Workpiece feeding device and freezing processing system

Abstract

Workpieces are precisely loaded into containers integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor belt. [Solution] This application relates to a workpiece feeding device for feeding workpieces into a container integrally provided on a continuously operating conveyor belt. The workpiece feeding device comprises a chute, a feeding hopper, and a control unit. The chute has an outlet for discharging workpieces supplied from a workpiece supply unit and is rotatable around a pivot axis along the width direction of the conveyor belt. The feeding hopper receives workpieces discharged from the outlet of the chute and is capable of feeding workpieces downward. Based on the operation information of the conveyor belt, the control unit controls the feeding hopper to follow the direction of movement of the conveyor belt in synchronization with the position of the container, and controls the chute so that its outlet is positioned above the feeding hopper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a work input device and a refrigeration processing system.

Background Art

[0002] In a food processing line that handles foods such as udon noodles, soba noodles, and Chinese noodles as work, mass production is achieved by performing processing while transporting the work by a transport device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a food processing line capable of performing refrigeration processing on work by transporting the work placed on a tray disposed in a gondola transported by an endless transport chain to a freezer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In this type of food processing line, there is a method of inputting work into a tray in synchronization with a tact operation that repeats an operation of moving a transport conveyor by a pitch distance and an operation of stopping it for a predetermined time while disposing trays at a constant pitch on the transport conveyor. In such a tact operation, since the movement and stop of the transport conveyor are repeatedly performed, there is a limit to improving the processing efficiency. In addition, since a large number of trays arranged on the transport conveyor deteriorate considerably in the process of being repeatedly used, it is necessary to replace them at an appropriate timing, which is a factor increasing the operation cost.

[0005] One possible method to solve these problems is to continuously operate a conveyor belt into which a container into which workpieces are fed is integrally formed. However, as shown in Patent Document 1 above, the mechanism for feeding workpieces into the conveying device is generally fixed in a predetermined position. Therefore, if one attempts to feed workpieces into a container integrally formed with a continuously operating conveyor belt using such a mechanism, the container will move along with the conveyor belt during workpiece feeding, which may result in feeding defects such as the fed workpieces spilling out of the container.

[0006] At least one embodiment of this disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide a workpiece loading device and a freezing processing system that can accurately load workpieces into a container integrally provided on a continuously operating conveyor belt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A workpiece loading device according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure solves the above problem, A workpiece loading device for loading workpieces into a container integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor belt, A chute having an outlet for discharging the workpiece supplied from the workpiece supply unit, and rotatable around a pivot axis along the width direction of the conveyor, A feeding hopper that receives the workpiece discharged from the outlet of the chute and is capable of feeding the workpiece downwards, A control unit for controlling the chute and the input hopper, Equipped with, The control unit, Based on the operation information of the conveying conveyor, the input hopper is controlled to follow the direction of movement of the conveying conveyor in synchronization with the position of the container, The chute is controlled so that the outlet is located above the input hopper.

[0008] A refrigeration processing system according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure solves the above problems, A workpiece loading device according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, A refrigeration device is provided, which is located downstream of the conveying conveyor from the workpiece input device, for freezing the workpieces that have been placed into the container by the workpiece input device. It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to at least one embodiment of this disclosure, a workpiece loading device and a freezing processing system can be provided that can accurately load workpieces into a container integrally provided on a continuously operating conveyor belt. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a refrigeration system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the configuration of the control device 100 related to the chute and input hopper in the workpiece feeding device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a timing chart showing the rotation angle of the chute, the movement speed of the input hopper, and the opening / closing state in the workpiece feeding device controlled by the control device shown. [Figure 4A] This diagram shows the step-by-step operation of the workpiece loading device at each time point in Figure 3. [Figure 4B] This diagram shows the step-by-step operation of the workpiece loading device at each time point in Figure 3. [Figure 4C] This diagram shows the step-by-step operation of the workpiece loading device at each time point in Figure 3. [Figure 4D] This diagram shows the step-by-step operation of the workpiece loading device at each time point in Figure 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the configurations described as embodiments or shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0012] First, the overall configuration of the refrigeration processing system 1 including the work input device 4 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the refrigeration processing system 1 according to one embodiment.

