Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveying device for conveying trays having foods / drink thereon and conveyed by a conveyance lane, from the conveyance lane to a customer seat side, and recovering them from the customer seat side onto the conveyance lane.SOLUTION: A conveying device conveys trays having foods / drink thereon and conveyed to an extrusion position by a conveyor belt of a conveyance lane by extruding them to a customer seat side, and includes a first extrusion bar, a second extrusion bar and a conveyance roller. The conveying device is such that: at the time of conveyance to the customer seat, the first extrusion bar in the customer seat facing the customer seat at a conveying destination across the conveyance lane extrudes the trays in the extrusion position to the customer seat side at the conveying destination, and conveys the trays pressed with the conveyance roller at the customer seat side at the conveying destination to a providing position in the customer seat at the conveying destination; and at the time of recovering the trays, the second extrusion bar extrudes the trays in the providing position to the conveyance lane side, the conveyance roller conveys the trays to the conveyance lane side, and the first extrusion bar moves the trays to the extrusion position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that conveys a tray conveyed in a conveying lane from the conveying lane to the passenger seat side and also conveys the tray back to the conveying lane side for collection.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a food and beverage store such as a revolving sushi restaurant, a conveying device that conveys a tray on which ordered food and beverages are placed to the ordered passenger seat using a conveyor or the like has been used. Also, a system has been proposed in which the tray is transferred to a branch path that conveys the tray from the conveyor to the passenger seat side and the tray is conveyed onto the table (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the case of a device such as Patent Document 1, after taking out the dish from the conveyed tray, it is necessary to place the empty tray in the space on the table, and the dining space may become narrow. Also, the work of collecting the trays by employees is required. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​(1) A conveying device that pushes trays of food and beverages, which have been transported to the extrusion position by a conveyor belt on a conveying lane, toward the seating area, A pair of first extrusion bars are positioned on each of the seating areas on either side of the aforementioned transport lane, and move upward and horizontally in the extrusion direction from a retracted position within the seating area to push the tray. A pair of second extrusion bars are positioned on each of the aforementioned seating areas, and move in the extrusion direction to push the tray from a position further away from the conveyor lane than the first extrusion bar, The system includes a conveyor roller located between the conveyor lane and the first extrusion bar, which conveys the tray to the seating area and the conveyor lane. When transporting to the destination seat, the first extrusion bar located at the seat opposite the destination seat across the transport lane pushes the tray at the extrusion position toward the destination seat, and the transport rollers transport the pushed tray to the serving position at the destination seat. A conveying device characterized in that, when collecting trays from the customer seats at the destination, a second extrusion bar located at the customer seat from which the tray is to be collected pushes the tray at the serving position toward the conveying lane, the conveying rollers transport the pushed tray toward the conveying lane, and the first extrusion bar located at the customer seat from which the tray is to be collected moves the tray transported by the conveying rollers to the extrusion position on the conveying belt.

[0008] (2) The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that the first extrusion bar extends in the extrusion direction and is arranged in pairs at intervals along the conveying direction of the conveying lane.

[0009] (3) The conveying device according to (2) above, characterized in that a pair of first extrusion bars are supported from below at both ends of a first arm, the first arm is supported from below by a first electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the extrusion direction, and the first electric cylinder is supported from below by a second electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the vertical direction.

[0010] (4) The conveying device according to (3) above, characterized in that the second extrusion bar extends in the extrusion direction and is arranged in pairs at intervals along the conveying direction of the conveying lane.

[0011] (5) The conveying device according to (4) above, characterized in that a pair of the second extrusion bars are supported from below at both ends of the second arm, and the second arm is supported from below by a third electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the extrusion direction.

[0012] (6) The conveying device according to (5) above, characterized in that the second extrusion bar, the second arm, and the third electric cylinder are located inside the first arm and above the first electric cylinder when viewed from the extrusion direction.

[0013] (7) The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that when the tray is being collected, the first extrusion bar stops when it has moved the distance necessary to push the tray to the position where it reaches the extrusion position, and returns to the retracted position.

[0014] (8) The conveying device according to (1) above, further comprising a first stopper positioned at the front end of the tray at the extrusion position, wherein the first stopper stops the tray being conveyed by the conveying belt at the extrusion position.

[0015] (9) The conveying device according to (8) above, characterized in that the first stopper is arranged in a pair on both outer sides of the conveying belt.

[0016] (10) The conveying device according to (8) or (9) above, characterized in that the first stopper moves between a retracted position outside the range through which the tray conveyed by the conveying belt passes and an operating position inside the retracted position for stopping the tray.

[0017] (11) The conveying device according to (1) above further includes a pair of second stoppers disposed on both outer sides of the conveying belt at the extrusion position, and when the tray is recovered, the second stopper farther from the tray hits the tray to stop the tray at the extrusion position.

