Conveying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveying device that can efficiently transport only specific types of tableware from a collection of multiple types of tableware to a washing machine. [Solution] When the conveying conveyor 6 uses a belt conveyor 60 to transport dishes from inside the accumulation tank 11a to the outside, some dishes that exceed the predetermined upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the transporting path, either individually or when stacked with other dishes, are guided by a guide unit 66 to a different movement path when they have been transported partway along the transporting path. In this way, dishes that are below the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the transporting path, excluding some dishes, can be transported separately from the others from inside the accumulation tank 11a to the end of the transporting path and supplied to subsequent processes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device that transports tableware to be cleaned by an automatic cleaning device from a collection tank in which the tableware is placed together with other tableware toward the automatic cleaning device.

Background Art

[0002] In restaurants such as conveyor belt sushi restaurants, objects such as food and drinks are provided to customers in a state of being placed on tableware such as plates. Used tableware is collected and washed, so that it can be used repeatedly. In the kitchens of such stores, automatic tableware cleaning devices may be used in order to reduce labor costs related to tableware cleaning. To use the automatic cleaning device efficiently, a step of sequentially taking out tableware from the collected and accumulated tableware and supplying it to the automatic cleaning device is required. However, if the work of sequentially moving tableware to the automatic cleaning device is performed manually, it will be very labor-intensive, so a method that does not rely on manual labor is required, similar to cleaning.

[0003] Under such circumstances, devices that place plates collected in a water tank on a conveyor and transport them toward an automatic cleaning device have been developed in recent years. Patent Document 1 discloses a plate organizing device that places plates on a conveyor in a water tank and transports them to a cleaning device. This plate organizing device uses a plate flow means for collecting plates at the start point of the transport path of the conveyor, together with the plate transport conveyor that is fed out from below the water surface of the water tank. The plate flow means is a mechanism that moves the plates in the tank to the start point of the transport path by generating a water flow in the water tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The dish sorting device described in Patent Document 1 is capable of automatically feeding dishes to a washing device using a conveyor belt. However, the dish sorting device described in Patent Document 1 is specifically designed for dishes and assumes that all the tableware in the tank is dishes. It only has the function of placing all the dishes in the tank onto the conveyor belt without any particular selection and transporting them to the washing device. If there were other types of tableware in the tank, these other types of tableware would also be placed on the conveyor belt and transported, making it impossible to selectively transport specific types of tableware such as dishes. In addition, the dish sorting device shown in Patent Document 1 requires a large amount of horizontal space for transporting the dishes, as the dishes are transported to the washing device in a horizontal position with either the front or back side facing upwards.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a conveying device that can efficiently transport only specific tableware from a collection of multiple types of tableware to a washing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The conveying device according to this disclosure comprises a conveying means for transporting dishes placed on the conveying path from the accumulation tank to the outside, with a portion of the conveying path arranged inside an accumulation tank containing dishes of different heights, and a guiding means for guiding a portion of the dishes that have been transported partway along the conveying path of the conveying means to a different movement path, wherein the portion of dishes that are to be guided by the guiding means are dishes that, either on their own or when stacked on top of other dishes, exceed a predetermined upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path. According to the conveying device described herein, specific tableware can be conveyed from among the tableware contained in the accumulation tank. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an automatic cleaning system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]This is a schematic diagram of a product supply system combined with an automatic cleaning system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] These are cross-sectional and plan views of a first dish being transported by a conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] These are cross-sectional and plan views of a second dish handled by a conveyor belt according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the state of the first dish support by the crossbars in a conveyor belt according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram of the conveying state of the first dish in a conveying conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing the first dish support state at the third portion of the belt conveyor in a conveying conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the second dish transport state up to the second portion of the belt conveyor in the conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the oscillation state of the guide section in a conveyor belt according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, in conjunction with the transport of the second dish. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates the movement of a second dish due to its fall from a third portion of the belt conveyor to a guide portion in a conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of the dropping of the second dish from the third part of the belt conveyor in a conveying conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 13] This diagram illustrates the contact state of the second dish with the guide plate of the guide section in a conveyor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] This diagram illustrates the lateral guidance of the second dish by the guide plate of the guide section in a conveyor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15]This is an explanatory diagram showing the passage of the first tableware, which has fallen from an overlapping state, through the slit in the guide portion of the conveyor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] <Abstract> (1) The conveying device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is a conveying device for conveying tableware, a part of the conveying path is disposed in a collection tank containing tableware of different heights, and the conveying device is provided with a conveying means for conveying the tableware placed on the conveying path from the inside of the collection tank to the outside, and a guiding means for guiding part of the tableware that has been conveyed partway along the conveying path of the conveying means to a movement path different from the conveying path. The part of the tableware to be guided by the guiding means is tableware that, alone or by overlapping with other tableware, exceeds a preset upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the conveying path.

[0010] In this way, in the conveying device according to the present disclosure, when the tableware is placed on the conveying path by the conveying means and conveyed from the inside of the collection tank to the outside, for part of the tableware that, alone or by overlapping with other tableware, exceeds the preset upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the conveying path, when the tableware is conveyed partway along the conveying path, the guiding means guides the tableware to a movement path different from the conveying path. In this way, the tableware excluding the part of the tableware, which has a height not greater than the upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the conveying path, can be separated from the part of the tableware, conveyed from the inside of the collection tank to the end of the conveying path, and supplied to the subsequent process. That is, by dividing the paths of a plurality of types of tableware according to the difference in height on the conveying path, appropriate handling can be performed for each of them. In addition, by guiding the part of the tableware to the movement path different from the conveying path by the guiding means, the guided part of the tableware will not hinder the conveyance of other tableware on the conveying path, and the tableware that needs to be conveyed can be conveyed smoothly and without stagnation until the conveyance is completed.

[0011] (2) The transport device according to the present disclosure includes, as necessary, tableware consisting of first tableware having a height not greater than an upper limit height and second tableware having a height that alone exceeds the upper limit height, wherein the guiding means directs the second tableware among some of the tableware to a position deviated from the transport path of the transport means and the accumulation tank.

[0012] In this way, the transport device according to the present disclosure uses the upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the transport path in the transport means as a reference, and for the second tableware with a height exceeding this reference, the guiding means directs the second tableware to a position deviated from the transport path and the accumulation tank, thereby preventing a situation where the second tableware remains on the transport path beyond the position of the guiding means, making mixed transport of the second tableware unlikely to occur during transport of the first tableware with a height not greater than the upper limit height, and enabling appropriate sorting and handling of the first tableware and the second tableware. Further, since the guiding means directs the second tableware to the position deviated from the transport path and the accumulation tank, the second tableware that has once deviated from the transport path does not return to another position on the transport path or to the accumulation tank, and when transporting the first tableware, it is possible to avoid a situation where the second tableware obstructs transport on the transport path, or a situation where the second tableware that has returned to the accumulation tank obstructs the movement of the first tableware placed on the transport path in the accumulation tank, so that the transport of the first tableware by the transport means can be performed more smoothly.

[0013] (3) In the transport device according to the present disclosure, as necessary, the guiding means includes a guide body that comes into contact with the second tableware among some of the tableware to change its moving direction, and causes the second tableware to travel to the side of the transport means.

[0014] In this way, in the transport device according to the present disclosure, the guide body of the guiding means comes into contact with the transported second tableware to change the moving direction of the second tableware, and causes the second tableware to travel to the side of the transport means, whereby the second tableware once transported partway along the transport path can be easily and reliably removed from the transport path, and the second tableware is also prevented from returning to the accumulation tank, so that a state in which the first tableware is transported separately from the second tableware can be more reliably obtained.

[0015] The derivative can be, for example, a component positioned in a stationary state near the transport path, which contacts the moving second dish and utilizes the momentum of the second dish's movement to guide it along the continuous portion of the component, thereby directing the second dish toward the side of the transport means. Alternatively, as a derivative, an elastic body can be used that is placed near the transport path, elastically deforms in contact with the moving second dish, increases the amount of deformation as the second dish moves, and when it reaches the limit of deformation and returns to its original shape, the restoring force propels the second dish to the side of the transport means. It is desirable to position these derivatives so that they do not come into contact with the first tableware being transported.

[0016] (4) The conveying device according to this disclosure includes, if necessary, a conveying means that conveys dishes upward from the accumulation tank with an upward slope in at least a portion of the conveying path, and in a portion of the conveying path of the conveying means that is above the guide means, the slope is such that some dishes can tilt and fall away from the conveying path due to their own weight, and the guide means is disposed near the conveying means and has a guide body that contacts some dishes falling from the conveying path of the conveying means and guides them to another path.

[0017] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, the upper part of the conveying path having an upward slope in the conveying means, above the guide means, is set to a slope of a magnitude such that some dishes exceeding the upper limit height can tilt and fall away from the conveying path due to their own weight. As the conveying means conveys dishes upward from the accumulation tank, when some dishes reach the conveying path above the guide means, some dishes tilt and fall away from the conveying path. The fallen dishes come into contact with the guide body of the guide means near the conveying means and are guided to a different path, and do not return to the conveying path. In this way, some dishes that have been conveyed partway along the conveying path can be separated from the conveying path by their own weight, and a state in which some dishes are separated from other dishes can be obtained in an easy and reliable manner, and the conveying of dishes to be conveyed by the conveying means can be carried out more efficiently.

[0018] The guide should preferably have a surface that widely distributes the load from the falling tableware, but it is not limited to this. The guide may be in other shapes, such as lines or mesh, as long as it does not deform under the load of the tableware and does not cause any adverse effects such as scratching the tableware.

[0019] (5) The conveying device according to this disclosure includes, if necessary, a guide means that faces the conveying path of the conveying means and has a pressing body that contacts some of the dishes being conveyed and pushes some of the dishes toward the conveying path.