[0013] The refrigeration processing system 1 is a system for manufacturing frozen products by performing refrigeration processing on the work W. The work W to be processed by the refrigeration processing system 1 is not limited, but is, for example, food. More specifically, the work W is noodle work such as udon noodles, soba noodles, Chinese noodles, pasta, etc. The work W may be pre-treated, such as cooked, so that it is completed as a frozen product by performing refrigeration processing.

[0014] The refrigeration processing system 1 includes a work supply conveyor 2, a work input device 4, a transfer conveyor 6, and a refrigeration device 8.

[0015] The work supply conveyor 2 is configured to supply the work W to the work input device 4. The work supply conveyor 2 is provided at the end of the supply line of the work W to be subjected to refrigeration processing by the refrigeration processing system 1, and is configured to supply the pre-divided work W to the work input device 4 at a predetermined interval. The quantity and supply interval of the work W supplied from the work supply conveyor 2 may be constant or variable.

[0016] The workpiece input device 4 is configured to input the workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 to the transfer conveyor 6. The workpiece input device 4 is provided between the workpiece supply conveyor 2 and the transfer conveyor 6, and includes, in order from above, a workpiece input hopper 9, a weighing hopper 10, a foreign object detection unit 12, a shooter 14, and an input hopper 16. The workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 to the workpiece input device 4 passes through these components in order and is input to the transfer conveyor 6 below.

[0017] The workpiece input hopper 9 is provided below the supply position of the workpiece W on the workpiece supply conveyor 2, and is configured to input the workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 to the weighing hopper 10 below. The workpiece input hopper 9 is configured with a wide upper opening 9a facing the workpiece supply conveyor 2 so that the workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 can be accurately received. Also, the workpiece input hopper 9 is configured with a lower opening 9b facing the weighing hopper 10 being narrower than the upper opening  9a, so that the workpiece input hopper 9 can accurately transfer the workpiece W received by the workpiece input hopper 9 to the next weighing hopper 10.

[0018] The weighing hopper 10 is configured to weigh the workpiece W input from the workpiece input hopper 9 and adjust the quantity of the workpiece W to a preset value. As described above, the quantity and supply interval of the workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 may be indefinite, but the weighing hopper 10 equalizes the quantity and supply interval of the workpiece W passed to the subsequent components. That is, the weighing hopper 10 functions as a buffer for equalizing the quantity and supply timing of the workpiece W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2.

[0019] The foreign object detection unit 12 is configured to detect foreign objects contained in the workpiece W supplied from the weighing hopper 10. The foreign objects to be detected are not limited. For example, when detecting metal pieces or the like as foreign objects, the foreign object detection unit 12 may be a metal detector.

[0020] The chute 14 is configured to transfer the workpiece W that has passed through the foreign object detection unit 12 to the input hopper 16. Specifically, the chute 14 has an inlet 14a for receiving the workpiece W that has passed through the foreign object detection unit 12, and an outlet 14b for discharging the workpiece W received at the inlet 14a. The inlet 14a is wide open towards the foreign object detection unit 12, so as to be able to accurately receive the workpiece W that has passed through the foreign object detection unit 12. The outlet 14b is narrower than the inlet 14a, so as to be able to accurately transfer the workpiece W introduced at the inlet 14a to the input hopper 16 located below.

[0021] Furthermore, the chute 14 is configured as a so-called swivel chute, which can rotate around a pivot axis L that is aligned with the width direction of the conveyor belt 6. As will be described later, the rotation of the chute 14 is controlled so that the outlet 14b of the chute 14 follows the position of the input hopper 16, thereby ensuring that the workpiece W discharged from the outlet 14b is accurately passed to the input hopper 16.

