Conveying device and conveying system

Abstract

To provide a conveying device and conveying system that has a simple configuration, is excellent in terms of equipment and assembly costs, allows for easy return to the origin position, and enables miniaturization, power saving, and long lifespan. [Solution] A conveying device 100 in which the conveying direction of a roller assembly 120 is changed by a rotation drive mechanism 140, and a conveying system 200 equipped with the conveying device 100, wherein the rotation drive mechanism 140 has a connecting member 142 that interlocks the rotation of a plurality of roller assemblies 120 around a vertical axis, a movable member 143 connected to the connecting member 142, and a crank member 144 that rotates around a vertical axis and has a transmission engagement portion 147 at its tip, the movable member 143 has an engaged portion 148 into which the transmission engagement portion 147 engages, and the crank member 144 rotates around a vertical axis so that the movable member 143 and the connecting member 142 can move together in the horizontal axis direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device in which rollers and roller supports arranged in the conveying direction of an article on a conveying path and in the width direction of the conveying path rotate together with a rotating body, thereby turning the conveying direction by the rollers, and a conveying system including the conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there are known a conveying device in which rollers and roller supports arranged in the conveying direction of an article on a conveying path and in the width direction of the conveying path rotate together with a rotating body, thereby turning the conveying direction by the rollers, and a conveying system including the conveying device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A sorting device 100 (the names and reference numerals of the constituent articles in this paragraph follow the notation in Patent Document 1) and an article conveying system 1 known from Patent Document 1 and the like include a plurality of roller assemblies A having rollers 120, roller supports 130, and rotating bodies 140, a line shaft 171 for rotating the rollers 120, a rotation drive mechanism 150 for rotating the rotating bodies 140, and a unit support 190 to which the roller assemblies A are attached. When the rollers 120 rotate together with the rotating bodies 140, the conveying direction by the rollers 120 is configured to be turnable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The rotating drive device 150 of the sorting device 100 (the names and reference numerals of the constituent articles in this paragraph follow the notation in Patent Document 1), which is known from Patent Document 1, etc., has an air cylinder 151 as an actuator and a connecting member 160 to which the rotating arm 145a of the rotating body 140 is connected, and is configured to directly drive the connecting member 160 with the driving force generated by the air cylinder 151. Since the configuration uses an air cylinder 151 as an actuator, it was necessary to install a compressor to supply air and manage the air supply, which could increase equipment costs and power consumption. Furthermore, there was a risk that the driving force generated by the air cylinder 151 would decrease due to air leaks, pressure loss, or compressor failure, potentially causing the air cylinder 151 to malfunction. Furthermore, when the sorting device 100 is powered on or when it is restored from a power outage, an operator needs to operate the control panel C in order to operate the rotation control device 156, which could increase labor costs. Furthermore, if an electric cylinder is used as the actuator instead of an air cylinder, dust and other particles entering the electric cylinder may be difficult to remove, potentially hindering the operation of the ball screw inside the electric cylinder and damaging it. Furthermore, if a motor is used as the actuator instead of an air cylinder, and a crank member with a rod is provided on the output shaft of the motor, and a crank mechanism is used to drive the connecting member 160 by the rod, space will be required in the vertical direction and in the direction of the rod's movement, which may lead to the equipment becoming larger, an increase in the number of parts and thus an increase in equipment and assembly costs, and an interference between the rod and the crank member. Furthermore, if an external sensor is used to perform the return-to-home operation, and the origin is considered to be when the transport direction of the item by the roller 120 is straight, then it would be necessary to install two external sensors, which could increase equipment costs and complicate the control process.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve these problems and to provide a conveying device and conveying system that has a simple configuration, is excellent in terms of equipment cost and assembly cost, allows for easy return to the origin, and enables miniaturization, power saving, and long lifespan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a conveying device comprising: a roller assembly having a roller that conveys articles by rotating; a roller support that rotatably supports the roller around a horizontal axis; and a rotating body that supports the roller support and is rotatable around a vertical axis; a rotation drive body that rotates the roller around a horizontal axis; a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the rotating body around a vertical axis; and a holding member to which the roller assembly is attached, wherein the roller and roller support arranged in the conveying direction of the articles in the conveying path and in the width direction of the conveying path, together with the rotating body A conveying device in which the conveying direction by the roller is changed by rotation, wherein the rotation drive mechanism comprises a connecting member that interlocks the rotation of a plurality of the rotating bodies around a vertical axis, a movable member connected to the connecting member, and a crank member that rotates around a vertical axis and has a transmission engagement portion at its tip, wherein the movable member has an engaged portion that the transmission engagement portion engages with, and the movable member and the connecting member are configured to move together in the horizontal axis direction as the crank member rotates around a vertical axis, thereby solving the aforementioned problems. Furthermore, the present invention solves the aforementioned problems by having a transport system that includes the above-described transport device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the invention of claims 1 and 5, a roller assembly having a roller that conveys an article by rotating, a roller support that supports the roller so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis, and a rotating body that supports the roller support and is rotatable around a vertical axis, a rotation drive body that rotates the roller around the horizontal axis, a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the rotating body around the vertical axis, and a holding member to which the roller assembly is attached, wherein the rollers and roller support arranged in the conveying direction of the article in the conveying path and in the width direction of the conveying path rotate together with the rotating body. This conveying device changes the conveying direction by rollers, and the rotation drive mechanism includes a connecting member that interlocks the rotation of multiple rotating bodies around a vertical axis, a movable member connected to the connecting member, and a crank member that rotates around a vertical axis and has a transmission engagement part at its tip, the movable member having an engaged part that the transmission engagement part engages with, and the rotation of the crank member around the vertical axis allows the movable member and the connecting member to move together in the horizontal axis direction, thereby eliminating the need for air cylinders and compressors and enabling power saving. Furthermore, it becomes possible to reduce the number of parts, lower equipment and assembly costs, and achieve miniaturization.