[0020] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, when some dishes are conveyed by the conveying means to the middle of the conveying path, the pressing body of the guide means contacts some dishes and pushes them toward the conveying path until some dishes reach the section of the conveying path above the guide means, passing between the guide means and the conveying path, making it difficult for some dishes to move away from the conveying path. While passing between the guide means and the conveying path, some dishes are more likely to remain on the conveying path, being pushed by the guide means, and the possibility that the conveying of some dishes will continue until they pass the position of the guide means and reach the conveying path above the guide means is increased. Furthermore, by increasing the possibility that some dishes can reach the conveying path above the guide means, it is possible to significantly suppress the possibility of some dishes slipping off the conveying path during conveying and moving to a lower part of the conveying path or returning to the collection tank before reaching the conveying path above the guide means. In this way, some dishes are more likely to detach from the transport path due to their own weight after being transported partway along the path, separating them from other dishes. At the same time, it is possible to avoid some dishes obstructing the transport of other dishes in the transport path or collection tank, and the transport of the dishes other than the selected ones can be carried out efficiently.

[0021] (6) The conveying device according to this disclosure is arranged to move back and forth or swing relative to the conveying means, as necessary, so that when a portion of the dishes that are higher than the minimum distance between the pressing body and the conveying path of the conveying means come into contact with the portion of the dishes being conveyed, the pressing body temporarily retracts in a direction away from the conveying path due to the pressing force it receives, thereby allowing the portion of the dishes to proceed.

[0022] As described above, the conveying device according to this disclosure has a guide means arranged to move forward and backward or swing relative to the conveying means. When some dishes that are taller than the minimum distance between the pressing body of the guide means and the conveying path of the conveying means are conveyed and pass between the guide means and the conveying path, the pressing body of the guide means comes into contact with some of the dishes. At this time of contact, the pressing body temporarily retracts away from the conveying path due to the pressure received from some of the dishes, allowing some of the dishes being conveyed to move upward. Thus, if some dishes are taller than the minimum distance between the pressing body and the conveying path and cannot pass between the guide means and the conveying path as they are, the pressing body of the guide means temporarily retracts away from the conveying path to the extent that some of the dishes can pass. As a result, regardless of the type of dishes, the pressing body of the guide means can press some of the dishes being conveyed toward the conveying path, maintaining some of the dishes on the conveying path between the guide means and the conveying path, and ensuring that some of the dishes are conveyed to the conveying path above the guide means and subsequently separated from other dishes by detaching from the conveying path.

[0023] It is preferable, but not limited to, that the guiding means be used in conjunction with a biasing means to bias the guiding means toward the conveying means so that it temporarily retracts after coming into contact with some of the tableware and then returns to its original position. For example, by setting the center of gravity of the guiding means, the guiding means may temporarily retract after coming into contact with some of the tableware and then return to its original position by moving downwards due to its own weight.

[0024] (7) In the conveying device according to this disclosure, the conveying means are arranged in a straight line in a plan view along the conveying path, as needed.

[0025] Thus, the conveying device according to this disclosure has a structure that allows for the inclusion of elements such as inclinations that displace the tableware to be conveyed in the vertical direction in the conveying path of the conveying means, while arranging them in a straight line in a plan view, thereby limiting the horizontal displacement of the tableware to only one direction. As a result, the tableware is conveyed in a straight line in a plan view along the conveying path of the conveying means, minimizing horizontal displacement, and the horizontal space occupied by the conveying means can also be kept to a minimum, thus achieving space savings in terms of installation.

[0026] (8) The transport device relating to this disclosure may, if necessary, be a collection tank that collects dishes moved by a water flow by allowing them to flow into the tank along with the water.

[0027] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, the collection tank for the dishes is a water tank, and the dishes moved by the water flow are collected by flowing them into the tank along with the water. By placing the dishes, which are submerged in water, on the conveying path of the conveying means and conveying them, the dishes can be smoothly carried into the collection tank, and collisions between the dishes and various parts of the collection tank, as well as collisions between the dishes themselves, can be mitigated by the water, thereby reducing wear and tear on the dishes. Furthermore, because the dishes are submerged in water in the collection tank while waiting to be conveyed, even if foreign matter is attached to the dishes, the foreign matter is easily separated from the dishes in the collection tank, and the conveying means can convey dishes with less foreign matter attached, reducing the load on subsequent processes such as washing.

[0028] (9) The conveying device according to this disclosure may, if necessary, set the direction in which the conveying means conveys dishes from inside the collection tank to the outside of the collection tank to be intersecting with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank.

[0029] Thus, the conveying device according to this disclosure is configured such that the direction in which dishes are conveyed from inside to outside the accumulation tank in the conveying means is oriented to intersect with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the accumulation tank. This allows the downstream devices that receive the dishes from the conveying means to be positioned away from the water channel through which water flows continuously for a predetermined length to allow dishes and water to flow into the accumulation tank. This allows the layout of each device involved in the process after the conveying of dishes to be appropriately set in accordance with the surrounding environment, and overall space saving can be achieved.

[0030] (10) The conveying device according to this disclosure optionally includes a conveying means comprising a first part located within a collection tank, a second part located above the first part and near a guide means, and a third part located above the second part, wherein the first part is set to a first upward slope that allows dishes in the collection tank to be loaded onto the conveying path, the second part is set to a second upward slope that is greater than the first upward slope, and the third part is set to a third upward slope that is greater than the second upward slope and is large enough that some of the dishes can tilt away from the conveying path and fall due to their own weight.

[0031] Thus, the conveying device according to this disclosure has a conveying path in the conveying means that has three sections with different inclines, and the incline increases as you move upward from the lowest first section located in the accumulation tank. As a result, the first section located in the accumulation tank is set to an incline that allows dishes to be placed on it, while the upper third section is set to an incline large enough that some dishes will fall by their own weight, thereby obtaining an optimal incline according to the role of each section of the conveying path. Furthermore, a second section set to an intermediate incline is provided between the first and third sections to suppress abrupt changes in incline, so that some dishes are conveyed smoothly up to the second section, preventing some dishes from sliding off and returning to other sections of the conveying path or to the accumulation tank, and making it less likely for some dishes to affect the conveyance of other dishes, thus enabling smoother conveyance.

[0032] (11) The transport device according to this disclosure may include, if necessary, another collection tank for temporarily collecting tableware that has been guided by a guide means to a different movement path.

[0033] Thus, the conveying device according to this disclosure guides tableware that has been guided to a different movement path by a guiding means into another accumulation tank, collects these tableware in the other accumulation tank, and prevents them from heading towards the conveying path or accumulation tank of the conveying means. This prevents situations where some tableware obstructs the conveying of the tableware, and allows for smooth conveying.

[0034] (12) A conveying device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure is a conveying device for conveying tableware, wherein a portion of the conveying path is arranged in a collection tank containing tableware of different heights, and the device includes a conveying means for conveying tableware placed on the conveying path from the collection tank to the outside, and a release means for releasing a portion of the tableware that has been conveyed partway along the conveying path of the conveying means from the conveying path, wherein the portion of tableware to be released by the release means is tableware that exceeds a predetermined upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the conveying path, either individually or by overlapping with other tableware.

[0035] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, when conveying dishes from inside the storage tank to the outside by placing them on a conveying path with the conveying means, some dishes that exceed a predetermined upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path, either individually or when stacked with other dishes, are detached from the conveying path by a detachment means when they have been conveyed partway along the conveying path. In this way, the dishes that are below the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path, excluding the selected dishes, can be conveyed separately from the selected dishes from inside the storage tank to the end of the conveying path and supplied to subsequent processes. Furthermore, by using a detachment mechanism to remove some of the dishes from the transport path, the detached dishes do not obstruct the transport of other dishes on the transport path (or hinder the movement of dishes onto the transport path in the accumulation tank), allowing the dishes that need to be transported to be transported smoothly and without interruption until transport is complete.

[0036] (13) The transport device according to this disclosure includes a release mechanism that, if necessary, contacts some of the tableware to release it from the transport path.

[0037] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, the release means contacts some of the dishes being conveyed that exceed the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path, thereby releasing some of the dishes off the conveying path. In this way, some dishes that have been conveyed partway along the conveying path are easily and reliably released from the conveying path, while dishes below the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path are not contacted by the release means, allowing the conveying to continue. This ensures that the dishes to be conveyed are conveyed separately from the others, resulting in a more reliable state of conveyance.

[0038] (14) The conveying device according to this disclosure, if necessary, has a conveying means that has an upward slope in at least a part of the conveying path to convey dishes upward from the accumulation tank, and a predetermined part of the conveying path of the conveying means is set to an upward slope of a size that allows some dishes to tilt away from the conveying path and fall due to their own weight, and also serves as a release means.

[0039] Thus, in the conveying device according to this disclosure, the conveying path having an upward slope in the conveying means has a predetermined section that also serves as a release means, and the upward slope is set to a size that allows some dishes exceeding the upper limit height to tilt and fall away from the conveying path due to their own weight. As the conveying means conveys dishes upward from the accumulation tank, when some dishes reach the section of the conveying path that serves as a release means, some dishes tilt and fall away from the conveying path. The fallen dishes completely detach from the conveying path and do not return to the conveying path. In this way, some dishes that have been conveyed partway along the conveying path can be detached from the conveying path by a release means that utilizes their own weight, and a state in which some dishes are separated from other dishes can be obtained in an easy and reliable manner, and the conveying of dishes to be conveyed by the conveying means can be carried out more efficiently.

[0040] (15) An automatic washing system according to a third embodiment of this disclosure comprises an automatic washing device for automatically washing dishes and a transport device that forms at least a part of the dish transport path to the automatic washing device and transports the dishes. The transport device has a transport path that is partly located in a collection tank containing dishes to be washed and dishes not to be washed by the automatic washing device, and includes a transport means for transporting dishes on the transport path from inside the collection tank to the outside, and a guide means for guiding dishes not to be washed that have been transported partway along the transport path of the transport means to a separate movement path, and directing them to a position away from the transport path and the collection tank, and the transport means transports dishes other than those guided to the separate movement path by the guide means to the end of the transport path and proceeds to the automatic washing device.

