyor when the conveyor is stopped to discharge goods to the side of the conveyor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [1] A conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a first conveyor that conveys goods in a conveying direction toward the downstream, a second conveyor positioned downstream of the first conveyor that further conveys the goods, a discharge unit that discharges the goods brought onto the second conveyor in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and a control unit that controls the operation of the first conveyor and the second conveyor, wherein after goods are brought onto the first conveyor, the control unit reduces the first conveying speed of the first conveyor to a conveying speed equal to or close to the second conveying speed of the second conveyor before discharging the goods onto the second conveyor, and further controls the second conveyor so that the goods stop at a predetermined position in the conveying direction on the second conveyor.

[0007] According to the conveying device in [1], the first conveyor conveys goods at a first conveying speed (a relatively fast speed), but the control unit reduces the first conveying speed to a speed equal to or close to the second conveying speed of the second conveyor before discharging the goods on the first conveyor to the second conveyor. When the second conveyor receives the goods, the control unit controls the second conveyor so that the goods stop at a predetermined position on the second conveyor. In this case, even though the first conveying speed is sufficiently faster than the second conveying speed, the first conveying speed of the goods on the first conveyor is reduced to approximately the second conveying speed before being discharged onto the second conveyor at the second conveying speed. Then, on the second conveyor, the speed of the second conveyor is controlled so that the incoming goods stop at a predetermined position on the second conveyor, thereby maintaining high conveying capacity while suppressing changes in the posture and position of the decelerated goods. After that, the goods, maintaining an appropriate posture and position, are discharged by the discharge unit in a direction intersecting the conveying direction.

[0008] [2] The conveying device described in [1] above is installed upstream of a predetermined position and is equipped with a sensor that detects the passage of goods. The control unit, based on the detection signal from the sensor, determines that a goods have passed and uses pre-stored product size information to control the second conveyor so as to stop the second conveyor when the goods reach a predetermined position. In this case, the stopping position control of the goods on the second conveyor is performed more reliably.

[0009] [3] The conveying device described in [2] above is provided further upstream of the sensor and includes another sensor for detecting the passage of goods. The control unit may, based on the detection signal from the other sensor, determine that goods have passed and start deceleration control of the first conveyor. In this case, the conveying capacity (processing capacity) of the first conveyor can be maintained as high as possible, while the first conveying speed can be reduced to the second conveying speed just before the goods are discharged onto the second conveyor.

[0010] [4] In any one of the conveying devices described in [1] to [3] above, the coefficient of friction on the second conveying surface of the second conveyor may be smaller than the coefficient of friction on the first conveying surface of the first conveyor. The relatively small coefficient of friction on the second conveying surface of the second conveyor makes it easier for the goods to slide on the second conveying surface and for the goods to be discharged laterally by the discharge section. Since the goods come to a stop from the sufficiently low second conveying speed after the above deceleration control has been performed, changes in the posture and position of the goods can be suppressed even if the coefficient of friction is relatively small. On the other hand, the first conveyor has excellent gripping power for the goods, so even if the goods are decelerated in a relatively short time, changes in the posture and position of the goods are unlikely to occur. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, when the conveyor is stopped to discharge products to the side, changes in the posture and position of the products on the conveyor can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging system to which a conveying device according to one embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the functional configuration of the control unit and a block diagram of the parts related to the control unit. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the upstream discharge and conveying sections in the packaging system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a plan view showing sensors and other equipment installed on the primary conveyor belt. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the changes in the first and second transport speeds over time. [Figure 6] Figures 6(a), 6(b), and 6(c) illustrate the product discharge procedure and conveyor speed control. [Figure 7] Figures 7(a), 7(b), and 7(c) illustrate the speed control of the conveyor as goods pass through it. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following describes a packaging system S to which a conveying device M according to one embodiment is applied, with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. In the following description, the terms "up" and "down" correspond to the vertical up and down directions as shown in Figure 1, and the terms "upstream" and "downstream" mean the upstream and downstream directions in the conveying direction D1 of the product P1. In addition, the upstream side of the conveying direction D1 in Figures 1 and 2 may be referred to as the left side, and the downstream side of the conveying direction D1 may be referred to as the right side.