[0008] According to the configuration described in claim 2, a plurality of roller assemblies are arranged in front of and behind the rotary drive body in the conveying direction, and the front and rear roller assemblies are each connected to the rotating body by connecting members, and the moving members are each connected to the front and rear connecting members, thereby enabling the rotation of the front and rear rotating bodies around their vertical axes to be linked. As a result, even when the roller assemblies are arranged in two rows in the conveying direction, the number of parts can be reduced, equipment costs and assembly costs can be reduced, and miniaturization can be achieved.

[0009] According to the configuration described in claim 3, the engaged portion is composed of a groove extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable member, and the transmission engaging portion is engaged so as to be movably sandwiched in the longitudinal direction of the groove. As a result, the movable member can be constructed by adding only a groove to an existing joint plate for interlocking two connecting members, further reducing the number of parts, lowering equipment costs and assembly costs, and enabling miniaturization. Furthermore, the open structure of the engaged portion allows dust and other debris to be easily discharged, thus enabling a longer lifespan. Furthermore, it becomes possible to place the drive source that drives the crank member directly below the moving member, thus saving space.

[0010] According to the configuration described in claim 4, the dynamic drive mechanism includes a position sensor and a detectable member that the position sensor can detect, the detectable member is provided on a moving member or a connecting member, and the position sensor is configured to detect the detectable member at at least one position within the range of movement of the moving member or the connecting member. As a result, the home position return operation can be performed by simply rotating the crank member once around the vertical axis, making control easier and reducing equipment costs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A top view showing the configuration of a transport device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the main components of the conveying device. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the roller unit of the conveying device. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a front view of the roller unit of the conveying device shown. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a top view of the roller unit of the conveying device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows a perspective view from below of the roller unit of the conveying device. [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of section AA in Figure 5. [Figure 8]Top view showing an example of the configuration in a branch of a transport system equipped with a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Expanded view of the rotation drive mechanism of the roller unit shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 10] Operation explanatory diagram of the turning operation of the transport direction by the rotation drive mechanism shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] Operation explanatory diagram during the origin return operation of the rotation drive mechanism shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 12] Operation explanatory diagram of the turning operation in the other direction of the transport direction by the rotation drive mechanism shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 13] Top view showing an example of the configuration in a confluence of a transport system equipped with a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] Top view showing an example of the configuration in a route change of a transport system equipped with a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] Top view showing an example of the configuration in a direction conversion of a transport system equipped with a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] Top view showing an example of the configuration in another example of the direction conversion of a transport system equipped with a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Hereinafter, a transport device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a transport system 200 including the transport device 100 will be described based on the drawings. In FIG. 5, the line shaft 132 is shown only by the outline. In FIG. 6, the rotation drive motor 141 and the mounting member 145 are shown only by the outline. In FIGS. 9 to 12, the rotation drive motor 141 is shown only by its drive shaft, and the mounting member 145 is shown only by the outline.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the conveying device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of rows of rollers 110 arranged in one direction which is the conveying direction in the article conveying path (indicated by the white arrow in Figure 1), a plurality of roller assemblies 120 constituting the roller rows 110, a rotary drive mechanism 130 having a line shaft 132 as a rotary drive body, a rotational drive mechanism 140, and a holding member 102 provided on the machine base 101.

