Hand device and food serving device and food group forming device using the hand device

Abstract

To provide a hand device which can fold an end of a collected food product and leave it at an appropriate position in a stable attitude.SOLUTION: A hand device provided on a robot arm or the like includes: an upper belt and a lower belt arranged almost in parallel in a vertical direction; and a folding part for folding an end of a food product suspended by being scooped up by the upper belt to a lower face side of the lower belt and then pushing it up or pushing up the end of the food product while being folded to the lower surface side of the lower belt. The hand device is configured to drop the food product folded by driving the upper belt and the lower belt, after pushing up of the end of the food product by the folding part is released, or while the pushing up is released. A rod-like or driving belt type regulation member for regulating upper swelling of a food product scooped up by the upper belt is arranged on the upper side of the upper belt.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hand device provided on a robot arm or the like, a food plating device that uses this hand device to plate food, and a food group forming device that forms a food group. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in a food processing factory, a block of food such as raw meat is cut at a specified interval from its tip using a cutting device, and multiple food pieces (thin pieces, etc.) of a specified thickness are then manually scooped up from the conveyor and arranged on a food tray. The foods arranged on the tray to form a group (food group) are packaged together with the tray, and a label indicating the type of food, measured total weight, price, etc. is affixed to the tray, and the product is shipped.

[0003] In recent years, there have been attempts to automate the formation of such food groups, and Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which foods on a conveyor are picked up and moved by a suction head attached to a robot arm, and this process is repeated to form food groups. Also disclosed is a technique for grasping and collecting the food group with a pair of grasping members provided on a hand device, and arranging the food on a tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6626411 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when food containing fats and oils, such as raw meat, or sticky food is collected by suction or gripping using the technology described in Patent Document 1, the food adheres to the suction head or gripping member. This causes a problem that the food is difficult to remove even when the suction or gripping is released, making it difficult to place the picked food in a stable position in an appropriate location.

[0006] Furthermore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is only capable of collecting and moving food, and is not capable of folding the edges of the collected food. Furthermore, in the case of food with low flexibility, such as low-temperature raw meat in a frozen or chilled state or raw meat with a lot of fat, when an end portion is folded downward, the middle portion bulges upward. This poses the problem that it is difficult to fold such food into the desired shape.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the problems described above and provide a hand device that can fold collected food into a predetermined shape and place it in an appropriate position in a stable posture, a food plating device that can use this hand device to fold food into a predetermined shape and plate it in an appropriate position, and a food group formation device that can fold multiple foods into a predetermined shape and plate them within a set area to form a food group. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present disclosure provides the following technical solutions. In other words, the invention described in claim 1 is a hand device to be provided on a robot arm or the like, characterized in that this hand device comprises an upper belt and a lower belt arranged approximately parallel to one another, and a folding section which either folds the end of the food that hangs down after being scooped up by the upper belt onto the underside of the lower belt and then pushes it up, or folds the end of the food onto the underside of the lower belt and pushes it up at the same time.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is a hand device as described in claim 1, which is configured to drive the upper belt and lower belt to lower the folded food after or while the folding section is released from pushing up the end of the food.

[0010] The invention recited in claim 3 is the hand device recited in claim 2, further comprising a restricting member disposed above the upper belt for restricting the upward bulging of food scooped up by the upper belt.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is a hand device as described in claim 3, in which the regulating member is configured to be freely movable up and down relative to the upper belt, and the folding section folds the end of the food item approximately simultaneously with or after the downward movement of the regulating member is completed.

[0012] The invention described in claim 5 is the hand device described in claim 4, wherein the regulating member is formed of one or more rod-shaped members whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the transport direction of the upper belt.

[0013] The invention recited in claim 6 is the hand device recited in claim 3, wherein the regulating member is a drive belt that is disposed substantially parallel to and spaced above the upper belt.

[0014] The invention described in claim 7 is the hand device described in claim 6, wherein the drive belt, the upper belt and the lower belt are driven in synchronization with each other.

[0015] The invention described in claim 8 is a food plating device using the hand device described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the folding section can select between a first state in which both ends of the food are folded and pushed up, and a second state in which only one end of the food is folded and pushed up, and a control device is provided in which when the first state is selected, the upper belt scoops up the centre of the food in the longitudinal direction, and when the second state is selected, the upper belt scoops up a section of the food that is displaced a set distance from the centre of the food in the longitudinal direction.

[0016] The invention described in claim 9 is a food group forming device using a hand device described in any one of claims 1 to 7, which includes the steps of: scooping up a food item at a collection position onto the upper side of the upper belt, or after scooping up the food item, folding an end of the food item onto the lower side of the lower belt by the folding section and pushing it up; moving the hand device to a set area spaced from the collection position; and removing the scooped up food item from the upper and lower belts and placing it in the set area after or while releasing the pushing up by the folding section, and is provided with a control device which automatically repeats these steps and forms a food group consisting of a plurality of foods within the set area. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the hand device of the present invention, the picked food can be placed in an appropriate position in a stable posture. Additionally, the collected food can be folded into a predetermined shape. Furthermore, a food plating device using this hand device can fold and plate the picked food in a predetermined manner in an appropriate position. Furthermore, with the food group forming device using this hand device, multiple foods can be folded and arranged in a predetermined manner in appropriate positions to form food groups. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a food plating device (food group forming device) according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of a food plating device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory right side view of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory left side view of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is an explanatory bottom view of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining a main part of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory rear view of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 3A and 3B are explanatory views showing a part of the hand device of the first embodiment, in which (a) is an explanatory rear view and (b) is an explanatory side view. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the belt according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a food plating control device using a hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] 5 is a main flowchart of food plating control by the hand device of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] 5 is a flowchart of food plating control by the hand device of the first embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a food folding state by the hand device of the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a trajectory of the hand device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of food plating using the hand device of the first embodiment, where FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram of the state at the start of plating, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram of the state midway through plating. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is an explanatory right side view of a hand device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is an explanatory left side view of a hand device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a front view for explaining a main part of a hand device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is an explanatory plan view of a hand device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a belt according to a second embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a food plating control device using a hand device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 23] 10 is a flowchart of food plating control by the hand device of the second embodiment. [Figure 24]FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a food folding state by the hand device of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] In the embodiment described in detail below, the food handled by the hand device of the present invention will be described as a group E1 of thin raw slices obtained by slicing a chilled block of meat using a slicer 1, some of which are overlapped and arranged in parallel. Moreover, this thin piece may be folded in half by the slicer 1 after being cut. The food may be other foods, or may be food dough or the like that has flexibility and stickiness.

[0020] (First conveying device and second conveying device) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a thin-walled group E1 cut out from a slicer 1 is conveyed by a first conveying device 2 provided in the slicer 1.

[0021] (Direction definition) In addition, in the conveying direction of the above-mentioned first conveying device 2, the slicer 1 side is the upstream side, and the opposite side is the downstream side. In each of the following figures, "-Y" indicates the upstream direction and "+Y" indicates the downstream direction. "+X" indicates the right hand direction when facing downstream from the slicer 1 side, and "-X" indicates the left hand direction when facing downstream from the slicer 1 side. "+Z" indicates the upward direction and "-Z" indicates the downward direction. The directions indicated by X, Y, and Z are mutually perpendicular and each serves as a three-dimensional coordinate axis.

[0022] Thus, the thin-walled group E1 cut out and arranged by the slicer 1 is placed on the conveying surface 3a of the belt 3 in the first conveying device 2 with its length (width) in the X-axis direction longer than its length in the Y-axis direction. A food plating device (or food group forming device) 4 is disposed on the left side of the first conveying device 2 on the downstream side thereof.

[0023] The first conveying device 2 is a belt conveyor having an endless belt 3 wound around a group of driven rollers and a driving roller (both not shown). At the end of the first conveying device 2, a second conveying device 5 is disposed, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first conveying device 2 in a plan view and extends in the left-right direction. As described below, the second conveying device 5 transports food trays 6 to a waiting position facing the end of the conveying path of the first conveying device 2, and is a chain conveyor with an endless chain 7 wound around a driven sprocket and a driving sprocket (both not shown). The second transport device 5 may be a belt-type conveyor that transports the trays 6 placed thereon.

[0024] The belt 3 of the first conveyor device 2 is driven by a servo motor 8 shown in FIG. The rotation phase of the servo motor 8 is detected by an encoder 9 shown in FIG. The servo motor 8 is controlled by the output from the slicer controller 10 to drive the belt 3, thereby transporting the thin wall group E1 on the belt 3 to the collection position T shown in FIG.

