Conveyor device and sorting assist device

Abstract

To provide a technique for a conveyor device that can prevent damage to an object being conveyed by conveying the object in a correct direction without requiring a broad area over a plane of conveyance.SOLUTION: A conveyor device comprises a main transport passage and a sub-transport passage extending in a direction intersecting with the main transport passage, in which an assortment aid 40 is provided at a bifurcation of the main transport passage and the sub-transport passage. The assortment aid 40 has a rotator 45 allowed to automatically rotates about a vertical axis by power. The rotator 45 is arranged in a state where at least one part always lies above a transport plane with part of a side surface facing to the main transport passage and the other part thereof facing to the sub-transport passage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyor system, and more particularly to a conveyor system with a branched conveying path. The present invention also relates to a sorting assist device used in such a conveyor system. do. [Background technology]

[0002] Conveyor systems are widely used in various locations, such as delivery points, collection points, and warehouses. For example, at delivery points, it is necessary to sort transported items according to their destination. For this reason, conveyor systems installed at delivery points often have multiple branching conveying paths. For example, the downstream side of the conveying path may branch into two directions, and each of these branching paths may branch again.

[0003] An example of a branching conveyor device in which a conveying path branches off in this way is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The branching conveyor device in Patent Document 1 has a main conveyor device, a sub-conveyor device, and an article sorting device. By operating the article sorting device, it is possible to switch between a state in which the main conveyor device conveys articles linearly and a state in which the articles are introduced and transported onto a sub-conveyor device branching off from the main conveyor device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-163547 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Conventional branching conveyor systems have room for improvement in terms of conveying items in the correct direction without distributing sorting devices over a wide area of ​​the conveying surface, and also in terms of preventing damage to the items at the branching points. That is, conventional conveyor devices have room for improvement in terms of conveying objects in the correct direction without requiring a large area on the conveying surface and preventing damage to the objects.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology for conveying an object in a conveyor device in the correct direction without requiring a large area on the conveying surface, and preventing damage to the object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problem is a conveyor system having a main transport path and a sub-transport path extending in a direction intersecting the main transport path, wherein a sorting auxiliary device is provided at a branch point of the main transport path and the sub-transport path, the sorting auxiliary device having a rotating body that automatically rotates around a vertical axis by power, at least a portion of the rotating body being always positioned above the transport surface, with a portion of the side surface facing the main transport path and another portion of the side surface facing the sub-transport path. The rotating body has an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion, and the rotating body is disposed at a position between the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion in the vertical direction. The upper plate portion is fixed to both a main conveying side frame extending along the conveying direction of the main conveying path and a sub-conveying side frame extending along the conveying direction of the sub-conveying path. The lower plate portion is formed integrally with a conveyor frame extending along the conveying direction of the main conveying path. The conveyor device is characterized by the above.

[0008] According to this aspect, at least a portion of the rotating body is always positioned above the conveying surface, with one side facing the main conveying path and the other side facing the auxiliary conveying path, eliminating the need for a large area on the conveying surface for installation. Even if an object is conveyed in a direction different from the intended direction, the side of the object will abut against the rotating body, ensuring that the object is conveyed in the correct direction. This prevents the object from being damaged by hitting the rotating body too hard against a frame or guard member.

[0009] In the above-described aspect, it is possible to switch between a main conveying operation in which the transported object is transported on the main conveying path and a sub-conveying operation in which the transported object is transported on the sub-conveying path, and the rotation direction of the rotating body is switched depending on the switching between the main conveying operation and the sub-conveying operation, and it is preferable that the rotation direction of the rotating body when the main conveying operation is performed is opposite to the rotation direction of the rotating body when the sub-conveying operation is performed.

[0010] According to this aspect, even if the transported object is transported in a direction different from the expected direction in each of the main transport operation and the sub-transport operation, it is possible to transport the transported object in the direction in which it should be transported.

[0011] The above-mentioned aspect has an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion, the rotating body is disposed at a position between the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion in the vertical direction, the upper plate portion is fixed to both a main conveying side frame extending along the conveying direction of the main conveying path and a sub-conveying side frame extending along the conveying direction of the sub-conveying path, and the lower plate portion is formed integrally with a conveyor frame extending along the conveying direction of the main conveying path. do.

