Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device that can realize fast and stable conveyance even if conveyed objects are made large and / or heavy.SOLUTION: A conveying device 1 that conveys continuously conveyed objects B includes: a sensor 10 that is arranged on a conveyance path of the conveyance device 1 and detects presence or absence of the conveyed object B; a stopper 11 that is arranged on a downstream side of the sensor 10 and stops a flow of the conveyed objects B; and an assister 12 arranged on the downstream side of the stopper 11 and configured to send the conveyed object B from an upstream side to the downstream side. The sensor 10 includes a determination part 10a that determines whether or not the conveyed object Bs are interrupted, when the determination part 10a determines that the conveyed objects B are interrupted, the stopper 11 stops the flow of the conveyed objects B, and the assister 12 sends the conveyed object B to the downstream side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a conveying device for conveying conveyed objects such as batteries, for example.

Background Art

[0002] In manufacturing apparatuses and / or inspection apparatuses for various products, products are placed on a conveying device such as a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor, and are carried in and / or out between each mechanism constituting the manufacturing apparatus and / or inspection apparatus. As an example of an inspection apparatus using a conveying device, a non-destructive inspection apparatus is known. The non-destructive inspection apparatus irradiates an object to be inspected with radiation typified by X-rays, and performs non-destructive inspection of the object to be inspected by detecting a two-dimensional distribution of the radiation attenuated by passing through the object to be inspected and imaging it.

[0003] The object to be inspected is, for example, a cylindrical lithium-ion battery, and its interior has a structure in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are wound around in a cylindrical shape in multiple layers. It is necessary to inspect whether the end of the positive electrode plate protrudes from the end of the negative electrode plate inside the battery, and whether the distance between the ends of the two is a predetermined distance. If the end of the positive electrode plate protrudes from the end of the negative electrode plate, lithium may be deposited on the protruding positive electrode plate, causing a short circuit and ignition. This inspection is performed by irradiating radiation from below the battery and imaging the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate arranged alternately in a cross-sectional view.

[0004] In such an inspection apparatus, the battery is moved from a conveyor, which is a conveying device, to a conveying path for inspection, and then imaged by an imaging unit for inspection. The transfer device transfers the battery from the conveying device to the conveying path for inspection. The conveying device is configured to be able to convey the battery toward the transfer device. Thus, in manufacturing apparatuses and / or inspection apparatuses for various products, the transfer device is configured to be able to move and / or transfer the conveyed object received from the conveying device to another mechanism. The conveying device is required to convey the conveyed object faster and more stably to the transfer device.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-102901 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, 18650 and 21700 lithium-ion batteries have been the mainstream batteries in circulation until now. However, in recent years, 4680 lithium-ion batteries (hereinafter referred to as "4680 batteries") have been produced as high-capacity automotive batteries. 4680 batteries are six times heavier and twice as diameter as conventional batteries. However, simply scaling up conventional battery inspection equipment has not been sufficient to achieve fast and stable transport of 4680 batteries.

[0007] These problems were not limited to cylindrical objects such as batteries, but occurred similarly with other cylindrical, cylindrical, and spherical transported objects.

[0008] This embodiment aims to provide a conveying device that can achieve fast and stable conveyance even for large or heavy objects, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The conveying device of this embodiment is a conveying device for conveying a continuous stream of objects, and has the following configuration. (1) The conveying device has a sensor positioned on the conveying path for detecting the presence or absence of the conveyed material, a stopper positioned downstream of the sensor for stopping the flow of the conveyed material, and an assister positioned downstream of the stopper and configured to send the conveyed material from the upstream side to the downstream side, wherein the sensor has a determination unit for determining whether or not the conveyed material is interrupted, and if the determination unit determines that the conveyed material is interrupted, the stopper stops the flow of the conveyed material and the assister sends the conveyed material downstream.

[0010] The transport device of the embodiment may further include the following configurations. (1) The stopper is configured to stop the flow of subsequent conveyed objects after the last conveyed object in the continuous conveyed object has passed.

[0011] (2) The assister is configured to advance the last of the continuous conveyed objects downstream.

[0012] (3) A transfer device configured to take in the transported material is positioned downstream of the assister, and the assister sends the transported material from the upstream side to the transfer device side.