[0022] The input hopper 16 receives the workpiece W discharged from the outlet 14b of the chute 14 and is configured to feed the workpiece W into a container C provided on the conveyor belt 6 located below. As will be described later, the input hopper 16 is configured to feed the workpiece W into the container C provided on the conveyor belt 6 by linking its follow-up operation with the continuously operating conveyor belt 6 and its opening and closing operation on the side facing the conveyor belt 6.

[0023] With the work input device 4 having this configuration, the workpieces W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 are fed onto the transport conveyor 6. The transport conveyor 6 is equipped with an endless conveyor with both ends supported by a pair of pulleys, and is operated continuously at a substantially constant speed by power from a power source (not shown). The transport conveyor 6 includes a forward conveyor 6a provided on the side corresponding to the work input device 4, and a return conveyor 6b which is operated in a reverse direction on the opposite side of the forward conveyor 6a.

[0024] Furthermore, multiple containers C capable of holding workpieces W are arranged on the conveyor belt 6 at predetermined pitch intervals Lp. In this embodiment, in particular, the multiple containers C are integrally molded to the conveyor belt 6. Since the containers C configured in this way can be repeatedly used over a long period of time while being cleaned, this is cost-effective compared to conveying methods that require replacement due to deterioration, such as trays.

[0025] The workpiece loading device 4 loads the workpieces W into the container C on the forward conveyor 6a. The workpieces W loaded onto the transport conveyor 6 by the workpiece loading device 4 are transported to the refrigeration device 8 downstream by the continuously operating transport conveyor 6 (forward conveyor 6a) while contained in the container C on the forward conveyor 6a. In the following description, the transport direction of the forward conveyor 6a will be referred to as "direction of movement A" as appropriate.

[0026] In the refrigeration unit 8, the workpiece W is subjected to a freezing process, becoming a frozen product. After the freezing process in the refrigeration unit 8, the frozen product is transported out of the refrigeration unit 8 by the conveyor belt 6 while still contained in the container C, and is separated from the container C by a discharge mechanism (not shown) and discharged to the outside (for example, to the processing device in the next process).

[0027] In this way, in the freezing processing system 1, the workpieces W loaded into container C by the workpiece loading device 4 are transported along the direction of movement A by a continuously operating conveyor belt 6, while the freezing process is carried out by the freezing device 8. Therefore, it is possible to achieve superior productivity compared to a transport method that performs a cycle operation of moving a predetermined distance and stopping for a predetermined time.

[0028] Furthermore, the freezing processing system 1 has a control unit 100 for controlling the workpiece input device 4. The control unit 100 is, for example, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and consists of a arithmetic unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) for performing control and calculations according to a pre-written program, and a memory device for storing various data handled by the arithmetic unit.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control device 100 is described as a controller for controlling the workpiece input device 4 of the freezing processing system 1, but the control device 100 may be integrally configured with a controller for controlling the entire freezing processing system 1.

[0030] Here, we will describe the configuration of the control device 100 that controls the chute 14 and input hopper 16 of the workpiece feeding device 4. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control device 100 that controls the chute 14 and input hopper 16 of the workpiece feeding device 4 shown in Figure 1. The control device 100 comprises an operation information acquisition unit 110 and a control unit 120.

[0031] The operation information acquisition unit 110 is configured to acquire operation information Si of the conveyor belt 6. The operation information Si is information relating to the operation of the continuously operating conveyor belt 6, and is information relating to at least one of the position of a reference point defined on the conveyor belt 6 or the moving speed of the conveyor belt 6. In this embodiment, as an example of such operation information Si, a pulse signal output from a rotary encoder 24 provided on the conveyor belt 6 is acquired. Based on such operation information Si, it is possible to suitably specify the operating state of the continuously operating conveyor belt 6.