[0012] According to this aspect, it is possible to arrange the rotating body without making it too conspicuous.

[0013] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the sorting auxiliary device has a power unit and a power transmission unit, the power unit has an output shaft extending horizontally, and the rotational force output from the output shaft is transmitted to the rotation axis of the rotating body, which is a vertical axis, by the power transmission unit.

[0014] According to this aspect, the sorting assist device can be installed in a narrow space in the conveyor device.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention is the main transport path Main conveyor device forming and a sub-transport path extending in a direction intersecting the main transport path. Sub-conveyor device forming In a conveyor system having the above structure, a sorting auxiliary device is attached to a branching portion of the main conveying path and the sub-conveying path, The main conveyor device and the sub-conveyor device are each formed by attaching a driver to a conveyor frame, The rotating body has a rotating body that automatically rotates around a vertical axis by power, at least a portion of the rotating body is always located above the conveying surface, and is attached with a part of its side surface facing the main conveying path and another part of its side surface facing the sub-conveying path, and has an upper plate portion, a part of the conveyor frame of the main conveyor system; a main conveyance side frame extending along the conveyance direction of the main conveyance path; A part of the conveyor frame of the secondary conveyor deviceThe sorting auxiliary device is characterized in that it is fixed to both of the sub-conveyor side frames extending along the conveying direction of the sub-conveyor path.

[0016] In this aspect, at least a portion of the rotating body is always positioned above the conveying surface, with one side facing the main conveying path and the other side facing the auxiliary conveying path, so a large area for installation on the conveying surface is not required. Even if an object is conveyed in a direction different from the expected direction, the side of the object will abut against the rotating body, ensuring that the object is conveyed in the correct direction. This prevents the object from being damaged by hitting the rotating body too hard against a frame or guard member.

[0017] The present invention Related Related Inventions In one aspect, the transport auxiliary device is attached to a conveyor device, and has a rotating body that automatically rotates around a vertical axis by power, at least a portion of which is always positioned above the transport surface, and is attached with a portion of its side facing the transport path of the conveyor device, and has an upper plate portion that is arranged above the rotating body and fixed to a frame member of the conveyor device.

[0018] In this aspect, at least a portion of the rotating body is always positioned above the conveying surface, and the rotating body is installed with a portion of its side facing the conveying path of the conveyor device, so a large area for installation is not required on the conveying surface. Furthermore, even if the transported object is transported in a direction different from the expected direction, the side of the transported object abuts the rotating body, changing the transport direction. This prevents the problem of the transported object hitting the frame, guard member, etc. and being damaged when the transported object abuts the rotating body in a direction different from the expected direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology for conveying an object in the correct direction without requiring a large area on the conveying surface, and for preventing damage to the object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a conveyor device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a branching portion of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2(a) is an explanatory view showing an enlarged view of the branching portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2(b) is an explanatory view showing a further enlarged view of the periphery of the roller member of FIG. 2(a). [Figure 4] 2 is a partially cutaway schematic explanatory view of the sorting assisting device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an object is transported along a route different from that expected when the conveyor device of FIG. 1 performs a secondary transport operation. [Figure 6] 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the sorting assist device of FIG. 1 is attached to a part other than the branching part of a conveyor device different from that of FIG. 1 and used as a conveyance assist device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] A conveyor device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment has a main conveyor device 2 that forms a main conveyor line (main transport path), a sub-conveyor device 3 that forms a sub-conveyor line (sub-transport path), and a control device (not shown). The control device may be constructed, for example, by an external computer or a zone controller provided in each section (each area) of the conveyor device 1. In the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment, various operations are controlled by this control device. For example, as will be described in detail later, a sorting operation that changes the conveying direction of the conveyed objects and an operation that changes the rotation direction of the roller members 45 (rotating bodies) are controlled.