[0018] (12) The second stopper according to (11) above is characterized in that it moves to a retracted position below the conveying surface of the conveying belt and an operating position above the retracted position for stopping the tray.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device that conveys a tray on which food and drink or the like conveyed in a conveying lane is placed from the conveying lane to the passenger side and also recovers it from the passenger side to the conveying lane.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the conveying device of the present embodiment as viewed from the planar direction. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram for explaining the configuration for controlling the operation of the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the flow of the tray conveying operation by the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the flow of the tray conveying operation by the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the flow of the tray conveying operation by the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the flow of the tray conveying operation by the conveying device of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a state as viewed from the cross-sectional direction in the middle of the flow of the conveying operation. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing a state as viewed from the cross-sectional direction in the middle of the flow of the conveying operation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, and is a view from a cross-sectional direction perpendicular to the conveying lane 50. Figure 2 is a plan view of the conveying device 1. The upper part of Figure 2 is the kitchen side where the trays T are placed on the conveying lane 50, and the trays T are conveyed from the kitchen side to each seat 60. Although not shown in Figure 2, usually multiple seats 60 are arranged along the conveying lane 50. In the drawings, the position of the movable part before or after movement is indicated by a dashed line. Hidden parts and other imaginary lines are indicated by a dashed line. Also, in the drawings, the basic configuration of the conveying device 1 and the seats 60 is symmetrical on both sides of the conveying lane 50, and parts of the conveying device 1 and seats 60 on one side (the left side of the drawing) are omitted in Figures 1 and 2.

[0022] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment is a conveying device that, after conveying trays T to a predetermined extrusion position P by the conveying belt 52 of the conveying lane 50, conveys the trays T to the seating area and then collects the conveyed trays T back into the conveying lane 50.

[0023] In this embodiment, the object to be transported by the transport device 1 is a tray T on which plates, containers, etc., on which food and beverages are placed. However, the object to be transported is not limited to a tray, but can be anything that can be transported by the transport belt 52, which is the transport means of the transport device 1, or by the extrusion bar described later. For example, it could be a platform-shaped object or a box-shaped object on which plates can be placed, or it could be a plate. However, it is preferable that the shape of the object to be transported, such as a tray T, from the bottom to the sides is inclined to widen outwards towards the top so that it does not get caught on or slip under the edge of the transport belt 52 when retrieved, and can be smoothly loaded onto the belt.

[0024] In this embodiment, the conveying device 1 is described as a device that conveys from the conveying lane 50 to the seating area (such as the first extrusion bar 2 and the second extrusion bar 4) and a device that constitutes the conveying lane 50 (such as the conveying belt 52). In cases where only the device portion that conveys to the seating area and collects items is installed in relation to an existing conveying lane 50, the conveying device 1 may be configured not to include the conveying lane 50 portion.

[0025] In this embodiment, the "conveyor lane direction" is the direction in which the conveyor lane 50 extends, and is the conveying direction of the conveyor lane 50 in which the tray T is conveyed by the conveyor belt 52.

[0026] In this embodiment, the "extrusion direction" is the direction in which the tray T, which has been transported by the conveyor belt 52, is pushed out toward the destination seat by the first extrusion bar 2 located in the seating area opposite the destination seat. The extrusion direction is also the direction in which the second extrusion bar 4 and the first extrusion bar 2 push out the tray T from the seating area 60 toward the conveyor lane 50 when the tray T is recovered from the seating area 60 to the conveyor lane 50. The extrusion direction is a horizontal direction and intersects with the conveyor lane direction. In this embodiment, the extrusion direction is perpendicular to the conveyor lane direction.

[0027] In this embodiment, the "extrusion position" is the position on the transport lane 50 where the tray is located when the tray T is pushed towards the destination seat 60 by the first extrusion bar 2 located on the opposite side of the seat. The extrusion position is the position indicated by extrusion position P in Figure 2. When multiple seats 60 are arranged along the transport lane direction, there is an extrusion position P at the location of each seat 60, and the tray T is transported to the extrusion position P corresponding to the seat designated as the destination. Then, the tray T is transported to the designated seat side by the first extrusion bar 2 located at the seat 60 on the opposite side of the destination at that extrusion position P. Furthermore, when the tray T is retrieved, the tray T, which is transported from the seat side in the opposite direction to when it was served, is returned to its original extrusion position P on the transport lane 50.

[0028] In this embodiment, the "serving position" is a position on the seat 60 where the tray T is transported by the transport roller 8. More specifically, it is the position where the tray T is fed to its rear end by the transport roller 8 and stops being transported further in the extrusion direction, and is the position between the transport roller 8 and the second extrusion bar 4. Once the tray T has been transported to the serving position, the customer takes food and beverages from the tray T, and then the tray T is collected.