[0014] First, with reference to Figures 1 to 3, the basic configuration of the packaging system S to which the conveying device M of this embodiment is applied will be described. In the packaging system S, the goods (or articles) P1 to be weighed and packaged consist of, for example, a tray and food placed or contained on the tray. The packaging system S is a device that weighs the goods P1, packages the goods P1, issues a printed label with information about the goods P1 printed on it, and affixes the issued printed label to the top surface of the packaged goods P1.

[0015] The packaging system S comprises a primary conveyor 10, an upstream packaging device 1A and a downstream packaging device 1B arranged in one direction, a secondary conveyor 20, a feeding unit 30, and a system controller (control unit) 6A. From the perspective of the conveying device M, the feeding unit 30 can be described as a discharge unit that discharges the product P1 to the upstream packaging device 1A or the downstream packaging device 1B.

[0016] The primary conveyor 10 sequentially conveys (supplies) multiple products P1 in the above-mentioned one direction (hereinafter also referred to as the conveying direction D1). The primary conveyor 10 has, for example, five conveyors for conveying products P1. The primary conveyor 10 has, for example, an introduction conveyor 11, an upstream high-speed conveyor 12, an upstream pre-device conveyor 13, an intermediate connecting conveyor 16, a downstream high-speed conveyor 17, and a downstream pre-device conveyor 18. These introduction conveyor 11, upstream high-speed conveyor 12, upstream pre-device conveyor 13, intermediate connecting conveyor 16, downstream high-speed conveyor 17, and downstream pre-device conveyor 18 are arranged in this order from upstream to downstream, and each has a known configuration as a belt conveyor. The conveying surfaces of these conveyors are arranged on the same plane. Note that the number of conveyors constituting the primary conveyor 10 is not limited to the above.

[0017] The upstream packaging device 1A and the downstream packaging device 1B are, for example, weighing, packaging, and labeling devices with substantially the same functions. Therefore, in the following description, the configuration of one of the packaging devices (for example, the upstream packaging device 1A) will be described as representative, and the description of configurations that overlap between the two packaging devices may be omitted.

[0018] The upstream packaging device 1A and the downstream packaging device 1B (hereinafter also referred to as the packaging devices 1A and 1B) are arranged side by side along the above-mentioned one direction (transport direction D1). Each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B includes a weighing unit 2, a packaging unit 3, a printing unit (label issuing unit) 4, an attaching unit (label attaching unit) 5, and a device controller 6. Each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B is a weighing, packaging, and value-attaching device that performs weighing processing, packaging processing, and value-attaching processing on the product P1. The processing capacity per unit time as a weighing, packaging, and value-attaching device in the upstream packaging device 1A and the downstream packaging device 1B is, for example, equivalent.

[0019] The upstream packaging device 1A includes a main housing 41A and an accessory housing 42A. The downstream packaging device 1B includes a main housing 41B and an accessory housing 42B. The upstream accessory housing 42A is arranged on the left side of the upstream main housing 41A, and the downstream accessory housing 42B is arranged on the left side of the downstream main housing 41B. Since each mechanism of each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B has the same function and the same configuration, in this specification, for the "packaging device", "main housing", "accessory housing", and the "pusher" to be described later, the modifiers "upstream side" and "downstream side" may be omitted.

[0020] In each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B, the weighing unit 2, the packaging unit 3, and the device controller 6 are mainly provided inside the main housings 41A and 41B, and the printing unit 4 of the label printer and the attaching unit 5 composed of a label attaching machine are provided above the packaging unit 3. Each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B has a supply port 43 for carrying the product P1 into the device at the central front part of the main housings 41A and 41B, and a discharge port 44 for discharging the processed product P2 that has been packaged and labeled at the upper central front part of the main housings 41A and 41B. That is, in FIG. 1, the supply port 43 is located below the discharge port 44. In each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B, the height of the transport surface of the product P1 at the supply port 43 is, for example, substantially equal to the height of the transport surface of the primary transport conveyor 10.

[0021] The weighing unit 2 is located in the center of the front of the main housings 41A and 41B (below the supply port 43). The weighing unit 2 includes a weighing platform (not shown) that is loaded with a load sensor such as a load cell to weigh the mass of the product P1, and a weighing conveyor 2a (see Figure 3) that transports the product P1 placed on the weighing platform to the packaging unit 3. When the product P1 is placed on the weighing platform, the mass of the product P1 is weighed by the load sensor, and once the weighed value stabilizes, the weighing conveyor 2a is driven to transport the product P1 to the packaging unit 3. The direction of transport of the product P1 by the weighing conveyor 2a is the same as the supply direction D2 by the upstream pusher 30A and the downstream pusher 30B described later, for example, the front-to-back direction in the figure. The upstream pusher 30A and the downstream pusher 30B can be called "supply sections" from the perspective of the upstream packaging device 1A and the downstream packaging device 1B, but from the perspective of the primary conveying conveyor 10 (i.e., the conveying device M), they can be called "discharge sections".