[0025] When the thin wall group E1 is conveyed to the sampling position T by the driving of the belt 3, the belt 3 stops temporarily (for a very short time), and in this stopped state, the thin wall group E1 at the sampling position T is sampled. Furthermore, the second conveying device 5 stops conveying the tray 6 until the food plating device 4 has completed plating the set number of thin plated groups E1 on the tray 6 (until the formation of the food groups is completed). After the thin plate group E1 has been arranged on the tray 6, the second conveying device 5 is driven to carry out the tray 6, and the next empty tray is sent to the above-mentioned standby position.

[0026] (camera) Also, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a camera 11 is arranged at a position upstream and above the collection position T to capture an image of the thin wall group E1 on the conveying surface 3a before being conveyed to the collection position T (before being collected).

[0027] (Robot Arm) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, food plating device 4 is a robot equipped with a robot arm 12. This robot arm 12 is configured so that the entire robot arm 12 can freely rotate and each part can freely rotate about axes J1 to J6 of a plurality of active joints. As shown in FIG. 11, servo motors 13 to 18 are provided for all of the axes J1 to J6 of the active joints, and these servo motors 13 to 18 are provided with encoders 19 to 23S as rotational position detectors, respectively.

[0028] The robot arm 12 is also made up of a base 25, a rotating base 26, a lower arm 27, an upper arm 28, a wrist 29, and a hand mounting seat 30. The base 25 is fixed onto a support table 24 connected to the floor of the processing factory or to the side of the slicer 1, and a swivel base 26 is provided on the base 25 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis J1. A lower arm 27 is supported on the swivel base 26 so as to be rotatable up and down about a horizontal axis J2, and a base portion 28a of an upper arm 28 is supported on the upper end of the lower arm 27 so as to be rotatable up and down about a horizontal axis J3.

[0029] The rotor 28b attached to the tip of the base 28a is supported so as to be rotatable about an axis J4 that is aligned with the axis of the base 28a. The axis J4 is perpendicular to the axis J3. A wrist 29 is supported at the tip of the rotor 28b so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis J5, which is perpendicular to the axis J4. A hand mounting seat 30 is attached to the tip of the wrist 29 so as to be rotatable about an axis J6 extending in the vertical direction.

[0030] The servo motors 13 to 18 provided on the respective axes J1 to J6 are configured to be driven by outputs from a robot controller 34 of a food plating control device 31, which will be described later.

[0031] (Setting area R) As shown in FIG. 2, a setting area (serving area) R is set on the bottom surface of a tray 6 that has been transported by the second transport device 5 and is kept waiting at a position spaced downstream from the end of the first transport device 2. This set area R is set as a rectangular area, and within this set area R, "rows" are set in the X-axis direction, and "columns" are set in the Y-axis direction.

[0032] The position where the set region R is set can be set at any suitable position, such as a fixed position around the slicer 1, other than on the bottom surface of the tray 6. By placing a plurality of thin plate groups E1 within this set region R, a rearrangement group of the thin plate groups E1 (the "food group" in the claims) is formed.

[0033] (Hand device of the first embodiment) First, the hand device 33 is arranged so that its basic posture is along the Y-axis direction, and while moving from the "-Y" side to the "+Y" side, it scoops up the thin-walled group E1 on the conveying surface 3a. For this reason, the configuration of this hand device 33 will be described assuming that the "+Y" direction is the "front," the "-Y" direction is the "rear," the "+X" direction is the "right," and the "-X" direction is the "left."

[0034] First, a hand device 33 according to a first embodiment is shown in FIGS. (Scooping section) As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 8, a left side plate 40L, an upper right side plate 40RU and a lower right side plate 40RD are arranged with a gap in between in the left-right direction. Then, an upper plate 41, which is rectangular in plan view, is placed between the upper end of the left side plate 40L and the upper end of the upper right side plate 40RU, and two locations, front and rear, at both the left and right ends of this upper plate 41 are fastened and fixed to the left side plate 40L and the upper right side plate 40RU, respectively, with screw members 42N.

[0035] On the upper surface of the upper plate 41, a spacer 41S having a right-angled triangular shape in a side view is fixed. Additionally, a connecting rod 42G connects the lower rear end of the left side plate 40L and the lower rear end of the right side plate 40RD. Upper support plate 43U and lower support plate 43D, each formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, are disposed substantially parallel to one another. In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the left and right upward bent portions 43UK formed at the base of the upper support plate 43U are abutted against the inner surface of the front end portion of the left side plate 40L and the inner surface of the front end portion of the upper right side plate 40RU, and are fastened and fixed with the front and rear screw members 44, 44.

[0036] Also, as shown in Figure 6, the left and right downward bent portions 43DK formed at the base of the lower support plate 43D are abutted against the inner surface of the front end portion of the left side plate 40L and the inner surface of the front end portion of the lower right side plate 40RD, and are fastened and fixed with front and rear screw members 44, 44. As shown in FIG. 3, a vertical gap is formed between the upper right side plate 40RU and the lower right side plate 40RD, and a vertical connecting plate 45 is abutted across the outer surface of the front end of each side plate 40RU, 40RD and fastened together with the above-mentioned screw members 44, 44.

[0037] The screw members 44, 44 which fasten together the connecting plate 45 are butterfly screws, so that the connecting plate 45 can be easily attached and detached. As a result of the above, the top plate 41, the left side plate 40L, the upper right side plate 40RU, the lower right side plate 40RD, the base of the upper support plate 43U, and the base of the lower support plate 43D are framed.

[0038] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D are supported by left and right bearings 47, 47 between the left side plate 40L and the upper right side plate 40RU, and between the left side plate 40L and the lower right side plate 40RD, respectively. Also, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8, the bases of multiple support pins 48 are fixed to the left side surface of the left side plate 40L, these support pins 48 extend to the left, and an attachment plate 49 is fastened and fixed to their tips.

[0039] Then, as shown in Figures 4 to 8, an electric motor 50 is fixed to the left side surface of the mounting plate 49, and an output gear 51 attached to the output shaft of this electric motor 50 is meshed with an upper input gear 52U attached to the rotation shaft of the upper roller 46U. The upper input gear 52U is meshed with a lower input gear 52D attached to the rotation shaft of the lower roller 46D. As a result, when the electric motor 50 is driven, the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D rotate in opposite directions.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 8, the bases of a plurality of mounting pins 53 are fixed to the left side surface of the left side plate 40L, and a cover 54 is fastened to the tips of these mounting pins 53. This cover 54 covers the interlocking mechanism including the output gear 51, the upper input gear 52U, the lower input gear 52D, and the like.

[0041] Then, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the left and right plate-shaped upper tension arms 55U, which are supported so as to be able to swing up and down freely around the rotation axis of the upper roller 46U, are positioned along the inner surface of the left side plate 40L and the inner surface of the upper right side plate 40RU, respectively. The tips of the left and right upper tension arms 55U are connected by an upper support shaft 56U, and a wide upper tension roller 57U is rotatably supported by this upper support shaft 56U.

[0042] Left and right plate-shaped lower tension arms 55D, which are supported so as to be able to swing up and down about the rotation shaft of the lower roller 46D, are disposed along the inner surface of the left side plate 40L and the inner surface of the lower right side plate 40RD, respectively. The left and right lower tension arms 55D have their tips connected by a lower support shaft 56D, and a wide lower tension roller 57D is rotatably supported on this lower support shaft 56D.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, an upper through-hole 40RUN having a vertical arc shape is formed in the front of the upper right side plate 40RU, and a lower through-hole 40RDN having a vertical arc shape is formed in the front of the lower right side plate 40RD. Then, the upper knob bolt 58U is passed through the upper through-hole 40RUN from the right side of the upper right side plate 40RU and screwed into the front part of the upper tension arm 55U, thereby fastening the upper right side plate 40RU and the upper tension arm 55U together.

[0044] Also, the lower knob bolt 58D is passed through the lower through-hole 40RDN from the right side of the lower right side plate 40RD and screwed into the front part of the lower tension arm 55D, thereby fastening the lower right side plate 40RD and the lower tension arm 55D together. The upper tension roller 57U and the lower tension roller 57D are brought into contact with the upper surface of an upper belt and the lower surface of a lower belt, respectively, which will be described later. With this configuration, the tension rollers 57U, 57D can be swung up and down by loosening the knob bolts 58U, 58D, thereby adjusting the tension of the upper belt and the lower belt.

