Conveyors and Regulating Devices

Abstract

To realize a technique capable of preventing large meandering of a driving belt from being generated.SOLUTION: A conveyor comprises a regulation device 5 for regulating movement in a width direction W of a driving belt 30. The regulation device 5 comprises a support 50 attached to a frame 20, and a pair of regulation members 70. The support 50 comprises a gap corresponding part 53 as a part overlapping with an inter-roller gap 13 formed between a pair of conveyance rollers 10 adjacent to a conveyance direction T, as viewed from an upward-downward direction. The pair of regulation members 70 supported by the corresponding part 53 are separately arranged on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the driving belt 30 in an area in an upward-downward direction where the driving belt 30 is arranged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyor that conveys articles in a conveying direction by rotating a plurality of conveying rollers with a drive belt that contacts the conveying rollers from below, and to a regulating device used in such a conveyor. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of such a conveyor is disclosed in JP 2015-20842 A (Patent Document 1). In the following description of this background art, the reference symbols in Patent Document 1 will be cited in parentheses.

[0003] The conveyor device (1) of Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of conveyor rollers (3), a drive belt (5) that contacts the plurality of conveyor rollers (3) from below, two end rollers (4a, 4b) rotatably supported at both ends in the conveyor direction of the conveyor frame (2a), and a pulley (6) that is rotated by a motor (7). The drive belt (5) is wound around the two end rollers (4a, 4b) and the pulley (6), and is configured such that the drive belt (5) is circulated by the rotation of the pulley (6), thereby rotating and driving the plurality of conveyor rollers (3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-20842 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, although not described in Patent Document 1, in the above-mentioned conveyor, meandering of the drive belt, such as shaking or deviation of the drive belt in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed from the top and bottom), may occur. For example, manufacturing errors, assembly errors, and changes over time such as deformation may be causes of meandering of the drive belt. Large meandering of the drive belt hinders smooth driving of the conveying rollers and smooth conveyance of articles. Therefore, when large meandering of the drive belt occurs, it is necessary to identify the cause and take measures, but meandering of the drive belt may occur due to a combination of factors, and it may be difficult to identify the cause and take measures.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a technology that can prevent large meandering of the drive belt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment, A conveyor according to the present disclosure is a conveyor that comprises a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction, a frame that supports the plurality of transport rollers, and a drive mechanism that drives the plurality of transport rollers to rotate, and transports articles along the transport direction, wherein each of the plurality of transport rollers is supported by the frame in a state in which it can freely rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction, and the drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of transport rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. and a regulating device that regulates movement of the drive belt in the width direction, with a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction as viewed in the up-down direction being the width direction, the regulating device includes a support attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support includes a gap corresponding portion that is a portion that overlaps, as viewed in the up-down direction, with a roller gap formed between a pair of the conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction, the pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portions, and are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the up-down region in which the drive belt is arranged. The gap corresponding portion is disposed so as to cover the drive belt from above in the gap between the rollers. .

[0008] According to this configuration, the pair of regulating members of the regulating device are arranged on both sides of the width of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, so that the movement of the drive belt in the width direction can be regulated from both sides of the width direction by the pair of regulating members. Therefore, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be limited to a range according to the distance between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is unlikely to meander significantly.

[0009] As described above, this configuration can prevent the drive belt from meandering significantly, but the regulating device having a pair of regulating members must be attached so as to avoid interference with the conveying rollers that are arranged to contact the drive belt and rotate with the circulating movement of the drive belt. In this regard, according to this configuration, the regulating device has a support attached to a frame, and the pair of regulating members are supported by a gap corresponding portion that is a portion of the support that overlaps with the gap between the rollers in a vertical view. In this way, the support is attached to the frame so as to have a portion (gap corresponding portion) that is arranged in a space that overlaps with the gap between the rollers in a vertical view, and the pair of regulating members are supported on this portion, making it easier to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device is attached so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers.

[0010] Furthermore, according to this configuration, the presence of the gap corresponding portion at the location where the regulating device is attached makes it difficult for parts of the worker's body or other objects to approach the contact portion between the conveying roller and the drive belt, thus improving safety. Furthermore, according to this configuration, even when the conveying roller is assembled to the frame, the gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members can be brought close to the gap between the rollers from above, and the regulating device can be attached so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. Therefore, it is easy to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device can be easily assembled.

[0011] In another aspect, a conveyor according to the present disclosure is a conveyor that conveys articles along the conveying direction, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of conveying rollers that are arranged with gaps therebetween; a frame that supports the plurality of conveying rollers; and a drive mechanism that drives and rotates the plurality of conveying rollers, the conveyor conveying articles along the conveying direction, the plurality of conveying rollers being supported by the frame in a state in which they can freely rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to the conveying direction, the drive mechanism comprising a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys, the conveyor further comprising a regulating device that regulates movement of the drive belt in the width direction, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction as viewed in the vertical direction being the width direction, the regulating device comprising a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support body being disposed between a pair of the conveying rollers that are adjacent to each other in the conveying direction. the frame includes a gap corresponding portion which overlaps with an inter-roller gap formed in the conveying roller when viewed in the vertical direction, the pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portion and are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged, the support body includes a fixing portion which is arranged above the gap corresponding portion and fixed to the frame, the fixing portion being fixed to the frame using a fastening member, the frame includes an upper surface facing upward and an opposing surface which faces an end surface of the conveying roller facing outward in the width direction and is a surface along the vertical direction, the support body includes a first abutment portion which is formed in a plate shape and abuts against the upper surface, and a second abutment portion which is formed in a plate shape and abuts against the opposing surface, the gap corresponding portion is formed to extend from the second abutment portion along the width direction, and at least one of the first abutment portion and the second abutment portion is the fixing portion.

[0012] In one embodiment,A regulating device according to the present disclosure is a conveyor that transports articles along a transport direction, the conveyor comprising a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps therebetween, a frame that supports the plurality of transport rollers, and a drive mechanism that drives and rotates the plurality of transport rollers, wherein each of the plurality of transport rollers is supported by the frame in a state in which it can freely rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction, and the drive mechanism comprises a drive belt that contacts the plurality of transport rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support body having a gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members, the support body having a gap corresponding portion overlapping a roller gap formed between a pair of conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction with a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction as a width direction as viewed in the vertical direction when the support body is attached to the frame, and the gap corresponding portion overlaps the roller gap formed between the pair of conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction as viewed in the vertical direction, and the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged. Further, the gap corresponding portion is disposed so as to cover the drive belt from above in the gap between the rollers. .

[0013] According to this configuration, when the support is attached to the frame, a pair of regulating members are arranged on both sides of the width of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, so that the movement of the drive belt in the width direction can be regulated from both sides of the width direction by the pair of regulating members. Therefore, by using the regulating device of this configuration in a conveyor, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be limited to a range according to the distance between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is less likely to meander significantly.