[0014] The roller row 110 is configured such that a plurality of roller assemblies 120 are arranged in the width direction (vertical direction in Figure 1) of the article transport path. In this embodiment, a first roller row 110a having 9 roller assemblies 120 and a second roller row 110b having 10 roller assemblies 120 are arranged in the width direction of the article transport path. The multiple rows of rollers 110 are arranged such that the first roller row 110a and the second roller row 110b are alternately arranged in the conveying direction of the article conveying path, and the first roller row 110a and the second roller row 110b form a single unit, thereby constituting a roller unit 111. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the roller unit 111 consists of a total of five roller units 111: the first roller unit 111a, the second roller unit 111b, the third roller unit 111c, the fourth roller unit 111d, and the fifth roller unit 111e, arranged in the conveying direction of the article conveying path. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the first roller row 110a and the second roller row 110b will simply be referred to as roller row 110, and the first roller unit 111a to the fifth roller unit 111e will simply be referred to as roller unit 111.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the roller assembly 120 includes a roller 121 that conveys an object by rotating around a horizontal axis, a roller support 122 that supports the roller 121 so as to be rotatable around the horizontal axis, and a rotating body 123 that supports the roller support 122 and is rotatable around a vertical axis, and is attached to the holding member 102 so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis. The roller 121 is formed in a hollow shape, and its surface is made of a relatively low hardness material such as nitrile rubber. As shown in Figure 1, a portion of the roller 121 is exposed upward through a number of circular roller protrusion holes 106 formed on the upper surface of the cover 105, and is configured to support the article. The roller support 122 is formed to form an H shape when viewed from the transport direction of the article transport path, and as shown in Figure 7, it has a roller rotation axis 124 provided in the width direction of the article transport path through which the roller 121 is inserted at the top, and an articulation axis 125 provided parallel to the roller rotation axis through which the rotating body 123 is inserted at the bottom. As shown in Figure 7, the rotating body 123 includes an articulated bearing 126 through which an articulated shaft 125 is inserted and which pivotably supports the roller support 122, a roller pivot shaft 127 pivotally supported around the vertical axis in a bearing hole 103 provided in the vertical axis direction in the holding member 102, a rotating arm 128 formed to extend parallel to the transport direction of the article transport path, and a biasing member 129 that biases the roller support 122. In this embodiment, for example, a torsion coil spring is used as the biasing member 129, and it is wrapped around the joint shaft 125 to bias the roller 121 so that it is always in contact with the line shaft 132.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the rotary drive mechanism 130 includes a rotary drive motor 131 capable of forward and reverse rotation as a drive source, a plurality of line shafts 132 which are rotary drive bodies provided for each roller unit 111 that rotate the rollers 121 around a horizontal axis, and a winding transmission mechanism which is a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the rotary drive motor 131 to each line shaft 132. The line shaft 132 is rotatably supported at both ends by bearing members 104 fixed to the machine base 101, with its rotation axis extending parallel to the roller row 110, and a driven toothed pulley 134 is attached to one end in the axial direction.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the winding transmission mechanism is configured such that a toothed belt 133 is stretched over a drive toothed pulley 135 fixed to the drive shaft of a rotary drive motor 131, a driven toothed pulley 134 attached to a line shaft 132, a tension pulley 136a, and an idler pulley 136b, so that all line shafts 132 are simultaneously driven to rotate in the same direction by a single rotary drive motor 131. The tension pulley 136a is positioned to be adjustable relative to the machine base 101, thereby allowing the tension of the toothed belt 133 to be adjusted. The idler pulley 136b is provided with a gap in one direction relative to the machine base 101.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the rotation drive mechanism 140 includes a rotation drive motor 141 capable of forward and reverse rotation as a drive source, a connecting member 142 that links the rotation of the rotating body 123 around the vertical axis for each roller row 110, a movable member 143 connected to the connecting member 142, a crank member 144 that rotates around the vertical axis and has a transmission engagement portion at its tip, a mounting member 145, a position sensor 151, and a detectable member 152 that can be detected by the position sensor 151. The rotation drive mechanism 140 allows the rotating body 123 to rotate around its vertical axis, and the rollers 121 and roller supports 122, which are arranged in the transport direction and width direction of the item transport path, rotate together with the rotating body 123 around the vertical axis, thereby changing the transport direction by the rollers 121. In this embodiment, the rotational movement of the roller assembly 120 around the vertical axis is configured to be performed independently for each roller unit 111; that is, a rotational drive mechanism 140 is provided for each roller unit 111.