[0013] (4) The transfer device is rotatably mounted and formed in the shape of a gear, and grooves are formed around the gear that can take in the transported object.

[0014] (5) The assister is configured to eject compressed air from the upstream side relative to the conveyed object.

[0015] (6) Downstream of the assister, a transfer device is provided which is configured to take in the transported material. The transport device is configured to transport the material at a low speed for a predetermined time at the start of the transport process, bringing the transported material to the input position of the transfer device. After the predetermined time has elapsed, it transports the material at high speed, and the transfer device takes in the transported material. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the battery inspection apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the transport apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing the control unit of the transport apparatus according to the embodiment. <00000,75>It is a flowchart showing the operation of the transport apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the transport apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] [[ID=1,9]]It is a block diagram showing the control unit of the transport apparatus according to another embodiment.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] [1. Embodiment] [1-1. Configuration of Embodiment] Hereinafter, the configuration of the transport apparatus 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the following embodiment, as an example, the transport apparatus 1 that transports the battery toward the transfer apparatus 2a in the battery inspection apparatus I of the 4680 standard battery will be described. However, the configuration of the transport apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is applicable to the transport apparatus 1 that transports the conveyed object B toward the transfer apparatus 2a in the manufacturing apparatus and inspection apparatus of various products.

[0018] <000,^090>[Conveyed Object] As an example of the conveyed object B transported by the transport apparatus 1, there is a 4680 standard battery. The 4680 standard battery is a cylindrical battery having a diameter of 46 mm and a length of 80 mm, and has a weight about six times and a diameter about twice that of a conventional battery. When transporting the 4680 standard battery, which has been increased in weight and size, with a conventional transport apparatus, in order to maintain the same inspection speed as before, it is necessary to double the transport speed. The batteries move forward side by side without gaps on a conveyor, which is a transport apparatus, but when the transport speed increases, gaps are likely to occur between the batteries.

[0019] <00000^4>Thus, when transporting a relatively heavy conveyed object B, a space is likely to occur between the conveyed objects B in the conveying path. Also, since there is no subsequent conveyed object B for the last conveyed object LB among the continuously conveyed objects B, it is not pushed by other conveyed objects B later. Therefore, the last conveyed object LB tends to lag behind other conveyed objects B. The last conveyed object LB means the last conveyed object among the conveyed objects B that are continuously conveyed without interruption or gaps. The conveying device 1 is particularly suitable when a gap occurs between the conveyed objects B or when there is a conveyed object B that lags behind other conveyed objects B. However, the conveying device 1 is also applicable when transporting a relatively lightweight conveyed object B. Also, even when transporting a conveyed object B for which a gap is unlikely to occur between the conveyed objects B, the conveying device 1 can be used to regularly align the conveyed objects B.

[0020] [Battery inspection device] The outline of the battery inspection device I having the conveying device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described while referring to FIG. 1. Note that since FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline configuration of the battery inspection device I, the detailed configurations of the conveying device 1 and the transfer device 2 are not shown. Also, the arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the traveling direction of the conveyed object B. In the following description, there are cases where the side pointed to by the arrow in the figure is described as the downstream side in the conveying direction, and the opposite is described as the upstream side in the conveying direction.

[0021] The battery inspection device I is a device that inspects a battery as the conveyed object B. The battery inspection device I irradiates the battery with radiation and detects the radiation that has passed through the battery. Based on this detection result, the battery inspection device I generates a fluoroscopic image of the battery. The battery inspection device I performs a pass / fail determination as to whether there is any misalignment between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate of the battery for each fluoroscopic image of each battery.

[0022] Such a battery inspection device I includes a conveying device 1, transfer devices 2a and 2b, a battery inspection system 3, and a carry-out device 4. Furthermore, the battery inspection device I includes a control unit 5 that controls the operations and directions of the conveying device 1, the transfer devices 2a and 2b, the battery inspection system 3, and the carry-out device 4. Note that the control unit 5 is shown in FIG. 3 and will be described in detail later.

