Automatic supply system, automatic supply method, and adjustment device

Abstract

To provide an automatic feeding system that can promote automation of a food serving process and can easily handle a wide variety of foods.SOLUTION: An automatic feeding system 1B has: a topping robot 81 that holds a food container 89 containing a food 19 and transfers the food 19 to a food container 3; and an adjustment unit 83 that adjusts the food 19 to a predetermined amount. The adjustment unit 83 has: two blade members 115A, 115B; and drive units 113A and 113B that move the two blade members 115A and 115B so as to advance or retract in opposite directions to each other with respect to a horizontal direction in the food container 89.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to an automatic supply system, an automatic supply method, and an adjustment device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a work system including a conveyor that conveys food containers, and a work robot that is disposed near the conveyor and performs a food loading operation on the food containers.

[0003] In addition, in a conventional mass production line of food, since the weight of the food ingredients to be supplied in large quantities becomes large, the supply unit of the food ingredients has a portal structure with respect to the conveyor and is fixedly installed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the above prior art, there has been a demand for a system capable of promoting the automation of the food loading process. In addition, the supply unit with a portal structure is dedicated to a specific single food and is fixedly installed. Therefore, when changing the food, a large-scale food replacement work, a large-scale sanitary work, and a large-scale modification of the supply device body are required, and there is a problem that it is difficult to cope with multiple varieties. Also, when a variety change or a malfunction of the supply device occurs, there is a problem that the entire line needs to be stopped for a long time.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic supply system, an automatic supply method, and an adjustment device that can promote the automation of the food plating process and facilitate the handling of a variety of foods.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic machine that holds a food container containing food and transfers the food to a food container, and an adjustment device that adjusts the food to a predetermined amount. The adjustment device includes two first members and a first driving device that moves the two first members forward and backward in directions facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container. An automatic supply system is applied.

[0008] Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustment device that adjusts the food contained in a food container held by an automatic machine to a predetermined amount. The adjustment device includes two first members and a first driving device that moves the two first members forward and backward in directions facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container.

[0009] Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic supply method in which an automatic machine holds a food container, and an adjustment device moves two first members forward and backward in directions facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container held to adjust the food to a predetermined amount.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the automatic supply system and the like of the present invention, it is possible to promote the automation of the food plating process and facilitate the handling of a variety of foods.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for the convenience of explaining the configuration of an automatic supply system or the like, directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back may be used as appropriate, but the positional relationships of the respective components of the automatic supply system or the like are not limited. In the present embodiment, the up-down direction is the vertical direction, the left-right direction is, for example, the extending direction of the container conveyor, and the front-back direction is the direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction.

[0013] <1. First Embodiment> The first embodiment will be described. The first embodiment is an embodiment in which food supply and food plating are performed in the same area.

[0014] (1-1. Configuration of Automatic Supply System) An example of the configuration of the automatic supply system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a top view showing an example of the overall configuration of the automatic supply system according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view seen from the front showing an example of the overall configuration of the automatic supply system according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side view seen from the left showing an example of the overall configuration of the automatic supply system according to the first embodiment. Illustrations of support members and the like of each device are appropriately omitted.

[0015] The automatic supply system 1 is a mechanical system that automatically performs the operation of plating food 19 in a food container 3 (also referred to as topping). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic supply system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a container conveyor 5, a food conveyor 7, a food supply unit 9, a topping robot 11, a leveling robot 13, and a sanitary unit 15.

[0016] The container conveying conveyor 5 (an example of the first conveying device) conveys the food container 3. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container conveying conveyor 5 conveys the food container 3 in the direction from left to right (indicated by the arrow Ar1), for example. The food container 3 is a container that houses foods such as rice, noodles, and various side dishes. The food container 3 may be made of a plastic material such as polypropylene, or may be made of a material other than plastic. The food container 3 is formed as a rectangular container, for example, but may have a shape other than a rectangle, such as a circular or elliptical shape. The container conveying conveyor 5 may operate intermittently (pitch feed by the pitch p1) repeating conveyance and stop, or may operate continuously to perform conveyance continuously.

[0017] In the present embodiment, for the purpose of improving production efficiency, a row of food containers 3 arranged at a predetermined pitch p1 in the left-right direction on the container conveying conveyor 5 are arranged in two rows, for example, at a predetermined pitch p2 in the front-rear direction and conveyed. The arrangement of the food containers 3 is not limited to the above. For example, the food containers 3 may be arranged in a single row and conveyed, or may be arranged in three or more rows in the front-rear direction to further improve production efficiency and conveyed.

[0018] The food conveying conveyor 7 (an example of the second conveying device) conveys the food 19 housed in the food container 3. The food conveying conveyor 7 conveys the food 19 housed in the conveying container 17 by conveying the conveying container 17 for conveying the food. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the food conveying conveyor 7, the conveying containers 17 are arranged in a single row and conveyed at intervals of a predetermined pitch p2 (substantially the same as the pitch p2 in the front-rear direction of the food container 3), for example. The conveying container 17 is a cup-shaped container, for example, but may be a container of other shapes. The food 19 is, for example, rice, noodles, various side dishes, etc., but the type is not particularly limited as long as it can be housed in the conveying container 17. The food 19 may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, a powder, etc.

[0019] The food transfer conveyor 7 is a circulating transfer device that transfers the transfer container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 to the topping robot 11 and transfers the emptied transfer container 17 to the food supply unit 9. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the food transfer conveyor 7 is, for example, a quadrangular conveyor, and transfers the transfer container 17 forward, rightward, backward, leftward, and forward from the food supply unit 9 and circulates it (indicated by the arrow AR2). The food transfer conveyor 7 is arranged such that a pair of sides of the quadrilateral are substantially parallel to the container transfer conveyor 5, and one of the sides is located in the vicinity of the container transfer conveyor 5. The food transfer conveyor 7 may have a circulatable shape, such as a polygon other than a quadrilateral (such as a triangle) or a circular shape. The food transfer conveyor 7 may be, for example, a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, a roller conveyor, or the like, or a turntable or the like. The food transfer conveyor 7 may be configured, for example, by arranging four linear conveyors side by side, or may be a conveyor having direction-changing portions at the four corners, or may be configured such that a slider carrying the transfer container 17 moves on a rail installed in a quadrilateral shape. The food transfer conveyor 7 performs an intermittent operation of repeating transfer and stop. For example, the food transfer conveyor 7 performs a pitch feed with a pitch p2 in which the transfer container 17 is stopped while the food 19 is being supplied to the transfer container 17 by the food supply unit 9, and the transfer container 17 is transferred otherwise.

[0020] The food supply unit 9 (an example of a food supply device) supplies the food 19 to the transport container 17 in predetermined amounts. As shown in FIG. 1, the food supply unit 9 is arranged in a topping area 65 (an example of a first area) where topping work by the topping robot 11 is performed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the food supply unit 9 has an inlet 21, a measuring device 23, and a supply port 25. The food 19 is introduced into the inlet 21. The introduction of the food 19 may be performed manually by an operator or automatically by a separately installed introduction device (not shown). The measuring device 23 measures the weight or volume of the food 19 introduced into the inlet 21 and cuts out the food 19 so as to have a predetermined weight or a predetermined volume. The supply port 25 supplies the predetermined amount of the food 19 cut out by the measuring device 23 to the transport container 17 that is transported and stopped below the food supply unit 9. The supply method of the food 19 is not particularly limited, and various supply methods such as dropping, vibrating feed, filling, etc. can be adopted.

[0021] The topping robot 11 (an example of a first automatic machine) holds the food 19 transported by the food transport conveyor 7 and transfers it to the food container 3 transported by the container transport conveyor 5. The topping robot 11 is supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 and holds the transport container 17 transported to the holding area 26 by the food transport conveyor 7. The topping robot 11 moves the held transport container 17 above the food container 3 and tilts it to transfer the accommodated food 19 from the transport container 17 to the food container 3. When the container transport conveyor 5 is operating intermittently, the topping robot 11 serves the food 19 to the stopped food container 3. When the container transport conveyor 5 is operating continuously, the topping robot 11 serves the food 19 while following the movement of the hand 31 with the food container 3.