[0045] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D are formed from a hollow cylinder or a solid column, and have flat portions 46UH, 46DH formed at predetermined positions on the outer circumferential surfaces. The flat surfaces 46UH, 46DH are formed at three locations: the center and both left and right ends in the direction of the rotation axis, and a locking member 46K made of a spring material is attached to each of the flat surfaces 46UH, 46DH with a screw member 46N.

[0046] The locking member 46K is formed in a clip shape with an insertion portion 46S at a portion facing one side in the rotational direction of the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D. The insertion portion 46S of the locking member 46K attached to the center and the insertion portions 46S of the two locking members 46K provided at both left and right ends are attached in an orientation facing opposite directions (opposite directions) in the rotational direction of the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D.

[0047] Thus, as shown in FIG. 10, the upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D are formed into the following shapes. That is, a thin belt made of canvas or the like is cut out in the left-right (widthwise) center portion on one end side to form a single cutout portion 59S, and left and right narrow portions 59T, 59T are formed on both the left and right sides of this single cutout portion 59S.

[0048] On the other hand, left and right side portions of the other end of the belt are cut out to form left and right cutout portions 59S, 59S, and a single narrow portion 59T is formed between the left and right cutout portions 59S, 59S. The width B1 of the notch 59S formed on one end of the belt is set larger than the width B2 of the narrow portion 59T formed on the other end of the belt. Similarly, the width A2 of the left and right cutout portions 59S, 59S formed on the other end side of the belt is set to be larger than the width A1 of the left and right narrow portions 59T formed on one end side of the belt.

[0049] As a result, the left and right narrow portions 59T, 59T on one end of the belt and the single narrow portion 59T on the other end are wrapped around adjacent portions of the upper roller 46U and the lower roller 46D in the direction of the rotation axis, with a left-right gap formed between them. Therefore, the left and right narrow portions 59T, 59T at one end of the belt and the narrow portion 59T at the other end are prevented from interfering with each other when they are wound up or unwound.

[0050] A rectangular frame-shaped mounting member 59W is attached to the ends of the left and right narrow portions 59T, 59T on one end of the belt, and a similar rectangular frame-shaped mounting member 59X is attached to the ends of the narrow portion 59T on the other end of the belt. The upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D formed as described above are wound around the upper ends of the upper support plate 43U and the lower support plate 43D from their respective upper surfaces to their respective lower surfaces, and the mounting members 59W, 59X are inserted through the insertion portion 46S of the locking member 46K to be locked.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 8, the winding direction of one end of upper belt 59U around upper roller 46U is opposite to the winding direction of the other end of upper belt 59U, and the payout length of one end of upper belt 59U due to rotation of upper roller 46U is set to be approximately the same as the winding length of the other end. That is, one of the two ends of the upper belt 59U is wound up by a predetermined length, and the other is unwound by this predetermined length.

[0052] The same applies to the winding of the lower belt 59D around the lower roller 46D. This constitutes the scooping section SP. In the drawings other than FIG. 10, the actual upper belt 59U and lower belt 59D are omitted, and only their positions are indicated by imaginary lines or imaginary arrows.

[0053] (Folding part) As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a base portion of a support member 60 extending forward is fastened to a front surface of a spacer 41S fixed to the upper surface of the upper plate 41 by a bolt 61. A folding section 62 is supported on the front end of this support member 60 so as to be movable up and down. That is, an air cylinder 63 for vertical movement is fixed to the front end of a support member 60 , and a connecting plate 64 is fixed to the upper end of the piston of this air cylinder 63 for vertical movement.

[0054] The front end of this connecting plate 64 is fastened and fixed by a bolt 66 to the upper center of a support frame 65 arranged in the left-right direction. A first attachment plate 67 having a top-bottom surface is integrally formed at the front end of the support frame 65 so as to extend in the left-right direction. In addition, surrounding portions 68 that are open to the rear are formed on both the left and right sides of the support frame 65, and these surrounding portions 68 surround the front portions of the left and right pneumatic rotary actuators 69L, 69R fixed to the support frame 65.

[0055] The output shafts 69LS, 69RS of the left and right rotary actuators 69L, 69R are inserted through holes formed in the first mounting plate 67 and extend to the front side of the first mounting plate 67, and the left and right output gears 69LG, 69RG are fixed to each of the extended ends. Furthermore, base portions of left and right intermediate shafts 70LS, 70RS are fixed to the lower portions of the left and right output shafts 69LS, 69RS of the first mounting plate 67, and left and right intermediate gears 70LG, 70RG are supported on the intermediate shafts 70LS, 70RS.

[0056] A second mounting plate 71 is disposed in front of the first mounting plate 67 at a predetermined distance, and the first mounting plate 67 and the second mounting plate 71 are connected by connecting rods 72 at their upper and lower and left and right locations. Left and right rotating shafts 73L, 73R extending along the front-rear direction are supported in a penetrating manner at both left and right ends of the lower portions of the first mounting plate 67 and the second mounting plate 71. Then, left and right input gears 74LG, 74RG are fixed to the left and right rotary shafts 73L, 73R at positions between the first mounting plate 67 and the second mounting plate 71, respectively.

[0057] Thus, the above-mentioned left output gear 69LG and the left intermediate gear 70LG mesh with each other, and this left intermediate gear 70LG and the left input gear 74LG mesh with each other. Similarly, the right output gear 69RG meshes with the right intermediate gear 70RG, and the right intermediate gear 70RG meshes with the right input gear 74RG. Then, boss portions 75LB, 75RB formed at the base of the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R are fitted into the respective tip portions of the left and right rotating shafts 73L, 73R that protrude forward beyond the second mounting plate 71, and these boss portions 75LB, 75RB are fastened and fixed to the respective rotating shafts 73L, 73R with butterfly screws 76.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R are each bent into an inverted L shape, and support members 75LS, 75RS extending inward in the left-right direction are fastened and fixed to the free ends of the arms by bolts 77. The left and right support members 75LS, 75RS are fixed at right angles to the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R when viewed from the front (when viewed in the axial direction of the left and right rotating shafts 73L, 73R). As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a long hole 77N is formed in the free end portion of the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R, and a bolt 77 is inserted into this long hole 77N to fasten and fix them. This allows the bolts 77 to be loosened, and the fixed positions of the support members 75LS, 75RS relative to the rotating arms 75L, 75R to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of each of the rotating arms 75L, 75R.

[0059] Further, five support rods 78 are fixed at their front-rear intermediate portions to the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. The rear end of this support rod 78 is bent in a rearwardly downwardly inclined position. Through the above steps, the folding section 62 is constructed as an assembly. As a result, when the air cylinder 63 for vertical movement is extended, the entire folding section 62, including the left and right pivot arms 75L, 75R, moves upward, and when the air cylinder 63 for vertical movement is contracted, the entire folding section 62, including the left and right pivot arms 75L, 75R, moves downward.

[0060] (Regulation material) 3 and 4, left and right air cylinders 79L, 79R for restricting members that expand and contract in the vertical direction are fixed to the left and right side surfaces of the air cylinder 63 for vertical movement. A regulating frame 81 having six rod-shaped members (referred to as "regulating members" in the claims) 80 arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction is fixed to the tip (lower end) of the piston of the left and right regulating member air cylinders 79L, 79R.

[0061] Each rod-shaped member 80 has a front end bent in a forward-upward inclined position, and the portion rearward of the front end is disposed substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the upper side of the upper support plate 43U. Also, a regulating frame 81 having a plurality of rod-shaped members 80 may be configured to be fixed at a fixed position relative to the hand device 33. Also, a configuration in which only one rod-shaped member 80 is provided may be used.

[0062] (Detachable device) As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an attachment / detachment device 82 is provided between the inclined surface (oblique side) of the spacer 41S in the hand device 33 and the hand attachment seat 30 provided on the wrist 29 of the robot arm 12. The attachment / detachment device 82 allows the hand device 33 to be easily attached to and detached from the wrist 29, facilitating operations such as cleaning the hand device 33 and replacing the hand device 33 with one of a different configuration.

[0063] (Food plating control device of the first embodiment) As shown in FIG. 11, the above-mentioned encoders 19 to 23S and camera 11 are connected to the input side of a robot controller 34 equipped with a calculation unit, a storage unit, and the like. On the other hand, the output side of the robot controller 34 is connected to the above-mentioned servo motors 13-18, a valve solenoid 84 for the air cylinder 63 for up and down movement, a valve solenoid 85 for the left rotary actuator 69L, a valve solenoid 86 for the right rotary actuator 69R, a valve solenoid 87 for the air cylinder 79L for the left regulating member, a valve solenoid 88 for the air cylinder 79R for the right regulating member, and the electric motor 50.