[0041] As described above, in the automatic washing system according to this disclosure, when the conveying means of the conveying device places the dishes on the conveying path and transports them from inside the collection tank to the outside, dishes that are not to be washed by the automatic washing device are guided by the guiding means to a different path from the conveying path when they have been transported partway along the conveying path. In this way, dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device can be separated from dishes that are not to be washed and transported from inside the collection tank to the end of the conveying path, allowing them to proceed further to the automatic washing device. In other words, by separating the paths of multiple types of dishes according to whether or not they are to be washed, appropriate handling can be performed for each type. Furthermore, by guiding dishes that are not to be washed to a separate transport route using a guidance mechanism, the dishes that are not to be washed will not obstruct the transport of dishes that are to be washed on the transport route, allowing the dishes to be washed to be transported smoothly and without interruption until the transport is complete.

[0042] (16) The automatic washing system according to this disclosure is configured such that, if necessary, the collection tank is connected to the end of a dish retrieval system that moves dishes by a water flow, allowing dishes to flow into the tank along with water, and the direction in which the conveying means of the conveying device transports the dishes from inside to outside the collection tank is set to intersect with the direction in which the dishes and water flow into the collection tank by the dish retrieval system.

[0043] Thus, the automatic washing system according to this disclosure is configured such that the direction in which the transport means transports dishes from inside to outside the collection tank connected to the end of the dish collection system intersects with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank by the dish collection system. This allows the downstream equipment that receives the dishes from the transport means to be positioned separately from the waterway of the dish collection system, which continuously flows dishes and water for a predetermined length to the collection tank at the end. This allows the layout of each piece of equipment involved in the process after the transport of dishes to be appropriately set according to the surrounding environment, and overall space saving can be achieved.

[0044] (17) The automatic washing system according to this disclosure includes, as necessary, an alignment device that directs dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device, received from a conveying device, into the automatic washing device in a predetermined orientation, and a transfer device that transfers the dishes that have been washed by the automatic washing device to a kitchen conveying device. The kitchen conveying device has a first conveying section arranged in the kitchen area parallel to the boundary line between the kitchen area and the seating area of ​​a restaurant, and a second conveying section that bends from the first conveying section and is provided in the kitchen area, and circulates between the first conveying section and the second conveying section. The automatic washing device is arranged near the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying device, with the direction in which the entrance for dishes to be washed and the exit for dishes that have been washed are aligned parallel to the second conveying section. The conveying device is a dish collection system that moves dishes by water flow, and the direction in which dishes are transported out from a collection tank connected to the end of a water channel parallel to the first conveying section of the kitchen conveying device is set to intersect with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank by the water channel. The alignment device is positioned so that the direction in which the dishes received from the conveying device are advanced towards the entrance of the unwashed dishes in the automatic washing device intersects with the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying device. The transfer device transfers the washed dishes to the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying device.

[0045] Thus, in the automatic washing system described herein, a conveying device transports dishes from a collection tank connected to the end of a dish collection system to an automatic washing device that washes dishes, and only the dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device are transported to the next-stage aligning device, which aligns the dishes to be washed in a predetermined orientation and allows them to enter the entrance of the automatic washing device. The washed dishes that have been washed by the automatic washing device and exited are transferred by a transfer device to the second conveying section of a kitchen conveying device, transported in the second conveying section, then moved to the first conveying section and transported further, and then made available for use in the kitchen area. The dish collection system allows dishes and water to flow into the collection tank. A conveying device transports the dishes in a direction intersecting with the flow of water, and an alignment device further moves the dishes in a direction intersecting with the direction of transport by the conveying device, leading them into the automatic washing device. After being washed in the automatic washing device, the washed dishes are transferred by a transfer device to the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying device, where they are transported, then their orientation is changed and they are transported in the first conveying section. In this way, the direction of movement of dishes by each device in the system is set so that the arrangement of each device is appropriate, allowing for the efficient transfer of dishes before washing to the automatic washing machine, and further efficient transfer of washed dishes from the automatic washing machine. In addition, each device can be placed close together without difficulty, resulting in space savings for the entire system.

[0046] Furthermore, in a conveying device, if dishes not to be washed by the automatic washing device are guided from the middle of the conveying path to a different movement path using a guide means, the guidance direction may be one of a pair of directions that intersect with the direction in which the conveying device transports dishes out of the collection tank (for example, the direction in which there is space). For example, the guidance direction described above is preferably a direction that intersects with the direction in which the conveying device transports dishes out of the collection tank, and is set to be a direction away from the automatic washing device, opposite to the direction in which the alignment device moves the dishes received from the conveying device toward the dish entrance of the automatic washing device (the direction toward the automatic washing device). This is because, on the side of the conveying device in which the alignment device moves the dishes toward the automatic washing device, the automatic washing device, the transfer device, and the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying device are located close to the conveying device, and if dishes not to be washed are guided toward the same side as these, the movement of the dishes and the execution of washing will be affected by the presence of these devices, making it difficult. In contrast, by directing the guidance direction of dishes not to be washed so as not to overlap with the area where the automatic washing device or collection tank is located, and not to interfere with the function of those devices, it becomes possible to wash dishes not to be washed without being constrained by the installation space or range of motion of each device that makes up the automatic washing system other than the conveying device. This is achieved by providing a separate washing device for washing dishes not to be washed, or a device that forms a movement path for moving dishes not to be washed to such a separate washing device, thereby enabling the washing of dishes not to be washed to be carried out smoothly and without difficulty.

[0047] In addition, a dish collection system that collects dishes to be washed and stores them in a collection tank may collect dishes by moving them using means other than water flow. This type of dish collection system technology can also be applied to automatic washing systems that wash dishes that have passed through a conveying device. In this case, the automatic washing system can also be described as follows. An automatic dishwashing system comprising: an automatic washing device for automatically washing dishes; a dish collection system for collecting dishes and accumulating the collected dishes in a collection tank located at the end of the collection path; and a conveying device for transporting the dishes accumulated in the collection tank toward the automatic washing device.

[0048] (18) A transfer system according to the fourth embodiment of this disclosure is a transfer system that transfers dishes along a dish transfer path to an automatic washing device, and includes a guide means for guiding dishes that are not to be washed by the automatic washing device, which have been transferred partway along the dish transfer path, to a separate transfer path from the dish transfer path, thereby transferring the dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device to the end of the dish transfer path and bringing them to the automatic washing device.

[0049] As described above, in the transfer system according to this disclosure, while dishes are being transported along a dish transport path to an automatic washing device, dishes that are not to be washed by the automatic washing device are guided by a guidance means to a separate transport path at a point along the dish transport path. In this way, dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device can be separated from dishes that are not to be washed and transported to the end of the dish transport path to reach the automatic washing device. In other words, by separating the paths of multiple types of dishes based on whether or not they are to be washed, appropriate handling can be performed for each type. Furthermore, by guiding dishes that are not to be washed to a separate transport path from the dish transport path using a guidance mechanism, the dishes that are not to be washed will not obstruct the transport of dishes that are to be washed along the transport path, allowing the dishes to be washed to be transported smoothly and without interruption until they reach the automatic washing device.

[0050] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, a conveying device, which is a conveying conveyor according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. The conveying device according to this embodiment is a conveying conveyor that is incorporated into an automatic dishwashing system.

[0051] First, we will describe an example of the configuration of an automatic dishwashing system incorporating the conveying device according to this embodiment. The automatic washing system 1 is a system for washing used dishes in a restaurant, and is used in combination with a product serving system 10 that provides food and beverage products 90 to customers. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated cleaning system in a restaurant, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a food service system in a restaurant.

[0052] In this embodiment, a sushi restaurant (more specifically, a so-called conveyor belt sushi restaurant) will be used as an example of a restaurant. As shown in Figure 2, a restaurant premises are broadly divided into a customer seating area 12 where customers eat and drink, a kitchen 14 where food and drinks are cooked and prepared, and a washing area 13 where used dishes and other items are washed. Furthermore, the restaurants that use the automatic cleaning system 1 and the product dispensing system 10 are not limited to sushi restaurants, but may also be restaurants of other types or industries. In addition, the products 90 provided to customers may be paid for or free of charge.

[0053] In this embodiment, product 90 is, for example, food or beverages such as sushi. For example, it may be dishes such as nigiri sushi or hand-rolled sushi, or other dishes. Food and beverages may also include beverages, sweets, packaged foods, or other types of food and beverages. Furthermore, product 90 may include valuable items other than food and beverages. Such food and beverages as product 90, such as sushi, are provided to the customer by the product provision system 10, placed on tableware such as plates.

[0054] Before describing the automatic washing system in this embodiment, we will now explain the product serving system 10 that uses tableware, which is a prerequisite for using this automatic washing system. In the restaurant establishment of this embodiment, the seating area 12 is provided with tables 91 and seats where customers can eat and drink. Customers can order products 90 at each of these tables 91 and seats, and the products 90 are provided by the product delivery system 10 according to the order.

[0055] The product delivery system 10 in this embodiment includes a normal lane (not shown) for transporting products 90 so that they circulate through the seating area 12, a delivery lane 15 for transporting ordered products 90 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 2, see, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-213323), and an in-kitchen transport lane 18 for transporting washed dishes in a stacked state through the kitchen area (kitchen 14 and washing area 13). Of these, the serving lane 15 consists of multiple order lanes (registered trademark; hereafter, notes omitted) 16 that transport the products 90 ordered by the customer to the customer's seat / table 91, and a circulation lane 28 that transports the cooked products 90 to the desired order lane 16.

[0056] The serving lane 15 is positioned higher than the normal lane, and the kitchen transport lane 18 is positioned higher than the serving lane 15. In other words, from bottom to top, the heights are set as follows: normal lane, serving lane 15, and kitchen transport lane 18. The normal lane and serving lane 15 span the seating area 12 and the kitchen 14, and their paths overlap when viewed from above. The kitchen transport lane 18 spans the kitchen 14 and the washing area 13. Within the kitchen 14, the first transport path 18a is provided so that its path overlaps with the circulation lane 28 when viewed from above, and the second transport path 18b is provided in the washing area 13, bending from the first transport path 18a.

[0057] Note that the height relationship between the regular lane, serving lane 15 (order lane 16 and circulation lane 28), and kitchen transport lane 18 is not limited to this, and the relative positions of each lane may be reversed. However, as will be described later, since several washed dishes (for example, about 10 to 20) are transported in the kitchen transport lane 18 stacked on top of each other, it is desirable that the kitchen transport lane 18 be at the highest position.