[0029] The components of the conveying device 1 will now be described. The conveying device 1 comprises a first extrusion bar 2, a second extrusion bar 4, a first stopper 6, a conveyor roller 8, a second stopper 10, and a first sensor 12. These components are arranged along the conveyor lane 50 at the position of each seat 60. The conveying device 1 further comprises a control unit 30 that controls the operation of the conveying device 1. The conveying device 1 also comprises a conveyor belt 52, a second sensor 54, and the like as components of the conveyor lane 50.

[0030] The first extrusion bar 2 and the second extrusion bar 4 are the parts that push the side of the tray T and move it in the extrusion direction. The first extrusion bar 2 and the second extrusion bar 4 each consist of two bars, and one pair is arranged on each side of the passenger seats 60 on either side of the conveyor lane 50, and they are operated by separate drive means.

[0031] The first extrusion bar 2 is a rod-shaped member that pushes the tray T, which has been transported by the conveyor belt 52 and stopped at the extrusion position P, toward the destination seat 60. As described above, the first extrusion bar 2 located in the seat opposite the destination seat performs this operation. The first extrusion bar 2 pushes the tray T to a position where it rides on the conveyor roller 8 at least in the destination seat 60. In addition, when retrieving the tray T, the first extrusion bar 2 pushes it back to its original extrusion position P on the conveyor belt 52 by pushing it from the seat side.

[0032] The first extrusion bar 2 extends in a direction intersecting the conveyor lane 50, and is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the extrusion direction. The first extrusion bar 2 is positioned closer to the conveyor lane 50 in the seating area 60. The first extrusion bars 2 are also positioned in pairs, spaced apart along the conveyor lane direction. The pair of first extrusion bars 2 push the tray T from both the left and right sides relative to the center of the tray T when viewed from the extrusion direction, thus enabling stable extrusion of the tray T. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first extrusion bar 2 is circular, but other cross-sectional shapes such as polygons or ellipses are also acceptable as long as they are rod-shaped and can push the tray T.

[0033] The first extrusion bar 2 is stored in a retracted position inside the table of the seat 60 when not in operation. When performing the extrusion operation, it rises and appears on the table of the seat 60, moves in the extrusion direction and pushes the tray T. The retracted position is at least below the surface of the tabletop of the seat 60. The position after rising when pushing the tray T is above the surface of the tabletop and below the upper edge of the tray T. The first extrusion bar 2 rises through a narrow slit-shaped opening 2a formed in the tabletop of the seat 60, which follows the shape of the extrusion bar. The opening 2 is sized to allow the first extrusion bar 2 to pass through as it rises. The opening 2 is formed over the range of movement of the arm 20 when the first extrusion bar 2 moves from the position before extrusion to the position after extrusion shown by the dashed line (Figure 2).

[0034] A pair of first extrusion bars 2 are supported from below at both ends of an arm 20 (first arm), which is U-shaped when viewed from the extrusion direction. Both ends of the arm are fixed to the outer ends of the first extrusion bars 2 in the extrusion direction. The arm 20 is fixed to and supported from below by a first electric cylinder 22, and the first electric cylinder 22 is fixed to and supported from below by a second electric cylinder 24. The part of the arm 20 that is fixed to the first extrusion bars 2 is on the conveyor lane 50 side than the part that is fixed to the first electric cylinder 22, and extends diagonally upward from the part that is fixed to the first electric cylinder 22. The second electric cylinder 24 is fixed to a fixing frame or the like inside the passenger seat 60. The first electric cylinder 22 and the second electric cylinder 24 are electric linear actuators and can extend and retract by the driving force of the motor to move the first extrusion bars.

[0035] The first electric cylinder 22 extends and retracts in a direction parallel to the extrusion direction, moving the first extrusion bar 2 in the extrusion direction via the arm 20. The second electric cylinder 24 extends and retracts vertically, raising and lowering the first extrusion bar 2, the arm 20, and the first electric cylinder 22. The first extrusion bar 2 is raised by the second electric cylinder 24 and then moved in the extrusion direction by the first electric cylinder 22, thereby enabling the extrusion of the tray T. When transporting the tray T to the seating area 60, the first extrusion bar 2 located at the seating area opposite to the seating area to which the tray T is being transported operates to push out the tray T, and when retrieving the tray, the first extrusion bar 2 at the seating area 60 to which the tray T is being retrieved operates to return the tray T to the transport lane 50.

[0036] When the first extrusion bar 2 is in the retracted position, the position of the fixing portion between the arm 20 and the first electric cylinder 22 is set to a position lower than the third electric cylinder 42 directly above it, even after it has risen during the extrusion operation. Although the first electric cylinder 22 and a portion of the fixing portion of the arm 20 to the first electric cylinder 22 are located below the third electric cylinder 42, by setting the height of the arm 20 (the depth of the recess in the U-shaped arm 20) to match the above positional relationship, the first extrusion bar 2 can be raised without any interference between the parts.