[0014] As described above, by using the regulating device of this configuration in a conveyor, it is possible to prevent the drive belt from meandering significantly, but the regulating device having a pair of regulating members needs to be installed while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers that are arranged to contact the drive belt and rotate with the circular movement of the drive belt. In this regard, according to this configuration, when the support is attached to the frame, the gap corresponding part that supports the pair of regulating members is arranged to overlap the gap between the rollers in a vertical view. In this way, the part (gap corresponding part) that supports the pair of regulating members in the support is arranged in a space that overlaps the gap between the rollers in a vertical view, so that the regulating device can be easily installed on the conveyor so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers.

[0015] In another aspect, a regulating device according to the present disclosure is a regulating device used in a conveyor that includes a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction, a frame that supports the plurality of transport rollers, and a drive mechanism that drives and rotates the plurality of transport rollers, the plurality of transport rollers being supported by the frame in a state in which they are freely rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction, the drive mechanism including a drive belt that contacts the plurality of transport rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys, the direction perpendicular to the transport direction as viewed in a vertical direction being a width direction, the frame including an upper surface facing upward, and an opposing surface that faces an end surface of the transport rollers facing outward in the width direction and is a surface along the vertical direction, the regulating device being attached to the frame. and a pair of regulating members, the support having a gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members, the support having a gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members, the gap corresponding portion overlapping an inter-roller gap formed between a pair of the conveying rollers adjacent in the conveying direction when the support is attached to the frame, and the pair of regulating members being arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged, the support having a fixing portion arranged above the gap corresponding portion and fixed to the frame, the fixing portion being fixed to the frame by a fastening member, the support having a first abutment portion formed in a plate shape and abutting the upper surface, and a second abutment portion formed in a plate shape and abutting the opposing surface, the gap corresponding portion being formed to extend from the second abutment portion along the width direction, and at least one of the first abutment portion and the second abutment portion being the fixing portion.

[0016] Further features and advantages of the conveyor and regulating device will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] A longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a portion of a conveyor [Diagram 2] Plan view of part of a conveyor [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a conveyor in the vicinity of a first regulating device; [Figure 4] A longitudinal sectional side view of the conveyor in the vicinity of a second regulating device. [Diagram 5] A longitudinal sectional front view of the vicinity of a first regulating device in a conveyor. [Figure 6] A longitudinal sectional front view of the conveyor in the vicinity of a second regulating device [Figure 7] A longitudinal sectional side view of the vicinity of a target regulating device in a conveyor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] An embodiment of a conveyor and a regulating device will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 1 includes a plurality of conveying rollers 10 arranged side by side with gaps in a conveying direction T, a frame 20 supporting the plurality of conveying rollers 10, and a drive mechanism 3 for driving the plurality of conveying rollers 10 to rotate. The conveyor 1 conveys an article 2 along the conveying direction T. Specifically, the plurality of conveying rollers 10 are driven to rotate by the drive mechanism 3, so that the article 2 placed on the plurality of conveying rollers 10 is conveyed along the conveying direction T. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the conveying direction T is a horizontal direction. The article 2 is, for example, a carton case such as a cardboard box.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, each of the plurality of conveying rollers 10 is supported by the frame 20 in a state in which it can rotate freely around a rotation axis A perpendicular to the conveying direction T. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, the roller shaft 12 is supported by the frame 20 in a state in which it is inserted into a through hole (for example, a hexagonal hole) formed in the frame 20, and the conveying roller 10 is supported by the roller shaft 12 in a state in which it can rotate freely around the rotation axis A. Although not shown, each of the plurality of conveying rollers 10 is supported by the frame 20 on both sides of the width direction W. Here, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction T when viewed in the up-down direction V (vertical direction) is defined as the width direction W. The width direction W is defined as the direction along the rotation axis A. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the rotation axis A is an axis along the horizontal direction, and the width direction W is a horizontal direction (specifically, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction T). Hereinafter, one side in the width direction W is referred to as a first width direction side W1, and the other side in the width direction W is referred to as a second width direction side W2.

[0020] 1, the drive mechanism 3 includes a drive belt 30 that contacts the multiple conveyor rollers 10 from a lower side V2, multiple pulleys 40 around which the drive belt 30 is wound, and a drive source 4 that drives at least one of the multiple pulleys 40. The drive mechanism 3 drives at least one of the multiple pulleys 40 by the driving force of the drive source 4, and causes the drive belt 30 to circulate while being guided by the multiple pulleys 40, thereby driving and rotating the multiple conveyor rollers 10 that are in contact with the drive belt 30.

[0021] The drive belt 30 is an endless flat belt. The drive belt 30 includes an outgoing portion 31, which is a portion that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2, and a returning portion 32 that is disposed on the lower side V2 of the outgoing portion 31. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the drive belt 30 (specifically, the outgoing portion 31) contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2 in a state in which the belt width direction is disposed along the width direction W. That is, a surface of the drive belt 30 to which the belt thickness direction is the normal direction contacts the plurality of conveying rollers 10 from the lower side V2 (see Figs. 3 and 4). As shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6, in this embodiment, the drive belt 30 (specifically, the outgoing portion 31) is disposed so as to contact the portion of the conveying roller 10 on the first width direction side W1 from the lower side V2.

[0022] 1, the multiple pulleys 40 of the drive mechanism 3 include a pressure pulley 40a that supports the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) from the lower side V2 and presses the drive belt 30 against the conveying roller 10, and an end pulley 40c that is disposed at an end of the conveying direction T and reverses the moving direction of the drive belt 30. A plurality of pressure pulleys 40a are provided so as to be aligned in the conveying direction T. Although not shown, the end pulleys 40c are provided at both ends in the conveying direction T. The going portion 31 is wound around the multiple pressure pulleys 40a and the pair of end pulleys 40c from the upper side V1.

[0023] 3 and 4, the pressure pulley 40a supports a portion of the outgoing section 31 that is not in contact with the conveying roller 10. A gap formed between a pair of conveying rollers 10 adjacent to each other in the conveying direction T is defined as a roller gap 13, and as shown in FIG. 2, the pressure pulley 40a is disposed so as to have a portion that overlaps with the roller gap 13 in a vertical view. Here, the pressure pulley 40a is disposed at a pitch that is twice the arrangement pitch of the conveying rollers 10 in the conveying direction T. Therefore, the roller gaps 13 in which the pressure pulley 40a is disposed so as to overlap with each other in a vertical view and the roller gaps 13 in which the pressure pulley 40a is disposed so as not to overlap with each other in a vertical view are disposed alternately along the conveying direction T.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 1, the multiple pulleys 40 of the drive mechanism 3 further include a lower guide pulley 40b that supports the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) from the lower side V2, a drive pulley 40d that is driven by a drive source 4 (e.g., an electric motor), a tension pulley 40e whose position can be adjusted, and a pair of reverse guide pulleys 40f that reverse the moving direction of the drive belt 30. The return portion 32 is wound around the lower guide pulley 40b, the drive pulley 40d, the tension pulley 40e, and the pair of reverse guide pulleys 40f. Near the drive pulley 40d in the return portion 32, the return portion 32 is wound around one of the pair of reverse guide pulleys 40f, the drive pulley 40d, the tension pulley 40e, and the other of the pair of reverse guide pulleys 40f in this order.