[0032] The control unit 120 is configured to control each component of the workpiece feeding device 4, and includes a chute control unit 122 for controlling the chute 14 of the workpiece feeding device 4, and a feeding hopper control unit 124 for controlling the feeding hopper 16. Although not shown in Figure 2, the control unit 120 may further include configurations for controlling other components of the workpiece feeding device 4 (workpiece feeding hopper 9, weighing hopper 10, foreign object detection unit 12, etc.).

[0033] The chute control unit 122 is configured to control the rotational movement of the chute 14 around its pivot axis L. In the workpiece feeding device 4, the pivot axis L of the chute 14 is fixed, and the position of the outlet 14b can be varied by rotating the chute 14 around the pivot axis L. The chute control unit 122 generates a control signal Ss to control the rotational movement of the chute 14 based on the operation information Si acquired by the operation information acquisition unit 110. The control signal Ss is sent to an actuator (not shown), thereby realizing the rotational movement of the chute 14 corresponding to the operation information Si.

[0034] The input hopper control unit 124 is configured to control the tracking operation of the input hopper 16 relative to the container C, which is integrally provided on the conveyor belt 6, and the opening and closing operation of the input hopper 16. Based on the operation information Si acquired by the operation information acquisition unit 110, the input hopper control unit 124 generates a control signal Sh for controlling the tracking operation and opening and closing operation of the input hopper 16. The control signal Sh is sent to an actuator (not shown), thereby realizing the tracking operation and opening and closing operation of the input hopper 16 corresponding to the operation information Si.

[0035] Furthermore, the rotational operation of the chute 14 by the chute control unit 122 and the movement operation of the input hopper 16 by the input hopper control unit 124 may be performed using a common power source. In this case, since the rotational operation of the chute 14 and the movement operation of the input hopper 16 can be performed using power from a common power source, the device configuration can be simplified, and the size and cost of the device can be suitably reduced.

[0036] Furthermore, the rotational operation of the chute 14 by the chute control unit 122 and the movement operation of the input hopper 16 by the input hopper control unit 124 may be performed using independent power sources. In this case, it becomes unnecessary to integrate the configurations for the rotational operation of the chute 14 and the movement operation of the input hopper 16, and each configuration can be made more compact. As a result, power consumption is reduced by reducing the inertia acting on each device, making it suitable for high-speed cycles.

[0037] Next, the operation of the workpiece feeding device 4 controlled by the control device 100 having the above configuration will be explained in detail. Figure 3 is a timing chart showing the rotation angle of the chute 14, the movement speed of the feeding hopper 16, and the opening / closing state of the workpiece feeding device 4 controlled by the control device 100 in Figure 2, and Figures 4A to 4D are diagrams showing the operation of the workpiece feeding device 4 step by step at each time point in Figure 3.

[0038] First, at the initial time t1, as shown in Figure 4A, the input hopper control unit 124 controls the position of the input hopper 16 to the reference position Pr (initial position). The reference position Pr is the reference position in the tracking operation of the input hopper 16, and any position within the range in which the input hopper 16 can move (hereinafter referred to as the "movement range R") can be set. In this embodiment, as an example, the position when the input hopper 16 moves to the upstream side within the movement range R is set as the reference position Pr.

[0039] At this time, the chute control unit 122 controls the rotation angle of the chute 14 so that the outlet portion 14b of the chute 14 is positioned above the input hopper 16. In this embodiment, it is illustrated that in the initial state, when the input hopper 16 is at the reference position Pr, the rotation angle of the chute 14 is controlled to be approximately zero so that the inlet portion 14a and outlet portion 14b of the chute 14 are approximately vertical. However, the rotation angle in the initial state may be set so that the chute 14 is at an angle.

