Storage device

Abstract

To allow more reliable detection of the change of a state when the deposited amount of a target object is increased.SOLUTION: A storage device capable of storing a target in an internal space includes: a detection member as a long member of which one end is inserted in the internal space and other end is provided out of the internal space; a supporting unit for supporting the detection member so that the one end can be oscillated in plural directions in planer view by contacting with a target in the internal space; and a detection unit located near the detection member outside the internal space, the detection unit being capable of detecting a separation of the detection member due to oscillation of the detection member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a storage device.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, as an abnormality detection device for detecting the presence or absence of an abnormality in a conveyor chute, a configuration is shown in which the sound pressure inside the chute is detected and then the presence or absence of an abnormality in the conveyor chute is determined based on the sound pressure level. Further, Patent Document 1 describes determining the accumulation level of raw materials using the sound pressure level.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The accumulation amount of an object in the chute may greatly affect the operation of the conveyor, etc., so it is important to grasp the change in the accumulation amount.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a technique capable of more reliably detecting a change in state when the accumulation amount of an object increases.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a storage device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a storage device capable of storing an object in an internal space, comprising: a detection member which is a long member, one end of which is inserted into the internal space and the other end of which is provided outside the internal space; a support portion which supports the detection member such that the one end can swing in multiple directions in a plan view by contact with the object in the internal space; and a detection unit which is positioned close to the detection member outside the internal space and is capable of detecting the separation of the detection member due to the swinging of the detection member.

[0007] In the above-described storage device, when the amount of material accumulated in the internal space increases, the detection member comes into contact with the material and swings. At this time, the swing of the detection member is detected by a detection unit located outside the internal space. In other words, the detection unit is capable of detecting the swing that occurs when the detection member comes into contact with the material. Therefore, by placing the detection member at the location where it is desired to detect the accumulation of material, the increase in the amount of material accumulated can be appropriately detected.

[0008] The detection member further comprises a rod-shaped member and a spherical member through which the rod-shaped member passes in the center, and the support portion has a recess in the center, and includes a tap in the center of the bottom of the recess having an opening whose diameter is larger than that of the rod-shaped member and smaller than that of the spherical member, and the support portion may be configured to support the detection member so that it can swing, with the rod-shaped member passing through the opening of the tap and the spherical member housed in the recess.

[0009] With the above configuration, the spherical member can move within the recess with a simple structure, and the detection member to which the spherical member is attached can swing in multiple directions.

[0010] The detection unit may be a proximity sensor, and in the detection member, the member to be detected by the proximity sensor may be attached near the detection unit.

[0011] With the above configuration, the oscillation of the detection member can be detected by whether or not the member to be detected is in close proximity to the proximity sensor. Therefore, changes in the state of the internal space can be detected with a simpler configuration.

[0012] The detection member may be configured to be detachable below the support position provided by the support portion.

[0013] With the above configuration, the size and length of the detection element can be changed by replacing the separable components, allowing for easy adjustment of the device configuration according to the type of object being detected and the amount of sediment to be detected.

[0014] The internal space and before The system may also include a bellows that is continuous with the boundary outside the internal space and attached to the detection member, and which is expandable and contractible as the detection member moves.

[0015] With the above configuration, the bellows are provided to connect the boundary and the detection member, thereby preventing objects in the internal space from scattering outside the boundary.

[0016] The storage device may have an introduction section for transporting the object and depositing it into the internal space, and the detection member may be provided in a position that does not overlap with the deposit path of the object deposited by the introduction section.

[0017] This configuration prevents the object from coming into contact with the detection member when it is introduced into the internal space by the introduction unit, thus preventing the detection unit from falsely detecting a change in the amount of object deposited. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to this disclosure, a technology is provided that can more reliably detect changes in the state of an object when the amount of accumulated material increases. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a storage device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a storage device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a storage amount monitoring device attached to the storage device. [Figure 4] Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are enlarged views of a part of the storage amount monitoring device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the storage amount monitoring device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted. In some of the drawings, an orthogonal coordinate system defined by the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis is shown. In the following embodiments, the Z-axis corresponds to the vertical direction, and the X-axis and Y-axis correspond to the horizontal direction.

