Alignment device

Abstract

The present invention provides an alignment device that efficiently aligns the orientation of plates while suppressing the noise generated as the inserted plates move toward the discharge port. [Solution] The plate 95 to be aligned, which is inserted vertically, is supported and guided by the guide mechanism 71, and the orientation of the plate 95 is sequentially changed from vertical to horizontal while the support part of the guide mechanism 71 is in contact with the plate 95. This makes it less likely for the plate 95 to collide with the various parts of the guide mechanism 71 when the orientation of the plate 95 changes abruptly, thereby suppressing the generation of noise.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an aligning device that aligns dishes, which are objects to be washed by an automatic washing machine, in a lateral orientation with the top surface of each dish facing upward, and conveys the aligned dishes to the inlet of the automatic washing machine. 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 dishes. Once used tableware is collected and washed, it is reused repeatedly. In the kitchens of such stores, automatic tableware washing machines are sometimes used to reduce labor costs associated with tableware washing. When using an automatic washing machine, the orientation for loading tableware into the automatic washing machine is generally predetermined, and it is necessary to align the orientation of the tableware by some method. The process of loading tableware into the automatic washing machine in an aligned orientation has hitherto often relied on manual labor, and has not been fully automated.

[0003] Under such circumstances, devices equipped with a mechanism for placing dishes collected in a water tank on a conveyor, conveying the dishes to an automatic washing machine, and aligning the orientation of the dishes have been developed in recent years. Patent Document 1 discloses a dish organizing device provided with a dish reversing device that aligns the orientation of dishes when the dishes are conveyed by a conveyor. In this dish organizing device, when a dish conveyed by the conveyor is in a state with its front side facing upward, the dish is allowed to pass through in that state. On the other hand, when the dish is in an inverted state, the dish is brought into contact with the path redirecting member of the dish reversing device to change the path of the dish obliquely upward, causing the dish to ride onto the support member, and then the dish is reversed so that the front side of the dish faces upward. As a result, all dishes that have passed through the dish reversing device are conveyed in a state with their front sides facing upward. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-65555 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The dish sorting device described in Patent Document 1 is capable of automatically feeding dishes into an automatic washing device with the top surface of the dishes facing upwards. However, in the dish sorting device shown in Patent Document 1, when an inverted dish being transported reaches the dish inversion device, the dish that has ridden onto the support member tilts in the opposite direction to the direction it was ridden onto for inversion, and when it falls onto the conveyor surface, noise may be generated. In addition, the dish sorting device described in Patent Document 1 automatically moves the dishes to the washing device in a sideways position, regardless of whether the front or back of the dish is facing up, thus requiring a large amount of horizontal space for the dish movement.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide an alignment device that can efficiently align the orientation of plates while suppressing the noise generated as the inserted plates move toward the discharge port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The alignment device according to this disclosure is an alignment device that aligns the orientation of inserted plates before discharging them, and includes a guide mechanism that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates to be aligned from vertical to horizontal as the plates, which are inserted vertically, move toward the discharge port. The alignment device described herein can reduce noise when the orientation of the plates is changed as they move forward. [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 schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between an alignment device and a conveying device in an automatic cleaning system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of an alignment device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of an alignment device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing the alignment device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure with one of the first and second side walls removed. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the tray loading state of the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the first tray immediately after input in the first guide section of the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the second tray immediately after input in the first guide section of the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the contact state between the first lower surface portion and the lower guide portion and the plate in an alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates the decrease in the tilt of the tray as it progresses in the first guide section of the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 12] This diagram illustrates the initial contact state between the second side wall and the edge of a plate in an alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the progress toward the second guide section in the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 14] This diagram illustrates the contact state between the central lower guide portion and the side portion of the plate in the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 15] This diagram illustrates the decrease in the tilt of the tray as it progresses in the second guide section of the alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 16] This diagram illustrates the state in which a plate enters the third guide portion in an alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 17]This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the contact state between a plate and an abutting piece in the alignment apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the traveling state of a plate at the third guide portion of the alignment apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the entry state of a plate from the third guide portion of the alignment apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure to the automatic washing apparatus. [Figure 20] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the movement state of a small-diameter plate toward the through hole in the alignment apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement state of a sound insulation cover in an alignment apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] <Abstract> (1) An alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an alignment apparatus that aligns the orientation of loaded plates and discharges the plates, and includes a guide mechanism that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates from vertical to horizontal while the plates to be aligned, which are loaded in a vertical orientation, travel toward the discharge port side.

[0010] As described above, the alignment apparatus according to the present disclosure guides plates while supporting them by the guide mechanism, and sequentially changes the orientation of the plates while the support portions of the guide mechanism are in contact with the plates, so that impulsive contact between the plates and each part of the guide mechanism caused by a sudden change in the orientation of the plates is less likely to occur, and the generation of noise can be suppressed. In addition, since the plates can be changed to a horizontal orientation by the guide mechanism to obtain an aligned state, a section for conveying the plates in an orientation other than the horizontal orientation may be set in the upstream apparatus, and when the plates are conveyed in an inclined or vertical orientation, the horizontal space required for conveyance can be reduced.

[0011] Note that the guide mechanism is not limited to a mechanism that continuously changes the orientation, and may be any mechanism that guides the traveling plates to sequentially change the orientation of the plates from vertical to horizontal, whether the orientation change is performed continuously or stepwise.

[0012] (2) The alignment device according to this disclosure includes, if necessary, a guide mechanism which includes a first guide portion that contacts the upper and lower edges of a vertically inserted plate, respectively, and guides the plate to reduce its inclination as it moves toward the discharge port, and a second guide portion that contacts the lower edge and the bottom of the plate, respectively, and guides the plate to reduce its inclination as it moves toward the discharge port, so that it becomes horizontal.

[0013] Thus, the alignment device according to this disclosure has a guide mechanism comprising a first guide section in the front half and a second guide section in the back half. The first guide section contacts the upper and lower edges of the plate, respectively, and supports the plate from above and below, thereby stably controlling the tilt of the plate. This allows for continuous changes in the tilt of the plate, suppressing the impact applied to the plate and reducing the noise generated. The second guide section contacts the lower edge of the plate and the bottom of the plate, respectively, and supports the bottom of the plate from below instead of the upper edge of the plate. This stably prevents the plate from tipping over towards the bottom, further reducing the tilt of the plate to bring it closer to a sideways orientation, and also reduces noise.

[0014] (3) The alignment device according to this disclosure includes, if necessary, a first guide portion of the guide mechanism located in and near the center of the guide, which is a vertical plane including the line connecting the tray input and output ports by the shortest distance, and a central upper guide portion that contacts the first edge portion located at the upper end of the tray's edge to support the first edge portion so that it does not shift laterally with respect to the direction of the tray's movement; a first lower surface portion that contacts the second edge portion located at the lower end of the tray's edge to support the second edge portion from below; and a lower guide portion disposed on the first lower surface portion as a convex portion that can contact the second edge portion of the tray from the side. The first lower surface portion is an inclined surface that slopes downward as it moves away from the center of the guide in the lateral direction. The lower guide portion is positioned closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion as the tray approaches the output port in the direction of the tray's movement. The first lower surface portion and the lower guide portion move the second edge portion of the tray moving toward the output port towards the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion while maintaining a tray inclination state where the bottom of the tray is on the lower side.

[0015] Thus, in the alignment device according to this disclosure, the first guide portion supports the first edge portion of the plate, which is located at the upper end of the plate's edge, by a central upper guide portion that contacts the first edge portion, which is located at the upper end of the plate's edge, so as the plate moves towards the discharge port, the second edge portion of the plate is moved closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower portion by the guidance of the first lower surface portion and the lower guide portion, which are in contact with the second edge portion, which is located at the lower end of the plate's edge. In this way, by suppressing the lateral displacement of the first edge portion of the plate and gradually moving the second edge portion of the plate away from the center of the guide, the inclination of the plate can be smoothly reduced while gradually lowering the entire plate, and the contact between the plate and each part of the first guide portion becomes continuous, and the noise generated by the contact can be suppressed.

[0016] Furthermore, while the lower guide portion of the first guide section is generally considered to have a sloping surface that slopes downwards as it moves away from the center of the guide, it is not limited to this. Because a plate inherently has the property of its second edge sliding away from the center of the guide on the lower guide portion due to its own weight, causing the entire plate to gradually lower and reducing its slope, the lower guide portion may also be a surface without a slope that slopes downwards as it moves away from the center of the guide.

