Conveying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveying device that can more appropriately control the orientation of conveyed items according to the conveying conditions of the items. [Solution] The conveying device 70 includes a posture control conveyor 11, a turner 15 provided on one side 11b of the posture control conveyor 11 and configured to switch between a first state in which it has advanced toward the other side 11c and a second state in which it has retreated toward the one side 11b from the first state, and capable of changing at least one of the position or posture of the bag G16 by interfering with the bag G16 being conveyed, a line sensor 18 that detects at least one of the position or posture of the bag G16 along the intersecting direction D2, and a control unit 60 that controls the forward and backward position of the turner 15 between the first state and the second state. The control unit 60 determines whether or not to cause the bag G16 and the turner 15 to interfere based on at least one of the position or posture detected by the line sensor 18, and controls the forward and backward position of the turner 15 according to the result of the determination.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a conveying device including a conveyor having a horizontal conveying surface, a posture switching member that can be switched to a first state in which it protrudes so as to interfere with a part on the advancing direction side of an object to be conveyed moving on the horizontal conveying surface or a second state in which it deviates from the conveying path of the object to be conveyed, a guiding member that guides the object to be conveyed along the advancing direction upstream of the posture switching member, and a control unit that controls the switching operation between the first state and the second state of the posture switching member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above conventional conveying device, the posture switching member is protruded so as to be in the first state and interfere with the object to be conveyed (article) supplied from the upstream device, thereby rotating the object to be conveyed so that its direction changes. However, the conveying state of the object to be conveyed supplied from the upstream device can vary in various angles with respect to the conveying direction, or can be in various positions in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, resulting in variations. Therefore, there is room for improvement in controlling the posture of the conveyed article.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device capable of more appropriately controlling the posture of an article to be conveyed according to the conveying state of the article.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) A transport device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a transport unit having a transport surface for transporting articles; a posture changing unit provided on one side of the transport unit and configured to switch between a first state in which it has advanced toward the other side of the transport unit and a second state in which it has retracted toward the one side from the first state, and capable of changing at least one of the position or posture of an article by interfering with the article being transported; a detection unit provided upstream of the posture changing unit in the article transport direction and detecting at least one of the position or posture of an article along a direction intersecting the transport direction; and a control unit that controls the advance and retraction position of the posture changing unit between the first state and the second state, wherein the control unit determines whether or not to cause interference between the article and the posture changing unit based on at least one of the position or posture detected by the detection unit, and controls the advance and retraction position of the posture changing unit according to the result of the determination.

[0007] In a conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention, a detection unit detects at least one of the position or orientation of an article along a direction intersecting the conveying direction. Based on at least one of the position or orientation detected by the detection unit, a control unit determines whether or not to cause interference between the article and the orientation changing unit, and controls the forward and backward position of the orientation changing unit according to the determination result. In this way, since the forward and backward position of the orientation changing unit is controlled by considering at least one of the position or orientation of the article along a direction intersecting the conveying direction as the conveying state of the article, the control unit can control the forward and backward position of the orientation changing unit more appropriately according to the conveying state of the article compared to, for example, a configuration that does not consider the position and orientation of the article. Therefore, according to a conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention, the orientation of the conveyed article can be controlled more appropriately according to the conveying state of the article.

[0008] (2) In (1) above, the shape of the article is a substantially rectangle having a long side and a short side in a plan view, and the control unit may control the reciprocating position of the posture changing part to the second state if it predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the posture changing part when it is in the first state reciprocating position. In this case, by preventing the short side of the article from interfering with the posture changing part when it is in the first state reciprocating position, it is possible to suppress the article from rotating so that the direction of the long side of the article intersects the transport direction more significantly.

[0009] (3) In (1) or (2) above, the shape of the article is a substantially rectangle having a long side and a short side in a plan view, and the control unit may control the reciprocating position of the posture change unit so that it is in the second state reciprocating position when the direction of the long side of the article detected by the detection unit is substantially parallel to the transport direction. In this case, for example, by not allowing the article to interfere with the posture change unit in the second state reciprocating position, the article can be kept in a posture where the direction of the long side is substantially parallel to the transport direction.

[0010] (4) In (2) above, the conveying device is equipped with a removal device for removing articles from the conveying section, and the control unit may control the removal device to remove the article from the conveying section if it predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the attitude change section when the second state is set to the forward / backward position. In this case, by removing the article from the conveying section, interference of the short side of the article with the attitude change section when the second state is set to the forward / backward position can be suppressed, and the article can be prevented from rotating so that the direction of the long side of the article intersects the conveying direction more significantly.