[0064] Although not shown, individual relay circuits for operating the servo motors 13 to 18 and the electric motor 50 are provided on the output side of the robot controller . The air pressure source for the air cylinder and the rotary actuator is a compressed air supply facility in the factory or an air pump provided in the slicer 1.

[0065] On the other hand, the slicer controller 10 on the slicer 1 side has the above-mentioned encoder 9 connected to its input side, and the above-mentioned servo motor 8 connected to its output side. It should be noted that other sensors and actuators related to the operation control of the slicer 1 are omitted from the illustration. The robot controller 34 and the slicer controller 10 are connected via a communication line SL.

[0066] The food plating control device (food group formation control device) 31 is configured as described above. The food plating device and food group formation device of the present invention are composed of this food plating control device (food group formation control device) 31, and the robot arm 12 and hand device 33 controlled by it.

[0067] (Placement control) The plating control (food group formation control) according to the present invention will now be described. As shown in FIG. 2, a chunk of meat is cut into a predetermined thickness by a slicer 1, and the cut thin meat (or thin meat folded in two) E is sequentially placed on a conveying surface 3a of a belt 3 in a first conveying device 2.

[0068] A set number of thin walls E placed on the conveying surface 3a are arranged in parallel so that some of them overlap each other to form a thin wall group E1, and are conveyed with a predetermined gap formed between the thin wall groups E1. When the encoder 9 detects that the thin wall group E1 has reached the picking position T, the slicer controller 10 outputs a picking start signal to the robot controller .

[0069] This synchronizes the movement state of the thin wall group E1 placed on the conveying surface 3a with the timing of sampling the thin wall group E1 on the conveying surface 3a. When the set number of thin slice groups E1 have been collected and arranged, a serving completion signal is output from the robot controller 34 to the slicer controller 10. 12 and 13 show a flow chart of the placement control, FIG. 14 shows the state of folding the thin-walled group E1 by the hand device 33, and FIG.

[0070] (S10A) As shown in FIG. 12, when plating control is started, in S10A, the robot arm 12 is driven and controlled by output from the robot controller 34, the hand device 33 is moved from the stored position, and the control point is positioned at point P0, which is the initial position. This point P0 is set at a position directly above the conveying surface 3a and spaced a predetermined distance from the picking position T of the thin wall group E1.

[0071] At this point P0, the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R of the hand device 33 are on standby in an upward rotated position. That is, similarly to the states a and b in FIG. 14, the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS are in an open state in which they are retracted upward and outward from below the lower belt 59D. In this state, the electric motor 50 is stopped, and the driving of the upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D is stopped.

[0072] (S12) In S12, the slicer controller 10 acquires the attributes of the thin wall group E1 being transported to the collection position T. That is, the robot controller 34 processes the image of the thin wall group E1 captured by the camera 11, and obtains the size of the thin wall group E1 (the length (width) and area of ​​the thin wall group E1 in the X-axis direction) based on the result.

[0073] (S14) In S14, the robot controller 34 selects a predetermined number of rows N corresponding to the size of the tray 6 to be used from a plurality of predetermined number of rows N stored as fixed values. In addition, the predetermined number of rows M is automatically calculated based on the thickness (height) of the tip of the chunk of meat and the size of the thin wall group E1 based on image processing.

[0074] As a result, a predetermined number M of rows and a predetermined number N of columns are set within a set area R on the inner bottom surface of the tray 6. It should be noted that each row and each column in each row are set at equal intervals.

[0075] (S16) In S16, the robot controller 34 sets the count value n of the column counter and the count value m of the row counter to 1, and the process proceeds to "thin section group arrangement process" in S18A.

[0076] (S18A: Thin-walled group arrangement processing) S100 to S111 shown in FIG. 13 are a flowchart of the thin section group arrangement process in S18A. As shown in FIG. 16, in the column closest to the +X side, the arrangement process of the thin wall group E1 is performed from the row closest to the +Y side to the row closest to the -Y side, and when one column is completed, a similar arrangement process is performed in the next column adjacent to this column on the -X side.

[0077] (Plate processing) (S100) The robot controller 34 executes the "collection target position setting process" and the "trajectory generation process." In the picking target position setting process, based on the size of the thin part group (food) E1 captured by the camera 11, a position at or near the center of the thin part group E1 in the longitudinal direction is set as a picking target point BP. The control point in this embodiment is the center position in the width direction of the tip end of the upper belt 59U.

[0078] In the trajectory generation process, a trajectory for movement from point P0 to P7 and from point P7 back to P0 shown in FIG. 15 is generated. Point P0 is the initial position of the hand device 33 and is set as a fixed value. That is, this point P0 is set at a position directly above the center line t of the width of the belt 3 provided on the first conveying device 2 of the slicer 1.

[0079] Point P1 is located below point P0 and is set as the position of the hand device 33 when approaching the target point BP of the thin-walled group E1 located at the picking position T. This point P1 is set at a height that allows the leading end of the upper belt 59U to slide relative to the conveying surface 3a.

[0080] Point P2 is set at a position that is the same as the X-axis coordinates and Z-axis coordinates of point P1, and is located downstream (on the +Y side) of the Y-axis coordinate of point P1. When the hand device 33 moves from point P1 to point P2, the upper belt 59U is driven in the forward direction by the output from the controller 34 to the electric motor 50, and the thin-walled group E1 at the collection position T is scooped up onto the upper surface of the upper belt 59U.

[0081] The X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of point P3 are set to be the same as those of point P2, and the Z-axis coordinate of point P3 is set to be larger (higher) than the Z-axis coordinate of point P2. The height of point P3 from the conveying surface 3a is set to a height at which both ends of the thin-walled group E1 do not contact the conveying surface 3a when the hand device 33 scoops up the thin-walled group E1.

[0082] The point P5 is disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance above a set region R set on the inner bottom surface of the tray 6, and is set as a position at which the thin-walled group E1 held by the hand device 33 starts to be placed. Point P4 is set at a position directly above point P5.

[0083] Point P6 is located at the same position as the Z-axis coordinate of point P5, but on the -Y side of the Y-axis coordinate of point P5, and is set as the placement end position of thin wall group E1. Point P7 is set at a position directly above point P6.

[0084] (S101) The robot controller 34 waits for reception of a collection start signal output from the slicer controller 10 when the thin wall group E1 is located at the collection position T. When the collection signal is received, the robot controller 34 proceeds to S102.

[0085] (S102) The robot controller 34 changes the X-axis coordinate value of the point P1 to the X-axis coordinate of the collection target position obtained in S100.

[0086] (S103) The robot arm 12 is controlled by output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point, which is the center point in the width direction of the upper belt 59U provided on the hand device 33, is lowered from point P0 to point P1, so that the tip of the upper belt 59U comes into contact with or is close to the conveying surface 3a.

[0087] (S104) The robot arm 12 is controlled by outputs from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P1 to point P2. In other words, the hand device 33 is moved from the -Y side to the +Y side along the Y axis so that the center point (control point) in the width direction of the tip of the upper belt 59U provided on the hand device 33 coincides with the target point BP (the center position in the width direction (X axis direction) of the thin-walled group E1), and the tip of the upper belt 59U is advanced toward the thin-walled group E1.

[0088] At this time, an output is given from the robot controller 34 to the electric motor 50, the upper belt 59U is driven in the forward direction (at this time, the lower belt 59D is driven in the opposite direction to the upper belt 59U), and the scooping up of the thin-walled group E1 is started. In addition, when scooping up of the thin-walled group E1 is completed or immediately before completion, the hand device 33 that has been inclined downward at the front may be pitched to a horizontal posture.

[0089] (S105) Then, after a set time has elapsed until the scooping up of the thin-walled group E1 is completed, output to the electric motor 50 is terminated to stop driving the upper belt 59U, and then the robot arm 12 is controlled by output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18 to move the control point to point P3. It is also possible to perform control so that the control point starts moving to point P3 while scooping up the thin-walled group E1 by continuing to drive the upper belt 59U. During this movement to point P3, the regulating member moves downward, the folding portion closes, and the folding portion moves upward.

[0090] (Downward movement of the regulating member) An output is sent from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 87, 88, the left and right air cylinders 79L, 79R for the regulating members extend in unison, and the regulating frames 81 fixed to the tips of the pistons move down to the set positions. As a result, as shown by the change from a to b in Figure 14, the left-right middle portion of the thin-walled group E1 that has bulged upward (floated from the upper surface of the upper belt 59U) by being scooped up onto the upper belt 59U is pushed down by the abutment of the rod-shaped member 80 provided on the regulating frame 81.

