Weighing device, weighing method, and food weighing system

Abstract

To provide a weighing device, weighing method, and food weighing system, which enable highly accurate weighing when article weight measurement is automated or mechanized.SOLUTION: A weighing robot comprises: a robot hand comprising a gripping unit for gripping an article conveyed on a conveyance surface, a reception unit for receiving the article from the grip, and a measurement unit for measuring weight of the article received by the reception unit; and a control unit for controlling the robot hand.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a weighing device, a weighing method, and a food weighing system.

Background Art

[0002] In production factories including processed foods, there are increasing cases of labor saving in operations by automating or mechanizing various operations.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below describes a technique for measuring the weight of an article by adsorbing and gripping the article by an air adsorption mechanism or an air chuck mechanism and based on an external force acting on the article and the acceleration of the article.

[0004] However, in this technique, when measuring the weight of an article, there is a problem that the weight value is not stable due to the flow of air constantly supplied by an air adsorption mechanism or an air chuck mechanism or the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure is for solving the above problems, and provides a weighing device, a weighing method, and a food weighing system that can measure the weight of an article with high accuracy even when the weight measurement of the article is automated or mechanized as compared with the conventional case.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The weighing device according to this disclosure comprises a robot hand including a gripping unit for gripping an article being transported on a transport surface, a receiving unit for receiving the article from the gripping unit, and a measuring unit for measuring the weight of the article received by the receiving unit, and a control unit for controlling the robot hand.

[0008] Furthermore, in the control method according to this disclosure, an article on a transport surface for transporting an article is grasped by the gripping part of the robot hand, the article grasped by the gripping part is received by the receiving part of the robot hand, the weight of the article received by the receiving part is measured by the measuring part of the robot hand, the measured article is grasped by the gripping part from the receiving part, and the article grasped by the gripping part is released to the transport surface.

[0009] Furthermore, the food weighing system according to this disclosure comprises: a food processing device that processes food to make processed food and places the processed food on a conveying surface; a robot hand including a gripping unit that grips the processed food being conveyed on the conveying surface, a receiving unit that receives the processed food from the gripping unit, and a measuring unit that measures the weight of the processed food received by the receiving unit; a first control unit that controls the robot hand; and a second control unit that controls the processing of the food by the food processing device based on the weight of the processed food measured by the measuring unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] This disclosure enables more accurate weight measurement of articles, even when the weight measurement process is automated or mechanized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of a production line in a food factory according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A side view showing an example of the overall configuration of a food weighing robot. [Figure 3] A functional block diagram of an example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing a detailed example of the guide member's configuration. [Figure 5A] Top view showing a detailed configuration example of a guide member and a non-contact suction pad. [Figure 5B] Cross-sectional view showing a detailed configuration example of a guide member and a non-contact suction pad. [Figure 5C] Bottom view showing a detailed configuration example of a guide member and a non-contact suction pad. [Figure 6A] Cross-sectional view showing the state where a spring roll is adsorbed and held in a non-contact state. [Figure 6B] Bottom view showing the state where a spring roll is adsorbed and held in a non-contact state. [Figure 7] Flowchart for explaining an example of weighing process by a food weighing robot. [Figure 8] Diagram exemplifying one frame of a moving image captured by a camera. [Figure 9A] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9B] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9C] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9D] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9E] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9F] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9G] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9H] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9I] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 9J] Diagram for explaining an operation example of a food weighing robot. [Figure 10] Diagram showing an example of a food weighing system according to the second embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. The core of the embodiments of this disclosure relates to a weighing device, weighing method, and weighing system for articles, but processed foods will be used as an example of a specific article in the description.

[0013] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 shows a production line in a food factory where a food weighing robot 10 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure is installed. As an example of processed food, four spring roll wrapping devices 1a to 1d are arranged. Spring rolls F formed by the wrapping devices 1a to 1d are transported by a belt conveyor 2 including a transport surface. The wrapping devices 1a to 1d wrap the spring roll ingredients in wrappers to form a rectangular shape and drop them onto the transport belt 3 of the belt conveyor 2. The transport belt 3 of the belt conveyor 2 is constantly driven at a constant speed, and the spring rolls F on the transport belt 3 are transported at a constant speed in the direction indicated by the arrow D in the figure. Note that the number of wrapping devices is not limited to four. The number of wrapping devices may be one, or any number of two or more.

[0014] Hereafter, the direction indicated by arrow D in the figure will be defined as the "conveying direction." The side from which the conveying originates, i.e., the side where the winding devices 1a to 1d are located, will be defined as the "upstream side." The side to which the conveying destinations, i.e., the side in the direction of conveyance by the conveyor belt 3, will be defined as the "downstream side." Furthermore, the plane formed by the conveyor belt 3 will be defined as the "conveying surface S." In Figure 1, the winding devices 1a to 1d are arranged in a line of four horizontally with respect to the conveying direction, and each spring roll F formed by the winding devices 1a to 1d is conveyed at a constant speed from the upstream side to the downstream side, with the four spring rolls arranged horizontally with respect to the conveying direction.

[0015] In Figure 1, the winding devices 1a to 1d are arranged in a line of four horizontally with respect to the conveying direction, but other arrangements are also possible. The only requirement is that the discharge ports of the winding devices 1a to 1d are positioned so that each spring roll F formed by the winding devices 1a to 1d is conveyed in a line of four horizontally with respect to the conveying direction, and the arrangement of the winding devices 1a to 1d is not limited to the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0016] Processed foods are foods that are in the process of being made. In the example in Figure 1, spring rolls are shown as an example of processed foods, but processed foods can be of other types. For example, processed foods could be fried rice, croquettes, minced meat cutlets, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), fried chicken, hamburgers, rice balls, dumplings, Chinese steamed buns, shumai (steamed dumplings), pizza, or gratin, etc.

[0017] Figure 1 shows spring roll rolling machines 1a to 1d as examples of food processing equipment, but other types of food processing equipment may also be used. For example, a molding machine for shaping food, a powdering machine for applying coating materials, a butterer, a breader, a stuffer for casing, a filling machine for wrapping ingredients, or a topping machine for topping food.

[0018] Furthermore, while Figure 1 shows a belt conveyor 2 as an example of a conveying device, other types of devices may also be used. For example, the conveying device may be a chain conveyor, roller conveyor, mesh conveyor, or gravity conveyor.