[0021] (Cement Raw Material Supply Device) Figures 1 and 2 schematically show a cement raw material supply device, which is an example of a storage device according to one embodiment. The cement raw material supply device is configured to be able to store cement raw material inside as an object, and has a function of supplying the cement raw material to the subsequent cement manufacturing equipment. In this embodiment, the case where the object is cement raw material will be described, but the object is not particularly limited.

[0022] Note that the "storage device" in the present disclosure is not limited to a device for storing an object for a predetermined time, but also includes a device in which an object is temporarily stored (stays) inside in an unintended state. Examples of a device for storing an object for a predetermined time include a tank, a silo, a hopper, etc. On the other hand, examples of a device in which an object stays inside although not intended include a conveying facility such as a chute.

[0023] The cement raw material supply device, described in detail in the following embodiments, is a type of chute that has the function of supplying cement raw materials, which are the target material supplied from the preceding stage, to the cement manufacturing equipment in the subsequent stage. The cement raw material supply device is not a device intended to store cement raw materials inside the device. However, in a cement raw material supply device, depending on the relationship between the cement raw materials supplied from the preceding stage and the cement raw materials supplied to the subsequent stage, a state in which cement raw materials temporarily remain inside may occur. In other words, in a cement raw material supply device, although unintentional, there is a possibility that the target material may remain inside for a certain period of time due to the device configuration. In this disclosure, devices such as a cement raw material supply device, in which there is a possibility that the target material may remain inside for a certain period of time unintentionally, are also included in the definition of "storage device".

[0024] The cement raw material supply device 1 comprises a main body 10, an introduction section 20, an outlet section 30, and a storage volume monitoring device 50.

[0025] The main body 10 is, for example, a tank and has an internal space 15 capable of storing cement raw material O. The main body 10 is composed of an upper wall 11 and side walls 12. The upper wall 11 is composed of a top surface 11a extending along the horizontal direction (XY plane) and an inclined surface 11b that is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. The inclined surface 11b is provided with a mounting case 11c for attaching a storage amount monitoring device 50, which will be described later.

[0026] The mounting case 11c is a housing whose upper surface protrudes from the inclined surface 11b, and whose upper surface is a horizontal plane. The mounting case 11c is also provided with an opening for mounting the storage volume monitoring device 50, which will be described later, and the storage volume monitoring device 50 is fixed to the opening. Furthermore, an opening is formed in the inclined surface 11b below the mounting position of the mounting case 11c for inserting the detection member 70 of the storage volume monitoring device 50 into the internal space 15. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the mounting case 11c is provided in a position on the inclined surface 11b that does not overlap with the introduction section 20 when viewed from one direction (the X-axis direction). This point will be explained later.

[0027] The side wall 12 is configured in a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and includes a pair of side walls 12a and 12b that are arranged opposite each other along one direction (the X-axis direction). The main body 10 may have a constricted portion 10a at its lower part that narrows from top to bottom.

[0028] The introduction section 20 transports the cement raw material O and introduces it into the main body section 10. The introduction section 20 may be a conventional conveying machine such as a belt conveyor. In the example shown in Figure 1, the introduction section 20 extends in one direction (the X-axis direction) so as to penetrate the side wall 12a, and introduces the cement raw material O into the internal space 15 from its end.

[0029] The discharge section 30 is located below the main body 10. The discharge section 30 discharges the cement raw material O from below within the main body 10. Downstream of the discharge section 30, there may be a conveying section that transports the cement raw material O discharged from the discharge section 30 and supplies it to downstream equipment. Examples of downstream equipment include a raw material mill used in cement production. The amount of cement raw material discharged from the main body 10 can be adjusted by changing the conveying speed of the cement raw material by the conveying section.

[0030] In the cement raw material supply device 1 described above, the cement raw material O transported by the introduction section 20 is introduced into the internal space 15 of the main body section 10 and falls through the internal space 15. The cement raw material O falling through the internal space 15 is collected by the constriction section 10a at the bottom of the main body section 10 and temporarily stored inside the main body section 10. After that, it is led out to the outlet section 30 connected to the bottom of the main body section 10.

