Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device which conveys a tray on which food and drink, etc. are placed conveyed on a conveyance lane from the conveyance lane to a customer seat side, and also recovers the tray from the customer seat side to the conveyance lane.SOLUTION: A conveyance device which conveys a tray conveyed to a distribution position by a conveyor belt to a customer seat side, includes: a transfer part which has multiple conveyance rollers that convey the tray in the distribution direction; and a moving-up / down part which moves up / down the conveyance roller between the first position and the second position; a tray distribution part in which the moving-up / down part raises the multiple conveyance rollers from the first position to the second position to lift up the tray at the distribution position from the conveyor belt, the multiple conveyance rollers are rotated to convey the tray to the distribution direction; a customer seat front conveyance part which conveys the tray conveyed from the tray distribution part to the provision position; and a control part which controls the operation of the tray distribution part and the customer seat front conveyance part. The conveyance device recovers the tray to the distribution position by the customer seat front conveyance part and the tray distribution part when acquiring a recovery instruction signal of the tray.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[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 recovery.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in restaurants such as conveyor belt sushi restaurants, a conveying device that conveys a tray on which ordered food and drink 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 the staff is required.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that conveys a tray on which food and drink or the like conveyed in a conveying lane are placed from the conveying lane to the passenger seat side, and also performs recovery from the passenger seat side to the conveying lane.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The gist of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.

[0007] (1) A conveying device that transports trays of food and beverages, which have been transported to a sorting position by a conveyor belt on a conveyor lane, to the seating area, A transfer unit having multiple transport rollers that are driven by a drive mechanism and transport the tray in a direction that faces the customer seating area, A lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the plurality of conveying rollers between a first position lower than the conveying surface of the conveying belt and a second position higher than the conveying surface of the conveying belt, A tray sorting unit comprising: a lifting unit that raises the plurality of transport rollers from a first position to a second position, lifts the trays at the sorting position from the transport belt, and rotates the plurality of transport rollers to transport them in the sorting direction; A front-of-seat transport unit is positioned in front of the tray sorting unit in the sorting direction and transports the trays transported from the tray sorting unit to the serving position on the customer side. A control unit that controls the operation of the tray distribution unit and the seat front transport unit, Equipped with, The conveying device is characterized in that, when the control unit receives a signal instructing the retrieval of a tray that has been transported to the serving position, it causes the seat-front transport unit and the tray distribution unit to transport the tray in the opposite direction to the transport to the serving position and retrieve it to the distribution position.

[0008] (2) The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that when the trays to be collected have been conveyed to the sorting position, the lifting unit lowers the plurality of conveying rollers from the second position to the first position.

[0009] (3) The conveyor belt has a plurality of conveyor belts, The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that the plurality of conveying rollers are arranged in the distribution direction between the plurality of conveying belts and on the outside of the plurality of belts, in positions that do not overlap with the conveying belts in a plan view.

[0010] (4) The conveying device according to (3) above, characterized in that the plurality of conveying rollers arranged in line in the distribution direction are connected by an endless rotating body and rotate in conjunction with each other.

[0011] (5) The transfer unit further includes guide rollers positioned below the conveyor belt, The conveying device according to (4) above, characterized in that the guide roller guides the endless rotating body from the conveying roller to below the conveying belt.

[0012] (6) The conveying device according to (5) above, characterized in that the guide roller moves up and down together with the conveying roller by the lifting unit, and is below the conveying belt when the conveying roller rises to the second position.

[0013] (7) The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that the tray sorting unit has a stopper guide that stops the tray at the sorting position when the tray is collected.

[0014] (8) The conveying device according to (1) above, characterized in that the conveying roller rotates in both directions so that the tray can be conveyed to either of the seats on either side of the conveying lane.

[0015] (9) The transport device according to (1) above, further comprising a sensor for detecting the passage of a tray between the tray sorting unit and the seat-front transport unit, wherein the control unit stops the transport operation by the tray sorting unit and the seat-front transport unit based on the detection signal from the sensor, and stops the tray at the serving position when transporting to the seat or at the sorting position when collecting. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device that transports trays carrying food and beverages, etc., from the conveying lane to the seating area, and also retrieves them from the seating area back into the conveying lane. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of the conveying device of this embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the conveying device of this embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the conveying device of this embodiment as viewed from the planar direction. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram for explaining the configuration for controlling the operation of the conveying device of this embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the flow of the conveying operation of the tray by the conveying device of this embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the flow of the conveying operation of the tray by the conveying device of this embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the conveying device 1 of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the conveying device 1 of this embodiment and is a cross-sectional view at the A-A position in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the conveying device 1 in a plan view.

[0019] The conveying device 1 of this embodiment is a conveying device that conveys a tray T on which food and drink conveyed to the distribution position F by the conveying belt 52 (conveyor) of the conveying lane to the passenger side and collects the conveyed tray T. Specifically, the conveying device 1 includes a tray distribution unit 2 that distributes the tray T from the conveying belt 52 to the passenger side, a pre-passenger conveying unit 4 that conveys the tray conveyed from the tray distribution unit 2 to the provision position on the passenger side, and a control unit 30 that controls the operations of the tray distribution unit 2 and the pre-passenger conveying unit 4. And when the control unit 30 acquires a signal instructing the collection of the tray T conveyed to the provision position, it can convey the tray T in the direction opposite to the case of conveying the tray to the provision position to the tray distribution unit (on the conveying belt) and collect it to the distribution position on the tray distribution unit.