[0023] The conveying device 1 is a device that conveys a holder H on which the object B is placed. The holder H is a cylindrical conveying jig that holds the object B, with a portion of the object B being inserted into it. However, the object B may also be conveyed without using the holder H. When the object B is conveyed using the holder H, the holder H can be considered as part of the object B. The conveying device 1 includes, for example, a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor. The conveying device 1 transports the object B to the battery inspection system 3 via a transfer device 2a. That is, the transfer device 2a is installed between the conveying device 1 and the battery inspection system 3.

[0024] The battery inspection system 3 includes a rotary transport device 31, which sequentially rotates and transports the transported object B that has been brought in from the transport device 1 via the transfer device 2a. The battery inspection system 3 includes radiation generators 32a and 32b that irradiate the upper or lower side of the battery with a radiation beam, respectively, and radiation detectors 33a and 33b that are positioned opposite the focal point of each radiation generator. The radiation detectors 33a and 33b are equipped with a determination unit and a storage unit (not shown), and determine whether the battery is good or bad by comparing the images captured by the radiation detectors 33a and 33b with predetermined standards stored in the storage unit.

[0025] The discharge device 4, like the conveying device 1, is a device for conveying the conveyed object B. The discharge device 4 includes, for example, a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor. The discharge device 4 discharges the conveyed object B, which has completed non-destructive testing in the battery inspection system 3, from the battery inspection system 3 via the transfer device 2b. That is, the transfer device 2b is installed between the discharge device 4 and the battery inspection system 3. Although not shown in the figures, the battery inspection device I is provided with a mechanism for removing batteries that have been determined to be defective in the battery inspection system 3 from the discharge device 4.

[0026] [Conveying and Transfer Devices] The configurations of the conveying device 1 and the transfer device 2a will be described in detail with reference to Figure 2. The conveying device 1 includes a belt 1a, a pair of guide plates 1b, a drive motor (not shown), and pulleys. The belt 1a moves at a predetermined speed when the rotational motion of the drive motor is transmitted to the belt 1a by the pulleys. The guide plates 1b are fixed so as to protrude upward from both ends of the belt 1a. The distance between the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of guide plates 1b is approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical holder H on which the conveyed object B is placed. Therefore, the inner surfaces of the pair of guide plates 1b contact and guide the outer surface of the holder H as it is conveyed on the belt 1a, causing the holder H to advance along a predetermined conveying path.

[0027] As described above, the conveying device 1 is configured to transfer the conveyed object B to the transfer device 2a. The transfer device 2a can be, for example, a star wheel pivotally supported on an axis. The transfer device 2a has multiple grooves a2 formed at equal intervals, which are sandwiched between two claws a1. In the example of the transfer device 2a in Figure 2, multiple claws a1 and multiple grooves a2 are provided around a disc-shaped gear. However, the transfer device 2a may also have claws and grooves provided around an oval-shaped gear. In other words, the transfer device 2a only needs to be configured to be able to take in the conveyed object B.

[0028] The holder H of the transported object B, which has been transported by the transport device 1 and reached the input position of the transfer device 2a, is taken into a groove a2 included in the transfer device 2a. Once taken into the transfer device 2a, the transported object B is rotated and transported along a circular orbit relative to the axis of the transfer device 2a. Near the transfer device 2a, an arc-shaped guide plate 20 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the transfer device 2a. Therefore, the transported object B taken into the transfer device 2a is rotated and transported while its outer surface is supported by the guide plate 20.

[0029] The conveying device 1 described above further includes a sensor 10, a stopper 11, and an assister 12. The sensor 10 is a detector that detects when there is a break in a continuous sequence of conveyed objects B on the belt 1a or when a gap occurs between conveyed objects B. The sensor 10 is positioned near the belt 1a. The sensor 10 is also positioned at a predetermined distance from the transfer device 2a. The distance between the sensors should be such that the sensor 10 can detect a break in the conveyed objects B and the stopper 11 can stop the flow of the conveyed objects B, and this distance can be determined by the conveying speed, the operating speed of each component, etc.