[0031] Furthermore, the cement raw material O can be any of the various raw materials used in the manufacture of cement. For example, it may be a blended raw material containing multiple types of raw materials of different sizes, or it may be raw materials before blending. Thus, since various raw materials can be used for the cement raw material O, the range of particle sizes is also wide. The cement raw material O also includes materials that have properties that make them easy to solidify, such as CaO. In addition, among the cement raw material O, fine particles with small particle sizes tend to adhere more easily to the inner walls of equipment, etc., than coarse particles with larger particle sizes.

[0032] (Storage volume monitoring device) The storage volume monitoring device 50 has the function of monitoring the volume of cement raw material O stored in the internal space 15. In particular, the storage volume monitoring device 50 has the function of detecting when the amount of stored cement raw material O has increased to a certain extent, for the purpose of preventing the stored cement raw material O from interfering with the introduction section 20.

[0033] The storage volume monitoring device 50 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The storage volume monitoring device 50 is composed of a detection unit 60, a detection member 70, and a support unit 80 that supports the detection unit 60 and the detection member 70.

[0034] The detection unit 60 is provided outside the main body 10 and is capable of detecting the movement of the detection member 70, particularly changes from a predetermined position. For example, a proximity sensor can be used as the detection unit 60. When a proximity sensor is used as the detection unit 60, the detection method is not particularly limited, and various types of sensors can be used, such as magnetic, capacitive, and high-frequency oscillating (inductive) sensors. The following embodiment describes the case in which a proximity sensor is used as the detection unit 60. When a proximity sensor is used as the detection unit 60, the detection surface 61 of the sensor is installed facing downward (-Z direction) so as to face the main body 10. The detection result from the detection unit 60 may be transmitted to an external device, for example, via a cable connected to the detection unit 60.

[0035] The detection member 70 is generally a rod-shaped member. Specifically, the detection member 70 is composed of an upper support rod 71, a detection rod 72 provided at the lower part of the support rod 71, and a connecting part 73 that connects the support rod 71 and the detection rod 72.

[0036] The support rod 71 is a rod-shaped member provided above the connecting portion 73 as shown in the figure. The target member 74, which is to be detected by the proximity sensor of the detection unit 60, is attached to the upper end of the support rod 71. The material of the target member 74 is selected according to the detection method and detection performance of the proximity sensor. The detection unit 60 is positioned close enough to the target member 74 to be able to detect it.

[0037] A ball 75, which constitutes part of the bearing structure, is attached to the middle of the support rod 71. The ball 75 is fixed to the support rod 71 such that the axis of the support rod 71 passes through the center of the ball 75. The ball 75 is housed in a tap included in the support part 80, which will be described later, thereby supporting the sensing member 70 in a swingable state. Note that the ball 75 does not need to be a perfect sphere; as shown in Figure 4(a), etc., it is sufficient that at least a spherical curved surface is formed on the side surface of the support rod 71.

[0038] The detection rod 72 is a rod-shaped member attached below the support rod 71. A plate-shaped portion 76 with a larger outer diameter than the detection rod 72 is attached to the lower end of the detection rod 72. The shape of the plate-shaped portion 76 is not particularly limited. By attaching a member with a larger outer diameter than the detection rod 72 to the lower end of the detection rod 72, the possibility of contact between the detection rod 72 or the plate-shaped portion 76 and the cement raw material O, which is the contents, can be increased.

[0039] The connecting portion 73 has the function of connecting the support rod 71 and the detection rod 72. For example, a union joint can be used as the connecting portion 73. However, the type and shape of the connecting portion 73 can be changed as appropriate. Also, the shape of the parts of the support rod 71 and the detection rod 72 that are connected to the connecting portion 73 is changed according to the type of connecting portion 73. The support rod 71 and the detection rod 72 may be detachable from the connecting portion 73. In this case, for example, the detection rod 72 can be replaced.

[0040] In the above-mentioned detection member 70, the ball 75 is supported by the support portion 80 outside the main body portion 10, and a part of the support rod 71, the connecting portion 73, and the detection rod 72 are inserted into the internal space 15 of the main body portion 10.

[0041] Next, the support section 80 will be described. The support section 80 is composed of a fixing plate 81, a cylindrical section 82, a bellows 83, a fixing plate 84, a tap 85, and a detection section support bar 86.