[0058] The standard conveyor belt is always operational, continuously transporting dishes (first dish 101) carrying product 90. Customers can then consume product 90 by taking the dish containing the product 90 they wish to eat from the transporting dishes.

[0059] The order lane 16 in the serving lane 15 operates to transport the ordered product 90 to the customer's seat or table 91 only when a customer places an order. Each order lane 16 is designed to transport the dishes on which the product 90 is placed in a predetermined direction, delivering the product 90 to each seat or table 91 in the seating area 12. In seating arrangements where two tables 91 are facing each other with the order lane 16 in between, as shown in the center and bottom of Figure 2, two order lanes 16 are provided in parallel: one for one table 91 and one for the other table 91. Alternatively, in a similar table arrangement, only one order lane 16 may be provided that is shared by both tables 91. One end of each order lane 16 is connected to the circulation lane 28 in the kitchen 14.

[0060] In the kitchen 14, dishes on which the prepared food 90, cooked by chefs A and B based on customer orders, are placed are transported to the desired order lane 16 via a circulation lane 28. The desired order lane 16 is the order lane 16 located closest to the customer's seat / table 91, and is uniquely determined by the customer's seat / table 91. The food 90 transported to the desired order lane 16 is transferred from the circulation lane 28 to the order lane 16 and transported from the upstream side (kitchen 14) to the downstream side (customer's seat / table 91). At this time, the circulation lane 28 in the kitchen 14 allows the food 90 to wait until the order lane 16 becomes available by circulating the food 90 within the kitchen 14. The order lane 16 is controlled to stop transporting the food 90 when it reaches the customer's seat / table 91. This allows the customer to reach for the food 90 that is stopped on the order lane 16 and receive it.

[0061] The kitchen transport lane 18 has a first transport path 18a that is installed within the kitchen area parallel to the boundary line between the restaurant's kitchen area (kitchen 14 and washing area 13) and the customer seating area 12, and a second transport path 18b that bends from the first transport path 18a and is installed within the kitchen area. The kitchen transport lane 18 has the first transport path 18a installed above the circulation lane 28 in the serving lane 15, and connects with the second transport path 18b which is installed in the washing area 13 (described later) to form an endless L-shaped lane. Washed, stacked dishes are placed on the kitchen transport lane 18 and it is always in operation. Cooks A and B in kitchen 14 take the washed dishes circulating on the kitchen transport lane 18 and place the products 90 on top of each dish. The dishes with the products 90 on them are transported on the normal lane or the serving lane 15 and served to customers, as described above. Furthermore, the kitchen transport lane 18 may be arranged such that the first transport path 18a and the second transport path 18b are bent at a predetermined angle including a right angle, or they are arranged in a straight line, depending on the structure of the restaurant.

[0062] After the products 90 have been consumed at each customer's seat / table 91, the used dishes are placed by the customer into a dish collection opening (not shown) located below the lane for each seat / table 91. Further below the lane, a water recovery passage 17 is provided where the dishes placed in from the dish collection opening converge. The water recovery passage 17 consists of a first water recovery passage 17a, which is arranged along each order lane 16, and a second water recovery passage 17b, which is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the kitchen 14 and merges with the first water recovery passage 17a to send the used dishes to the automatic washing system 1 in the washing area 13. This waterway forms the dish recovery system.

[0063] Within the water recovery passage 17, a constant flow of water is generated, flowing from the seating area 12 through the kitchen 14 to the washing area 13. Dishes placed in the water recovery passage 17 are transported from the first water recovery passage 17a to the second water recovery passage 17b and then to the washing area 13. The water flow within the water recovery passage 17 may be intentionally generated by applying water pressure, or a gradual downward slope may be provided in the passage from the seating area 12 through the kitchen 14 to the washing area 13, thereby generating water flow through the difference in height. The end of the water recovery passage 17 (second water recovery passage 17b) is located in the washing area 13, and a collection tank 11a for collecting dishes for washing is connected to this end. The collection tank 11a, which is part of the automatic washing system 1, is a water tank that collects dishes that have been moved by the water flow by letting them flow into the tank along with the water. By using the accumulation tank 11a as a water tank, dishes can be smoothly introduced along with water, and the presence of water mitigates collisions between dishes and various parts of the accumulation tank, as well as collisions between dishes themselves, thereby reducing wear and tear on the dishes. Furthermore, since the dishes are submerged in water in the accumulation tank 11a while waiting to be transported, even if foreign matter is attached to the dishes, it is easier for the foreign matter to separate from the dishes within the accumulation tank 11a, allowing the transport device to transport dishes with less foreign matter attached, thus reducing the burden on subsequent processes such as washing. Furthermore, the dish collection system may use means other than water flow to move the dishes, such as a conveyor belt. In such cases, or if the dish collection system employs a mechanism where the water flowing with the dishes is directed to a different channel before reaching the collection tank, allowing only the dishes to enter the tank, the collection tank does not necessarily have to be a water tank.

[0064] Next, the automatic cleaning system in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the automatic washing system 1 washes the dishes (first dishes 101) that have been transported to the washing area 13 via the water recovery passage 17, and places the washed dishes on the kitchen transport lane 18 and sends them to the kitchen 14, making them available for use as dishes on which products 90 will be placed. The automatic cleaning system 1 comprises a conveyor belt 6, an alignment device 7, an automatic cleaning device 3, a transfer device 4, a standby unit 8, and a control unit 5.

[0065] The conveyor belt 6 is a conveying device according to this embodiment, and is a device that transports used dishes that have been collected and gathered in the accumulation tank 11a to the outside of the tank. The alignment device 7 is a device that receives the dishes transported by the conveyor belt 6, aligns the orientation of the dishes, and discharges them toward the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3. The automatic washing device 3 is a device that automatically washes the used dishes that have been discharged from the alignment device 7 and entered the dish input port 30a. Furthermore, the transfer device 4 is a device such as a robotic arm that transfers the washed dishes, which are piled up and collected at the dish discharge port 30b of the automatic washing device 3, to the kitchen transport lane 18. The waiting area 8 is installed near the kitchen transport lane 18 as an area for temporarily holding dishes that have been washed by the automatic washing device 3 and are not yet transported to the kitchen transport lane 18. The control unit 5 controls each device that makes up the automatic cleaning system 1, and is configured by a known computer such as a PLC.

[0066] The conveyor belt 6 is a conveying device that transports used dishes, including the first dishes 101 which are to be washed by the automatic washing device 3, from the collection tank 11a containing the first dishes 101 upwards to outside the tank. This conveyor belt 6 is equipped with a belt conveyor 60 as a means of transport. The belt conveyor 60 is designed with an upward-sloping transport path to allow dishes to be transported upward from the collection tank 11a, while the transport path is arranged in a straight line in plan view, limiting the horizontal displacement of the dishes to only one direction. As a result, the dishes are transported in a straight line in plan view along the transport path of the belt conveyor 60, minimizing horizontal displacement, and the horizontal space occupied by the belt conveyor 60 can be kept to a minimum, thus achieving space savings in terms of installation. The direction in which the belt conveyor 60 transports dishes from inside the collection tank 11a to the outside is set to intersect with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank 11a. As a result, downstream devices such as the alignment device 7, which is the destination for dishes transported from the belt conveyor 60, can be placed away from the water recovery passage 17 (second water recovery passage 17b), which continuously circulates water for a predetermined length in order to allow dishes and water to flow into the collection tank 11a. This allows the layout of each device involved in the process after the transport of dishes to be appropriately set in accordance with the surrounding environment, and overall space saving can be achieved.

[0067] The endless belt 61 that forms the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60 is arranged by being stretched over driven pulleys 63 and driven pulleys 62, which are positioned at the starting end and ending end of the conveying path, respectively. The belt conveyor 60 has its transport path start end, where the driven pulley 63 is located, submerged in the water in the accumulation tank 11a, and its transport path end end, where the drive pulley 62 is located, is positioned above the accumulation tank 11a. The surface of the endless belt 61 is provided with convex ribs 61a at predetermined intervals in the direction of the belt's continuity for supporting the first dish 101 and the like. The dishes, including the first dish 101 in the accumulation tank 11a, are supported by the ribs 61a on the upper surface of the endless belt 61 which forms the transport path, at the bottom or edges of the dish, such as the tail end, and are transported upward when the endless belt 61 is driven in this state.

[0068] The first dishes 101, etc., which are transported upward by the conveyor belt 6, separate from the crossbar 61a and the endless belt 61 at the end of the transport path at the top of the conveyor belt 6 and fall in a nearly vertical inclination. Meanwhile, below the end of the transport path of the conveyor belt 6, an alignment device 7 is positioned with an upward-facing input opening 70a. By dropping the first dishes 101, etc., from the end of the transport path of the conveyor belt 6 into the input opening of the alignment device 7 below, the first dishes 101, etc., are fed into the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7. The first dishes 101, etc., which fall in a nearly vertical inclination, are fed vertically into the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7. The detailed configuration of this conveyor belt 6 will be described later.

[0069] The alignment device 7 has a guide mechanism (not shown) that guides vertically oriented dishes (first dishes 101) inserted into the input port 70a to gradually tilt them as they move toward the automatic washing device 3, eventually turning them sideways. The guide mechanism of the alignment device 7 is designed to gradually incline the path of the dishes downwards from the conveyor belt 6 side toward the automatic washing device 3 side (i.e., the path of the dishes is diagonally downwards). As a result, vertically oriented dishes inserted into the alignment device 7 move toward the automatic washing device 3 with their edges and bottoms in contact with the guide mechanism, and are gradually turned sideways by their own weight and guided toward the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3.

[0070] The automatic washing device 3 draws the dishes guided to the dish input port 30a by the alignment device 7 into the device, washes them inside, and then discharges the washed dishes in a stacked state at the dish discharge port 30b. Since known technology can be used for the internal configuration of the automatic washing device 3, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0071] The dish input port 30a is an opening for drawing dishes into the automatic washing device 3, and is formed in a circular shape to match the shape of the dishes. The dish discharge port 30b is an opening for discharging dishes that have been washed in the automatic washing device 3 to the outside, and, like the dish input port 30a, is formed in a circular shape to match the shape of the dishes.