[0019] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the rotary drive motor 141 is fixed to the mounting surface 146 of the mounting member 145 which is attached below the holding member 102, and the tip of the drive shaft of the rotary drive motor 141 is configured to protrude above the mounting surface 146. Furthermore, the rotation drive motor 141 has an incremental rotation phase sensor capable of detecting its rotation phase. The crank member 144 is configured to rotate around a vertical axis, with one end connected to the tip of the drive shaft of the rotation drive motor 141. Furthermore, it has a transmission roller 147 at its tip, which is a transmission engagement part, and the transmission roller 147 is configured to be rotatable around a vertical axis at the tip of the crank member 144.

[0020] The connecting member 142 is a thin plate-shaped member that integrally connects the rotating arms 128 of the rotating bodies 123 of the roller assemblies 120 that constitute each roller row 110 in a way that prevents relative movement. In this embodiment, the rotating arm 128 of the rotating body 123 of the roller assembly 120 constituting the first roller row 110a is integrally connected by a first connecting member 142a, and the rotating arm 128 of the rotating body 123 of the roller assembly 120 constituting the second roller row 110b is integrally connected by a second connecting member 142b. The roller assemblies 120 of the first roller row 110a, integrally connected by the first connecting member 142a, and the roller assemblies 120 of the second roller row 110b, integrally connected by the second connecting member 142b, are arranged in front of and behind the line shaft 132 in the conveying direction of the article conveying path.

[0021] The movable member 143 is integrally connected to the first connecting member 142a and the second connecting member 142b, which are positioned before and after the line shaft 132, so as to be immovable relative to each other. It is formed to pass through the space formed between the holding member 102 and the mounting member 145, and is configured to be able to interlock the rotation of the rotating bodies 123 of the first roller row 110a and the second roller row 110b around their vertical axes. Furthermore, the movable member 143 has a groove 148 formed on a position facing above the mounting surface 146, which is the engaged portion into which the transmission roller 147, which is the transmission engaging portion, engages. The crank member 144 rotates around the vertical axis, so that the movable member 143 and the connecting member 142 can move together in the horizontal axis direction. This reduces the number of parts, lowers equipment and assembly costs, and enables miniaturization and power saving. Furthermore, the acceleration of the moving member 143 at the start and stop of movement can be reduced, enabling power saving and a longer lifespan.