[0019] A food weighing robot 10 (hereinafter referred to as robot 10) is positioned near the side of the belt conveyor 2 as a food weighing device. The robot 10 selectively picks up (removes) spring rolls F being transported on the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2 and measures the weight of the picked spring rolls F. After measurement, the robot 10 places (returns) the spring rolls F back onto the conveying surface S. Figure 1 shows the robot 10 as viewed from directly above.

[0020] Figure 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of robot 10. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of robot 10. The configurations shown in Figures 2 and 3 are examples, and some of the illustrated elements may be omitted, or elements not shown may be added. For example, robot 10 does not have to have the display unit shown in Figure 3. Also, a clock or timer may be added to robot 10.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the robot 10 comprises a cylindrical robot body 11, a robot arm 12 attached to the side of the robot body 11, and a robot hand 13 provided on the robot arm 12. As shown in Figure 2, the robot hand 13 has a gripping part 14 for grasping a spring roll F from a transport surface S, and a measuring part 15 for receiving the spring roll F from the gripping part 14 and measuring the weight of the spring roll F. The measuring part 15 includes a receiving part 153 for receiving the spring roll from the gripping part 14, and a load cell 152 for measuring the weight of the spring roll received by the receiving part 153. The gripping part 14 and the measuring part 15 are integrally connected by a connecting member 131 (Figure 2). The robot 10 may be any type of robot, such as a general-purpose robot, a 6-axis robot, a 4-axis robot, a parallel link robot, or a collaborative robot. The space in which the robot arm 12 and the robot hand 13 can move is called the robot space.

[0022] The robot body 11 contains a control unit 16 (first control unit) which controls the operation of the robot 10, a storage unit 19, a display unit 20, and a communication unit 21. The control unit 16 controls the operation of the entire robot 10. The storage unit 19 stores data or information. For example, it stores image data acquired by a camera 17 (imaging unit) that images spring rolls F being transported on the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2. If the control unit 16 is a processor such as a CPU, the storage unit 19 may also store a program to be executed by the processor and data necessary for the operation of the program. The display unit 20 is a display that shows data or information, and is, for example, a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display device. The display unit 20 is located in a position where users such as workers or managers in a food factory can check the screen. The display unit 20 may display information indicating various conditions in the factory, such as image data acquired by the camera 17 and the operating status of the winding devices 1a to 1d. The communication unit 21 can communicate with terminal devices held by the user, and management devices that manage the winding device (see Figure 10, described later). The user may also send instructions to the robot 10 via the terminal device. For example, the user may instruct the robot 10 to switch the content displayed on the display unit 20, or specify which spring rolls to be weighed from the spring rolls F included in the image data acquired by the camera 17.

[0023] Inside the robot body 11 is a rotary actuator (not shown) that can rotate the robot body 11 around a rotation axis A perpendicular to the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2. When the robot body 11 rotates around the rotation axis A due to the action of the rotary actuator, the robot arm 12 and robot hand 13 attached to the robot body 11 also rotate together with the robot body 11. In Figure 1, this rotation of the robot 10 is shown by the robot arm (15' and 15'') and robot hand, indicated by solid lines with arrows and dotted lines. The robot arm 12 may be configured to extend and retract in the direction away from the robot body 11 and in the opposite direction by a mechanism (not shown). However, it is also possible for the robot arm 12 to be a fixed-length arm that cannot extend or retract.

[0024] As shown in detail in Figure 2, the gripping portion 14 of the robot hand 13 comprises a first actuator 141 having an axis that can extend and retract in the vertical direction, and a guide member 142 attached to the tip of the axis of the first actuator 141 and having a frame-like shape when viewed from above. The vertical direction corresponds to the direction of arrow Z in the figure. The guide member 142 can be made of, for example, a metal such as iron, copper, or aluminum, a resin such as plastic, or paper, but other materials may also be used. The gripping portion 14 of the robot hand 13 also comprises two non-contact suction pads 143 placed on the guide member 142. The guide member 142 and the non-contact suction pads 143 may be referred to as the tip of the gripping portion 14. The first actuator 141 is made of an air cylinder or an electric actuator, and its extension and retraction movement is controlled by a control unit 16. The shaft of the first actuator 141 extends and retracts vertically (in the direction of arrow Z in the figure), causing the guide member 142 to move up and down, thereby adjusting the distance between the non-contact suction pad 143 and the spring roll F on the conveying surface S. The non-contact suction pad 143 is, for example, a Bernoulli type or cyclone type suction pad, and can grip the spring roll F without direct contact by utilizing the negative pressure created by the gas flow (e.g., air flow) ejected from the opening. With the above configuration, the gripping part 14 can move in the direction opposite to the conveying surface S (perpendicular to the conveying surface and approaching the conveying surface) and in the opposite direction.

[0025] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration example of the guide member 142. The guide member 142 comprises a side wall portion 142a having four surfaces and a U-shaped upper edge portion 142b attached to the upper part of the side wall portion 142a. The side wall portion 142a forms a frame-like shape with its four surfaces. The side wall portion 142a surrounds the sides of the spring roll F when the spring roll F is picked up by the non-contact suction pad 143. The upper edge portion 142b of the guide member 142 is attached to the tip of the shaft of the first actuator 141.

[0026] The side wall portion 142a is a guide member that surrounds the side of the processed food, which is gripped in a non-contact state by the non-contact suction pad 143, in accordance with the shape of the processed food. If the processed food is a rectangular spring roll F, the side wall portion 142a forms a frame shape with its four surfaces. If the processed food is a round hamburger, the side wall portion 142a forms a round frame.

[0027] Figures 5A to 5C show a detailed configuration example of a non-contact suction pad 143 placed on a guide member 142. Figure 5A is a top view (plan view), Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5A, and Figure 5C is a bottom view. The non-contact suction pad 143 comprises a main body portion 143a having a compressed air supply port 143c, and a disc-shaped insert portion 143b formed at the lower part of the main body portion 143a. The main body portion 143a is placed on the side wall portion 142a of the guide member 142. An opening 143e is provided around the disc-shaped insert portion 143b. The opening 143e is connected to the supply port 143c via a flow path 143d. The insert portion 143b and the opening 143e face the internal space of the guide member 142.