[0072] Meanwhile, multiple support rods 30d extending vertically are arranged at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the dish discharge port 30b. Dishes washed by the automatic washing device 3 are discharged from the dish discharge port 30b in a stack and piled up in the space surrounded by the support rods 30d. The stacked dishes are supported by the support rods 30d to prevent them from collapsing.

[0073] Furthermore, a color sensor 30e is provided on the outside of the plate discharge port 30b, which detects the number and color of dishes being discharged from the plate discharge port 30b. In other words, even if the dishes are nearly identical in shape, the type of dish can be identified according to its color, and the number of each type can be measured.

[0074] The transfer device 4 transfers the washed dishes collected at the dish discharge port 30b of the automatic washing device 3 to the second transport path 18b of the kitchen transport lane 18. In addition, based on the control of the control unit 5, the transfer device 4 may, if necessary, transfer certain types of dishes from the dishes collected at the dish discharge port 30b to the standby unit 8 before transferring them to the kitchen transport lane 18, and put them into a standby state. When the dishes waiting in the standby unit 8 are ready to be released from standby, the transfer device 4 transfers them from the standby unit 8 to the second transport path 18b of the kitchen transport lane 18.

[0075] Washed dishes, transferred to the kitchen transport lane 18, circulate in a stacked state between the second transport path 18b and the first transport path 18a. During this time, they are removed by kitchen cooks A and B and used as dishes on which the products 90 served to customers are placed.

[0076] <Conveying device> The configuration of the conveying conveyor, which is a conveying device according to this embodiment, will be described in detail below. As shown in Figure 3, the conveyor belt 6 includes a belt conveyor 60 as a means of transporting dishes from inside the collection tank 11a containing dishes to be washed and dishes not to be washed by the automatic washing device to the outside, and a guide unit 66 as a means of guiding some of the dishes that have been transported partway along the conveyor path of the belt conveyor 60 to a different movement path.

[0077] The conveying belt 60, based on the conditions of the dishes (plates) to be washed by the automatic washing device 3, has a preset upper limit height from the surface of the conveying path that corresponds to the threshold height of dishes that can be transported without problems and washed by the automatic washing device 3. Dishes below this upper limit height, specifically plates, are transported to the end of the conveying path and then sent to the automatic washing device 3 via the alignment device 7. On the other hand, dishes that exceed the upper height limit, specifically bowls, dishes other than plates that exceed the upper height limit on their own and are not subject to washing by the automatic washing device 3, and plates that exceed the upper height limit by being stacked on top of other plates, would cause problems if transported as they are. Therefore, they are transported partway along the conveyor belt 60's transport path and then guided to a different transport path.

[0078] The tableware that can be transported by the belt conveyor 60 of the transport conveyor 6, and which has been collected after use and gathered in the collection tank 11a, consists of first tableware 101 which is subject to cleaning by the automatic washing device 3, and second tableware 102 which is not subject to cleaning by the automatic washing device 3. The first dish 101 is a known round plate formed in a disc shape, with a bottom 101b such as a foot or base on the opposite side of the top surface 101a on which food and drink are placed. The top surface 101a of the first dish 101 is formed in a shallow concave shape. The height of this first dish 101 is less than or equal to the upper limit height mentioned above. The center of gravity G1 of the first dish 101 is located closer to the bottom 101b than the center of the first dish 101 in the height direction. There may be multiple types of the first dish 101, for example, one in which the center of the top surface 101a is recessed compared to the surrounding area, or one with different sizes and colors.

[0079] The second dish 102 is a bowl with a circular opening rim, and has a known configuration in which a base 102b such as a foot or rim is provided on the opposite side of the opening rim. The inside of the second dish 102 is deep enough to accommodate soups, noodles, rice bowls, etc. This second dish 102 alone exceeds the above upper limit height. The center of gravity G2 of the second dish 102 is located near the center of the second dish 102 in the height direction and is higher than the bottom 102b. There may be multiple types of the second dish 102, for example, with different outer diameters or internal depths, different heights or shapes of the bottom 102b, or different colors.

[0080] The belt conveyor 60 includes an endless belt 61 that forms a transport path for tableware, a drive pulley 62 positioned at the end of the transport path around which the endless belt 61 is wound, a driven pulley 63 positioned at the beginning of the transport path around which the endless belt 61 is wound, intermediate pulleys 64a, 64b, and 64c positioned between the drive pulley 62 and the driven pulley 63, and guide rollers 65a, 65b, and 65c that contact the transport path side portion of the endless belt 61. A motor (not shown) is connected to the drive pulley 62, which drives the endless belt 61. Meanwhile, the driven pulley 63 and intermediate pulleys 64a, 64b, and 64c rotate in conjunction with the driving of the endless belt 61. The intermediate pulleys 64a, 64b, and 64c change the direction of travel of the endless belt 61 and adjust its tension. Guide rollers 65a, 65b, and 65c are arranged at multiple locations and set the travel path on the upper surface of the endless belt 61.

[0081] As shown in Figure 7, the belt conveyor 60 has a first section 60a located inside the accumulation tank 11a, a second section 60b located above the first section 60a and near the guide section 66, a third section 60c located above the second section 60b, and a fourth section 60d located at the uppermost position.

[0082] In the first section 60a of the belt conveyor 60, the inclination of the dish contact surface (surface) of the endless belt 61 that forms the transport path is set to a first upward slope that allows dishes in the accumulation tank 11a to be loaded onto it. Specifically, the dish contact surface (surface) is set to form a predetermined inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal plane, and the running endless belt 61 makes contact with the dish contact surface (surface) from below, placing the dishes 101 and 102 floating near the water surface into contact with the dish contact surface (surface) and moving them upward little by little. The second section 60b is a section continuous with the first section 60a, and the inclination of the dish contact surface (surface) of the endless belt 61 that forms the transport path is set to a second upward slope that is greater than the first upward slope in the first section 60a, so that the dishes 101 and 102 that have passed through the first section 60a are scooped up and moved onto the water and further transported upward. Specifically, the dish contact surface in the second section 60b is set to have an inclination angle β that is greater than the inclination angle α. The third section 60c is a section continuous with the second section 60b, and the inclination of the dish contact surface (surface) of the endless belt 61 that forms the transport path is set to a third upward slope that is greater than the second upward slope in the second section 60b, so that the first dish 101 that has passed through the second section 60b is transported further upward, while the second dish 102 is dropped. Specifically, the dish contact surface in the third section 60c is set to have an inclination angle γ that is greater than the inclination angle β. The fourth section 60d is continuous with the third section 60c and forms the uppermost and terminal part of the transport path, guiding the first dish 101, which has passed through the third section 60c, to the end of the transport path and dropping it from the end.

[0083] At the boundary between the first section 60a and the second section 60b of the belt conveyor 60, a plurality of guide rollers 65a are arranged to press on both sides in the belt width direction of the upper surface (dish contact surface) of the endless belt 61. Furthermore, multiple guide rollers 65b are also arranged at the boundary between the second section 60b and the third section 60c, pressing on both sides in the belt width direction of the upper surface (dish contact surface) of the endless belt 61. In other words, the guide rollers 65a and 65b are positioned at locations corresponding to where the inclination angle of the conveying path changes. In this embodiment, five guide rollers 65a are arranged on each side of the endless belt 61, but one roller on each side or multiple rollers other than five on each side are also acceptable. Similarly, four guide rollers 65b are arranged on each side of the endless belt 61, but as with the guide rollers 65a described above, one roller on each side or multiple rollers other than four on each side are also acceptable.

[0084] The guide rollers 65a are used to change the angle of the endless belt 61 between the first section 60a and the second section 60b. One guide roller 65a is placed on each side of the endless belt 61, or multiple guide rollers 65a are arranged in an arc shape along the path on which the belt travels. The endless belt 61 is pressed by the guide rollers 65a and bends in an arc shape from the first section 60a to the second section 60b. Similarly, the guide rollers 65b are used to change the angle of the endless belt 61 between the second section 60b and the third section 60c, and are arranged either one on each side of the endless belt 61 or multiple guide rollers 65a arranged in an arc along the path on which the belt travels. The endless belt 61 is pressed by the pressure rollers 65b and bends in an arc from the second section 60b to the third section 60c.

[0085] In the fourth section 60d of the belt conveyor 60, one or more guide rollers 65c are arranged in contact with the endless belt 61. In this embodiment, four guide rollers 65c are arranged in an arc shape along the path on which the endless belt 61 travels. The guide rollers 65c contact the side of the endless belt 61 opposite to the surface that contacts the tableware, guiding the endless belt 61 and bending the endless belt 61 in the fourth section 60d into an arc shape, gradually changing the inclination angle of the tableware contact surface in the fourth section 60d from the inclination angle in the third section 60c to approach horizontal.

[0086] As shown in Figure 6, the surface of the endless belt 61 is provided with support struts 61a at predetermined intervals in the belt's continuous direction for supporting tableware. Each strut 61a is a transverse strut and is located near the center of the endless belt 61 in the belt width direction. The horizontal width W of each strut 61a is greater than the diameter of the first tableware 101. Each strut 61a is formed in a rib shape and is arranged in an arc shape that bulges outwards towards the rear in the belt running direction on the surface of the endless belt 61. The radius of curvature of this arc-shaped arrangement of struts 61a is greater than the radius of curvature of the circular outer edge of the first tableware 101. In this way, not only the surface of the endless belt 61 (the surface that contacts the tableware), but also the crossbars 61a can contact and support the outer edges or bottoms of the tableware 101 and 102, so that as the endless belt 61 moves, each piece of tableware 101 and 102 can be transported without shifting away from the surface of the endless belt 61 (the surface that contacts the tableware).

[0087] Because the inclination angle α of the dish contact surface is small in the first section 60a of the belt conveyor 60, when the dishes 101 and 102 get caught on the slats 61a of the endless belt 61, most of the dishes 101 and 102 floating near the water surface in the accumulation tank 11a are transported to near the water surface. On the other hand, because the inclination angle γ of the third section 60c is large, only the first dish 101 of the dishes 101 and 102 is transported upward, while the second dish 102 falls from the endless belt 61.