[0040] During times t1 to t3, as shown in Figure 4B, the input hopper control unit 124 controls the input hopper 16 to move forward along the direction of movement A so that it follows the container C as it moves along the direction of movement A together with the continuously operating conveyor 6. Furthermore, during the initial stage when the forward movement of the input hopper 16 begins, at times t1 to t2, the input hopper control unit 124 opens the input hopper 16, which was in a closed state, and controls the input hopper 16 to be in an open state at times t2 to t3, as shown in Figure 3C. By opening the input hopper 16 while moving it forward to follow the container C, the workpiece W being fed from the input hopper 16 can be accurately fed into the container C, which is moving together with the continuously operating conveyor 6.

[0041] Furthermore, the opening operation of the input hopper 16 at times t1 to t2 may be performed on the condition that the input hopper 16 is moving along the direction of movement A so as to follow the container C, and that there is a workpiece W in the input hopper 16.

[0042] Furthermore, during times t1 to t3 when the input hopper 16 is controlled to move forward, the chute control unit 122 controls the rotation of the chute 14 so that the outlet portion 14b of the chute 14 is positioned above the input hopper 16. Specifically, the rotation angle of the chute 14 is controlled to gradually increase as the forward movement distance of the input hopper 16 from its reference position Pr increases. This ensures that the workpiece W fed in by the chute 14 is accurately delivered to the input hopper 16, which moves in accordance with the container C.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4C, when workpieces W are fed from the input hopper 16 into container C, the next workpiece W is supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 to the workpiece input hopper 9. In this way, workpieces W are supplied sequentially from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 within the workpiece input device 4, ensuring that each workpiece W does not interfere with another workpiece W.

[0044] Next, at time t3, when the input hopper 16 reaches the downstream position of the movement range R, as shown in Figure 4D, the input hopper control unit 124 closes the input hopper 16 and controls it to return to the reference position Pr by moving it in the opposite direction to the movement direction A. At this time, the chute control unit 122 controls the chute 14 so that the rotation angle of the chute 14 gradually decreases, so that the outlet portion 14b of the chute 14 is maintained above the input hopper 16. As a result, at time t5, the workpiece input device 4 returns to the initial state shown in Figure 4A and waits until time t6, which is the start timing of the next operation cycle.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3 at times t3 to t4, the closing operation of the input hopper 16 is performed while the input hopper 16 is moving in the opposite direction to the direction of movement A. At time t3, when the closing operation of the input hopper 16 begins, the input hopper 16 is empty because the loading of the workpiece W is complete. Therefore, there is no problem even if the closing operation of the input hopper 16 is performed while the input hopper 16 is moving in the opposite direction to the direction of movement A. This reduces wasted waiting time and improves the work efficiency of the workpiece loading device 4 compared to the case where the input hopper 16 is moved back to the reference position Pr after waiting for the closing operation of the input hopper 16 to be completed.

[0046] In this way, the workpiece feeding device 4 can sequentially feed the workpieces W supplied from the workpiece supply conveyor 2 into the container C by periodically repeating the above series of operations. In particular, the input hopper 16 is controlled to repeatedly perform a first operation at times t1 to t3 in which it moves from a reference position Pr along the direction of movement A to follow the container C, and a second operation at times t3 to t5 after the first operation in which it returns to the reference position Pr. As a result, the input hopper 16 moves repeatedly within a limited range of movement R along the direction of movement A of the conveyor belt 6. By limiting the range of movement R of the input hopper 16 along the direction of movement A in this way, it is possible to accurately feed workpieces into the container C, which is integrally mounted on the continuously operating conveyor belt 6, while keeping the size of the device down.

[0047] Furthermore, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of this disclosure, and the above-described embodiments may also be combined as appropriate.

[0048] The contents described in each of the above embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0049] (1) A workpiece loading device according to one embodiment is: A workpiece loading device for loading workpieces into a container integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor belt, A chute having an outlet for discharging the workpiece supplied from the workpiece supply unit, and rotatable around a pivot axis along the width direction of the conveyor, A feeding hopper that receives the workpiece discharged from the outlet of the chute and is capable of feeding the workpiece downwards, A control unit for controlling the chute and the input hopper, Equipped with, The control unit, Based on the operation information of the conveying conveyor, the input hopper is controlled to follow the direction of movement of the conveying conveyor in synchronization with the position of the container, The chute is controlled so that the outlet is located above the input hopper.