[0025] Among the multiple pulleys 40 included in the drive mechanism 3, the pulleys 40 except for the drive pulley 40d are supported by the frame 20 in a rotatable state (specifically, in a rotatable state about an axis parallel to the rotation axis A). The drive pulley 40d is supported by the frame 20 in a rotatable state by the driving force of the drive source 4 (specifically, in a rotatable state about an axis parallel to the rotation axis A). Thus, by rotating the drive pulley 40d by the driving force of the drive source 4, the drive belt 30 is circulated while being guided by the multiple pulleys 40, and the multiple conveyor rollers 10 in contact with the drive belt 30 can be driven to rotate.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, first flange portions 43a are formed on both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the pressure pulley 40a in the width direction W, protruding outward in the radial direction (the radial direction based on the rotation axis of the pressure pulley 40a). The drive belt 30 (specifically, the forward portion 31) is wound around a portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a on the outer peripheral surface of the pressure pulley 40a. In this embodiment, the pressure pulley 40a is supported in a cantilever state by the frame 20. Specifically, an end of the first pulley shaft 41a on the first side W1 in the width direction is inserted into a through hole formed in the frame 20, and the first pulley shaft 41a is fixed to the frame 20 with a nut 42a screwed onto the end. The pressure pulley 40a is supported by the first pulley shaft 41a in a freely rotatable state on the second widthwise side W2 relative to a portion of the frame 20 to which the first pulley shaft 41a is fixed.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6, the lower guide pulley 40b has second flanges 43b formed at both ends in the width direction W on the outer circumferential surface thereof, protruding outward in the radial direction (the radial direction based on the rotation axis of the lower guide pulley 40b). The drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) is wound around a portion between the pair of second flanges 43b on the outer circumferential surface of the lower guide pulley 40b. In this embodiment, the lower guide pulley 40b is supported in a cantilevered state by the frame 20. Specifically, an end of the second pulley shaft 41b on the first width direction side W1 is inserted into a through hole formed in the frame 20, and the second pulley shaft 41b is fixed to the frame 20 with a nut 42b screwed to the end. The lower guide pulley 40b is supported by the second pulley shaft 41b in a rotatable state on the second width direction side W2 relative to the portion of the frame 20 to which the second pulley shaft 41b is fixed.

[0028] However, meandering of the drive belt 30, such as shaking or deviation of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W, may occur, and large meandering of the drive belt 30 may hinder smooth driving of the transport rollers 10 and smooth transport of the articles 2. In this conveyor 1, as described below, a first regulating device 5 (and in this embodiment, a second regulating device 6) is provided on the conveyor 1, thereby making it difficult for large meandering of the drive belt 30 to occur.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 1 is provided with a first regulating device 5 that regulates movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W. The first regulating device 5 is provided so as to regulate movement of the outgoing portion 31 in the width direction W. In this embodiment, the conveyor 1 is further provided with a second regulating device 6 that regulates movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W. The second regulating device 6 is provided so as to regulate movement of the returning portion 32 in the width direction W. In this manner, the first regulating device 5 is used in the conveyor 1, and in this embodiment, the second regulating device 6 is also used in the conveyor 1. In this embodiment, the first regulating device 5 corresponds to the "regulating device".

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 5, the first regulating device 5 includes a first support 50 attached to the frame 20 and a pair of guide rollers 70. As shown in FIG. 2, the first support 50 includes a first gap corresponding portion 53 that is a portion that overlaps with the roller gap 13 in a vertical view. Here, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is formed in a plate shape in which the vertical direction V is the thickness direction (direction perpendicular to the plate surface). The first regulating device 5 is disposed at a position different from the pressure pulley 40a in the conveying direction T (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). Therefore, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged to overlap with the roller gap 13 that is not disposed to overlap with the pressure pulley 40a in a vertical view among the multiple roller gaps 13. In this embodiment, the first support 50 corresponds to the "support", the first gap corresponding portion 53 corresponds to the "gap corresponding portion", and the guide roller 70 corresponds to the "regulating member".

[0031] The first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged so as not to protrude above the upper side V1 with respect to the conveying surface of the conveyor 1 (specifically, a plane including the upper ends of the plurality of conveying rollers 10). In this embodiment, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged so as to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) from the upper side V1 in the roller gap 13. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is arranged below the narrowest part (width in the conveying direction T) in the roller gap 13. Note that the roller gap 13 is widest at the height (position in the vertical direction V) where the upper end of the conveying roller 10 is positioned and at the height where the lower end of the conveying roller 10 is positioned, and is narrowest at the height where the rotation axis A of the conveying roller 10 is positioned.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is disposed so as to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) from the upper side V1 in the roller gap 13. Therefore, at the location where the first regulating device 5 is attached, the presence of the first gap corresponding portion 53 makes it difficult for a part of the body of the worker or other objects to approach the contact portion between the conveying roller 10 and the drive belt 30, thereby improving safety. For example, by attaching the first regulating device 5 to a place where a worker works, such as a place where a worker works to load an article 2 onto the conveyor 1 or a place where a worker works to unload an article 2 from the conveyor 1, the safety of the worker working at the work place can be improved. In this case, it is preferable to set the dimension of the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the conveying direction T so that the gaps formed on both sides of the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the conveying direction T are large enough to prevent the worker's fingers from entering the contact portion between the conveying roller 10 and the drive belt 30.

[0033] The pair of guide rollers 70 are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53. Specifically, the pair of guide rollers 70 are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which they can rotate freely relative to the first gap corresponding portion 53. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, the pair of guide rollers 70 are arranged on both sides of the width direction W with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) in a region in the up-down direction V in which the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) is arranged. Specifically, the pair of guide rollers 70 are arranged on both sides of the width direction W with respect to a portion of the going portion 31 that does not contact either the conveyor roller 10 or the pressure pulley 40a.

[0034] As described above, the first support 50 includes the first gap corresponding portion 53 that supports the pair of guide rollers 70 (specifically, supports the pair of guide rollers 70 rotatably). When the first support 50 is attached to the frame 20, the roller gap 13 and the first gap corresponding portion 53 overlap in the vertical direction, and the pair of guide rollers 70 are arranged separately on both sides of the width direction W with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) in the region in the vertical direction V where the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) is arranged. By arranging the pair of guide rollers 70 in this manner, the movement of the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) in the width direction W is restricted from both sides of the width direction W by the pair of guide rollers 70, making it possible to prevent the drive belt 30 from meandering significantly. When the drive belt 30 moves in the width direction W and comes into contact with the guide roller 70, the guide roller 70 rotates due to the frictional force between the drive belt 30 and the guide roller 70. Therefore, it is possible to limit the movable range of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W to a range corresponding to the distance between the pair of guide rollers 70 while suppressing damage to the drive belt 30 and the guide rollers 70.

[0035] The dimensions of the guide roller 70 in the vertical direction V and the position of the guide roller 70 in the vertical direction V are set so that the drive belt 30 is disposed in the region in the vertical direction V where the guide roller 70 is disposed, even if the drive belt 30 moves in the vertical direction V due to vibration or the like. In the example shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the upper end of the guide roller 70 is disposed on a side V1 above the lower end of the conveying roller 10. Also, in the example shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the lower end of the guide roller 70 is disposed on a side V2 below the upper end of the pressure pulley 40a (specifically, the upper end of the portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a), and here, is disposed on a side V2 below the lower end of the conveying roller 10.

