Transfer device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a transfer device that can stably support heavy objects being transported and move them between conveyors, while minimizing vertical dimensions and achieving a thinner wall profile. [Solution] This transfer device 10 is a device for transferring a transported object W between two conveyors 2 and 3 that have different transport directions, and comprises a rotating body 12 that can rotate about a predetermined axis X, a support part 13 that can support the rotating body 12 from below, a drive part 14 that applies rotational force to the rotating body 12 about a predetermined axis X, a lifting body 15 that has a support surface for the transported object W and can raise and lower the support surface between at least the transport surface of one conveyor 2 and the transport surface of the other conveyor 3, and a conversion part 16 that can convert the rotational force applied to the rotating body 12 into a linear force in the direction of axis X and transmit it to the lifting body 15.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device, and particularly to a technology for enabling transfer of a conveyed object between conveyors at an intersection of two conveyors having different conveyance directions from each other.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in manufacturing processes including those for automobiles, it is well known to convey workpieces and the like using conveyors (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, as a configuration for transferring a conveyed object from one conveyor to another at an intersection of two conveyors having different conveyance directions from each other (for example, an intersection of the end of one conveyor and the start of the other conveyor that are orthogonal to each other), for example, a lifting platform that can move up and down in the vertical direction and a transfer conveyor that is attached to the lifting platform and can rotate around a vertical axis to change the driving direction (conveyance direction) are known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The transfer device described above enables smooth transfer of transported objects between two mutually orthogonal conveyors. On the other hand, in this type of transport device, transported objects such as workpieces are often transported together with supports such as pallets. Therefore, if it is desirable to transport the transported objects together with their supports to a predetermined process and then return only the supports to their original position, it becomes necessary to provide a separate conveyor for returning the supports, in addition to the conveyor for transporting the transported objects together with the supports.

[0006] One possible arrangement for the return conveyor is to place it parallel to the transport conveyor, adjacent to it horizontally. However, in recent manufacturing processes, layouts that efficiently arrange necessary equipment within a limited space are prevalent from the perspective of increasing efficiency and ultimately saving energy. Therefore, it is currently difficult to place new transport equipment (conveyors) parallel to existing transport equipment.

[0007] For example, if the conveyor is arranged in two levels, one for transporting goods and the other for returning them, it seems possible to install a new return conveyor without making significant changes to the layout of surrounding equipment.

[0008] However, when transporting the transported object and its support structure, if the combined weight of the transported object and support structure must be stably supported, it becomes necessary to install a linear actuator, such as a high-output hydraulic cylinder, in the lifting platform's drive mechanism, with its linear motion aligned with the lifting direction. This results in the linear actuator protruding significantly downward from the lifting platform, increasing the vertical dimension of the transfer equipment. Therefore, from the standpoint of adjusting the height with other adjacent processes, it becomes extremely difficult to stack transfer equipment of the same structure vertically.

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, this specification aims to provide a transfer device that can stably support heavy objects and move them between conveyors while minimizing vertical dimensions and thinning the wall thickness as much as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The aforementioned problem is solved by the transfer device according to the present invention. That is, the device is for transferring objects between two conveyors with different conveying directions, and is characterized by comprising: a rotating body rotatable about a predetermined axis; a support part capable of supporting the rotating body from below; a drive unit that applies rotational force about a predetermined axis to the rotating body; a lifting body having a support surface for the objects to be conveyed and capable of raising and lowering the support surface between at least one conveyor's conveying surface and the other conveyor's conveying surface; and a conversion unit capable of converting the rotational force applied to the rotating body into a linear force oriented along the axis and transmitting it to the lifting body.

[0011] As described above, the transfer device according to the present invention converts the rotational force applied to the rotating body by the drive unit around a predetermined axis into linear force oriented along the axis, and transmits it to a lifting body having a support surface for the transported object. This allows the input direction from the drive unit to be horizontal. As a result, for example, when the drive unit is a linear actuator, the linear actuator can be positioned horizontally, thus reducing the vertical dimension of the transfer device compared to when it is positioned vertically as in the conventional method. Furthermore, the transfer device according to the present invention is provided with a support unit that supports the rotating body from below, so that the weight of the transported object acting on the support surface can be borne by the rotating body. This eliminates the need for the drive unit to bear the entire weight of the transported object as in the conventional method, allowing the drive unit to be made smaller, which also reduces the vertical dimension of the transfer device. Of course, since the weight of the transported object acting on the support surface can be borne by the rotating body by supporting the rotating body from below, there is no need to worry about the lifting motion of the lifting body becoming unstable due to the weight of the transported object. In summary, the transfer device according to the present invention makes it possible to stably transfer transported objects while minimizing the vertical dimension as much as possible. Furthermore, if the vertical dimension can be reduced and the transfer device can be made thinner, it will be possible to create a structure where the conveyor and transfer device are stacked in two stages without raising the height of the conveyor from its current position. This makes it possible to install a new conveyor for returning the support structures that remain after transport, even when the overall planar space of the facility is limited.