[0050] According to the embodiment described in (1) above, a chute that transfers workpieces supplied from the workpiece supply unit to the input hopper, and an input hopper that loads the workpieces received from the chute into the container, are controlled based on the operation information of the conveyor. The chute is controlled so that its outlet is positioned above the input hopper, allowing the chute to transfer workpieces to the input hopper with high accuracy. The input hopper is also controlled to follow the container which is integrally formed with the conveyor, allowing the workpieces received from the chute to be loaded accurately into the container which moves along with the continuously operating conveyor. By synchronously controlling the chute and the input hopper based on the operation information of the conveyor in this way, workpieces can be loaded accurately into a container which is integrally provided on a continuously operating conveyor.

[0051] (2) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (1) above, The control unit controls the input hopper so that a first operation is performed in which the input hopper moves from its initial position along the direction of movement to follow the container, and a second operation is performed in which the input hopper returns to its initial position after the first operation is repeated.

[0052] According to the embodiment of (2) above, the input hopper is controlled to repeat a first operation in which it follows the container along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt from an initial position, and a second operation in which it returns to the initial position from the position after the first operation. As a result, the input hopper moves repeatedly within a limited range along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt. By limiting the range of motion of the input hopper along the direction of movement in this way, it is possible to accurately feed workpieces into containers integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor belt while keeping the size of the device down.

[0053] (3) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (2) above, The range in which the input hopper can move along the direction of movement by the first operation is within the pitch distance between two adjacent containers provided on the conveyor belt.

[0054] According to the embodiment of (3) above, the range in which the input hopper can follow the container along the direction of movement of the conveyor is limited to within the pitch distance. By limiting the range in which the input hopper can move along the direction of movement in this way, it is possible to accurately feed workpieces into containers integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor while keeping the size of the device down.

[0055] (4) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (3) above, The aforementioned operation information is information relating to at least one of the position of a reference point defined on the conveyor belt, or the moving speed of the conveyor belt.

[0056] According to the embodiment of (4) above, the operating information of the conveyor that is referenced when controlling the chute and the input hopper is at least one of the position of a reference point defined on the conveyor or the moving speed of the conveyor. By using these as operating information, the operating state of the continuously operating conveyor can be suitably identified, and the chute and the input hopper can be controlled with high precision.

[0057] (5) In other embodiments, in the embodiment of (4) above, The aforementioned operation information is a pulse signal output from a rotary encoder installed on the conveyor belt.

[0058] According to the embodiment of (5) above, the operating state of a continuously operating conveyor can be suitably determined by utilizing the pulse signal output from a rotary encoder provided on the conveyor.

[0059] (6) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (5) above, The control unit controls the input hopper so that the input hopper can input the workpiece into the container, provided that the input hopper is following along the direction of movement and that the workpiece is in the input hopper.

[0060] According to the embodiment of (6) above, the operation of loading workpieces into the container by the loading hopper is performed on the condition that the loading hopper follows the container which is integrally formed with the transport conveyor, and that there are workpieces in the loading hopper. This effectively prevents loading defects such as workpieces being loaded by the loading hopper overflowing from the container.

[0061] (7) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (6) above, The rotational movement of the chute and the movement of the input hopper are performed using a common power source.

[0062] According to the embodiment of (7) above, the rotational operation of the chute and the movement operation of the input hopper can be performed using power from a common power source, thus simplifying the device configuration and allowing for a favorable reduction in device size and cost.

[0063] (8) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (6) above, The rotational movement of the chute and the movement of the input hopper are performed using independent power sources.