[0042] The fixing plate 81 is a flat plate-shaped member and can be fixed to the upper surface of the mounting case 11c of the main body 10. The mounting case 11c has an opening, and the fixing plate 81 is attached so as to close the opening. Figure 3 shows the mounting case 11c schematically, but in reality, it is fixed using screws, for example.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(b), the fixing plate 81 is provided with a circular opening 81a. The cylindrical portion 82 is fixed to the fixing plate 81 so as to close this opening 81a.

[0044] The cylindrical portion 82 is composed of a cylindrical main body portion 82a and a flange 82b that protrudes outward from one end of the main body portion 82a. The inner diameter of the main body portion 82a is set according to the opening 81a of the fixing plate 81. That is, the inner diameter of the main body portion 82a is set so that it roughly matches the diameter of the opening 81a. The flange 82b is made of an annular plate-like member and is attached to one end of the main body portion 82a.

[0045] The cylindrical portion 82 is installed on the fixing plate 81 such that the opening on the side of the main body portion 82a that does not have a flange 82b overlaps with the opening 81a of the fixing plate 81. In this state, for example, by joining the fixing plate 81 and the cylindrical portion 82 by welding or the like, a structure is formed in which the opening 81a of the fixing plate 81 and the inside of the main body portion 82a of the cylindrical portion 82 communicate with each other.

[0046] The bellows 83 is a cylindrical, expandable member with a main body 83a having a bellows-like structure with protrusions and indentations extending from one end to the other. One end of the main body 83a of the bellows 83 is provided with a flange 83b that is the same shape as the flange 82b. The flange 83b is provided so as to overlap the flange 82b of the cylindrical part 82. In contrast, the other end of the bellows 83 is a fixing portion 83c with a diameter that allows it to be fixed to the support rod 71. Therefore, the main body 83a of the bellows 83 is configured so that its diameter gradually decreases from the end where the flange 83b is provided to the end where the fixing portion 83c is provided.

[0047] The fixing plate 84 is an annular plate-shaped member with a circular opening 84a in the center. The outer shape of the cylindrical portion 82 is the same as the flange 82b. The diameter of the opening 84a is smaller than the inner diameter of the main body portion 82a of the cylindrical portion 82. As a result, the fixing plate 84 protrudes towards the center beyond the opening of the cylindrical portion 82. The fixing plate 84 is stacked above the flange 83b so that its outer shape overlaps with the flange 82b of the cylindrical portion 82 and the flange 83b of the bellows 83, and is fixed with screws or the like (not shown). As a result, the flange 83b of the bellows 83 is fixed in a state where it is sandwiched between the flange 82b of the cylindrical portion 82 and the fixing plate 84.

[0048] The tap 85 is a component with a central recess, located above the fixing plate 84. The tap 85 has a central recess 85a, and an opening 85b is provided in the center of the bottom of the recess 85a. As shown in Figure 4(a), the diameter of the recess 85a is larger than the diameter of the ball 75 attached to the support rod 71, while the diameter of the opening 85b is smaller than the diameter of the ball 75.

[0049] The detection unit support bar 86 is a member extending upward from the fixing plate 84, and has the function of supporting the detection unit 60 such that when the detection member 70 is positioned so that the ball 75 of the support rod 71 is housed in the recess 85a of the tap 85, the target member 74 of the support rod 71 faces the detection surface 61 of the detection unit 60.

[0050] In the storage volume monitoring device 50 described above, with the cylindrical portion 82 fixed on the fixing plate 81, the bellows 83 (flange 83b) and fixing plate 84 are fixed on the flange 82b of the cylindrical portion 82, and the tap 85 is placed on the fixing plate 84. Then, the support rod 71 is positioned so that it passes through the opening 85b of the tap 85. As a result, the ball 75 is placed in the recess 85a of the tap 85. Since the ball 75 cannot pass through the opening 85b, the height position of the support rod 71 is maintained with the ball 75 housed in the recess 85a above the opening 85b. Furthermore, the support rod 71 passes through the main body portion 83a of the bellows 83, and the fixing portion 83c is fixed to the support rod 71. In addition, the connecting portion 73 and the detection rod 72 are attached below the support rod 71 to form the detection member 70.