[0012] Furthermore, in the transfer device according to the present invention, the conversion section may consist of a first grooved link provided on the rotating body and extending in a direction inclined either up or down with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body, a second grooved link extending in a direction along the axis, and a fitting section provided on the lifting body that engages with the first grooved link and the second grooved link and is movable in the longitudinal direction of each grooved link.

[0013] By configuring the conversion section in this way, movement of the fitting portion provided on the lifting body along the first groove link is permitted. That is, as the rotating body rotates around its axis, the fitting portion moves diagonally along its longitudinal direction within the first groove link. At this time, the fitting portion is only permitted to move along the longitudinal direction of the second groove link, and movement in other directions is restricted by the second groove link. Here, since the second groove link extends along the axis of the rotating body, as the rotating body rotates, the fitting portion is only permitted to move in the vertical direction, and movement in other directions is restricted. As a result, as the rotating body rotates in a predetermined direction, the fitting portion moves either up or down according to the inclination direction of the first groove link. As a result, the lifting body provided with the fitting portion rises or falls together with the fitting portion. Therefore, by changing the rotation direction of the rotating body, the direction of rise and fall of the lifting body can be easily changed. Furthermore, by configuring the conversion unit in this way, the drive unit only needs to have enough output to cause the mating part to climb the first groove link in a predetermined diagonal direction, thus enabling further miniaturization of the drive unit. In addition, by configuring the conversion unit with such a mechanical link mechanism, the conversion unit can be manufactured at a low cost. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the transfer device can be further reduced. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, the transfer device according to the present invention makes it possible to stably support heavy objects being transported and transfer them between conveyors while minimizing the vertical dimension and making the device thinner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the main part of a transport device equipped with a transfer device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the transfer device. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a plan view of the transfer device. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a front view of the transfer device as seen from the direction of arrow A, which is aligned horizontally. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the transfer device shown in FIG. 3, and is an enlarged front view of the main part of the transfer device showing a state where a fitting portion is located at the lower end of the second groove link. [Figure 6] It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the transfer device shown in FIG. 3, and is an enlarged front view of the main part showing a state where a fitting portion is located at the upper end of the second groove link.

Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the content of the transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the main part of a conveying device 1 provided with a transfer device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This conveying device 1 enables a conveyed object W to be transferred from one conveyor, that is, the upstream conveyor 2, to the other conveyor, that is, the downstream conveyor 3, by the transfer device 10 at an intersection 4 of two conveyors 2 and 3 having different conveying directions from each other. In this embodiment, the conveying direction d1 of the upstream conveyor 2 and the conveying direction d2 of the downstream conveyor 3 are different by 90°. That is, the terminal of the upstream conveyor 2 and the start end of the downstream conveyor 3 are orthogonal at the intersection 4. Therefore, the conveyed object W is conveyed downstream in a state where the conveying direction is changed by 90° at the intersection 4.

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the transfer device 10 incorporated and used in the conveying device 1 shown in FIG. 1. This transfer device 10 includes a base 11, a rotating body 12, a support portion 13, a drive portion 14, a lifting body 15, and a conversion portion 16. In this embodiment, the transfer device 10 is formed by attaching a conveyor unit 2a, which is a part of the upstream conveyor 2, to the upper part of the lifting body 15. The conveyor unit 2a supports the conveyed object W and enables the conveyed object W in the supported state to be lifted and lowered together with the conveyor unit 2a.

[0019] The base 11 is, for example, plate-shaped and is fixed to the floor surface. That is, the base 11 is always fixed at a constant position regardless of the operating state of the transfer device 10 or the conveying device 1.