[0028] When the gripping part 14 grips the spring roll F, the spring roll F is held in a non-contact state by the suction action of the non-contact suction pad 143. Specifically, compressed air is supplied from a compressor (not shown) to the supply port 143c of the non-contact suction pad 143. This compressed air passes through a flow path 143d formed between the inside of the main body 143a and the insertion part 143b, and is discharged from the opening 143e toward the bottom of the non-contact suction pad 143. Then, the spring roll F, which is located below the non-contact suction pad 143, is subjected to an suction force due to the negative pressure between the spring roll F and the non-contact suction pad 143, a detachment force due to the discharged air, and gravity. As these three forces balance each other, the spring roll F is gripped in a non-contact state toward the bottom of the non-contact suction pad 143.

[0029] Figures 6A and 6B show how the spring roll F is held by non-contact suction. Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view drawn using the same concept as Figure 5B, and Figure 6B is a bottom view drawn using the same concept as Figure 5C. When the spring roll F is held by non-contact suction, the side wall portion 142a of the guide member 142 surrounds the side of the spring roll F along its shape. This improves the suction force of the non-contact suction pad 143 and reduces the likelihood of the spring roll F sliding sideways and falling. As shown in Figure 6B, there is a gap d between the side wall portion 142a of the guide member 142 and the spring roll F. The gap d is approximately 1 cm, for example. Also, as shown in Figure 6A, the height h of the side wall portion 142a of the guide member 142 may be shorter than the height H of the spring roll F. For example, it is preferable that the height h of the side wall portion 142a is approximately half the height H of the spring roll F. As a result, as will be described later, when the tip of the gripping part 14 moves vertically downward to grip the spring roll F on the conveying surface S, the side wall portion 142a of the guide member 142 prevents the conveying surface S from being damaged.

[0030] Returning to Figure 2, the measurement unit 15 of the robot hand 13 includes a second actuator 151, a load cell 152 attached via the shaft tip of the second actuator 151, and a receiving plate 153 attached to the lower end of the load cell 152. The receiving plate 153 is integrally coupled with the load cell 152, but may be a unit independent of the load cell 152. The second actuator 151 is composed of an air cylinder or an electric actuator, and the extension and retraction of its shaft is controlled by the control unit 16. By extending and retracting the shaft of the second actuator 151 in the horizontal direction (direction of arrow X in the figure), the distance between the receiving plate 153 and the non-contact suction pad 143 can be adjusted. The load cell 152 is, for example, a load sensor, which generates an electrical signal corresponding to the weight of the spring roll F placed on the receiving plate 153 and outputs it to the control unit 16. The receiving plate 153 is a flat plate-shaped receiving part with an area large enough to hold the spring roll F. The tray 153 can be made of, for example, metals such as iron, copper, or aluminum, or resins such as plastic, but other materials may also be used.

[0031] The robot 10 also includes a camera 17, which is an imaging unit that captures moving images of spring rolls F being transported on the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2, and an encoder 18, which is a movement measurement unit that measures the amount of movement (travel distance) of the conveying surface S. The images acquired by the camera 17 are not limited to moving images, but may also be still images. The camera 17 and encoder 18 are connected to the control unit 16 via wiring. The camera 17 is located upstream of the robot 10. The encoder 18 is located downstream of the robot 10. However, the encoder 18 may be located upstream of the robot 10. The images captured by the camera 17 and the measurement signals from the encoder 18 are transmitted to the control unit 16. The images captured by the camera 17 may be stored in a storage unit 19, and the control unit 16 may read the images from the storage unit 19. In this first embodiment, the camera 17 and encoder 18 are configured as part of the robot 10, but they may be separate elements from the robot 10.

[0032] The control unit 16 controls the operation of the entire robot 10, and in particular controls related to weighing the spring rolls F. Based on the image acquired by the camera 17, the control unit 16 selects the spring rolls F to be measured. At this time, the control unit 16 may acquire positional information of the area where the selected spring rolls F are located. The control unit 16 controls the position of the robot hand 13 within the robot space in which the robot arm 12 and robot hand 13 can move by controlling the rotational movement of a rotary actuator (not shown) of the robot body and the extension and retraction of the robot arm 12. The control unit 16 also controls the vertical movement of the gripping unit 14, more specifically the vertical position of the tip of the gripping unit 14 (non-contact suction pad 143, guide member 142), by controlling the extension and retraction of the axis of the first actuator 141. The control unit 16 controls the suction operation of the two non-contact suction pads 143, i.e., the gripping operation by the gripping unit 14, by controlling a compressor (not shown). The control unit 16 controls the movement of the receiving unit 153 (movement of the measuring unit 15) by controlling the extension and retraction of the shaft of the second actuator 151. The control unit 16 obtains information regarding the measured weight of the spring roll F by receiving an electrical signal indicating the weight of the spring roll F measured by the load cell 152. The control unit 16 may store the information regarding the measured weight of the spring roll F in the storage unit 19. The control unit 16 may display the information regarding the measured weight of the spring roll F on the display unit 20. More detailed operation of the control unit 16 will be described later.

[0033] Next, we will describe the process performed by the robot 10 according to this first embodiment to measure the weight of the spring rolls F being transported on the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2. This process is performed based on control by the control unit 16. The outline of this process is as follows. The control unit 16 moves the robot hand onto the transport surface S and lowers the tip of the gripping unit 14 toward the transport surface S. The control unit 16 grasps the spring roll F to be weighed on the transport surface S with the gripping unit 14 and lifts it up (i.e., picks up the spring roll F). The area where the spring roll F was located before picking is called the first area. The transport surface S continues to move even after the robot 10 first grasps the spring roll F, and therefore the first area where the spring roll F was located also moves. The control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 to a position (second position) corresponding to the position (first position) that the first area will pass through after a predetermined time. The control unit 16 places the spring roll F picked up by the gripping unit 14 onto the receiving tray 153 of the measuring unit 15 and measures its weight using the load cell of the measuring unit 15. After measuring the weight, the control unit 16 grips the spring roll F again from the tray 153 with the gripping unit 14, and lowers the tip of the gripping unit 14 toward the conveying surface S while maintaining the grip. The control unit 16 releases the spring roll F from the gripping unit 14 when the first region arrives below the gripping unit 14. As a result, the spring roll F is placed back into its original region (first region) on the conveying surface S.