[0022] Topping robot 11 returns the emptied transport container 17 to the food transport conveyor 7. When the transport container 17 is moved by the food transport conveyor 7 while the food 19 is being loaded into the food container 3, the topping robot 11 returns the transport container 17 to the empty area (the area where two transport containers 17 are missing) moved from the holding area 26. Then, the topping robot 11 holds the transport container 17 newly moved into the holding area 26.

[0023] The topping robot 11 is configured as, for example, a horizontally articulated robot (so-called SCARA robot). The topping robot 11 has a main body part 27, an arm 29, and a hand 31. The main body part 27 is arranged inside the food transport conveyor 7. The arm 29 is installed at the upper end part of the main body part 27 and has a first arm part 33 and a second arm part 35. As shown in FIG. 1, the first arm part 33 is connected to the upper end part of the main body part 27 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Ax1 substantially parallel to the vertical direction. The second arm part 35 is connected to the tip end part of the first arm part 33 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Ax2 substantially parallel to the vertical direction.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the hand 31 is connected to the lower part of the tip end part of the second arm part 35. The hand 31 is connected to the tip end part of the second arm part 35 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis Ax3 substantially parallel to the vertical direction and rotatable around a rotation axis Ax4 substantially parallel to the horizontal direction. The hand 31 is an end effector for holding the transport container 17. The hand 31 has two sets of gripping parts 37 that are driven by air or an electric motor to move closer to and farther from each other. The hand 31 holds the two transport containers 17 located in the holding area 26 at an interval substantially the same as the pitch p2 by the two sets of gripping parts 37. The hand 31 tilts the two held transport containers 17 by rotating around the rotation axis Ax4 and transfers the food 19, which is the content, to the two food containers 3 arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction at once. The hand 31 may have any structure as long as it can hold and tilt the transport container 17, and may be configured with, for example, suction pads or the like.

[0025] In this embodiment, in order to improve production efficiency, the hand 31 is configured to be able to hold two transport containers 17, but the configuration of the hand 31 is not limited to the above. For example, the hand 31 may be configured to be able to hold one transport container 17, or in order to further improve production efficiency, it may be configured to be able to hold three or more transport containers 17. In that case, in the container transport conveyor 5, the food containers 3 may be arranged and transported in three or more rows in the front-rear direction.

[0026] The topping robot 11 may be a robot other than a horizontally articulated robot. For example, it may be a vertically articulated robot (such as a 6-axis robot having six joints, etc.) or a parallel link robot that is common as an industrial robot, or in addition to general-purpose robots, for example, a dedicated work machine designed specifically for topping work equipped with an actuator that can linearly move in the XYZ directions in a rectangular coordinate axis and can rotate in the θ direction.

[0027] The leveling robot 13 (an example of the second automatic machine) is arranged on the downstream side of the topping robot 11 in the transport direction of the container transport conveyor 5. The leveling robot 13 performs at least one of the operations of pressing the food 19 transferred to the food container 3 by the topping robot 11 from above or adjusting the position, thereby flattening the upper surface of the food 19 or performing alignment to a regular position. FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example in which the leveling robot 13 executes a process of flattening the upper surface of the food 19, for example.

[0028] The leveling robot 13 is configured as, for example, a horizontally articulated robot (so-called SCARA robot). The leveling robot 13 has a main body 39, an arm 41, and a hand 43. The main body 39 is disposed outside the food conveyor 7. If the space inside the food conveyor 7 is large, the leveling robot 13 may be disposed inside the food conveyor 7. The arm 41 is installed at the upper end of the main body 39 and has a first arm portion 45 and a second arm portion 47. The first arm portion 45 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the main body 39 so as to be pivotable about a rotation axis Ax5 substantially parallel to the vertical direction. The second arm portion 47 is pivotally connected to the tip of the first arm portion 45 so as to be pivotable about a rotation axis Ax6 substantially parallel to the vertical direction.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hand 43 is connected to the lower part of the tip of the second arm portion 47. The hand 43 is pivotally connected to the tip of the second arm portion 47 so as to be pivotable about a rotation axis Ax7 substantially parallel to the vertical direction. The hand 43 is an end effector for flattening the upper surface of the food 19 transferred to the food container 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the hand 43 has a pressing portion 49 that is driven to move back and forth in the vertical direction by air or an electric motor. The lower surface of the pressing portion 49 is formed, for example, in a spherical shape that bulges downward. The lower surface of the pressing portion 49 may be planar. The hand 43 presses the food 19 from above with the pressing portion 49 to flatten the upper surface of the food 19. When adjusting the position of the food 19, the hand 31 may have, for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member such as a spatula. In this case, the hand 43 adjusts the position by applying the rod-shaped or plate-shaped member to the food 19 from the side.

[0030] In this embodiment, in order to improve production efficiency, the hand 43 is configured to have two pressing portions 49, but the configuration of the hand 43 is not limited to the above. For example, the hand 43 may be configured to have one pressing portion 49, or may be configured to have three or more pressing portions 49 in order to further improve production efficiency. In that case, it is sufficient if the food containers 3 are arranged in three or more rows in the front-rear direction and conveyed on the container conveyor 5.

[0031] The shaping robot 13 may be a robot other than a horizontal articulated robot. For example, it may be a vertically articulated robot (such as a 6-axis robot having six joints, etc.) or a parallel link robot, which are common as industrial robots. In addition to general-purpose robots, it may also be a dedicated working machine designed specifically for shaping work, equipped with an actuator that can linearly move in the XYZ directions and rotate in the θ direction on a rectangular coordinate axis.

[0032] The sanitary unit 15 (an example of a sanitary device) performs cleaning, rinsing, and drying on the emptied transport container 17 transported by the food transport conveyor 7. As shown in FIG. 1, the sanitary unit 15 is disposed, for example, at a portion of the food transport conveyor 7 that transports leftward (a portion corresponding to the farther side of the two sides substantially parallel to the container transport conveyor 5). The sanitary unit 15 may be disposed, for example, at a portion of the food transport conveyor 7 that transports rearward. The sanitary unit 15 includes a cleaning unit 51, a rinsing unit 53, and a drying unit 55. Each unit is arranged in the order of the cleaning unit 51, the rinsing unit 53, and the drying unit 55 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction of the container transport conveyor 5. The cleaning unit 51 cleans the used transport container 17 with a cleaning liquid, the rinsing unit 53 rinses the cleaned transport container 17 with water, and the drying unit 55 dries the transport container 17 after the rinsing is completed.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the sanitary unit 15 is configured to perform all the processes of cleaning, rinsing, and drying, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it may be configured to perform one or two of the processes of cleaning, rinsing, and drying. The sanitary unit 15 may perform processes other than the above on the transport container 17. For example, when the supplied food 19 has a property (such as a powdery substance) that easily adheres to the container, a process of applying a flowing liquid may be performed after cleaning, rinsing, and drying.

[0034] The configuration of the automatic supply system 1 described above is an example and is not limited to the above description. For example, a sensor for detecting the position and orientation of the food container 3 conveyed by the container conveyor 5 may be installed, and the operations of the topping robot 11 and the shaping robot 13 may be corrected based on the detection results of the sensor. In this case, for example, a camera may be used as the sensor, and the position and orientation of the food container 3 may be detected by performing predetermined image processing on the image of the food container 3 captured.

[0035] (1-2. Operation of the automatic supply system) An example of the operation of the automatic supply system 1 will be described. The food conveyor 7 conveys the transport container 17 in a circular motion by means of an intermittent operation (pitch feed with a pitch p2) that repeats conveyance and stoppage. The food supply unit 9 supplies a predetermined amount of food 19 to the transport container 17 that has been transported and stopped at the lower part. The food conveyor 7 conveys the transport container 17 to which the food 19 has been supplied by the food supply unit 9 toward the holding area 26 by the topping robot 11.

[0036] The topping robot 11 holds the two transport containers 17 that have been transported and stopped in the holding area 26 by the hand 31. The topping robot 11 moves the hand 31 holding the transport container 17 above the food container 3 while adjusting the orientation around the rotation axis Ax3. The topping robot 11 rotates the hand 31 around the rotation axis Ax4 to tilt the transport container 17 and transfers the food 19 contained in the transport container 17 to the food container 3. The topping robot 11 returns the emptied transport container 17 to the food conveyor 7.