[0011] (5) In (1) above, the shape of the article is a substantially rectangular shape with a long side and a short side in plan view, and the posture changing unit is capable of switching its forward and backward position to a third state in which it has advanced toward the other side of the conveying unit by a different amount than the first state, and the control unit may control the forward and backward position of the posture changing unit to the third state if it predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the forward and backward position of the first state, and if it predicts that the long side of the article will interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the forward and backward position of the third state. In this case, by causing the long side of the article to interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the forward and backward position of the third state, the article can be rotated so that the direction of the long side is aligned with the conveying direction.

[0012] (6) In any one of (1) to (5) above, the attitude changing unit may include an interference member including a first surface along the transport direction and a second surface along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and an actuator that switches the position of the interference member along a direction intersecting the transport direction. In this case, the forward and backward position of the attitude changing unit can be controlled by driving the actuator to move the interference member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the orientation of the transported article can be controlled more appropriately depending on the transport condition of the article. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This figure schematically shows an article storage system including a transport device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the configuration of an article storage system. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing the configuration of an item storage device. [Figure 4] This is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the item storage device. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the goods storage device, with the incoming conveyor belt seen from the alignment conveyor side. [Figure 6] This is a schematic plan view of the conveying device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] (a) is a diagram showing an example of the detection result of the detection unit. (b) is a diagram showing another example of the detection result of the detection unit. [Figure 8] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a first example of controlling the forward and backward position of the attitude change unit. [Figure 9] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a second example of controlling the forward and backward position of the attitude change unit. [Figure 10] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a third example of control over the forward and backward position of the attitude change unit. [Figure 11] This is a schematic plan view illustrating a fourth example of control over the forward and backward position of the attitude change unit. [Figure 12]It is a schematic plan view for explaining a fifth control example of the advancing / retreating position of the posture changing unit.

Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the article storage system 100 includes, for example, a plurality of article storage devices 1. The plurality of article storage devices 1 are arranged in a row. In the article storage system 100, for example, in each article storage device 1, different types of articles are stored in the box B. In the present embodiment, the article is a bag G in which the contents are enclosed. The box B is, for example, cardboard.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the article storage system 100 includes a general controller 110. The general controller 110 controls the entire article storage system 100. The general controller 110 can be configured by a computer including a processor, a main storage unit, an auxiliary storage unit, a communication control unit, an input device, and an output device. The general controller 110 may be configured by one computer or may be configured by a plurality of computers. The general controller 110 is provided, for example, to be communicable with the plurality of article storage devices 1 by wire or wirelessly, and generates an operation signal for controlling the operation of the article storage device 1.

[0018] In the upstream process in the conveyance path of the bag G of the article storage device 1, a weighing device, a bag-making and packaging machine, etc. (not shown) are arranged. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the article storage device 1 includes an article conveyance unit 10, an article alignment unit 20, a storage mechanism 30, a box conveyance unit 40, a leveling mechanism 50, and a control unit 60.

[0019] The article transport unit 10 receives bags G from the upstream process equipment and transports the bags G to the article alignment unit 20. The article transport unit 10 includes a posture control conveyor 11 and an input conveyor 12. The input conveyor 12 transports the bags G received from the posture control conveyor 11 to the article alignment unit 20. The posture control conveyor 11 and the control unit 60 constitute a part of the transport device 70 according to this embodiment. Details of the transport device 70 will be described later.

[0020] The conveying surface of the input conveyor 12 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. A support conveyor 13 is provided at the lower end of the input conveyor 12 in the direction of inclination to support the bag G, prevent it from falling off, and guide the bag G in the direction of transport. The bag G, moving on the upper side of the conveying surface of the input conveyor 12 in the direction of inclination, is subjected to a component of gravity along the direction of inclination, so as it moves, it slides down towards the support conveyor 13, and then moves along the support conveyor 13. The conveying surface of the support conveyor 13 moves along the direction of travel of the conveying surface of the input conveyor 12.