[0017] On the other hand, the downward slope on the inclined surface of the lower guide section, which decreases as you move away from the center of the guide, strongly influences the speed at which the second edge of the plate slides away from the center of the guide on the lower guide section. To increase the speed at which the second edge of the plate slides away from the center of the guide, that is, the speed at which the tilt of the plate decreases, increase the downward slope on the inclined surface of the lower guide section. Conversely, to slow down the speed at which the tilt of the plate decreases, decrease the downward slope on the inclined surface of the lower guide section.

[0018] Furthermore, the lower guide portion, which is positioned as a protrusion on the first lower surface, is positioned closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface as the plate approaches the discharge port in the direction of travel. However, the side of this lower guide portion that can contact the second edge of the plate from the side can also be curved on the first lower surface. By curving the lower guide portion, the speed at which the second edge of the plate moves away from the center of the guide can be controlled. By curving the lower guide portion so that this speed decreases as the plate moves towards the discharge port, the impact when the second edge of the plate moves from the lower guide portion to other guide surfaces beyond it can be reduced, and noise generation can also be reduced.

[0019] (4) The alignment device according to this disclosure has, if necessary, a second guide section of the guide mechanism located in and near the center of the guide, which is a vertical surface including the line connecting the tray input and output ports by the shortest distance, and a central lower guide section that contacts the bottom of the tray to support the tray, and a side section that contacts one end of the tray's edge that was in contact with the first guide section as the lower end of the tray. The central lower guide section has a slope that decreases as it approaches the output port side in the direction of the tray's movement, and guides the tray so that the relative position of the bottom of the tray with respect to one end of the edge decreases as the tray moves in the direction of movement. The side section has an inclined surface that slopes upward from the center of the guide toward the side away from the direction of the tray's movement laterally, or a vertical surface at a predetermined distance from the center of the guide, and contacts one end of the tray's edge with the inclined surface or vertical surface to guide the tray so that it does not shift distal to the center of the guide.

[0020] As described above, the alignment device according to this disclosure supports the plate from below with a central lower guide portion that contacts the bottom of the plate in the second guide section, and restricts the lateral movement of the plate with a side portion that contacts one end of the edge of the plate. The plate is guided by the side portion and the central lower guide portion, which has a slope that decreases as it approaches the discharge port in the direction of the plate's movement, so that as it moves in the direction of movement, the relative position of the bottom of the plate to one end of the edge of the plate decreases, and it approaches a lateral orientation. In this way, the plate is moved along the center of the guide to the discharge port over the shortest distance, and the slope of the plate is continuously reduced to make it lateral, thereby reducing the amount of noise generated and allowing the plate to move quickly to the discharge port.

[0021] Furthermore, regarding the end of the central lower guide portion of the second guide portion that is closer to the first guide portion, it is preferable to position it so that, when the plate has left the state of being guided by the first guide portion and the upper edge of the plate has separated from the first guide portion, it can immediately contact the bottom of the plate, in order to avoid the generation of impact noise when it comes into contact with the plate.

[0022] (5) The alignment device according to this disclosure may have a symmetrical structure in which the guide mechanism is positioned on either side of the center of the guide, if necessary.

[0023] Thus, the alignment device according to this disclosure uses a guide mechanism with a symmetrical structure on either side of the guide center to move one side of the guide mechanism relative to the center of the vertically oriented plate that is inserted, depending on the orientation of the top surface of the plate. The plate being moved along the guide mechanism can be smoothly transitioned to an inclined state where the bottom of the plate is facing downwards, making the movement of the plate from a vertical position to an inclined state and reducing the inclination smoother and reducing the noise as the plate moves. In addition, the plate can be changed from a vertical to a horizontal position regardless of the orientation of the top surface of the plate when inserted, increasing the degree of freedom in the plate insertion process.

[0024] (6) The alignment device according to this disclosure optionally includes a guide mechanism which has a third guide section located in front of the discharge port that moves a sideways-oriented plate downward toward the discharge port at the lower end while maintaining its sideways orientation, and a contact piece provided above the third guide section, the contact piece being positioned to contact the top surface of the plate as it moves toward the third guide section and to suppress changes in the orientation of the plate.

[0025] Thus, the alignment device according to this disclosure moves a plate that has reached the top of the discharge port toward the discharge port along the third guide section, and brings a contact piece provided above the third guide section into contact with the top surface of the plate as it moves toward the third guide section. Even if a force moment is generated in a plate that is about to move toward the third guide section via other parts of the guide mechanism, due to the momentum the plate has gained from moving through the guide mechanism, the contact piece contacts the plate and cancels out the unwanted force moment, thereby suppressing a change in the orientation of the plate from its sideways state. In this way, the plate can move downward along the third guide section without changing its orientation while remaining sideways, and is discharged from the discharge port in a sideways state. For example, if an automatic washing device is used as a subsequent process, the plates can be sequentially discharged from the third guide section in a state suitable for washing and fed into the automatic washing device.

[0026] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide the third guide section with an impact absorber that contacts the front of the plate as it enters the third guide section at the same speed as it has moved through the other parts of the guide mechanism, dissipating the kinetic energy of the plate and preventing it from detaching from the third guide section or changing direction due to bouncing.

[0027] Furthermore, the third guide section can be configured to function as a kind of buffer, allowing a horizontally oriented plate that has reached the third guide section to temporarily overlap vertically with one or more other plates until it moves downward and is discharged from the outlet at the lower end. In this case, even if the processing pace of a subsequent device, such as an automatic washing device, for plates that have left the outlet temporarily falls below the rate at which plates are discharged from the outlet, causing plates to accumulate, it is possible to avoid a situation where the plates cannot immediately fit into the third guide section and fall to the outside.

[0028] (7) The alignment device according to this disclosure has, if necessary, an outlet connected to the tray inlet on the top surface of an automatic washing device, and a sound-insulating cover provided around at least the third guide section.

[0029] As described above, the alignment device according to this disclosure connects an outlet for discharging horizontally aligned plates to a plate inlet of an automatic washing device for washing plates, and then arranges a sound-insulating cover around the third guide section, so that the sound-insulating cover surrounds both the outlet and the plate inlet of the automatic washing device. In this case, the sound-insulating cover can suppress the transmission of sound to the surroundings caused by plates that have passed through other parts of the guide section to the third guide section hitting the third guide section, or hitting other plates remaining in the third guide section before discharge. In addition, the sound-insulating cover can also suppress the diffusion to the surroundings of noise from the automatic washing device that leaks out from the plate inlet and is transmitted through the outlet and the third guide section.

[0030] Furthermore, the sound insulation cover may have different structures on the distal and proximal sides of the guide mechanism relative to the other parts of the guide mechanism around the third guide section. For example, on the distal side of the sound insulation cover relative to the other parts of the guide mechanism, where the plate moving along the other parts of the guide mechanism will strike the third guide section due to its momentum, a rigid sound-insulating material that does not transmit sound is placed, and a sound-absorbing material that attenuates sound is placed on the surface of the sound insulation material closer to the third guide section, creating a multi-layer structure with excellent sound insulation. On the other hand, on the proximal side of the sound insulation cover relative to the other parts of the guide mechanism, only a rigid sound-insulating material is placed. This material does not transmit sound but also reflects sound, so that the sound that reaches this proximal sound insulation material from the third guide section is reflected to the distal side where the sound-absorbing material is located, directing the sound towards the sound-absorbing material. This allows for sufficient sound insulation from the outside to be achieved with the entire cover while minimizing the use of sound-absorbing material.

[0031] (8) The alignment device according to this disclosure may, if necessary, have shock-absorbing material provided at one or more locations along the plate's path where it can come into contact with the plate.

[0032] Thus, the alignment device according to this disclosure has an impact-absorbing material provided in the guide mechanism at a point where it can come into contact with the plate along the plate's path. This material absorbs and mitigates the impact when the moving plate comes into contact with the guide mechanism, suppressing the generation of noise associated with the impact at the time of contact and reducing the noise generated by the contact between the guide mechanism and the plate.

[0033] As a shock-absorbing material, an elastic material such as an elastomer that has shock-absorbing properties can be used. Examples of locations where shock-absorbing material is provided in the guide mechanism include the area directly below the input opening where the lower end of the vertically oriented plate makes contact, the area that first makes contact with the plate among the limits of movement of the lower edge of the plate's rim in the lateral direction relative to the plate's direction of travel, and other locations that correspond to a part of the guide mechanism when the plate moving towards the discharge opening hits a part of it and changes its direction of movement.

[0034] (9) The alignment device according to this disclosure, if necessary, has a guide mechanism in which the path of the plate has a predetermined downward slope, and the slope is set to a magnitude that provides the minimum possible speed of movement without stopping the plate midway along the path.