[0030] A photoelectric sensor can be used as sensor 10. The photoelectric sensor has a light-emitting unit that emits visible light, etc., and a light-receiving unit that detects reflected light from the transported object B or the amount of light that has changed due to shielding, and can detect the presence or absence of the transported object B. As shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to arrange the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit of the photoelectric sensor at an angle from a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the transported object B. If the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit of the photoelectric sensor are arranged perpendicular to the transport direction of the transported object B, if the transported object B is cylindrical, there is a possibility that light from the light-emitting unit will pass through at the contact points of adjacent transported objects B, which can cause false detection. By arranging the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit at an angle with respect to the transport direction, the transmission of light at the contact points of adjacent transported objects B is prevented, so that the presence or absence of the transported object B can be detected more accurately.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the sensor 10 comprises a determination unit 10a and a storage unit 10b. The determination unit 10a is, for example, a CPU, and the storage unit 10b is, for example, a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 10b stores, for example, a predetermined amount of time.

[0032] The determination unit 10a determines, for example, that if the amount of light detected by the sensor 10 is not blocked for a period of time previously stored in the storage unit 10b, that the transported object B is interrupted or that there is a gap between transported objects B. The determination unit 10a outputs the determination result to the control unit 5. The sensor 10 can be a fiber sensor, a laser sensor, an image discrimination sensor, or any other sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of transported objects B.

[0033] The stopper 11 is a stopping unit that stops the flow of multiple continuous conveyed objects B on the belt 1a. The stopper 11 is positioned near the belt 1a. The stopper 11 is also positioned between the sensor 10 and the transfer device 2a. That is, the stopper 11 is positioned downstream of the sensor 10 and has a predetermined distance from the sensor 10. The stopper 11 is positioned downstream of the sensor 10 and near the transfer device 2a, but is positioned upstream in the conveying direction from the input position of the transfer device 2a.

[0034] The stopper 11 includes a stopper cylinder 11a and a stopper member 11b. The stopper cylinder 11a uses compressed air as its working fluid, for example, and is configured so that the rod of the stopper cylinder 11a can be extended by supplying compressed air to the stopper cylinder 11a. The stopper member 11b is formed at the tip of the rod of the stopper cylinder 11a.

[0035] The stopper member 11b does not come into contact with the conveyed object B when the rod of the stopper cylinder 11a is compressed. On the other hand, when the rod of the stopper cylinder 11a is extended, the stopper member 11b comes into contact with the conveyed object B or holder H on the belt 1a, and is configured to suppress the movement of the conveyed object B. The stopper cylinder 11a extends based on a command from the control unit 5, and the flow of the conveyed object B is stopped by the stopper member 11b. The control unit 5 controls the stopper 11 so that the tip of the stopper member 11b protrudes into the space created between the conveyed object B and the guide plate 1b to stop the flow of the conveyed object B, which makes the stopping of the flow of the conveyed object B smoother and more efficient.

[0036] In the example shown in Figure 2, the stopper 11 is positioned perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyed object B and is configured to protrude from the side of the conveyed object B. However, the stopper 11 may also be configured to protrude from the top or bottom of the conveyed object B. In addition, other stopping devices such as an electric stopper can be used as the stopper 11.

[0037] The assister 12 is an auxiliary unit that blows compressed air sent from a compressor onto the conveyed object B on the belt 1a. The assister 12 is positioned near the belt 1a. The assister 12 is also positioned so that it can inject compressed air downstream of the stopper 11. The compressed air outlet of the assister 12 is positioned toward the downstream side in the conveying direction. It is preferable that the compressed air outlet of the assister 12 be positioned as close as possible to the conveyed object B.

[0038] The assister 12 is positioned to spray compressed air onto the conveyed object B or holder H just before it is fed into the transfer device 2a. For example, the compressed air nozzle of the assister 12 should be tilted at approximately 35 degrees with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyed object B. That is, the assister 12 blows compressed air onto the conveyed object B from the upstream side in the conveying direction to move it forward towards the transfer device 2a. With the assistance of the assister 12, the conveyed object B moves forward to the feeding position of the transfer device 2a.

[0039] The compressed air ejected from the assister 12 only needs to be strong enough to propel one transported object B forward. For example, if the transported object B is a 4680 battery, the force of the supplied compressed air can be doubled by arranging two air tubes side by side in the assister 12. The assister 12 blows out compressed air based on a command from the control unit 5 and blows it onto the transported object B just before it is placed into the transfer device 2a.

[0040] The assister 12 only needs to be able to send the conveyed object B from the upstream side to the downstream side, and is not limited to the air assister described above. For example, the conveyed object B may be pushed downstream using a push rod. Alternatively, rollers or a conveyor belt that can contact the conveyed object B may be provided in the vicinity of the transfer device 2a on the belt 1a to send the conveyed object B downstream.