[0020] The rotating body 12 is disposed on the base 11 and is configured to be rotatable about a predetermined axis X extending in the vertical direction by a drive unit 14 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). In the present embodiment, the rotating body 12 is cylindrical and is rotatable about the axis X located at its center (both see FIG. 3).

[0021] The support portion 13 is configured to support the rotating body 12 from below. In the present embodiment, the support portion 13 has a plurality of first support rollers 17 that project radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body 12. In this case, each first support roller 17 is rotatably supported about an axis extending in the horizontal direction with respect to the rotating body 12, and is capable of supporting the weight of the rotating body 12 and a vertically downward load acting on the rotating body 12 described later. Further, each first support roller 17 is always in contact with the upper surface 11a of the base 11, whereby the rotating body 12 is always in a state of having a gap with the base 11. Therefore, the rotating body 12 is rotatably supported by the plurality of first support rollers 17 in a non-contact state with the base 11 at all times (see FIG. 4).

[0022] Also, in the present embodiment, the support portion 13 further has a second support roller 18 that supports the rotating body 12 from the inner side in the radial direction thereof. Each second support roller 18 is rotatably attached to the base 11 about a vertical axis, and by contacting the inner peripheral surface of the rotating body 12, it is capable of holding the rotating body 12 during axial rotation at a predetermined horizontal position (see FIGS. 3 and 4). From the above, according to the support portion 13 according to the present embodiment, the rotating body 12 is supported in the horizontal and vertical directions in a non-contact state with respect to the base 11.

[0023] The drive unit 14 is capable of applying a rotational force to the rotating body 12 around a predetermined axis X, and in this embodiment, it is composed of a linear actuator 19 such as an air cylinder. In this case, the linear actuator 19 is arranged on the base 11 such that its linear motion direction is aligned with the horizontal direction and aligned with the tangential direction of the outer surface of the rotating body 12 (see Figures 3 and 4). In this embodiment, the linear actuator 19 is also arranged at the same vertical position level as the rotating body 12. Although this embodiment illustrates a case where the drive unit 14 is composed of one linear actuator 19, it is of course possible to configure the drive unit 14 with two or more linear actuators 19.

[0024] The lifting body 15 is intended to transfer the conveyed object W between the two conveyors 2 and 3, and allows the supported conveyed object W to move between the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2 and the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3, which are at different heights. In this embodiment, the upstream conveyor 2 is located upstream in the conveying direction compared to the downstream conveyor 3, and the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2 (here composed of the upper surface of the rollers) is positioned higher than the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3 (here composed of the upper surface of the belt). Therefore, the lifting body 15 can rise to the same height as the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2, and after the conveyed object W has moved onto the lifting body 15 (here, the conveyor unit 2a which forms part of the upstream conveyor 2), it can descend to the same height as the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3.

[0025] The conversion unit 16 is configured to convert the rotational force applied to the rotating body 12 into a linear force oriented along the axis X and transmit it to the lifting body 15. In this embodiment, the conversion unit 16 is provided on the rotating body 12 and consists of a first groove link 20 that extends in a direction inclined either up or down with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body 12, a second groove link 21 that extends along the axis X, and a fitting part 22 provided on the lifting body 15 that fits with the first groove link 20 and the second groove link 21 and is movable in the longitudinal direction of each groove link 20, 21 (see Figure 5).

[0026] The first groove link 20 is formed to penetrate the rotating body 12 in its thickness direction (radial direction) and consists of an inclined groove portion 20a that is inclined in a predetermined direction with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body 12, and a horizontal groove portion 20b that extends horizontally from the upper end of the inclined groove portion 20a. Here, the vertical distance from the lower end to the upper end of the inclined groove portion 20a becomes the range of motion of the lifting body 15, the lower end position of the inclined groove portion 20a becomes the lower limit position of the lifting body 15, and the upper end position becomes the upper limit position of the lifting body 15 (see Figures 5 and 6 described later). In this embodiment, the first groove link 20 is formed at four locations on the rotating body 12 that are equally spaced in the circumferential direction.

[0027] The second groove links 21 are positioned adjacent to the first groove links 20 and the rotating body 12 on the radially inner side. In this embodiment, the same number of second groove links 21 as the first groove links 20 are formed to penetrate the vertical plate portion 23, which is erected from the base portion 11, in the thickness direction, and extend in a direction along the axis X, i.e., in the vertical direction (see Figure 5). Of course, the second groove links 21 and the vertical plate portion 23 may also be positioned adjacent to the first groove links 20 and the rotating body 12 on the radially outer side.