[0088] The inclination angle β of the tableware contact surface at the second section 60b of the belt conveyor 60 is set to an angle intermediate between the inclination angle α of the first section 60a and the inclination angle γ of the third section 60c. As a result, the first tableware 101, supported by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, is conveyed upward without leaving the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a. By making the slope of the second section 60b relatively gentle, the first dish 101 can be transported without separating from the dish contact surface, even near the water surface where there are many disturbances such as water flow and the presence of other dishes, thereby improving the transport efficiency of the first dish 101.

[0089] Furthermore, in the second section 60b, the second dish 102, although less stable than the first dish 101, is supported by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a and transported upward. If the second dish 102 becomes separated from the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a during the process of being transported upward, it will slide downward along the belt conveyor 60 and be supported by the lower surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, or fall to the collection tank 11a. Furthermore, the crossbar 61a is provided with one or more drainage holes at its base. As the endless belt 61 moves, the crossbar 31a moves from the water in the collection tank 11a out of the water, and even if water has accumulated on the crossbar 61a, that water will flow out through the holes. As a result, the water will not be carried upwards by the crossbar 61a as it rises further with the movement of the endless belt 61, preventing the water from being carried to the top of the belt conveyor 60 and then flowing off the belt and splashing around.

[0090] Next, we will explain the guide section 66 of the conveyor belt 6. As shown in Figure 7, the guide section 66 is provided so as to face the area that spans the upper part of the second section 60b and the lower part of the third section 60c on the belt conveyor 60. The guide section 66 includes a guide plate 66a that is pivotably mounted relative to the belt conveyor 60, a guide plate 66b provided above the guide plate 66a, and a pressing body 67 provided on the side of the guide plate 66a closer to the belt conveyor 60. The guide board 66a is made of a plate-like material and is attached to a support frame 66c, which is installed on the belt conveyor 60, by hinges or the like so that it can swing within a predetermined angular range. The guide plate 66b is formed as a plate-like body and is fixedly positioned above the guide plate 66a, standing perpendicular to the plate surface (surface) of the guide plate 66a and intersecting diagonally with the pivot axis of the guide plate 66a. A notch is provided in the part of the guide plate 66b closest to the surface of the guide plate 66a, creating an elongated slit 66d between the guide plate 66b and the guide plate 66a, through which the first dish 101 can pass. The pressing body 67 is made of an elastic material and is attached to the side of the guide plate 66a that is closer to the belt conveyor 60. The pressing body 67 is positioned distal to the pivot axis of the guide plate 66a and has a shape that bulges out towards the belt conveyor 60.

[0091] The minimum distance between the guide section 66 and the dish contact surface (surface) of the endless belt 61, which is the transport path of the belt conveyor 60, is the minimum distance between the pressing body 67 and the dish contact surface of the endless belt 61, and coincides with the upper limit height mentioned above. This distance is greater than the height of the first dish 101, but smaller than the height of the second dish 102 and the first dish 101 when two are stacked on top of each other. Therefore, the first dish 101, supported and transported by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, does not come into contact with the guide portion 66 (pressing body 67), but passes under the guide portion 66 to reach the second portion 60b to the third portion 60c.

[0092] On the other hand, the second dish 102, which is supported and conveyed by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, and another first dish 101 that is stacked on top of the first dish 101, come into contact with the bulging pressing body 67 and elastically deform the pressing body 67, but they are unable to pass under the guide portion 66 in that state.

[0093] However, because the guide section 66 is provided to be swingable, when contact occurs, the pressing force that the pressing body 67 receives from the second dish 102 or the overlapping first dish 101 causes the guide section 66 to temporarily swing and retract together with the pressing body 67 in a direction away from the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60, thus allowing the upward movement of the conveyed second dish 102 or the overlapping first dish 101 to proceed without obstruction. Therefore, the second dish 102 and the overlapping first dish 101 can also reach the second part 60b to the third part 60c by passing under the guide part 66 while in contact with the pressing body 67 of the guide part 66.

[0094] The pressing body 67 of the guide section 66, while retracting, contacts the second dish 102 being transported and the stacked first dish 101, pushing them toward the transport path and making it difficult for them to move away from the transport path. In other words, the pressing body 67 prevents the dishes, which have a high center of gravity, from tipping over or falling, making it easier to keep them on the transport path. As a result, the belt conveyor 60 can efficiently move the second dish 102 and the stacked first dish 101 upwards, and can continue transporting these dishes until they reach a position above the guide section 66 in the third section 60c. Furthermore, by increasing the likelihood that the pressing body 67 can reach the third portion 60c of the second dish 102 or the overlapping first dish 101 above the guide portion 66, it is possible to significantly suppress the dishes from slipping off the transport path during transport and moving to a lower part of the transport path or returning to the accumulation tank 11a before reaching the third portion 60c.

[0095] Furthermore, after the second dish 102, which was in contact with the pressing body 67, and the overlapping first dish 101 have passed under the guide portion 66, the guide portion 66 swings back to its original position due to its own weight, moving toward the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60, and the pressing body 67 also returns to its original shape. This movement of the guide portion 66 returning to its original position from its retracted state may be caused by biasing the guide portion with a biasing means such as a spring. Furthermore, the guide section 66 is configured to move backward away from the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60 and return to its original position by the swinging motion of the guide section 66. Alternatively, the guide section 66 may be made capable of moving forward and backward in a straight line relative to the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60 to perform the above-mentioned backward movement and return.

[0096] Here, we will describe in detail the third section 60c of the belt conveyor 60, which is reachable by the dishes that have passed under the guide section 66. The inclination angle γ of the tableware contact surface at the third section 60c of the belt conveyor 60 is to satisfy the following conditions. As shown in Figure 8, assuming that the first tableware 101 is supported on the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, the vertical line passing through the center of gravity G1 of the first tableware 101 intersects the region on the surface of the endless belt 61 where the first tableware 101 is placed (the region obtained by projecting the placed first tableware 101 onto the surface of the endless belt 61) K1 or the upper surface of the ribs 61a.

[0097] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 12, assuming that the second dish 102 is supported on the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, the vertical line passing through the centroid G2 of the second dish 102 does not intersect the region on the surface of the endless belt 61 where the second dish 102 is placed (the region obtained by projecting the placed second dish 102 onto the surface of the endless belt 61) K2 or the upper surface of the ribs 61a.

[0098] Based on the inclination angle γ set to satisfy these conditions, the first dish 101, supported on the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, is conveyed upward at the third section 60c without separating from the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a.

[0099] In contrast, even if the opening edge or bottom portion 102b of the second dish 102 is initially supported by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the rib portion 61a at the third portion 60c, due to the positional relationship of the center of gravity G2, it tilts away from the surface of the endless belt 61 and falls away from the endless belt 61 and the rib portion 61a. Furthermore, regarding the other first dish 101 that is stacked on top of the first dish 101, in this third part 60c, the lower first dish 101, which is directly supported by the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, does not separate from the surface of the endless belt 61 and the ribs 61a, while the upper first dish 101 that is stacked on top is unstable due to its higher center of gravity, and tilts away from the surface of the endless belt 61, falling away from the lower first dish 101. The second dish 102 that falls from the endless belt 61 and the rib section 61a, and the upper first dish 101 that falls apart from the lower first dish 101 that was overlapping with it, reach the guide section 66, which is a separate movement path from the transport path.

[0100] In the guide section 66, the falling second dish 102 and first dish 101 first come into contact with the guide board 66a and attempt to slide down along the upper surface of this guide board 66a, which has a downward sloping surface. At this time, the taller second dish 102 comes into contact with the diagonally oriented guide board 66b, changes its direction of movement along the guide board 66b, and moves to the side of the belt conveyor 60 (see Figures 13 and 14). In this way, the guide plate 66b utilizes the momentum of the second dish 102's movement to guide the second dish 102 along the continuous surface of the guide plate 66b, directing it to the side of the belt conveyor 60, that is, to a position away from the belt conveyor 60's transport path and the collection tank 11a. This ensures that the second dish 102 is reliably removed from the transport path and prevents it from returning to the collection tank 11a. The second dish 102 is then collected via a separate recovery path, which is a different transport path from the belt conveyor 60's transport path, and proceeds to a different washing process than the first dish 101.

[0101] In contrast, the shorter first dish 101 does not come into contact with the guide plate 66b, but slides down along the upper surface of the guide plate 66a while passing through the slit 66d between the guide plate 66b and the guide plate 66a (see Figure 15). After sliding off the guide plate 66a, the first dish 101 falls back into the accumulation tank 11a. Once back in the accumulation tank 11a, the first dish 101 awaits further transport by the belt conveyor 60.

[0102] In this way, among the dishes that should not be transported to the next process (washing) beyond the upper height limit, the second dish 102 is guided to a different movement path and not sent towards the transport path and accumulation tank 11a, while the first dish 101 is returned to the accumulation tank 11a via a different movement path. This makes it less likely that the second dish 102 will obstruct the transport of the first dish 101, and the transport of the first dish 101 by the belt conveyor 60 can be carried out more smoothly and efficiently. Furthermore, a separate collection tank may be provided in addition to the collection tank 11a to temporarily collect dishes such as the second dish 102, which have been guided to a different movement path by the guide unit 66. In this case, by collecting and isolating dishes that have been guided to a different movement path in a separate collection tank, it is possible to reliably prevent such dishes from heading towards the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60 or the collection tank 11a, and the second dish 102, etc., will not get in the way of the transport of the first dish 101, allowing for smooth transport.

[0103] As described above, in this embodiment, when the conveying conveyor 6 uses a belt conveyor 60 to transport dishes from inside the accumulation tank 11a to the outside, any second dishes 102 that exceed the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path, or any first dishes 101 that exceed the upper limit height by overlapping with other first dishes 101, are guided by the guide unit 66 to a different path when they have been transported partway along the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60. In this way, the first dishes 101 that are below the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path, excluding these some dishes, can be transported separately from some dishes from inside the accumulation tank 11a to the end of the conveying path and supplied to subsequent processes. In other words, by separating the paths of multiple types of dishes according to their height differences, appropriate handling can be performed for each. Furthermore, by guiding the second dish 102 to a different movement path from the transport path using the guide unit 66, the second dish 102, after being guided, does not obstruct the transport of other dishes on the transport path, and the first dish 101 that requires transport can be transported smoothly and without delay until transport is completed.