[0022] The packaging unit 3 includes a lift mechanism for raising the product P1 received from the weighing unit 2 to the packaging position, a film roll support mechanism for supporting a film roll, a film delivery mechanism for feeding the stretch film pulled from the film roll to the packaging position, a folding mechanism for folding the stretch film, which has been lifted together with the product P1 by the lift mechanism, to the bottom side of the product P1 at the packaging position, and a sealing mechanism for heat-sealing the overlapping portion of the folded film (none of which are shown).

[0023] The printing unit 4 issues printed labels by printing product information about product P1 and store information about the store (for example, the store name and the price for that store) on labels fed from the label roll. The printing unit 4 issues printed labels based on the information about product P1 displayed on the operation display units 7A and 7B. The labels may be labels attached to a backing sheet, or they may be backingless labels that are not attached to a backing sheet.

[0024] The labeling unit 5 receives the labels issued from the printing unit 4 and affixes them to the top surface of the packaged product P1. To this end, the labeling unit 5 has a labeling head that receives the printed labels at the label issuing port, transports them to the top of the packaged product P1, and affixes them. The processed product P2, with labels affixed by the printing unit 4 and the labeling unit 5, is discharged from the discharge port 44 to the secondary conveyor 20 by an extrusion mechanism (not shown).

[0025] The device controller 6 is a computer that controls various operations in each packaging device 1A and 1B by reading and executing stored programs. This computer consists of, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The device controller 6 also controls various operations in the packaging system S. The control of the packaging system S by the device controller 6 will be described in detail later.

[0026] On the right side of each main housing 41A, 41B, for example, operation display units 7A, 7B are mounted. Each operation display unit 7A, 7B consists of a touch panel on which various information necessary for operation can be set, such as the product call number, the operating speed of each packaging device 1A, 1B, the transport speed of the primary transport conveyor 10 (processing amount per unit time), and the packaging size of product P1. Each operation display unit 7A, 7B may also have physical buttons or the like for operation.

[0027] Each operation display unit 7A and 7B primarily operates the corresponding packaging devices 1A and 1B individually. However, they can communicate with each other via wired or wireless means, allowing one operation display unit 7A or 7B of a packaging device to specify both devices and set their operating conditions or start their operation simultaneously. Furthermore, various information set in the operation display unit 7A or 7B is transmitted to the device controller 6 of the specified packaging device 1A or 1B.

[0028] Each packaging device 1A and 1B, configured as described above, wraps the product P1 supplied in the supply direction D2 with film by lifting it upwards, and sends the processed product P2 wrapped in film in the opposite direction (i.e., forward) D3 to the secondary conveyor 20. In each packaging device 1A and 1B, multiple products P1 are weighed sequentially in the weighing unit 2, and packaging and labeling are performed sequentially in a predetermined cycle by the packaging unit 3, printing unit 4, and labeling unit 5 on the weighed products P1. Therefore, the processing cycle from when one product P1 is supplied to the supply port 43 until the processed product P2 comes out of the discharge port 44 is approximately the same in each packaging device 1A and 1B.

[0029] The secondary conveyor 20 receives multiple processed products P2 discharged from each of the packaging devices 1A and 1B and sequentially transports them downstream. The secondary conveyor 20 transports the processed products P2 in the same (parallel) transport direction D1 as the primary conveyor 10. That is, the secondary conveyor 20 is arranged parallel to the primary conveyor 10. The secondary conveyor 20 includes a first conveyor 21 positioned in front of the upstream packaging device 1A, an intermediate conveyor 22 and a connecting conveyor 25 positioned downstream (to the right), a second conveyor 23 positioned in front of the downstream packaging device 1B, and a discharge conveyor 26 positioned downstream (to the right). In addition, a transport conveyor (not shown) is connected to the discharge side of the discharge conveyor 26.