[0022] The groove 148 is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the movable member 143, and the width of the groove 148 is formed to be the same length as the diameter of the transmission roller 147, so that the transmission roller 147 is engaged in such a way that it is movably sandwiched in the longitudinal direction of the groove 148. As a result, the movable member 143 can be constructed by adding only the groove portion 148 to the existing joint plate that interlocks the two connecting members 142, the first connecting member 142a and the second connecting member 142b. This further reduces the number of parts, lowers equipment and assembly costs, and enables miniaturization. Furthermore, since the groove 148 is not formed in the direction of transport of the goods transport path, the groove 148 has an open structure, making it easier for dust and other debris to be discharged, thus enabling a longer lifespan. Furthermore, by positioning the rotation drive motor 141 so that its drive shaft is located in the center of the width direction of the groove 148, it becomes possible to position the rotation drive motor 141 directly below the moving member 143, thereby saving space. Furthermore, the longitudinal length of the groove 148 is formed to be at least twice the distance between the drive shaft of the rotary drive motor 141 and the rotation shaft of the transmission roller 147. This allows the crank member 144 to rotate and rotate around the vertical axis without disengaging the transmission roller 147 from the groove 148.

[0023] As shown in Figure 6, the position sensor 151 is attached to the mounting surface 146 of the mounting member 145 and is configured to detect the member to be detected 152 in the direction of movement of the moving member 143. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the detected member 152 is attached to the lower side of the movable member 143 and is formed to extend toward the lower side of the mounting surface 146 to the same height as the position sensor 151. As a result, the member to be detected 152 moves together with the moving member 143, so that the position sensor 151 can detect the member to be detected 152 at at least one position within the movement range of the moving member 143. In this embodiment, the position sensor 151 is configured to detect the member to be detected 152 when the movable member 143 moves to the limit position shown in Figure 12 within its range of motion.

[0024] Next, a transport system 200 equipped with a transport device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 8. The transport system 200 is configured such that the transport device 100 is positioned between a main transport path 210 that transports articles TG in one direction and a main transport path 220 located downstream of the main transport path 210 that also transports articles TG in one direction. Additionally, a branch path 230 is provided that branches off from the main transport path 210 and transports articles TG in a direction different from the one direction on one side of the transport device 100. As a result, if the conveying device 100 does not change the direction of transport of the item TG, the item TG is transported in one direction from the main transport path 210 to the main transport path 220, and if the conveying device 100 does change the direction of transport of the item TG, the item TG is transported from the main transport path 210 to the branch path 230. In this way, the transport device 100 of the transport system 200 makes it possible to selectively change the transport direction of the goods TG being transported along the main transport path 210 to the branch path 230 for transport.

[0025] Next, the movement of the conveying direction of an article by the conveying device 100 in a conveying system 200 equipped with a conveying device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on Figures 8 to 10 and 12. First, as shown in Figure 8, if it is desired to transport an item TG being transported in one direction on the main transport path 210 to the branch path 230, the first roller unit 111a performs a rotational drive mechanism 140 to change the transport direction, and then the second roller unit 111b, third roller unit 111c, fourth roller unit 111d, and fifth roller unit 111e sequentially perform the same transport direction changing operation, thereby transporting the item TG passing over the transport device 100 to the branch path 230. Here, the turning motion in the conveying direction by each roller unit 111 may be performed simultaneously.