[0023] The main conveyor device 2 is composed of an upstream conveyor device 10, a transfer device 11, and a downstream conveyor device 12. The upstream conveyor device 10 and the downstream conveyor device 12 are so-called roller conveyors. That is, they are formed by attaching a plurality of transport rollers 16 (drivers) to a conveyor frame 15. For convenience of drawing, only some of the transport rollers 16 are labeled with reference numerals, and the other components are omitted. Similarly, only some of the other components are labeled with reference numerals as necessary, and the other components are omitted.

[0024] The conveyor frame 15 has a pair of first frame members 17 and a second frame member 18 (main transport side frame, conveyor frame) that extend parallel to each other.

[0025] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the first frame member 17 is shaped like a C-beam and is a member consisting of a flat top plate portion, an upright side wall portion, and a flat bottom plate portion connected together in an approximately U-shape.

[0026] Of the two frame members, the second frame member 18 is the member disposed on the sub-conveyor device 3 side, and has an upstream portion 18a, a connecting portion 18b, and a downstream portion 18c. The upstream portion 18a and the downstream portion 18c are portions that have substantially the same shape as the above-described first frame member 17. The connecting portion 18b is located between the upstream portion 18a and the downstream portion 18c and is adjacent to the upstream end of the sub-conveyor device 3. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, this connecting portion 18b has a shape in which a portion of the top plate and side wall is missing compared to the upstream portion 18a and the downstream portion 18c, and its upper end portion is positioned lower than the upper end portion of the upstream portion 18a and the upper end portion of the downstream portion 18c.

[0027] The connecting portion 18b has a flat portion 19 (lower plate portion) that extends in a cantilevered manner from the upper end portion of the side wall portion toward the sub-conveyor device 3 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). This flat portion 19 is disposed at a position lower than the conveying surface of the main conveyor device 2. The flat portion 19 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and extends in the conveying direction of the main conveyor device 2.

[0028] Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, an introduction assist roller 20 is disposed upstream of the flat plate portion 19. The introduction assist roller 20 is an idling roller without a power source, and like the conveying roller 16, has a roller body and shaft portions located at both ends of the roller body in the longitudinal direction. The introduction assist roller 20 is attached to the side wall portion of the connecting portion 18b via an attachment member so that the longitudinal direction (the longitudinal direction of the entire roller and the shaft portions) is the same as the conveying direction of the main conveyor line.

[0029] In the upstream conveyor device 10 and the downstream conveyor device 12, a conveying surface is formed by the upper parts of the multiple conveying rollers 16. The "conveying surface" is the part on which the transported object is placed when it is transported by the main conveyor device 2.

[0030] The transfer device 11 is a conveying direction switching device that can change the conveying direction in various directions. In this embodiment, a type in which a large number of small conveying devices 25 are arranged in a planar manner is used. In this embodiment, the transfer device 11 is disposed between the first frame member 17 and the second frame member 18.

[0031] Each of the small conveying devices 25 includes a roller unit 26 (rotating body) and a receiving member for the roller unit 26, and the roller unit 26 is supported by the receiving member. The receiving member is rotatable, and when the receiving member rotates, the roller unit 26 rotates together with the receiving member along with the rotation shaft. That is, in this transfer device 11, when the switching motor is driven, the receiving members of the plurality of small conveying devices 25 are rotated. Then, the plurality of roller units 26 rotate together with the receiving members to change their posture, and the orientation of each roller unit 26 is changed simultaneously. In addition, when the conveying motor is driven, the roller units 26 of the plurality of small conveying devices 25 rotate synchronously around their respective rotation axes.

[0032] In this way, the conveying direction of the transported object is changed by rotating the plurality of roller units 26 together with the rotation shaft. Furthermore, the plurality of roller units 26 rotate synchronously, making it possible to urge and move the transported object on the transfer device 11. In other words, in the transfer device 11, a conveying surface is formed by the roller units 26. After the transported object is introduced into the transfer device 11, the transported object can be moved in a large circle on the entire conveying surface of the transfer device 11, or moved while changing the transport direction in small increments, thereby changing the posture of the transported object or the transport position.