[0037] The food conveyor 7 conveys the emptied transport container 17 toward the sanitary unit 15. The sanitary unit 15 washes the transport container 17 with a cleaning liquid by the cleaning unit 51, rinses the transport container 17 with water by the rinsing unit 53, and dries the transport container 17 by the drying unit 55. The food conveyor 7 conveys the dried transport container 17 toward the food supply unit 9.

[0038] The container transfer conveyor 5 conveys the food container 3 in which the food 19 is loaded by the topping robot 11 toward the downstream leveling robot 13. The leveling robot 13 flattens the upper surface of the food 19 or aligns it to a regular position by performing at least one of the operations of pressing the food 19 loaded in the food container 3 from above or adjusting the position.

[0039] The automatic supply system 1 repeatedly executes the operations of each of the above devices in parallel.

[0040] (1-3. Effects of the First Embodiment) As described above, the automatic supply system 1 of the first embodiment includes a container transfer conveyor 5 that transfers the food container 3, a food transfer conveyor 7 that transfers the food 19 stored in the transfer container 17, and a topping robot 11 that holds the food 19 transferred by the food transfer conveyor 7 and transfers it to the food container 3 transferred by the container transfer conveyor 5.

[0041] In the automatic supply system 1, the food container 3 is transferred by the container transfer conveyor 5, the food 19 stored in the transfer container 17 is transferred by the food transfer conveyor 7, and the topping robot 11 holds the food 19 transferred by the food transfer conveyor 7 and transfers it to the food container 3 transferred by the container transfer conveyor 5, thereby loading the food 19 into the food container 3. As a result, the process of transferring the food 19 to the food container 3 by the topping robot 11 can be automated, and the process of supplying the food 19 to the topping robot 11 can also be automated. Therefore, the automation of the food loading process can be promoted.

[0042] Also, by transporting the food container 3 and the food 19 using separate transport devices, each process can be divided. As a result, by changing some of the processes, it becomes possible to handle other types of food, facilitating the handling of multiple varieties of food. In addition, by dividing each process, the degree of freedom in layout can be improved, and the configuration of each process can be simplified, making maintenance easier.

[0043] Furthermore, when switching varieties, only the necessary parts of the process (for example, the food supply unit 9) need to be changed, so it is possible to minimize the time required for variety switching and complete it in a short time. Also, even if a variety switch or a malfunction in the supply device occurs, it is possible to take measures separately from the production line (the line of the container transport conveyor 5 that transports the food container 3), so it is possible to respond without stopping the production line.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1 may include a food supply unit 9 that supplies the food 19 in predetermined amounts.

[0045] In this case, the process of cutting out the food 19 in predetermined amounts can also be automated. Therefore, the automation of the food plating process can be further promoted. Also, by changing the food supply unit 9, it becomes possible to handle multiple varieties of food, so it is possible to easily handle multiple varieties without major modifications.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1 may include a pressing robot 13 that is arranged downstream of the topping robot 11 in the transport direction of the container transport conveyor 5 and performs at least one of the operations of pressing the food 19 transferred to the food container 3 from above or adjusting the position.

[0047] In this case, the topping robot 11 can level the upper surface of the food 19 placed in the food container 3 by the leveling robot 13 or perform alignment to a regular position or the like. This can improve the appearance of the placed food 19. Also, it becomes easier to attach a lid to the food container 3 in the subsequent process.

[0048] In the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1 may have a transport container 17 for transporting the food 19, which is transported by the food transport conveyor 7. In that case, the topping robot 11 may hold the transport container 17 in which the food 19 is transported and supplied by the food transport conveyor 7, transfer the food 19 from the transport container 17 to the food container 3, and return the emptied transport container 17 to the food transport conveyor 7.

[0049] In this case, as long as the food 19 can be accommodated in the transport container 17, it is possible to perform the placing operation for any food 19 in terms of shape, size, softness, properties (e.g., solids, liquids, powders, etc.). This makes it possible to perform the placing operation for foods other than liquids that could not be placed by the conventional filling machines used. Also, since the topping robot 11 only needs to be configured to be able to hold a specific transport container 17 (e.g., a specially designed transport container, etc.), there is no need to replace the hand 31 according to the type of food to be handled, and it becomes even easier to handle multiple product types. Furthermore, there is no need to use expensive and uncertain technologies such as 3D cameras or AI (artificial intelligence) to hold multiple product types of foods 19 with different shapes, sizes, softness, etc., so the certainty of the placing operation can be improved while suppressing costs.

[0050] In the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1 may have a food supply unit 9 for supplying the food 19 to the transport container 17. In that case, the food supply unit 9 may have an inlet 21 into which the food 19 is loaded, a weighing device 23 for weighing the loaded food 19, and a supply port 25 for supplying the weighed food 19 to the transport container 17 in predetermined amounts.

[0051] In this case, if the food supply unit 9 is filled with the food 19, a predetermined amount of the food 19 can be accurately measured and cut out into the transport container 17. Also, by increasing the number of food supply units 9 (and also increasing the number of food 19 held by the topping robot 11), it is possible to improve productivity. Further, for example, when configured to directly supply the food 19 to the food container 3, the food container 3 may be soiled by, for example, dropped objects from the food supply unit (such as liquid dripping from the nozzle when the food is a liquid). In the present embodiment, by supplying the food 19 to the transport container 17, even if dropped objects (such as liquid dripping) occur from the food supply unit 9, it is the transport container 17 that gets soiled, and the soiling of the food container 3 can be minimized. Therefore, a decrease in the quality of the products (such as boxed lunches and prepared dishes) produced can be suppressed.

[0052] In the present embodiment, the food supply unit 9 may be arranged in the topping area 65 where the transfer operation by the topping robot 11 is performed. In this case, since the topping robot 11 and the food supply unit 9 can be aggregated and arranged in the topping area 65, the system can be miniaturized.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the food transport conveyor 7 may be a circulating transport device that transports the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 to the topping robot 11 and transports the emptied transport container 17 to the food supply unit 9.

[0054] In this case, while circulating the transport container 17 on the food transport conveyor 7, the cutting out of the food 19 into the transport container 17, the supply of the food 19 to the topping robot 11, and the transfer of the food 19 by the topping robot 11 to the food container 3 can be continuously and efficiently performed. Therefore, the production efficiency can be improved.

[0055] In this embodiment, the automatic supply system 1 may include a sanitary unit 15 that performs at least one of cleaning, rinsing, and drying on the emptied transport container 17 transported by the food transport conveyor 7. In this case, while circulating the transport container 17 with the food transport conveyor 7, the used transport container 17 can be hygienically reused while being cleaned or the like. Thereby, the hygiene can be improved while increasing the production efficiency.

[0056] (1-4. Modification of the First Embodiment) The first embodiment described above is not limited to the above-described content, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist and technical idea thereof. Hereinafter, such modifications will be described.

[0057] (1-4-1. When Weighing Food on a Conveyor) For example, in the food transport conveyor 7, the weight of the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 may be measured so that the excess or deficiency of the food supply amount can be determined.

[0058] FIG. 4 is a side view seen from the left showing an example of the configuration of the food transport conveyor 7 of this modification. As shown in FIG. 4, a measuring instrument 57 is installed at a position below the food supply unit 9 in the food transport conveyor 7. The measuring instrument 57 measures the weight of the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9. The measurement result by the measuring instrument 57 is transmitted to a control device (not shown).

[0059] According to this modification, by determining whether the weight is within an appropriate range by the control device, it is possible to check whether there is an excess or deficiency in the supply amount of the food 19 by the food supply unit 9. Thereby, when there is an excess or deficiency in the supply amount of the food 19, for example, error processing such as discharging the corresponding transport container 17 from the food transport conveyor 7 can be performed, so that the quality of the produced product can be improved.

[0060] (1-4-2. When Measuring the Volume of Food on a Conveyor) For example, in the food conveyor 7, the volume of the food 19 may be measured so that a fixed amount of the food 19 can be supplied.