[0035] Thus, the alignment device according to this disclosure has a downward slope along the plate's path in the guide mechanism, and by setting a downward slope that allows the plate to move along the path at the minimum necessary speed, the plate is allowed to proceed to the discharge port without stopping midway along the path, and because the plate's speed is reduced, the impact when the plate comes into contact with the guide mechanism is mitigated, and noise generation is suppressed.

[0036] (10) The alignment device according to this disclosure optionally includes a collection box disposed below the guide mechanism, and the guide mechanism is provided with a through hole in the lower part that deviates from the path of the plates to be aligned, so as not to restrict the downward movement of objects smaller than the plates to be aligned, but to fall through the through hole. The collection box is capable of collecting the objects that have fallen through the through hole.

[0037] As described above, the alignment device according to this disclosure has through holes at the bottom of the guide mechanism, outside the path of the plates. When plates to be aligned are inserted, the guide mechanism guides the plates toward the discharge port. However, when objects not to be aligned are inserted, the guide mechanism does not provide guidance, and the objects not to be aligned proceed downwards without any particular restriction and fall through the through holes. In this way, even if objects not to be aligned are inserted, for example, if a plate smaller than the plates to be aligned or garbage attached to a plate is mistakenly inserted, they will fall through the through holes, allowing them to be separated and disposed of without proceeding in the same way as the plates to be aligned. The objects that fall through the through holes are collected in a collection box below the guide mechanism, eliminating the need for separate collection and allowing them to be quickly moved to other movement paths or discharge paths for disposal.

[0038] (11) The alignment device according to this disclosure is configured such that, if necessary, the guide mechanism can control the orientation of plates that are to be aligned by contacting the upper edge of the plate's rim, while not contacting the upper edge of the rim of smaller diameter plates that are not to be aligned, thereby allowing the smaller diameter plates to fall through the through hole without being restricted by contact.

[0039] Thus, when a plate to be aligned is inserted into the alignment device according to this disclosure, a part of the guide mechanism contacts the upper edge of the plate's rim, allowing the orientation of the plate to be controlled so that it follows its normal path. On the other hand, if a smaller diameter plate, which is not to be aligned, is mixed in, the guide mechanism does not contact the upper edge of the smaller diameter plate and does not control the orientation of the plate. As a result, the smaller diameter plate, which is not to be aligned, moves downward without being restricted by contact with the guide member and falls through the through hole. In this way, even if a smaller diameter plate that is not to be aligned is mixed in with the plates being inserted, it will fall through the through hole and enter the collection box, allowing it to be reliably separated and collected from the plates to be aligned without any extra effort.

[0040] (12) Another embodiment of the automatic washing system of this disclosure comprises an automatic washing device for automatically washing dishes and an alignment device for aligning the orientation of the inserted dishes and discharging them toward the dish inlet of the automatic washing device. The alignment device includes a guide mechanism that sequentially changes the orientation of the dishes to be washed by the automatic washing device from vertical to horizontal, with the top surface of the dish facing upwards, as the dishes are inserted vertically and move toward the discharge port. The guide mechanism has at least a first guide portion that contacts the upper and lower ends of the edge of the dish, respectively, and guides the dish to reduce its inclination as it moves toward the discharge port, and has a symmetrical structure with respect to the center of the guide, which is a vertical plane containing the line connecting the dish inlet and discharge port by the shortest distance. The inlet has a width that is greater than the height of the dish and can maintain the vertical orientation of the dish, and positions the edge of the dish in one or the other area of ​​the inlet, which is divided into two parts by the center of the guide, depending on the orientation of the top surface of the inserted dish. In the first guide section of the guide mechanism, on one side relative to the center of the guide, the inclination of the plate with its edge positioned in one area of ​​the input opening is reduced, and on the other side relative to the center of the guide, the inclination of the plate with its edge positioned in the other area of ​​the input opening is reduced.

[0041] Thus, the automatic washing system according to this disclosure guides the plates to be washed by the automatic washing device while supporting them with a guide mechanism, and while the support part of the guide mechanism is in contact with the plate, the orientation of the plate is sequentially changed from vertical to horizontal, making it difficult for collisional contact between the plate and the various parts of the guide mechanism to occur due to abrupt changes in the orientation of the plate. In particular, the first guide part of the guide mechanism contacts the upper and lower edges of the plate, respectively, and supports the plate from above and below, thereby stably controlling the tilt of the plate and suppressing the impact applied to the plate by continuously changing the tilt of the plate. In this way, the generation of noise during the process of aligning the orientation of the plates and discharging them can be suppressed.

[0042] Furthermore, the guide mechanism has a symmetrical structure with the center of the guide in between, and the plate input opening is designed to maintain the vertical orientation of the plate. Once a plate is inserted, it maintains its vertical orientation and begins to move towards the discharge opening with its edge positioned in either one or the other region of the center of the guide within the input opening. When the vertical edge of the plate is positioned in one region of the input opening, the plate moves along the same side of the guide mechanism relative to the center of the guide. When the edge of the plate is positioned in the other region of the input opening, the plate moves along the same other side of the guide mechanism relative to the center of the guide. In this way, the plate attempting to move through the guide mechanism can be smoothly transitioned to an inclined state with the bottom of the plate facing downwards, smoothing the movement of the plate from a vertical position to an inclined state and reducing the inclination, thereby reducing the noise generated when the plate moves. In addition, the plate can be changed from vertical to horizontal regardless of the orientation of the top surface of the plate at the time of insertion, increasing the degree of freedom in the plate insertion process.

[0043] (13) The automatic washing system according to this disclosure includes, if necessary, an alignment device with an input opening facing upward, positioned below the end of the transport path of a transport device that transports plates upward from a collection tank containing plates to be washed by the automatic washing system, and dropping the plates from the end of the transport path of the transport device into the input opening of the alignment device below as input of plates into the alignment device.

[0044] As described above, the automated washing system according to this disclosure has a conveying device that transports the dishes to be washed from the collection tank upwards, and an alignment device is positioned behind it. The alignment device has an upward-facing input opening located below the end of the conveying path of the conveying device, and dishes are loaded into the input opening by dropping them from the end of the conveying path of the conveying device into the lower input opening. By loading the dishes transported by the conveying device into the input opening of the alignment device, the dishes to be washed can be sequentially aligned in orientation without human intervention and introduced into the automated washing device, and the process from loading the dishes to be washed from the collection tank in the appropriate orientation into the automated washing device and washing them can be automated without any effort. In addition, by reducing the horizontal movement of dishes in the path from transporting the dishes to be washed from the dish collection tank to loading them into the automated washing device in an aligned orientation, the installation space of each device involved in washing dishes can be reduced.

[0045] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, an alignment device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 20. The alignment device according to this embodiment is installed in a manner that it is incorporated into an automatic dish washing system.

[0046] First, an example of the configuration of an automatic dish washing system incorporating the alignment device according to this embodiment will be described. 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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 a plate 95 which is tableware.

[0049] Before describing the automatic washing system in this embodiment, we will now explain the product serving system 10 that uses plates, 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.

[0050] The product serving 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 serving 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 stacks through the 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] The standard conveyor belt is always in operation, continuously transporting plates 95 containing product 90. Customers can consume product 90 by taking the plate 95 containing the product 90 they want from the transporting plates 95.

[0054] 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 plate 95 on which the product 90 is placed in a predetermined transport 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.

[0055] In the kitchen 14, plates 95 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.

[0056] The kitchen transport lane 18 has a first transport path 18a installed above the circulation lane 28 in the serving lane 15, and is connected to a second transport path 18b installed in the washing area 13 (described later) to form an endless L-shaped lane. Washed stacked plates 95 are placed on the kitchen transport lane 18 and it is always in operation. Cooks A and B in the kitchen 14 take the washed plates 95 circulating on the kitchen transport lane 18 and place the products 90 on each plate 95. The plates 95 with the products 90 on them are transported to the customer via the normal lane or the serving lane 15, as described above. The kitchen transport lane 18 may be arranged so 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.

[0057] After the products 90 have been consumed at each customer's seat / table 91, the used plates 95 are placed by the customer into a plate collection opening (not shown) located below the lane at each seat / table 91. Further below the lane, a water recovery passage 17 is provided where the plates 95 placed in from the plate 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 plates 95 to the automatic washing system 1 in the washing area 13.

[0058] 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 95 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.