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the bags G are transported downstream of the input conveyor 12. When the leading edge of the bag G reaches the leading edge of the input conveyor 12, the bag G lands on the alignment conveyor 21 in a landing position that maintains the posture it had when it left the input conveyor 12. The item alignment unit 20 aligns the bags G supplied from the item transport unit 10. In the item alignment unit 20, a portion of the bag G that falls later lands on the alignment conveyor 21, while the remaining portion leans against the bag G that came before and tilts. In the item alignment unit 20, after the last bag G in the line lands on the alignment conveyor 21, the alignment conveyor 21 and the output conveyor 22 start operating simultaneously. The N bags G aligned in a line move to the output conveyor 22 as a group of items, and the group of items already on the output conveyor 22 continues to move along the output conveyor 22.

[0022] The storage mechanism 30 stores (transfers) multiple bags G aligned in the item alignment section 20 into the box B. The storage mechanism 30 is a parallel link robot with three sets of links.

[0023] The box transport section 40 is a belt conveyor that transports box B. Once the bag G is placed in box B by the storage mechanism 30, the box transport section 40 transports box B.

[0024] The leveling mechanism 50 presses down on and levels the bags G contained in box B. The leveling mechanism 50 is positioned either upstream or downstream of the box conveying section 40 in the conveying direction relative to the storage mechanism 30.

[0025] The control unit 60 controls the operation of the item storage device 1. The control unit 60 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ROM stores programs for controlling the item storage device 1. The control unit 60 may be able to communicate with the main controller 110.

[0026] The control unit 60 controls the operation of the article transport unit 10, article alignment unit 20, storage mechanism 30, box transport unit 40, leveling mechanism 50, and transport device 70. The control unit 60 controls each unit (each mechanism) based on production information transmitted from the master controller 110.

[0027] The configuration of the conveying device 70 will be explained in more detail. The conveying device 70 is a device for controlling the orientation of the bag G while conveying it, so that the orientation of the bag G supplied from the upstream process is in a suitable orientation in the downstream process.

[0028] As shown in Figure 6, as an example, the conveying device 70 includes a posture control conveyor 11 (conveying section), an item introduction conveyor 14, a turner 15 (posture changing section), a line sensor 18 (detection section), an air nozzle (removal device) 19, and a control unit 60. Note that the posture control conveyor 11, the item introduction conveyor 14, the turner 15, the line sensor 18, and the air nozzle may be included in the item conveying section 10.

[0029] The attitude control conveyor 11 is a transport conveyor installed upstream of the input conveyor 12 of the article storage device 1. The attitude control conveyor 11 has a belt that travels in a predetermined transport direction D1, forming a transport surface 11a for transporting bags G. The attitude control conveyor 11 has a predetermined width in the intersecting direction D2, which intersects (in this case is perpendicular to) the transport direction D1. When the direction of travel in the transport direction D1 is considered forward, the attitude control conveyor 11 has one side portion 11b on the left side along the intersecting direction D2, and the other side portion 11c on the right side along the intersecting direction D2. In the following description, the direction of travel in the transport direction D1 will be referred to as "forward," the left side along the intersecting direction D2 will be referred to as "left," and the right side along the intersecting direction D2 will be referred to as "right."

[0030] The item introduction conveyor 14 is a conveying conveyor provided upstream of the attitude control conveyor 11 in the conveying direction D1. The item introduction conveyor 14 is connected to the attitude control conveyor 11 with a predetermined gap in the conveying direction D1. The item introduction conveyor 14 has, for example, the same width as the attitude control conveyor 11 in the intersecting direction D2. The item introduction conveyor 14 may be positioned so that both ends in the intersecting direction D2 align with both ends of the attitude control conveyor 11 in the intersecting direction D2.

[0031] The item introduction conveyor 14 receives bags G that have passed inspections for weight, sealability, foreign matter contamination, etc., from the upstream process in the transport path of the bags G. Upstream of the item introduction conveyor 14, for example, a singulator may be installed (not shown). The singulator is a device that separates multiple bags G that have passed inspections for weight, sealability, foreign matter contamination, etc., while transporting them, and supplies the bags G to the downstream process one by one at a predetermined interval. Known devices can be used as the singulator.

[0032] In the attitude control conveyor 11 and the item introduction conveyor 14, a transport reference line 11d may be set. The transport reference line 11d is a virtual straight line that serves as a reference for the position of the bag G supplied from the singulator in the intersecting direction D2. The transport reference line 11d is set to pass through a position with a predetermined margin from the other side 11c of the attitude control conveyor 11.