[0037] The second extrusion bar 4 is a rod-shaped component similar to the first extrusion bar 2, and is the first to operate when the tray T is retrieved, pushing the tray T at the serving position in the seating area 60 toward the conveyor lane 50. The second extrusion bar 4 pushes the tray T until it rides onto the conveyor roller 8. The second extrusion bar 4 is positioned further out than the first extrusion bar 2. Specifically, the second extrusion bar 4 is positioned further out in the extrusion direction than the tray T that has been transported to the serving position by the conveyor roller 8. The second extrusion bar 4 pushes the tray T toward the conveyor lane 50 from a position further away from the conveyor lane 50 than the first extrusion bar 2. The second extrusion bar 4 is also positioned so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the extrusion direction. The second extrusion bar 4 pushes the tray T a shorter distance and is shorter in length than the first extrusion bar 2.

[0038] The second extrusion bar 4 is supported from below at both ends of a U-shaped arm 40 (second arm) when viewed from the extrusion direction, and is arranged in pairs with a gap between them along the conveying lane direction. The gap between the ends of the arm 40, that is, the gap between the pair of second extrusion bars 4, is narrower than the gap between the pair of first extrusion bars 2. The second extrusion bar 4 can also push on both the left and right sides relative to the center of the tray T, so the tray T can be moved stably. The cross-sectional shape of the second extrusion bar 4 in this embodiment is circular, but other cross-sectional shapes such as polygons or ellipses are also acceptable as long as they can push the tray T in a rod shape.

[0039] The arm 40 is fixed to the third electric cylinder 42 and supported from below. The second push bar 4 always extends above the tabletop of the seat 60 and moves horizontally in the push direction by the third electric cylinder 42 to push the tray T when it is being collected. Although not shown in the figure, a slit-shaped opening is also formed in the tabletop of the seat at the position of the second push bar 4, and the arm 40 moves along the opening during operation.

[0040] The second extrusion bar 4, the arm 40, and the third electric cylinder 42 are located inside the U-shape of the arm 20 and above the first electric cylinder 22 when viewed from the extrusion direction. In other words, when viewed from the extrusion direction, the second extrusion bar 4, the arm 40, and the third electric cylinder 42 are positioned within the range inside the pair of first extrusion bars 2 in the conveying lane direction. With this arrangement, the first extrusion bar 2 and its driving means (arm 20, first electric cylinder 22, second electric cylinder 24) and the second extrusion bar and its driving means (arm 40, third electric cylinder 42) are in a positional relationship that prevents them from interfering with each other even when they move.

[0041] The first stopper 6 is a stopper that strikes the front end of the tray T being transported by the conveyor belt 52 of the conveyor lane 50, stopping the tray T at the extrusion position P in front of the customer seats 60 at the destination. The first stopper 6 allows the tray T to be stopped precisely at the extrusion position P, ensuring reliable extrusion operation by the extrusion bar. In this embodiment, the first stopper 6 is positioned in pairs on both outer sides of the conveyor belt 52 at the front end of the tray T at each extrusion position P. The first stopper 6 moves between a retracted position and an operational position.

[0042] The retracted position is a position that does not interfere with the passing tray T and is outside the range through which the conveyed tray T passes. The operating position is a position in which at least a part of the first stopper 6 can hit the conveyed tray T and stop it, and is inward from the retracted position (towards the center of the conveyor belt 52). The first stopper 6 moves between the retracted position and the operating position by a driving means controlled by the control unit 30. In this embodiment, the first stopper 6 is driven by a solenoid actuator. The first stopper 6 can be moved between the two positions by the first stopper 6, the solenoid actuator, and a link mechanism connecting them. Note that any driving means other than a solenoid actuator may be used as long as it can move the first stopper 6 between the retracted position and the operating position.

[0043] The transport roller 8 is a transport roller that transports the tray T, which has been pushed out from the transport lane 50 by the first extrusion bar 2 at the opposite seat, to the serving position. The transport roller 8 also transports the tray T towards the transport lane 50 when the tray T is collected. The transport roller 8 is positioned adjacent to the transport lane 50 at each seat 60, specifically between the transport lane 50 and the first extrusion bar 2. At least a portion of the top of the transport roller 8 is exposed through an opening 8a formed in the tabletop of the seat 60, allowing the tray T placed on top of the roller to be transported on both sides in the extrusion direction.

[0044] The conveyor roller 8 in this embodiment is a motor-driven roller with a built-in motor, capable of forward and reverse rotation. Based on the control of the control unit 30, it rotates using the driving force of the built-in motor to convey the tray T. By using a motor-driven roller, a motor-driven roller can be placed in the limited space between the first extrusion bar 2 and the conveyor lane 50. Note that the conveyor roller 8 is not limited to a motor-driven roller as long as it can be driven and controlled by the control unit 30; it may also be a mechanism in which an external motor is placed and the conveyor roller 8 is rotated via a belt, gears, or the like.