[0061] FIG. 5 is a side view seen from the left side showing an example of the configuration of the food conveyor 7 of this modified example. As shown in FIG. 5, a contact member 59 is installed at a position downstream of the food supply unit 9 in the food conveyor 7. The contact member 59 is, for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member. The contact member 59 contacts a portion of the food 19 supplied by the food supply unit 9 that protrudes above the upper end of the transport container 17, and performs so-called folding and discharges the protruding portion. The discharged food 19 is collected by a collection box 61 disposed below the food conveyor 7, and is re-introduced into the inlet 21 of the food supply unit 9 by a transfer device 63 (for example, a dust collector when the food 19 is a powder). The food 19 discharged by the contact member 59 may be discarded without being collected.

[0062] According to this modified example, for example, when the food 19 is a powder or a solid object stacked in bulk, by bringing the portion of the food 19 that protrudes above the upper end of the transport container 17 into contact with the contact member 59 and discharging it, the volume of the food 19 can be measured to be a fixed amount. Thereby, the supply amount of the food 19 can be accurately set to a fixed amount, so that the quality of the produced product can be improved. Further, by collecting the food 19 discharged by folding and re-introducing it into the food supply unit 9, waste of the food 19 can be prevented. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to accurately measure in the food supply unit 9, the food supply unit 9 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[0063] <2. Second Embodiment> The second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is an embodiment in which the supply of food and the plating of food are performed in different areas.

[0064] (2-1. Configuration of Automatic Supply System) With reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, an example of the configuration of the automatic supply system according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a top view showing an example of the overall configuration of the automatic supply system according to the second embodiment, FIG. 7 is a side view seen from the left showing an example of the configuration of the food supply line L1 of the automatic supply system according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a side view seen from the left showing an example of the configuration of the food plating line L2 of the automatic supply system according to the second embodiment. The support members and the like of each device are appropriately omitted from the illustration. In FIGS. 6 to 8, the same components as those in the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is appropriately omitted.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 6, the automatic supply system 1A according to the second embodiment includes a container conveyance conveyor 5, food conveyance conveyors 7A and 7B, a food supply unit 9, a topping robot 11, a leveling robot 13, and a sanitary unit 15. The container conveyance conveyor 5, the food conveyance conveyors 7A, the topping robot 11, the leveling robot 13, and the sanitary unit 15 are arranged in a topping area 65 (an example of the first area) where the topping operation by the topping robot 11 is performed. The food conveyance conveyor 7B and the food supply unit 9 are arranged in an area different from the topping area 65, for example, a cooking area 67 (an example of the second area) where the food 19 is cooked. The topping area 65 and the cooking area 67 may be separate rooms partitioned by a wall or the like, or may be separate areas partitioned by a partition or the like in the same room. The area where the food conveyance conveyor 7B and the food supply unit 9 are arranged is not limited to the cooking area, and may be, for example, a loading area where the food 19 is carried in from the outside.

[0066] At both ends of the food conveyor 7A arranged in the topping area 65, a loader 69 and an unloader 71 are installed. The loader 69 (an example of a first input device) has food 19 supplied by the food supply unit 9 in the cooking area 67, and inputs the transport container 17 that has been moved from the cooking area 67 to the topping area 65 onto the food conveyor 7A at intervals of a predetermined pitch p2. The unloader 71 (an example of a first extraction device) takes out the transport container 17 that has become empty after the food 19 has been transferred to the food container 3 from the food conveyor 7A. The food conveyor 7A conveys the transport container 17 input by the loader 69 toward the topping robot 11, and conveys the empty transport container 17 toward the unloader 71.

[0067] The food conveyor 7A conveys the transport container 17 in a single row at intervals of, for example, a predetermined pitch p2 (substantially the same as the pitch p2 in the front-rear direction of the food container 3). The food conveyor 7A performs pitch feeding at a pitch (2×p2), for example, stopping the transport container 17 while the food 19 is being transferred to the food container 3 by the topping robot 11, and conveying the transport container 17 otherwise.

[0068] The food conveyor 7B (an example of a third transport device) is arranged in the cooking area 67. The food conveyor 7B conveys the empty transport container 17 that has been moved from the topping area 65 to the food supply unit 9. The food conveyor 7B conveys the transport container 17 in a single row at intervals of, for example, a predetermined pitch p3 (which may be the same as the pitch p2 or a different pitch). The food conveyor 7B performs pitch feeding at the pitch p3, for example, stopping the transport container 17 while the food 19 is being supplied to the transport container 17 by the food supply unit 9, and conveying the transport container 17 otherwise.

[0069] At both ends of the food conveyor 7B disposed in the cooking area 67, a loader 73 and an unloader 75 are installed. The loader 73 (an example of the second input device) inserts the empty transport container 17 moved from the topping area 65 into the food conveyor 7B at intervals of a predetermined pitch p3. The unloader 75 (an example of the second extraction device) removes the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 from the food conveyor 7B. The food conveyor 7A conveys the transport container 17 inserted by the loader 69 toward the topping robot 11 and conveys the empty transport container 17 toward the unloader 71.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the loader 73 and the unloader 75 in the food supply line L1. As shown in FIG. 7, the loader 73 is arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction and has a plurality of trays 77 on which empty transport containers 17 are placed, a lifting device (not shown) for lifting and lowering the trays 77 in the vertical direction, an access device (not shown) for inserting and removing the transport container 17 placed on the tray 77 with respect to the food conveyor 7B, and a frame 79 on which the tray 77, the lifting device, the access device, etc. are mounted. The loader 73 adjusts the tray 77 to be substantially at the same height as the food conveyor 7B by the lifting device, and pushes out the empty transport container 17 placed on the tray 77 toward the food conveyor 7B by the access device. When the tray 77 becomes empty, the lifting device adjusts another tray 77 to be substantially at the same height as the food conveyor 7B, and repeats the same operation.

[0071] The unloader 75 has the same configuration as the above-described loader 73. The unloader 75 adjusts the tray 77 to be substantially at the same height as the food conveyor 7B by the lifting device, and draws the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 from the food conveyor 7B onto the tray 77 by the access device. When the tray 77 is full, the lifting device adjusts another tray 77 to be substantially at the same height as the food conveyor 7B, and repeats the same operation.

[0072] Fig. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the loader 69 in the food plating line L2. As shown in Fig. 8, the loader 69 has the same configuration as the above-described loader 73 and unloader 75. The loader 69 adjusts the tray 77 to be at substantially the same height as the food conveyor 7A by means of a lifting device, and pushes out the transport container 17 containing the food 19 placed on the tray 77 toward the food conveyor 7A by means of an access device. When the tray 77 becomes empty, the lifting device adjusts another tray 77 to be at substantially the same height as the food conveyor 7A, and repeats the same operation.

[0073] The unloader 71 (not shown in Fig. 8) has the same configuration as the above-described loader 73, unloader 75, and loader 69. The unloader 71 adjusts the tray 77 to be at substantially the same height as the food conveyor 7A by means of a lifting device, and pulls the emptied transport container 17 from the food conveyor 7A onto the tray 77 by means of an access device. When the tray 77 is full, the lifting device adjusts another tray 77 to be at substantially the same height as the food conveyor 7A, and repeats the same operation.

[0074] The transport container 17 taken out from the food conveyor 7A by the unloader 71 is moved to the loader 73. The transport container 17 taken out from the food conveyor 7B by the unloader 75 is moved to the loader 69. Various moving methods can be adopted for the movement of these transport containers 17. For example, an operator may accommodate the transport container 17 on the tray 77 in a transport container (such as a turnover weight, etc.) and move it by means of a cart or the like. For example, the tray 77 may be detachable from the frame 79, and an operator may accommodate the tray 77 together with the transport container (such as a turnover weight, etc.) and move it by means of a cart or the like. For example, wheels may be installed at the lower part of the frame 79, and an operator may move the entire frame 79. For example, the tray 77 or the frame 79 may be automatically transported using an automated guided vehicle (AGV).

[0075] In the middle of the path where the empty transport container 17 is moved from the unloader 71 to the loader 73, a sanitary unit 15 is installed. In FIG. 6, the sanitary unit 15 is arranged in, for example, the topping area 65, but the installation location is not particularly limited and may be arranged in the cooking area 67 or other areas. The sanitary unit 15 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above, and performs washing, rinsing, and drying on the emptied transport container 17 moved from the unloader 71 to the loader 73.

