A conveying device for conveying a container with a lid

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device for conveying a container with a lid which can be utilized for correcting the container with a lid into a desired direction.SOLUTION: A conveyance device includes a container with a lid direction correction mechanism 12 arranged above a conveyor belt 8. An upper surface of the conveyor belt is surface-coated with a material slippery with respect to a bottom surface of the container with a lid or it includes irregularity so as to reduce a contact area with the bottom surface of the container with a lid. The container with a lid direction correction mechanism 12 includes: a friction body 26 for allowing a static friction force to act on a lid 6 of the container with a lid 2 in a horizontal surface; a pushing arm 28 for pushing the friction body with respect to the lid of the container with a lid with a predetermined load in the vertical direction; and an arm drive part 30 which rotates and moves the pushing arm 28 in the horizontal surface in a state where the pushing arm is pushing the friction body 26 in the vertical direction with respect to the lid 6 of the container with a lid 2 and where the friction body 26 is allowing the static friction force to act on the container with a lid 2, in the horizontal surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying a container with a lid, which can be utilized, for example, to correct the orientation of the container with a lid in a desired direction. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a type of bento (boxed lunch) has been sold in the form of a lidded container containing bento ingredients and shrink-wrapped.

[0003] Such containers with lids are manufactured, for example, by placing ingredients in a container transported by a belt conveyor, and then covering the container with a corresponding lid. After that, a robot linked to the transport timing of the belt conveyor shrink-wraps the containers with lids transported by the belt conveyor. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when arranging ingredients into containers, the orientation of the containers traveling on the conveyor belt may be specified to be different from the orientation in which they will later be shrink-wrapped, based on instructions for arrangement, or the orientation of the containers may shift while they are being arranged or moved. This requires the worker to adjust the orientation of the lidded container to the desired orientation, which is determined for shrink wrapping, resulting in unnecessary work for the worker and cost.

[0005] In addition, such lidded containers may be formed in different container shapes, such as rectangular, round, oval, etc., due to the production of a wide variety of products in small quantities, and since the production speed is relatively fast and the time required to change over manufactured items is relatively short, there is a problem in that it is relatively difficult to automate the task of correcting the orientation of the lidded containers to the desired orientation.

[0006] If the task of correcting lidded containers to the desired orientation were to be performed by using a hand to lock the lidded containers in a fixed position and then lifting and rotating each one, problems would arise, such as the time-consuming rotation operation, the need to modify the line, such as the conveyor belt that transports the containers, to accommodate equipment for lifting the lidded containers, and the need to replace or adjust the hand to suit the shape, size, etc. of the container.

[0007] The present invention has been devised in view of the above background. It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveying device for conveying a container with a lid, which can be used, for example, to correct the orientation of the container with a lid to a desired orientation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one embodiment of the present invention is a conveying device for conveying lidded containers, comprising a conveyor belt on which lidded containers are placed with the lids positioned on the upper surface, a drive mechanism for driving the conveyor belt horizontally, and a lidded container orientation correction mechanism arranged above the conveyor belt, wherein the upper surface of the conveyor belt is surface coated with a material that is slippery against the bottom surface of the lidded container, and the lidded container orientation correction mechanism is characterized by having a friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lid of the lidded container, a pressing arm that presses the friction body vertically against the lid of the lidded container with a predetermined load, and an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm presses the friction body vertically against the lid of the lidded container and the friction body applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lidded container. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, while the pressing arm presses the friction body against the lid of the lidded container in the vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force to the lidded container in the horizontal plane, the pressing arm can be rotated in the horizontal plane by the arm drive unit. This allows the lidded container to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pressing arm on the upper surface of the surface-coated conveyor belt, and the lidded container can be corrected to a desired orientation.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the friction body is preferably a resin sheet. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the friction body is a resin sheet, so that the resin sheet can rotate and move the lidded container in a horizontal plane while applying a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container. In addition, since the friction body is a resin sheet, it is easy to clean during maintenance and can be easily kept hygienic. In addition, since the friction body is a resin sheet, the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the resin sheet and the lidded container can be made larger than the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the surface coating on the upper surface of the conveyor belt and the lidded container, with a relatively simple configuration.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface of the conveyor belt is preferably surface coated with polyurethane or silicone. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the upper surface of the conveyor belt is surface-coated with polyurethane, silicone, or fluororesin, so that with a relatively simple configuration, the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the friction body and the container with a lid can be made greater than the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the surface coating of the upper surface of the conveyor belt and the container with a lid.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, an elastic member for adjusting the inclination of the friction body is preferably provided between the pressing arm and the friction body. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, an elastic member for adjusting the inclination of the friction body is provided between the pressing arm and the friction body, so that even if the container with lid is inclined on the conveyor belt from parallel to the friction body due to the inclination of the conveyor belt and / or the inclination of the friction body of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism, the inclination of the friction body is adjusted to match the lid of the lidded container, and the friction body can be pressed so as to be relatively parallel to the lid of the lidded container. This allows the static friction force between the friction body and the lidded container to act relatively strongly, making it easier to correct the orientation of the lidded container to the desired orientation.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member is preferably a plurality of leaf springs. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the elastic member is a plurality of leaf springs, so that even if the container with lid is tilted from parallel to the friction body on the conveyor belt, the inclination of the friction body can be adjusted to match the lid of the container with lid with a relatively simple configuration, and the friction body can be pressed so as to be relatively parallel to the lid of the container with lid. This allows the static friction force between the friction body and the container with lid to act relatively strongly, making it easier to further correct the orientation of the container with lid to a desired one.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system preferably further includes a camera that captures a lidded container being transported upstream of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism, and an image processing unit that determines the orientation of the lidded container captured by the camera, and the arm driving unit is operated to align the orientation of the lidded container to a predetermined orientation based on the orientation determined by the image processing unit. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the arm driving unit is operated to align the orientation of the lidded container to a predetermined orientation based on the orientation determined by the image processing unit, whereby the lidded container can be rotated in accordance with the rotational movement of the pressing arm, and the orientation of the lidded container can be aligned to the predetermined orientation.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the arm drive unit is preferably configured to rotate the pressing arm within a horizontal plane and also translate the pressing arm parallel to the horizontal plane in order to correct the transport position as well as the orientation of the lidded container. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the arm drive unit can rotate the pressing arm in a horizontal plane and also translate the pressing arm in the same horizontal plane, thereby correcting the conveying position as well as the orientation of the lidded container. This allows the lidded container to move on the top surface of the surface-coated conveyor belt in accordance with the rotational and translational movements of the pressing arm, and the lidded container can be corrected to a desired orientation and position.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the arm drive unit is configured to add a parallel movement component in the driving direction of the conveyor belt to the movement of the pressing arm in the horizontal plane so that the pressing arm moves synchronously with the conveyor belt while the friction body is applying a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the pressing arm can move synchronously with the conveyor belt while the friction body applies a static friction force to the lidded container in a horizontal plane. Therefore, the arm drive unit can correct the lidded container to a desired orientation while maintaining the conveying speed without the friction body causing the lidded container to remain on the upper surface of the conveyor belt. In addition, by rotating the lidded container in a stopped state relative to the conveying direction of the moving conveyor belt, it is possible to prevent the lidded containers from colliding with each other and the lidded containers from stopping at an inaccurate stopping position.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, an object orientation correction device that corrects the orientation of an object being transported on a conveyor belt is characterized by comprising: a friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to an upper surface of the object; a pressing arm that presses the friction body in a vertical direction against the upper surface of the object with a predetermined load; and an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm presses the friction body in the vertical direction against the upper surface of the object and while the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object. In one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, while the pressing arm presses the friction body against the upper surface of the object in the vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object, the pressing arm can be rotated in the horizontal plane by the arm drive unit. This allows the object on the conveyor belt to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pressing arm, and the object can be corrected to a desired orientation.