[0036] Any support structure can be adopted as the support structure for the pair of guide rollers 70 by the first gap corresponding portion 53, but below, the support structure for the pair of guide rollers 70 by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in this embodiment is described.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the first regulating device 5 includes a pair of support shafts 80 along the up-down direction V, and the pair of support shafts 80 are supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 so as to be aligned in the width direction W. Here, the support shaft 80 is a bolt having a shaft portion and a head portion, and the support shaft 80 is supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which it is inserted into a through hole formed in the first gap corresponding portion 53. Specifically, the first support shaft 80a, which is one of the pair of support shafts 80 (specifically, the one arranged on the first width direction side W1), has a tip portion of the shaft portion (the end portion opposite to the side where the head portion is arranged) inserted into the through hole in an orientation in which the head portion is arranged on the lower side V2, and the first support shaft 80a is fixed to the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which a nut 81a is screwed onto the tip portion. In addition, the other of the pair of support shafts 80, the second support shaft 80b (specifically, the one arranged on the second widthwise side W2), is oriented so that its head is arranged on the lower side V2, and the tip of the shaft is inserted into the through hole, and the second support shaft 80b is fixed to the first gap corresponding portion 53 with the nut 81b screwed onto the tip.

[0038] The first guide roller 70a, which is one of the pair of guide rollers 70, is supported on the first support shaft 80a in a rotatable state with respect to the first support shaft 80a, and the second guide roller 70b, which is the other of the pair of guide rollers 70, is supported on the second support shaft 80b in a rotatable state with respect to the second support shaft 80b. That is, the first guide roller 70a and the second guide roller 70b are supported on the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a rotatable state with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53. The first support shaft 80a is disposed so as to penetrate the first guide roller 70a in the vertical direction V. The first guide roller 70a is disposed between the head of the first support shaft 80a and the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the vertical direction V in a state in which movement in the vertical direction V is restricted. The second support shaft 80b is disposed so as to penetrate the second guide roller 70b in the vertical direction V. The second guide roller 70b is disposed between the head of the second support shaft 80b and the first gap corresponding portion 53 in the vertical direction V in a state in which movement in the vertical direction V is restricted. In this embodiment, the first guide roller 70a corresponds to the "first restricting member", and the second guide roller 70b corresponds to the "second restricting member".

[0039] In this embodiment, the guide roller 70 is configured using one or more bearings (here, ball bearings) whose inner rings are fixed to the support shaft 80, and the outer rings of the bearings are supported by the support shaft 80 in a freely rotatable state. The outer circumferential surface of the guide roller 70 is formed by the outer circumferential surfaces of the bearings constituting the guide roller 70 (specifically, the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer rings). Here, the first guide roller 70a is configured using a plurality (four in this example) of first bearings 71a of the same diameter arranged in a stacked manner in the vertical direction V, and the outer circumferential surface of the first guide roller 70a is formed by a collection of the respective outer circumferential surfaces (specifically, the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer rings) of the plurality of first bearings 71a. The second guide roller 70b is configured using a plurality (four in this example) of second bearings 71b of the same diameter arranged in a stacked manner in the vertical direction V, and the outer circumferential surface of the second guide roller 70b is formed by a collection of the respective outer circumferential surfaces (specifically, the outer circumferential surfaces of the outer rings) of the plurality of second bearings 71b.

[0040] In this embodiment, the pair of support shafts 80 are arranged along the vertical direction V, and therefore the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 is uniform along the vertical direction V. In this embodiment, the diameter of the first guide roller 70a is uniform along the vertical direction V, and the diameter of the second guide roller 70b is uniform along the vertical direction V. In this embodiment, the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 is set according to the dimension of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W, the diameter of the first guide roller 70a, and the diameter of the second guide roller 70b. 5, the distance between the pair of support shafts 80 in the width direction W is defined as a first length L1, the dimension of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W is defined as a second length L2, the diameter (specifically, the diameter) of the first guide roller 70a is defined as a first roller diameter D1, and the diameter (specifically, the diameter) of the second guide roller 70b is defined as a second roller diameter D2, and the first length L1 is set according to the second length L2, the first roller diameter D1, and the second roller diameter D2. In this embodiment, the first roller diameter D1 and the second roller diameter D2 are equal to each other.

[0041] The first length L1, the first roller diameter D1, and the second roller diameter D2 determine the narrowest gap between the outer circumferential surface of the first guide roller 70a and the outer circumferential surface of the second guide roller 70b (in other words, the gap at the portion where these two outer circumferential surfaces are closest to each other). As shown in FIG. 5, this gap is the third length L3. The total of the movable amount of the drive belt 30 toward the first side W1 in the width direction and the movable amount of the drive belt 30 toward the second side W2 in the width direction is determined according to the value obtained by subtracting the second length L2 from the third length L3. Therefore, as an example, the first length L1 can be set so that the third length L3 is a value obtained by adding the allowable amount of movement of the drive belt 30 in the width direction W (the total of the allowable amount of movement to both sides in the width direction W) to the second length L2.

[0042] 5 and 6, the third length L3 is set to be shorter than a fourth length L4, which is the dimension in the width direction W of the portion between the pair of first flange portions 43a of the pressure pulley 40a. Therefore, even if the drive belt 30 meanders, it is possible to suppress the contact of the drive belt 30 with the first flange portion 43a and prevent the drive belt 30 from strongly contacting the first flange portion 43a. In this embodiment, the fourth length L4 is equal to a fifth dimension L5, which is the dimension in the width direction W of the portion between the pair of second flange portions 43b of the lower guide pulley 40b.

[0043] Although details are omitted, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the center position in the width direction W between the pair of support shafts 80 can be changed, or a configuration in which the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 can be changed. In this case, it becomes possible to apply a common first regulating device 5 to multiple types of conveyors 1 in which the arrangement position in the width direction W of the drive belt 30 or the dimension in the width direction W of the drive belt 30 are different. For example, the above-mentioned configuration can be realized by forming multiple through holes aligned in the width direction W in the first gap corresponding portion 53 so that the combination of two through holes through which the pair of support shafts 80 are inserted can be changed.

[0044] Any mounting structure can be used to mount the first restriction device 5 to the frame 20, but the mounting structure of the first restriction device 5 to the frame 20 in this embodiment will be described below.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 20 has an upper surface 21 facing the upper side V1, and an opposing surface 22 that faces the end surface 11 of the conveying roller 10 facing the outside in the width direction W and is a surface along the up-down direction V. Here, "outside in the width direction W" means a side away from the center position in the width direction W of the conveyor 1. In this embodiment, the first regulating device 5 is attached to a portion of the frame 20 arranged on the first width direction side W1 with respect to the center position. Therefore, at the attachment location of the first regulating device 5 on the frame 20, the first width direction side W1 is the outside in the width direction W, and the second width direction side W2 is the inside in the width direction W (the side toward the center position). Therefore, the opposing surface 22 is a surface facing the second width direction side W2 that faces the end surface 11 of the first width direction side W1 of the conveying roller 10. The opposing surface 22 is formed so as to extend from the upper surface 21 (specifically, an end portion of the upper surface 21 on the second widthwise side W2) to the lower side V2. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the frame 20 further includes a lower surface 23 facing the lower side V2. The lower surface 23 is disposed on the lower side V2 below the upper surface 21, and the opposing surface 22 is formed so as to connect the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 23 (specifically, an end portion of the upper surface 21 on the second widthwise side W2 and an end portion of the lower surface 23 on the second widthwise side W2).