[0076] The configurations of the automatic supply system 1A other than those described above, such as the container transport conveyor 5, the food supply unit 9, the topping robot 11, the leveling robot 13, etc., are the same as those of the automatic supply system 1 in the first embodiment described above, so the description thereof is omitted.

[0077] (2-2. Operation of the automatic supply system) An example of the operation of the automatic supply system 1A will be described. The food transport conveyor 7B on the food supply line L1 conveys the transport container 17 loaded from the loader 73 toward the food supply unit 9 by intermittent operation (pitch feed with pitch p3). The food supply unit 9 supplies a predetermined amount of food 19 to the transport container 17 transported and stopped at the lower part. The food transport conveyor 7B conveys the transport container 17 supplied with food 19 by the food supply unit 9 toward the unloader 75. The unloader 75 takes out the transport container 17 from the food transport conveyor 7B.

[0078] The transport container 17 taken out from the food transport conveyor 7B by the unloader 75 is moved from the cooking area 67 to the loader 69 in the topping area 65. The loader 69 inputs the transport container 17 supplied with food 19 into the food transport conveyor 7A. The food transport conveyor 7A on the food plating line L2 conveys the transport container 17 loaded from the loader 69 toward the topping robot 11 by intermittent operation (pitch feed with pitch p2).

[0079] Topping robot 11 holds two transport containers 17 that are transported and stopped at the holding area 26 by the food transport conveyor 7A with the hand 31. The topping robot 11 moves the hand 31 holding the transport container 17 above the food container 3 while adjusting the orientation around the rotation axis Ax3. The topping robot 11 rotates the hand 31 around the rotation axis Ax4 to tilt the transport container 17 and transfers the food 19 contained in the transport container 17 to the food container 3. The topping robot 11 returns the emptied transport container 17 to the food transport conveyor 7A. The food transport conveyor 7A transports the emptied transport container 17 toward the unloader 71. The unloader 71 removes the transport container 17 from the food transport conveyor 7A.

[0080] The transport container 17 removed from the food transport conveyor 7A by the unloader 71 is moved to the sanitary unit 15. The sanitary unit 15 washes the transport container 17 with a cleaning liquid by the cleaning unit 51, rinses the transport container 17 with water by the rinsing unit 53, and dries the transport container 17 by the drying unit 55. The dried transport container 17 is moved to the loader 73 in the cooking area 67. The loader 73 inserts the empty transport container 17 into the food transport conveyor 7B.

[0081] The operation of the leveling robot 13 is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, so the description is omitted. The automatic supply system 1A repeatedly executes the operations of the above devices in parallel.

[0082] (2-3. Effects of the Second Embodiment) In the second embodiment described above, the food supply unit 9 is arranged in an area (for example, the cooking area 67) different from the topping area 65 where the topping operation is performed by the topping robot 11. In this case, the food supply line L1 for supplying the food 19 to the transport container 17 by the food supply unit 9 can be installed in a free area according to the factory layout. Therefore, the degree of freedom of the layout can be improved.

[0083] Also, in the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1A may arrange a food conveyor 7B for conveying the empty transport container 17 moved from the topping area 65 to the food supply unit 9 in the cooking area 67. In this case, the food conveyor 7A may be arranged in the topping area 65, and the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 and moved from the cooking area 67 may be conveyed to the topping robot 11 by the food conveyor 7A.

[0084] In this case, in the cooking area 67, while conveying the empty transport container 17 by the food conveyor 7B, the food supply unit 9 can continuously and efficiently cut out the food 19 into the transport container 17. Therefore, the production efficiency can be improved.

[0085] Also, in the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1A includes a loader 69 arranged in the topping area 65 for loading the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 and moved from the cooking area 67 into the food conveyor 7A, an unloader 71 arranged in the topping area 65 for taking out the empty transport container 17 from the food conveyor 7A, a loader 73 arranged in the cooking area 67 for loading the empty transport container 17 moved from the topping area 65 into the food conveyor 7B, and an unloader 75 arranged in the cooking area 67 for taking out the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9 from the food conveyor 7B.

[0086] In this case, the loading and unloading of the transport container 17 to and from the food conveyor 7A in the topping area 65 and the loading and unloading of the transport container 17 to and from the food conveyor 7B in the cooking area 67 can be automated. Therefore, the automation of the food plating process can be further promoted.

[0087] Also, in the present embodiment, the automatic supply system 1A may have a sanitary unit 15 that performs at least one of washing, rinsing, and drying on the empty transport container 17 moved from the topping area 65 to the cooking area 67.

[0088] In this case, while circulating the transport container 17 between the cooking area 67 and the topping area 65, the used transport container 17 can be hygienically reused while being washed or the like. Thereby, the hygiene can be improved while increasing the production efficiency.

[0089] (2-4. Modification of the Second Embodiment) The second embodiment described above is not limited to the above-described content, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical idea thereof.

[0090] For example, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 4 described above, in the food transport conveyor 7B of the food supply line L1, the weight of the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 may be measured so that the excess or deficiency of the food supply amount can be determined. Although not shown, a measuring instrument 57 is installed at a position below the food supply unit 9 on the food transport conveyor 7B. The measuring instrument 57 measures the weight of the transport container 17 supplied with the food 19 by the food supply unit 9. The measurement result by the measuring instrument 57 is transmitted to a control device (not shown).

[0091] According to this modification example, by determining whether the weight is within an appropriate range by the control device, it is possible to check whether there is an excess or deficiency in the supply amount of the food 19 by the food supply unit 9. Thereby, when there is an excess or deficiency in the supply amount of the food 19, for example, error processing such as discharging the corresponding transport container 17 from the food transport conveyor 7B can be performed, so that the quality of the produced product can be improved.

[0092] For example, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 5 described above, in the food conveyor 7B of the food supply line L1, the volume of the food 19 may be measured so that a certain amount of the food 19 can be supplied. Although not shown, a contact member 59 is installed at a position downstream of the food supply unit 9 on the food conveyor 7B. The contact member 59 is, for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member. The contact member 59 contacts a portion of the food 19 supplied by the food supply unit 9 that protrudes above the upper end of the transport container 17, and performs so-called folding and discharges the protruding portion. The discharged food 19 is collected by a collection box 61 disposed below the food conveyor 7B, and is re-introduced into the inlet 21 of the food supply unit 9 by a transfer device 63 (for example, a dust collector when the food 19 is a powder). The food 19 discharged by the contact member 59 may be discarded without being collected.

[0093] According to this modification, for example, when the food 19 is a powder or a solid stacked in bulk, the volume of the food 19 can be measured to be a certain amount by bringing the portion of the food 19 that protrudes above the upper end of the transport container 17 into contact with the contact member 59 and discharging it. As a result, the supply amount of the food 19 can be accurately set to a certain amount, so that the quality of the produced product can be improved. In addition, by collecting the food 19 discharged by folding and re-introducing it into the food supply unit 9, waste of the food 19 can be prevented. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to accurately measure in the food supply unit 9, the food supply unit 9 can be simplified and cost-reduced.

[0094] <3. Third Embodiment> The third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is an embodiment in which the amount of food held by the topping robot is adjusted by an adjustment unit and then the food is placed in a food container.

[0095] (3-1. Configuration of Automatic Supply System) With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, an example of the configuration of the automatic supply system according to the third embodiment will be described. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the same components as those in the aforementioned first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0096] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the automatic supply system 1B according to the third embodiment includes the aforementioned container conveyor 5, a topping robot 81, an adjustment unit 83, and a transport container 85. The topping robot 81, the adjustment unit 83, and the transport container 85 are installed on a gantry 87. These devices may be installed on the floor instead of the gantry 87.

[0097] The topping robot 81 (an example of an automatic machine) holds a food container 89, scoops up the food 19 contained in the transport container 85, and transfers the food 19 contained in the food container 89 to the food container 3. The food container 89 is, for example, a dish, and has a hemispherical hollow container portion 89a, a handle portion 89b, and an operation portion 89c. After scooping up the food 19 in the transport container 85, the topping robot 81 holds the food 19 with the opening of the container portion 89a facing upward, moves the food container 89 above the food container 3, and turns the opening of the container portion 89a downward to transfer the food 19 to the food container 3. When the topping robot 81 operates the operation portion 89c, the wiper member passes through the inner portion of the container portion 89a, and the food 19 in the container portion 89a is scraped off.