[0033] The sub-conveyor device 3 is a so-called roller conveyor, and is formed by arranging a plurality of conveying rollers 16. The sub-conveyor device 3 has a branching-side first frame member 30, an upstream-side mounting member 31, and a branching-side second frame member 32 (sub-conveying side frame). In the upstream portion of the sub-conveyor device 3, one shaft of the conveying rollers 16 is fixed to the branch-side first frame member 30, and the other shaft is fixed to the upstream-side mounting member 31. In contrast, in the downstream portion, one shaft of the conveying rollers 16 is fixed to the branch-side first frame member 30, and the other shaft is fixed to the branch-side second frame member 32. In other words, the downstream portion of the branch-side first frame member 30 and the branch-side second frame member 32 form a pair of frame members extending parallel to each other. The branch-side first frame member 30 and the branch-side second frame member 32 have the same shape as the first frame member 17, although detailed illustration is omitted.

[0034] In the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment, the upper end portions of the first frame member 17, the upstream portion 18a and downstream portion 18c of the second frame member 18, the branch-side first frame member 30, and the branch-side second frame member 32 are located above the conveying surface. On the other hand, the upper end portion of the connecting portion 18b is located below the conveying surface. The portion located above the connecting portion 18b serves as an introduction portion 33 for introducing conveyed objects into the sub-conveyor device 3.

[0035] That is, the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment is capable of switching between a main conveying operation in which an object is conveyed on a main conveyor line and a sub-conveying operation in which an object is conveyed on a sub-conveyor line. In the main conveying operation, the object is conveyed linearly by the main conveyor device 2. That is, the object is conveyed on the conveying surfaces of the upstream conveyor device 10, the transfer device 11, and the downstream conveyor device 12 in that order. On the other hand, in the sub-conveying operation, the transported object that was being transported linearly has its transport direction changed by the transfer device 11, is introduced into the sub-conveyor device 3 at a predetermined branch angle, and is transported by the sub-conveyor device 3. In other words, the transported object is transported on each transport surface in the order of the upstream conveyor device 10, the transfer device 11, and the sub-conveyor device 3. At this time, the transported object is transported so as to trace a curved trajectory in a plan view.

[0036] Therefore, the midway portion in the conveying direction of the main conveyor device 2 becomes a branching section where the conveying direction branches when conveying the transported object. Specifically, the branching section is the section from the portion slightly upstream of the introduction section 33 (the portion where the upstream end of the transfer device 11 is located) to the portion slightly downstream of the introduction section 33. In other words, the branching section includes the introduction section 33, the portion adjacent to the upstream end of the introduction section 33 and its vicinity, and the portion adjacent to the downstream end of the introduction section 33 and its vicinity.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3(a), a roller member 45 of the sorting assist device 40 (see FIG. 4) is disposed adjacent to the downstream end of the introduction section 33.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the sorting assistance device 40 has a geared motor 41 (power unit), a power transmission mechanism 42 (power transmission unit), a housing unit 43, a shaft member 44 (rotating axis), a roller member 45, and an upper plate member 46 (upper plate unit).

[0039] The geared motor 41 is formed by incorporating a motor and a reducer in a housing, and the rotational force of the motor is reduced by the reducer and output from the output shaft 41a. In this embodiment, the geared motor 41 is attached to the side wall of the second frame member 18 in an orientation in which the output shaft 41a extends in the horizontal direction (main conveyance direction).

[0040] The power transmission mechanism 42 is composed of a first gear member 42a fixed to the output shaft 41a of the geared motor 41 and a second gear member 42b fixed to the shaft member 44. In this embodiment, the first gear member 42a and the second gear member 42b both employ bevel gears and are in mesh with each other. In other words, the power transmission mechanism 42 is a mechanism that transmits the rotation of the output shaft 41a, which is the horizontal shaft, to the shaft member 44, which is the vertical shaft.

[0041] The housing portion 43 is a box-shaped member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an internal space, and is fixed to the flat plate portion 19 via temporary fastening elements. The term "temporary fastening element" as used herein is a broader concept than a combination of screws, bolts and nuts, etc., and is a fastening element that can be fastened and released without being destroyed in principle. The housing 43 accommodates the tip end portion of the output shaft 41a, the lower portion of the shaft member 44, and the power transmission mechanism .