[0046] The frame 20 includes a side plate portion formed in a plate shape with the width direction W being the thickness direction, and the surface of the side plate portion facing the second width direction side W2 constitutes the opposing surface 22. The side plate portion is formed with the above-mentioned through hole through which the roller shaft 12 is inserted, the above-mentioned through hole through which the first pulley shaft 41a is inserted, and the above-mentioned through hole through which the second pulley shaft 41b is inserted. The frame 20 also includes an upper plate portion formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction V being the thickness direction, and the surface of the upper plate portion facing the upper side V1 constitutes the upper surface 21. The upper plate portion is formed so as to extend from the upper end of the side wall portion to the first width direction side W1. The frame 20 also includes a lower plate portion formed in a plate shape with the vertical direction V being the thickness direction, and the surface of the lower plate portion facing the lower side V2 constitutes the lower surface 23. The lower plate portion is formed so as to extend from the lower end of the side wall portion to the first width direction side W1.

[0047] The first support 50 includes a first contact portion 51 formed in a plate shape and contacting the upper surface 21, and a second contact portion 52 formed in a plate shape and contacting the opposing surface 22. The first gap corresponding portion 53 is formed so as to extend from the second contact portion 52 (specifically, the lower end portion of the second contact portion 52) along the width direction W. The first contact portion 51 is formed in a plate shape in which the vertical direction V is the thickness direction. As described above, the first gap corresponding portion 53 is also formed in a plate shape in which the vertical direction V is the thickness direction. On the other hand, the second contact portion 52 is formed in a plate shape in which the width direction W is the thickness direction. Since the opposing surface 22 is a surface facing the second width direction side W2, the second contact portion 52 contacts the opposing surface 22 from the second width direction side W2. The first abutment portion 51 is formed to extend from the upper end portion of the second abutment portion 52 to the first widthwise side W1, and the first gap corresponding portion 53 is formed to extend from the lower end portion of the second abutment portion 52 to the second widthwise side W2.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, the first support 50 has a first fixing portion 54 fixed to the frame 20. In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 54 is disposed on the upper side V1 of the first gap corresponding portion 53. Here, the first fixing portion 54 is disposed on the upper side V1 of the narrowest portion of the inter-roller gap 13 (in other words, on the upper side V1 of the rotation axis A of the conveying roller 10). Note that the first fixing portion 54 may also be configured to be disposed on the upper side V1 of the entire inter-roller gap 13 (in other words, on the upper side V1 of the upper end of the conveying roller 10). In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 54 corresponds to the "fixing portion".

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, the first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 by using a first fastening member 55. Specifically, the first fastening member 55 includes a first bolt 56 and a first nut 57 screwed onto the first bolt 56. The first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 in a state in which the first nut 57 is screwed onto the first bolt 56 inserted into a through hole formed in each of the first fixing portion 54 and the frame 20. The first nut 57 may be fixed to the frame 20 by welding or the like. Also, for example, the first fastening member 55 may not include the first nut 57, and the through hole in the frame 20 through which the first bolt 56 is inserted may be a fastening hole having a female thread screwed onto the first bolt 56. In this embodiment, the first fastening member 55 corresponds to the "fastening member".

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, the first support 50 includes the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52. At least one of the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 is the first fixed portion 54. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the first contact portion 51 is the first fixed portion 54. Specifically, the first contact portion 51 as the first fixed portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 (specifically, the upper plate portion) in a state in which the first nut 57 is screwed onto the first bolt 56 inserted into the through holes formed in the first contact portion 51 and the upper plate portion (the portion where the upper surface 21 is formed) of the frame 20. Here, the first bolt 56 is inserted into the through hole in an orientation in which the head portion is disposed on the upper side V1.

[0051] In this manner, in the present embodiment, the first fixing portion 54 is fixed to the frame 20 by using the first fastening member 55, and therefore the first regulating device 5 is detachably attached to the frame 20. Therefore, for example, by forming through holes through which the first bolts 56 can be inserted at a plurality of positions in the conveying direction T in the frame 20 (in the present embodiment, the upper plate portion in which the upper surface 21 is formed), it is possible to change the attachment position of the first regulating device 5 or the number of first regulating devices 5 attached depending on the occurrence state of meandering of the drive belt 30.

[0052] The first gap corresponding portion 53 of the first regulating device 5 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 is arranged so as to overlap with the inter-roller gap 13 arranged in the middle of the plurality of inter-roller gaps 13 in the conveying direction T in the vertical view, but as shown in FIG. 7, the first gap corresponding portion 53 of the first regulating device 5 may be arranged so as to overlap with the inter-roller gap 13 arranged at the end of the conveying direction T in the vertical view. That is, the first regulating device 5 may be configured to include at least the target regulating device 7 whose first gap corresponding portion 53 overlaps with the target inter-roller gap 14 in the vertical view, with the inter-roller gap 13 formed by the plurality of conveying rollers 10 contacting one driving belt 30 and arranged at the end of the conveying direction T being the target inter-roller gap 14. In this embodiment, a non-driven roller 15 that rotates freely without contacting the driving belt 30 is arranged at the end of the conveying direction T. Since the non-driven roller 15 does not contact the driving belt 30, the gap formed between the conveying roller 10 and the non-driven roller 15 is not included in the inter-roller gap 13 referred to here.

[0053] Since the target regulating device 7 can be attached to both ends in the conveying direction T, the first regulating device 5 can be configured to include one or two target regulating devices 7. When the first regulating device 5 includes a target regulating device 7 in this manner, the first regulating device 5 can also be configured to include only one or two target regulating devices 7.

[0054] As described above, in this embodiment, the conveyor 1 includes the first regulating device 5 that regulates the movement of the outgoing section 31 in the width direction W, and also includes the second regulating device 6 that regulates the movement of the returning section 32 in the width direction W. As is clear from comparing the second regulating device 6 shown in Figures 4 and 6 with the first regulating device 5 shown in Figures 3 and 5, the overall structure of the second regulating device 6 (specifically, the structure excluding dimensions) corresponds to the first regulating device 5 inverted in the up-down direction V. That is, the second regulating device 6 includes a second support 60 corresponding to the first support 50, a third abutment portion 61 corresponding to the first abutment portion 51, a fourth abutment portion 62 corresponding to the second abutment portion 52, a second gap corresponding portion 63 corresponding to the first gap corresponding portion 53, a second fixed portion 64 corresponding to the first fixed portion 54, a third guide roller 70c corresponding to the first guide roller 70a, a fourth guide roller 70d corresponding to the second guide roller 70b, a third bearing 71c corresponding to the first bearing 71a, a fourth bearing 71d corresponding to the second bearing 71b, a third support shaft 80c corresponding to the first support shaft 80a, a fourth support shaft 80d corresponding to the second support shaft 80b, a nut 81c corresponding to the nut 81a, and a nut 81d corresponding to the nut 81b.