[0017] According to the conveying device of the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device for conveying a container with a lid, which can be used to correct the orientation of a container with a lid in a desired direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a transport device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the transport device of FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of the transport device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a side view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of the transport device of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 2 is a bottom view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of the transport device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a top view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of the transport device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7]2 is a front view showing the pressing arm and the friction body of the transport device of FIG. 1, and is a diagram showing the position of an elastic member. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a side view showing the transport device of FIG. 1 in a state where a friction body side member is lowered to the lowest position relative to an arm drive unit side member. [Figure 9] 1. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which a friction body of a mechanism for correcting an orientation of a covered container in the transport device of FIG. 1 has been lowered to a cover of a covered container. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a top view of a pressing arm and a friction body of the transport device of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 13 is a diagram showing a side view of a pressing arm and a friction body of a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and also showing the relationship between an elastic member and the friction body. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a top view of a transport device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A transport device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 1 is a front view of a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a top view of the conveying device of Fig. 1.

[0020] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment conveys a container with a lid 2. The container with a lid 2 is formed by a container 4 at the bottom and a lid 6 corresponding to the container 4. The container 4 is formed as a vessel with a bottom and is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The lid 6 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above and is formed to cover the container 4. The lid 6 forms a substantially flat top surface, but the top surface may be uneven. The container with a lid 2 is, for example, a food container containing food, a lunch box container containing ingredients for a lunch box, etc. The container with a lid 2 is formed of a resin material such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). Note that the container with a lid 2 may be formed as a container in which the container 4 and the lid 6 are integrated. In this way, the container with a lid 2 is not limited to a container with a lid, and can be changed to a container having an upper surface against which a pressing arm described later presses a friction body.

[0021] The conveying device 1 includes a conveyor belt 8 on which covered containers 2 are placed with their lids 6 positioned on the upper side, a drive mechanism 10 that drives the conveyor belt 8 horizontally, a covered container orientation correction mechanism 12 arranged above the conveyor belt 8, and a control device 13 that controls the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12.

[0022] The conveyor belt 8 is configured to transport the lidded container 2 in the direction of travel indicated by the arrow A with the lidded container 2 placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8. The conveyor belt 8 always transports the lidded container 2 at a constant speed, but may be configured to stop when the lidded container 2 is moved by the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 and resume transportation after this movement. The conveyor belt 8 is formed in a belt shape of a constant width and is formed to extend almost horizontally from the upstream side to the downstream side of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12. The conveyor belt 8 is formed of a resin material. The upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 is entirely or partially surface-coated with a material that is slippery against the bottom surface of the container 4 of the lidded container 2. For example, the upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 is surface-coated with polyurethane, silicone, or fluororesin. Therefore, the bottom surface of the container 4 of the container with lid 2 is easily slippery against the upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8, and the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the surface coating of the upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 and the container with lid 2 can be made relatively small. The upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 does not have to be surface-coated. For example, the conveyor belt 8 may be formed of a relatively slippery material. Also, for example, the upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 may have irregularities that reduce the contact area with the bottom surface of the container with lid 2, such as a sliding conveying belt. These irregularities are, for example, formed of a material that forms the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8. These irregularities are, for example, a plurality of minute irregularities formed on the upper surface 8a. The bottom surface of the container with lid 2 is supported on the protrusions of these irregularities, the contact area between the bottom surface of the container with lid 2 and the upper surface 8a is reduced, and the bottom surface of the container with lid 2 is made easily slippery against the upper surface 8a.

[0023] The drive mechanism 10 is provided below the conveyor belt 8. The drive mechanism 10 includes a motor 11 that generates a drive force, a pulley 14 that is connected to the motor 11 by a drive belt and transmits the drive force of the motor to the conveyor belt 8, and a roller 16 that loops the belt on the lower side of the conveyor belt 8 around the pulley 14 and can adjust the tension. With this mechanism, the drive mechanism 10 can drive the conveyor belt 8 at a constant speed in the forward direction, and transport a large number of lidded containers 2 at a constant speed.

[0024] The conveying device 1 further includes a camera 18 that captures the lidded container 2 being conveyed upstream of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12, and an image processing unit 20 that determines the orientation of the lidded container 2 captured by the camera 18.

[0025] The camera 18 is disposed above the conveyor belt 8 upstream of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12. The camera 18 is disposed facing downward and takes still or moving images of the upper surface 8a of the conveyor belt 8 and the lidded containers 2 on the conveyor belt 8. The camera 18 can recognize and capture the lidded containers 2 being transported separately from the conveyor belt 8. The camera 18 is disposed in a dark box 22 that surrounds the upper part and periphery of the camera 18 and is open downward. A light 24 is provided on the inner wall of the dark box 22 so that the lidded containers 2 can be photographed at a brightness that makes it easy to process the image. The camera 18 is electrically connected to an image processing unit 20 and can transmit the captured images, etc. to the image processing unit 20.