[0028] The fitting portion 22 is provided on the lifting body 15 and is configured to be fitted into the first groove link 20 and the second groove link 21, respectively, and is movable along the longitudinal direction of the first groove link 20 and the longitudinal direction of the second groove link 21 when fitted.

[0029] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the fitting portion 22 is fitted to the lower end of the inclined groove portion 20a of the first groove link 20 and also fitted to the lower end of the second groove link 21. Then, as shown in Figure 6, the rotating body 12 rotates around axis X so that the horizontal groove portion 20b of the first groove link 20 approaches the fitting portion 22, and as the first groove link 20 moves toward one side in the circumferential direction, the fitting portion 22, which is fitted to the first groove link 20, moves toward the upper end of the inclined groove portion 20a of the first groove link 20 and also moves toward the upper end of the second groove link 21. Here, since the movement of the rotating body 12 in the circumferential direction is restricted by the second groove link 21, as a result, the fitting portion 22 moves vertically upward without moving horizontally.

[0030] In this embodiment, the same number of fitting portions 22 are provided at the same vertical position relative to the lifting body 15 as the first groove link 20 and the second groove link 21. Furthermore, each fitting portion 22 is configured to fit at the same longitudinal position within the first groove link 20 and the second groove link 21. Therefore, as each fitting portion 22 moves vertically upward as described above, the lifting body 15, to which these multiple fitting portions 22 are provided, moves vertically upward while maintaining its orientation (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0031] Furthermore, the fitting portion 22 can be configured in any way as long as it is movable along the longitudinal direction of each groove link 20, 21 while fitted with each groove link 20, 21. For example, it can be configured with a axially supported roller such as a cam follower for the purpose of smooth movement.

[0032] In the transfer device 10 with the above configuration, for example, the linear actuator 19 is extended and driven from the state shown in Figure 3 to apply a rotational force around axis X (clockwise rotational force in Figure 3) to the rotating body 12. As a result, the rotating body 12 rotates in a predetermined direction, and the fitting portion 22 provided on the lifting body 15 moves so as to run up the inclined groove portion 20a of the first groove link 20, while the second groove link 21, which is fixed in the horizontal direction, moves vertically upward. As a result, the lifting body 15 on which the fitting portion 22 is provided and the conveyor unit 2a fixed to the lifting body 15 rise and stop when they have risen to the upper end position of the second groove link 21. Here, with the fitting portion 22 positioned at the upper end of the second groove link 21 (as shown in Figure 6), by setting the conveying surface of the conveyor unit 2a fixed to the lifting body 15 and the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2 to be at the same height, the conveying surface of the conveyor unit 2a, which forms part (the end portion) of the upstream conveyor 2, stops at the same height as the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2. Therefore, by unloading the conveyed object W from the upstream conveyor 2, the conveyed object W is loaded onto the conveyor unit 2a.

[0033] In this case, when the fitting portion 22 moves to the horizontal groove portion 20b of the first groove link 20 as the rotating body 12 rotates around its axis X (as shown in Figure 6), the weight of the conveyed object W loaded onto the conveyor unit 2a, and the weight of the conveyor unit 2a, the lifting body 15, and the fitting portion 22 act on the rotating body 12 via the lower part of the horizontal groove portion 20b. Here, since the rotating body 12 is supported from below by the support portion 13 (first support roller 17) relative to the base portion 11 on the ground-fixed side, the loading of the conveyed object W and the subsequent lifting and unloading operations can be performed stably and smoothly.