[0026] When the first roller unit 111a performs a change of direction in the conveying direction using the rotation drive mechanism 140, first, the drive shaft of the rotation drive motor 141 rotates around the vertical axis in the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 9. As a result, the crank member 144 connected to the tip of the drive shaft of the rotary drive motor 141 and the transmission roller 147 connected to the tip of the crank member 144 also rotate in the same direction. Here, since the transmission roller 147 is engaged so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the groove 148, as the transmission roller 147 rotates around the vertical axis and moves in the longitudinal direction of the groove 148, the groove 148 is pushed in the direction indicated by the white arrow in Figure 9, and consequently the moving member 143 moves in the same direction.

[0027] Since the movable member 143 integrally connects the first connecting member 142a and the second connecting member 142b, when the movable member 143 moves, the first connecting member 142a and the second connecting member 142b also move in the same direction as the movable member 143. At this time, the first connecting member 142a is integrally connected to the rotating arm 128 of the rotating body 123 of the roller assembly 120 that constitutes the first roller row 110a, and the second connecting member 142b is integrally connected to the rotating arm 128 of the rotating body 123 of the roller assembly 120 that constitutes the second roller row 110b. However, since each roller assembly 120 is pivotally supported by the roller pivot shaft 127 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis relative to the holding member 102, each roller assembly 120 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the drive shaft of the rotation drive motor 141 as the first connecting member 142a and the second connecting member 142b move. This allows the first roller unit 111a to perform a turning operation in the conveying direction by the rotation drive mechanism 140. By performing the above-described turning operation on the second roller unit 111b to the fifth roller unit 111e, the roller assembly 120 of each roller unit 111 can be rotated around its vertical axis, thereby enabling the items TG passing over the conveying device 100 to be conveyed to the branching path 230. Furthermore, if the drive shaft of the rotary drive motor 141 is rotated in the opposite direction to the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 9, the moving member 143 moves in the opposite direction to the turning operation, as shown in Figure 12, and each roller assembly 120 also rotates in the opposite direction to the turning operation.

[0028] Next, the origin return operation by the transport device 100 in a transport system 200 equipped with a transport device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 12. First, as shown in Figure 8, when the transport system 200 is performing a transport operation, if the transport operation is intentionally terminated, or if the transport operation is forcibly terminated due to a power outage or the like, the rotational phase sensor of the rotary drive motor 141 is incremental, so the rotational phase information of the rotary drive motor 141 at the end of the transport operation is lost. Therefore, when the transport system 200 is powered on or when transport operations are restarted, the transport device 100 needs to return to its home position in order to properly transport and turn the item TG by the transport device 100. In this embodiment, the limit position of the movement of the movable member 143 shown in Figure 12 is set as the origin position of the roller unit 111.

[0029] Next, we will explain the specific origin return operation performed by the transport device 100. For example, in the transport system 200, if the transport device 100 is not performing a turning operation of the item TG, and the transport operation of the transport system 200 ends due to a power outage while the moving member 143 is in the position shown in Figure 9, and the system returns to its home position, if the rotation drive motor 141 is rotated 1 full turn around the vertical axis in the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 9, the moving member 143 will sequentially move in the direction indicated by the white arrow in Figures 9 to 12, returning to the position shown in Figure 9. During this operation, when the moving member 143 moves to the position shown in Figure 12, the position sensor 151 detects the member to be detected 152, making it possible to determine the relative movement value from the position at the end of the transport operation to the origin position.

[0030] Subsequently, when the rotation drive motor 141 is rotated around the vertical axis in the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 9 to move the moving member 143 by the relative movement value from the position shown in Figure 9 to the origin position, the moving member 143 moves to the position shown in Figure 12, and the return operation of the roller unit 111 to the origin position is completed. By performing the same home position return operation on the other roller units 111 of the conveying device 100, it becomes possible to perform the home position return operation on the conveying device 100. Thus, regardless of the position of the moving member 143 at the end of the transport operation, the transport device 100 can be returned to its home position by rotating the rotary drive motor 141 once around the vertical axis. This simplifies control and reduces equipment costs.