[0026] The image processing unit 20 is provided in the control device 13, which will be described later. The image processing unit 20 determines the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 relative to the conveyor belt 8 by processing the images received from the camera 18. The image processing unit 20 determines the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 from, for example, the direction in which the long and short sides of the lidded container 2 extend, the position of the center of the lidded container 2, or the position or orientation of the shape of the compartments within the lidded container 2.

[0027] The control device 13 is electrically connected to the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 and the camera 18. The control device 13 has a built-in CPU, memory, etc. for controlling the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 and the camera 18. The control device 13 can also control a robot arm connected to the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12. The control device 13 sends operation signals to these devices, etc. based on a control program executed on the CPU, and controls each device, etc. The control device 13 may be electrically connected to the drive mechanism 10 so as to be able to control the drive mechanism 10. The control device 13 has an image processing unit 20 and a correction amount determination unit 21.

[0028] The correction amount determination unit 21 determines the amount of rotation and the amount of positional movement of the arm drive unit 30 to correct the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 determined by the image processing unit 20 (e.g., exemplary orientations and positions of the lidded container 2 shown by 2A and 2B in FIG. 2) to an exemplary predetermined orientation and position of the lidded container 2 (e.g., orientation and position of the lidded container 2 shown by 2C in FIG. 2). The correction amount determination unit 21 stores the planned position (e.g., position on the conveyor center line D) of the center C of the lidded container 2 and the planned orientation of the lidded container 2 (e.g., an orientation efficient for shrink wrapping as shown in FIG. 2, etc.) when photographed by the camera 18. For example, the planned orientation and position of the container with lid 2 as shown by 2C are efficient orientation and position for shrink-wrapping downstream, and for example, the long side 2a of the container with lid 2 is in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the conveyor belt 8 (left-right direction), and the center position C of the container with lid 2 is positioned to be located approximately in the center of the width of the conveyor belt 8 in the left-right direction (on the center line D). The correction amount determination unit 21 calculates the difference between the planned position of the center C of the container with lid 2 and the position of the center C of the container with lid 2 acquired by the image processing unit 20, and determines the amount of movement to correct the center C of the container with lid 2 to the planned position. The correction amount determination unit 21 also calculates the difference (e.g., difference in angle, etc.) between the planned orientation of the container with lid 2 and the orientation of the container with lid 2 acquired by the image processing unit 20, and determines the amount of rotation to correct the orientation of the container with lid 2 to the planned orientation.

[0029] A band shrink device 15 is provided along the conveyor belt 8 downstream of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12. The band shrink device 15 wraps the lidded containers 2 aligned in a specific direction with a sheet-like film 40 in a predetermined direction, and then heat-shrinks the containers to perform band shrink packaging. At this time, since the lidded containers 2 are oriented in the same direction, band shrink packaging can be performed reliably in the predetermined direction.

[0030] Next, the covered container orientation correcting mechanism 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12 is attached to a structure such as a robot arm.

[0031] The lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 comprises a friction body 26 that applies a static friction force to the lid 6 of the lidded container 2 in a horizontal plane, a pressing arm 28 that presses the friction body 26 vertically against the lid 6 of the lidded container 2 with a predetermined load, and an arm drive unit 30 that rotates and moves the pressing arm 28 in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm 28 presses the friction body 26 vertically against the lid of the lidded container 2 and while the friction body 26 applies a static friction force to the lidded container 2 in the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 has a total of two sets of an arm driving unit 30, a pressing arm 28, and a friction body 26, but the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 may have only one set of an arm driving unit 30, a pressing arm 28, and a friction body 26, or three or more sets of an arm driving unit 30, a pressing arm 28, and a friction body 26.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the friction body 26 is formed in a rectangular shape in a top view and in a flat plate shape. The friction body 26 is supported so as to extend almost horizontally. The friction body 26 is formed so as to extend over a range larger than the lid 6 of the container with lid 2 in a top view. Therefore, even if a slight positional deviation occurs when the friction body 26 is pressed against the lid 6, the friction body 26 can more reliably apply a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the container with lid 2. The friction body 26 is a resin sheet, for example, a sheet of a urethane material. The lower surface of the friction body 26 is embossed, and a large number of convex portions are formed in a row (see FIG. 5). Therefore, the friction body 26 can generate a relatively large static friction force on the container with lid 2 due to the large number of concaves and convexes formed on the surface. The friction body 26 may be formed of another material that generates a relatively large static friction force on the container with lid 2. The friction body 26 may also be provided with another surface treatment that generates a relatively large static friction force on the container with lid 2. In addition, the friction body 26 is not limited to a plate-like one with a substantially flat lower surface, and may be formed with a curved lower surface or a shape with relatively large irregularities on the surface. For example, the friction body 26 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above, and can efficiently move a lidded container 2 that is rectangular when viewed from above, but can also move a lidded container 2 that is other than rectangular, for example, a square or circular lidded container 2.

[0033] 3, 4 and 8, the pressing arm 28 extends in the vertical direction, with its upper part connected to the arm driving unit 30 (see FIG. 1) and its lower part connected to the friction body 26. The pressing arm 28 includes an arm driving unit side member 36 connected to the arm driving unit 30, a friction body side member 38 formed so as to be slidable in the up-down direction relative to the arm driving unit side member 36, and a frame 34 connected to the lower part of the friction body side member 38.

[0034] In the pressing arm 28, the arm driving unit side member 36 and the friction body side member 38 are formed so as to be slidable relative to each other. As shown in FIG. 4, when the friction body side member 38 is in the most elevated state relative to the arm driving unit side member 36, the arm driving unit side member 36 and the friction body side member 38 come into contact with each other to stop the elevation. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the friction body side member 38 is in the lowered state relative to the arm driving unit side member 36, the friction body side member 38 can freely descend relative to the arm driving unit side member 36 due to the weight (predetermined load) of the friction body side member 38, the frame body 34, and the friction body 26. Note that, as shown in FIG. 8, when the friction body side member 38 is in the most lowered state relative to the arm driving unit side member 36, the stopper 36a of the arm driving unit side member 36 comes into contact with the friction body side member 38 to stop further descent.