[0033] Figures 6 to 12 show examples of bags G, G10 to G18, which differ in at least one of their position or orientation. The shape of each bag G is, for example, a roughly rectangular shape with a long side and a short side in plan view. Ideally, in terms of design, it is desirable that the bags G supplied from the singulator be in a position and orientation such that the direction of the long side of bag G10 is aligned with the transport direction D1, and the long side of the rightmost bag G10 aligns with the transport reference line 11d, as shown in bag G10 in Figure 6. However, generally, the bags G supplied from the singulator will be in a state that differs in at least one of their position or orientation compared to the ideal state such as bag G10. By controlling the orientation of such bags G so that at least the direction of the long side of bag G is aligned with the transport direction D1, and supplying bag G to the input conveyor 12 of the article storage device 1, the accumulation and transfer of bags G in the article storage device 1 can be stabilized.

[0034] The turner 15 is a mechanism configured to change at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G being conveyed. The turner 15 is provided on one side 11b of the orientation control conveyor 11. The turner 15 includes, for example, an interference member 16 and an actuator 17.

[0035] The interference member 16 is a member designed to interfere with the bag G being transported. The interference member 16 may be, for example, a plate member that forms an L-shape in plan view. The interference member 16 includes a first surface 16a along the transport direction D1 and a second surface 16b along the intersecting direction D2. The length of the first surface 16a along the transport direction D1 and the length of the second surface 16b along the intersecting direction D2 can be determined according to the dimensions of the attitude control conveyor 11, the dimensions of the bag G, and the movable range of the interference member 16, as described later.

[0036] The actuator 17 is a mechanism for switching the position of the interference member 16 along the intersecting direction D2. The actuator 17 has, for example, an air cylinder 17b provided so that a rod 17a extends and retracts along an extension / retraction direction D3 parallel to the intersecting direction D2. The tip of the rod 17a is attached to the first surface 16a of the interference member 16. The air cylinder 17b is attached to the frame of the article storage device 1, etc., via a servo motor 17c. The servo motor 17c supports the air cylinder 17b so that it can move along a movement direction D4 parallel to the intersecting direction D2.

[0037] In actuator 17, first, the forward / backward position P1 of the position where the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 is located when the rod 17a is extended is adjusted. Assuming a bag G11 (double-dotted line in Figure 6) where the right short side overlaps the transport reference line 11d, the forward / backward position P1 is adjusted by moving the air cylinder 17b with the servo motor 17c so that the position along the intersecting direction D2 of the bag G11 is at a position 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the way from the left short side of the bag G11.

[0038] The control unit 60 controls the position of the turner 15 between a first state in which it has advanced toward the other side 11c of the attitude control conveyor 11, and a second state in which it has retreated toward the one side 11b from the first state. The control unit 60 controls the position of the turner 15, for example, by extending or retracting the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b.

[0039] After adjusting the forward / backward position P1 as described above, with the servo motor 17c in a fixed position, the control unit 60 extends and retracts the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b, thereby allowing the position of the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 to be adjusted to any of the forward / backward positions P1, P2, and P3. The forward / backward positions P1, P2, and P3 correspond to the first, second, and third states of the turner 15, respectively. As a result, the turner 15 is configured to switch its forward / backward position between the first state, the second state, and the third state in which it has advanced toward the other side 11c of the attitude control conveyor 11 by a different amount than in the first state.

[0040] The line sensor 18 is located upstream of the turner 15 in the conveying direction D1 of the bag G and detects at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2. The position of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2 is, for example, the position of the four corners of the bag G to the left of the intersecting direction D2 with respect to the conveying reference line 11d. The orientation of the bag G is the orientation of the bag G in a plan view on the orientation control conveyor 11 and the item introduction conveyor 14.

[0041] The line sensor 18 is positioned, for example, between the attitude control conveyor 11 and the item introduction conveyor 14 in the transport direction D1, and includes a plurality of light-emitting elements provided above the space through which the bag G on the transport surface 11a passes, and a plurality of light-receiving sensors provided below the space. The plurality of light-emitting elements and the plurality of light-receiving sensors are arranged at predetermined intervals along the intersecting direction D2. Light is emitted downward from each of the plurality of light-emitting elements above. The emitted light is received by the plurality of light-receiving sensors below.