[0091] In this state, the left-right middle portion of the thin-wall group E1 is in a position that is roughly aligned with or in close contact with the upper surface of the upper belt 59U, and the left and right ends of this thin-wall group E1 hang down at an angle that is inclined diagonally downward from the left and right ends of the upper belt 59U.

[0092] (Closing operation of the folding part) Moreover, substantially simultaneously with or after the downward movement of the regulating frame 81 to the set position is completed, an output is given from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 85, 86. As a result, the left and right rotary actuators 69L, 69R rotate output, and the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R, which were in a substantially horizontal position, rotate (close operation) in a direction approaching the upright position.

[0093] As a result, as shown by the change from b to c in Figure 14, both left and right ends of the hanging down thin-walled group E1 are lifted up onto the support rods 78 provided on the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS, and folded up to a position close to the underside of the lower belt 59D.

[0094] (Upward movement of the folding part) After the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 have been folded in this manner, or during this folding, an output is given from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoid 84, and the folding portion 62 moves upward by the set stroke SS. Accordingly, as shown by the change from c to d in Figure 14, with the upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D held in fixed positions, the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS supported on the folding section 62 side via left and right pivot arms 75L, 75R move upward by the set stroke SS.

[0095] As a result, the left and right ends of the folded thin-wall group E1, or the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 in the process of being folded, are pushed up by the support rods 78 provided on the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS and pressed against the lower surface of the lower belt 59D. In other words, the thin-walled group E1 is sandwiched from above and below and folded and held in an appropriate state by pushing down the left-right middle portion of the thin-walled group E1 through the abutment of the rod-shaped member 80 provided on the above-mentioned regulating frame 81, and by pushing up both left and right ends of the thin-walled group E1 through the support rods 78 provided on the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS.

[0096] (S106) Then, the robot arm 12 is controlled by the output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P3 to point P4 while holding the folded thin-wall group E1.

[0097] (S107) Thereafter, the robot arm 12 is controlled by the output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P4 to point P5 while holding the folded thin-wall group E1.

[0098] (S108) Then, the robot arm 12 is controlled by outputs from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P5 to point P6. During this movement, the regulating member is moved upward, the folding portion is moved downward, and the upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D are driven in the opposite directions.

[0099] (Upward movement of the regulating member) A reverse output is sent from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 87, 88, the left and right air cylinders 79L, 79R for the regulating members contract in unison, and the regulating frames 81 fixed to the tips of the pistons move upward to the set positions. As a result, as shown by the change from d to e in FIG. 14, the rod-shaped member 80 provided in the regulating frame 81 leaves the left-right intermediate portion of the thin-wall group E1 on the upper belt 59U and retreats upward. In this state, the left-right intermediate portion of the thin-wall group E1 remains in a position substantially along or in close contact with the upper surface of the upper belt 59U.

[0100] (Downward movement of folding part) Then, a reverse output is sent from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoid 84, and the folding portion 62 moves downward by the set stroke SS. As a result, as shown by the change from e to f in Figure 14, with the upper belt 59U and the lower belt 59D held in place, the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS supported on the folding section 62 side move downward by the set stroke SS.

[0101] That is, the support rods 78 provided on the left and right support members 75LS, 75RS move downward so as to separate from both left and right ends of the folded thin-wall group E1, and the pressure against the lower surface of the lower belt 59D is released.

[0102] (Upper and lower belts driven in opposite directions) In this way, after the support rod 78 has been released from pressing both the left and right ends of the thin-walled group E1, or while this pressing is being released, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18 and outputs inversely to the electric motor 50.

[0103] As a result, the hand device 33 is moved in the -Y direction while the upper belt 59U is driven in the reverse direction, and the thin-wall group E1 that it has been holding is lowered (placed) in the set area R. (The change from f to g in FIG. 14. g is the state after the thin-wall group E is lowered.) At this time, a conveying force can be applied to the folded portion of the thin-wall group E1 by the lower surface of the lower belt 59D, so that the thin-wall group E1 is smoothly lowered.

[0104] (S109) Thereafter, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18, causing the control point to rise from point P6 to point P7.

[0105] (S110) During or after the ascent from point P6 to point P7, reverse outputs are given from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 85, 86. As a result, the left and right rotary actuators 69L, 69R rotate in opposite directions, and the left and right rotating arms 75L, 75R, which were in an upright position, rotate (close) in a direction approaching a substantially horizontal position and return to their initial positions.

[0106] (S111) Thereafter, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18 to move the control point from point P7 to point P0, completing the plating process for one thin wall group E1, and the process proceeds to S20A in the flow of FIG.

[0107] (S20A) After the plating process for one thin wall group E1 is completed as described above, the count value m of the row counter is incremented in S20A, and the process proceeds to S22A.

[0108] (S22A) In S22A, the robot controller 34 determines whether the count value m of the row counter exceeds a predetermined number M of columns. If the count value m does not exceed the predetermined number of rows M, the process returns to S18A, and the thin meat E is piled on the meat drop point of the next row in the current column n. If the count value m exceeds the predetermined number of rows M, the process proceeds to S24A.

[0109] (S24A) In S24A, the count value n of the column counter is incremented, and the process proceeds to S26A. (S26A) In S26A, if the count value n of the column counter does not exceed the predetermined number of columns N, the process proceeds to S28A, and if the count value n of the column counter exceeds the predetermined number of columns N, the process of this flowchart is temporarily terminated.

[0110] (S28A) In S28A, the count value m of the row counter is set to 1, and the process returns to S18A. When the process returns to S18A, the process of piling the thin meat group E1 onto the meat drop point in the first row of the next column is started.

[0111] As a result of the above, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, the second row of thin wall groups E1 is piled up so as to overlap a part of the first row of thin wall groups E1 with both ends folded downward. When the arrangement of the final row of the second column is completed, the arrangement of the thin meat group E1 in the set area R is completed, and a group of thin meat groups E1 (a group consisting of multiple thin meat groups E1 corresponds to the ``food group'' in the claims) is formed in this set area R.

[0112] The second conveying device 5 stops conveying the tray 6 until the arrangement of the thin plate group E1 on the tray 6 is completed. After the placement of the thin plate group E1 on the tray 6 is completed, the second conveying device 5 is driven to carry out the tray 6 and send the next empty tray to the above-mentioned standby position.

[0113] (Selection of 1st and 2nd state) In the above example, the first state in which the folding portion 62 folds and pushes up both the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 has been described. A configuration may be provided in which the first state and a second state in which only one of the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 is folded and pushed up by the folding portion 62 are selectable.

[0114] That is, when the second state is selected, in the above-mentioned collection target position setting process, a portion displaced a set distance from the center of the thin-walled group E1 in the longitudinal direction is set as the target point BP for collection, and this portion is scooped up by the upper belt 59U. Then, in S105, S108, and S110, only the left or right rotating arm 75L / 75R is operated to fold and push up one of the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1.

[0115] (Hand device of second embodiment) The hand device 90 of the second embodiment is also disposed with its basic posture aligned along the Y-axis direction, and scoops up the thin-wall group E1 on the transfer surface 3a while moving from the "-Y" side to the "+Y" side. For this reason, the configuration of this hand device 90 will also be described assuming that the "+Y" direction is the "front," the "-Y" direction is the "rear," the "+X" direction is the "right," and the "-X" direction is the "left."

[0116] The hand device 90 of the second embodiment will be described in detail below. (Scooping section) As shown in FIGS. 17 to 20, upper and lower sub-support plates 91RU, 91RD are arranged in parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other on the right side of a main support plate 91L formed in an inverted L shape. The main support plate 91L and the sub-support plates 91RU, 91RD are connected together by upper and lower connecting rods 91B. The upper and lower frame-shaped rollers 93U and 93D have their respective rotation shafts 92U and 92D rotatably supported between the main support plate 91L and the upper and lower sub-support plates 91RU and 91RD, respectively.

[0117] The upper and lower frame-shaped rollers 93U, 93D are formed by welding left and right ends of eight rods 95 aligned along the axial direction of the rotating shafts 92U, 92D to the outer periphery between the left and right disks 94. Further, for each of the eight rods 95, one rod 95A has its left end fixed to the base of the left disk 94 and its right end facing a notch formed in the outer periphery of the right disk 94. In this way, the rod 95A is supported in a cantilevered state.

[0118] Then, an upward bent portion 96UK formed at the rear end portion of the upper support plate 96U and a downward bent portion 96DK formed at the rear end portion of the lower support plate 96D are joined between the forward extension portion of the main support plate 91L and the front ends of the upper and lower sub-support plates 91RU, 91RD. In this state, the front extension of the main support plate 91L is fastened to the left upward bent portion 96UK with a bolt 97, and the upper sub-support plate 91RU is fastened to the right upward bent portion 96UK with a bolt 97.

