Transfer and transportation system

Abstract

To enable transfer of even powder-covered or soft confectionary so as to be aligned onto a second conveyor from a first conveyor.SOLUTION: A first signal is received from a first detection sensor 14, and upon reception of the first signal, a first actuator 13 is driven to move a first transfer belt conveyor 11 to a second position or a first position from the first position or the second position, and an article A to be conveyed is received from a first conveyor 2. Meanwhile, a signal is received from a second sensor 16, and upon reception of the signal, a second actuator 15 is driven to move a second conveyor 12 from a third position or a fourth position to the fourth position or the third position, and the article A to be received is received from the first transfer belt conveyor 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer and conveyance system that receives an object to be conveyed, which is a confectionery, from a first conveyance conveyor and transfers the object to be conveyed onto a second conveyance conveyor in an aligned state.

Background Art

[0002] In various manufacturing lines, articles (hereinafter referred to as "objects to be conveyed") sequentially discharged from manufacturing apparatuses are conveyed by a conveyor toward the next process. However, depending on the work content of the next process, there may be a need to align and convey articles with an irregular arrangement.

[0003] As such a conveyor, a rotating body of a moving means slidably provided on a slat is formed of a ferromagnetic material, and this rotating body is fitted so as to move along a guide rail composed of a main rail and a branch rail, and is branched and guided from the main rail to the branch rail by an electromagnet and a magnet (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the conveyor described in Patent Document 1, when conveying an object to be conveyed in the branch direction, the fitted rotating body is guided by the main rail and moves, and is also guided from the main rail to the branch rail and moves.

[0004] However, when the rotating body of the conveyor of Patent Document 1 moves from the main rail to the branch rail, due to a deviation in the conveyance speed, the branch timing, etc., it collides head-on with an acute boundary wall that separates the main rail and the branch rail, resulting in the generation of noise due to this collision, and further, there are problems such as damage and deformation occurring in each part such as the rotating body, the support shaft that pivotally supports the rotating body, the guide rail, and the slat.

[0005] When damage or deformation occurs in the above-described parts, jamming between the parts due to the damage or deformation may occur, resulting in conveyance failures such as the conveyance operation of the slat or the moving shoe becoming jerky or stopping, or sorting failures such that the moving shoe detaches from the slat and the sorting conveyance or the change of the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed becomes impossible.

[0006] In recent years, due to the problems as described above, there has been a demand for a conveyor that can surely and smoothly perform sorting conveyance of conveyed objects and prevent problems such as failures and generation of noise.

[0007] Therefore, there is provided an endless conveyor, a sorting body, and a sorting device. The endless conveyor is wound around a driving rotating body and a driven rotating body having mutually parallel axes so as to rotate endlessly, and the upper surface side in the vertical direction is set as a conveying surface and the lower surface side is set as a return surface. A plurality of the sorting bodies are arranged along the circumferential direction from the conveying surface to the return surface of the endless conveyor, and are supported so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the axis of the driving rotating body via a slide support portion and to rotate integrally with the rotation of the endless conveyor. The sorting device includes a guide rail portion that faces the sorting body in the vertical direction, defines a plurality of conveying orbits of the sorting body from an initial position, and is arranged to define a return orbit for returning the sorting body to the initial position on the return surface, and a sorting rail that faces the sorting body in the vertical direction and distributes the sorting body to a predetermined conveying orbit. At least one of the opposite sides of the sorting body, the guide rail portion, and the sorting rail is provided with a magnet, and on the other side, a magnet that is attracted to the magnet provided on the one side by the mutual magnetic force or a magnetic body that is adsorbed by the magnetic force of the magnet provided on the one side is provided. During the rotation of the endless conveyor, the magnets or the magnet and the magnetic body face each other, and a structure has been proposed in which this facing state is held by the magnetic force between the magnets or the magnetic force of the magnet that adsorbs the magnetic body (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2 mentioned above, since a rotating body is used for conveyance, it is impossible to convey confectionery covered with powder or soft confectionery.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer conveyance system capable of conveying confectionery covered with powder or soft confectionery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The invention according to claim 1 is a transfer and conveying system that receives a conveyed object, which is a confectionery, from a first conveying conveyor and transfers the conveyed object onto a second conveying conveyor in an aligned state. The system includes a first transfer belt conveyor that can move forward and backward between a first position and a second position in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyed object, receives the conveyed object from the first conveying conveyor at the first position or the second position, and moves to the second position or the first position to send out the conveyed object; a first actuator that moves the first transfer belt conveyor between the first position and the second position; a first detection sensor that detects that the conveyed object has moved from the first conveying conveyor onto the first transfer belt conveyor; a third position that receives the conveyed object from the first conveying conveyor when the first transfer belt conveyor is at the first position and a fourth position that receives the conveyed object from the first conveying conveyor when the first transfer belt conveyor is at the second position, both in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyed object. A second transfer belt conveyor that can move forward and backward between them, receives the conveyed object at the third position or the fourth position, and moves to the fourth or third position to send out the conveyed object; a second actuator that moves the second transfer belt conveyor between the third and fourth positions; a second detection sensor that detects that the conveyed object has moved onto the second transfer belt conveyor; and drive control means that receives a first signal from the first detection sensor and drives the first actuator to move the first transfer belt conveyor from the first position or the second position to the second position or the first position when receiving the first signal. On the other hand, it receives a second signal from the second detection sensor, when receiving the second signal and is characterized by comprising drive control means for driving the second actuator to move the second transfer belt conveyor from the third position or the fourth position to the fourth position or the third position.