[0042] The housing 43 has a first bearing 43a and a second bearing 43b at positions spaced apart in the up-down direction. A bearing member is attached to each of the first bearing 43a and the second bearing 43b.

[0043] The shaft member 44 is a rod-shaped member made of metal and having a length in the vertical direction.

[0044] The roller member 45 is a member made of resin (foamed resin) and has a generally cylindrical shape. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, a urethane roller is used. That is, the roller member 45 has a shaft insertion hole 45a in the center for inserting the shaft member 44. In addition, a bearing accommodating recess 45b is formed in the upper part of the roller member 45 to accommodate most of the upper plate-side bearing member 50 (described in detail later). The bearing accommodating recess 45b is a recessed portion with an opening in the upper part.

[0045] The roller member 45 is integrally connected to the shaft member 44 via a connecting means. In this embodiment, the connecting means is a parallel key (not shown) and a snap ring. The snap rings are attached to the shaft member 44 at two positions: one adjacent above the upper opening of the shaft insertion hole 45a, and the other adjacent below the lower opening.

[0046] 2, the upper plate member 46 has a flat plate portion 46a and a vertical sidewall forming portion 46b that hangs down from the flat plate portion 46a. The sidewall forming portion 46b, together with the sidewall portions of the frame members (the second frame member 18 and the branch-side second frame member 32), forms a vertical wall-like portion at a position adjacent to the conveying surface. In other words, the sidewall forming portion 46b is arranged so that its thickness direction is the same as that of these sidewall portions.

[0047] 2 and 3(a), the upstream portion of the flat plate portion 46a is formed to include a substantially semicircular plate-shaped portion. That is, the upstream edge is rounded and is located above the roller member 45. Here, this upstream portion is located above the roller member 45 and is located in a position that is inward of the outer circumferential surface of the roller member 45 (inward in the radial direction of the roller member 45). The downstream portion extends in two parts, one of which overlaps the top plate portion of the second frame member 18, and the other of which overlaps the top plate portion of the branch-side second frame member 32. Each of the two parts is fixed to the top plate portion below it via a temporary fastening element. In other words, the top plate member 46 is fixed integrally to the second frame member 18 and the branch-side second frame member 32, and is in a connected state.

[0048] 4, an upper plate-side bearing member 50 is attached to the flat plate portion 46a via a temporary fastening element (not shown). That is, the upper plate-side bearing member 50 is fixed to the underside of the lower surface of the flat plate portion 46a. The upper plate-side bearing member 50 is formed by integrating a flange unit, which is an attachment member, with a bearing member (bearing). The upper portion of the shaft member 44 is inserted into this bearing member, and the upper portion of the shaft member 44 and the inner ring of the bearing member are fixed together.

[0049] In this embodiment, when installing the sorting assist device 40, the geared motor 41 and the housing 43 are arranged below the flat plate portion 19, and are attached to the side wall of the second frame member 18 and the flat plate portion 19, respectively. The housing 43 and the roller members 45 are then arranged on either side of the flat plate portion 19, and the flat plate portion 46a, to which the upper plate-side bearing member 50 is fixed, is arranged above the roller members 45. At this time, the shaft member 44 extends upward from inside the housing portion 43 and is inserted into the through hole formed in the flat plate-shaped portion 19 and the shaft insertion hole 45a, with the upper end portion being inserted into the upper plate side bearing member 50.

[0050] 4, the lower end portion of the shaft member 44 is inserted into the bearing member of the first bearing portion 43a, the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the bearing member of the second bearing portion 43b, and the upper end portion is inserted into the upper plate-side bearing member 50. In other words, the shaft member 44 is rotatably supported at multiple locations (three locations) that are spaced apart in the vertical direction. As a result, even if a force is applied to the roller member 45 from the side, the shaft member 44 will not shift, and the posture of the shaft member 44 can be firmly maintained. It is also possible that the shaft member 44 is supported at two locations spaced apart in the vertical direction without providing the second bearing portion 43b.