[0119] Further, the front extension of the main support plate 91L is fastened to the left downward bent portion 96DK with a bolt 97, and the lower auxiliary support plate 91RD is fastened to the right downward bent portion 96DK with a bolt 97. As a result, the upper support plate 96U and the lower support plate 96D extend forward and are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined gap therebetween in the vertical direction.

[0120] Upper and lower tension arms 99U, 99D, which rotatably support upper and lower tension rollers 98U, 98D, are disposed in sliding contact with or adjacent to the right side surface (inner surface) of the main support plate 91L. The upper and lower tension arms 99U, 99D have their respective bases supported by the upper and lower support shafts 92U, 92D described above so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0121] Also, as shown in FIG. 20, a support plate 100 is arranged at a distance to the left of the main support plate 91L, and this support plate 100 and the left side portion of the main support plate 91L are connected via a connecting pin 100P, forming a space between the main support plate 91L and the support plate 100. Further, an upper input gear 101U and a lower input gear 101D fixed to each end of the rotation shafts 92U and 92D of the upper and lower frame-shaped rollers 93U and 93D are engaged with each other.

[0122] Also, an output gear 102G driven by an electric motor 102 fixed to the left side surface of the support plate 100 is meshed with the upper input gear 101U within the aforementioned space. As a result, when the electric motor 102 is driven, the upper and lower frame-shaped rollers 93U and 93D rotate in the opposite directions.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 21, two belts 103 are formed from canvas or the like onto which the thin-walled group E1 can be transferred, and a cutout portion 103S and a narrow portion 103T are formed adjacent to each other in the width direction of the belt 103 on both ends of each belt 103. The width B1 of the notch 103S formed on one end of each belt 103 is set to be larger than the width B2 of the narrow portion 103T formed on the other end of the belt 103.

[0124] Similarly, the width A2 of the notch 103S formed on the other end of each belt 103 is set to be larger than the width A1 of the narrow portion 103T formed on one end of this belt 103. In this manner, the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D are formed. Then, a loop-shaped engaging portion 103R is formed at the end of the narrow portion 103T on one end side of the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D, respectively, and this engaging portion 103R is attached in a penetrating state to the base of each rod body 95A of the upper and lower frame-shaped rollers 93U, 93D described above.

[0125] The other end of the upper belt 103U is then folded back from the upper surface side of the upper support plate 96U at the tip of the upper support plate 96U and wound around the lower surface side of the upper support plate 96U. Furthermore, after the other end of the upper belt 103U is wound around the upper frame-shaped roller 93U by a predetermined length, the engagement portion 103R formed in the narrow portion 103T on the other end of the upper belt 103U is attached to the tip side of the rod-shaped body 95A of the upper frame-shaped roller 93U by penetrating it.

[0126] On the other hand, the other end of the lower belt 103D is folded back from the upper surface side of the lower support plate 96D at the tip of the lower support plate 96D and wound around the lower surface side of the lower support plate 96D. Furthermore, after the other end side of the lower belt 103D is wound around the lower frame-shaped roller 93D by a predetermined length, the engagement portion 103R formed in the narrow portion 103T on the other end side of the lower belt 103D is attached to pass through the tip side portion of the rod-shaped body 95A of the lower frame-shaped roller 93D.

[0127] As a result, the narrow portions 103T on one end and the narrow portions 103T on the other end of the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D are wrapped around adjacent portions of each frame-shaped roller 93U, 93D in the direction of the rotation axis, with a left-right gap formed between them. That is, when narrow width portion 103T on one end side of upper belt 103U and narrow width portion 103T on the other end side of lower belt 103D are wound up and unwound, interference between them is prevented.

[0128] The winding direction of the narrow width portions 103T at one end of the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D around each of the frame-shaped rollers 93U and 93D is set to be opposite to the winding direction of the narrow width portions 103T at the other end. Further, the length of the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D that is fed out from one end and the length of the belt that is taken up from the other end by the rotation of each of the frame-shaped rollers 93U, 93D are set to be substantially the same length. That is, either one of the ends of the upper belt 103U or the lower belt 103D is wound up by a predetermined length, and the other is unwound by this predetermined length.

[0129] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, tension rollers 98U, 98D are abutted against the outer surfaces of narrow portions 103T at one end of upper belt 103U and lower belt 103D at positions immediately before each frame-shaped roller 93U, 93D, to apply tension to each belt 103U, 103D. By adjusting the vertical positions of the tension rollers 98U, 98D, the tension of the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D can be adjusted, and also the stretch of the belts 103U, 103D caused by work can be absorbed.

[0130] The upper support plate 96U, the upper belt 103U, the lower support plate 96D, the lower belt 103D, the electric motor 102, and the like form a scooping section PS. In the drawings other than FIG. 21, the actual upper belt 103U and lower belt 103D are omitted, and only their positions are indicated by imaginary lines or imaginary arrows.

[0131] (Folding part) As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the base of a support member 104 extending forward is fastened and fixed by a bolt 105 to the front surface of a spacer 91S fixed to the upper surface of a main support plate 91L. A folding section 106 is supported on the front end of the support member 104 so as to be movable up and down.

[0132] That is, a vertical movement air cylinder 107 is fixed to the front end of the support member 104 , and a connecting plate 108 is fixed to the upper end of the piston of this vertical movement air cylinder 107 . The front end of this connecting plate 108 is fastened and fixed by a bolt 110 to the upper center of a support frame 109 arranged in the left-right direction.

[0133] A first attachment plate 111 having upper and lower surfaces is integrally formed at the front end of the support frame 109 so as to extend in the left-right direction. Incidentally, surrounding portions 109K that are open to the rear are formed on both the left and right sides of the support frame 109, and the front portions of the left and right pneumatic rotary actuators 112L, 112R fixed to the support frame 109 side are surrounded by these surrounding portions 109K.

[0134] The output shafts 112LS, 112RS of the left and right rotary actuators 112L, 112R are inserted into holes formed through the first mounting plate 111 and extended to the front side of the first mounting plate 111, and the left and right output gears 112LG, 112RG are fixed to each extended end. Left and right intermediate shafts 113LS, 113RS have their bases fixed to the lower portions of the left and right output shafts 112LS, 112RS of the first mounting plate 111, and left and right intermediate gears 113LG, 113RG are supported by the intermediate shafts 113LS, 113RS.

[0135] A second mounting plate 114 is placed in front of the first mounting plate 111 at a predetermined distance, and the first mounting plate 111 and the second mounting plate 114 are connected at their upper and lower and left and right positions by connecting rods 115 . Left and right rotating shafts 116L, 116R extending along the front-rear direction are supported in a penetrating manner at both left and right ends of the lower portions of the first attachment plate 111 and the second attachment plate 114. Then, left and right input gears 117LG, 117RG are fixed to the left and right rotary shafts 116L, 116R at positions between the first attachment plate 111 and the second attachment plate 114, respectively.

[0136] Thus, the above-mentioned left output gear 112LG and left intermediate gear 113LG mesh with each other, and this left intermediate gear 113LG meshes with the left input gear 117LG. Similarly, the right output gear 112RG and the right intermediate gear 113RG mesh with each other, and the right intermediate gear 113RG and the right input gear 117RG mesh with each other. Then, boss portions 118LB, 118RB formed at the base of the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R are fitted into the respective tip portions of the left and right rotating shafts 116L, 116R that protrude forward beyond the second mounting plate 114, and these boss portions 118LB, 118RB are fastened and fixed to the respective rotating shafts 116L, 116R with butterfly screws 119, respectively.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 19, the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R are each bent into an inverted L shape, and support members 118LS, 118RS extending inward in the left-right direction are fastened and fixed to the free ends of the arms by bolts 120. The left and right support members 118LS, 118RS are fixed at right angles to the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R when viewed from the front (when viewed in the axial direction of the left and right rotating shafts 116L, 116R).

[0138] As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, a long hole 118N is formed in the free end portion of the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R, and a bolt 120 is inserted into this long hole 118N for fastening and fixing. This allows the bolts 120 to be loosened, and the fixed positions of the support members 118LS, 118RS relative to the rotating arms 118L, 118R to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of each of the rotating arms 118L, 118R.