[0012] In this way, even if the confectionery is a confectionery covered with powder or a soft confectionery, it can be transferred from the first conveying conveyor to the second conveying conveyor in an aligned state while being conveyed without touching the confectionery.

[0013] In this case, as described in claim 2, when the drive control means receives the first signal from the first detection sensor, prior to driving the first actuator, it stops the first transfer belt conveyor. On the other hand, when it receives the second signal from the second detection sensor, prior to driving the second actuator, it stops the second transfer belt conveyor, which is desirable.

[0014] As described in claim 3, after the drive control means stops the first transfer belt conveyor, when it reaches the first position or the second position, it resumes driving the first transfer belt conveyor. On the other hand, after the drive control means stops the second transfer belt conveyor, when it reaches the third position or the fourth position, it resumes driving the second transfer belt conveyor, which is desirable.

[0015] As described in claim 4, it is desirable that the first and second detection sensors are arranged at a distance from the first and second transfer belt conveyors in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance directions of the first and second transfer belt conveyors.

[0016] As described in claim 5, further, in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed, there are provided a fifth position for receiving the object to be conveyed from the second transfer belt conveyor when the second transfer belt conveyor is in the third position, and a sixth position for receiving the object to be conveyed from the second transfer belt conveyor when the second transfer belt conveyor is in the fourth position. A third transfer belt conveyor that is movable back and forth between the positions, receives the object to be conveyed at the fourth position or the fifth position, moves to the fifth or fourth position, and sends out the object to be conveyed, a third actuator for moving the third transfer belt conveyor between the fifth position and the sixth position, and a third detection sensor for detecting that the object to be conveyed has moved from the second transfer belt conveyor onto the third transfer belt conveyor. It is desirable that the drive control means further receives a third signal from the third detection sensor and drives the third actuator to move the third transfer belt conveyor from the fifth position or the sixth position to the sixth position or the fifth position when receiving the third signal.

[0017] As described in claim 6, it is desirable that the drive control means stops the third transfer belt conveyor prior to driving the third actuator when receiving a third signal from the third detection sensor.

[0018] As described in claim 7, it is desirable that the drive control means resumes driving of the third transfer belt conveyor when reaching the fifth position or the sixth position after stopping the third transfer belt conveyor.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] The present invention can transfer confectionery items from a first conveyor to a second conveyor in an aligned state while conveying them without touching the confectionery items, even if the confectionery items are powdered confectionery or soft confectionery.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the transfer system according to the present invention.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer system 1 receives the object to be conveyed A, which is confectionery, from the first conveyor 2 that conveys the object to be conveyed A in a line at a predetermined interval, and transfers the object to be conveyed A onto the second conveyor 3 so as to be in an aligned state in two rows. Here, confectionery means not only bread, Japanese confectionery, etc., but also food, including confectionery covered with powder and soft confectionery.

[0024] The transfer system 1 includes a first transfer belt conveyor 11 and a second transfer belt conveyor 12 arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction thereof. And the belt width of the conveyor belt of the second transfer belt conveyor 12 is larger than that of the first transfer belt conveyor 11.

[0025] The first transfer belt conveyor 11 is supported so as to be able to move forward and backward between a first position and a second position which are separated by a fixed interval by the drive of a first actuator 13 in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the object A to be conveyed. Then, at the first position or the second position, the object A to be conveyed is received from the first transfer belt conveyor 11, and then it moves to the second position or the first position and sends out the object A to the second transfer belt conveyor 12.

[0026] It is detected by the first detection sensor 14 that the object to be conveyed has moved from the first conveyor 2 onto the first transfer belt conveyor 11. The first actuator 13 can be of a dust-proof specification. The first detection sensor 14 is arranged at a distance from the first transfer belt conveyor 11 in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the first transfer belt conveyor 11 so as not to interfere with the conveyance of the object to be conveyed.