[0055] The configuration of the second regulating device 6 will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first regulating device 5. The second regulating device 6 is disposed at a position different from the lower guide pulley 40b in the conveying direction T. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the second gap corresponding portion 63 is disposed on the lower side V2 with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32), but the second gap corresponding portion 63 may be disposed on the upper side V1 with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32). In the example shown in Fig. 4, the second gap corresponding portion 63 is disposed so as to overlap with the inter-roller gap 13 in the up-down direction, but the second gap corresponding portion 63 may be disposed so as not to overlap with the inter-roller gap 13 in the up-down direction.

[0056] 4 and 6, the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d are arranged on both sides in the width direction W with respect to the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) in a region in the up-down direction V where the drive belt 30 (specifically, the return portion 32) is arranged. Specifically, the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d are arranged on both sides in the width direction W with respect to a portion of the return portion 32 that does not contact any of the pulleys 40, including the lower guide pulley 40b.

[0057] The third support shaft 80c is fixed to the second gap corresponding part 63 with a nut 81c screwed to the tip of the shaft of the third support shaft 80c, and the fourth support shaft 80d is fixed to the second gap corresponding part 63 with a nut 81d screwed to the tip of the shaft of the fourth support shaft 80d. The third guide roller 70c is supported by the third support shaft 80c in a state in which it can rotate freely with respect to the third support shaft 80c, and the fourth guide roller 70d is supported by the fourth support shaft 80d in a state in which it can rotate freely with respect to the fourth support shaft 80d. In this embodiment, the third guide roller 70c is configured using a plurality (five in this example) of third bearings 71c of the same diameter arranged in a stacked manner in the vertical direction V, and the fourth guide roller 70d is configured using a plurality (five in this example) of fourth bearings 71d of the same diameter arranged in a stacked manner in the vertical direction V.

[0058] The second support 60 includes a third contact portion 61 formed in a plate shape and contacting the lower surface 23, and a fourth contact portion 62 formed in a plate shape and contacting the opposing surface 22. The third contact portion 61 is formed so as to extend from a lower end portion of the fourth contact portion 62 to a first widthwise side W1, and the second gap corresponding portion 63 is formed so as to extend from an upper end portion of the fourth contact portion 62 to a second widthwise side W2.

[0059] The second support 60 includes a second fixing portion 64 fixed to the frame 20. In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 64 is disposed on the lower side V2 of the second gap corresponding portion 63. As shown in FIG. 6, the second fixing portion 64 is fixed to the frame 20 by using a second fastening member 65. Specifically, the second fastening member 65 corresponding to the first fastening member 55 includes a second bolt 66 corresponding to the first bolt 56 and a second nut 67 corresponding to the first nut 57. The second fixing portion 64 is fixed to the frame 20 in a state in which the second nut 67 is screwed onto the second bolt 66 inserted into the through holes formed in the second fixing portion 64 and the frame 20. In this embodiment, at least one of the third contact portion 61 and the fourth contact portion 62 is the second fixing portion 64. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the third contact portion 61 is the second fixing portion 64.

[0060] Other embodiments Next, other embodiments of the conveyor and regulating device will be described.

[0061] (1) In the above embodiment, the first contact portion 51 of the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 is the first fixed portion 54. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the second contact portion 52 of the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 may be the first fixed portion 54, or both the first contact portion 51 and the second contact portion 52 may be the first fixed portion 54. In the latter case, the first support 50 is fixed to two locations in the frame 20 (specifically, the upper plate portion on which the upper surface 21 is formed and the side plate portion on which the opposing surface 22 is formed). Also, a portion of the first support 50 different from either the first contact portion 51 or the second contact portion 52 may be the first fixed portion 54. For example, the first support 50 may have an abutment portion that abuts against a surface facing outward in the width direction W of the frame 20 (first width direction side W1), and the abutment portion may be configured as the first fixed portion 54.

[0062] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the first fixing portion 54 is disposed on the upper side V1 of the first gap corresponding portion 53. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the first fixing portion 54 may be disposed at the same height as the first gap corresponding portion 53, or the first fixing portion 54 may be disposed on the lower side V2 of the first gap corresponding portion 53.

[0063] (3) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 is uniform along the up-down direction V. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 may be configured to change depending on the position in the up-down direction V. For example, the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 may be configured to become narrower toward the lower side V2. When the interval in the width direction W of the pair of support shafts 80 changes depending on the position in the up-down direction V in this way, unlike the above embodiment, at least one of the pair of support shafts 80 is not disposed along the up-down direction V but is disposed to be inclined with respect to the up-down direction V.

[0064] (4) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the first gap corresponding portion 53 is disposed so as to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) from the upper side V1 in the inter-roller gap 13. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the first gap corresponding portion 53 may be disposed so as to cover the drive belt 30 (specifically, the going portion 31) from the lower side V2.

[0065] (5) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the pair of regulating members are a pair of guide rollers 70 (specifically, a configuration in which the first regulating member, which is one of the pair of regulating members, is the first guide roller 70a, and the second regulating member, which is the other of the pair of regulating members, is the second guide roller 70b) has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and a member other than the guide roller 70 can be used as the regulating member. For example, a configuration in which each of the pair of regulating members is a rod-shaped member or a plate-shaped member supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which it cannot rotate with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53 can be used. In this way, the first regulating device 5 can be configured to include a pair of members supported by the first gap corresponding portion 53 in a state in which it cannot rotate with respect to the first gap corresponding portion 53, instead of the first guide roller 70a and the second guide roller 70b. Similarly, the second regulating device 6 can be configured to include a pair of members supported by the second gap corresponding portion 63 in a state in which it cannot rotate with respect to the second gap corresponding portion 63, instead of the third guide roller 70c and the fourth guide roller 70d.

[0066] (6) In the above embodiment, the conveyor 1 is described as having the second regulating device 6 in addition to the first regulating device 5. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the conveyor 1 may be configured to have only the first regulating device 5 out of the first regulating device 5 and the second regulating device 6.

[0067] (7) Note that the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments (including combinations of the embodiments described as other embodiments) as long as no contradiction occurs. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] [Summary of the above embodiment] The above-described conveyor and regulating device will now be outlined.

[0069] A conveyor for conveying articles along the conveying direction, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of conveying rollers arranged with gaps therebetween; a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers; and a drive mechanism for driving and rotating the plurality of conveying rollers, the conveyor comprising: a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below; a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound; and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys; and a drive mechanism for driving the plurality of pulleys in the vertical direction. The frame further includes a regulating device for regulating the movement of the drive belt in the width direction, with the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction along the conveying direction, and the regulating device includes a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, and the support body has a gap corresponding portion which overlaps with the roller gap formed between a pair of adjacent conveying rollers in the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction, and the pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portions and are arranged on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged.

[0070] According to this configuration, the pair of regulating members of the regulating device are arranged on both sides of the width of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, so that the movement of the drive belt in the width direction can be regulated from both sides of the width direction by the pair of regulating members. Therefore, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be limited to a range according to the distance between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is unlikely to meander significantly.