[0059] Next, the automatic cleaning system in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the automatic washing system 1 washes the plates 95 that have been transported to the washing area 13 via the water recovery passage 17, and places the washed plates 95 on the kitchen transport lane 18 and sends them to the kitchen 14, making them available for use as plates 95 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.

[0060] The conveyor belt 6 is a device that transports the plates 95, which have been collected after use and gathered in the collection tank 11a, out of the tank. The alignment device 7 is a device that receives the plates 95 transported by the conveyor belt 6, aligns the orientation of the plates 95, and discharges them towards the plate input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3. The automatic washing device 3 is a device that automatically washes the used plates 95 that have been discharged from the alignment device 7 and entered the plate input port 30a. Furthermore, the transfer device 4 is a device such as a robotic arm that transfers the washed dishes 95, 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 the dishes 95 after washing by the automatic washing device 3 and before being transferred 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.

[0061] The conveyor belt 6 is a conveying device that transports used dishes 95, which are to be washed by the automatic washing device 3, from the collection tank 11a containing the dishes 95 upward to the outside of the tank. As shown in Figure 3, the conveyor belt 6 comprises a driven pulley 63 and a driven pulley 62 positioned at the starting end and ending ends, an endless belt 6a stretched between the driven pulley 63 and the driven pulley 62, and a plurality of guide rollers 65a, 65b, and 65c positioned between the driven pulley 63 and the driven pulley 62. The conveyor 6 is configured such that the inclination angle on the upper surface of the endless belt 6a, which forms the conveying path, changes in multiple stages guided by guide rollers. The driven pulley 63 is placed in the water of the accumulation tank 11a, and the drive pulley 62 is placed above the water surface of the accumulation tank 11a. Guide rollers 65a, 65b, and 65c are placed at multiple locations, including near the water surface, and set the travel path on the upper surface of the endless belt 6a. A motor (not shown) is connected to the drive pulley 62 and drives the endless belt 6a. Meanwhile, the driven pulley 62 and the guide rollers 65a, 65b, and 65c rotate in conjunction with the driving of the endless belt 6a.

[0062] On the surface of the endless belt 6a, convex ribs 61a for supporting the plates 95 are provided at predetermined intervals in the direction of the belt's continuity. Each rib 61a is located near the center of the endless belt 6a in the belt width direction. Dishes, including the plates 95 in the collection tank 11a, are supported by the ribs 61a on the upper surface of the endless belt 6a, which forms the transport path, at the bottom or edges of the plates 95, such as the tail portion. In this state, the endless belt 6a is driven and the dishes are transported upward. The plates 95, transported upward by the conveyor belt 6, separate from the crossbar 61a and the endless belt 6a near the upper end of the conveyor belt 6, which marks the end of the conveying path, and fall in a nearly vertical inclination. Meanwhile, below the end of the conveying path of the conveyor belt 6, an alignment device 7 is positioned with an upward-facing input opening 70a. By dropping the plates from the end of the conveying path of the conveyor belt 6 into the input opening of the alignment device 7 below, the plates are fed into the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7. The plates 95, which fall in a nearly vertical inclination, are fed vertically into the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7.

[0063] The alignment device 7 has a guide mechanism 71 that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates 95, which are inserted vertically into the input port 70a, from vertical to horizontal as they move toward the discharge port 70b. The guide mechanism 71 of the alignment device 7 is designed to gradually incline the path of the plates 95 downwards from the conveyor belt 6 side toward the automatic washing device 3 side (i.e., the path of the plates 95 is diagonally downwards). As a result, the vertically oriented plates 95 inserted into the alignment device 7 move toward the automatic washing device 3 with their edges and bottoms in contact with the guide mechanism 71, and are gradually turned horizontally by their own weight and guided toward the plate input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3. The guide mechanism 71 gradually tilts the vertically oriented plates 95 until they are ultimately horizontal. The detailed configuration of this alignment device 7 will be described later.

[0064] The automatic washing device 3 draws the plates 95, which have been guided to the plate input port 30a by the alignment device 7, into the device, washes them inside, and then discharges the washed plates 95 in a stacked state at the plate discharge port 30b. Since known technology can be used for the internal configuration of the automatic washing device 3, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0065] The dish input port 30a is an opening for drawing the dishes 95 into the automatic washing device 3, and is formed in a circular shape to match the shape of the dishes 95. The dish discharge port 30b is an opening for discharging the dishes 95 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 95.

[0066] Meanwhile, multiple support rods 30d extending vertically are arranged at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the dish discharge port 30b. Dishes 95 washed by the automatic washing device 3 are discharged from the dish discharge port 30b in a stacked manner and piled up and consolidated in the space surrounded by the support rods 30d. The stacked dishes 95 are supported by the support rods 30d to prevent them from collapsing.

[0067] Furthermore, a color sensor 30e is provided on the outside of the plate discharge port 30b, which detects the number and color of plates 95 discharged from the plate discharge port 30b. In other words, even if the plates 95 are substantially the same shape, the type of plate 95 can be identified according to its color, and the number of plates of each type can be measured.

[0068] The transfer device 4 transfers the washed dishes 95 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 by the control unit 9, the transfer device 4 may, if necessary, transfer certain types of dishes from the dishes 95 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 95 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.

[0069] The washed plates 95, which have been transferred to the kitchen transport lane 18, are stacked in multiples and circulate between the second transport path 18b and the first transport path 18a. During this time, they are taken out by kitchen cooks A and B and used as plates 95 on which the products 90 to be served to customers are placed.

[0070] <Alignment device> The configuration of the alignment device according to this embodiment will be described in detail below. The alignment device 7 includes a guide mechanism 71 that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates 95, which are to be aligned and to be washed by the automatic washing device 3, from vertical to horizontal with the top surface 95a of the plates 95 facing upwards as the plates 95 are fed in vertically and move toward the discharge port 70b, a mounting base 78 that supports the guide mechanism 71, and a collection box 79 that is attached to the mounting base 78 and positioned below the guide mechanism 71. The alignment device 7 is positioned with the tray input opening 70a facing upward, and is installed so that the input opening 70a is located below the end of the transport path on the transport conveyor 6. Furthermore, the alignment device 7 has its plate discharge port 70b connected to the plate input port 30a on the top surface of the automatic washing device 3.

[0071] The guide mechanism 71 of the alignment device 7 includes a first guide section 72, a second guide section 73, a third guide section 74, and a contact piece 75. The guide mechanism 71 has a symmetrical structure with respect to the guide center C, which is a virtual vertical plane containing the line connecting the tray inlet 70a and the tray outlet 70b by the shortest distance.

[0072] The first guide section 72 contacts the upper and lower edges of the plate 95, which is inserted vertically, and guides the plate 95 so that its inclination decreases as it moves toward the discharge port 70b. With this first guide section 72, the inserted plate 95 mainly moves by rolling.

[0073] The second guide section 73 contacts the lower edge of the plate 95 and the bottom 95b of the plate 95, respectively, as the plate moves toward the discharge port 70b, guiding the plate 95 so that its inclination decreases and it becomes sideways. In this second guide section 73, the plate 95 moves mainly by sliding after passing through the first guide section 72. The first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 are attached to the inclined upper surface of the mounting base 78, and are supported in such an arrangement that the path of the plate along these guide sections is inclined downwards. The downward slope of the incline in the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 is set to a magnitude that allows for the minimum possible travel speed without the plate 95 stopping midway along its path. The angle of incline is preferably set to 5° to 20°.

[0074] The third guide section 74 guides the plate 95, which has been turned sideways via the second guide section 73 just before reaching the discharge port 70b, to move downward toward the discharge port 70b at its lower end while maintaining its sideways orientation. The contact piece 75 is positioned above the third guide portion 74 and is capable of contacting the top surface 95a of the sideways-oriented plate 95 via the second guide portion 73.

[0075] The first guide portion 72 of the guide mechanism 71 includes a central upper guide portion 72a, a first lower surface portion 72b, a lower guide portion 72c, a first side wall portion 72d, a second side wall portion 72e, and shock absorbers 72f and 72g.

[0076] The central upper guide portion 72a is a plate-like body that forms the upper part of the first guide portion 72, and is arranged along the guide center C such that its front and back surfaces, which are parallel to the guide center C, are located near the guide center C. This central upper guide portion 72a is located on the front side of the input port 70a, closer to the discharge port 70b in the direction of the plate's movement, and is capable of contacting the first edge portion 95c located at the upper end of the edge of the plate 95, and supports this first edge portion 95c so as not to shift laterally relative to the direction of the plate 95's movement.