[0041] [Control Unit] The configuration of the control unit 5 will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 3. The control unit 5 controls the operation and orientation of the transport device 1, transfer devices 2a and 2b, battery inspection system 3, and discharge device 4 in order to transport and inspect the transported object B. The control unit 5 is a so-called computer to which input and output units are connected, and consists of storage such as an HDD or SSD, RAM, a CPU, and driver circuits. For example, programs and data for controlling each component are stored in the storage. Programs are loaded into the RAM, and data is also temporarily stored there. The CPU processes the programs, and the driver circuits supply power to each component according to the results of this processing.

[0042] The control unit 5 is configured to determine, for example, the timing at which the radiation generators 32a and 32b of the battery inspection system 3 irradiate with radiation beams, i.e., the imaging timing of the radiation generators 32a and 32b. It can also control the removal of defective batteries in the discharge device 4 based on the determination results output from the determination units of the radiation detectors 33a and 33b. However, the following description will focus specifically on the control of the stopper 11 and the assister 12. The control unit 5 has a stopper drive condition storage unit 51 and an assister drive condition storage unit 52.

[0043] As described above, the determination unit 10a of the sensor 10 outputs the determination result to the control unit 5. The stopper drive condition storage unit 51 is a storage unit that stores the conditions for driving the stopper 11 when the determination unit 10a determines that the conveyed object B is interrupted or that there is a gap between conveyed objects B. The stopper drive condition storage unit 51 preferably stores the conditions for the stopper member 11b to protrude immediately after the last conveyed object LB of a series of conveyed objects B has passed the stopper 11. In other words, the timing for supplying compressed air to the stopper cylinder 11a is stored so that the stopper member 11b protrudes when the gap between conveyed objects B is located at the stopper 11.

[0044] The assister drive condition storage unit 52 is a storage unit that stores the conditions for driving the assister 12. The assister drive condition storage unit 52 preferably stores the timing at which compressed air can be ejected for the last transported object LB of a series of transported objects B. Each drive condition should be set to allow a predetermined operation to be performed for the last transported object LB, taking into account the transport speed of the transported objects B and the operating speed of each component. It is also possible to configure the stopper drive condition storage unit 51 and the assister drive condition storage unit 52 as a calculation unit and a storage unit for the respective drive conditions. In that case, the drive conditions should be appropriately calculated from the actual transport speed and the operating speed of each component and stored in the storage unit.

[0045] [1-2. Operation of the Embodiment] The transport procedure for the transported object B of the transport device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0046] As a prerequisite, holders H on which the transported object B is placed are lined up along the transport path of the transport device 1 up to the transfer device 2a. When the transport device 1 is driven by control of the control unit 5, the holders H are sequentially transferred from the transport device 1 to the transfer device 2a (step S01). More specifically, first, the groove a2 of the transfer device 2a attracts and holds the holder H as it is being transported on the belt 1a. Next, the rotary transport device 31 attracts and holds this holder H, while the transfer device 2a releases this holder H. As a result, the holder H is transferred from the transfer device 2a to the rotary transport device 31.

[0047] In this transport process, the sensor 10 emits visible light from, for example, a light emitter and detects the amount of light with a light receiver. The determination unit 10a determines that there are no gaps between the transported objects B if the detected amount of light is intermittently blocked from the emitted light (step S02, NO). In this case, the process returns to step S01, and the transport of the transported objects B by the transport device 1 continues. On the other hand, the determination unit 10a determines that there is a break in the transported objects B or that there are gaps between the transported objects B if the detected amount of light is not blocked for a predetermined time stored in the memory unit 10b (step S02, YES). The state in step S02, YES is shown in Figure 5(a). As shown in Figure 5(a), the last transported object B in a sequence of transported objects B is designated as the last transported object LB.

[0048] If the determination unit 10a determines that the conveyed object B is interrupted or that there is a gap between conveyed objects B, the control unit 5 drives the stopper 11 based on the drive conditions for the stopper 11 stored in the stopper drive condition storage unit 51 (step S03). The state in step S03 is shown in Figure 5(b). The stopper member 11b of the stopper 11 protrudes after the last conveyed object LB has passed, stopping the flow of conveyed objects B from the last conveyed object LB onward.