[0027] The second transfer belt conveyor 12 is supported so as to be able to move forward and backward between a third position and a fourth position which are separated by a fixed interval by the drive of a second actuator 15. The second transfer belt conveyor 12 receives the object to be conveyed at the third position when the first transfer belt conveyor 11 is at the first position, then moves to the fourth position and sends out the object to be conveyed to the second conveyor 3. On the other hand, when the first transfer belt conveyor 11 is at the second position, it receives the object to be conveyed at the fourth position, moves to the third position, and sends out the object to be conveyed to the second conveyor 3.

[0028] Also, it is detected by the second detection sensor 16 that the object to be conveyed has moved from the first transfer belt conveyor 11 onto the second transfer belt conveyor 12. The second detection sensor 16 is arranged at an interval, that is, at a distance from the second transfer belt conveyor 12 in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the second transfer belt conveyor 12.

[0029] Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the driving means 11A, 12B of the first and second transfer belt conveyors 11, 12, the first and second actuators 13, 15, and the first and second detection sensors 14, 16 are associated with the drive control means 21.

[0030] The drive control means 21 receives the first signal from the first detection sensor 14, and when receiving this first signal, drives the first actuator 13 to move the first transfer belt conveyor 11 from the first position or the second position to the second position or the first position. On the other hand, when receiving the second signal from the second detection sensor 16, it drives the second actuator 15 to move the second transfer belt conveyor 12 from the third position to the fourth position (or from the fourth position to the third position).

[0031] Also, when the drive control means 21 receives the first signal from the first detection sensor 14, it stops the first transfer belt conveyor 11 prior to driving the first actuator 13. When receiving the second signal from the second detection sensor 16, it stops the second transfer belt conveyor 12 prior to driving the second actuator 15.

[0032] Then, the drive control means 21 stops the first transfer belt conveyor 11, and after reaching the first position or the second position, resumes the driving (conveying) of the first transfer belt conveyor 11. On the other hand, it stops the second transfer belt conveyor 12, and after reaching the third position or the fourth position, resumes the driving of the second transfer belt conveyor 12.

[0033] Subsequently, the alignment operation by the system 1 will be described.

[0034] The object A to be conveyed by the first conveyor 2 is first transferred to one side P1 in the belt width direction of the first transfer belt conveyor 11 at, for example, the first position, as shown in FIG. 1. That is, the object A moves from the first conveyor 2 onto the first transfer belt conveyor 11, and the first detection sensor 14 detects the moved object A and sends a first signal to the drive control means 21. The drive control means 21 that receives this first signal sends a signal to the drive means 11A of the first transfer belt conveyor 11 to stop the first transfer belt conveyor 11.

[0035] The first transfer belt conveyor 11 is driven by the first actuator 13 in a stopped state and moves from the first position to the second position (see FIG. 3). At this second position, one side P1 in the belt width direction of the first transfer belt conveyor 11 faces one side P11 in the belt width direction of the second transfer belt conveyor 12, and the first transfer belt conveyor 11 is driven so that the object to be conveyed moves to one side P11 in the belt width direction of the second transfer belt conveyor 12. In parallel with this, the object A to be conveyed moves and is transferred from the first conveyor 2 onto the other side P2 in the belt width direction of the first transfer belt conveyor 11 at the second position.

[0036] The second transfer belt conveyor 12 is driven by the second actuator 15 in a stopped state and moves from the third position to the fourth position. At this fourth position, the second transfer belt conveyor 12 is driven so that the object to be conveyed moves and is transferred to one side in the belt width direction of the second conveyor 2 (see FIG. 4). On the other hand, the first transfer belt conveyor 11 is driven by the first actuator 13 and moves back from the second position to the first position (see FIG. 4).

[0037] The second transfer belt conveyor 12 is in a stopped state, the second actuator 15 is driven, and it moves from the fourth position to the third position. At this third position, the second transfer belt conveyor 12 is driven, and the object to be conveyed moves to the other side in the belt width direction of the second conveyor 2 and is transferred (see Fig. 5). On the other hand, the first transfer belt conveyor 11 is driven by the first actuator 13, moves from the first position to the second position, and is returned (see Fig. 5).

[0038] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, various additions, changes, or deletions are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, such things are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0039] For example, as in the system 1A shown in Fig. 6, further, a fifth position for receiving the object to be conveyed A when the second transfer belt conveyor 12 is in the third position, and a sixth position for receiving the object to be conveyed A when the second transfer belt conveyor 12 is in the fourth position. A third transfer belt conveyor 18 (driving means 18A) that can move forward and backward between them, receives the object to be conveyed at the fourth position or the fifth position, moves to the fifth or fourth position, and sends out the object to be conveyed A, and a third actuator 19 that moves the third transfer belt conveyor 18 between the fifth and sixth positions, and a third detection sensor 20 that detects that the object to be conveyed has moved onto the third transfer belt conveyor 18. The drive control means 21A can further receive a third signal from the third detection sensor 20 and drive the third actuator when receiving the third signal to move the third transfer belt conveyor 18 from the fifth position or the sixth position to the sixth position or the fifth position.