[0098] In this embodiment, the case where the topping robot 81 holds one food container 89 will be described. However, the topping robot 81 may hold a plurality (for example, the same number as the number of rows of the food containers 3 on the container conveyor 5) of food containers 89 and perform topping on a plurality of rows of food containers 3 conveyed by the container conveyor 5 at once. Thereby, the production efficiency can be improved. The type of the food container 89 may be changed according to the type and properties of the food 19. As the food container 89, an instrument other than a dish may be used.

[0099] The topping robot 81 is, for example, a vertically articulated robot that is common as an industrial robot. The topping robot 81 has a base 91, a swivel unit 93, and an arm 95. The base 91 is fixed to the gantry 87. The arm 95 has a lower arm portion 97, an elbow portion 99, an upper arm portion 101, a wrist portion 103, and a flange portion 105. The topping robot 81 is configured as, for example, a six-axis robot having six joints. The topping robot 81 may have an axis number other than six axes. The topping robot 81 may be, for example, a horizontally articulated robot or a parallel link robot, and in addition to general-purpose robots, it may also be a dedicated work machine designed specifically for topping work, equipped with an actuator that can linearly move in the XYZ directions and rotate in the θ direction in a rectangular coordinate axis, etc. A plurality of topping robots 81 may be installed.

[0100] The adjustment unit 83 (an example of an adjustment device) is arranged adjacent to the right side of the topping robot 81, for example. The adjustment unit 83 adjusts the food 19 held by the food container 89 by the topping robot 81 to a predetermined amount. The adjustment unit 83 performs shearing by moving two blade members back and forth in a direction facing each other. By this shearing, the portion of the food 19 above the blade members is excluded, and it is measured to have a predetermined volume. The detailed configuration of the adjustment unit 83 will be described later.

[0101] The transport container 85 is arranged, for example, between the topping robot 81 and the container transport conveyor 5. The transport container 85 is arranged to include the area below the blade members of the adjustment unit 83 so that the food 19 that has been sheared in the adjustment unit 83 falls inside. The transport container 85 is, for example, a tare weight or the like and houses the food 19. The transport container 85 may be moved and replaced by, for example, a trolley or the like, or may be transported by a conveyor. Instead of the transport container 85, a configuration in which the food 19 is transported by a conveyor may also be used.

[0102] The configurations of the automatic supply system 1B other than those described above, such as the food container 3 and the container conveyor 5, are the same as those in the first and second embodiments described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

[0103] (3-2. Configuration of the adjustment unit) An example of the configuration of the adjustment unit 83 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 11, the adjustment unit 83 includes a pair of support columns 107, a pair of support members 109, a pedestal 111, a pair of bases 117A and 117B, a pair of drive devices 113A and 113B, and a pair of blade members 115A and 115B.

[0105] The pair of support columns 107 are erected at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction. The support columns 107 are fixed to the upper surface of the gantry 87. The support members 109 are provided so as to protrude leftward from the respective support columns 107 at a predetermined height. The support members 109 extend in a substantially horizontal direction. The pedestal 111 is a substantially rectangular plate member and is supported so as to be suspended from the lower portions of the pair of support members 109. The pedestal 111 extends substantially horizontally on the left side of the pair of support columns 107 with its longitudinal direction along the front-rear direction.

[0106] A drive device 113A is installed at the lower portion of the front side of the pedestal 111 via a base 117A. The drive device 113A (an example of the first drive device) is, for example, an air cylinder. A blade member 115A is provided at the tip of the rod 113Aa of the drive device 113A via a height adjustment member 119A. The drive device 113A moves the blade member 115A forward and backward in the front-rear direction. A drive device 113B is installed at the lower portion of the rear side of the pedestal 111 via a base 117B. The drive device 113B (an example of the first drive device) is, for example, an air cylinder. A blade member 115B is provided at the tip of the rod 113Ba of the drive device 113B via a height adjustment member 119B. The drive device 113B moves the blade member 115B forward and backward in the front-rear direction. The drive devices 113A and 113B may be, for example, a motor or a solenoid.

[0107] As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the drive devices 113A and 113B (an example of the first drive device) move the two blade members 115A and 115B (an example of the first member) substantially simultaneously so as to advance and retract in directions facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container 89. The "horizontal direction in the food container 89" is the direction of a straight line connecting the edge on one end side and the edge on the other end side of the opening of the storage portion 89a in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the handle portion 89b (front-rear direction). As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, when the opening of the storage portion 89a faces upward in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction in the food container 89 is the horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 12A, in a state where the blade members 115A and 115B are separated, the topping robot 81 holds the storage portion 89a of the food container 89 in a state where the food 19 is stored so as to be positioned between the tips of the blade members 115A and 115B. The two blade members 115A and 115B are arranged by the height adjustment members 119A and 119B such that the height positions in the vertical direction differ from each other by approximately the thickness of one blade member. As shown in FIG. 12B, the adjustment unit 83 brings the two blade members 115A and 115B closer to each other so that at least a part thereof overlaps when viewed from the vertical direction. Thereby, the food 19 can be sliced or cut. The sliced or cut food 19 falls into the transport container 85 and is reused.

[0108] The length L in the front-rear direction of the overlapping portion of the two blade members 115A and 115B is set to be approximately equal to the diameter of the storage portion 89a of the food container 89, for example. The height direction interval G between the opening of the storage portion 89a and the lower blade member 115B is set to an appropriate value in advance according to the specified amount by which the food 19 is adjusted.

[0109] (3-3. Combination of Blade Members) The adjustment unit 83 uses a combination of a plurality of types of blade members 115A and 115B with different tip shapes according to the type and properties of the food 19. A plurality of types of blade members 115A and 115B are prepared, for example, with tip shapes such as circular, substantially U-shaped, rectangular, etc. Blade members 115A and 115B with shapes corresponding to the type and properties of the food 19 to be processed are pre-selected and attached to the adjustment unit 83. Specific examples of the combination of the blade members will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 18.

[0110] In the example shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the blade member 115A has a circular tip shape, and the blade member 115B has a blade member with a substantially U-shaped tip shape. The cutting edge portion 115Aa, which is a semicircular fan shape of the blade member 115A, is formed to be sharpened toward the tip side by the tapered portion 115Ab. The diameter of the cutting edge portion 115Aa is formed to be approximately twice the diameter of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89, for example. The blade member 115A is arranged such that the cutting edge portion 115Aa faces the blade member 115B side and the tapered portion 115Ab faces upward. The cutting edge portion 115Ba, which is a semicircular concave portion of the blade member 115B, is formed to be sharpened toward the tip side by the tapered portion 115Bb. The diameter of the cutting edge portion 115Ba is formed to be approximately equal to the diameter of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89, for example. The blade member 115B is arranged such that the cutting edge portion 115Ba faces the blade member 115A side and the tapered portion 115Bb faces downward.

[0111] As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the adjustment unit 83 brings the two blade members 115A and 115B closer from a separated state so that a part of the blade members 115A and 115B overlaps as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B. In the example shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, for example, the blade member 115A is moved to a position where the inner peripheral side end of the tapered portion 115Ab substantially coincides with the rear edge of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89, and the blade member 115B is moved to a position where the end of the cutting edge portion 115Ba substantially coincides with the rear edge of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89.

[0112] With the combination of the above blade members, the food 19 can be folded and cut while being pushed to the rear side. This is particularly effective when the food 19 is a long, irregular-shaped ingredient such as cooked onions or sliced meat.

[0113] In the examples shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, both of the blade members 115A and 115B are blade members having a substantially U-shaped tip. The cutting edges 115Aa and 115Ba, which are semi-circular recesses of the blade members 115A and 115B, are formed to be sharpened toward the tip side by the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb. The diameters of the cutting edges 115Aa and 115Ba are formed to be substantially equal to, for example, the diameter of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89. The blade member 115A is arranged such that the cutting edge 115Aa faces the blade member 115B side and the tapered portion 115Ab faces upward. The blade member 115B is arranged such that the cutting edge 115Ba faces the blade member 115A side and the tapered portion 115Bb faces downward.