[0049] In this case, the last transported object LB tends to lag behind the preceding transported objects B because it is not pushed by other transported objects B from behind. As a result, a gap is created between the transported objects B and the preceding transported objects B, making it highly likely that the transported object will not be able to reach the input position of the transfer device 2a and will get caught in the transfer device 2a. In particular, when the transported object B is a 4680 battery, its diameter is about twice that of conventional batteries, so in order to maintain the same inspection speed as before, the transport speed had to be doubled. Therefore, there was a high risk of it getting caught when the transport stopped, and stable transport could not be achieved.

[0050] However, in the transport device 1, after the stopper 11 is driven, the control unit 5 drives the assister 12 based on the assister drive condition storage unit 52 (step S04). The state in step S04 is shown in Figure 5(c). The assister 12 blows compressed air onto the last transported object LB, sending the last transported object LB toward the downstream transfer device 2a. As a result, the transported object B is properly loaded into the transfer device 2a. After that, the stopper 11 is released and the transport of the transported object B is resumed (step S05), and the process returns to step S01.

[0051] [1-3. Effects of the Embodiment] (1) The conveying device 1 of this embodiment is a conveying device 1 that conveys a continuous transport object B, and includes a sensor 10 arranged on the transport path of the conveying device 1 to detect the presence or absence of the transport object B, a stopper 11 arranged downstream of the sensor 10 to stop the flow of the transport object B, and an assister 12 arranged downstream of the stopper 11 and configured to send the transport object B from the upstream side to the downstream side, wherein the sensor 10 has a determination unit 10a that determines whether or not the transport object B is interrupted, and if the determination unit 10a determines that the transport object B is interrupted, the stopper 11 stops the flow of the transport object B and the assister 12 sends the transport object B downstream.

[0052] As described above, when transporting relatively heavy objects B, gaps tend to form between the objects B in the transport path. In this embodiment, the sensor 10 determines whether or not there is a gap in the transport objects B, and if there is a gap, the stopper 11 stops the flow of the transport objects B. Then, the assister 12, positioned downstream of the stopper 11, sprays compressed air from the upstream side onto the transport objects B, sending them downstream in the transport direction. Therefore, it is possible to align the transport objects B even if there are gaps between them or if one transport object B is lagging behind the others. As a result, it is possible to provide a transport device 1 that can achieve fast and stable transport even if the transport objects B are large or heavy.

[0053] (2) The stopper 11 is configured to stop the flow of subsequent conveyed objects B after the last conveyed object LB of a series of conveyed objects B has passed.

[0054] If the sensor 10 determines that there is a break or gap in the transported object B, the stopper 11 stops the flow of subsequent transported objects B immediately after the last transported object LB in the sequence of transported objects B has passed the stopper 11. The stopper member 11b protrudes when the gap between transported objects B is located at the stopper 11, allowing the transported objects B up to the point where the gap occurs to continue to be transported smoothly. Therefore, the transported objects B can be transported quickly and stably without reducing the transport speed unnecessarily.

[0055] (3) The assister 12 is configured to advance the last conveyed object LB of the continuous conveyed object B toward the downstream side.

[0056] The last transported object LB in a sequence of transported objects B tends to lag behind the preceding transported objects B because it is not pushed by other transported objects B from behind. By advancing this last transported object LB downstream using the assister 12, it is possible to eliminate the gap that has formed between it and the preceding transported objects B. Therefore, even if the transport speed is increased, the batteries can be transported without any gaps, even down to the last one. This enables more stable transport.

[0057] (4) A transfer device 2a, configured to take in the transported object B, is positioned downstream of the assister 12, and the assister 12 sends the transported object B from the upstream side to the transfer device 2a side.

[0058] If there is a gap between the transported objects B, the transported objects B may not be able to reach the input position of the transfer device 2a and may become jammed in the transfer device 2a. However, by sending the transported objects B towards the transfer device 2a using the assister 12, they can properly reach the input position of the transfer device 2a. Therefore, jamming of the transported objects B is avoided, and the transported objects B can be transported quickly and stably.