[0051] The roller member 45 is located between the upper plate member 46 (flat plate portion 46a) and the flat plate-like portion 19, below the lower surface of the upper plate member 46 and above the upper surface of the flat plate-like portion 19. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the roller member 45 is located such that a portion of the upstream side is exposed and visible to the outside, and the other portion of the downstream side is located in a recessed, narrow space. The "recessed, narrow space" here refers to the space surrounded by the upper plate member 46, the flat plate-like portion 19, the second frame member 18, and the branch-side second frame member 32.

[0052] At this time, of the side surfaces of the roller members 45, one part that is exposed to the outside faces the introduction section 33, another part faces the main conveyor line, and still another part faces the sub-conveyor line.

[0053] 1, the roller member 45 is disposed adjacent to the upstream end of the downstream portion 18c of the second frame member 18 and adjacent to the upstream end of the branch-side second frame member 32. In other words, the longitudinal directions of the downstream portion 18c of the second frame member 18 and the branch-side second frame member 32 intersect with each other and are arranged in a V-shape in plan view. In other words, the downstream portion 18c and the branch-side second frame member 32 are disposed so that they become increasingly separated from each other as they move from the upstream side to the downstream side. The roller member 45 is disposed at a corner portion on the upstream side of these members. 3(a), roller member 45 is disposed adjacent to the conveying surface of main conveyor device 2, the conveying surface of sub-conveyor device 3, and introduction section 33. Therefore, part of the side surface (outer peripheral surface around the rotation axis) of roller member 45 extends from the main conveyor device 2 side, through introduction section 33 side, to the sub-conveyor device 3 side.

[0054] More specifically, in the portion of the roller member 45 facing the main conveyor line (the portion located in the area indicated by A in Figure 3(b)), the outer side surface is located closer to the conveying surface of the main conveyor device 2 than the vertical wall-shaped portion formed including the side wall portion of the downstream portion 18c. Furthermore, the portion of the side of the roller member 45 that faces the secondary conveyor line (the portion located in the area indicated by B in Figure 3(b)) has an outer side that is located closer to the secondary conveyor device 3 than the vertical wall-shaped portion formed including the side wall portion of the branch side second frame member 32. The portion facing the introduction section 33 is located between the portion facing the main conveyor line (hereinafter also referred to as the main transfer side portion) and the portion facing the sub-conveyor line (hereinafter also referred to as the sub-transfer side portion).

[0055] Here, the roller members 45 are capable of rotating clockwise in a plan view during main transport and counterclockwise during secondary transport. More specifically, by rotating the geared motor 41 forward or backward, the rotation direction of the shaft member 44 is switched, and the rotation direction of the roller member 45 is switched (see FIG. 4). In other words, the roller member 45 can rotate in one predetermined direction and the opposite direction.

[0056] In the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment, the rotation direction of the roller members 45 is changed in accordance with switching between the main transport operation and the auxiliary transport operation. Specifically, when the main transport operation is being performed, the roller members 45 perform a rotation operation during main transport, and when the auxiliary transport operation is being performed, the roller members 45 perform a rotation operation during auxiliary transport.

[0057] Here, when the main conveyance rotation operation is performed and the roller members 45 rotate clockwise in a plan view, the portion of the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the roller members 45 facing the main conveyor device 2 moves in the conveyance direction of the main conveyor line. In other words, the main conveyance side portion (the portion located in the area indicated by A in FIG. 3(b)) moves from the upstream side to the downstream side (from the left side to the right side in FIG. 3(b)) in the conveyance direction of the main conveyor line.

[0058] Similarly, when the rotation operation during auxiliary transport is performed and the roller member 45 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view, the portion of the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the roller member 45 facing the auxiliary conveyor device 3 moves in the transport direction of the auxiliary conveyor line. In other words, the portion on the auxiliary transport side (the portion located in the area indicated by B in FIG. 3(b)) moves from the upstream side to the downstream side (from the upper left side to the lower right side in FIG. 3(b)) in the transport direction of the auxiliary conveyor line.