[0030] The feeding unit 30 is provided in each packaging device 1A and 1B and feeds the goods P1 transported by the primary conveyor 10 to each packaging device 1A and 1B. The feeding unit 30 includes an upstream pusher 30A that feeds the goods P1 transported by the primary conveyor 10 in the supply direction D2 (see Figure 3) to supply the upstream packaging device 1A, and a downstream pusher 30B that feeds the goods P1 transported by the primary conveyor 10 in the supply direction D2 to supply the downstream packaging device 1B. The upstream pusher 30A and the downstream pusher 30B are each covered by an opening / closing cover C to protect the worker.

[0031] The upstream pusher 30A and the downstream pusher 30B (hereinafter also referred to as pushers 30A and 30B) are installed at the same height above the conveying surface of the primary conveyor 10. Pushers 30A and 30B are positioned higher than the conveying surface of the primary conveyor 10 and lower than the conveying surface of the secondary conveyor 20. The direction in which the goods P1 are sent out by pushers 30A and 30B, i.e., the supply direction D2, is, for example, horizontal and perpendicular to the conveying direction D1.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the pusher 30A includes a base portion 31 fixed to the primary conveyor 10 or the main housing 41A, a guide portion 32 provided on the base portion 31 and extending in the front-rear direction, and a slide portion 33 that is movable in the front-rear direction along the guide portion 32 by a front-rear drive unit 36 ​​including a motor, etc. The pusher 30A also includes an arm portion 34 fixed to the slide portion 33 and extending horizontally downstream (to the right), and an L-shaped pushing plate 38 provided at the tip of the arm portion 34 and movable in the up-down direction by a lifting drive unit 37 including a motor, etc. The pusher 30A has a configuration that allows for two-axis movement with the front-rear drive unit 36 ​​and the lifting drive unit 37. The pushing plate 38 includes a first plate-like portion 38a extending in the left-right direction and a second plate-like portion 38b extending in the front-rear direction. The push plate 38 contacts the product P1 on the primary conveyor 10 and pushes (pushes) the product P1 toward the supply direction D2, i.e., backward. The push plate 38 moves backward while slightly lifted from the conveying surface of the upstream device front conveyor 13 (down to its lower limit position), transfers the product P1 onto the weighing conveyor 2a, and then rises to the upper limit position where it does not interfere with the product P1. After that, the push plate 38 moves forward while maintaining the level of the upper limit position, and then lowers to the lower limit position to wait in preparation for the next supply operation. In this way, the push plate 38 of the pusher 30A moves while drawing a rectangular trajectory in a vertical plane along the supply direction D2. The relative position of the push plate 38 in the left-right direction (conveying direction D1) with respect to the lifting drive unit 37 can be adjusted by the position adjustment member 35 integrated with the first plate-shaped part 38a. The relative position of the push plate 38 with respect to the lifting drive unit 37 is adjusted appropriately according to the size and shape of the product P1, and fixed (positioned) in a predetermined position. The power supply unit 39 is connected to the slide unit 33 and, following the movement of the slide unit 33, makes a U-turn to supply power to the lifting drive unit 37.

[0033] The downstream pusher 30B has the same configuration as, for example, the upstream pusher 30A.

[0034] The supply operation of product P1 by the pushers 30A and 30B described above, or the conveying direction D1, can be described as a "discharge operation" or "discharge direction" from the perspective of the primary conveying conveyor 10 (i.e., the conveying device M). Furthermore, the discharge direction by the pushers 30A and 30B can be described as "lateral" from the perspective of the conveying direction D1 on the primary conveying conveyor 10.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the conveying device M of this embodiment comprises a primary conveying conveyor 10, an upstream pusher 30A and a downstream pusher 30B, a secondary conveying conveyor 20, and a system controller 6A that controls them.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the system controller 6A controls two pushers 30A and 30B to discharge each product P1 to two packaging devices 1A and 1B. The system controller 6A is composed of a computer consisting of, for example, a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The system controller 6A has an information acquisition unit 6B, a conveyor control unit 6C, and a pusher control unit 6D. The information acquisition unit 6B can detect the operating status of each packaging device 1A and 1B (whether it is in operation or stopped, etc.). The conveyor control unit 6C controls the transport speed of the primary transport conveyor 10 based on the operating speed (processing amount per unit time) set by the operation display units 7A and 7B. When either of the packaging devices 1A or 1B is capable of packaging, the pusher control unit 6D drives the pusher 30A or 30B corresponding to the packaging device 1A or 1B that is capable of packaging. For example, if packaging device 1A is stopped or otherwise unable to package, but packaging device 1B is capable of packaging, even if the arrival of product P1 is detected, the system controller 6A will not drive the pusher 30A, allowing product P1 to pass through and driving the downstream pusher 30B. In this way, the system controller 6A controls the pushers 30A and 30B according to the operating status of packaging devices 1A and 1B. In this case, a higher priority may be set for one of the packaging devices 1A or 1B, so that even if both packaging devices 1A and 1B are capable of packaging, product P1 will be preferentially discharged to the packaging device with the higher priority, either 1A or 1B.