[0114] As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the adjustment unit 83 brings the two blade members 115A and 115B closer from the state where they are separated so that substantially all of the blade members 115A and 115B overlap as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. In the example shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, for example, the blade member 115A is moved to a position where the central end portion in the left-right direction of the cutting edge 115Aa reaches the rear edge of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89, and the blade member 115B is moved to a position where the central end portion in the left-right direction of the cutting edge 115Ba reaches the front edge of the accommodating portion 89a of the food container 89.

[0115] With the combination of the above blade members, the food 19 can be folded and cut while being centered in the front-rear direction. This is particularly effective when the food 19 is a long, irregular-shaped ingredient such as cooked onions or sliced meat.

[0116] In the examples shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, both the blade members 115A and 115B are substantially rectangular blade members with a flat tip shape. The flat blade tips 115Aa and 115Ba of the blade members 115A and 115B are formed to be sharpened toward the tip side by the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb. The blade member 115A is arranged such that the blade tip 115Aa faces the blade member 115B side and the tapered portion 115Ab faces upward. The blade member 115B is arranged such that the blade tip 115Ba faces the blade member 115A side and the tapered portion 115Bb faces downward.

[0117] As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the adjustment unit 83 brings the two blade members 115A and 115B closer together from the separated state such that a part of the blade members 115A and 115B overlaps as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B. In the example shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, for example, the blade member 115A is moved to a position where the end of the blade tip 115Aa reaches the rear edge of the storage portion 89a of the food storage container 89, and the blade member 115B is moved to a position where the end of the blade tip 115Ba reaches the front edge of the storage portion 89a of the food storage container 89.

[0118] With the combination of the above blade members, the food 19 can be folded and cut while being centered in the front - rear direction. This is particularly effective when the food 19 is a granular ingredient such as minced meat or scrambled eggs.

[0119] (3 - 4. Effects of the Third Embodiment) In the automatic supply system 1B according to the third embodiment described above, the topping robot 81 holds the food storage container 89 containing the food 19, the adjustment unit 83 adjusts the food 19 held by the topping robot 81 to a predetermined amount, and then the topping robot 81 transfers the food 19 adjusted to the predetermined amount to the food container 3, thereby serving the food 19 into the food container 3. As a result, the process of transferring the food 19 to the food container 3 by the topping robot 81 can be automated, and the process of adjusting the amount of the food 19 to a fixed amount can also be automated. Therefore, the automation of the food serving process can be promoted.

[0120] In the step of adjusting the amount of food to a fixed amount, when cutting out a fixed quantity by slicing with a blade member, in the case of irregular-shaped food ingredients such as minced meat, sliced meat, and onions, for example, due to the viscosity of the food 19 held when sliced, irregularities may occur on the upper surface, or since the food 19 has a length, slicing may be difficult, and it may be difficult to cut out a specified quantity.

[0121] In the present embodiment, by moving the two blade members 115A and 115B forward and backward in a direction facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container 89, the food 19 can be sliced or cut so as to have a fixed amount. As a result, even in the case of highly viscous food 19, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of irregularities on the surface, and the food 19 having a length can be cut. Thereby, while corresponding to a variety of foods, the amount of food can be accurately adjusted to a fixed amount. As described above, it is possible to promote the automation of the food plating process and facilitate the correspondence to a variety of foods.

[0122] In addition, the food container 89 being used by the user can be used as it is, and since the weighing of the food ingredient is completed by one slicing operation, it is not necessary to repeat the food ingredient gripping and weighing until it reaches the standard amount, and there is an advantage of a high production speed. Furthermore, by increasing the number of topping robots 81 and the number of food containers 89 held by the topping robots 81, it is possible to increase the production speed.

[0123] Also in the present embodiment, the adjustment unit 83 may bring the two blade members 115A and 115B close to each other so that at least a part thereof overlaps when viewed from the vertical direction. Thereby, a shearing force can be applied to the food 19 with the two blade members 115A and 115B, and it can be cut more effectively.

[0124] Also, in the present embodiment, the adjustment unit 83 may combine a plurality of types of blade members 115A and 115B having different tip shapes according to the type of the food 19. Thereby, since the shapes of the blade members 115A and 115B can be changed according to the type and properties of the food 19 served by the topping robot 81, the food 19 can be more efficiently sliced or cut, and the accuracy of the quantitative cutting can be improved.

[0125] (3-5. Modification Example of the Third Embodiment) The third embodiment described above is not limited to the above-described content, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical idea thereof.

[0126] (3-5-1. When Two Blade Members Face or Contact Each Other with a Minute Gap) For example, the tip portions of the blade members 115A and 115B may be brought close to each other so as to face each other with a minute gap, or may be brought close to each other so as to contact each other. The configuration of this modification example will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20.

[0127] In the examples shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, both of the blade members 115A and 115B are substantially rectangular blade members having a flat tip shape. The flat blade tips 115Aa and 115Ba of the blade members 115A and 115B are formed to be sharpened toward the tip side by the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb. The blade member 115A is arranged such that the blade tip 115Aa faces the blade member 115B side and the tapered portion 115Ab faces upward. The blade member 115B is arranged such that the blade tip 115Ba faces the blade member 115A side and the tapered portion 115Bb faces upward. The two blade members 115A and 115B are arranged by height adjustment members 119A and 119B (not shown) such that their height positions in the vertical direction are substantially the same.

[0128] As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the adjustment unit 83 moves the two blade members 115A and 115B from a separated state to a proximate state such that the cutting edges 115Aa and 115Ba (an example of the tip portions) of the blade members 115A and 115B face each other with a minute gap therebetween, as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. In the example shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the cutting edges 115Aa and 115Ba face each other near the center position in the longitudinal direction of the storage portion 89a of the food storage container 89, for example.

[0129] In the example shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, a minute gap is provided between the tip portions of the blade members 115A and 115B, but the tip portions of the blade members 115A and 115B may be brought closer to each other so as to be in contact. In the above description, the case where the tip shapes of the blade members 115A and 115B are flat rectangular shapes has been described, but for blade members 115A and 115B having circular or substantially U-shaped tip shapes, they may be opposed to each other or brought into contact with a minute gap therebetween.

[0130] According to this modification example, the food 19 can be effectively sliced or cut by sandwiching and compressing it from both sides with the two blade members 115A and 115B.

[0131] (3-5-2. When slicing the upper portions of the two blade members) The upper portions of the two blade members 115A and 115B may be configured to be sliced by another plate member. The configuration of this modification example will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 24.

[0132] As shown in FIGS. 21 to 24, the adjustment unit 83 according to this modification includes a plate member 121 (an example of the second member) erected along the vertical direction (an example of a direction intersecting the horizontal direction), and a drive device 123 that moves the plate member 121 forward and backward in the left - right direction (an example of a direction intersecting the forward - backward direction) orthogonal to the forward - backward direction of the two blade members 115A and 115B. The drive device 123 (an example of the second drive device) is, for example, an air cylinder. The plate member 121 is attached to the tip of the rod 123a of the drive device 123 via a height adjustment member 125. The height position of the plate member 121 is adjusted by the height adjustment member 125 so that the lower end contacts the upper surfaces of the blade members 115A and 115B. A plurality of types of plate members 121 made of an elastic body such as rubber, resin, or metal are prepared. A plate member 121 with a material and shape corresponding to the type and properties of the food 19 to be processed is selected in advance and attached to the adjustment unit 83. The plate member 121 is not limited to one sheet, and a plurality of sheets may be installed.

[0133] In FIGS. 21 to 24, the case where the tip shapes of the blade members 115A and 115B are flat rectangles will be described. The blade members 115A and 115B are both arranged such that the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb face downward.

[0134] As shown in FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C, the adjustment unit 83 brings the cutting edges 115Aa and 115Ba, which are the tip portions of the blade members 115A and 115B, closer to each other with a minute gap therebetween, as shown in FIGS. 22A, 22B, and 22C, from the state where the two blade members 115A and 115B are separated. At this time, the cut food 19 may remain on the upper surfaces of the blade members 115A and 115B. Until the blade members 115A and 115B come close to each other, the plate member 121 is located at the standby position on the right side of the blade members 115A and 115B.