[0077] The first lower portion 72b is a plate-like body that forms the bottom surface of the first guide portion 72 and is positioned from below the input opening 70a to below the central upper guide portion 72a. This first lower portion 72b has a mountain-shaped inclined surface structure with the central portion intersecting the guide center C as its peak, and the slope decreasing as it moves laterally. In other words, each inclined surface flanking the guide center C is an inclined surface that slopes downward as it moves laterally away from the guide center C. The first lower portion 72b is in contact with the second edge portion 95d, which is located at the lower end of the edge of the plate 95, and supports this second edge portion 95d from below.

[0078] In the first lower surface portion 72b, a plate-shaped shock absorber 72f is provided in the area below the input opening 70a (and the input passage between the first side wall portions 72d), replacing the plate-shaped body that makes up the first lower surface portion 72b. The area where the shock absorber 72f is provided may be made of the same material as the other parts of the first lower surface portion 72b, or a sheet of shock-absorbing material may be attached to the same material as the other parts of the first lower surface portion 72b. However, the structure in which the shock absorber 72f is provided is preferable as it allows for a higher absorption effect.

[0079] Furthermore, the first lower portion 72b is provided with a notch 72h in the central part, which is off the path of the plate 95, and is cut out from the end closer to the discharge port 70b. By positioning the end of the second guide portion 73 (the edge of the second lower portion 73a, which will be described later) at the end of the notch 72h of the first lower portion 72b, a closed opening is created, and this opening becomes a through hole 76 that leads to the bottom of the guide mechanism 70.

[0080] The lower guide portion 72c is positioned on the first lower surface portion 72b as a protrusion that can contact the second edge portion 95d of the pan 95 from the side. The lower guide portion 72c is curved so that as it approaches the discharge port 70b in the direction of travel of the pan, it is positioned closer to the lower end (the distal end relative to the guide center C) of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion 72b, and the side surface that contacts the second edge portion 95d of the pan 95 is a curved surface.

[0081] These first lower portion 72b and lower guide portion 72c maintain a tilted state where the bottom of the plate 95 is facing downwards, and guide the second edge portion 95d of the plate 95 as it moves toward the discharge port 70b, causing it to move toward the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower portion 72b.

[0082] The first side wall portion 72d consists of two plate-like bodies arranged in a pair at a predetermined interval and approximately parallel to each other on both sides of the guide center C below the input opening 70a. Each plate-like body forming the pair of first side wall portions 72d is spaced at an interval approximately the height of the tray 95, and its lower part is attached to the first lower surface portion 72b. The space region sandwiched between the pair of first side wall portions 72d serves as the starting point of the tray 95's path and becomes an input passage 72i for temporarily holding the inserted tray 95. Furthermore, the first side wall portion 72d is arranged so that a part of it protrudes in the direction of the dish's movement, and the central upper guide portion 72a is fixed in the middle, sandwiched between these protruding portions.

[0083] The spacing between the pair of first side walls 72d is at least equal to the height of the dish 95, and is such that the movement of the dish 95 is not hindered by frictional resistance caused by contact between the vertically oriented dish 95 and each of the first side walls 72d. However, as shown in Figure 8, the maximum spacing is set such that the entire edge of the dish 95 is located in either one or the other area of ​​the region between the pair of first side walls 72d (the input passage 72i) that is divided at the center C of the guide, and the edge of the dish 95 does not straddle the center C of the guide.

[0084] The upper ends of the pair of first side wall portions 72d form the input opening 70a of the alignment device 7. The input opening 70a positions the edge of the inserted tray 95 in one or the other area within the input opening 70a, which is divided into two parts by the guide center C, depending on the orientation of the top surface 95a of the inserted tray 95 (see Figure 8).

[0085] An entrance guide section 70c is provided around the input opening 70a to guide the plate 95. The entrance guide section 70c is formed by combining plate-like bodies so that it widens as it moves upward, guiding the plate 95 as it falls from the conveyor belt 6 and making it easier to feed into the input opening 70a. Of the entrance guide section 70c surrounding the input opening 70a, the side that is more likely to come into contact with the plate 95 falling from the conveyor belt 6 (the side distal to the conveyor belt 6) is fitted with an elastically deformable sheet body 70d by cutting out a portion of the plate-like body corresponding to the area where the edge of the plate makes contact. This absorbs the impact and prevents the generation of impact noise. Although the sheet body 70d has high frictional resistance, the inclination of the plate-like body is large enough to be almost vertical, so it does not affect the downward movement of the plate being fed in. When the tray 95 is inserted into the input opening 70a, it is positioned vertically with its top and bottom surfaces facing the first side wall portion 72d and fits between the first side wall portions 72d.

[0086] The first guide section 72, including the first lower section 72b, is arranged with a downward slope toward the direction of travel of the pan 95, and the pan 95 begins to move toward the discharge port 70b due to its own weight. When the edge of the dish 95 inserted into the input port 70a is in one of the two regions (the left region in Figure 8) that straddle the guide center C between the pair of first side wall portions 72d, the dish 95 moves along the same side relative to the guide center C in the first guide portion 72, reducing its incline. Similarly, when the edge of the dish 95 is in the other region (the right region in Figure 8), the dish 95 moves along the same other side relative to the guide center C in the first guide portion 72, reducing its incline.

[0087] The second side wall portion 72e consists of two plate-like bodies arranged in an upright position from the first lower surface portion 72b at two symmetrical locations on the first lower surface portion 72b, closer to the discharge port than the mounting location of the first side wall portion 72d, with the guide center C in between. Each plate-like body forming a pair of second side wall portions 72e is positioned near the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion 72b. The second side wall portions 72e are located closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion 72b than the lower guide portion 72c, and are positioned so that the end of the lower guide portion 72c is close to a part of them, allowing them to contact the second edge portion 95d of the dish 95 from the side, similar to the lower guide portion 72c. The second side wall portions 72e also serve as a protective wall to prevent the dish 95 from sliding off the first lower surface portion 72b.

[0088] In a predetermined area near the end of the lower guide portion 72c of the second side wall portion 72e, a block-shaped shock absorber 72g is provided, replacing the plate-like body that makes up the second side wall portion 72e. Furthermore, the upper part of the second side wall 72e is bent towards the center C of the guide, and its upper end is integrally fixed to the protruding part of the first side wall 72d.

[0089] The second guide portion 73 of the guide mechanism 71 has a second lower surface portion 73a, a central lower guide portion 73b, and a side portion 73c. The second lower portion 73a is a plate having a surface continuous with the direction of the plate's movement, and is arranged to have a downward slope toward the discharge port 70b.

[0090] The central lower guide portion 73b is a narrow plate-like or rod-like body and is positioned above the second lower surface portion 73a so as to be located at or near the center of the guide C. The central lower guide portion 73b supports the plate 95 by contacting the bottom portion 95b of the plate 95, which has passed through the first guide portion 72. The central lower guide portion 73b is positioned with respect to the second lower surface portion 73a such that it slopes downward as it approaches the discharge port 70b side in the direction of travel of the plate 95.

[0091] The side portion 73c is arranged such that it has an inclined surface that slopes upward or downward from the center of the guide C in the direction of the plate's movement, or a vertical surface that is a predetermined distance from the center of the guide C, rising from both lateral ends of the second lower portion 73a. Furthermore, the side portion 73c is provided with a transition surface portion 73d at the end distal to the discharge port 70b, which forms a seamless connection between the second side wall portion 72e of the first guide portion 72 and this side portion 73c. The side portion may be formed by folding a predetermined area of ​​the side of the second lower portion 73a upward, and provided integrally with the second lower portion 73a.

[0092] This side portion 73c is the surface (inclined or vertical) closest to the second lower portion 73a, and it contacts one end of the edge of the plate 95 that was in contact with the first guide portion as the second edge portion 95d (lower end) of the plate, thereby guiding the plate 95 so that it does not shift distally to the guide center C. On the other hand, the central lower guide portion 73b, by its inclination relative to the second lower surface portion 73a, guides the plate 95 so that the relative position of the bottom portion 95b with respect to one end of the rim decreases as the plate 95 moves in the direction of travel (see Figures 14 and 15).

[0093] The third guide section 74 of the guide mechanism 71 is formed by providing multiple protruding parts on the upper side of a frame-shaped component 74a surrounding the lower end discharge port 70b, which restrict the movement of the horizontally oriented plate 95 in directions other than vertical, so that the plate 95 moves downward toward the discharge port 70b. The upper part is connected and integrated with the second lower surface portion 73a and the side portion 73c of the second guide section 73. On the other hand, the lower part of the third guide section 74 is attached to the automatic cleaning device 3, and the lower end discharge port 70b is connected to the upper plate input port 30a of the automatic cleaning device 3.