[0031] The conveying device 100 according to the present invention can realize various item conveying routes, such as merging, changing routes, and changing direction, in addition to being a conveying system 200 that selectively branches items TG. Other embodiments of the transport system of the present invention will be described below.

[0032] For example, in the transport system 300 shown in Figure 13, the transport device 100 is positioned between a main transport path 310 that transports articles TG in one direction and a main transport path 320 located downstream of the main transport path 310 that also transports articles TG in one direction. In addition, there are merging channels 330 and 340 that merge from the main transport path 310 side into the transport device 100. As a result, if the conveying device 100 does not change the direction of transport of the item TG, the item TG is transported in one direction from the main transport path 310 to the main transport path 320. If the conveying device 100 does change the direction of transport of the item TG, the item TG merges from the merging path 330 or merging path 340 into the main transport path 320, and is transported with a changed direction.

[0033] Furthermore, the transport system 400 shown in Figure 14 has two main transport paths arranged side by side that transport items TG in one direction, and the item transport route can be changed between the two main transport paths. Each main transport path is configured such that the transport device 100 is positioned between the upstream main transport paths 410 and 420 and the downstream main transport paths 430 and 440, which are located downstream of the upstream main transport paths 410 and 420. As a result, if the conveying device 100 does not change the conveying direction of the item TG, the item TG is conveyed in one direction from the upstream main conveying path 410 to the downstream main conveying path 430, or from the upstream main conveying path 420 to the downstream main conveying path 440. If the conveying device 100 does change the conveying direction of the item TG, the item TG changes course from the upstream main conveying path 410 to the downstream main conveying path 440, or from the upstream main conveying path 420 to the downstream main conveying path 430, and is conveyed in a changed direction.

[0034] Furthermore, in the transport system 500 shown in Figure 15, the transport device 100 is positioned between a main transport path 510 that transports articles TG in one direction and a main transport path 520 that is installed downstream of the main transport path 510 and transports articles TG in one direction such that the angle it makes with the transport direction of the main transport path 510 is acute. As a result, the conveying device 100 performs a reversal operation of the conveying direction of the item TG, causing the item TG to change direction from the main conveying path 510 to the main conveying path 520, and is then conveyed with a changed conveying direction.

[0035] Furthermore, in the transport system 600 shown in Figure 16, the transport device 100 is positioned between a main transport path 610 that transports articles TG in one direction and a main transport path 620 that is installed upstream of the main transport path 610 and transports articles TG in one direction such that the angle it makes with the transport direction of the main transport path 610 is obtuse. As a result, the conveying device 100 rotates the roller 121 in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the main conveying path 610 and then performs a reversal operation of the conveying direction of the item TG, causing the item TG to change direction from the main conveying path 610 to the main conveying path 620, and is then conveyed with a changed conveying direction.