[0042] The line sensor 18 calculates at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2 by known calculations, based on whether or not the bag G blocks the light of the line sensor 18 and the time spent passing through the bag G. For example, as shown in Figure 7(a), in a two-dimensional plane with the transport direction D1 and the intersecting direction D2 as axes, the coordinates of the right front corner G12a, the left front corner G12b, the left rear corner G12c, and the right rear corner G12d of the bag G12 are detected as the position of the bag G12 along the intersecting direction D2.

[0043] Similarly, as shown in Figure 7(b), in a two-dimensional plane with the transport direction D1 and the intersecting direction D2 as axes, the coordinates of the right front corner G13a, the left front corner G13b, the left rear corner G13c, and the right rear corner G13d of the bag G13 are detected as the position of the bag G13 along the intersecting direction D2.

[0044] The air nozzle 19 is a removal device that removes the bag G from the attitude control conveyor 11. The air nozzle 19 is supplied with, for example, factory air, and the control unit 60 controls the operation of the air nozzle 19 by whether or not it sprays air. The air nozzle 19 is located on one side 11b of the attitude control conveyor 11, upstream of the turner 15 in the conveying direction D1. The air nozzle 19 is positioned to spray air downstream in the conveying direction D1 with respect to the intersecting direction D2. When the air nozzle 19 sprays air onto the bag G on the attitude control conveyor 11, it blows the bag G towards the other side 11c, removing it from the attitude control conveyor 11.

[0045] The control unit 60 predicts (determines) whether the bag G and the interference member 16 will interfere with each other based on at least one of the position or orientation detected by the line sensor 18, and controls the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 according to the determination result. In this embodiment, the control unit 60 controls the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 so that the orientation of the bag G is such that the long side of the bag G is aligned with the transport direction D1.

[0046] Taking bag G10 in Figure 6 as an example, the coordinates of the four corners of bag G10 detected by the line sensor 18 show that the coordinate of the left front corner G10b of bag G10 is located on the transport reference line 11d side of the forward / backward position P1, and the orientation of bag G10 is such that its short side is facing forward in the transport direction D1. In this state, there is no need to change the orientation of bag G10, so bag G10 is transported as is to the end of the orientation control conveyor 11.

[0047] Next, we will explain an example of the operation of the conveying device 70 with reference to Figures 8 to 12.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the bag G14 is transported from the item introduction conveyor 14 to the attitude control conveyor 11 with its long side inclined at an angle greater than or equal to a predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction D1. The predetermined angle is the angle at which the long side inclins with respect to the transport direction D1 to a degree that is desirable for controlling the attitude of the bag G. The predetermined angle may be a preset parameter. The predetermined angle may be stored in the control unit 60.

[0049] When bag G14 is transported in this state, line sensor 18 detects the position and orientation of bag G14. From the coordinates of the four corners of bag G14 detected by line sensor 18, the coordinate of the front left corner G14b, located at the front of bag G14, is located on the transport reference line 11d side of the forward / backward position P1, and the orientation of bag G14 is tilted to the right with respect to the transport direction D1. In this case, based on the position of the front corner G14b and the orientation of bag G14 detected by line sensor 18, the control unit 60 predicts that the long left side of bag G14 will interfere with the interference member 16 when the forward / backward position P1 is in the first state. When the control unit 60 makes such a prediction, it controls the forward / backward position of the interference member 16 so that it returns to the forward / backward position P1 of the first state.

[0050] Specifically, the control unit 60 extends the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b to position the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 at the forward / backward position P1. As a result, the left long side of the bag G14 contacts the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b of the interference member 16, causing the bag G14 to rotate in a plane with the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b as the center of rotation, and correcting the posture of the bag G14 so that the angle that the long side makes with respect to the transport direction D1 is reduced. The bag G14 is then positioned by the interference member 16 of the turner 15 to be approximately parallel to the transport direction D1 and transported to the end of the posture control conveyor 11.

[0051] As shown in Figure 9, the bag G15 is transported from the item introduction conveyor 14 to the attitude control conveyor 11 with its long side approximately parallel to the transport direction D1 and at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the transport reference line 11d. The predetermined distance is such that the coordinates of the left front corner G15b of the bag G15 are located on the opposite side from the transport reference line 11d from the forward / backward position P1.