[0045] The second stopper 10 is a stopper that, when the tray T is retrieved, hits the front end of the tray T, which is pushed back onto the conveyor belt 52 by the first extrusion bar 2, and stops the tray T at its original extrusion position P. A pair of second stoppers 10 are positioned on both outer sides of the conveyor belt 52 at each extrusion position P. The pair of second stoppers 10 are independently driven by electric cylinders 10a to move up and down, moving between a retracted position and an operating position. When not in operation, the second stopper 10 is in a retracted position below the conveying surface of the conveyor belt 52 and does not interfere with the tray T being conveyed by the conveyor belt 52. When the tray is retrieved, the second stopper 10 rises to an operating position where it can hit the front end of the conveyed tray T and stop the tray T at the extrusion position P. Of the pair of second stoppers 10, the one further away from the tray T being retrieved, in other words, the second stopper 10 further away from the seat 60 from which the tray T is retrieved, moves to the operating position. The second stopper 10 rises to its operating position through the opening 10b formed on the upper surface of the conveying lane 50.

[0046] The first sensor 12 is a sensor that detects the passage of tray T between the transport lane 50 and the seat 60 during the provisioning and collection of tray T. For example, an area sensor can be used for the first sensor 12. The first sensor 12 is positioned between the transport belt 52 and the seat 60. Based on the detection signal from the first sensor 12, the control unit 30 can stop the operation of the first extrusion bar 2 and the transport roller 8 at an appropriate timing after the tray has been transported to the provisioning position P in the seat 60 or to its original extrusion position P during collection. The first sensor 12 is not limited to an area sensor as long as it can detect the passage of tray T; for example, an optical sensor may also be used.

[0047] Next, the components of the transport lane 50 will be described. The transport belt 52 is a conveyor that transports the tray T along the transport lane 50, as described above. In this embodiment, the transport belt 52 is a belt with a width that is sufficient to transport the tray T, which is the object to be transported, and it is preferable that the width is equal to or greater than the width of the bottom of the tray T. The transport belt 52 is driven by a roller drive unit 52a (shown in Figure 3), which includes mechanical elements such as a drive motor, drive rollers, and driven rollers. The operation of the roller drive unit 52a is controlled by the control unit 30. The transport lane 50 may be a lane extending from a place where food and beverages are placed, such as a kitchen, or it may be a transport lane branched off from that transport lane.

[0048] Furthermore, it is preferable that the outer edge portion 50a of the conveying lane 50, which is the portion between the conveying belt 52 and the conveying roller 8, is made of a low-friction material that has little friction with the tray T and slides well, at least on its upper surface. Since the tray T slides as it moves in this portion, making it out of a material with little friction with the tray T allows the tray T to move smoothly when it is conveyed by the first extrusion bar 2 and the conveying roller 8. Instead of forming the outer edge portion 50a with a low-friction material, or in addition to that, a free roller for conveying the tray T may be placed on the outer edge portion 50a.

[0049] The second sensor 54 is a sensor that detects the passage of a tray T being transported in the transport lane 50. The second sensor 54 is positioned upstream of each extrusion position P in the transport direction of the transport lane 50 when the tray T is being supplied, and detects the passage of the tray T. The control unit 30 stops the transport belt 52 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the detection by the second sensor 54, so that the transport belt 52 can be stopped after the tray T hits the first stopper 6 and stops at the appropriate extrusion position P. The predetermined time is the time it takes for the tray T to reach the extrusion position P after it has passed the second sensor 54. The predetermined time can be determined from the transport speed of the transport belt 52 and the distance from the detection position of the second sensor 54 to the extrusion position P. The second sensor 54 is not limited to any sensor that can detect the passage of the tray T, but area sensors and optical sensors can be used.

[0050] Next, the control unit 30 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration for controlling the operation of the conveying device 1. The control unit 30 controls various operations performed by the conveying device 1 when trays T are provided and when they are collected. Specifically, the control unit 30 controls the first electric cylinder 22, the second electric cylinder 24, and the third electric cylinder 42. It also controls the driving means (motors and actuators) of the first stopper 6, the conveying roller 8, and the second stopper 10. Furthermore, the control unit 30 controls the conveying belt drive unit 52a. In addition, the control unit 30 controls each part based on the detection signals from the first sensor 12 and the second sensor 54. Furthermore, the control unit 30 acquires input from the operation input unit 34 and the collection instruction signal output unit 62. Details of the operation of the conveying device 1 by the control unit 30 will be described later.