[0034] In the preceding section, the operation procedure of the control unit 16 moving the robot hand to the release position of the spring roll F and then weighing the spring roll F was shown. In another embodiment, the control unit 16 can perform an operation procedure in which it weighs the spring roll F and then moves the robot hand to the release position of the spring roll F. That is, the control unit 16 moves the robot hand onto the transport surface S and lowers the tip of the gripping unit 14 toward the transport surface S. The control unit 16 grips the spring roll F to be weighed on the transport surface S with the gripping unit 14 and lifts it up. The control unit 16 places the spring roll F picked up by the gripping unit 14 onto the receiving tray 153 of the measuring unit 15 and measures its weight with the load cell of the measuring unit 15. After measuring the weight, the control unit 16 grips the spring roll F again from the receiving tray 153 with the gripping unit 14. The control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 to a position (second position) corresponding to the position (first position) that the first region passes through after a predetermined time. The control unit 16 lowers the tip of the gripping unit 14 toward the transport surface S while still gripping the spring roll F. The control unit 16 releases the spring roll F from the gripping unit 14 when the first region arrives below the gripping unit 14. As a result, the spring roll F is placed back into its original region (first region) on the transport surface S. In addition, in another embodiment, it is also possible to perform the operation of moving the robot hand to the spring roll F release position and the operation of weighing the spring roll F simultaneously.

[0035] The following provides a more detailed explanation of this process.

[0036] Figure 7 is a flowchart detailing the process of measuring the weight of spring rolls F using robot 10. At the start of this process, the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 of the gripping section 14 of robot 10 is stopped. Also, the shafts of the first actuator 141 and the second actuator 151 are both fully retracted. At this time, the receiving tray 153 of the measuring section 15 is in a retracted position that does not obstruct the vertical movement of the gripping section 14.

[0037] In step S101, the control unit 16 of the robot 10 acquires a moving image captured by the camera 17 located upstream. Figure 8 is an example of a single frame of a video image acquired from camera 17.

[0038] In step S102, the control unit 16 selects one spring roll F to be weighed from among the four spring rolls F being transported side by side on the transport surface S, based on the image acquired by the camera 17. For example, the spring rolls formed by each of the winding devices 1a to 1d may be selected equally (for example, in order). That is, if the process of the flowchart in Figure 7 is repeatedly executed to measure the weight of multiple spring rolls F, the spring rolls F formed by each of the winding devices 1a to 1d may be selected approximately the same number of times.

[0039] Alternatively, the control unit 16 may use artificial intelligence to estimate the state of the spring rolls F from the images acquired by the camera 17, and select the spring rolls F to be weighed based on the estimated state. For example, it may estimate the weight of the spring rolls F and decide whether or not to weigh them. If there are spring rolls whose estimated weight is smaller than a first threshold (e.g., those estimated to be abnormally light) or larger than a second threshold (e.g., those estimated to be abnormally heavy), such spring rolls may be preferentially selected for weighing. Conversely, such spring rolls may be excluded from weighing. As another example, the control unit 16 may estimate the quality of the spring rolls F from their appearance and select the spring rolls F to be weighed from those whose quality is not defective. Quality other than defective includes good products and products that can be corrected to good products with minor adjustments (correctable products).

[0040] In step S103, the control unit 16 calculates the position of the spring rolls F to be weighed, selected in step S102, that is, the position of the region containing each spring roll F. The position to be calculated may be, for example, a relative position within the transport surface S, or it may be an absolute coordinate in a predetermined coordinate system. The position of the spring roll F may be calculated as the tip position, the center position (centroid), or the rear end position of the spring roll. Alternatively, the range of the region containing the spring roll, or the center position of the region, may be calculated. The region containing the spring roll F may be the region occupied by the spring roll F in a plan view, the region with a certain margin added to the occupied region, or a rectangle circumscribing the spring roll F. As a method for calculating the position of the spring roll F by image processing, for example, image processing techniques such as binarization, region division, and region extraction may be used. Alternatively, semantic segmentation based on artificial intelligence (AI) may be used.

[0041] In step S104, the control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 by rotating a rotary actuator (not shown) of the robot body 11 and extending or retracting the robot arm, or by performing at least one of the above. For example, the control unit 16 determines a position (picking position) where the selected spring roll F will be picked from among the positions that it will pass through in the future (relative positions within the transport surface S, which do not affect the movement of the transport surface S). The control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 so that the tip of the gripping part 14 is positioned at a position in the robot space corresponding to the picking position (picking standby position). For example, the robot hand is moved so that the tip of the gripping part 14 is positioned directly above the picking position. The height of the picking standby position from the transport surface S may be predetermined. The control unit 16 may determine the picking position based on the time required to move the robot hand 13 and the speed of movement of the transport surface S. Alternatively, the picking position may be predetermined for each winding device, and the predetermined position may be used as the picking position. Similarly, a picking standby position may be predetermined for each winding device, and this predetermined position may be designated as the picking standby position.

[0042] Figure 9A shows the state in which the tip of the gripping part 14 has been moved to a position corresponding to the picking position on the transport surface S (picking standby position).

[0043] The conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2 is constantly moving. The control unit 16 calculates the timing at which the spring roll F will be positioned (arrive) below the gripping unit 14, based on the position of the spring roll F to be weighed calculated in step S102 and the amount of movement of the conveying surface S measured by the encoder 18 (the rotation speed of the encoder 18). In other words, the control unit 16 calculates the timing at which the spring roll F will be positioned below the gripping unit 14 on the conveying surface S. Specifically, based on the time the spring roll F was detected and the distance between the position of the spring roll F and the picking position calculated in step S102, the timing at which the spring roll F will arrive below the gripping unit 14 can be calculated from the rotation speed of the encoder 18.

[0044] In step S105, the control unit 16 moves the tip of the gripping unit 14 closer to the spring roll F to be weighed (in the direction opposite to the conveying surface S) according to the calculated timing, and grips the spring roll F with the gripping unit 14. More specifically, the control unit 16 extends the shaft of the first actuator 141 vertically and starts the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143. The length to which the shaft of the first actuator 141 is extended may be predetermined. Alternatively, a proximity sensor may be provided at the tip of the gripping unit 14 (for example, the lower surface of the guide member 142), and the extension of the shaft may be stopped when the distance to the spring roll F reaches a certain value according to the proximity sensor. The tip of the gripping unit 14 approaches the spring roll F to be weighed on the conveying surface S, and the spring roll F is gripped (suctioned) by the tip of the gripping unit 14 in a non-contact state via the non-contact suction pad 143. At this time, as mentioned above, the presence of the guide member 142 ensures that the spring roll F is gripped securely.