[0052] When bag G15 is transported in this state, line sensor 18 detects the position and orientation of bag G15. From the coordinates of the four corners of bag G15 detected by line sensor 18, the coordinate of the front left corner G15b, located at the front of bag G15, is located on the opposite side from the transport reference line 11d from the forward / backward position P1. In this case, based on the position of corner G15b of bag G15 detected by line sensor 18, the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the front of bag G15 will interfere with the interference member 16 when the forward / backward position is P1 in the first state. When the control unit 60 makes such a prediction, it controls the forward / backward position of the interference member 16 so that it becomes the forward / backward position P2 in the second state.

[0053] Specifically, the control unit 60 retracts the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b to position the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 at the forward / backward position P2. As a result, the short side of the front of the bag G15 does not come into contact with the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b of the interference member 16, and the bag G15 is transported to the end of the attitude control conveyor 11 while maintaining an orientation in which the long side is approximately parallel to the transport direction D1.

[0054] As shown in Figure 10, the bag G16 is transported from the item introduction conveyor 14 to the posture control conveyor 11 in a posture in which its long side is tilted at an angle less than the predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction D1. The tilt angle less than the predetermined angle is an angle that allows the posture control of the bag G to be omitted.

[0055] When bag G16 is transported in this state, line sensor 18 detects the position and orientation of bag G16. From the coordinates of the four corners of bag G16 detected by line sensor 18, the coordinate of the left front corner G16b of bag G16 is located on the opposite side from the transport reference line 11d from the forward / backward position P1. In this case, based on the position of corner G16b of bag G16 and the orientation of bag G16 detected by line sensor 18, the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the front of bag G16 will interfere with the interference member 16 when the bag is in the first forward / backward position P1. When the control unit 60 makes such a prediction, it controls the forward / backward position of the interference member 16 so that it becomes the second forward / backward position P2.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit 60 retracts the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b to position the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 at the forward / backward position P2. As a result, the short side of the front of the bag G16 does not come into contact with the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b of the interference member 16, and the bag G16 is transported to the end of the attitude control conveyor 11 while maintaining a posture in which the long side is tilted at an angle less than the predetermined angle. Even if the long side remains tilted at an angle less than the predetermined angle, the inclined loading conveyor 12 and support conveyor 13 on the downstream side adjust the long side to be aligned with the support conveyor 13.

[0057] As shown in Figure 11, the bag G17 is transported from the item introduction conveyor 14 to the attitude control conveyor 11 in a position where its long side is inclined at an angle greater than or equal to the predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction D1, and at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the transport reference line 11d.

[0058] When bag G17 is transported in this state, line sensor 18 detects the position and orientation of bag G17. From the coordinates of the four corners of bag G17 detected by line sensor 18, the coordinate of the left front corner G17b of bag G17 is located on the opposite side from the transport reference line 11d, not only from the forward / backward position P1 but also from the forward / backward position P2. In this case, based on the position of corner G17b of bag G17 and the orientation of bag G17 detected by line sensor 18, the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the front of bag G17 will interfere with the interference member 16 when it is in the second forward / backward position P2. In this case, if bag G17 is transported as is, bag G17 will interfere with the interference member 16 in the second forward / backward position P2, which is extended to its maximum extent towards one side 11b, and there is a risk that the direction of the long side of bag G17, which has rotated in the plane due to the interference, will significantly intersect with the transport direction D1.

[0059] Therefore, when the control unit 60 predicts this, it controls the air nozzle 19 to remove the bag G17 from the attitude control conveyor 11. Specifically, the control unit 60 injects air from the air nozzle 19 towards the bag G17 being transported, blowing the bag G17 towards the other side 11c of the attitude control conveyor 11 and removing it from the attitude control conveyor 11. In this way, the bag G17 can be prevented from interfering with the interference member 16.

[0060] As shown in Figure 12, the bag G18 is transported from the item introduction conveyor 14 to the posture control conveyor 11 in a position where its long side is tilted to the right with respect to the transport direction D1 at an angle greater than or equal to the predetermined angle, and at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the transport reference line 11d (further away than in Figure 10 but not further away than in Figure 11).

[0061] When bag G18 is transported in this state, line sensor 18 detects the position and orientation of bag G18. From the coordinates of the four corners of bag G18 detected by line sensor 18, the coordinate of the front left corner G18b, located at the front of bag G18, is located on the opposite side of the transport reference line 11d from the forward / backward position P1, and on the transport reference line 11d side from the forward / backward position P3. In this case, based on the position of corner G18b at the front of bag G18 and the orientation of bag G18 detected by line sensor 18, the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the front of bag G18 will interfere with the interference member 16 when the bag is in the first forward / backward position P1, and that the long side of the left of bag G18 will interfere with the interference member 16 when the bag is in the third forward / backward position P3. When the control unit 60 makes such a prediction, it controls the forward / backward position of the interference member 16 to be in the third forward / backward position P3.