[0135] As shown in FIGS. 23A, 23B, and 23C, the adjustment unit 83 extends the rod 123a of the drive device 123 and moves the lower end of the plate member 121 to the left while bringing it into contact with the upper surfaces of the blade members 115A and 115B. As shown in FIGS. 24A, 24B, and 24C, the adjustment unit 83 further extends the rod 123a of the drive device 123 and moves the plate member 121 to a position further to the left than the left end portions of the blade members 115A and 115B.

[0136] In FIGS. 21 to 24, the blade members 115A and 115B are arranged such that the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb face downward, but they may be arranged such that the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb face upward, similar to FIGS. 19A and 19B described above. In this case, the lower end portion of the plate member 121 may have a protruding shape corresponding to the tapered portions 115Ab and 115Bb. Also, although the tip shape of the blade members 115A and 115B has been described as being a flat rectangular shape, the same configuration as above may be adopted for the blade members 115A and 115B having a circular or substantially U-shaped tip shape.

[0137] In this modified example, by moving the plate member 121 forward and backward in a direction intersecting the forward and backward directions of the two blade members 115A and 115B and bringing it into contact with the upper surfaces of the blade members 115A and 115B, the food 19 that could not be completely cut by the blade members 115A and 115B can be more reliably cut by tearing or the like. Also, since the food ingredients remaining on the upper portions of the blade members 115A and 115B can be removed, the hygiene level can be improved and the reuse of the ground food ingredients can be promoted.

[0138] (3-5-3. When detecting the type of food and automatically exchanging the plate member) It is also possible to configure the device to detect the type of the food 19 and automatically exchange the blade members 115A and 115B of the adjustment unit 83. The configuration of this modified example will be described with reference to FIG. 25.

[0139] As shown in FIG. 25, the adjustment unit 83 according to this modification includes a sensor 127 and an exchange device 129. The sensor 127 is provided at the lower part of a support member 131 provided so as to protrude leftward from the support column 107 at a position lower than the support member 109, and detects the type of food 19 stored in the transport container 85. The sensor 127 is, for example, a camera. Based on the detection result of the sensor 127, the exchange device 129 exchanges the blade members 115A and 115B for blade members having a shape corresponding to the type of the food 19. The adjustment unit 83 has, for example, a lifting mechanism 133 that moves the support member 109 in the vertical direction, and moves the blade members 115A and 115B to the exchange device 129 when the blade members 115A and 115B are exchanged.

[0140] According to this modification, the type of the food 19 on which the topping robot 81 performs plating is detected by the sensor 127, and the blade members 115A and 115B can be automatically exchanged for types suitable for the type of the food 19 according to the detection result of the sensor 127. Therefore, the automation of the plating process of the food 19 can be further promoted.

[0141] (3-5-4. Others) In the above-described third embodiment, the topping robot 81 holds the food container 89 and scoops up the food 19 stored in the transport container 85 using the food container 89, so as to hold the food 19. However, the method of scooping up the food 19 is not limited to the above. For example, another mechanism for scooping up the food 19 stored in the transport container 85 may be installed, and the food 19 scooped up by the mechanism may be supplied to the food container 89 held by the topping robot 81. Further, a supply unit that supplies the food 19 in a fixed quantity, such as the aforementioned food supply unit 9, may be installed, and the food 19 may be supplied to the food container 89 held by the topping robot 81 by the supply unit.

[0142] In the above description, when there are descriptions such as "vertical", "parallel", "plane", etc., these descriptions do not have a strict meaning. These "vertical", "parallel", "plane" mean "substantially vertical", "substantially parallel", "substantially plane" in terms of design and manufacturing tolerances and errors being allowed.

[0143] In the above description, when there are descriptions such as "identical", "the same", "equal", "different", etc. regarding the external dimensions, sizes, shapes, positions, etc., these descriptions do not have a strict meaning. These "identical", "the same", "equal", "different" mean "substantially identical", "substantially the same", "substantially equal", "substantially different" in terms of design and manufacturing tolerances and errors being allowed.

[0144] In addition to what has been described above, the methods according to the above embodiments and each modification example may be appropriately combined and used. In addition, although not exemplified one by one, the above embodiments and each modification example may be implemented with various changes within the scope not departing from the gist thereof.

[0145] The problems and effects to be solved by the above-described embodiments, modification examples, etc. are not limited to the above-described content. By the embodiments, modification examples, etc., it is also possible to solve problems not described above or to achieve effects not described above, or to solve only some of the described problems or to achieve only some of the described effects.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0146] 1 Automatic supply system 1A Automatic supply system 1B Automatic supply system 3 Food container 5 Container conveyor (first conveying device) 7 Food conveyor (second conveying device) 7A Food conveyor (second conveying device) 7B Food conveyor (third conveying device) 9 Food supply unit (food supply device) 11 Topping robot (first automatic machine) 13 leveling robot (second automatic machine) 15 sanitary unit (sanitary equipment) 17 transport container 19 food 21 inlet 23 measuring instrument 25 supply port 57 measuring instrument 59 abutting member 65 topping area (first area) 67 cooking area (second area) 69 loader (first loading device) 71 unloader (first unloading device) 73 loader (second loading device) 75 unloader (second unloading device) 81 topping robot (automatic machine) 83 adjustment unit (adjustment device) 89 food container 113A drive device (first drive device) 113B drive device (first drive device) 115A blade member (first member) 115Aa blade tip part (tip part) 115B blade member (first member) 115Ba blade tip part (tip part) 121 plate member (second member) 123 drive device (second drive device) 127 sensor 129 exchange device

Claims

1. An automatic machine that holds a food container containing food and transfers the food to a food container, An adjustment device that adjusts the food to a predetermined amount, And has, The adjustment device, Two first members, A first drive device that moves the two first members so as to advance and retreat in a direction facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container, The two first members are brought close to each other so that at least a part thereof overlaps when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction, or the tip portions face each other with a minute gap therebetween, Automatic feeding system.

2. An automatic machine that holds a food container containing food and transfers the food to a food container, An adjustment device that adjusts the food to a predetermined amount, And has, The adjustment device, Two first members, A first drive device that moves the two first members so as to advance and retreat in a direction facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container, A removing device that removes the food remaining on the upper portions of the two first members, Automatic feeding system.

3. The removing device, A second member extending along a direction intersecting the horizontal direction, A second drive device that moves the second member so as to advance and retreat in a direction intersecting the advancing and retreating direction of the two first members, The automatic feeding system according to claim 2, comprising:

4. The adjustment device, Combines the first members having different tip shapes according to the type of the food, The automatic feeding system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The automatic feeding system, A sensor that detects the type of the food, An exchange device that exchanges the first members of the adjustment device based on the detection result of the sensor, The automatic feeding system according to claim 4, further comprising:

6. An automatic machine that holds a food container containing food and transfers the food to a food container, An adjustment device that adjusts the food to a predetermined amount, A sensor that detects the type of the food, An exchange device that exchanges two first members included in the adjustment device based on the detection result of the sensor, Automatic feeding system.

7. An automatic machine that holds a food container containing food and transfers the food to a food container, An adjustment device that adjusts the food to a predetermined amount, The adjustment device, Two first members, A removing device provided with a second member extending along a direction intersecting the horizontal direction in the food container so as to remove the food remaining on the upper portion of the first member, An automatic supply system having

8. An adjusting device for adjusting food contained in a food container held by an automatic machine to a predetermined amount, comprising: Two first members; A first driving device for moving the two first members forward and backward in a direction facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container; And having An adjusting device for bringing the two first members close to each other such that at least a part thereof overlaps when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction, or such that the tip portions face each other with a minute gap therebetween.

9. The automatic machine holds a food container; The adjusting device moves the two first members forward and backward in a direction facing each other with respect to the horizontal direction in the food container held, to adjust the food to a predetermined amount; And having Adjusting the food to a predetermined amount Comprises bringing the two first members close to each other such that at least a part thereof overlaps when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction, or such that the tip portions face each other with a minute gap therebetween. An automatic supply method.

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