[0071] As described above, this configuration can prevent the drive belt from meandering significantly, but the regulating device having a pair of regulating members must be attached so as to avoid interference with the conveying rollers that are arranged to contact the drive belt and rotate with the circulating movement of the drive belt. In this regard, according to this configuration, the regulating device has a support attached to a frame, and the pair of regulating members are supported by a gap corresponding portion that is a portion of the support that overlaps with the gap between the rollers in a vertical view. In this way, the support is attached to the frame so as to have a portion (gap corresponding portion) that is arranged in a space that overlaps with the gap between the rollers in a vertical view, and the pair of regulating members are supported on this portion, making it easier to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device is attached so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers.

[0072] Here, it is preferable that the gap corresponding portion is disposed so as to cover the drive belt from above in the inter-roller gap.

[0073] According to this configuration, the presence of the gap corresponding portion at the location where the regulating device is attached makes it difficult for parts of the worker's body or other objects to approach the contact portion between the conveying roller and the drive belt, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, according to this configuration, even when the conveying roller is assembled to the frame, the gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members can be brought close to the gap between the rollers from above, and the regulating device can be attached so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical area where the drive belt is arranged. Therefore, it is easy to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device can be easily assembled.

[0074] It is also preferable that a first regulating member, which is one of the pair of regulating members, is a first guide roller supported on the gap corresponding portion in a state where it can freely rotate relative to the gap corresponding portion, and that a second regulating member, which is the other of the pair of regulating members, is a second guide roller supported on the gap corresponding portion in a state where it can freely rotate relative to the gap corresponding portion.

[0075] According to this configuration, since the first restricting member is the first guide roller, when the drive belt moves to one side in the width direction so as to come into contact with the first restricting member, the first guide roller is rotated by the frictional force between the drive belt and the first restricting member, and the movement of the drive belt to one side in the width direction can be restricted. Also, since the second restricting member is the second guide roller, when the drive belt moves to the other side in the width direction so as to come into contact with the second restricting member, the second guide roller is rotated by the frictional force between the drive belt and the second restricting member, and the movement of the drive belt to the other side in the width direction can be restricted. Therefore, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be limited to a range according to the distance between the first restricting member and the second restricting member, while suppressing damage to the drive belt.

[0076] As described above, in a configuration in which the first regulating member is the first guide roller and the second regulating member is the second guide roller, it is preferable that the regulating device has a pair of support shafts aligned along the vertical direction, the pair of support shafts are supported by the gap corresponding portion so as to be aligned in the width direction, the first guide roller is supported on a first support shaft, which is one of the pair of support shafts, in a state in which it can freely rotate relative to the first support shaft, and the second guide roller is supported on a second support shaft, which is the other of the pair of support shafts, in a state in which it can freely rotate relative to the second support shaft, and the widthwise spacing between the pair of support shafts is set in accordance with the widthwise dimension of the drive belt, the diameter of the first guide roller, and the diameter of the second guide roller.

[0077] According to this configuration, since the first guide roller and the second guide roller are supported in a rotatable state on a support shaft along the vertical direction, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be restricted to the same extent over the entire area in the axial arrangement region of the first guide roller and the second guide roller. Therefore, even if the drive belt moves or vibrates in the vertical direction due to contact with the first guide roller or the second guide roller, it is possible to maintain a state in which the drive belt is unlikely to meander significantly.

[0078] It is also preferable that the support body has a fixing portion that is positioned above the gap corresponding portion and fixed to the frame, and that the fixing portion is fixed to the frame using a fastening member.

[0079] According to this configuration, the fixing portion of the support member that is fixed to the frame is disposed above the gap corresponding portion, so that it is easy to realize a conveyor to which the regulating device can be attached with the conveying rollers attached to the frame. In other words, it is easy to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device can be easily attached, and the present configuration is easy to apply to existing conveyors.

[0080] In the configuration in which the support body has the fixed portion as described above, the frame has an upper surface facing upward and an opposing surface which faces the end surface of the conveying roller facing outward in the width direction and which is a surface that follows the up-down direction, the support body has a first abutment portion formed in a plate shape and abutting the upper surface, and a second abutment portion formed in a plate shape and abutting the opposing surface, the gap corresponding portion is formed to extend from the second abutment portion along the width direction, and at least one of the first abutment portion and the second abutment portion is preferably the fixed portion.

[0081] According to this configuration, the regulating device can be positioned in the vertical and width directions relative to the frame by bringing the first contact portion into contact with the upper surface of the frame and the second contact portion into contact with the opposing surface of the frame. Therefore, the regulating device can be easily attached to the frame so that the gap corresponding portion and the pair of regulating members supported by it are positioned appropriately in the vertical and width directions relative to the drive belt, making it easy to realize a conveyor in which the regulating device can be easily assembled.

[0082] In each of the conveyor configurations described above, it is preferable that the one of the multiple inter-roller gaps formed by the multiple conveying rollers in contact with one of the drive belts, which is located at the end of the conveying direction, is defined as a target inter-roller gap, and the regulating device includes at least a target regulating device whose gap corresponding portion overlaps with the target inter-roller gap when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0083] The widthwise position of the intermediate portion of the drive belt in the conveying direction is generally determined according to the widthwise positions of the ends of the drive belt on both sides in the conveying direction (specifically, the portions wound around the end pulleys). Therefore, if the ends of the drive belt in the conveying direction are displaced in the widthwise direction from the appropriate positions, the drive belt is more likely to meander. Since the target inter-roller gap is the gap between the rollers arranged at the ends in the conveying direction, according to this configuration, the target regulating device can limit the movable range in the widthwise direction of the portion of the drive belt close to the ends in the conveying direction to a range corresponding to the distance between the pair of regulating members. Therefore, the regulating device can be attached at an effective position from the viewpoint of making it difficult for the drive belt to meander significantly.

[0084] A conveyor for conveying articles along a conveying direction, the conveyor comprising a plurality of conveying rollers arranged side by side with gaps therebetween, a frame supporting the plurality of conveying rollers, and a drive mechanism for driving the plurality of conveying rollers to rotate, the conveyor comprising: a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveying rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys. The regulating device includes a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support body having a gap corresponding portion supporting the pair of regulating members, and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed in the up-down direction is the width direction, and when the support body is attached to the frame, the roller gap formed between a pair of conveying rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction and the gap corresponding portion overlap when viewed in the up-down direction, and in the up-down direction area in which the drive belt is arranged, the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction.

[0085] According to this configuration, when the support is attached to the frame, a pair of regulating members are arranged on both sides of the width of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, so that the movement of the drive belt in the width direction can be regulated from both sides of the width direction by the pair of regulating members. Therefore, by using the regulating device of this configuration in a conveyor, even if the drive belt meanders, the movable range of the drive belt in the width direction can be limited to a range according to the distance between the pair of regulating members, so that the drive belt is less likely to meander significantly.