[0037] In a packaging system S comprising two packaging devices 1A and 1B arranged adjacent to each other along the transport direction D1 of a primary transport conveyor 10, the goods P1 transported by the primary transport conveyor 10 are configured to be individually discharged to each packaging device 1A and 1B by the control of pushers 30A and 30B. This allows, for example, if twice the amount of goods P1 that can be processed by one packaging device is transported by the primary transport conveyor 10, the transported goods P1 can be distributed and packaged to at least two packaging devices 1A and 1B. Therefore, there is no need to separate the weighing conveyor or labeler (applying machine) from the packaging machine to increase the operating speed of the packaging machine alone. The processing capacity per line can be increased simply by arranging the conventional combined packaging devices 1A and 1B side by side along the primary transport conveyor 10 (1 line).

[0038] Next, the speed control (conveying control) of each conveyor in the conveying device M will be explained with reference to Figures 4 and subsequent figures. As shown in Figure 4, the introduction conveyor 11, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the upstream pre-device conveyor 13, the intermediate connecting conveyor 16, the downstream high-speed conveyor 17, and the downstream pre-device conveyor 18 are arranged in this order from upstream to downstream. The system controller 6A controls these conveyors. The introduction conveyor 11, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the upstream pre-device conveyor 13, the intermediate connecting conveyor 16, the downstream high-speed conveyor 17, and the downstream pre-device conveyor 18 each have drive motors 11m, 12m, 13m, 16m, 17m, and 18m that provide driving force to each conveyor belt. Each drive motor is located below each drive belt. The system controller 6A controls the transport speeds of the introduction conveyor 11, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the upstream pre-device conveyor 13, the intermediate connecting conveyor 16, the downstream high-speed conveyor 17, and the downstream pre-device conveyor 18 by controlling the drive motors 11m, 12m, 13m, 16m, 17m, and 18m, respectively. The transport speed of each conveyor can be controlled separately and independently. The system controller 6A controls the operation of each conveyor and each pusher by receiving detection signals from the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2, which will be described later.

[0039] The introduction conveyor 11 transports the goods P1 supplied from the upstream transport system in the transport direction D1 toward the downstream. The goods P1 are supplied sequentially at intervals (the intervals are not necessarily constant). An introduction guide 9 (see Figure 1) is provided on the introduction conveyor 11 to pre-adjust the position of the goods P1 in the supply direction D2. The position of the introduction guide 9 in the supply direction D2 is variable according to the size of the goods P1.

[0040] For the upstream packaging device 1A, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the upstream device front conveyor 13, and the upstream pusher 30A are controlled by the system controller 6A to supply (discharge) product P1 at appropriate timings. The upstream high-speed conveyor 12 corresponds to the first conveyor described in the claims, and the upstream device front conveyor 13 corresponds to the second conveyor described in the claims. The intermediate connecting conveyor 16 transports product P1 in the transport direction D1 if product P1 is not supplied (discharged) to the upstream packaging device 1A. For the downstream packaging device 1B, the downstream high-speed conveyor 17, the downstream device front conveyor 18, and the downstream pusher 30B are controlled by the system controller 6A to supply (discharge) product P1 at appropriate timings. The downstream high-speed conveyor 17 corresponds to the first conveyor described in the claims, and the downstream pre-device conveyor 18 corresponds to the second conveyor described in the claims.

[0041] The upstream high-speed conveyor 12 transports product P1 in the transport direction D1 toward the downstream. The upstream front conveyor 13 is located downstream of the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 and further transports product P1. The upstream pusher 30A discharges product P1 brought into the upstream front conveyor 13 in the supply direction D2, which is perpendicular (intersects) the transport direction D1. The downstream high-speed conveyor 17 transports product P1 in the transport direction D1 toward the downstream. The downstream front conveyor 18 is located downstream of the downstream high-speed conveyor 17 and further transports product P1. The downstream pusher 30B discharges product P1 brought into the downstream front conveyor 18 in the supply direction D2, which is perpendicular (intersects) the transport direction D1. In the conveying device M, the supply direction D2 may be in a direction other than 90 degrees with respect to the conveying direction D1 (for example, 45 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees).