[0051] The electric cylinder, stopper, transport roller 8, sensors, and retrieval instruction signal output unit 62, which are controlled by the control unit 30, are arranged for each seat or for each extrusion position P on the transport lane 50. The control unit 30 then controls the parts corresponding to the designated seat to transport to, and performs transport to and retrieval of the seats. In Figure 3, only one of each controlled part is shown for clarity.

[0052] The control unit 30 includes a processor 31 and a memory 32, etc. The processor 31 is a circuit such as a CPU, and it controls the operation of the transport device 1 by executing a program stored in the memory 32. The memory 32 stores the control program for the transport device 1, etc. Alternatively, the control unit 30 may include an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), and some or all of the functions realized by the processor 31 executing a program stored in the memory 32 may be realized by the ASIC.

[0053] The operation input unit 34 is a device that performs operations such as specifying the destination (customer seat) to which the tray T will be transported by the transport device 1. The operation input unit 34 consists of, for example, a touch panel displaying operation buttons, physical operation buttons, a keyboard, etc.

[0054] The retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 is the part that outputs a signal instructing the retrieval of the tray T that has been transported to the seating area 60. The retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 is not particularly limited as long as it can directly or indirectly detect that food or beverage has been removed from the tray and output a signal that acts as a trigger to start the retrieval operation.

[0055] The retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 is a sensor that detects, for example, when food or beverages (or the plates they are on) placed on tray T have been removed from the tray. Specifically, by placing area sensors along the path a customer takes when removing food or beverages from tray T that has been transported to the serving position, it is possible to detect when food or beverages have been removed from tray T by detecting the movement of hands and food or beverages in and out of the tray. It is advisable to place area sensors or surround the area so that hands and food or beverages always pass through the detection area of ​​the area sensors when removing food or beverages.

[0056] Alternatively, the area sensor's emitter and receiver may be horizontally installed on both sides of the serving position in the seating area 60, at a height higher than the edge of the tray T and lower than the top edge of the food and beverages on the tray, and the area sensor may directly detect the food and beverages on the tray T. The change in detection state before and after the removal of the food and beverages can be used to detect that the food and beverages have been removed from the tray T. The area sensor may be replaced with (multiple) photoelectric sensors to perform the same detection. When the detection signal indicating that the food and beverages have been removed from the tray T is output as a retrieval instruction signal, the control unit 30 can start the tray T retrieval process.

[0057] Furthermore, the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 may be an image detection system including a camera and an image processing device. The tray T at the serving position in the seating area 60 can be photographed from above with a camera, and the captured image can be analyzed to detect when food or beverage has been removed from the tray T, and a retrieval instruction signal can be output.

[0058] Furthermore, the collection instruction signal output unit 62 may be, for example, a collection instruction button installed at the customer's seat 60. When a customer has finished taking food and drinks from tray T, they can press the button to output a collection instruction signal, and the collection of tray T can begin. The collection instruction button may be a physical button or a button displayed on a touch panel.

[0059] The above describes the configuration of the transport device 1 in this embodiment.

[0060] Next, the operation of the conveying device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Figures 4 to 7 are diagrams showing the flow of conveying operations by the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, and are shown in a plan view. The operations proceed in order from (a) to (h) in Figures 4 to 7. As an example, we will explain the case in which a tray T is provided to the seat 60R on the right side of Figures 4 to 7, and then the tray T is collected from the seat 60R.

[0061] First, the operation input unit 34 receives an input specifying which seat 60 the tray T should be transported to. Based on the input specifying a seat 60R as the destination, the control unit 30 controls the conveyor belt drive unit 52a to operate the conveyor belt 52 and transports the tray T toward the extrusion position P corresponding to the specified seat 60R (Figure 4(a)). The control unit 30 then controls the first stopper 6 at the destination extrusion position P to move it to the operating position. (The first stopper 6 in Figure 4(a) is in the operating position.) After the second sensor 54, located in front of the target extrusion position P, detects the passage of the tray T (the rear end), the control unit 30 stops the operation of the conveyor belt 52 after a predetermined time. Figure 4(b) shows the state in which the tray T has hit the first stopper 6 and stopped at the extrusion position P. After the tray T has stopped, the operation of the conveyor belt 52 stops at an appropriate timing based on the detection signal from the second sensor 54.

[0062] Next, the control unit 30 operates the first extrusion bar 2 of the seat 60L on the opposite side of the transport lane 50 of the destination seat 60R (Figure 5(c)). The control unit 30 controls the first electric cylinder 22 and the second electric cylinder 24 of the seat 60L to operate the first extrusion bar 2, pushing the tray T at the extrusion position P towards the seat 60R. The first extrusion bar 2 pushes the tray T to a position where it rides onto the transport roller 8 of the destination seat 60R, and then returns to its retracted position within the seat 60L. The control unit 30 also controls the transport roller 8 of the destination seat 60R to rotate it so that it is transported towards the seat 60R. Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the state where the tray T has been transported by the first extrusion bar 2 to a position where it rides onto the transport roller 8.