[0045] Figure 9B shows the spring roll F to be weighed being held by the gripping part 14.

[0046] In step S106, the control unit 16 lifts the spring roll F, which is being held at the tip of the gripping unit 14, vertically upward (in the opposite direction to the direction facing the conveying surface S).

[0047] Figure 9C shows the spring roll F being held at the tip of the gripping part 14 and lifted vertically upward. In detail, the control unit 16 retracts the shaft of the first actuator 141 vertically while maintaining the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143. As a result, the spring roll F, which is being held in a non-contact state at the tip of the gripping part 14, is lifted vertically upward while maintaining that state.

[0048] In step S107, the control unit 16 extends the axis of the second actuator 151 of the measuring unit 15 horizontally, thereby moving the receiving tray 153 of the measuring unit 15 from the retracted position to directly below the spring roll F being held by the tip of the gripping unit 14. That is, the receiving tray 153 is moved to a position (measurement position) where the spring roll F is located between the tip of the gripping unit 14 and the receiving tray 153.

[0049] Figure 9D shows the state in which the receiving tray 153 at the tip of the measuring unit 15 has been moved to directly below the spring roll F being held by the tip of the gripping unit 14.

[0050] In step S108, the control unit 16 stops the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 of the gripping unit 14 (by releasing the grip of the gripping unit 14), causing the spring roll F being held at the tip of the gripping unit 14 to fall and be placed on the receiving tray 153.

[0051] Figure 9E shows the spring roll F, which is being held at the tip of the gripping part 14, placed on the receiving tray 153.

[0052] In step S109, the control unit 16 measures the weight of the spring roll F on the tray 153 using the load cell 152 of the measuring unit 15.

[0053] Figure 9F shows the state in which the load cell 152 of the measurement unit 15 measures the weight of the spring roll F on the receiving tray 153. At this time, the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 is stopped, so the weight of the spring roll F can be measured without being affected by the airflow generated by the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143. Therefore, highly accurate measurement can be performed.

[0054] In step S110, the control unit 16 restarts the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 of the gripping unit 14, thereby allowing the spring roll F on the receiving tray 153 at the tip of the measuring unit 15 to be gripped again by the gripping unit 14.

[0055] Figure 9G shows the state in which the spring roll F, which is on the receiving tray 153 at the tip of the measuring unit 15, is gripped again by the gripping unit 14.

[0056] In step S111, the control unit 16 returns the receiving tray 153 from the measurement position to its original position (retracted position) by horizontally retracting the shaft of the second actuator 151 of the measurement unit 15.

[0057] Figure 9H shows the state in which the receiving tray 153 has been returned to its original position by horizontally retracting the shaft of the second actuator 151 of the measuring unit 15.

[0058] In step S112, the control unit 16 returns the spring roll F, which is being held by the tip of the gripping unit 14, to its original position within the first region on the transport surface S.

[0059] Figure 9I shows the state in which the spring roll F, which is gripped by the tip of the gripping part 14, has been returned to its original position within the first region on the transport surface S. In detail, the control unit 16 sets the position (relative position within the transport surface S, which does not affect the movement of the transport surface S) that the first region passes through a predetermined time after the spring roll F is first gripped from the transport surface S as the release position (first position) of the spring roll F on the transport surface S. The control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 so that the tip of the gripping part 14 is positioned in the robot space corresponding to the release position (release standby position or second position). The predetermined time is a time (first time) that is longer than or equal to the time required from when the spring roll F is gripped from the transport surface S until it is released from the gripping part 14 after measurement. The control unit 16 may determine the release standby position (second position) of the robot hand 13 based on the predetermined time and the movement speed of the transport surface S. For example, based on the movement speed of the conveying surface S and the time required from picking the spring roll F from the conveying surface S to releasing it back to the conveying surface S, a position where the spring roll F can be released in time is determined as the release standby position (second position). The release standby position may be predetermined for each winding device, and the predetermined position may be used as the release standby position.

[0060] The control unit 16 moves the robot hand 13 to the release standby position (second position) by performing at least one of the following: rotation of a rotary actuator (not shown) of the robot body 11 and extension / retraction of the robot arm. The control unit 16 releases the spring roll F from the gripping part 14 of the robot hand in accordance with the timing when the original region (first region) passes through the release position (first position). More specifically, the control unit 16 lowers the tip of the gripping part 14 in the direction facing the transport surface S and stops the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 of the gripping part 14 in accordance with the timing when the original region (first region) arrives below the tip of the gripping part 14. This releases the spring roll F from the gripping part 14 and allows it to be placed back into the original region (first region). The timing when the original region (first region) passes through the release position (first position), i.e., the timing when the spring roll F is released, can be determined based on the amount of movement of the transport surface S (number of rotations of the encoder 18) from the time the spring roll F is picked until it is released. As a result, the spring roll F, which was held in contact with the tip of the gripping part 14, is released from the gripping part 14 and returned to its original region (first region) on the transport surface S.

[0061] In step S113, the control unit 16 returns the tip of the gripping portion 14 to its original position by vertically retracting the axis of the first actuator 141 of the gripping portion 14 (Figure 9J).

[0062] By performing the processes described in steps S101 to S113, the robot 10 can measure the weight of the spring rolls F being transported on the transport surface S. Furthermore, by repeatedly performing the processes in steps S101 to S113, the robot 10 can measure the weight of multiple spring rolls F being transported on the transport surface S. This allows, for example, the robot to sample the spring rolls F being transported on the transport surface S and measure their weight.

[0063] As described above, according to this first embodiment, the robot hand 13 of the robot 10 includes a gripping unit 14 for gripping the spring roll F from the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2, a receiving tray 153 for receiving the spring roll F from the gripping unit 14, and a measuring unit 15 for measuring the weight of the spring roll F received in the receiving tray 153. Because the spring roll F is placed on the receiving tray 153 for weight measurement, the weight of the spring roll F can be measured with higher accuracy (high precision) than in the conventional technology. Furthermore, because the movement of the spring roll F picked from the conveying surface S to the receiving tray 153 is performed within the robot hand 13 (the gripping unit 14 and the measuring unit 15 are located close together), weight measurement can be performed at high speed. Thus, according to this first embodiment, it is possible to measure the weight of spring rolls F conveyed on the conveying surface S at high speed and with high precision.