[0042] The introduction conveyor 11, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the intermediate connecting conveyor 16, and the downstream high-speed conveyor 17 are high-speed type conveyors, while the upstream device front conveyor 13 and the downstream device front conveyor 18 are medium-speed or low-speed type conveyors. (However, the upstream device front conveyor 13 and the downstream device front conveyor 18 may be driven at the same conveying speed as the high-speed type conveyors.) The coefficient of friction on the conveying surface (second conveying surface) of the upstream device front conveyor 13 and the downstream device front conveyor 18 is smaller than the coefficient of friction on the conveying surface (first conveying surface) of the introduction conveyor 11, the upstream high-speed conveyor 12, the intermediate connecting conveyor 16, and the downstream high-speed conveyor 17. In other words, the product P1 is less likely to slip on the high-speed type conveyors. To put it another way, the position of the product P1 is less likely to change on the high-speed type conveyors. As a result, the position of product P1 does not shift even if each conveyor accelerates or decelerates rapidly. On the other hand, in the medium-speed or low-speed type conveyors mentioned above, product P1 is relatively prone to slipping. When the upstream device front conveyor 13 or the downstream device front conveyor 18 carrying product P1 stops, and the push plate 38 (see Figure 3) of the upstream pusher 30A or the downstream pusher 30B moves in the supply direction D2, product P1 moves smoothly toward the weighing conveyor 2a.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, when product P1 is discharged by the upstream pusher 30A, the system controller 6A controls the drive motor 13m (upstream conveyor 13) so that product P1 stops at the central position (predetermined position) PC in the transport direction D1 on the upstream conveyor 13. Similarly, when product P1 is discharged by the downstream pusher 30B, the system controller 6A controls the drive motor 18m (downstream conveyor 18) so that product P1 stops at the central position (predetermined position) PC in the transport direction D1 on the downstream conveyor 18. These central positions PC correspond to the central position in the transport direction D1 of the weighing conveyor 2a in the weighing unit 2. Product P1 supplied at the central position is processed appropriately in the desired orientation by the packaging devices 1A and 1B.

[0044] A first sensor (another sensor) S1 for detecting product P1 is provided at the downstream portions of both the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 and the intermediate connecting conveyor 16. Each first sensor S1 is, for example, a light-emitting and light-receiving photoelectric sensor. Of the first sensors S1, the first sensor on the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 is configured to detect the front end of product P1, and the first sensor S1 on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 is configured to detect the rear end of product P1. Although the first sensor S1 on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 could also be placed at the downstream portion of the downstream high-speed conveyor 17, doing so would require a third sensor to temporarily stop product P1 on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first sensor on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 is configured to control both the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 and the downstream high-speed conveyor 17. For this reason, the first sensor S1 on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 is configured to detect the rear end of product P1, rather than the front end.

[0045] Furthermore, in the upstream portions of the upstream front conveyor 13 and the downstream front conveyor 18 (i.e., upstream of each central position PC), second sensors S2 are provided to detect the front end of the product P1 on the upstream front conveyor 13 and the downstream front conveyor 18. Each second sensor S2 is, for example, a light-emitting and light-receiving photoelectric sensor. Each second sensor S2 emits light in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction D1 (i.e., the supply direction D2), and detects the arrival of product P1 when the light is blocked by product P1 (when it is not received).

[0046] The first sensor S1 installed on the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 is located upstream of the second sensor S2 installed on the upstream device front conveyor 13. The first sensor S1 installed on the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 is located upstream of the second sensor S2 installed on the downstream device front conveyor 18.

[0047] The system controller 6A performs two-stage deceleration control (until the product P1 stops) in the transport control of product P1. The system controller 6A performs the two-stage deceleration control by receiving detection signals from the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2. An example of transport control will be described in detail below. In the following description, the discharge of product P1 to the upstream packaging device 1A, that is, the transport control (speed control) to the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 and the upstream device front conveyor 13 will be described.