[0139] Further, four support rods 121 are fixed at their front-rear intermediate portions to the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. The rear end of this support rod 121 is bent in a rearwardly downwardly inclined position. The folding unit 106 is thus configured as an assembly. As a result, when the air cylinder 107 for vertical movement is extended, the entire folding section 106 including the left and right pivot arms 118L, 118R moves upward, and when the air cylinder 107 for vertical movement is contracted, the entire folding section 106 including the left and right pivot arms 118L, 118R moves downward.

[0140] (Regulation material) 17 and 18, the bases of left and right support arms 123L, 123R having an inverted V shape are fastened to the left and right outer surfaces of the support member 104 with bolts . The base of the drive belt 125 is supported on the front ends of the left and right support arms 123L, 123R, and the drive belt 125 is extended to near the front end of the upper belt 96U in a substantially parallel position with a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the upper belt 96U.

[0141] That is, as shown in FIG. 18, the base of the left support side plate 125L is fastened to the front end of the left support arm 123L with a bolt 125B. As shown in FIG. 17, a mounting plate 125RT is fixed to the base of the right support side plate 125R, and this mounting plate 125RT is fastened to the front end of the right support arm 123R with a knob bolt 125NB.

[0142] The left and right support side plates 125L, 125R are connected by a plurality of connecting rods 126 to form a framework. An input shaft 127 is rotatably supported between the rear ends of the left and right support side plates 125L, 125R, and a wide drive roller 128 is fixed to the input shaft 127. Meanwhile, left and right adjustment plates 130L, 130R equipped with tension adjustment mechanisms 129 are fixed to outer front end portions of the left and right support side plates 125L, 125R. This tension adjustment mechanism 129 makes it possible to adjust the front-rear position of a rotation shaft 131S of a driven roller 131 that is supported between the front ends of the left and right adjustment plates 130L, 130R.

[0143] An endless belt 132 is wound around the driving roller 128 and the driven roller 131 . In addition, a guide member (not shown) that comes into sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the lower winding region of the belt 132 is provided between the driving roller 128 and the driven roller 131.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 18, a timing belt 135 is wound around an output pulley 133 fixed to the left end of the lower rotating shaft 92D and an input pulley 134 fixed to the left end of the input shaft 127. As a result, the upper frame-shaped roller 93U, the lower frame-shaped roller 93D, and the drive roller 128 are driven in unison (driven at the same timing and at the same speed).

[0145] (Detachable device) As shown in FIG. 17, an attachment / detachment device 82 is provided between the inclined surface (oblique side) of a spacer 91S in the hand device 33 and a hand attachment seat 30 provided on the wrist 29 of the robot arm 12. The attachment / detachment device 82 allows the hand device 33 to be easily attached to and detached from the wrist 29, facilitating operations such as cleaning the hand device 33 and replacing the hand device 33 with one of a different configuration.

[0146] (Food plating control device of second embodiment) As shown in FIG. 22, the above-mentioned encoders 19 to 23S and camera 11 are connected to the input side of a robot controller 34 equipped with a calculation unit, a storage unit, and the like. On the other hand, the output side of the robot controller 34 is connected to the above-mentioned servo motors 13 to 18, a valve solenoid 140 for the air cylinder 107 for vertical movement, a valve solenoid 141 for the left rotary actuator 112L, a valve solenoid 142 for the right rotary actuator 112R, and the electric motor 102.

[0147] Although not shown, individual relay circuits for operating the servo motors 13 to 18 and the electric motor 102 are provided on the output side of the robot controller . The air pressure source for the air cylinder and the rotary actuator is a compressed air supply facility in the factory or an air pump provided in the slicer 1.

[0148] On the other hand, the slicer controller 10 on the slicer 1 side has the above-mentioned encoder 9 connected to its input side, and the above-mentioned servo motor 8 connected to its output side. It should be noted that other sensors and actuators related to the operation control of the slicer 1 are omitted from the illustration. The robot controller 34 and the slicer controller 10 are connected via a communication line SL.

[0149] The food plating control device (food group formation control device) 143 of the second embodiment is configured as described above. The food plating device and food group formation device of the present invention are constituted by this food plating control device (food group formation control device) 143, and the robot arm 12 and hand device 33 controlled by it.

[0150] (Placement control) When explaining the plating control (food group formation control) implementing the present invention, the formation and transportation of the thin meat group E1 by the slicer 1, the output of the collection start signal from the slicer controller 10 to the robot controller 34, and the timing of collection of the thin meat group E1 on the conveying surface 3a are the same as in the first embodiment, so explanations will be omitted. Also, as for the flow chart of plating control, the steps other than S18A (thin section group plating process) in the flow shown in FIG. 12 in the first embodiment are the same, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0151] Thus, S200 to S211 shown in FIG. 23 are a flowchart of the thin section group arrangement process in S18A. Note that Figure 24 shows the folding state of thin wall group E1 by hand device 33 in this second embodiment, but the movement trajectory of hand device 33 and the food plating state by hand device 33 are similar to those of the first embodiment shown in Figures 15 and 16. That is, as shown in FIG. 16, in the column on the +X side, the thin wall group E1 is arranged from the row on the +Y side to the row on the -Y side, and when one column is completed, the same arrangement process is performed in the next column adjacent to this column on the -X side.

[0152] (Plate processing) (S200) The robot controller 34 executes the "collection target position setting process" and the "trajectory generation process." In the picking target position setting process, based on the size of the thin part group (food) E1 captured by the camera 11, the center or a position near the center in the length direction of the thin part group E1 is set as the picking target point BP. The control point in this embodiment is the center position in the width direction of the tip end of the upper belt 103U.

[0153] In the trajectory generation process, a trajectory for movement from point P0 to P7 and from point P7 back to P0 shown in FIG. 15 is generated. Point P0 is the initial position of the hand device 33 and is set as a fixed value. That is, this point P0 is set at a position directly above the center line t of the width of the belt 3 provided on the first conveying device 2 of the slicer 1.

[0154] Point P1 is located below point P0 and is set as the position of the hand device 33 when approaching the target point BP of the thin-walled group E1 located at the picking position T. This point P1 is set at a height that allows the leading end of the upper belt 103U to slide on the conveying surface 3a.

[0155] Point P2 is set at a position that is the same as the X-axis coordinates and Z-axis coordinates of point P1, and is located downstream (on the +Y side) of the Y-axis coordinate of point P1. When the hand device 33 moves from point P1 to point P2, the thin-walled group E1 at the collection position T is scooped up onto the upper surface of the upper belt 103U.

[0156] Furthermore, the X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of point P3 are set to be the same as those of point P2, and the Z-axis coordinate of point P3 is set to be larger (higher) than the Z-axis coordinate of point P2. The height of this point P3 from the conveying surface 3a is set so that, when the hand device 33 scoops up the thin-walled group E1, both ends of the thin-walled group E1 do not come into contact with the conveying surface 3a.

[0157] The point P5 is disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance above a set region R set on the inner bottom surface of the tray 6, and is set as a position at which the thin-walled group E1 held by the hand device 33 starts to be placed. Point P4 is set at a position directly above point P5.

[0158] Point P6 is located at the same position as the Z-axis coordinate of point P5, but on the -Y side of the Y-axis coordinate of point P5, and is set as the placement end position of thin wall group E1. Point P7 is set at a position directly above point P6.

[0159] (S201) The robot controller 34 waits for reception of a collection start signal output from the slicer controller 10 when the thin wall group E1 is located at the collection position T. When the collection signal is received, the robot controller 34 proceeds to S202.

[0160] (S202) The robot controller 34 changes the X-axis coordinate value of the point P1 to the X-axis coordinate of the collection target position obtained in S200.

[0161] (S203) The robot arm 12 is controlled by output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point, which is the center point in the width direction of the upper belt 103U provided on the hand device 33, is lowered from point P0 to point P1, and the tip of the upper belt 103U is brought into contact with or close to the conveying surface 3a.

[0162] (S204) The robot arm 12 is controlled by outputs from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P1 to point P2. In other words, the hand device 33 is moved from the -Y side to the +Y side along the Y axis so that the center point (control point) in the width direction of the tip of the upper belt 103U provided on the hand device 33 coincides with the target point BP (the center position in the width direction (X axis direction) of the thin group E1), and the tip of the upper belt 103U is advanced toward the thin group E1.

[0163] At this time, an output is given from the robot controller 34 to the electric motor 102, and the upper surface of the upper belt 103U and the lower surface of the drive belt 125 are driven in the forward direction (the same direction) to start scooping up the thin-walled group E1. (The lower belt 103D is driven in the opposite direction to the upper belt 103U.) At this time, as shown in state a in Figure 24, the thin-walled group E1 is introduced between the upper surface of the upper belt 103U and the lower surface of the drive belt 125, and the upward bulge of the scooped-up thin-walled group E1 is regulated by its contact with the lower surface of the drive belt 125.