[0064] More specifically, the operation of placing the spring roll F, gripped by the gripping unit 14, onto the receiving tray 153 of the measuring unit 15 to measure its weight, and then gripping it again with the gripping unit 14, can be performed simply by extending and retracting the axes of the first actuator 141 and the second actuator 151. This allows the weight of the spring roll F to be measured in a short time. As a result, the measurement time can be reduced to, for example, half or less compared to cases where the measuring unit 15 is located on the main body of the robot or outside the robot. Because the time required for weight measurement is short, the spring roll F can be returned to its original position within the area on the transport surface S. That is, since the transport surface S is constantly moving while the spring roll F is being picked from the transport surface S and its weight is being measured, if the measurement time is long, the area where the spring roll F was located (the first area) will advance beyond the maximum length of the robot arm 12. In this case, it will not be possible to return the spring roll F to its original area (the first area). If the spring rolls are arranged at high density, there may not be any space to return the spring rolls to outside of their original area. In this first embodiment, since the measurement time is short, the spring rolls can be returned to their original area, thus preventing them from overlapping with other spring rolls when released.

[0065] Furthermore, according to this first embodiment, the spring rolls F being transported on the transport surface S are held (gripped) in a non-contact manner. Therefore, deformation of the spring rolls F or leaving marks on the surface can be suppressed when measuring the weight. Specifically, the tip of the gripping part 14 is provided with two non-contact suction pads 143 that hold (gripped) the spring rolls F in a non-contact manner, and a guide member 142 that surrounds the sides of the spring rolls F held by the non-contact suction pads 143. As a result, the non-contact suction force (gripping force) of the non-contact suction pads 143 is improved, and the spring rolls F are prevented from sliding sideways and falling.

[0066] Furthermore, a guide member 142 is attached to the tip of the gripping portion 14, and the non-contact suction pad 143 is placed on the guide member 142. This allows for easy attachment and detachment of the guide member 142. For example, when weighing foods other than spring rolls F, a guide member suited to the shape of the food can be used. In that case, only the guide member can be replaced, and the non-contact suction pad 143 can be reused.

[0067] Furthermore, multiple non-contact suction pads 143 are placed to match the shape of the guide member 142, that is, the shape of the spring roll F. In this first embodiment, two non-contact suction pads 143 are arranged along the length of the guide member 142. This creates a uniform negative pressure, allowing the spring roll F to be gripped more securely while suppressing deformation of its shape.

[0068] Furthermore, when the weight of the spring roll F is measured by the measuring unit 15, the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143 is stopped. This allows for highly accurate measurement of the weight of the spring roll F without being affected by the airflow generated by the suction operation of the non-contact suction pad 143.

[0069] Furthermore, the control unit 16 can calculate the position of the spring roll F on the transport surface S from the moving image captured by the camera 17, and measure the amount of movement of the transport surface S using the encoder 18. This allows for reliable picking of the spring roll F to be weighed, and also allows for highly accurate return of the picked spring roll F to its original area (first area) on the transport surface S.

[0070] In step S102 of the flowchart in Figure 7, the area (position) of the spring roll F was calculated by performing image processing on one frame of the video acquired by the camera 17. Alternatively, a photoelectric sensor may be placed in place of the camera 17 or in addition to the camera 17 to detect when the spring roll F has passed. In this case, the range or position on the conveying surface S corresponding to the photoelectric sensor may be considered the area or position where the spring roll F is located. Furthermore, if the drive speed of the belt conveyor 2 (the moving speed of the conveying surface S) is always constant with high precision, the amount of movement of the conveying surface S may be calculated by multiplying the moving speed of the conveying surface S by the time measured by a timer, instead of using the encoder 18. In this case, the timer may be provided on the robot 10.

[0071] (Second Embodiment) Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a food weighing system 100 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The food weighing system 100 includes winding devices 1a to 1d, a belt conveyor 2, and a robot 10, as well as a management device 30 for managing the winding devices 1a to 1d. The functions of the management device 30 may be included in the robot 10. The management device 30 includes an input unit 31 that is operated by the user, a display unit 32 that displays data or information, a control unit 33 (second control unit) that controls the operation of the management device 30, a communication unit 34 that communicates with the robot 10 and the winding devices 1a to 1d, etc., and a storage unit 35 that stores data or information. If the control unit 33 is configured with a processor such as a CPU, data such as a program to be executed by the processor and parameters necessary for the operation of the program may be stored in the storage unit 35. The communication unit 34 may communicate with a terminal device held by the user. Instead of the input unit 31, the user may input operations from a terminal device.

[0072] Under the control of the control unit 16, the robot 10 selects multiple or a predetermined number of spring rolls F being transported on the conveying surface S of the belt conveyor 2, and measures the weight of the selected spring rolls F. In this case, the spring rolls F formed by each winding device 1a to 1d may be selected equally. For example, when measuring the weight of 100 spring rolls F, 25 spring rolls F formed by each winding device 1a to 1d may be selected.

[0073] The communication unit 34 of the control device 30 receives information from the robot 10 indicating the weight of the spring rolls F measured by the robot 10. The control unit 33 calculates the average weight of the spring rolls F formed by each of the rolling devices 1a to 1d based on the weight of the spring rolls F measured by the robot 10. For example, the average weights of the spring rolls F formed by rolling devices 1a to 1d are calculated to be 101g, 100g, 99g, and 102g, respectively.

[0074] The control unit 33 of the control device 30 determines that there is a malfunction or a sign of malfunction in a winding device if the average weight of that winding device does not fall within the specified range. For example, if the specified range is 99g to 101g, the average weight of the spring rolls F formed by winding device 1d, which is 102g, does not fall within the specified range (99g to 101g). Therefore, the control unit 33 of the control device 30 determines that there is a malfunction or a sign of malfunction in winding device 1d. In the following, winding device 1d is assumed to be the winding device in which a malfunction or a sign of malfunction was detected. In this example, the average weight was used, but the weight of a single spring roll selected by sampling may also be used. Alternatively, other statistical values ​​such as the median, minimum, maximum, or standard deviation may be used instead of the mean.