[0048] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the changes over time in the conveying speed on the high-speed conveyor 12 (i.e., the first conveying speed) and the conveying speed on the conveyor in front of the device 13 (i.e., the second conveying speed). As shown in Figure 5, the system controller 6A controls the drive motor 12m to convey product P1 at the first speed Vf via the high-speed conveyor 12. The system controller 6A also controls the drive motor 13m to maintain the conveying speed (the speed at which the conveyor belt moves) on the conveyor in front of the device 13 at the second speed Vs. The first speed Vf is faster than the second speed Vs. The conveyor in front of the device 13 is maintained at the relatively low second speed Vs because it is necessary to stop product P1 at the central position PC.

[0049] When the system controller 6A determines that product P1 has arrived based on the detection signal from the first sensor S1 (see Figure 6(a)), it decelerates the first transport speed as shown at time T1 in Figure 5. That is, the time when the deceleration control of the first transport speed begins is time T1. Here, the system controller 6A decelerates the first transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 to a transport speed close to the second transport speed of the front conveyor 13. At time T2, when the deceleration control (speed reduction) shown in Figure 5 is completed, product P1 has not yet reached the detection position of the second sensor S2 (Figure 6(b)). The time when the deceleration control of the first transport speed is completed is time T2. After that, the system controller 6A maintains the transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 at Vs and transports product P1 to the front conveyor 13.

[0050] In addition, in the above speed control, the system controller 6A may reduce the first transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 to a transport speed equal to the second transport speed of the conveyor in front of the device 13.

[0051] While product P1 is being transferred from the high-speed conveyor 12 to the conveyor in front of the device 13, the first transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 and the second transport speed of the conveyor in front of the device 13 are approximately equal or equal.

[0052] Next, when the system controller 6A determines that it has detected the leading edge of product P1 based on the detection signal from the second sensor S2 (see Figure 6(b)), it decelerates the second transport speed as shown in Figure 5. The time at which the deceleration control of the second transport speed begins is time T3. The system controller 6A uses the size information of product P1 in the transport direction D1 (length L1 shown in Figure 6(a)), which has been stored in advance, to control the front conveyor 13 so that it stops when product P1 reaches the central position PC (see Figure 6(c)). The time at which the deceleration control of the second transport speed is completed, that is, the time at which the second transport speed becomes zero, is time T5.

[0053] During the first half of the period when the second transport speed of the front conveyor 13 is reduced (from time T3 to T5), the first transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 is controlled to decrease, for example, to be equal to the second transport speed of the front conveyor 13. Then, when the trailing end of product P1 is detected by sensor S2 at time T4, the first transport speed of the high-speed conveyor 12 is accelerated back to its original first speed Vf. This prepares it for the arrival of the next product P1 that will be sent next.

[0054] On the other hand, as the conveyor 13 in front of the device slows down, when the product P1 reaches the central position PC (i.e., stops), as shown in Figure 6(c), the pushing plate 38 of the upstream pusher 30A pushes the product P1 into the weighing conveyor 2a of the weighing unit 2 (discharges it).

[0055] In the downstream packaging device 1B, when the first sensor S1 of the intermediate connecting conveyor 16 detects the rear end of product P1, speed control for the high-speed conveyor 17 is initiated, and the control in this case is the same as the deceleration control shown in Figure 5. Also, when product P1 simply passes through the conveyor 13 in front of the upstream packaging device 1A, as shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c), the detection signals of the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2 are not used by the system controller 6A, and product P1 passes through at a constant speed, for example. In this case, the upstream conveyor 13 in front of the device may transport product P1 at the first speed Vf instead of the second speed Vs as shown in Figure 5.

[0056] According to the conveying device M of this embodiment, the first conveyor conveys goods at a certain first conveying speed (a relatively fast speed), but the system controller 6A reduces the first conveying speed to a speed equal to or close to the second conveying speed of the second conveyor before discharging the goods on the first conveyor to the second conveyor. When the second conveyor receives the goods, the system controller 6A controls the second conveyor so that the goods stop at a predetermined position on the second conveyor. In this case, even though the first conveying speed is sufficiently faster than the second conveying speed, the first conveying speed of the goods on the first conveyor is reduced to approximately the second conveying speed before being discharged onto the second conveyor at the second conveying speed. Furthermore, the speed of the second conveyor is controlled so that the received goods stop at a predetermined position on the second conveyor, thereby maintaining high conveying capacity while suppressing changes in the posture and position of the decelerated goods. Subsequently, the product, maintaining the correct posture and position, is discharged by the discharge unit in a direction intersecting the conveying direction.