[0040] When the drive control means 21A receives the third signal from the third detection sensor 20, prior to driving the third actuator 19, it can stop the third transfer belt conveyor 18, and after stopping the third transfer belt conveyor 18 and reaching the fifth or sixth position, resume driving the third transfer belt conveyor 18. And the object A to be conveyed is transferred onto the second conveyor 3 so that the interval in the width direction of the object A to be conveyed becomes wider than in the case of the above-described embodiment having only the first and second transfer belt conveyors 11 and 12.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, in addition to the third transfer belt conveyor 18, the third actuator 19, and the third detection sensor 20, the drive control means 21 is also associated with the drive means 11A, 12B of the first and second transfer belt conveyors 11, 12, the first and second actuators 13, 15, and the first and second detection sensors 14, 16.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 1, 1A Transfer system 2 First conveyor 3 Second conveyor 11 First transfer belt conveyor 11A Drive means 12 Second transfer belt conveyor 12A Drive means 13 First actuator 14 First detection sensor 15 Second actuator 16 Second detection sensor 18 Third transfer belt conveyor 18A Drive means 19 Third actuator 20 Third detection sensor 21, 21A Drive control means A Object to be conveyed

Claims

1. A transfer and conveyance system that receives confectionery items from a first conveyor that conveys the confectionery items, and passes the confectionery items onto a second conveyor in an aligned state, a first transfer belt conveyor that is movable between a first position and a second position in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the transported object, receives the transported object from the first transport conveyor at the first position or the second position, and moves to the second position or the first position to send out the transported object; a first actuator that moves the first transfer belt conveyor between a first position and a second position; a first detection sensor that detects that the object has moved from the first transport conveyor onto the first transfer belt conveyor; a second transfer belt conveyor that is movable between a third position at which the first transfer belt conveyor receives the transported object from the first transport conveyor when the first transfer belt conveyor is at a first position and a fourth position at which the first transfer belt conveyor receives the transported object from the first transport conveyor when the first transfer belt conveyor is at a second position in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transported object, and that receives the transported object at the third position or the fourth position and moves to the fourth position or the third position to send out the transported object; a second actuator that moves the second transfer belt conveyor between the third position and the fourth position; a second detection sensor that detects that the object has moved onto the second transfer belt conveyor; a drive control means for receiving a first signal from the first detection sensor, and driving the first actuator upon receiving the first signal to move the first transfer belt conveyor from the first position or the second position to the second position or the first position, and for receiving a second signal from the second detection sensor, and driving the second actuator upon receiving the second signal to move the second transfer belt conveyor from the third position or the fourth position to the fourth position or the third position, A transfer and transportation system characterized by the above.

2. 2. The transfer and conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the drive control means stops the first transfer belt conveyor before driving the first actuator when it receives a first signal from the first detection sensor, and stops the second transfer belt conveyor before driving the second actuator when it receives a second signal from the second detection sensor.

3. 3. The transfer and conveying system according to claim 2, wherein the drive control means stops the first transfer belt conveyor and then resumes driving the first transfer belt conveyor when it reaches the first position or the second position, while stopping the second transfer belt conveyor and then resumes driving the second transfer belt conveyor when it reaches the third position or the fourth position.

4. 4. A transfer and conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second detection sensors are positioned away from the first and second transfer belt conveyors in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first and second transfer belt conveyors.

5. Furthermore, a third transfer belt conveyor that is movable between a fifth position at which the second transfer belt conveyor receives the transported object from the second transfer belt conveyor when the second transfer belt conveyor is at a third position and a sixth position at which the second transfer belt conveyor receives the transported object from the second transfer belt conveyor when the second transfer belt conveyor is at a fourth position in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transported object, and that receives the transported object at the fourth position or the fifth position and moves to the fifth or fourth position to send out the transported object; a third actuator that moves the third transfer belt conveyor between the fifth position and the sixth position; a third detection sensor that detects that the object has moved from the second transfer belt conveyor onto the third transfer belt conveyor; Equipped with the drive control means further receives a third signal from the third detection sensor, and drives the third actuator upon receiving the third signal to move the third transfer belt conveyor from the fifth position or the sixth position to the sixth position or the fifth position. The transfer transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. 6. The transfer and transportation system according to claim 5, wherein the drive control means stops the third transfer belt conveyor prior to driving the third actuator when a third signal is received from the third detection sensor.

7. 7. The transfer and conveying system according to claim 6, wherein the drive control means stops the third transfer belt conveyor and then resumes driving the third transfer belt conveyor when the third transfer belt conveyor reaches the fifth position or the sixth position.

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