[0035] In this way, the friction body side member 38 can freely move down by its own weight between the raised position shown in FIG. 4 and the lowered position shown in FIG. 8. When the friction body 26 is in contact with the container with lid 2, the friction body side member 38 is in a position where it can freely move up and down. Therefore, the pressing arm 28 has a function of pressing the friction body 26 against the lid 6 of the container with lid 2 in the vertical direction with a predetermined load, for example, its own weight (weight of the friction body side member 38, the frame 34, the elastic member 32, the friction body 26, etc.). These weights are set to a level at which the container 4 and the lid 6 of the container with lid 2 are not deformed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the container with lid 2 from being pressed by an excessive force and being deformed.

[0036] The frame 34 is formed of a metal frame and has a rectangular outer shape in top view. As shown in FIG. 7 and other figures, one end of an elastic member 32 is fixed to the bottom surface of the frame 34. The elastic member 32 is a plurality of leaf springs, for example, four leaf springs. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an elastic member 32 is provided between the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26 to adjust the inclination of the friction body 26 with respect to the pressing arm 28. The friction body 26 is attached to the lower part of the frame 34, which is slightly larger than the friction body 26. The friction body 26 is supported by the frame 34 of the pressing arm 28 via a hinge 37. The friction body 26 is pressed by the pressing arm 28 via the elastic member 32. As shown in FIG. 7, the upper part of the elastic member 32 is fixed to the frame 34, and the lower part of the elastic member 32 comes into contact with the friction body 26 or the lower part of the elastic member 32 comes into contact with the friction body 26 when the frame 34 is pressed downward. Therefore, the inclination of the friction body 26 can be changed somewhat freely with respect to the frame 34. The elastic members 32 are attached to the four corner positions of the friction body 26, and while the inclination of the friction body 26 can be adjusted with respect to the frame 34, the inclination of the friction body 26 can be maintained relatively stably during normal pressing. Therefore, even when the container with lid 2 is slightly inclined from the horizontal on the conveyor belt 8, the inclination of the friction body 26 is adjusted by the elastic member 32 to match the lid 6 of the container with lid 2, and the friction body 26 can be pressed against the lid 6 of the container with lid 2 so as to be relatively parallel. Therefore, the contact area between the friction body 26 and the lid 6 is easily secured, and a relatively large static friction force can be applied. Furthermore, since no contact area is ensured, the static friction force is small, and failure of the covered container 2 to rotate together with the friction body 26 can be suppressed.

[0037] The arm driving unit 30 is a member that drives the pressing arm 28. The arm driving unit 30 is attached to a structure such as a robot arm. Therefore, the position and height of the arm driving unit 30 are controlled by the robot arm that receives a command from the control device 13. The lower part of the arm driving unit 30 is connected to the pressing arm 28. The arm driving unit 30 can rotate the connected pressing arm 28 in a horizontal plane. Furthermore, the arm driving unit 30 can translate the pressing arm 28 in a horizontal plane. The arm driving unit 30 is configured to rotate the pressing arm 28 in a horizontal plane and translate it in a horizontal plane in order to correct the conveying position in addition to the orientation of the lidded container 2. In this way, the arm driving unit 30 performs the rotational movement and the translational movement almost simultaneously, but they may be performed sequentially. The arm driving unit 30 further adds a translation component of the driving direction (travel direction A) of the conveyor belt 8 to the movement of the pressing arm 28 in the horizontal plane so that the pressing arm 28 moves synchronously with the conveyor belt 8 while the friction body 26 is applying a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container 2. The arm driving unit 30 may perform rotational movement and translational movement of the pressing arm 28 in coordination with the operation of the robot arm connected to the arm driving unit 30.

[0038] The arm driving unit 30 includes a servo motor (not shown) equipped with a servo mechanism capable of controlling the position and speed of the rotor. The arm driving unit 30 rotates and drives the pressing arm 28 by the servo motor. The arm driving unit 30 is electrically connected to the control device 13, and the arm driving unit 30 is operated by receiving commands such as the rotation amount for rotating the pressing arm 28 and the movement amount for moving the pressing arm 28 from the correction amount determination unit 21 of the control device 13. Therefore, the arm driving unit 30 is operated to align the orientation of the lidded container 2 to a predetermined orientation (for example, the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 as shown by 2C in FIG. 2) based on the orientation determined by the image processing unit 20. The arm driving unit 30 may be another electrically driven motor, such as a stepping motor. The arm driving unit 30 may be driven by an actuator (not shown) that operates by the pneumatic pressure of air supplied from a pneumatic circuit.

[0039] Next, the operation (function) of the transport device according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 9. Figure 9 is a side view showing a state in which the friction body of the covered container orientation correction mechanism in the transport device of Figure 1 has descended to the cover of the covered container. As shown in Fig. 1, ingredients are arranged in a covered container 2 in a plating process (not shown) upstream of the conveying device 1, and then a lid 6 is fitted and attached to the container 4 of the covered container 2 in a lid attachment process (not shown) in which a lid corresponding to the container is placed on the container. Thereafter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the covered container 2 with the lid 6 attached is conveyed by a conveyor belt 8 to below a camera 18. Then, the camera 18 photographs the covered container 2 on the conveyor belt 8, and the camera 18 transmits the photographed still image, etc. to the control device 13.

[0040] The image processor 20 of the control device 13 determines the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 based on the received still image or the like. For example, the image processor 20 determines the position of the center C of the lidded container 2 in a top view, for example, the position (for example, distance L) that is offset from the conveyor center line D extending in the conveying direction at the center in the left-right direction of the conveyor belt 8. Also, for example, the image processor 20 determines the orientation of the lidded container 2 (for example, the orientation of the long side 2a of the lidded container 2) in a top view, for example, the orientation facing the conveyor belt 8. Note that, as a modified example, the image processor 20 may determine the angle α by which the orientation of the lidded container 2 (for example, the orientation of the long side 2a of the lidded container 2) is offset from the conveyor cross line B (a line along the planned orientation of the lidded container 2) that crosses the conveyor belt 8 from left to right in a top view.