[0075] The purpose of this example is to adjust each winding device so that the weight falls within the specified range. The following explanation will use an example of a malfunction or sign of malfunction in the winding device, but the scope of rights in this example is not limited to malfunctions or signs of malfunction. When the weight of spring roll F is 102g, it may be judged as a malfunction in the winding device, or it may be judged as not being a malfunction but that the winding device should be adjusted to bring it closer to the specified range.

[0076] The control unit 33 causes the display unit 32 to display information (e.g., a warning message) indicating that there is an abnormality or a sign of an abnormality in the winding device 1d. For example, it displays the identification information of the winding device 1d, the type of abnormality (e.g., "weight abnormality"), and the details of the abnormality (e.g., "over 1g"). After checking the information displayed on the display unit 32, the user may go to the winding device 1d, check its status, and adjust its operation. Alternatively, the user may input instruction data from the input unit 31 to instruct the modification of parameters that control the operation of the winding device 1d, and transmit the instruction data to the winding device 1d from the communication unit 34. Upon receiving the instruction data, the winding device 1d adjusts its parameters according to the instruction data. Examples of parameters include a value indicating the amount of material used for processing (material usage), winding pressure, and processing temperature. By performing processing according to the adjusted parameters, the winding device 1d can improve its yield.

[0077] The control unit 33 of the management device 30 may modify the parameters that control the operation of the winding device 1d based on the detected abnormality and send instruction data to the winding device 1d instructing it to use the modified parameters. For example, a table that associates the content of the abnormality with the amount of modification of the parameters to be modified may be stored in the storage unit 35 of the management device 30 in advance, and the control unit 33 may identify the amount of parameter modification corresponding to the detected abnormality from the table. This makes it possible to automatically improve the yield of the winding device without the need for human intervention.

[0078] In addition to displaying information indicating the detection of abnormalities related to the winding device on the display unit 32, the management device 30 may also transmit a warning signal to the winding device 1d, and the winding device 1d may output information corresponding to the warning signal. For example, if the winding device 1d is equipped with a display unit, a warning message may be displayed on this display unit. A worker who sees the warning message displayed on the display unit of the winding device 1d may adjust the operation of the winding device 1d on the spot. For example, the winding device 1d may be adjusted to reduce the amount of material used, specifically the amount of filling. This can improve the yield of the winding device 1d. The same information or data displayed on the display unit 32 may also be displayed on the display unit of the robot 10.

[0079] Furthermore, the means of notifying of an abnormality or sign of an abnormality in the winding device are not limited to displaying a warning message on the display unit 32. Other means may be used to notify users, such as workers, of the warning message, for example, by sounding an alarm. In this case, speakers may be provided on the control device 30, the robot, or the winding device. If workers possess a tablet device, the warning message may be sent to this tablet device.

[0080] (Hardware configuration) Some or all of the robot 10, the management device 30, and the winding devices 1a to 1d in Figure 1 may be configured as an information processing device equipped with one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) or other processors, storage devices, and communication interfaces. An OS (Operating System) and applications may run on the information processing device. The OS and applications correspond to an example of a computer program for realizing the operation according to this embodiment. Some or all of the functions of the robot 10, the management device 30, and the winding devices 1a to 1d may be realized by semiconductor circuits such as FPGAs and ASICs or GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). The information processing device may be a physical computer, or it may be realized by a virtual computer (VM), a container, or a combination thereof. The functions of the robot 10, the management device 30, and the winding devices 1a to 1d may be shared among one or more physical computers, virtual computers, or containers.

[0081] While several embodiments of this disclosure have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. These embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the disclosure, as well as in the disclosure described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0082] Furthermore, the effects described herein are merely illustrative, and other effects may also occur.

[0083] Furthermore, this disclosure can also take the following form. [Item 1] A robot hand including a gripping section for gripping an article being transported by a transport surface, a receiving section for receiving the article from the gripping section, and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the article received by the receiving section, A control unit for controlling the robot hand, A weighing device equipped with [a specific feature]. [Item 2] The control unit causes the item measured by the measuring unit to be grasped by the gripping unit from the receiving unit, and releases the item grasped by the gripping unit to the transport surface. The weighing device described in item 1. [Item 3] The control unit, The gripping portion is moved in a first direction opposite to the transport surface, and the article on the transport surface is gripped by the gripping portion. The gripping portion that is gripping the article is moved from the transport surface in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Move the receiving portion from the retracted position to the measurement position where the article is located between it and the gripping portion. The weighing device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the article is released from the gripping portion and received by the receiving portion. [Item 4] The control unit, The article measured by the measuring unit is moved from the receiving unit to the gripping unit, While the article is being held by the gripping portion, the receiving portion is moved to the retracted position. The gripping portion is moved in the first direction, and the article is released from the gripping portion, thereby placing the article on the transport surface. The weighing device described in item 3. [Item 5] The control unit causes the gripping unit to grip the article from the first region of the transport surface. The robot hand is moved to a second position corresponding to a first position through which the first region passes, one hour after the article is grasped. The article is released from the gripping portion in accordance with the timing at which the first region passes the first position, thereby placing the article on the first region. The weighing device described in item 2. [Item 6] The first time is longer than the time required from gripping the article from the transport surface until the article is released from the gripping part after measurement. The weighing device described in item 5. [Item 7] The control unit determines the second position to which the robot hand moves, based on the first time and the moving speed of the transport surface. A weighing device as described in item 5 or 6. [Item 8] The system includes a movement measurement unit that measures the amount of movement of the conveying surface after the item has been grasped from the conveying surface. The control unit determines the timing based on the amount of movement. A weighing device as described in any one of items 5 to 7. [Item 9] A first actuator that moves the gripping portion in the first and second directions, The receiving portion is further equipped with a second actuator that moves the receiving portion between the retracted position and the measurement position, The control unit moves the gripping portion by controlling the first actuator. The control unit moves the receiving portion by controlling the second actuator. A weighing device as described in item 3 or 4. [Item 10] The measuring unit includes a load cell that converts the weight of the article received by the receiving unit into an electrical signal. A weighing device as described in any one of items 1 to 9. [Item 11] The receiving portion is coupled to the load cell, The receiving portion is moved integrally with the load cell. The weighing device described in item 10. [Item 12] The gripping portion includes a non-contact suction pad that grips the article in a non-contact manner by ejecting gas from an opening. A weighing device as described in any one of items 1 to 11. [Item 13] The aforementioned article is a processed food, The gripping portion includes a guide member that surrounds the side of the processed food, which is gripped in a non-contact manner by the non-contact suction pad, in accordance with the shape of the processed food. The weighing device described in item 12. [Item 14] The height of the guide member is lower than the height of the processed food. The weighing device described in item 13. [Item 15] The non-contact suction pad is placed on the guide member, The opening of the non-contact suction pad faces the space surrounded by the guide member. A weighing device as described in item 13 or 14. [Item 16] Multiple non-contact suction pads are placed according to the shape of the guide member. The weighing device described in item 15. [Item 17] The system includes an imaging unit that acquires images of multiple articles being transported on the transport surface, The control unit selects the item to be weighed from the plurality of items being transported on the transport surface based on the image. A weighing device as described in any one of items 1 to 16. [Item 18] The control unit uses artificial intelligence to estimate the state of the multiple articles based on the images acquired by the imaging unit, and selects an article to be weighed from the multiple articles based on the estimated state. The weighing device described in item 17. [Item 19] The robot hand grasps the article on the transport surface where the article is being transported, The article gripped by the gripping part is received from the gripping part by the receiving part of the robot hand. The weight of the item received by the receiving part is measured by the measuring part of the robot hand. The measured article is grasped by the gripping part from the receiving part, The article gripped by the gripping part is released to the transport surface. Weighing method. [Item 20] A food processing apparatus that processes food to produce processed food, and places the processed food on a conveying surface, A robot hand comprising: a gripping section for gripping the processed food being transported on the transport surface; a receiving section for receiving the processed food from the gripping section; and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the processed food received by the receiving section; A first control unit that controls the robot hand, A second control unit controls the processing of the food by the food processing apparatus based on the weight of the processed food, A food weighing system equipped with [specific features / features]. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Winding device (food processing equipment) 2. Belt conveyor (conveying device) 3. Conveyor belt 10. Food weighing robot (food weighing device) 11. Robot body 12 Robot Arms 13 Robot Hand 14 Gripping part 141 First actuator 142 Guide member 142a Side wall part 142b Upper part 143 Non-contact suction pad 143a Main body 143b Interpolation part 143c supply port 143d channel 143e aperture 15 Measurement section 151 Second Actuator 152 load cells 153 Receiving tray (receiving part) 16 Control Unit 17. Camera (imaging unit) 18. Encoder (movement measurement unit) 19 Memory section 20 Display section 21 Communications Department 30 Management device 31 Input section 32 Display section 33 Control Unit 34 Communications Department 35 Storage section A rotation axis D Conveying direction F Spring rolls (processed food) S Conveyor surface H Spring roll height X Horizontal Z vertical direction d gap h Height of the side wall