[0062] Specifically, the control unit 60 extends or retracts the rod 17a of the air cylinder 17b to position the first surface 16a of the interference member 16 at the forward / backward position P3. As a result, the left long side of the bag G18 contacts the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b of the interference member 16, and the bag G18 rotates in a plane with the corner between the first surface 16a and the second surface 16b as the center of rotation, correcting the posture of the bag G18 so that the angle that the long side makes with respect to the transport direction D1 is reduced. The bag G18 is then positioned by the interference member 16 of the turner 15 to be approximately parallel to the transport direction D1 and transported to the end of the posture control conveyor 11.

[0063] As described above, in the conveying device 70, the line sensor 18 detects at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2 that intersects the conveying direction D1. Based on at least one of the position or orientation detected by the line sensor 18, the control unit 60 determines whether or not to cause interference between the bag G and the interference member 16, and controls the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 according to the determination result. In this way, since the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 is controlled by considering at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2 as the conveying state of the bag G, the control unit 60 can control the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 more appropriately according to the conveying state of the bag G compared to, for example, a configuration that does not consider the position and orientation of the bag G. Therefore, with the conveying device 70, the orientation of the conveyed bag G can be controlled more appropriately according to the conveying state of the bag G.

[0064] In the conveying device 70, the shape of the bag G is approximately rectangular with a long side and a short side in a plan view. If the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the bag G will interfere with the interference member 16 when it is in the first state's forward / backward position P1, it controls the forward / backward position of the interference member 16 to be in the second state's forward / backward position P2. This prevents the short side of the bag G from interfering with the interference member 16 when it is in the first state's forward / backward position P1, thereby suppressing the bag G from rotating in such a way that its long side intersects the conveying direction D1 more significantly.

[0065] In the conveying device 70, the shape of the bag G is approximately rectangular with a long side and a short side in a plan view. The control unit 60 controls the reciprocating position of the interference member 16 so that it reaches the second state reciprocating position P2 when the direction of the long side of the bag G detected by the line sensor 18 is approximately parallel to the conveying direction D1. This prevents the bag G from interfering with the interference member 16, which is in the second state reciprocating position P2, thereby maintaining the orientation of the bag G with its long side approximately parallel to the conveying direction D1.

[0066] The conveying device 70 is equipped with an air nozzle 19 that removes the bag G from the attitude control conveyor 11. When the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the bag G will interfere with the interference member 16 when the bag G is in the second state forward / backward position P2, it controls the air nozzle 19 to remove the bag G from the attitude control conveyor 11. By removing the bag G from the attitude control conveyor 11, it is possible to suppress the short side of the bag G from interfering with the interference member 16 when the bag G is in the second state forward / backward position P2, and to suppress the bag G from rotating so that its long side intersects the conveying direction D1 more significantly.

[0067] In the conveying device 70, the shape of the bag G is approximately rectangular with a long side and a short side in a plan view, and the interfering member 16 can switch its retraction position to a third retraction position P3, which is extended toward the other side 11c of the attitude control conveyor 11 by a different amount than the retraction position P1 of the first state. When the control unit 60 predicts that the short side of the bag G will interfere with the interfering member 16 when it is in the first retraction position P1, and predicts that the long side of the bag G will interfere with the interfering member 16 when it is in the third retraction position P3, it controls the retraction position of the interfering member 16 to be in the third retraction position P3. As a result, by causing the long side of the bag G to interfere with the interfering member 16 when it is in the third retraction position P3, the direction of the long side of the bag G can be rotated so that it is aligned with the conveying direction D1.

[0068] In the conveying device 70, the turner 15 includes an interference member 16 that includes a first surface 16a along the conveying direction D1 and a second surface 16b along the intersecting direction D2, and an actuator 17 that switches the position of the interference member 16 along the intersecting direction D2. As a result, the forward and backward position of the interference member 16 can be controlled by driving the actuator 17 to move the interference member 16.