[0063] The tray T, once it has ridden onto the transport roller 8, is transported by the transport roller 8 to the serving position in the seating area 60R. Figure 5(d) shows the tray after it has been transported to the serving position. The control unit 30 detects with the first sensor 12 that the rear end of the tray T has passed, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, stops the rotation of the transport roller 8. The predetermined time is set appropriately based on the transport speed of the transport roller 8 and the transport distance from the detection position of the first sensor 12 to the serving position. As a result, the transport roller 8 stops at an appropriate timing after the tray T has been transported to the serving position. The control unit 30 also returns the first stopper 6 to its retracted position at an appropriate timing after the operation of the transport belt 52 has stopped.

[0064] Next, after the plate on tray T at the serving location is removed, the control unit 30 receives a signal from the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 instructing the customer seat 60R to retrieve the tray T that was provided. As described above, for example, the control unit 30 receives a detection signal as a retrieval instruction signal from an area sensor or image detection system, which is the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62, indicating that the plate on tray T has been removed. Alternatively, the control unit 30 receives a retrieval instruction signal when a retrieval instruction button installed at the customer seat is pressed, which is the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62.

[0065] When the control unit 30 receives a retrieval instruction signal, it proceeds to the tray T retrieval operation. First, the control unit 30 controls the third electric cylinder 42 of the seat 60R from which the tray T is to be retrieved, operating the second push bar 4 to push the tray T towards the transport lane 50. The control unit 30 also controls the transport roller 8 of the seat 60R from which the tray T is to be retrieved, rotating it to transport it towards the transport lane 50 (Figure 6(e)). The second push bar 4 pushes the tray T to a position where it rides onto the transport roller 8, and the transport roller 8 then transports the tray T towards the transport lane 50. After the tray T retrieval operation begins, the control unit 30 also operates the second stopper 10 furthest from the tray T to be retrieved. Specifically, it controls the electric cylinder 10a of the second stopper 10L on the left side of Figure 6(e) to raise the second stopper 10L to its operational position. Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the tray T being pushed towards the transport lane 50 by the second push bar 4 and the second stopper 10L in its operational position.

[0066] From the state shown in Figure 6(e), the tray T is transported toward the transport lane 50 by the transport roller 8. Furthermore, when the rear end of the tray T passes over the first extrusion bar 2 and comes near the position of the transport roller 8, the control unit 30 controls the first electric cylinder 22 and the second electric cylinder 24 of the seat 60R to operate the first extrusion bar 2. When the transport roller 8 feeds out the rear end of the tray T, or after it has been fed out, the first extrusion bar 2 pushes the tray T toward the extrusion position P (Figure 6(f)). The control unit 30 operates the first extrusion bar 2 when a predetermined time has elapsed since the tip of the tray T was detected by the first sensor 12, the rear end of the tray T has moved to the position of the transport roller 8, and the tray T is no longer above the first extrusion bar 2 in the retracted position. The predetermined time can be set as appropriate, but for example, it can be determined based on the transport speed of the tray T by the transport roller 8 and the distance traveled from the position where the tip of the tray T is detected by the first sensor 12 until the rear end of the tray moves to the position of the transport roller 8.

[0067] Alternatively, the passage of the tray T at a position between the transport roller 8 and the first extrusion bar 2 can be detected by a sensor, and the timing at which the tray has finished passing over the first extrusion bar 2 and can be raised can be directly determined. Furthermore, the timing at which the first extrusion bar 2 begins to push the tray T is not particularly limited as long as it is after the first extrusion bar 2 becomes able to rise and extrude, and it may be pushed out together with the transport roller 8, or after the transport by the transport roller 8 is completed.

[0068] Furthermore, the first extrusion bar 2 stops after moving the distance necessary to push the tray to the extrusion position P, and then returns to the retracted position. Specifically, the control unit 30 operates the first electric cylinder 22 by the distance necessary for the first extrusion bar 2 to push the tray T to the position where it stops at the extrusion position P. After that, the control unit 30 controls the first electric cylinder 22 and the second electric cylinder 24 to return the first extrusion bar 2 to the retracted position. As a result, the tray T hits the second stopper 10L, which has moved to the operating position, and stops at the extrusion position P (Figure 7(g)).

[0069] The control unit 30 operates the conveyor belt 52 to transport the tray T to a predetermined collection position (Figure 7(h)). The predetermined collection position of the tray T can be any suitable location; for example, the collection position may be set on the opposite side of the conveyor lane 50 from the kitchen side, and the tray may be transported there. Alternatively, the collection position may be set on the kitchen side, and the tray may be transported to the kitchen side. The control unit 30 also returns the second stopper 10L, which was in the operating position, to the retracted position at an appropriate timing. The above describes the operation flow of the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment.