[0034] After the transported object W is loaded onto the conveyor unit 2a provided on the transfer device 10 as described above, the linear actuator 19 is driven in the opposite direction to when the lifting body 15 is raised (in this case, a contraction drive) to rotate the rotating body 12 around axis X in the opposite direction to when it is raised (counterclockwise in Figure 3). As a result, the fitting portion 22 enters the inclined groove portion 20a from the horizontal groove portion 20b and moves diagonally downward (towards the lower end of the inclined groove portion 20a) and also moves towards the lower end of the second groove link 21. Consequently, the lifting body 15 and the conveyor unit 2a descend, and the transported object W on the conveyor unit 2a stops when it has descended together with the conveyor unit 2a to the lower end position of the second groove link 21. Here, with the fitting portion 22 positioned at the lower end of the second groove link 21 (as shown in Figure 5), the lower end position of the second groove link 21 is set so that the conveying surface of the conveyor unit 2a fixed to the lifting body 15 and the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3 (in this case, the upper end surface of the belt) are at the same height, or slightly lower than the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3. In this case, the conveying surface of the conveyor unit 2a stops at the same height as the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3 or slightly lower than the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3. Here, as shown in Figure 1, if the conveying drive element of the downstream conveyor 3 (in this case, the belt) extends to a position where it intersects with the end of the upstream conveyor 2, when the conveyor unit 2a descends to its lower limit position, or while descending, the conveyed object W is supported by the conveying drive element of the downstream conveyor 3, and the conveyed object W is transferred to the downstream conveyor 3. As described above, the transfer of the conveyed object W by the transfer device 10 is carried out between the upstream conveyor 2 and the downstream conveyor 3.

[0035] As described above, in the transfer device 10 according to this embodiment, the rotational force applied to the rotating body 12 by the drive unit 14 around a predetermined axis X is converted by the conversion unit 16 into linear power oriented along axis X and can be transmitted to the lifting body 15 which has a support surface for the conveyed object W (in this case, the conveying surface of the conveyor unit 2a). This allows the input direction from the drive unit 14 to be horizontal. As a result, when the drive unit 14 is a linear actuator 19 as in this embodiment, the linear actuator 19 can be positioned horizontally (see Figure 4), so the vertical dimensions of the transfer device 10 can be reduced compared to when it is positioned along the vertical direction as in the conventional case. Furthermore, in the transfer device 10 according to this embodiment, a support unit 13 is provided to support the rotating body 12 from below, so the weight of the conveyed object W acting on the support surface can be received by the rotating body 12. As a result, the drive unit 14 does not need to receive the entire weight of the conveyed object W as in the conventional case, so the drive unit 14 can be made smaller, which also makes it possible to reduce the vertical dimensions of the transfer device 10. Of course, by providing a support section 13 that supports the rotating body 12 from below, the weight of the conveyed object W acting on the support surface can be supported by the rotating body 12, so there is no need to worry that the lifting motion of the lifting body 15 will become unstable due to the weight of the conveyed object W. As described above, the transfer device 10 according to this embodiment makes it possible to stably transfer the conveyed object W while reducing the vertical dimension as much as possible. Furthermore, if the transfer device 10 can be made thin by reducing the vertical dimension, it is possible to create a structure in which the conveyors 2 and 3 and the transfer device 10 are each stacked in two stages without raising the height of the conveyors 2 and 3 from their current positions, so even when the overall planar space of the conveying device 1 is limited, it is possible to install a new conveyor for returning the support that remains after conveying.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conversion unit 16 is composed of a first groove link 20 provided on the rotating body 12 and extending in a direction inclined either up or down with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body 12, a second groove link 21 extending in a direction along the axis X, and a fitting part 22 provided on the lifting body 15 that engages with the first groove link 20 and the second groove link 21 and is movable in the longitudinal direction of each groove link 20, 21. By configuring the conversion unit 16 in this way, movement of the fitting part 22 provided on the lifting body 15 in a direction along the first groove link 20 is permitted. That is, as the rotating body 12 rotates around the axis X, the fitting part 22 moves diagonally within the first groove link 20 along its longitudinal direction. At this time, the fitting part 22 is only permitted to move in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the second groove link 21, and movement in any other direction is restricted by the second groove link 21. Here, since the second groove link 21 extends in a direction along the axis X of the rotating body 12, the fitting portion 22 is only allowed to move in the vertical direction as the rotating body 12 rotates, and movement in other directions is restricted. As a result, as the rotating body 12 rotates in a predetermined direction, the fitting portion 22 moves either up or down according to the inclination direction of the first groove link 20. This causes the lifting body 15, to which the fitting portion 22 is provided, to rise or fall together with the fitting portion 22. Therefore, the direction of lifting of the lifting body 15 can be easily changed by changing the rotation direction of the rotating body 22. Furthermore, by configuring the conversion unit 16 in this way, the drive unit 14 only needs to have enough output to cause the fitting portion 22 to climb up the first groove link 20 in a predetermined diagonal direction, thus enabling further miniaturization of the drive unit 14. In addition, by configuring the conversion unit 16 with such a mechanical link mechanism, the conversion unit 16 can be manufactured at a low cost. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the transfer device 10 can be further reduced.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotating body 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the fitting portion 22 protrudes radially from the lifting body 15 toward the rotating body 12, and the fitting portion 22 is fitted into the first groove link 20 that extends in the circumferential direction of the rotating body 12. As a result, the lifting body 15 can be positioned radially inward (towards the center) of the rotating body 12, and the lifting body 15 can be positioned to overlap the rotating body 12 in the vertical direction. This allows the vertical dimension of the transfer device 10 to be further reduced, making it even easier to implement the multi-stage conveyors 2 and 3 described above.