[0104] In this embodiment, a belt conveyor 60 is provided as the conveying means, but the invention is not limited to this, and other types of conveyors such as slat conveyors may also be used. Furthermore, the transport device is not limited to a conveyor belt; for example, it could be a lift (lifting device) capable of sequentially transporting objects upwards, where the outward journey (upward) for transporting the objects and the return journey (downward) after lowering the objects follow different paths in a circular fashion. Furthermore, in the conveying conveyor according to this embodiment, dishes are transported from the accumulation tank 11a containing dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device 3 (first dishes 101) and dishes not to be washed (second dishes 102) to the outside. However, this embodiment may also be applied when the dishes accumulated in the accumulation tank 11a consist only of dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device 3, and only these dishes to be washed are transported from the accumulation tank 11a to the outside.

[0105] Furthermore, in the conveyor according to this embodiment, the guide plate 66b provided on the guide section 66 to move the second dish 102 to the side of the belt conveyor 60 is configured to be positioned near the conveying path in a stationary state, but is not limited to this. For example, as another type of derivative, one made of an elastic material that propels the second dish 102 to the side of the belt conveyor 60 can also be used. This derivative is positioned near the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60, and elastically deforms in contact with the moving second dish 102, increasing the amount of deformation as the second dish 102 moves, and when it reaches the limit of deformation and returns to its original shape, the restoring force propels the second dish 102 to the side of the belt conveyor 60. It is preferable that such a derivative be positioned so as not to come into contact with the first dish 101 being conveyed, for example, at a position exceeding the upper limit height from the dish contact surface of the conveying path.

[0106] Furthermore, in the conveyor according to this embodiment, the part of the guide section 66 that first comes into contact with the dishes falling from above is designated as a guide plate 66a, and the dish is supported by a surface that can widely distribute the load, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the part that comes into contact with the dish may be in a linear or mesh shape, as long as it has a structure that allows the dish to move smoothly, does not deform under the load of the dish, and does not have any adverse effects such as scratching the dish.

[0107] Furthermore, in the conveyor according to this embodiment, the detachment function for removing some tableware, such as dishes that are not to be washed, from the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60 is performed by the third part 60c of the belt conveyor 60, but this is not the only way. For example, instead of using a method that utilizes the weight of the dishes falling from an inclined surface, such as the third part 60c of the belt conveyor 60, a detachment means, which is an independent component, can be provided that moves the dishes by contacting them as they are being conveyed, thereby detaching them from the conveying path of the belt conveyor 60.

[0108] Furthermore, in the conveyor according to this embodiment, the pressing body 67 of the guide section 66 is formed to have only one bulging portion toward the belt conveyor side, but it is not limited to this configuration. For example, the pressing body can also be configured to consist of a bulging portion located distal to the pivoting central axis of the guide plate 66a and a smaller protruding portion located proximal to the bulging portion. If the second dish 102 or the stacked first dishes 101 are being transported in an unstable state, for example, if the bowl-shaped second dish 102 is being transported with its bottom side down, or if another first dish 101 is being transported with another first dish 101 shifted and stacked on top of the first dish 101, then when these dishes come into contact with the bulging part of the pressing body 67, they may tip over or shift on the transport path of the belt conveyor 60. In such a situation, the tipped second dish 102 may be turned upside down, or the first dish 101 may completely slide off from the other first dishes 101 that it was stacked on, between the pressing body 67 of the guide section 66 and the transport path. However, the lower protrusion prevents these dishes from falling out between the pressing body 67 and the transport path, allowing the transport of the dishes to continue and ensure they reach the third section 60c.

[0109] Furthermore, in the automatic dishwashing system equipped with a conveyor belt according to this embodiment, it is assumed that the transport of dishes is performed without any particular problems, and no specific configuration for dealing with abnormalities is described. However, it goes without saying that a configuration capable of detecting and dealing with abnormalities is also possible. In this case, the automatic washing system 1 further includes an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities occurring in the path of the first dishes 101 from the accumulation layer 11a to the entrance of the automatic washing device 3. When the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality, it stops the conveyor belt 6.

[0110] The abnormalities detected by the abnormality detection unit include at least one of the following: a first abnormality in which tableware different from the first tableware 101 is transported; a second abnormality in which multiple first tableware 101 are transported in a connected state in the transport direction or stacked vertically; a third abnormality in which the path becomes blocked; and a fourth abnormality in which the number of first tableware 101 remaining at the entrance of the transport conveyor 6, i.e., the accumulation tank 11a, exceeds a specified number.

[0111] Thus, the abnormality detection unit, which detects abnormalities occurring along the path from the accumulation tank 11a through the conveyor belt 6 and alignment device 7 to the entrance of the automatic washing device 3, has one or more sensors. The sensors used include a dish arrival sensor to detect when dishes, including at least the first dish 101, have reached the top of the conveyor belt 6; a mistransport sensor to detect mistransport of dishes other than the first dish based on the difference between the height of the dishes that have reached the top of the conveyor belt 6 and the height of the first dish 101; a jamming sensor to detect the state of dishes jamming in the alignment device 7 and other devices after the conveyor belt 6; and a jamming sensor to detect when the first dish 101 is stuck in front of the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3.

[0112] The dish arrival sensor detects when a dish, such as a first dish, enters a detection range set above the conveyor belt 6, indicating that the dish has reached the top of the conveyor belt 6. A pass-through sensor, such as a photoelectric sensor, can be used for the dish arrival sensor. For example, a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit (in the case of a transmissive type) or a light-emitting / receiving unit and a reflector (in the case of a reflective type) can be placed on either side of the path through which the dish is being transported (in the case of the conveyor belt 6, the top surface of the endless belt 61), and detection can be achieved when a dish that enters between them obstructs the light path or changes the state of the reflected light reception. Furthermore, the dish arrival sensor detects the time (transit time) from when the conveyed dish enters the sensor's detection range until it exits. If this time is significantly longer than the time for one pre-determined dish, it can be determined that an abnormal condition (corresponding to the second abnormality described above) exists where multiple dishes are being conveyed in a chain across the slats 61a of the endless belt 61. If multiple dishes are conveyed in a chain, there is a risk of the dishes jamming between the end of the conveyor belt 6 and the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7. Therefore, when the above abnormal condition is detected, the conveyor belt 6 is stopped by error control to prevent jamming.

[0113] The mis-transport sensor detects the height of the dishes that have been transported and reached the top of the transport conveyor 6. As this mis-transport sensor, a displacement sensor capable of distinguishing differences in the height of the object, or a passage sensor that can distinguish when an object passes through an abnormal height position, can be used. For example, in the case of a passage sensor, detection can be achieved by placing a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit (in the case of a transmissive type), or a light-emitting / receiving unit and a reflector (in the case of a reflective type), on either the same position as the dish arrival sensor or a higher position, with the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit on opposite sides of the path, at positions corresponding to the height of dishes other than the first dish 101. If there is a difference between the detected height of the tableware and the known height of the first tableware 101, it can be determined that an abnormal condition is occurring (corresponding to the first or second abnormal condition described above), where tableware other than the first tableware, such as a bowl lid or small bowl, is being transported, or the first tableware 101 is being transported in a stacked state. When such an abnormal condition is detected, the conveyor belt 6 stops due to error control related to mistransportation. If tableware other than the first tableware, or the stacked first tableware, were to be transported as is and reach the end of the conveyor belt, there is a risk that the tableware may get stuck between the end of the conveyor belt 6 and the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7, or that the device may be damaged. For this reason, the conveyor belt 6 stops and transport is halted, allowing the tableware to be removed from the top of the conveyor belt 6.

[0114] The jamming sensor is capable of detecting when tableware falling from the end of the conveyor belt is located in a predetermined area above the alignment device 7, which is the sensor's detection range. A passage sensor can also be used for this jamming sensor. For example, a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit (in the case of a transmissive type), or a light-emitting / receiving unit and a reflector (in the case of a reflective type), can be arranged on either side of the portion of the tableware path between the conveyor belt 6 and the alignment device 7, which is the predetermined area mentioned above. Detection can then be achieved when the tableware obstructs the light path or changes the state of the reflected light reception. The jamming sensor detects the time it takes for dishes to enter and exit a predetermined area above the alignment device 7 (transit time). If this time is longer than a predetermined standard time, it is determined that the dishes are jammed (corresponding to the third abnormality described above), and the conveyor belt 6 stops. This prevents dishes from jamming in the upper area of ​​the alignment device 7, which can cause delays in dish transport or damage to the device. Although jams of dishes can occur in all processes from the conveyor belt 6 through the alignment device 7 to the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3, any jams that occur in the alignment device 7 or beyond will spread to the preceding processes, and ultimately cause jams in the area above the alignment device 7 as well. Therefore, it is not a problem to monitor only the area above the alignment device 7 with sensors.

[0115] The stagnation sensor detects a state in which multiple first dishes 101 are excessively stacked on top of each other at the discharge port of the alignment device 7, which is located in front of the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3. Displacement sensors and passage sensors can be used as this stagnation sensor. For example, a displacement sensor can detect a change in the number of first dishes 101 stacked vertically on top of each other at the discharge port of the alignment device 7 as a change in height. In the case of a passage sensor, detection can be achieved by arranging a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit (in the case of a transmissive type), or a light-emitting / receiving unit and a reflector (in the case of a reflective type), so that the stacked first dishes 101 that have reached an excessive stagnation state obstruct the light path or change the state of receiving reflected light. The alignment device 7 holds multiple first dishes 101 stacked vertically above the discharge port until it discharges the first dishes 101 from the discharge port. Therefore, even if the supply of first dishes 101 to the alignment device 7 is temporarily interrupted, it can sequentially discharge the first dishes 101 toward the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3, functioning as a kind of buffer to prevent the washing operation of the automatic washing device 3 from being interrupted due to a shortage of dishes. However, if the number of stacked first dishes 101 becomes excessive, the movement of the first dishes 101 in the alignment device 7 may become blocked, potentially causing a jam of first dishes 101 in the alignment device 7. Therefore, if the congestion sensor detects an abnormal condition in which the number of stacked first dishes 101 exceeds a preset upper limit, the conveyor belt 6 stops and interrupts the input of first dishes 101 to the alignment device 7. This prevents a jam of first dishes 101 in the alignment device 7.