[0036] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention as described in the claims. In the embodiment described above, the detected member 152 is attached to the lower side of the movable member 143, but it may also be attached to a connecting member 142 that is configured to move integrally with the movable member 143, and configured to be detectable by the position sensor 151 at at least one position within the movement range of the connecting member 142. Alternatively, the return to the home position may be performed by rotating the rotation drive motor 141 360 degrees around the vertical axis in the opposite direction to the direction indicated by the black arrow in Figure 9. Alternatively, the home position return operation may be performed by rotating the rotary drive motor 141 around the vertical axis from the position at the end of the transport operation, and stopping the rotation of the rotary drive motor 141 when the position sensor 151 detects the detected member 152. Furthermore, the capacitor voltage in the motor driver of the rotary drive motor 141 may be monitored, and if the voltage drops due to a power outage or the like, the rotational phase information of the rotary drive motor 141 at that time may be recorded in a microcontroller or the like. When the transport system 200 resumes transport operation, the rotational phase information may be output from the microcontroller or the like to the motor driver of the rotary drive motor 141, thereby controlling the system to resume transport operation from the rotational phase position at the end of the transport operation of the rotary drive motor 141. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 100 ··· Conveying device 101... machine stand 102 ··· Retaining member 103...Bearing hole 104 ··· Bearing component 105 ··· Cover 106... Roller protruding hole 110 ··· Roller row 110a ··· First roller row 110b ··· Second roller row 111 ··· Roller Unit 111a ··· First roller unit 111b ··· Second roller unit 111c ··· Third roller unit 111d ··· 4th roller unit 111e ··· 5th roller unit 120 ··· Roller assembly 121 ··· Laura 122 ··· Roller support 123 ··· Rotating body 124... Roller rotation axis 125 ··· Joint axis 126 ··· Joint bearing 127... Roller pivot axis 128 ··· Rotating Arm 129 ··· Biasing member 130 ··· Rotary drive mechanism 131 ··· Rotary drive motor 132 ··· Line shaft (rotating drive unit) 133... Toothed belt 134 ··· Driven toothed pulley 135 ··· Drive toothed pulley 136a ... Tension pulley 136b ··· Idler Pulley 140 ··· Rotary drive mechanism 141 ··· Rotary drive motor 142 ··· Connecting component 142a ··· First connecting member 142b ··· Second connecting member 143 ··· Movable parts 144 ··· Crank components 145 ··· Mounting parts 146 ··· Mounting surface 147 ··· Transmission roller (transmission engagement part) 148...Groove (engaged part) 151 ··· Position sensor 152 ··· Detected component 200 ··· Conveyor System 210 ··· Main transport path 220 ··· Main transport path 230 ··· Branching road 300 ··· Conveyor System 310 ··· Main transport path 320 ··· Main transport path 330 ··· Merging road 340 ··· Merging road 400 ··· Conveyor System 410 ··· Upstream main transport path 420 ··· Upstream main transport path 430 ··· Downstream main transport path 440 ··· Downstream main transport path 500 ··· Conveyor System 510 ··· Main transport path 520 ··· Main transport route 600 ··· Conveyor System 610 ··· Main transport path 620 ··· Main transport path TG... Goods

Claims

1. A conveying device comprising: a roller assembly having a roller that conveys an article by rotating; a roller support that rotatably supports the roller around a horizontal axis; a rotating body that supports the roller support and is rotatable around a vertical axis; a rotation drive body that rotates the roller around a horizontal axis; a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the rotating body around a vertical axis; and a holding member to which the roller assembly is attached, wherein the conveying direction by the roller is changed when the rollers and roller support, which are arranged in the conveying direction of the article in the conveying path and in the width direction of the conveying path, rotate together with the rotating body, The rotation drive mechanism includes a connecting member that interlocks the rotation of a plurality of the rotating bodies around a vertical axis, a movable member connected to the connecting member, and a crank member that rotates around a vertical axis and has a transmission engagement portion at its tip. The moving member has an engaged portion into which the transmission engaging portion engages, A conveying device characterized in that the crank member rotates around a vertical axis, thereby enabling the moving member and the connecting member to move together in the horizontal axis direction.

2. Multiple roller assemblies are arranged in front of and behind the rotary drive body in the conveying direction. The front and rear roller assemblies are each connected to the rotating body by the connecting members, The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving member is connected to the front and rear connecting members, respectively, so that the rotation of the front and rear rotating bodies around the vertical axis can be linked.

3. The engaged portion is composed of a groove that extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving member. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission engagement portion is engaged so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the groove portion.

4. The rotation drive mechanism includes a position sensor and a member to be detected by the position sensor. The member to be detected is provided on the moving member or the connecting member, The transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that the position sensor is configured to detect the member to be detected at at least one of the positions within the range of movement of the moving member or the connecting member.

5. A transport system comprising a main transport path for transporting articles, and a transport device arranged on the main transport path for selectively changing the transport direction of articles, The conveying system is characterized in that the conveying device is composed of the conveying device described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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