[0059] Furthermore, when the transported object B is a 4680 battery, its diameter is approximately twice that of conventional batteries. Therefore, in order to maintain the same inspection speed as before, the transport speed had to be doubled. This increased the risk of jamming when transport stopped, making stable transport impossible. However, with the transport device 1 of this embodiment, even 4680 batteries can be transported quickly and stably.

[0060] (5) The transfer device 2a is rotatably mounted and formed in the shape of a gear, and a groove a2 is formed around the gear that can take in the transported object B.

[0061] The conveyed object B is continuously fed into the groove a2 of the transfer device 2a. Therefore, by using the assister 12 to properly guide the conveyed object B to the input position in groove a2 of the transfer device 2a, smooth conveyance becomes possible. In addition, it is possible to prevent the conveyed object B from getting caught in the transfer device 2a and being damaged.

[0062] (6) The assister 12 is configured to spray compressed air from the upstream side toward the conveyed object B.

[0063] By using an air assister 12, the conveyed object B can be sent downstream without contact with it. Therefore, there is no risk of damaging or scratching the conveyed object B.

[0064] [2. Second Embodiment] Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the control unit 5 further includes a motor drive condition storage unit 53. The motor drive condition storage unit 53 is a storage unit that stores the conditions for driving the drive motor of the conveying device 1. As described above, the belt 1a of the conveying device 1 moves at a predetermined speed when the rotational motion of the drive motor is transmitted to the belt 1a by the pulley. Therefore, the conveying speed of the conveying device 1 can be changed by changing the rotational speed of the drive motor.

[0065] The motor drive condition storage unit 53 is a storage unit that stores low-speed transport conditions and high-speed transport conditions. Low-speed transport conditions are the drive conditions for the drive motor that result in a low transport speed for the transport device 1, and are used at the start of transport. A low transport speed is a speed at which the transported object B does not collide with the transfer device 2a when it reaches the input position of the transfer device 2a. For example, if the transported object B is a 4680 battery, a speed of about 15 cm / s is assumed.

[0066] The motor drive condition storage unit 53 stores a predetermined time for controlling the conveying device 1 based on the low-speed conveying conditions. The predetermined time is the time from the start of the conveying process until the conveyed object B reaches the input position of the transfer device 2a.

[0067] High-speed transport conditions refer to the drive motor driving conditions that result in a high transport speed. A high-speed transport speed is a transport speed faster than a low-speed transport speed. The high-speed transport speed is used when the transported object B reaches the input position of the transfer device 2a and is then taken into the transfer device 2a. It is preferable that the high-speed transport speed be a speed that allows the transported object B to be properly taken into the transfer device 2a. For example, if the transported object B is a 4680 battery, a speed of about 45 cm / s is assumed. It is preferable that this high-speed transport speed be about 1.5 times the peripheral speed of the transfer device 2a.

[0068] In the second embodiment having the configuration described above, at the start of the conveying process, the control unit 5 drives the drive motor of the conveying device 1 for a predetermined time based on the low-speed conveying conditions stored in the motor drive condition storage unit 53. As a result, the belt 1a starts moving at a low speed, and the conveyed object B is slowly conveyed and reaches the input position of the transfer device 2a. At this time, since the control unit 5 has not yet rotated the transfer device 2a, the transfer device 2a receives the slowly flowing conveyed object B at the input position. As a result, the conveyed object B does not collide with the transfer device 2a. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 5 drives the drive motor of the conveying device 1 based on the high-speed conveying conditions stored in the motor drive condition storage unit 53. Following this, the control unit 5 starts rotating the transfer device 2a and starts taking the conveyed object B into the transfer device 2a.

[0069] In the conventional conveying device 1, high-speed operation was performed immediately upon the start of the conveying operation, so the conveyed object B was transported with great force and reached the transfer device 2a. Therefore, especially when a heavy conveyed object B was being transported, a large load was placed on the transfer device 2a when the conveyed object B collided with the transfer device 2a at high speed. This load sometimes caused errors and stopped the conveying operation. For example, the 4680 battery is six times heavier and twice as diameter as a conventional battery, so the impact it has on the transfer device 2a upon arrival is large.