[0116] Here, when stopping the conveyor belt 6, if it is stopped when there are no first dishes 101 on the top of the conveyor belt 6, then when the excessive congestion in the alignment device 7 is resolved and the conveyor belt 6 is restarted, the first dishes 101 will not be fed into the alignment device 7 for a while, resulting in an empty operation state and a decrease in feeding efficiency. For this reason, using the dish arrival sensor described above, if an excessive congestion of multiple stacked first dishes 101 occurs in the alignment device 7, the conveyor belt 6 is kept from stopping until the dish arrival sensor detects that the first dishes 101 have reached the top of the conveyor belt 6. This allows the first dishes 101 to be immediately fed from the conveyor belt 6 to the alignment device 7 when the conveyor belt is restarted after stopping, and there is no time lag in feeding.

[0117] In addition, the abnormality detection unit can also estimate and detect that the automatic washing device 3 has stopped due to some error if the retention sensor detects an excessive retention of the first dishware 101, and the dish push-up sensor built into the dish discharge port 30b of the automatic washing device 3 does not detect a certain level of retention. In other words, it can correctly determine if the automatic washing device 3 has stopped due to an error such as running out of washing liquid or dishes (dishes) getting jammed. This prevents a situation where the stoppage of the automatic washing device 3 is overlooked and left unattended, leading to a continued stoppage of the conveyor belt 6 based on the detection of retention caused by the stoppage of the automatic washing device 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1. Automatic cleaning system 3. Automatic cleaning device 4 Transfer device 5. Control Unit 6. Conveyor 7. Alignment device 8 Waiting section 10. Product Delivery System 11a Accumulation tank 12 Seating Area 13 Washing area 14 Kitchen 15 serving lanes 16 Order Lane 17 Water recovery passage 17a First water recovery passage 17b Second water recovery passage 18. Kitchen transport lane 18a First transport path 18b Second transport path 28 Circulation Lane 30a Dish inlet 30b Dish outlet 30d support rod 30e Color Sensor 60 Belt Conveyor 60a Part 1 60b 2nd part 60c 3rd part 60d 4th part 61 Endless belt 61a Cross section 62 Drive pulley 63 Driven pulley 64a, 64b, 64c Intermediate pulleys 65a, 65b, 65c Guide rollers 66 Information Department 66a Information board 66b Guidance plate 66c support frame 66d slit 67 Pressing body 70a Inlet 101 First Dish 101a Top surface 101b bottom 102 Second Dish 102b bottom A, B Cook G1, G2 center of gravity

Claims

1. A conveying device for transporting tableware, A transport means is provided that has a transport path within a collection tank containing dishes of different heights, and transports the dishes placed on the transport path from inside the collection tank to outside. The transport means includes a guide means for guiding some of the tableware that has been transported partway along the transport path to a different path from the transport path. The aforementioned tableware that is guided by the guidance means is tableware that, either alone or when stacked on top of other tableware, exceeds the upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the pre-set transport path. A distinctive transport device.

2. A conveying device according to claim 1, The tableware consists of a first dish whose height is less than or equal to the upper limit height, and a second dish whose height exceeds the upper limit height on its own. The guiding means directs the second dish, among the portion of the dishes, to a position away from the transport path of the transporting means and the accumulation tank. A distinctive transport device.

3. A conveying device according to claim 2, The guiding means has a derivative that, when in contact with the second dish among some of the dishes, changes the direction of movement and causes the second dish to move to the side of the conveying means. A distinctive transport device.

4. A conveying device according to claim 3, The guiding means has a guide body capable of guiding the second dish, which is part of the tableware, and the first dish, which is overlapping with other dishes, away from the transport path of the transporting means. The aforementioned derivative is fixed to the upper side of the guide body, with a slit interposed between the guide body and the first dish being sized to allow it to pass through. The guide guides the second dish among the portion of the dishes to bring it into contact with the derivative, while guiding the first dish through the slit without bringing it into contact with the derivative, thereby directing the first dish toward the accumulation tank. A distinctive transport device.

5. A conveying device according to claim 1, The aforementioned conveying means has an upward slope in at least a portion of the conveying path, and conveys the dishes upward from inside the collection tank. In the transport path of the transport means, the portion above the guide means is given a gradient of such magnitude that the portion of the tableware can tilt and fall away from the transport path due to its own weight. The guiding means is disposed near the transporting means and has a guide body that contacts some of the dishes falling from the transport path of the transporting means and guides them to the other path. A distinctive transport device.

6. A conveying device according to claim 5, The guiding means has a pressing body that faces the transport path of the transporting means, contacts some of the dishes being transported, and pushes some of the dishes toward the transport path. A distinctive transport device.

7. A conveying device according to claim 6, The guide means is arranged to move back and forth or swing relative to the transport means so that, when the pressing force received upon contact with some of the dishes being transported exceeds the minimum distance between the pressing body and the transport path of the transport means, the pressing body temporarily retracts in a direction away from the transport path, thereby allowing the movement of some of the dishes to proceed. A distinctive transport device.

8. A conveying device according to claim 1, The conveying means is arranged such that the conveying path is straight in a plan view. A distinctive transport device.

9. A conveying device according to claim 1, The aforementioned collection tank is a water tank that collects dishes that have been moved by a water flow by letting them flow into the tank along with the water. A distinctive transport device.

10. A conveying device according to claim 9, The transport means is configured to transport dishes from inside the collection tank to outside in a direction that intersects with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank. A distinctive transport device.

11. A conveying device according to claim 1, The conveying means has a first portion located within the accumulation tank, a second portion located above the first portion and near the guide means, and a third portion located above the second portion. The first part is configured such that the incline of the transport path is set to a first upward slope that allows the dishes in the collection tank to be loaded onto it. The second part is configured such that the incline of the transport path is set to a second uphill gradient that is greater than the first uphill gradient. The third part is set to a third upward slope, which is greater than the second upward slope and greater than the third upward slope, and which allows some of the dishes to tilt and fall away from the conveyor path due to their own weight. A distinctive transport device.

12. A conveying device according to claim 1, The system includes another collection tank into which the tableware guided by the aforementioned guidance means enters and is temporarily collected. A distinctive transport device.

13. A conveying device for transporting tableware, A transport means is provided that has a transport path within a collection tank containing dishes of different heights, and transports the dishes placed on the transport path from inside the collection tank to outside. The transport means includes a release mechanism for releasing some of the tableware that has been transported partway along the transport path from the transport path, The aforementioned tableware that is to be detached by the detachment means is tableware that, either on its own or stacked on top of other tableware, exceeds the upper limit height from the tableware contact surface of the transport path, as set in advance. A distinctive transport device.

14. A conveying device according to claim 12, The release means makes contact with some of the dishes and removes them from the transport path. A distinctive transport device.

15. A conveying device according to claim 12, The aforementioned conveying means has an upward slope in at least a portion of the conveying path, and conveys the dishes upward from inside the collection tank. A predetermined portion of the transport path of the transport means is set to an upward slope large enough to allow some of the dishes to tilt and fall away from the transport path due to their own weight, and this also serves as the release means. A distinctive transport device.

16. An automatic dishwashing system, An automatic dishwashing device that automatically washes dishes, The system comprises a conveying device that transports dishes, forming at least a portion of the dish transport path leading to the automatic washing device. The aforementioned transport device is A portion of the transport path is located within the collection tank containing dishes to be washed and dishes not to be washed by the automatic washing device, and a transport means is provided to transport the dishes on the transport path from inside the collection tank to outside. The transport means includes a guide means that guides the dishes not to be washed, which have been transported partway along the transport path, to a separate movement path from the transport path, and directs them to a position away from the transport path and the collection tank. The transport means transports dishes other than those guided to a different movement path by the guide means to the end of the transport path and directs them toward the automatic washing device. A key feature is the automated cleaning system.

17. An automatic cleaning system according to claim 16, The aforementioned collection tank is connected to the end of a dish collection system that moves dishes by water flow, and the dishes are allowed to flow into the tank along with the water. The conveying means of the conveying device is set to transport dishes from inside the collection tank to outside in a direction that intersects with the direction in which dishes and water flow into the collection tank by the dish collection system. A key feature is the automated cleaning system.

18. An automatic cleaning system according to claim 16, An alignment device that directs the dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device, received from the conveying device, into the automatic washing device in a predetermined orientation. The system includes a transfer device for transferring dishes that have been washed by the automatic washing device to a transport path within the kitchen, The aforementioned kitchen transport path comprises a first transport section arranged within the kitchen area parallel to the boundary line between the kitchen area and the seating area of ​​the restaurant, and a second transport section that bends from the first transport section and is provided within the kitchen area, with the first transport section and the second transport section circulating. The automatic washing device is installed near the second conveying section of the kitchen transport path, such that the direction in which the entrance for dishes to be washed and the exit for dishes that have been washed are aligned is parallel to the second conveying section. The aforementioned conveying device is a dish collection system that moves dishes by water flow, and the direction in which it conveys dishes out from the collection tank, which is connected to the end of a flow path parallel to the first conveying section of the kitchen conveying path, is set to intersect with the direction in which the dishes and water flow into the collection tank via the flow path. The alignment device is positioned such that the direction in which it moves the dishes received from the conveying device towards the entrance of the dishes before washing in the automatic washing device intersects with the second conveying section of the kitchen conveying path. The transfer device transfers the washed dishes to the second transport section of the transport path within the kitchen. A key feature is the automated cleaning system.

19. A transfer system that transports dishes by forming a dish transport path to an automatic washing machine, The system includes a guidance means for guiding dishes that have been transported partway along the aforementioned dish transport path and are not to be washed by the automatic washing device to a different transport path from the dish transport path. The dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device are transported to the end of the dish transport path and brought to the automatic washing device. A distinctive transport system.

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