[0038] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the transfer device according to the present invention may also have configurations other than those described above, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0039] For example, in the above embodiment, the drive unit 14 is shown as being composed of a linear actuator 19, but of course, it is not limited to this. For example, although not shown in the figures, the drive unit 14 may be composed of a motor, and with the rotation axis direction of the motor aligned with the axis X, the rotation axis of the motor and the outer circumference of the rotating body 12 may be connected by gear meshing to transmit power. In this case, the rotational driving force of the motor is transmitted as rotational force of the rotating body 12 via the gear. Therefore, the rotating body 12 can be rotated around the axis X, and this rotational force can be converted by the conversion unit 16 into linear force in the direction of the axis X and transmitted to the lifting body 15.

[0040] Furthermore, it is of course possible for the conversion unit 16 to take a form other than that of the above embodiment. For example, although not shown in the figures, a female screw portion may be provided on the inner circumference of the rotating body 12, and a male screw portion may be provided on the lifting body 15 that screws into the female screw portion of the rotating body 12, so that the lifting body 15 moves up and down around the axis X as the rotating body 12 rotates.

[0041] Furthermore, the above explanation illustrates a case in which a portion of the upstream conveyor 2 (conveyor unit 2a) is attached to the upper part of the lifting body 15 of the transfer device 10, and the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3 is positioned lower than the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2. The transported object W is then brought onto the conveyor unit 2a while the lifting body 15 is raised to a predetermined position, and then the lifting body 15 is lowered to a predetermined position to place the transported object W on the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3. However, the transfer method is not limited to this. For example, although not shown in the illustration, a portion of the downstream conveyor 3 may be attached to the upper part of the lifting body 15, and the attached portion of the conveyor 3 may be made into a drive conveyor unit, with the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3 set higher than the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2. In this case, for example, the conveying surface of the drive conveyor unit attached to the lifting body 15 may be adjusted to a position where it is at the same height as the conveying surface of the upstream conveyor 2, and the conveyed object W may be brought from the upstream conveyor 2 onto the conveying surface of the drive conveyor unit on the lifting body 15. Then, the lifting body 15 may be raised to a position where the conveying surface of the drive conveyor unit is at the same height as the conveying surface of the downstream conveyor 3, and only then may the drive conveyor unit be driven to discharge the conveyed object W toward the downstream conveyor 3. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 1. Conveying device 2,3 Conveyor 2a Conveyor Unit 4. Intersection 10 Transfer equipment 11 Base 11a Top surface 12. Solids of revolution 13 Support part 14 Drive Unit 15 Lifting mechanism 16 Conversion section 17 First support roller 18 Second support roller 19 Linear Actuator 20 First Groove Link 20a Inclined groove section 20b Horizontal groove 21 Second groove link 22 Fitting part 23 Vertical board section W Conveyed items X axis

Claims

1. A device for transferring objects between two conveyors with different conveying directions, A rotating body that can rotate around a predetermined axis, A support portion capable of supporting the rotating body from below, A drive unit that applies rotational force about the predetermined axis to the rotating body, A lifting body having a support surface for the conveyed object, and capable of raising and lowering the support surface between at least the conveying surface of one conveyor and the conveying surface of the other conveyor, A transfer device comprising a conversion unit capable of converting the rotational force applied to the rotating body into a linear force oriented along the axis and transmitting it to the lifting body.

2. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit comprises a first grooved link provided on the rotating body and extending in a direction inclined either up or down with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body, a second grooved link extending in a direction along the axis, and a fitting unit provided on the lifting body that engages with the first grooved link and the second grooved link and is movable in the longitudinal direction of each grooved link.

Images