[0064] According to the embodiment of (8) above, it is no longer necessary to integrate the configurations related to the rotational operation of the chute and the movement operation of the input hopper, and each configuration can be made more compact. As a result, power is reduced by reducing the inertia acting on each device, and it can be suitably adapted to high-speed cycles.

[0065] (9) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (8) above, The container is a mold formed on the conveyor belt.

[0066] According to the embodiment of (9) above, the container into which the workpiece is loaded is a mold integrally formed with the conveyor belt. Since the mold does not require replacement work due to deterioration like a tray, it is advantageous in reducing operating costs.

[0067] (10) In other embodiments, in any one embodiment of (1) to (9) above, The aforementioned work is a food product, noodles.

[0068] According to the embodiment of (10) above, the food noodle workpiece, which is a collection of thin noodles, can be accurately fed into a container integrally formed with a continuously operating conveyor.

[0069] (11) A freezing process system according to one embodiment is: A workpiece loading device relating to any one of the above embodiments (1) to (10), A refrigeration device is provided, which is located downstream of the conveying conveyor from the workpiece input device, for freezing the workpieces that have been placed into the container by the workpiece input device. It is equipped with.

[0070] According to the embodiment of (11) above, by accurately loading workpieces into a container integrally formed with a continuously operating conveyor using the workpiece loading device, a freezing processing system can be realized that can efficiently perform freezing processing on workpieces transported by the conveyor. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1. Freezing Processing System 2 Work supply conveyor 4. Workpiece loading device 6. Conveyor 6a Outbound conveyor 6b Return conveyor 8. Refrigeration equipment 9. Work input hopper 9a Upper opening 9b Lower opening 10 Measuring hoppers 12 Foreign object detection unit 14 Shooters 14a Entrance 14b Exit section 16. Input hopper 24 Rotary Encoders 100 Control device 110 Operation information acquisition unit 120 Control Unit 122 Shooter Control Unit 124 Input Hopper Control Unit

Claims

1. A workpiece loading device for loading workpieces into a container integrally mounted on a continuously operating conveyor belt, A chute having an outlet for discharging the workpiece supplied from the workpiece supply unit, and rotatable around a pivot axis along the width direction of the conveyor, A feeding hopper that receives the workpiece discharged from the outlet of the chute and is capable of feeding the workpiece downwards, A control unit for controlling the chute and the input hopper, Equipped with, The control unit, Based on the operation information of the conveying conveyor, the input hopper is controlled to follow the direction of movement of the conveying conveyor in synchronization with the position of the container, A workpiece feeding device that controls the chute so that the outlet is located above the input hopper.

2. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the feeding hopper so that a first operation is performed in which the feeding hopper moves from an initial position along the direction of movement to follow the container, and a second operation is performed in which the feeding hopper returns to the initial position after the first operation is repeatedly performed.

3. The workpiece loading device according to claim 2, wherein the range in which the loading hopper can move along the direction of movement by the first operation is within the pitch distance between two adjacent containers provided on the conveyor belt.

4. The workpiece loading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation information is information relating to at least one of the position of a reference point defined on the conveyor belt, or the moving speed of the conveyor belt.

5. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 4, wherein the operation information is a pulse signal output from a rotary encoder provided on the conveyor belt.

6. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the feeding hopper so that the feeding hopper feeds the workpiece into the container, provided that the feeding hopper follows the feeding hopper along the direction of movement and that the workpiece is in the feeding hopper.

7. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotational operation of the chute and the movement operation of the feeding hopper are performed using a common power source.

8. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotational operation of the chute and the movement operation of the feeding hopper are performed using power sources independent of each other.

9. The workpiece loading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container is a mold formed on the conveying conveyor.

10. The workpiece feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the workpiece is food noodles.

11. A workpiece feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, A refrigeration device is provided, which is located downstream of the conveying conveyor from the workpiece input device, for freezing the workpieces that have been placed into the container by the workpiece input device. A freezing processing system equipped with the following features.

Images