[0041] The container with lid 2 is further transported by the conveyor belt 8 to a position vertically below the container with lid orientation correction mechanism 12. Based on the transport speed information of the conveyor belt 8, the control device 13 recognizes that the container with lid 2 has reached the position where the container with lid orientation correction mechanism 12 can correct the container with lid 2 to the desired orientation.

[0042] The control device 13 moves the friction body 26 to directly above the covered container 2 by operating the arm drive unit 30 etc. of the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12, and lowers the friction body 26 by the pressing arm 28. At this time, the pressing arm 28 moves in the conveying direction synchronously with the covered container 2 on the conveyor belt 8 by operating the arm drive unit 30 etc. Therefore, the friction body 26 and the covered container 2 are in a relatively stationary relationship in the horizontal direction.

[0043] The control device 13 starts lowering the friction body side member 38 and the frame 34 of the pressing arm 28 relative to the arm drive unit side member 36. The friction body side member 38 is lowered by its own weight relative to the arm drive unit side member 36. When the friction body 26 attached to the frame 34 comes into contact with the lid 6 of the lidded container 2, the descent of the friction body side member 38 is stopped. Thereafter, the friction body 26 presses the lid 6 of the lidded container 2 in the vertical direction with a predetermined load E based on the own weight of the friction body side member 38, the frame 34 and the friction body 26. The predetermined load E is set to a magnitude that does not cause the lid 6, which is made of a resin material, to deform irrecoverably.

[0044] When the friction body 26 is pressing the lid 6, the friction body 26, the container with lid 2, and the conveyor belt 8 move synchronously and do not move relative to each other. This results in a state in which the friction body 26 applies a static friction force (static friction force) to the lid 6 of the container with lid 2 in a horizontal plane, and the container 4 of the container with lid 2 applies a static friction force (static friction force) to the conveyor belt 8 in a horizontal plane.

[0045] In a state where the friction body 26 presses the lid 6, the pressing arm 28 is rotated and moved in a horizontal plane by the arm drive unit 30. At this time, the static friction force between the friction body 26 and the lid 6 is set to be larger than the static friction force between the container 4 and the conveyor belt 8. Therefore, while the container 4 exceeds the static friction force and starts to slide against the conveyor belt 8, the friction body 26 does not exceed the static friction force against the lid 6 and still maintains a mutual engagement state (maintains a state where they do not start to slide against each other). After the container 4 starts to slide against the conveyor belt 8, the static friction force between the friction body 26 and the lid 6 becomes larger than the kinetic friction force between the container 4 and the conveyor belt 8. This allows the container with lid 2 to rotate and move relative to the conveyor belt 8 as the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26 rotate. Also, by a similar principle, the container with lid 2 can move parallel to the conveyor belt 8 as the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26 move.

[0046] Such a covered container orientation correction mechanism 12 allows the covered container 2 to rotate and translate while being transported on the conveyor belt 8. This makes it possible to further reduce the time required for rotation and movement, etc., compared to stopping the conveyor belt 8 to grab and lift the covered container 2 with a hand, and then grabbing and lifting the covered container 2 after it has stopped. Also, the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12 can be configured more compactly than a hand that grabs and lifts the covered container 2 from the outside of the container.

[0047] The lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 has two sets of an arm driver 30, a pressing arm 28, and a friction body 26. For example, a set of an arm driver 30 on the robot hand on the right side of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 on the paper surface of FIG. 2 and a set of an arm driver 30 on the robot hand on the left side of the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 on the paper surface of FIG. 2 are provided. Each set can operate independently of the other. The control device 13 rotates the lidded container 2 by the friction body 26 of the determined set. The lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 is not limited to having two or more sets of an arm driver 30 on the robot hand, and may have only one set of an arm driver 30 on the robot hand.

[0048] The control device 13 determines the amount of rotation and the amount of movement of the arm drive unit 30 with respect to the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 determined by the image processing unit 20, using the correction amount determination unit 21. The correction amount determination unit 21 determines the rotation angle for making the orientation of the long side 2a of the target lidded container 2 a predetermined orientation (for example, an orientation along the conveyor cross line B) of the lidded container 2. The correction amount determination unit 21 also determines the amount of movement for correcting the position of the center C of the target lidded container 2 to the conveyor center line D. The control device 13 drives the arm drive unit 30 to realize the rotation angle and movement amount determined by the correction amount determination unit 21. As a result, the lidded container 2 is rotated and / or translated by a predetermined amount until it assumes a posture with a predetermined orientation relative to the conveyor belt 8. Thereafter, the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 raises the friction body side member 38 and the friction body 26 of the pressing arm 28, and returns to the standby state.

[0049] The lidded containers 2 that have passed through the operating area of ​​the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 are aligned such that their long sides 2a are oriented along the conveyor cross line B and the center C is positioned on the conveyor center line D. Thus, the lidded containers 2 are aligned and transported on the conveyor belt 8. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the band shrink device 15 can always apply the band shrink film 40 to the lidded containers 2 in a constant direction. Therefore, the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12 can reduce the labor and labor costs of manually correcting the direction of the lidded containers 2 by an operator before the lidded containers 2 reach the band shrink device 15. Furthermore, the band shrink device 15 can always efficiently apply the band shrink film 40 to the lidded containers 2 in a constant direction.