[0094] The third guide section 74 is provided with an axial stopper 74b on the forward side in the direction of the plate's movement, which abuts against the front of the plate 95 that has entered the third guide section 74 via the second guide section 73, thereby promoting the downward movement of the plate 95. It is preferable that this stopper 74b be made of an impact-absorbing material to dissipate the kinetic energy of the plate 95 that has entered the third guide section 74 at the speed at which it has moved through the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 of the guide mechanism 71, thereby preventing the plate 95 from bouncing off the third guide section 74 or changing direction.

[0095] The third guide section 74 is sized to allow the horizontally oriented plate 95 that has reached it to temporarily overlap vertically with one or more other plates until it moves downward and is discharged from the discharge port 70b at its lower end. This allows the third guide section 74 to function as a kind of buffer, holding the plate 95 in place until it enters the automatic washing device 3, even if the washing processing pace of the automatic washing device 3 for the plate 95 after it has left the discharge port 70b temporarily falls below the discharge pace of the plate 95 from the discharge port 70b. Even if the plate 95 remains in place, it will not immediately become unable to fit into the third guide section 74 and fall to the outside.

[0096] The contact piece 75, located above the third guide section 74, is attached to and supported by a horizontal section 75a spanning between the upper parts of each side section 73c of the second guide section 72, and is capable of contacting the top surface 95a of the plate 95 as it progresses through the second guide section 73 to the third guide section 74. As the plate 95 moves towards the third guide section 74 via other parts of the guide mechanism 71, the momentum with which the plate 95 has moved through the guide mechanism 71 may generate a force moment that attempts to change the orientation of the plate 95. Even in such cases, the contact piece 75 contacts the top surface 95a of the plate 95, canceling out the unwanted force moment and suppressing the change in orientation of the plate 95 from its sideways position. Furthermore, the contact piece 75 in this embodiment is used as an impact absorber. Therefore, the generation of noise due to impact and damage to the plate 95 are appropriately suppressed.

[0097] The mounting base 78 is a platform-shaped component on which a first guide section 72 and a second guide section 73, which form a guide mechanism 71, can be attached to and detached from the top surface, and supports the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73. In addition, a collection box 79 is attached to the lower part of the top surface of the mounting base 78. The upper surface of this mounting base 78 is provided with an opening 78a that leads downward, located below the through-hole 76 which is surrounded by the edge of the notch 72h in the first lower surface portion 72b of the first guide portion 72 and the end edge of the second lower surface portion 73a of the second guide portion 73. The mounting base 78 is typically installed attached to the tank wall of the storage tank 11a, which temporarily holds the plates 95 transported by the conveyor belt 6. It is desirable that the mounting base 78 be foldable to facilitate transport and installation, and to minimize the space it occupies before the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 are attached. Furthermore, it is preferable that the mounting base 78 allows the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73, which are attached to the top surface, to be positioned by sliding them relative to the top surface, so that fine alignment of the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 with respect to the conveyor belt 6 and the automatic cleaning device 3 can be performed when installing them.

[0098] The collection box 79 is a box-shaped body with an open top, and is mounted on the upper surface of the mounting base 78 from the lower side opposite to the first guide section 72 and the second guide section 73 that form the guide mechanism 71, thereby being positioned below the guide mechanism 71. The collection box 79 is positioned so that its upper opening overlaps with the opening 78a of the mounting base 78, and the inside of the box is connected to both the opening 78a and the through-hole 76 on the guide mechanism 71 side. The collection box 79 is detachable from the mounting base 78 by means of a sliding attachment / detachment mechanism, for example, using a keyhole on the mounting base 78 and a male screw on the collection box 79. Small-diameter plates and foreign objects that have entered the box through the through-hole 76 on the guide mechanism 71 and the opening 78a of the mounting base 78 can be removed by temporarily removing the collection box 79 from the mounting base 78.

[0099] Next, the movement of the plates in the alignment device according to this embodiment will be described. When the plate 95 is fed from the conveyor belt 6 into the input port 70a, the plate 95 may be positioned in one of two regions (the left region in Figure 8) that straddle the guide center C in the region (input passage 72i) sandwiched between the pair of first side walls 72d, as shown in Figure 8, or in the other region (the right region in Figure 9) that straddles the guide center C in the region sandwiched between the pair of first side walls 72d. As shown in Figure 8, when the edge of the fed plate 95 is positioned in one region, the entire edge of the plate 95 is positioned closer to one of the first side walls 72d relative to the guide center C, and the lower end of the edge reaches and contacts the first lower surface 72b. Then, the plate 95 moves from between the pair of first side walls 72d to the other part of the first guide section 72 closer to the discharge port, and the upper part of the edge of the plate 95 contacts one side surface of the central upper guide section 72a. At this time, since the first lower surface portion 72b is an inclined surface, as the plate 95 moves along the first guide portion 72, as shown in Figure 8, the weight of the plate causes the lower edge of the plate to shift toward one side of the lower edge of the first lower surface portion 72b, while maintaining contact between the upper part of the plate and the central upper guide portion 72a, thereby changing the tilt of the plate from a vertical orientation to one that approaches a horizontal orientation.

[0100] Conversely, as shown in Figure 9, when the edge of the inserted plate 95 is located in the other region (the right-hand region in Figure 9), the entire edge of the plate 95 is positioned closer to the first side wall 72d on the other side relative to the center C of the guide, and the lower end of the edge reaches and contacts the first lower surface 72b. Then, the plate 95 moves from between the pair of first side walls 72d to the other part of the first guide portion 72 closer to the discharge port, and the upper part of the edge of the plate contacts the other side surface of the central upper guide portion 72a. At this time, because the first lower surface 72b is an inclined surface, as the plate 95 moves along the first guide portion 72, as shown in Figure 9, the weight of the plate causes the lower end of the edge of the plate to shift toward the other side of the first lower surface 72b while maintaining contact between the upper part of the plate and the central upper guide portion 72a, changing the tilt so that the plate moves from a vertical orientation to a more horizontal orientation.

[0101] Thus, since the structure of the first guide section 72 is symmetrical with respect to the guide center C, the path the plate takes will change depending on the orientation in which the plate is inserted into the input opening 70a. However, due to the positional relationship between the first guide section 72 and the edge and bottom of the plate 95, the plate will always turn so that its bottom is facing downwards.

[0102] As the lower edge of the plate moves along the first guide portion 72, it slides along the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion 72b and comes into contact with the lower guide portion 72c, which is provided as a protrusion on the first lower surface portion 72b, and is supported from the side by it. In this way, the upper and lower edges of the plate 95 are supported from both sides, and the change in the tilt of the plate is controlled by the lower guide portion 72c. The continuous lower guide portion 72c allows the tilt of the plate to be changed continuously, thereby reducing the impact.

[0103] The plate 95 moves along the inclined surface of the first lower surface 72b, gradually shifting the position of the lower edge along the lower guide portion 72c, and eventually changing its contact surface from the lower guide portion 72c to the second side wall portion 72e (see Figure 12). The lower guide portion 72c is curved to reduce the speed at which the plate 95 moves toward the lower edge of the inclined surface before contacting the second side wall portion 72e, thereby reducing the impact. Furthermore, an impact absorber 72f is provided in a predetermined range of the second side wall portion 72e that is continuous with the side surface of the lower guide portion 72c, and the lower edge of the plate 95 first contacts this impact absorber 72f after leaving the lower guide portion 72c, thus reliably suppressing the impact. In this way, even if the contact surface of the plate 95 changes, the impact does not increase. When the edge of the plate reaches the second side wall portion 72e, it will no longer move towards the lower end of the first lower surface portion 72b. This prevents the plate from moving outward more than necessary.