[0051] In this state, the support part 80 is fixed so that the fixing plate 81 of the support part 80 is fixed to the mounting case 11c, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. As a result, the storage amount monitoring device 50 is fixed so that the detection rod 72 of the detection member 70, which includes the support rod 71 and the detection rod 72, is located in the internal space 15. In this state, the detection member 70 is pivotable relative to the tap 85. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the contact position between the ball 75 and the tap 85 within the tap 85 can change, so that the detection member 70 can be tilted. In other words, the detection member 70 is pivotable around the mounting position of the ball 75 on the support rod 71. That is, the ball 75 and the tap 85 function as so-called bearings that pivotably support the detection member 70.

[0052] As a result of the above, when the cement raw material O in the internal space 15 of the main body 10 comes into contact with the detection rod 72 or the plate-shaped portion 76 at the tip of the detection rod 72, the detection member 70 can swing in conjunction with the contact with the cement raw material O. As shown in Figure 5, when the detection member 70 is tilted in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), the target member 74 attached to the detection member 70 moves away from the detection surface 61 of the detection unit 60. In the storage amount monitoring device 50, the detection unit 60 can detect that the detection member 70 has moved, that is, that the detection member 70 has come into contact with the cement raw material O, by detecting this change in the position of the target member 74. When the detection unit 60 detects a change in the position of the target member 74, the detection unit 60 may, for example, notify an external device of the change.

[0053] Figure 5 shows the detection member 70 oscillating along the X-axis direction, but the direction of oscillation is not limited to the X-axis direction. As described above, the oscillation of the detection member 70 is achieved by a change in the contact position between the substantially spherical ball 75 and the tap 85, so the detection member 70 can also oscillate in the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the detection member 70 can oscillate in a direction that includes both the X-axis and Y-axis components. Thus, in the storage volume monitoring device 50, the direction of oscillation of the detection member 70 can be in various directions in a plan view (XY plane).

[0054] (action) As described above, with the cement raw material supply device 1 (storage device), when the amount of cement raw material O, which is the target material, increases in the internal space 15, the detection member 70, which is swingably supported by the support part 80, swings in contact with the target material. At this time, the swinging of the detection member 70 is detected by the detection unit 60 provided outside the internal space 15. In other words, the detection unit 60 is capable of detecting the swinging when the detection member 70 comes into contact with the target material. Therefore, by placing the detection member 70 at the position where it is desired to detect the accumulation of the target material, the increase in the amount of accumulated material can be appropriately detected.

[0055] As described above, the object accumulates in the internal space 15 of the main body 10. If the object accumulates beyond a predetermined amount, it may affect, for example, the operation of the introduction unit 20. On the other hand, if the object has characteristics that make it easy to adhere to the inner walls of the equipment, even if the object accumulates, it may not accumulate uniformly but may accumulate in an uneven state. In contrast to this, the above-described storage device allows the detection member 70 to swing when it comes into contact with the object, and the detection unit 60 detects this swing. Therefore, by positioning the detection member 70 at the height at which the amount of accumulation to be detected is possible, changes in the amount of accumulation can be appropriately detected. In particular, because the detection member 70 is able to swing in multiple directions, it becomes easier to avoid situations where the detection member 70 does not swing even though it has come into contact with the object, so that an increase in the amount of accumulated object can be appropriately detected.

[0056] The detection member 70 may further include a rod-shaped member and a ball 75, which is a spherical member through which the rod-shaped member passes through its center. In this case, the support portion 80 may have a recess 85a in the center, and the bottom of the recess 85a may include a tap having an opening 85b whose diameter is larger than that of the rod-shaped member and smaller than that of the spherical member. In this configuration, the support portion 80 supports the detection member 70 so that it can swing, with the rod-shaped member passing through the opening 85b of the tap 85 and the ball 75, which is the spherical member, housed in the recess 85a. With this configuration, the spherical member can move within the recess 85a with a simple structure, so that the detection member 70 to which the spherical member is attached can swing in multiple directions.

[0057] The detection unit 60 is a proximity sensor, and in the detection member 70, a target member 74 may be attached near the detection unit 60 as a member to be detected by the proximity sensor. In this case, the oscillation of the detection member 70 can be detected by whether or not the target member 74 to be detected is close to the proximity sensor. Therefore, a change in the state of the internal space 15 can be detected with a simpler configuration.