[0059] From the above, when an item is transported in a manner that differs from the specified trajectory during either the main transport operation or the sub-transport operation, damage to the item can be prevented and the item can be sorted and transported in the correct direction.

[0060] For example, as shown in Figure 5, when performing a sub-conveying operation, the transported item should be introduced into the sub-conveyor device 3 from the upstream side of the introduction section 33, but for some reason the transported item is transported toward the downstream end of the introduction section 33. In this case, if the sorting assist device 40 is not provided, there is a risk that the transported item will collide with a corner and be damaged. Also, there is a risk that the transported item will not be transported in the correct direction if it gets caught on a corner, etc.

[0061] In contrast, in this embodiment, even if the transported object is transported in this manner, the side surface (or front surface in the transport direction) of the transported object comes into contact with the roller members 45. In other words, the transported object does not collide with the corners formed by the frame, and damage to the transported object can be prevented. At this time, the roller members 45 are rotating during the sub-conveyance. Therefore, when the transported object abuts from the side against the part of the roller members 45 facing the introduction section 33, the transported object is urged toward the sub-conveyor device 3 (the branch-side first frame member 30 side, in a direction away from the main conveyor device 2). Note that when the transported object abuts from the side against the sub-conveyor side part of the roller members 45, the transported object is urged toward the downstream side of the sub-conveyor device 3. As a result, the object is transported in the correct direction.

[0062] Even if an object approaches the downstream end of the introduction section 33 during the main conveyance operation (not shown in detail), damage to the object due to hitting the corners formed by the frame can be prevented. Since the roller members 45 are rotating during the main conveyance operation, when an object comes into contact with the part of the roller members 45 facing the introduction section 33 from the side, the object is urged toward the main conveyor device 2 (the first frame member 17 side, in a direction away from the sub-conveyor device 3). When an object comes into contact with the main conveyance side part of the roller members 45 from the side, the object is urged toward the downstream side of the main conveyor device 2. As a result, the object is transported in the correct direction.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the geared motor 41 is mounted with the output shaft 41a extending horizontally (as a horizontal shaft), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the geared motor 41 may be mounted with the output shaft 41a extending vertically (as a vertical shaft). In this case, the output shaft 41a and a shaft member may be fixed (connected) together via a connecting member or the like. Furthermore, the output shaft may be formed longer, and the output shaft may serve as the rotation axis of the roller member 45 without providing a shaft member.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the sorting assist device 40 is attached so that the roller member 45 is located adjacent to (near) the downstream end of the introducing section 33. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sorting assist device 40 may be attached so that the roller member 45 is located adjacent to (near the upstream end of) the upstream end of the introducing section 33. In other words, the roller member 45 may be disposed at a corner at the boundary between the downstream end of the upstream section 18a of the second frame member 18 and the upstream end of the branch-side first frame member 30.

[0065] In this case, when the main transport operation is being performed, the roller member 45 performs the above-mentioned main transport rotation operation, and when the secondary transport operation is being performed, the roller member 45 may not perform automatic rotation (the geared motor 41 may be turned off and no output may be supplied). That is, the present invention does not necessarily have to be configured to change the rotation direction of the roller members 45 in response to switching between the main transport operation and the auxiliary transport operation. It may also be configured to switch between automatically rotating the roller members 45 in a predetermined direction and stopping the automatic rotation in response to switching between the main transport operation and the auxiliary transport operation.

[0066] The sorting assist device 40 of the above embodiment may be attached to a portion of the conveyor system other than the branching portion. In other words, it may be used as a transport assist device that assists in the transport of transported objects, rather than as a device that assists in sorting transported objects.

[0067] For example, as shown in FIG. 6, in a conveyor device 100 (corner conveyor) having a curved path portion 101, a conveyance assist device 102 may be attached to the curved path portion 101. The conveying auxiliary device 102 of this embodiment has a configuration that is approximately the same as the sorting auxiliary device 40 described above, but differs from the sorting auxiliary device 40 in that the roller member 45 rotates only in a predetermined direction (one predetermined direction) when conveying the object, and does not rotate in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the general shape of the upper plate member 146 (upper plate portion) is different from that of the above-described upper plate member 46. The upper plate member 146 of this embodiment has an upper flat plate portion and an attachment piece portion extending downward from the flat plate portion.