[0086] As described above, by using the regulating device of this configuration in a conveyor, it is possible to prevent the drive belt from meandering significantly, but the regulating device having a pair of regulating members needs to be installed while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers that are arranged to contact the drive belt and rotate with the circular movement of the drive belt. In this regard, according to this configuration, when the support is attached to the frame, the gap corresponding part that supports the pair of regulating members is arranged to overlap the gap between the rollers in a vertical view. In this way, the part (gap corresponding part) that supports the pair of regulating members in the support is arranged in a space that overlaps the gap between the rollers in a vertical view, so that the regulating device can be easily installed on the conveyor so that the pair of regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the vertical region where the drive belt is arranged, while avoiding interference with the conveying rollers.

[0087] It is sufficient for the conveyor and regulating device according to the present disclosure to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1: Conveyor 2: Goods 3: Drive mechanism 4: Power source 5: First regulating device (regulating device) 7: Target Regulated Device 10: Transport roller 11: End face 13: Gap between rollers 14: Gap between target rollers 20: Frame 21:Top surface 22: Opposing surface 30: Drive belt 40: Pulley 50: First support (support) 51: 1st contact part 52:Second contact part 53: First gap corresponding part (gap corresponding part) 54: 1st fixed part (fixed part) 55: First fastening member (fastening member) 70: Guide roller (regulating member) 70a: First guide roller (first regulating member) 70b: second guide roller (second regulating member) 80: Support shaft 80a: 1st support shaft 80b: 2nd support shaft A: Rotation axis L1: First length (the distance between the pair of support shafts in the width direction) L2: Second length (width of drive belt) T: Transport direction V: Vertical direction V1: Upper side V2: lower side W: Width direction

Claims

1. A conveyor comprising: a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction; a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers; and a drive mechanism for driving the plurality of transport rollers to rotate, the conveyor transporting an article along the transport direction, Each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame in a state in which it can rotate freely around a rotation axis perpendicular to the conveying direction, the drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveyance rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys; The direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction is defined as the width direction, The drive belt further includes a restricting device that restricts movement of the drive belt in the width direction. The regulating device includes a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support member includes a gap corresponding portion that overlaps, as viewed in the up-down direction, with a roller gap formed between a pair of the transport rollers adjacent to each other in the transport direction, The pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portion, and are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged, The gap corresponding portion is arranged to cover the drive belt from above in the gap between the rollers.

2. A conveyor comprising: a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction; a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers; and a drive mechanism for driving the plurality of transport rollers to rotate, the conveyor transporting an article along the transport direction, Each of the plurality of conveying rollers is supported by the frame in a state in which it can rotate freely around a rotation axis perpendicular to the conveying direction, the drive mechanism includes a drive belt that contacts the plurality of conveyance rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source that drives at least one of the plurality of pulleys; The direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction is defined as the width direction, The drive belt further includes a restricting device that restricts movement of the drive belt in the width direction. The regulating device includes a support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members, the support member includes a gap corresponding portion that overlaps, as viewed in the up-down direction, with a roller gap formed between a pair of the transport rollers adjacent to each other in the transport direction, The pair of regulating members are supported by the gap corresponding portion, and are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged, The support body includes a fixing portion that is disposed above the gap corresponding portion and is fixed to the frame, The fixing portion is fixed to the frame using a fastening member, the frame includes an upper surface facing upward and an opposing surface that faces an end surface of the conveying roller facing outward in the width direction and that is a surface along the up-down direction, The support body includes a first contact portion formed in a plate shape and contacting the upper surface, and a second contact portion formed in a plate shape and contacting the opposing surface, The gap corresponding portion is formed to extend from the second contact portion along the width direction, At least one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is the fixed portion.

3. a first regulating member which is one of the pair of regulating members is a first guide roller which is supported by the gap corresponding portion in a state in which it can rotate freely with respect to the gap corresponding portion, 3. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein a second regulating member which is the other of the pair of regulating members is a second guide roller supported by the gap corresponding portion in a state in which it can rotate freely relative to the gap corresponding portion.

4. The regulating device includes a pair of support shafts extending along the vertical direction, The pair of support shafts are supported by the gap corresponding portion so as to be aligned in the width direction, The first guide roller is supported by a first support shaft, which is one of the pair of support shafts, in a state in which the first guide roller can rotate freely relative to the first support shaft, The second guide roller is supported by a second support shaft, which is the other of the pair of support shafts, in a state in which the second guide roller can freely rotate relative to the second support shaft, 4. The conveyor according to claim 3, wherein the widthwise distance between the pair of support shafts is set according to the widthwise dimension of the drive belt, a diameter of the first guide roller, and a diameter of the second guide roller.

5. Among the plurality of inter-roller gaps formed by the plurality of conveying rollers in contact with one of the drive belts, the one disposed at an end in the conveying direction is defined as a target inter-roller gap, The conveyor according to claim 1 , wherein the regulating device includes at least a target regulating device whose gap corresponding portion overlaps with the target inter-roller gap when viewed in the up-down direction.

6. a regulating device for use in a conveyor comprising a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction, a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers, and a drive mechanism for driving and rotating the plurality of transport rollers, the conveyor transporting articles along the transport direction, wherein each of the plurality of transport rollers is supported by the frame in a state in which it can freely rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction, the drive mechanism comprising a drive belt contacting the plurality of transport rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source for driving at least one of the plurality of pulleys, A support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members are provided, The support body includes a gap corresponding portion that supports the pair of the regulating members, The direction perpendicular to the conveying direction when viewed in the vertical direction is defined as the width direction, A regulating device in which, when the support is attached to the frame, the roller gap formed between a pair of conveying rollers adjacent in the conveying direction overlaps with the gap corresponding portion when viewed in the vertical direction, and a pair of the regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical area in which the drive belt is arranged, and further, the gap corresponding portion is arranged so as to cover the drive belt from above in the roller gap.

7. a regulating device for use in a conveyor comprising: a plurality of transport rollers arranged side by side with gaps in a transport direction; a frame supporting the plurality of transport rollers; and a drive mechanism for driving and rotating the plurality of transport rollers, the plurality of transport rollers being supported by the frame in a state in which they can freely rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to the transport direction, the drive mechanism comprising: a drive belt contacting the plurality of transport rollers from below, a plurality of pulleys around which the drive belt is wound, and a drive source for driving at least one of the plurality of pulleys, the direction perpendicular to the transport direction as viewed in a vertical direction being a width direction, the frame comprising: an upper surface facing upward; and an opposing surface which faces an end surface of the transport rollers facing outward in the width direction and which is a surface along the vertical direction, A support body attached to the frame and a pair of regulating members are provided, The support body includes a gap corresponding portion that supports the pair of the regulating members, When the support is attached to the frame, a roller gap formed between a pair of the transport rollers adjacent to each other in the transport direction overlaps with the gap corresponding portion when viewed in the vertical direction, and a pair of the regulating members are arranged separately on both sides of the drive belt in the width direction in the vertical region in which the drive belt is arranged, The support body includes a fixing portion that is disposed above the gap corresponding portion and is fixed to the frame, The fixing portion is fixed to the frame using a fastening member, The support body includes a first contact portion formed in a plate shape and contacting the upper surface, and a second contact portion formed in a plate shape and contacting the opposing surface, The gap corresponding portion is formed to extend from the second contact portion along the width direction, At least one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is the fixed portion.

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