[0050] According to the conveying device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention described above, while the pressing arm 28 presses the friction body 26 vertically against the lid of the lidded container 2 and the friction body 26 exerts a static friction force on the lidded container 2 in a horizontal plane, the pressing arm 28 can be rotated in a horizontal plane by the arm drive unit 30. This allows the lidded container 2 to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pressing arm 28 on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8, which is surface-coated, and the lidded container 2 can be corrected to a desired orientation. Furthermore, for example, it is possible to prevent the need to modify the conveyor belt 8 or other lines in order to install equipment for lifting and rotating the lidded containers 2, and the conveying device 1 can be constructed relatively simply, for example by utilizing an existing conveyor belt 8 or other line and retrofitting, for example, a lidded container orientation correction mechanism 12.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, since the friction body 26 is a resin sheet, the resin sheet can rotate and move the lidded container 2 in a horizontal plane while the resin sheet exerts a static friction force on the lidded container 2 in the horizontal plane. Also, since the friction body 26 is a resin sheet, it is easy to clean during maintenance and can be easily kept hygienic. Also, since the friction body 26 is a resin sheet, the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the resin sheet and the lidded container 2 can be made larger than the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the surface coating on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8 and the lidded container 2, with a relatively simple configuration.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8 is surface-coated with polyurethane, silicone or fluororesin, so that with a relatively simple configuration, the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the friction body 26 and the lidded container 2 can be made greater than the static friction force generated in the horizontal plane between the surface coating of the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8 and the lidded container 2.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, an elastic member 32 for adjusting the inclination of the friction body 26 is provided between the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26, so that even if the covered container 2 is in a position on the conveyor belt 8 that is inclined from parallel to the friction body 26 due to the inclination of the conveyor belt 8 and / or the inclination of the friction body 26 of the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12, the inclination of the friction body 26 is adjusted to match the lid of the covered container 2, and the friction body 26 can be pressed so as to be relatively parallel to the lid of the covered container 2. This allows the static friction force between the friction body 26 and the covered container 2 to act relatively large, making it easier to correct the covered container 2 to the desired orientation.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, since the elastic members 32 are multiple leaf springs, even if the covered container 2 is tilted relative to the friction body 26 on the conveyor belt 8 rather than parallel to it, the inclination of the friction body 26 can be adjusted to match the lid of the covered container 2 with a relatively simple configuration, and the friction body 26 can be pressed so as to be relatively parallel to the lid of the covered container 2. This allows the static friction force between the friction body 26 and the covered container 2 to act relatively strongly, making it easier to further correct the orientation of the covered container 2 to the desired orientation.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the transport device 1 of this embodiment, the arm driver 30 is operated to align the orientation of the lidded container 2 to a predetermined orientation based on the orientation determined by the image processor 20. This allows the lidded container 2 to rotate in accordance with the rotational movement of the pressing arm 28, and the orientation of the lidded container 2 can be aligned to a predetermined orientation.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the arm driving unit 30 can rotate the pressing arm 28 in a horizontal plane and also translate it in the same horizontal plane, thereby correcting the conveying position as well as the orientation of the lidded container 2. This allows the lidded container 2 to move in accordance with the rotational and translational movements of the pressing arm 28 on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8, which is surface-coated, and the lidded container 2 can be corrected to a desired orientation and position.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the pressing arm 28 can move synchronously with the conveyor belt 8 while the friction body 26 applies a static friction force to the lidded container 2 in a horizontal plane. Therefore, the arm driving unit 30 can correct the lidded container 2 to a desired orientation while maintaining the conveying speed, without the friction body 26 causing the lidded container 2 to remain on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 8. In addition, by rotating the lidded container 2 while stopped relative to the conveying direction of the moving conveyor belt 8, it is possible to prevent the lidded containers 2 from colliding with each other and prevent the lidded containers 2 from stopping at an inaccurate stopping position.

[0058] Next, a conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 12. The second embodiment is an example in which the friction body of the conveying device according to the present invention is formed in a different shape. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a pressing arm and a friction body of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a top view of the pressing arm and the friction body of the conveying device of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the pressing arm and the friction body of the conveying device according to the second embodiment of the present invention from the side and also showing the relationship between the elastic member and the friction body. In Fig. 11, the container with lid 102 held down by the friction body 126 is illustrated by an imaginary line, and the positional relationship between the container with lid 102 and the friction body 126 is illustrated. In Fig. 12, a part of the inside is illustrated so that the elastic member 32 and the friction body 126 can be seen in the side view. Since the conveying device according to the second embodiment has a structure almost identical to that of the conveying device according to the first embodiment described above, only the differences between the second embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment will be described, and similar parts will be given the same reference symbols in the drawings and will not be described again.

[0059] The conveying device 101 of the second embodiment conveys a circular container with lid 102. The container with lid 102 is formed by a container 104 at the bottom and a lid 106 corresponding to the container 104. The container 104 is formed as a vessel with a bottom and is formed in a circular shape when viewed from above. The lid 106 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from above and is formed to cover the container 104. The lid 106 forms a substantially flat top surface, but may have an uneven surface. The container with lid 102 is, for example, a food container containing food, for example, a lunch box container containing ingredients for a lunch box. The container with lid 102 is, for example, a bowl container for containing a bowl menu or curry, a bowl container for containing ramen, udon, soba, etc., a circular bowl container for containing salad, etc. The container with lid 102 is not limited to one formed in a circular shape when viewed from above, and may be an elliptical shape, a square shape, etc. The container with lid 102 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). The container with lid 102 may be formed as an integrated container of the container 104 and the lid 106. The container with lid 102 is not limited to a container with a lid, and may be changed to a container having an upper surface against which a pressing arm 128, which will be described later, presses.

[0060] The conveying device 101 includes a conveyor belt 8 (see Figure 1) on which covered containers 102 are placed with their lids 106 positioned on the upper side, a drive mechanism 10 (see Figure 1) that drives the conveyor belt 8 horizontally, a covered container orientation correction mechanism 112 arranged above the conveyor belt 8, and a control device 13 (see Figure 1) that controls the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12.

[0061] Next, the covered container orientation correcting mechanism 112 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Fig. 1, the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 112 is attached to a structure such as a robot arm. As shown in Fig. 10, the lidded container orientation correction mechanism 112 includes a friction body 126 that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lid 106 of the lidded container 102, a pressing arm 128 that presses the friction body 126 vertically against the lid 106 of the lidded container 102 with a predetermined load, and an arm driver 30 that rotates and moves the pressing arm 128 in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm 128 presses the friction body 126 vertically against the lid of the lidded container 102 and the friction body 126 applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container 102.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the friction body 126 is formed in an octagonal shape in a top view and is formed in a flat plate shape. The friction body 126 is supported so as to extend almost horizontally. The friction body 126 is formed so as to extend over a range larger than the lid 106 of the lidded container 102 in a top view. Therefore, even if a slight positional deviation occurs when the friction body 126 is pressed against the lid 106, the friction body 126 can more reliably apply a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lidded container 102. The friction body 126 is a resin sheet, for example, a sheet of a urethane material. The lower surface of the friction body 126 is embossed, and a large number of convex portions are formed in a row. Therefore, the friction body 126 can generate a relatively large static friction force on the lidded container 102 due to the large number of concaves and convexes formed on the surface. The friction body 126 may be formed of another material that generates a relatively large static friction force on the lidded container 102. The friction body 126 may also have other surface treatments that generate a relatively large static friction force on the lidded container 102. The friction body 126 is not limited to a plate-like body with a substantially flat lower surface, but may be formed with a curved lower surface or a shape with relatively large irregularities on the surface. For example, the friction body 26 is formed in an octagonal shape when viewed from above, and can efficiently move a lidded container 102 that is circular when viewed from above, but can also move a lidded container 102 that is not circular, for example, a lidded container 102 that is square, rectangular, or elliptical.