[0069] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the form in which the article is a bag G was described as an example, but the invention is not limited to this example. The article may be of a different shape or type, as long as it may be necessary to change its orientation by rotating it in a plane on the orientation control conveyor 11.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the conveying device 70 was described as part of the article storage device 1, but the invention is not limited to this example. The conveying device 70 may be used in combination with other devices.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the first surface 16a of the interfering member 16 was controllable to three reciprocating positions, for example, reciprocating position P1, reciprocating position P2, and reciprocating position P3, but the embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, reciprocating position P3 is not mandatory, and it may be controllable to two reciprocating positions, reciprocating position P1 and reciprocating position P2. Alternatively, it may be controllable to four or more reciprocating positions.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the line sensor 18 detected at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G along the intersecting direction D2 that intersects the transport direction D1, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, the control unit 60 may have a calculation function as a detection unit. In this case, the line sensor 18 may transmit a signal indicating whether or not light is blocked to the control unit 60, and the control unit 60 may calculate at least one of the position or orientation of the bag G. Furthermore, the detection unit is not limited to the line sensor 18, and other sensors may be used.

[0074] In the above embodiment, a turner 15 was used as an example of a posture changing part, but the invention is not limited to this example. Interference members with curved shapes and rod-shaped or other shapes that are not L-shaped in plan view may be used, and actuators other than the air cylinder 17b may be used. The invention is not limited to the example in which the forward and backward positions between the first state and the second state are switched by reciprocating motion, but may also take the form of rotational motion or other forms.

[0075] In the above embodiment, in the example of bags G10 to G18, the control unit 60 predicted whether or not bags G10 to G18 would interfere with the interference member 16 based on the relative relationship between the short and long sides of the rectangle, the left front corner of the rectangle, and the interference member 16. However, the invention is not limited to this example. The prediction (judgment) conditions may be changed depending on the shape of the article in plan view and the shape of the posture changing part. In short, the control unit should determine whether or not the article and the posture changing part will interfere based on at least one of the position or posture detected by the detection unit, and control the position of the posture changing part according to the result of that determination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 11...Attitude control conveyor (transport section), 11a...Transport surface, 11b...One side, 11c...Other side, 15...Turner (attitude change section), 16...Interference member, 16a...First surface, 16b...Second surface, 17...Actuator, 18...Line sensor (detection section), 19...Air nozzle (removal device), 60...Control unit, 70...Transport device, D1...Transport direction, P1, P2, P3...Advancing and retracting positions.

Claims

1. A conveying unit having a conveying surface for transporting articles, A posture changing unit is provided on one side of the transport unit and is configured to switch between a first state in which it is advanced toward the other side of the transport unit and a second state in which it is retracted toward the one side from the first state, and is capable of changing at least one of the position or posture of the transported article by interference with the article, A detection unit is provided upstream of the posture changing unit in the transport direction of the article, and detects at least one of the position or posture of the article along a direction intersecting the transport direction, The system comprises a control unit that controls the forward and backward position of the attitude changing unit between the first state and the second state, A conveying device wherein the control unit determines whether or not to cause interference between the article and the posture changing unit based on at least one of the position or posture detected by the detection unit, and controls the forward and backward position of the posture changing unit according to the result of the determination.

2. The shape of the aforementioned article is a roughly rectangular shape with a long side and a short side when viewed from above. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the first state forward and backward position, it controls the forward and backward position of the posture changing unit so that it is in the second state forward and backward position.

3. The shape of the aforementioned article is a roughly rectangular shape with a long side and a short side when viewed from above. The transport device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the forward and backward position of the posture changing unit so that the forward and backward position of the second state is achieved when the long side direction of the article detected by the detection unit is substantially parallel to the transport direction.

4. The system includes a removal device for removing the aforementioned articles from the transport section, The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the posture changing section when it is in the second state of forward and backward position, and controls the removal device to remove the article from the transport section.

5. The shape of the aforementioned article is a roughly rectangular shape with a long side and a short side when viewed from above. The attitude changing unit is capable of switching its forward and backward position to a third state in which it has advanced toward the other side of the conveying unit by a different amount than the first state. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit predicts that the short side of the article will interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the first state forward / backward position, and predicts that the long side of the article will interfere with the posture changing unit when it is in the third state forward / backward position, controls the forward / backward position of the posture changing unit to the third state forward / backward position.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the attitude changing section comprises an interference member including a first surface along the conveying direction and a second surface along a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and an actuator for switching the position of the interference member along a direction intersecting the conveying direction.

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