[0070] However, in the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, at the start of the conveying process, the conveyed object B is conveyed at a low speed for a predetermined time to reach the input position of the transfer device 2a. Therefore, collision of the conveyed object B with the transfer device 2a is avoided, and even relatively heavy conveyed objects B can be conveyed at high speed in a stable state. Furthermore, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the device is configured to convey at high speed, and the transfer device 2a takes in the conveyed object B. Thus, it is possible to achieve high-speed conveyance while avoiding impact on the transfer device 2a.

[0071] In the above example, the transport speed is changed by controlling the drive motor based on the low-speed and high-speed transport conditions stored in the motor drive condition storage unit 53, but the method of changing the transport speed is not limited to this. For example, in the belt 1a, a brake that can contact the transported object B is provided near the transfer device 2a, and the transport speed is changed by controlling the rotational speed of this conveyor. Alternatively, in the belt 1a, a conveyor for speed control may be provided near the transfer device 2a so as to be able to contact the transported object B, and the transport speed may be changed by controlling the rotational speed of this conveyor.

[0072] [3. Other Embodiments] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and essence of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. The following is an example.

[0073] (1) The assister 12 is not limited to those that utilize airflow; a pressing rod or pressing plate that extends and retracts from a cylinder or the like can also be used. Alternatively, small rubber rollers or belts that move toward and away from the conveyed object B may be provided on the top surface or both ends of the conveyed object B to press the conveyed object B downstream. (2) The conveying device 1 is not limited to a battery conveying device 1 arranged in an Ω shape as shown in Figure 1, but can be broadly used in any conveying device that uses a gear-shaped transfer device 2a. In particular, it is suitable for devices where it is necessary to avoid interference between the transfer device 2a and the conveyed object B caused by the delay of the conveyed object B due to the angle change when the direction of the conveying path is changed to a predetermined angle. (3) As the transfer device 2a, instead of a circular gear-shaped device, a belt conveyor that travels in a track-like manner with pressing plates for the conveyed object B provided at predetermined intervals can also be used, or a device that uses air pressure to attract and transfer the conveyed object B around a rotating body. (4) The transfer device 2a is not necessarily required and can also be used to avoid delays in the start or collisions of the transported object B that occur when congestion occurs on the path of the transport device 1, such as a belt conveyor or turntable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] I... Battery testing device B... Transported goods LB...the last item to be transported H... Holder 1…Conveyor device 1a... Belt 1b... A pair of guide plates 10...Sensor 10a...judgment section 10b...Storage section 11... Stopper 11a... Stopper cylinder 11b... Stopper component 12... Assist 2a, 2b...transfer device a1…nail a2…Groove 20... Guide plate 3…Battery inspection system 31... Rotary conveying device 32a, 32b... Radiation generators 33a, 33b... Radiation detectors 4...Unloading device 5…Control Unit 51... Stopper drive condition storage unit 52... Assister drive condition storage unit 53...Motor drive condition storage unit

Claims

1. A conveying device for conveying a continuous stream of objects, A sensor is placed on the transport path of the transport device to detect the presence or absence of the transported object, A stopper is positioned downstream of the sensor and stops the flow of the conveyed material, The system includes an assister positioned downstream of the stopper and configured to send the conveyed material from the upstream side to the downstream side, The sensor has a determination unit that determines whether or not the conveyed object has been interrupted. A conveying device in which, when the determination unit determines that the conveyed material has been interrupted, the stopper stops the flow of the conveyed material and the assister sends the conveyed material downstream.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is configured to stop the flow of subsequent conveyed objects after the last of the continuous conveyed objects has passed.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assister is configured to advance the last of the consecutive conveyed objects downstream.

4. A transfer device configured to capture the transported object is positioned downstream of the aforementioned assister. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assister sends the conveyed object from the upstream side to the transfer device side.

5. The transfer device is rotatably mounted and formed in the shape of a gear, The conveying device according to claim 4, wherein a groove capable of capturing the conveyed object is formed around the gear.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assister is configured to eject compressed air from the upstream side toward the conveyed object.

7. A transfer device configured to capture the transported object is positioned downstream of the aforementioned assister. The conveying device, at the start of the conveying process, performs low-speed conveying for a predetermined time to bring the conveyed object to the input position of the transfer device. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, configured such that when the predetermined time has elapsed, high-speed conveyance is performed and the transfer device takes in the conveyed object.

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