[0070] According to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, trays containing food and beverages can be transported from the conveying lane 50 to the customer seats, and the trays T can be collected from the customer seats after the food and beverages have been removed. With the conveying device 1, not only can the trays T be transported but also collected, so it is not necessary to leave the trays T on the customer seats, and a larger dining space can be secured. In addition, the collection of the trays T can be automated, making operations more efficient.

[0071] In this embodiment, the conveying device 1 includes the conveying belt 52 and the conveying belt drive unit 52a, etc., of the conveying lane 50, but it is not limited to this. The conveying device 1 may not include the conveying lane 50 and may be controlled separately from the extrusion bar, etc. In this case, the control unit 30 only needs to receive a signal from the conveying lane side indicating that the conveying of the tray T to the extrusion position P corresponding to the destination seat 60 has been completed. Based on that signal, the control unit 30 can operate the corresponding first extrusion bar 2, conveying rollers 8, etc. to convey the tray T to the seat. Furthermore, when retrieval is complete, when the extrusion operation to the conveying lane 50 by the first extrusion bar 2 is completed, the control unit 30 should output a retrieval completion signal to the control unit of the conveying belt 52 and start the conveying of the conveying belt 52. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1. Conveying device 2. First extrusion bar 4. Second extrusion bar 6. First Stopper 8 Conveyor rollers 10 Second Stopper 12 First Sensor 20 Arms 22 First electric cylinder 24. Second electric cylinder 30 Control Unit 40 Arms 42 Third Electric Cylinder 50 transport lanes 52 Conveyor belt 54. Second Sensor 60 seats T Tray P Extrusion position

Claims

1. A conveying device that pushes trays of food and beverages, which have been transported to the extrusion position by a conveyor belt on a conveyor lane, towards the customer seating area. A pair of first extrusion bars are positioned on each of the seating areas on either side of the aforementioned transport lane, and move upward and horizontally in the extrusion direction from a retracted position within the seating area to push the tray. A pair of second extrusion bars are positioned on each of the aforementioned seating areas, and they move in the extrusion direction to push the tray from a position further away from the conveyor lane than the first extrusion bar, The system includes a conveyor roller located between the conveyor lane and the first extrusion bar, which conveys the tray to the seating area side and the conveyor lane side, When transporting to the destination seat, the first extrusion bar located at the seat opposite the destination seat across the transport lane pushes the tray at the extrusion position toward the destination seat, and the transport rollers transport the pushed tray to the serving position at the destination seat. A conveying device characterized in that, when collecting trays from the customer seats at the destination, a second extrusion bar located at the customer seat from which the tray is to be collected pushes the tray at the serving position toward the conveying lane, the conveying rollers transport the pushed tray toward the conveying lane, and the first extrusion bar located at the customer seat from which the tray is to be collected moves the tray transported by the conveying rollers to the extrusion position on the conveying belt.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first extrusion bars extend in the extrusion direction and are arranged in pairs at intervals along the conveying direction of the conveying lane.

3. The conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that a pair of first extrusion bars are supported from below at both ends of a first arm, the first arm is supported from below by a first electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the extrusion direction, and the first electric cylinder is supported from below by a second electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the vertical direction.

4. The conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that the second extrusion bar extends in the extrusion direction and is arranged in pairs at intervals along the conveying direction of the conveying lane.

5. The conveying device according to claim 4, characterized in that a pair of the second extrusion bars are supported from below at both ends of the second arm, and the second arm is supported from below by a third electric cylinder that extends and retracts in the extrusion direction.

6. The conveying device according to claim 5, characterized in that the second extrusion bar, the second arm, and the third electric cylinder are positioned inside the first arm and above the first electric cylinder when viewed from the extrusion direction.

7. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the tray is being collected, the first extrusion bar stops after moving the distance necessary to push the tray to the position where it reaches the extrusion position, and then returns to the retracted position.

8. The conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising a first stopper positioned at the front end of the tray at the extrusion position, wherein the first stopper stops the tray being conveyed by the conveyor belt at the extrusion position.

9. The conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that the first stopper is arranged in a pair on both outer sides of the conveying belt.

10. The conveying device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the first stopper moves between a retracted position outside the range through which the tray conveyed by the conveying belt passes and an operating position inside the retracted position for stopping the tray.

11. The conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of second stoppers positioned on both outer sides of the conveying belt at the extrusion position, wherein when the tray is retrieved, the second stopper furthest from the tray contacts the tray to stop the tray at the extrusion position.

12. The conveying device according to claim 11, characterized in that the second stopper moves between a retracted position below the conveying surface of the conveying belt and an operating position above the retracted position for stopping the tray.

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