[0104] Furthermore, a notch 72h is provided in the central part of the first lower surface portion 72b, away from the second side wall portion 72e, and when combined with the second guide portion 73 (other parts) as a guide mechanism 71, a through hole portion 76 is formed. In the first guide portion 72, the upper edge of the rim of the plate 95 is supported by the central upper guide portion 72a, and the lower edge is supported by the first lower surface portion 72b, the lower guide portion 72c, and the second side wall portion 72e, respectively, so the plate 95 does not move toward the through hole portion 76. However, if a smaller diameter plate 96 is inserted into the input port 70a, the first guide portion 72 causes the lower edge of the small-diameter plate 96 to contact the first lower surface portion 72b, while the upper edge of the edge cannot reach the central upper guide portion 72a and therefore cannot make contact. As a result, the small-diameter plate 96 does not receive support from the central upper guide portion 72a, and proceeds along the first lower surface portion 72b toward the discharge port 70b, reaching the through-hole portion 76, falling into the through-hole portion 76 and dropping below the first guide portion 72. Similarly, if foreign matter such as dirt attached to the plate accidentally reaches the first guide portion 72, the foreign matter will proceed along the first lower surface portion 72b, enter the through-hole portion 76 and fall, thus eliminating the small-diameter plate and foreign matter that are not to be washed and preventing them from proceeding toward the automatic washing device 3. Small-diameter plates and foreign objects that fall through the through-hole 76 pass through the opening 78a of the mounting base 78 and the upper opening of the collection box 79, and are collected inside the collection box 79, thus eliminating the need for separate collection and allowing them to be quickly moved to other transport routes or discharge routes for disposal. In particular, even if small-diameter plates that are not to be aligned are mixed in with the plates being fed in, they will fall through the through-hole 76 and enter the collection box 79, allowing them to be reliably separated and collected from the plates 95 that are to be aligned without any extra effort, and then moved to another washing process.

[0105] After the lower edge of the plate 95 comes into contact with the second side wall portion 72e, the plate 95 continues to move without changing its inclination, reaching the end of the central upper guide portion 72a and the second side wall portion 72e, and exiting the first guide portion 72. At this point, the plate 95 is tilted from its initial vertical position to a position closer to horizontal.

[0106] The plate 95, having exited the first guide section 72, reaches the second guide section 73, which is arranged in continuity with the first guide section 72. The lower edge of the plate (second edge portion 95d), which was in contact with the second side wall portion 72e in the first guide section 72, then comes into contact with the transition surface portion 73d, and subsequently with the side portion 73c. ​​The bottom of the plate 95 also comes into contact with the central lower guide section 73b.

[0107] When the upper edge of the plate 95 separates from the central upper guide portion 72a of the first guide portion 72, it loses the support that had been maintaining the tilt of the plate. However, because it is newly supported by the central lower guide portion 73b that is in contact with the bottom of the plate 95, the tilt of the plate does not change abruptly. When the plate 95 moves from the first guide section 72 to the second guide section 73, the plate 95, having separated from the central upper guide section 72a, may drop slightly, causing its bottom 95b to come into contact with the central lower guide section 73b, which may generate a slight impact noise. To reliably prevent this, the central lower guide section 73b of the second guide section 73 may be extended significantly toward the first guide section 72, so that the bottom 95b of the plate comes into contact with the central lower guide section 73b before the upper edge of the plate 95 separates from the central upper guide section 72a.

[0108] At the second guide section 73, the dish 95 moves toward the discharge port 70b by sliding downward due to the overall inclination of the second guide section 73, while in contact with the central lower guide section 73b and the side section 73c. ​​As the dish 95 moves toward the discharge port, the inclination of the central lower guide section 73b, which has a greater downward slope than the overall inclination of the second guide section 73, gradually lowers the relative position of the central part of the dish 95, where the bottom 95b is located, with respect to one end of the edge in contact with the side section 73c, causing it to turn sideways.

[0109] Immediately after the plate is turned sideways in the second guide section 73, it enters the third guide section 74 while making contact with the contact piece 75, hits the stopper 74b and changes direction of movement, and then descends the third guide section 4 towards the discharge port 70b.

[0110] When a plate 95 enters the third guide section 74 in a sideways position with its top surface 95a facing upwards, the third guide section 74 abruptly changes its direction of movement downwards, which may cause it to lose balance and flip over, potentially resulting in it being upside down with its bottom surface 95b facing upwards. However, the contact piece 75 provided above the third guide portion 74 contacts the top surface 95a of the plate 95 as it enters the third guide portion 74, suppressing any change in the orientation of the plate 95. As a result, the plate 95 does not invert, and the plate 95 is lowered by the third guide portion 74 while remaining in a sideways position with its top surface 95a facing upwards.

[0111] The dish 95, having descended the third guide section 74, reaches the discharge port 70b at its lower end. After exiting the discharge port 70b, it enters the dish input port 30a of the automatic washing device 3, which is connected to the discharge port 70b, and is subjected to washing.

[0112] In addition, the third guide section 74 may be equipped with a retention sensor (not shown) capable of detecting a situation where multiple plates 95 accumulate in the third guide section 74, causing plates 95 to overflow into the plate input port 30a, exceeding the washing capacity of the automatic washing device 3, and preventing any further plates 95 from being placed in the third guide section 74. This retention sensor may, for example, be a sensor that detects the time required for a plate 95 to descend and pass through a predetermined section of the third guide section 74, and if the detected time exceeds a preset threshold, it can be determined that plates 95 are accumulating in the third guide section 74.

[0113] If the congestion sensor detects that plates are stuck in the third guide section 74, control is executed to stop the conveyor belt 6. This prevents plates 95 that cannot enter the third guide section 74 and have nowhere to go from the conveyor belt 6 from becoming jammed in the alignment device 7 as the conveyor belt 6 continues to transport plates 95 and plates 95 are sequentially fed into the alignment device 7. However, if the conveyor belt 6 is stopped when there are no plates 95 at the top, when the conveyor belt 6 is restarted, it will be in an empty state where plates 95 will not be fed into the alignment device 7 for a while, reducing the feeding capacity. For this reason, it is desirable to separately install a sensor that detects when plates 95 have been transported to the top of the conveyor belt 6, and to control the conveyor to postpone stopping until plates reach the top of the conveyor belt 6 when plates become stuck in the third guide section 74.

[0114] Thus, in the alignment device according to this embodiment, the guide mechanism 71 supports and guides the plate 95, and by sequentially changing the orientation of the plate 95 while the support portion of the guide mechanism 71 is in contact with the plate 95, collisional contact between the plate 95 and the various parts of the guide mechanism 71 due to sudden changes in the orientation of the plate 95 is less likely to occur, and the generation of noise can be suppressed.

[0115] In this embodiment of the alignment device, the guide mechanism 71 has a symmetrical structure with the guide center C in between, and is configured to select a path that appropriately changes the orientation of the plates 95 from vertical to horizontal with the top surface 95a facing upwards, depending on the orientation of the top surface 95a of the plates 95 that are fed from the transport conveyor 6 into the input port 70a, but is not limited to this. For example, if the orientation of the plates 95 can be made uniform before the plates 95 reach the alignment device 7, the structure of the guide mechanism can be simplified by setting only the travel path corresponding to the orientation of the plates 95. In this case, a mechanism can be adopted that allows the plates 95 to reach the alignment device 7 with a uniform orientation by allowing the transport conveyor 6 to transport the plates 95 in only one predetermined orientation, allowing the plates 95 to enter the collection tank 11a in only one predetermined orientation, or allowing the plates 95 to move forward in only one predetermined orientation along the water recovery passage 17.

[0116] Furthermore, in the alignment device according to this embodiment, the guide mechanism 71 uses a first guide section 72, a second guide section 73, a third guide section 74, and a contact piece 75, but is not limited to this. For example, the guide mechanism can be configured such that, as with the first guide section 72, only a mechanism that supports and guides the plate 95 by contacting the upper and lower edges of the plate 95, thereby changing the orientation of the inserted plate from vertical to horizontal before discharge. Another example of a guide mechanism is a configuration such that, as with the first guide section 72, only a mechanism that supports and guides the plate 95 by contacting the lower edge and bottom of the plate 95, respectively, thereby changing the orientation of the inserted plate from vertical to horizontal before discharge.

[0117] Furthermore, in the alignment device according to this embodiment, the first lower surface portion 72b of the first guide portion 72 in the guide mechanism 71 is a sloping surface that slopes downward as it moves away from the guide center C, but it is not limited to this. The plate 95 inherently has the property of sliding its second edge portion 95d (lower end of the edge) on the first lower surface portion 72b away from the guide center C due to its own weight, causing the entire plate to gradually lower and reducing the slope of the plate 95. Therefore, the first lower surface portion 72b may be a surface without a slope that slopes downward as it moves away from the guide center C.