[0063] The pressing arm 128 extends in the vertical direction, with its upper part connected to the arm driving unit 30 (see FIG. 1) and its lower part connected to the friction body 126. The pressing arm 128 includes an arm driving unit side member 36 connected to the arm driving unit 30, a friction body side member 38 formed so as to be slidable in the up-down direction relative to the arm driving unit side member 36, and a frame 134 connected to the lower part of the friction body side member 38.

[0064] The friction body side member 38 can freely move down by its own weight between the raised position and the lowered position shown in FIG. 10. When the friction body 126 is in contact with the container with lid 102, the friction body side member 38 is in a position where it can freely move up and down. Therefore, the pressing arm 128 has a function of pressing the friction body 126 against the lid 106 of the container with lid 102 in the vertical direction with a predetermined load, for example, its own weight (weight of the friction body side member 38, the frame 134, the elastic member 32, the friction body 126, etc.). These weights are set to a level at which the container 104 and the lid 106 of the container with lid 102 are not deformed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the container with lid 102 from being pressed by an excessive force and being deformed.

[0065] The frame 134 is formed of a metal frame, and is formed into an octagonal shape in top view. One end of an elastic member 32 is fixed to the bottom surface of the frame 134. The elastic member 32 is a plurality of leaf springs, for example, four leaf springs. As shown in FIG. 12, an elastic member 32 for adjusting the inclination of the friction body 126 is provided between the pressing arm 128 and the friction body 126. The friction body 126 is attached to the bottom of the frame 134, which is slightly larger than the friction body 126. The friction body 126 is supported by the frame 134 of the pressing arm 128 via a hinge 137. The friction body 126 is pressed by the pressing arm 128 via the elastic member 32. The upper part of the elastic member 32 is fixed to the frame body 134, and the lower part of the elastic member 32 comes into contact with the friction body 126 or the lower part of the elastic member 32 comes into contact with the friction body 126 when the frame body 134 is pressed downward. Therefore, the inclination of the friction body 126 can be changed somewhat freely with respect to the frame body 134. The elastic members 32 are attached to four locations near and inside four of the eight sides of the friction body 126. The elastic members 32 are arranged in a cross shape when viewed from above. The elastic members 32 are designed to adjust the inclination of the friction body 126 with respect to the frame body 134, while maintaining the inclination of the friction body 126 relatively stably during normal pressing. Even when the container with lid 102 is slightly inclined from the horizontal on the conveyor belt 8, the inclination of the friction body 126 is adjusted to match the lid 106 of the container with lid 102 by the elastic member 32, and the friction body 126 can be pressed relatively parallel to the lid 106 of the container with lid 102. This makes it easier to ensure a contact area between the friction body 126 and the lid 106, allowing a relatively large static friction force to act. Furthermore, since the contact area is not ensured, the static friction force is small, and failure of the container with lid 102 to rotate together with the friction body 126 can be suppressed.

[0066] The operation (function) of the transport device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is basically the same as that of the transport device according to the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0067] Next, a conveying device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 13. The third embodiment is an example in which the lidded container orientation correction mechanism of the conveying device according to the first embodiment is formed as an object orientation correction device that corrects the orientation of an object. FIG. 13 is a top view of a conveying device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The conveying device according to the third embodiment has a structure that is almost the same as that of the conveying device according to the first embodiment described above, and the object to be corrected in orientation is the object. Thus, since the conveying device according to the third embodiment has a structure that is almost the same as that of the conveying device according to the first embodiment described above, only the differences between the third embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment will be described, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same parts in the drawings and the description will be omitted. That is, since the conveying device according to the third embodiment has a structure that is almost the same as that of the conveying device according to the first embodiment described above, the illustration of the structure of the similar parts is also omitted. For example, in FIG. 13, the control device 13 (see FIG. 1) is not illustrated or described.

[0068] The conveying device 201 of this embodiment conveys an object 202. The object 202 is formed in a shape that allows it to be conveyed while maintaining the position in which it is placed on the conveyor belt 8 (for example, without falling or rolling). The object 202 is configured with a weight that allows it to be conveyed on the conveyor belt 8, and is configured with a weight that allows the object 202 to rotate relative to the conveyor belt 8 together with the rotation of the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26, as described below. The object 202 forms an upper surface that contacts the friction body 26 so that the object 202 can rotate in a state in which the friction body 26 applies a static friction force to the object 202 in a horizontal plane. The object 202 is formed in a box shape, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The object 202 is not limited to being formed with a bottom, and may be formed without a bottom. The object 202 is not limited to being formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above, and may be formed in other shapes such as a circle or an ellipse. The object 202 is not limited to being separated into a lid and a container, and may be formed as a single unit up to the top of the container. For example, the top of the object 202 does not have to be formed as a lid. The object 202 may be a lidded container 2 as shown in the first embodiment. The object 202 is not limited to a container, and may be a device or a structure. The object 202 may be hollow or solid. The object 202 is a relatively small object that can be transported and rotated on the conveyor belt 8. When the conveyor belt 8 is formed to be large, the object 202 may be a relatively large object. The object 202 is, for example, an electronic device, a part, a structure, a cardboard container, a plastic container, a paper container, a transport container, a package such as a parcel, a container with a lid for food or products, or a container with a lid-shaped upper surface for food or products. In this embodiment, the object 202 is exemplified in FIG. 13 as having the same external shape as the lidded container 2 in the first embodiment. In addition, if the object 202 is not shrink-wrapped, the strip shrink device 15 can be omitted. That is, the conveying device 201 and the object orientation correction device 212 can be applied even when the strip shrink device 15 is not provided.