Claims

1. A robot hand including a gripping section for gripping an article being transported by a transport surface, a receiving section for receiving the article from the gripping section, and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the article received by the receiving section, A control unit for controlling the robot hand, A first actuator moves the gripping portion in a first direction opposite to the transport surface and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The receiving portion is Evacuation location and The measurement position where the article is located between the gripping portion and the gripping portion A second actuator that moves between, A weighing device equipped with [a specific feature].

2. A robot hand comprising: a gripping section for gripping an article being conveyed by a conveying surface; a receiving section for receiving the article from the gripping section; and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the article received by the receiving section, A control unit for controlling the robot hand, Equipped with, The control unit, The gripping portion is moved in a first direction opposite to the transport surface, and the article on the transport surface is gripped by the gripping portion. The gripping portion that is gripping the article is moved from the transport surface in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Move the receiving portion from the retracted position to the measurement position where the article is located between it and the gripping portion. By releasing the article from the gripping portion, the article is received by the receiving portion. Weighing device.

3. The control unit, The article measured by the measuring unit is moved from the receiving unit to the gripping unit, While the article is being held by the gripping portion, the receiving portion is moved to the retracted position. The gripping portion is moved in the first direction, and the article is released from the gripping portion, thereby placing the article on the transport surface. The weighing device according to claim 2.

4. A robot hand comprising: a gripping section for gripping an article being conveyed by a conveying surface; a receiving section for receiving the article from the gripping section; and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the article received by the receiving section, A control unit for controlling the robot hand, Equipped with, The control unit causes the gripping unit to grip the article from the first region of the transport surface. The robot hand is moved to a second position corresponding to a first position through which the first region passes, one hour after the article is grasped. The article is released from the gripping portion in accordance with the timing at which the first region passes the first position, thereby placing the article on the first region. Weighing device.

5. The control unit determines the second position to which the robot hand moves, based on the first time and the moving speed of the transport surface. The weighing device according to claim 4.

6. The system includes a movement measurement unit that measures the amount of movement of the conveying surface after the item has been grasped from the conveying surface. The control unit determines the timing based on the amount of movement. The weighing device according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The measuring unit has a load cell that converts the weight of the article received by the receiving unit into an electrical signal. The receiving portion is coupled to the load cell, The receiving portion is moved integrally with the load cell. A weighing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The aforementioned article is a processed food, The gripping portion has a non-contact suction pad that grips the processed food in a non-contact manner by ejecting gas from an opening. The gripping portion includes a guide member that surrounds the side of the processed food, which is gripped in a non-contact state by the non-contact suction pad, in accordance with the shape of the processed food. A weighing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The non-contact suction pad is placed on the guide member, The opening of the non-contact suction pad faces the space surrounded by the guide member, The weighing device according to claim 8.

10. The robot hand grasps the article on the transport surface where the article is being transported, The article gripped by the gripping part is received from the gripping part by the receiving part of the robot hand. The weight of the item received by the receiving part is measured by the measuring part of the robot hand. The measured article is grasped by the gripping part from the receiving part, The article gripped by the gripping part is released to the transport surface. Weighing method.

11. A food processing apparatus that processes food to produce processed food, and places the processed food on a conveying surface, A robot hand comprising: a gripping section for gripping the processed food being transported on the transport surface; a receiving section for receiving the processed food from the gripping section; and a measuring section for measuring the weight of the processed food received by the receiving section; A first control unit that controls the robot hand, A second control unit controls the processing of the food by the food processing apparatus based on the weight of the processed food, A first actuator moves the gripping portion in a first direction opposite to the transport surface and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The receiving portion is Evacuation location and The measurement position where the processed food is located between the gripping portion and the measurement position A second actuator that moves between, A food weighing system equipped with [specific features / features].

Images