[0068] The curved path section 101 has an outer frame section 110 (frame member) and an inner frame section 111, with conveying rollers 112 arranged between them. The outer frame portion 110 and the inner frame portion 111 are made of lightweight C-section steel or channel steel, which are bent into a 180-degree arc. Specifically, the radius of curvature of the inner frame portion 111 is smaller than the radius of curvature of the outer frame portion 110. The conveying roller 112 is a roller whose outer shape is conical.

[0069] In this embodiment, the transport auxiliary devices 102 are attached so that the roller members 45 are disposed near the outer frame portion 110, which forms the outer periphery of the transport path at the curved path portion 101. The upper plate member 146 of this embodiment is fixed to the outer frame portion 110. More specifically, the transport auxiliary devices 102 are attached at multiple locations (three locations) spaced apart in the transport direction of the transport path extending in an arc. Note that the transport auxiliary devices 102 may also be attached so that the roller members 45 are disposed near the inner frame portion 111, which forms the inner periphery of the transport path. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1,100 conveyor equipment 18 Second frame member (main conveyor side frame, conveyor frame) 19 Flat plate part (lower plate part) 32 Branch side second frame member (sub-carrier side frame) 40 Sorting aid 41a Output shaft 41 Geared motor (power unit) 42 Power transmission mechanism (power transmission part) 44 Shaft member (rotating shaft) 45 Roller member (rotating body) 46,146 Upper plate member (upper plate part) 102 Transport auxiliary equipment 110 outer frame part (frame member)

Claims

1. A conveyor device having a main transport path and a sub-transport path extending in a direction intersecting the main transport path, a sorting auxiliary device is provided at a branch point between the main conveying path and the sub-conveying path, The sorting auxiliary device has a rotating body that automatically rotates around a vertical axis by power, and at least a portion of the rotating body is always positioned above the conveying surface, and is arranged with a portion of its side surface facing the main conveying path and another portion of its side surface facing the sub-conveying path, It has an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion, the rotating body is disposed at a position between the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion in the vertical direction, the upper plate portion is fixed to both a main transport side frame extending along the transport direction of the main transport path and a sub-transport side frame extending along the transport direction of the sub-transport path, The conveyor device is characterized in that the lower plate portion is formed integrally with a conveyor frame extending along the conveying direction of the main conveying path.

2. a main transport operation in which the transported object is transported on the main transport path and a sub-transport operation in which the transported object is transported on the sub-transport path can be switched; 2. The conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation direction of the rotating body is switched in response to switching between the main transport operation and the secondary transport operation, and the rotation direction of the rotating body when the main transport operation is being performed is opposite to the rotation direction of the rotating body when the secondary transport operation is being performed.

3. The sorting assist device has a power unit and a power transmission unit, 3. The conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the power unit has an output shaft extending horizontally, and the rotational force output from the output shaft is transmitted to the rotation axis of the rotating body, which is a vertical axis, by the power transmission unit.

4. In a conveyor system having a main conveyor system forming a main transport path and a sub-conveyor system forming a sub-transport path extending in a direction intersecting the main transport path, a sorting auxiliary device is attached to a branching portion of the main transport path and the sub-transport path, The main conveyor device and the sub-conveyor device are each formed by attaching a driver to a conveyor frame, a rotating body that automatically rotates around a vertical axis by power, at least a portion of the rotating body being always positioned above the conveying surface, and the rotating body being attached with a portion of its side surface facing the main conveying path and another portion of its side surface facing the sub-conveying path; It has an upper plate portion, A sorting auxiliary device characterized in that the upper plate portion is fixed to both a main conveying side frame that is part of the conveyor frame of the main conveyor device and extends along the conveying direction of the main conveying path, and a sub-conveying side frame that is part of the conveyor frame of the sub-conveyor device and extends along the conveying direction of the sub-conveying path.

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