[0069] In this way, according to the conveying device 201 of this embodiment, the object 202 can rotate relative to the conveyor belt 8 together with the rotation of the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26. Furthermore, by a similar principle, the object 202 can move parallel to the conveyor belt 8 together with the movement of the pressing arm 28 and the friction body 26. The orientation and position of the object 202 will be explained using the symbols and the like used to explain the orientation and position of the lidded container 2 in the first embodiment.

[0070] The conveying device 201 includes an object orientation correction device 212 having the same configuration as the covered container orientation correction mechanism 12 of the conveying device according to the first embodiment. The object orientation correction device 212 corrects the orientation of the object 202 being conveyed on the conveyor belt 8. The object orientation correction device 212 includes a friction body 26 that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the object 202, a pressing arm 28 that presses the friction body 26 against the upper surface of the object 202 in the vertical direction with a predetermined load, and an arm drive unit 30 that rotates and moves the pressing arm 28 in the horizontal plane while the pressing arm 28 presses the friction body 26 against the upper surface of the object 202 in the vertical direction and the friction body 26 applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object 202. As described above, the conveying device 201 according to the third embodiment has a structure substantially the same as that of the conveying device 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and therefore, a description thereof will be omitted hereinafter.

[0071] According to the object orientation correcting device 212 of the transport device 201 according to the third embodiment of the present invention described above, while the pressing arm 28 presses the friction body 26 against the upper surface of the object 202 in the vertical direction and the friction body 26 applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object 202, the pressing arm 28 can be rotated in the horizontal plane by the arm driving unit 30. This allows the object 202 to rotate on the conveyor belt 8 in accordance with the rotational movement of the pressing arm 28, and the object 202 can be corrected to a desired orientation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1. Transport device 2. Container with lid 3 Arm drive unit 4 containers 6 Lid 8. Conveyor Belt 8a Top 10 Drive mechanism 12 Lidded container orientation correction mechanism 18 Camera 20 Image processing section 26 Friction body 28 Pressing arm 30 Arm drive unit 32 Elastic member 101 Transport device 112 Lidded container orientation correction mechanism 126 Friction body 128 Pressing Arm 201 Transport device 202 Object 212 Object Orientation Correction Device

Claims

1. A conveying device for conveying a container with a lid, comprising: a conveyor belt on which a container with a lid is placed with the lid located on the upper surface side; a drive mechanism for driving the conveyor belt in a horizontal direction; A lidded container orientation correction mechanism disposed above the conveyor belt; Equipped with The upper surface of the conveyor belt is surface-coated with a material that is slippery against the bottom surface of the container with lid or has an uneven surface that reduces the contact area with the bottom surface of the container with lid; The lidded container orientation correction mechanism includes: A friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lid of the lidded container; a pressing arm that presses the friction body against the lid of the lidded container in a vertical direction with a predetermined load; an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm presses the friction body against the lid of the lidded container in a vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force to the lidded container in a horizontal plane; having The arm driving unit is configured to rotate the pressing arm within a horizontal plane and translate the pressing arm in the horizontal plane in order to correct the conveying position of the lidded container in addition to the orientation of the lidded container. A conveying device characterized by the above.

2. A conveying device for conveying a container with a lid, comprising: a conveyor belt on which a container with a lid is placed with the lid located on the upper surface side; a drive mechanism for driving the conveyor belt in a horizontal direction; A lidded container orientation correction mechanism disposed above the conveyor belt; Equipped with The upper surface of the conveyor belt is surface-coated with a material that is slippery against the bottom surface of the container with lid or has an uneven surface that reduces the contact area with the bottom surface of the container with lid; The lidded container orientation correction mechanism includes: A friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to the lid of the lidded container; a pressing arm that presses the friction body against the lid of the lidded container in a vertical direction with a predetermined load; an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane while the pressing arm presses the friction body against the lid of the lidded container in a vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force to the lidded container in a horizontal plane; having The arm driving unit is configured to add a translation component in the driving direction of the conveyor belt to the movement of the pressing arm in the horizontal plane so that the pressing arm moves synchronously with the conveyor belt while the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container. A conveying device characterized by the above.

3. The friction body is a resin sheet.

3. A conveying device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The upper surface of the conveyor belt is coated with polyurethane, silicone or fluororesin.

4. A conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a conveying device.

5. An elastic member for adjusting the inclination of the friction body is provided between the pressing arm and the friction body.

5. A conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a conveying device.

6. The elastic member is a plurality of leaf springs.

6. The transport device according to claim 5.

7. a camera that captures a container with a lid being transported upstream of the container orientation correction mechanism; an image processing unit that determines the orientation of the lidded container captured by the camera; Further comprising: The arm driving unit is operated to align the orientation of the lidded container to a predetermined orientation based on the orientation determined by the image processing unit.

7. A conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a conveying device.

8. An object orientation correction device for correcting the orientation of an object being transported on a conveyor belt, comprising: A friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to an upper surface of the object; a pressing arm that presses the friction body against the upper surface of the object in a vertical direction with a predetermined load; an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane in a state in which the pressing arm presses the friction body against the upper surface of the object in a vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object; Equipped with The arm driving unit is configured to rotate the pressing arm within a horizontal plane and translate the pressing arm in the horizontal plane in order to correct the conveying position of the lidded container in addition to the orientation of the lidded container. The object orientation correction device is characterized in that

9. An object orientation correction device for correcting the orientation of an object being transported on a conveyor belt, comprising: A friction body that applies a static friction force in a horizontal plane to an upper surface of the object; a pressing arm that presses the friction body against the upper surface of the object in a vertical direction with a predetermined load; an arm drive unit that rotates and moves the pressing arm in a horizontal plane in a state in which the pressing arm presses the friction body against the upper surface of the object in a vertical direction and the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the upper surface of the object; Equipped with The arm driving unit is configured to add a translation component in the driving direction of the conveyor belt to the movement of the pressing arm in the horizontal plane so that the pressing arm moves synchronously with the conveyor belt while the friction body applies a static friction force in the horizontal plane to the lidded container. The object orientation correction device is characterized in that

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