[0164] Alternatively, the thin-wall group E1 to be scooped up is pressed against the upper surface of the upper belt 103U so as to be laid under the lower surface of the drive belt 125, thereby actively suppressing the upward bulging of the central portion of this thin-wall group E1. The left and right ends of the thin-walled group E1 thus scooped up hang down in an inclined position obliquely downward from the left and right ends of the upper belt 103U. Moreover, when scooping up of the thin-walled group E1 is completed or immediately before completion, the hand device 33 may be configured to be pitched to a horizontal position.

[0165] (S205) Then, after a set time has elapsed until the scooping up of the thin-walled group E1 is completed, output to the electric motor 102 is terminated to stop driving the upper belt 103U, and then the robot arm 12 is controlled by output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18 to move the control point to point P3.

[0166] It is also possible to perform control so that the control point starts moving to point P3 while scooping up the thin-walled group E1 by continuing to drive upper belt 103U and drive belt 125. During this movement to point P3, the folding section is closed and moves upward.

[0167] (Closing operation of the folding part) An output is provided from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 141 and 142 . As a result, the left and right rotary actuators 112L, 112R rotate output, and the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R, which were in a substantially horizontal position, rotate (close operation) in a direction approaching the upright position. As a result, as shown by the change from a to b in Figure 24, the left and right ends of the hanging down thin-walled group E1 are lifted up so that they rest on the support rods 121 provided on the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS, and are folded up to a position close to the underside of the lower belt 103D.

[0168] (Upward movement of the folding part) After both the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 have been folded in this manner, or during this folding, an output is given from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoid 140, and the folding portion 106 moves upward by the set stroke PP. Accordingly, as shown by the change from b to c in Figure 24, with the drive belt 125, upper belt 103U, and lower belt 103D held in fixed positions, the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS supported on the folding section 106 side via left and right pivot arms 118L, 118R move upward by the set stroke PP.

[0169] As a result, the left and right ends of the folded thin-wall group E1, or the left and right ends of the thin-wall group E1 in the process of being folded, are pushed up by the support rods 121 provided on the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS and pressed against the lower surface of the lower belt 103D. That is, the middle portion of the thin-walled group E1 is sandwiched between the underside of the drive belt 125 and the upper belt 103U, and the left and right end portions of the thin-walled group E1 are pressed against the underside of the lower belt 103D by the left and right support rods 121, whereby the thin-walled group E1 is folded and held in an appropriate state.

[0170] (S206) Then, the robot arm 12 is controlled by the output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P3 to point P4 while holding the folded thin-wall group E1.

[0171] (S207) Thereafter, the robot arm 12 is controlled by the output from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P4 to point P5 while holding the folded thin-wall group E1.

[0172] (S208) Then, the robot arm 12 is controlled by outputs from the robot controller 34 to the servo motors 13 to 18, and the control point is moved from point P5 to point P6. During this movement, the folding section is moved downward, and the drive belt 125, the upper belt 103U and the lower belt 103D are driven in the opposite direction.

[0173] (Downward movement of folding part) A reverse output is sent from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoid 140, and the folding portion 106 moves downward by the set stroke PP. As a result, as shown by the change from c to d in Figure 24, while the drive belt 125, upper belt 103U, and lower belt 103D are held in fixed positions, the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS supported on the folding section 106 side move downward by the set stroke PP.

[0174] That is, the support rods 121 provided on the left and right support members 118LS, 118RS move downward so as to separate from both left and right ends of the folded thin-wall group E1, and the pressure against the lower surface of the lower belt 103D is released.

[0175] (Drive belt and upper and lower belts in opposite directions) In this way, after the support rod 121 has been released from pressing both the left and right ends of the thin-walled group E1, or while this pressing is being released, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18 and outputs inversely to the electric motor 102.

[0176] As a result, while moving the hand device 33 in the -Y direction, the lower surface of the drive belt 125 and the upper surface of the upper belt 103U are driven in the opposite direction to that during scooping, and the thin-wall group E1 that was being held is lowered into the set area R. (Change from d to e in FIG. 24. e is the state after the thin-wall group E has been lowered.) At this time, a transport force can also act on the upper surface of the middle portion of the thin-walled group E1 through the lower surface of the drive belt 125, and a transport force can also act on the folded portion of the thin-walled group E1 through the lower surface of the lower belt 103D, so that the thin-walled group E1 is smoothly lowered.

[0177] (S209) Thereafter, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18, which control the robot arm 12 to raise the control point from point P6 to point P7.

[0178] (S210) During or after the control point rises from point P6 to point P7, a reverse output is given from the robot controller 34 to the valve solenoids 141 and 142. As a result, the left and right rotary actuators 112L, 112R rotate in opposite directions, and the left and right rotating arms 118L, 118R, which were in an upright position, rotate (close) in a direction approaching a substantially horizontal position and return to their initial positions.

[0179] (S211) Thereafter, the robot controller 34 outputs to the servo motors 13 to 18, the control point is moved from point P7 to point P0, the plating process for one thin wall group E1 is completed, and the process proceeds to S20A in the flow of FIG. Thereafter, the same processing as in the first embodiment is carried out.

[0180] As a result of the above, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, the second row of thin wall groups E1 is piled up so as to overlap a part of the first row of thin wall groups E1 with both ends folded downward. When the arrangement of the final row of the second column is completed, the arrangement of the thin meat group E1 in the set area R is completed, and a group of thin meat groups E1 (a group consisting of multiple thin meat groups E1 corresponds to the ``food group'' in the claims) is formed in this set area R. [Explanation of symbols]

[0181] E1 Thin-walled group (claimed "food") T Sampling position R Setting area SP scooping section 4 Food serving device (food group forming device) 12 Robot Arm 31 Food presentation control device (food group formation control device) 33 Hand Device 59U Upper belt 59D Lower Belt 62 Folding section 63 Air cylinder for vertical movement 69L Left Rotary Actuator 69R Right Rotary Actuator 75L Left side pivot arm 75R Right side pivot arm 78 Support rod 80 Rod-shaped member (regulating member) 81 Regulatory Framework PS scooping part 103U Upper belt 103D Lower Belt 106 Folding section 107 Air cylinder for vertical movement 112L Left Rotary Actuator 112R Right Rotary Actuator 118L Left side pivot arm 118R Right side pivot arm 121 Support rod 125 Drive belt (regulating member)

Claims

1. A hand device to be provided on a robot arm or the like, the hand device comprising an upper belt and a lower belt arranged approximately parallel to one another, and a folding section which either folds the drooping end of food scooped up by the upper belt onto the underside of the lower belt and then pushes it up, or folds the end of the food onto the underside of the lower belt and pushes it up at the same time.

2. 2. The hand device according to claim 1, wherein the folded food is lowered by driving the upper and lower belts after or while the pushing-up of the end of the food by the folding section is released.

3. 3. The hand device according to claim 2, further comprising a restricting member disposed above said upper belt for restricting upward expansion of food scooped up by said upper belt.

4. The hand device of claim 3, wherein the regulating member is configured to be freely movable up and down relative to the upper belt, and the folding section folds the end of the food item approximately simultaneously with or after the downward movement of the regulating member is completed.

5. 5. The hand device according to claim 4, wherein the regulating member is formed of one or more rod-shaped members whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the transport direction of the upper belt.

6. 4. The hand device according to claim 3, wherein the regulating member is a drive belt disposed above the upper belt and generally parallel to the upper belt with a space therebetween.

7. 7. The hand device according to claim 6, wherein the drive belt, the upper belt and the lower belt are driven in synchronization with each other.

8. A food plating device using a hand device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the folding section can select between a first state in which both ends of the food are folded and pushed up, and a second state in which only one end of the food is folded and pushed up, and when the first state is selected, the upper belt scoops up the centre of the food in the longitudinal direction, and when the second state is selected, the upper belt scoops up a portion of the food that is shifted a set distance from the centre of the food in the longitudinal direction.

9. 8. A food group forming device using a hand device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising the steps of: scooping up food at a collection position onto the upper side of the upper belt, or after scooping up the food, folding an end of the food onto the lower side of the lower belt by a folding section and pushing it up; moving the hand device to a set area spaced from the collection position; and removing the scooped up food from the upper and lower belts and placing it in the set area after or while releasing the pushing up by the folding section, and comprising a control device which automatically repeats these steps and forms a food group consisting of a plurality of foods within the set area.

Images