[0057] When the system controller 6A determines that the front end of a product has been detected based on the detection signal from the second sensor S2, it uses the pre-stored product size information to control the second conveyor so that it stops when the product reaches a predetermined position. This ensures more reliable control of the product's stopping position on the second conveyor.

[0058] When the system controller 6A determines, based on the detection signal from the first sensor S1, that the leading or trailing end of the product has been detected, it starts decelerating the first conveyor. This allows the transport capacity (processing capacity) of the first conveyor to be maintained as high as possible, while simultaneously decelerating the first transport speed to the second transport speed just before the product is discharged onto the second conveyor.

[0059] Because the coefficient of friction on the second conveying surface of the second conveyor is relatively small, the goods slide easily on the second conveying surface, and the goods are easily discharged laterally by the discharge section. Since the goods come to a stop from the sufficiently low second conveying speed after the deceleration control described above, changes in the posture and position of the goods can be suppressed even if the coefficient of friction is relatively small. On the other hand, in the first conveyor, because the gripping force of the goods is excellent, the posture of the goods does not collapse even if the goods are decelerated in a relatively short time.

[0060] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the coefficient of friction on the conveying surfaces of the upstream device front conveyor 13 and the downstream device front conveyor 18 may be equivalent to the coefficient of friction on the conveying surfaces of the upstream high-speed conveyor 12 and the downstream high-speed conveyor 17.

[0061] In the first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2, the light transmission direction does not have to be horizontal. The light transmission direction may be vertical or oblique. The type of first sensor S1 and the second sensor S2 is not limited to light-transmitting and light-receiving types. For example, the passage of product P1 may be detected based on an image acquired by an imaging device. Either the first sensor S1 or the second sensor S2, or both, may be omitted. In that case, an item detection unit of a type other than a sensor may be provided so that the timing when product P1 is brought onto the introduction conveyor 11, etc., is captured by the item detector, and a two-stage deceleration equivalent to that described above is performed by calculating the travel distance separately from that point in time, so that product P1 stops at the central position PC.

[0062] In the above embodiment of the packaging system S, an example was given in which two pushers 30A, 30B and two packaging devices 1A, 1B are arranged. However, it is also possible to provide only one pusher and one packaging device, or three or more pushers and three or more packaging devices.

[0063] In the packaging system S of the above embodiment, an example was given in which a weighing, packaging, and labeling device was applied as the product processing device. However, a product processing device having at least one of the functions of weighing, packaging, and labeling may also be applied. In other words, the content of the product processing can be changed as appropriate.

[0064] The conveying device M of the present invention may also be applied to product processing devices other than weighing, packaging, and labeling devices. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1A...Upstream packaging device, 1B...Downstream packaging device, 2...Weighing unit, 6A...System controller (control unit), 10...Primary conveyor, 20...Secondary conveyor, 30A...Upstream pusher (discharge unit), 30B...Downstream pusher (discharge unit), D1...Conveying direction, D2...Supplying direction (direction intersecting the conveying direction), PC...Center position (determined position), S...Packaging system, S1...First sensor, S2...Second sensor.

Claims

1. A first conveyor that transports goods in the downstream direction, A second conveyor is located downstream of the first conveyor and further transports the goods, A discharge unit that discharges the goods brought onto the second conveyor in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, The system comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the first conveyor and the second conveyor, The control unit, after the goods have been loaded onto the first conveyor, reduces the first transport speed of the first conveyor to a transport speed equal to or close to the second transport speed of the second conveyor before loading the goods onto the second conveyor, and further controls the second conveyor so that the goods stop at a predetermined position in the transport direction on the second conveyor. Conveying device.

2. A sensor is provided upstream of the predetermined position to detect the passage of the product, The control unit uses the detection signal from the sensor and the size information of the product stored in advance to control the second conveyor so as to stop the second conveyor when the product reaches the predetermined position. The conveying device according to claim 1.

3. Further upstream from the aforementioned sensor, there is another sensor that detects the product, The control unit starts deceleration control of the first conveyor based on the detection signal from the other sensor. The conveying device according to claim 2.

4. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the coefficient of friction on the second conveying surface of the second conveyor is smaller than the coefficient of friction on the first conveying surface of the first conveyor.

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