[0118] Furthermore, in the alignment device according to this embodiment, the third guide portion 74 of the guide mechanism 71 is configured without special consideration for noise generated by contact between it and the plate 95 heading toward the discharge port 70b, or by contact between overlapping plates, but the device is not limited to this configuration. For example, a sound-insulating cover 77 can be provided around the third guide portion 74 to prevent noise generated in the third guide portion 74, or noise generated in the automatic washing device 3 and transmitted through the third guide portion 74, from spreading to the surroundings as noise. In this case, it is more preferable that the sound insulation cover 77 has different structures on the distal and proximal sides of the guide mechanism 71 (first guide section 72 and second guide section 73) around the third guide section 74. For example, as shown in Figure 21, on the distal side of the sound insulation cover 77, where the plate that has been moving along the other parts of the guide mechanism 71 will hit the third guide section 74 due to the momentum of its movement, a rigid sound-insulating material 77a that does not transmit sound is placed, and a sound-absorbing material 77b that attenuates sound is placed on the surface of the sound insulation material 77a closer to the third guide section 74, thereby creating a multi-layer structure with excellent sound insulation properties. On the other hand, on the side of the sound insulation cover 77 that is proximal to the guide mechanism 71, only a rigid sound insulation material 77c is placed. This sound insulation material does not allow sound to pass through but also has the property of reflecting sound. The sound that reaches this proximal sound insulation material 77c from the third guide section 74 is reflected to the distal side where the sound absorbing material 77b is located, directing the sound towards the sound absorbing material 77b. In this way, sufficient sound insulation from the outside can be obtained with the entire cover while minimizing the use of sound absorbing material. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0119] 1. Automatic cleaning system 3. Automatic cleaning device 4 Transfer device 5. Control Unit 6. Conveyor 6a Endless belt 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 61a Cross section 62 Drive pulley 63 Driven pulley 65a, 65b, 65c Guide rollers 70a Inlet 70b outlet 70c Entrance Guide Section 70d sheet body 71 Guide mechanism 72 First Guide Section 72a Central upper guide section 72b First lower surface part 72c Lower guide section 72d First side wall part 72e Second side wall part 72f, 72g shock absorber 72h Notch 72i Input passage 73 Second Guide Section 73a Second lower surface part 73b Central lower guide section 73c side part 73d Transition surface section 74 Third Guide Section 74a Frame-shaped component 74b Stopper 75 Contact piece 75a Horizontal section 76 Through hole 77 Soundproof cover 77a, 77c Sound insulation material 77b Sound absorbing material 78 Installation stand 78a opening 79 Collection boxes 90 products 91 Tables 95 plates 95a Top surface 95b bottom 95c First margin 95d Second border area 96 Small Diameter Plates A, B Cook C Guide Center

Claims

1. An alignment device that aligns the orientation of the inserted plates before discharging them, The system includes a guide mechanism that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates, which are inserted vertically and are to be aligned, from vertical to horizontal as they move towards the discharge port. A distinctive alignment device.

2. The alignment device according to claim 1, The aforementioned guide mechanism A first guide section, which contacts the upper and lower edges of a plate inserted vertically, guides the plate to reduce its inclination as it moves towards the discharge port, The plate, having passed through the first guide portion, has a second guide portion that contacts the portion that was the lower end of the edge of the plate and the bottom of the plate, respectively, and guides the plate so that the inclination of the plate decreases and it becomes sideways as it moves toward the discharge port. A distinctive alignment device.

3. The alignment device according to claim 2, The first guide portion of the aforementioned guide mechanism is The central upper guide portion is located near the center of the guide, which is a vertical plane containing the line connecting the plate's input and output ports by the shortest distance, and is in contact with the first edge portion located at the upper end of the plate's edge, supporting the first edge portion so that it does not shift laterally relative to the direction of the plate's movement. A first lower surface portion that contacts and supports the second edge portion located at the lower end of the rim of the plate from below, The first lower surface portion has a lower guide portion which is disposed on it as a protrusion that can contact the second edge portion of the plate from the side, The first lower surface portion is an inclined surface that slopes downward as it moves away from the center of the guide in the lateral direction. The lower guide portion is positioned so that as it approaches the discharge port side in the direction of the plate's movement, it is located closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower portion. The first lower surface portion and the lower guide portion move the second edge portion of the plate, which is moving toward the discharge port, closer to the lower end of the inclined surface of the first lower surface portion, while maintaining a plate inclined state where the bottom of the plate is facing downwards. A distinctive alignment device.

4. The alignment device according to claim 2, The second guide portion of the aforementioned guide mechanism The central lower guide section is located near the center of the guide, which is a vertical plane containing the line connecting the tray's input and output ports by the shortest distance, and is in contact with the bottom of the tray and supports the tray. The edge of the plate has a side portion that contacts the end that was in contact with the first guide portion as the lower end of the plate, The aforementioned central lower guide portion has a slope that slopes downward as it approaches the discharge port side in the direction of the plate's movement, and guides the plate so that the relative position of the bottom with respect to the one end decreases as the plate moves in the direction of movement. The aforementioned side surface has an inclined surface that slopes upward or downward from the center of the guide in the direction of plate movement, or a vertical surface located at a predetermined distance from the center of the guide, and the inclined surface or vertical surface contacts one end of the plate to guide the plate so as not to shift distal to the center of the guide. A distinctive alignment device.

5. Alignment device according to claim 3 or 4, The guide mechanism is configured to have a symmetrical structure with respect to the center of the guide. A distinctive alignment device.

6. The alignment device according to claim 1, The aforementioned guide mechanism A third guide section is located in front of the discharge opening, which allows the sideways-facing plate to move downwards toward the discharge opening at the bottom while maintaining its sideways orientation. It has a contact piece provided above the third guide portion, The contact piece is positioned to contact the upper surface of the plate as it moves toward the third guide portion, thereby suppressing changes in the orientation of the plate. A distinctive alignment device.

7. The alignment device according to claim 6, The discharge port is connected to the dish inlet on the top surface of the dishwashing device. At least a sound-insulating cover shall be provided around the third guide section. A distinctive alignment device.

8. The alignment device according to claim 1, The guide mechanism is provided with shock-absorbing material at one or more locations along the plate's path where it can come into contact with the plate. A distinctive alignment device.

9. The alignment device according to claim 8, The aforementioned guide mechanism A third guide section is located in front of the discharge opening, which allows the sideways-facing plate to move downwards toward the discharge opening at the bottom while maintaining its sideways orientation. It has a contact piece provided above the third guide portion, The contact piece is used as the shock absorber. A distinctive alignment device.

10. The alignment device according to claim 1, The path of the plate in the guide mechanism has a predetermined downward slope. The gradient is set to a magnitude that allows for the minimum possible speed of movement without stopping the plate midway along its path. A distinctive alignment device.

11. The alignment device according to claim 1, The guide mechanism is equipped with a collection box located below it. The guide mechanism is provided with a through-hole at the lower part that is off the path of the plates to be aligned, and does not restrict the downward movement of objects smaller than the plates to be aligned, but allows them to fall through the through-hole. The collection box is designed to be able to collect objects that have fallen through the through-hole but are not part of the alignment process. A distinctive alignment device.

12. The alignment device according to claim 10, The guide mechanism is designed to control the orientation of plates that are to be aligned by contacting the upper edge of the plate's rim, while it is designed not to contact the upper edge of the rim of smaller diameter plates that are not to be aligned, allowing the smaller diameter plates to fall through the through-hole without being restricted by contact. A distinctive alignment device.

13. It is an automatic dishwashing system, An automatic dishwashing device that automatically washes dishes, The system includes an alignment device that aligns the orientation of the inserted plates and discharges them toward the plate inlet of the automatic washing device, The aforementioned alignment device, The automatic washing device is equipped with a guide mechanism that sequentially changes the orientation of the plates from vertical to horizontal as they are inserted vertically and move toward the discharge port. The guide mechanism has at least a first guide portion that contacts the upper and lower edges of the plate, respectively, and guides the plate to reduce its inclination as it moves toward the discharge port, and has a symmetrical structure with respect to the center of the guide, which is a vertical plane containing the line connecting the plate's input and output ports by the shortest distance. The aforementioned opening is larger than the height of the plate and has a width that can maintain the vertical orientation of the plate, and depending on the orientation of the top surface of the inserted plate, the top surface and edge of the plate are positioned in one or the other area of ​​the opening which is divided into two parts at the center of the guide. Of the first guide portion of the guide mechanism, on one side with respect to the center of the guide, the inclination of the plate with its edge positioned in the one region of the input opening is reduced, and on the other side with respect to the center of the guide, the inclination of the plate with its edge positioned in the other region of the input opening is reduced. A key feature is the automated cleaning system.

14. An automatic cleaning system according to claim 13, The aforementioned alignment device has an input opening facing upward, and the input opening is positioned below the end of the transport path of a transport device that transports plates upward from a collection tank containing plates to be washed by the automatic washing device. As for loading the trays into the input opening of the alignment device, the trays are dropped from the end of the transport path of the transport device to the input opening of the alignment device below. A key feature is the automated cleaning system.

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