[0058] The detection member 70 may be detachable below the support position provided by the support portion 80. For example, it may be composed of two members, such as a support rod 71 and a detection rod 72. With such a configuration, the size and length of the detection member 70 can be changed by replacing the detachable members, allowing for easy adjustment of the device configuration according to the type of object to be detected and the amount of accumulation to be detected. Alternatively, instead of changing the length of the detection rod 72, it may be possible to change, for example, the width or material of the detection rod 72.

[0059] The system may include a bellows 83 that is continuous with the boundary between the internal space 15 and the outside of the internal space 15, is attached to the detection member 70, and is expandable and contractible as the detection member 70 moves. In this case, since the bellows 83 is provided to connect the boundary and the detection member, objects in the internal space 15 are prevented from scattering to the outside from the boundary. In the above embodiment, the mounting case 11c separates the internal space 15 from the outside of the internal space 15. In addition, the inside of the bellows 83, which is sandwiched between the flange 82b of the cylindrical part 82 and the fixing plate 84 of the support part 80 fixed to the mounting case 11c, is connected to the outside of the main body part 10. On the other hand, since the fixing part 83c of the bellows 83 is fixed to the support rod 71, the space inside and outside the bellows 83 is separated. In other words, the bellows 83 prevents objects in the internal space 15 from scattering to the outside from the boundary.

[0060] The storage device may have an introduction section 20 for transporting the object and depositing it into the internal space 15. In this case, the detection member 70 may be provided at a position that does not overlap with the deposit path of the object deposited by the introduction section 20. In the cement raw material supply device 1 of this embodiment, the mounting case 11c to which the storage amount monitoring device 50 is attached is provided at a position on the inclined surface 11b that does not overlap with the introduction section 20 when viewed from one direction (X-axis direction). With this configuration, it is prevented that the object comes into contact with the detection member when it is deposited into the internal space by the introduction section, and that the detection section does not erroneously detect changes in the amount of object deposited.

[0061] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made.

[0062] For example, the storage device is not limited to the cement raw material supply device 1, but can have any function or configuration that allows for the temporary storage of other objects.

[0063] Furthermore, the configuration of the storage volume monitoring device 50 can be modified as appropriate. For example, although the detection member 70 is a long, rectangular member, it does not have to be a member that extends in one direction; for example, it may be bent in the middle. In this case, the detection member can be made swingable by appropriately changing the arrangement and configuration of the support part 80. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1...Cement raw material supply device (storage device), 10...Main body, 15...Internal space, 20...Inlet, 30...Outlet, 50...Storage amount monitoring device, 60...Detection unit, 61...Detection surface, 70...Detection member, 71...Support rod, 72...Detection rod, 73...Connecting unit, 74...Target member, 75...Ball, 76...Plate-shaped part, 80...Support unit, 81...Fixing plate, 81a...Opening, 82...Cylindrical part, 82a...Main body, 82b...Flange, 83...Bellows, 85...Tap, 85a...Recess, 85b...Opening, 86...Detection unit support bar, O...Cement raw material (target object).

Claims

1. In a storage device capable of storing objects in its internal space, A detection member having an elongated shape, with one end inserted into the internal space and the other end provided outside the internal space, A support portion for the detection member is provided such that, upon contact with the object in the internal space, one end of the detection member can swing in multiple directions in a plan view, Outside the aforementioned internal space, a detection unit is positioned in close proximity to the detection member and capable of detecting the separation of the detection member due to the oscillation of the detection member, A storage device, including a storage device.

2. The detection member further comprises a rod-shaped member and a spherical member through which the rod-shaped member passes through its center. The support portion has a recess in the center, and the bottom of the recess includes a tap having an opening whose diameter is larger than that of the rod-shaped member and smaller than that of the spherical member. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the support portion swingably supports the detection member with the rod-shaped member passing through the opening of the tap and the spherical member housed in the recess.

3. The detection unit is a proximity sensor, The storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the detection member, a member to be detected by the proximity sensor is attached near the detection unit.

4. The storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection member is detachable below the support position provided by the support portion.

5. A storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a bellows that is continuous with the boundary between the internal space and the outside of the internal space, is attached to the detection member, and is expandable and contractible in accordance with the movement of the detection member.

6. The storage device has an introduction section for transporting the object and depositing it into the internal space. The storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the detection member is provided at a position that does not overlap with the input path of the object to be introduced by the introduction section.

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