[0020] 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, the tray distribution unit 2, and the seating area transport unit 4. For example, it could be a platform-shaped or box-shaped object on which plates can be placed, or a plate of a size that can be transported by the transport belt.

[0021] In this embodiment, the conveying device 1 is described as a device that includes a device for conveying items from the conveying lane 50 to the seating area (such as a tray distribution unit 2 or a seating area conveying unit 4) and a device that constitutes the conveying lane 50 (such as a conveying belt 52). In cases where only the device portion for conveying items to the seating area is installed relative to an existing conveying lane 50, the conveying device 1 may be configured not to include the conveying lane 50 portion.

[0022] In this embodiment, the "conveyor lane direction" is the direction in which the conveyor lane 50 extends, and the direction in which the tray T is conveyed by the conveyor belt 52.

[0023] In this embodiment, the "distribution direction" is the direction in which trays T, which have been transported by the conveyor belt 52, are transported from the conveyor belt 52 towards the seating area by the tray distribution unit 2, etc. The distribution direction is the direction that intersects with the conveyor lane direction. In this embodiment, the distribution direction is the direction perpendicular to the conveyor lane direction.

[0024] In this embodiment, the "distribution position" is the position on the transport lane 50 to which the tray T is transported by the transport belt 52 before the transport begins when the tray distribution unit 2 transports the tray T to the seating area, and is the position shown as distribution position F in Figure 1. When multiple seats 60 are arranged along the transport lane direction, the tray T is transported to the distribution position F corresponding to the seat designated as the destination. Then, the tray distribution unit 2 at that distribution position F transports the tray T to the seat designated. Furthermore, when the tray T is retrieved, the tray T that is transported in the reverse direction from the seating area is returned to its original distribution position.

[0025] The components of the conveying device 1 will now be described. The conveying device 1 includes a tray distribution unit 2, a seat-front conveying unit 4, a first sensor 22, a control unit 30, an operation input unit 34, and the like. The conveying device 1 also includes a conveying belt 52 and a second sensor 56 as parts that constitute the conveying lane 50. The tray distribution unit 2, the seat-front conveying unit 4, the first sensor 22, and the second sensor 56 are provided for each seat distribution position F.

[0026] The tray sorting unit 2 transports the trays T from the transport lane 50 towards the seats 60 that will receive the trays T. The tray sorting unit 2 is positioned at the sorting position F on the transport lane 50. The tray sorting unit 2 moves the trays T that have been transported to the sorting position F to the seat-front transport unit 4 at the destination seat 60. During retrieval, the trays T transported from the seat-front transport unit 4 are returned to the sorting position F. The tray sorting unit 2 includes a transport unit and a lifting unit. The tray sorting unit 2 is further equipped with a stopper guide 18.

[0027] The transfer section of the tray sorting unit 2 is the part that transports the trays T using multiple rollers. The transfer section is raised by a lifting unit to lift the trays T on the transport belt 52 and transport them in the sorting direction. The transfer section includes multiple transport rollers 10, a drive roller 11, a guide roller 12, a driven roller 13, a drive belt 14, a drive motor 15, a housing 20, and the like.

[0028] In this embodiment, multiple roller sets, each consisting of three transport rollers 10, one drive roller 11, two guide rollers 12, and one driven roller 13, are arranged in a line in the direction of the transport lane. In this embodiment, two sets (two rows) of roller sets are arranged. Each roller constituting one set is arranged in the distribution direction (a direction perpendicular to the transport lane direction) and rotates in the distribution direction. A drive belt 14 is wound around each roller constituting one set of rollers, and they rotate in conjunction with the driving force of a drive motor 15. Note that in Figure 3, rollers other than the transport rollers 10 and the drive motor 15 are omitted.

[0029] The transport roller 10 rotates with the tray T on it, transporting the tray T toward the seating area in a distribution direction. As shown in Figure 1, if there are seating areas 60 on both sides of the transport lane 50, the tray can be transported to either side of the seating area by changing the direction of rotation.

[0030] The conveyor rollers 10 are arranged in a total of three per roller set: one on each outer side of the two conveyor belts 52 and one in the middle of the conveyor belts 52. The conveyor rollers 10 are positioned so as not to interfere with the conveyor belts 52 in a plan view. The conveyor rollers 10 can rise without interfering with the conveyor belts 52, thereby lifting the trays T that are on the conveyor belts 52. Furthermore, since the trays T are supported by multiple rows (two rows in this embodiment) of conveyor rollers 10, the trays T can be conveyed stably.

[0031] The drive roller 11 is a roller used to drive multiple rollers, such as the conveyor roller 10. It transmits the driving force from the drive motor 15 to the other rollers via the drive belt 14 to rotate them. In this embodiment, the drive roller 11 is positioned below the conveyor roller 10 on the outer side (towards the seating area) in the distribution direction.

[0032] The guide roller 12 is a roller that guides the drive belt 14 from the conveyor roller 10 to a position below the conveyor belt 52 so as not to interfere with it. Because the conveyor belt 52 is located between the three conveyor rollers 10, the drive belt 14 cannot be passed directly from one conveyor roller 10 to the next. Therefore, the drive belt 14 is directed downward by the guide roller 12 and wound around the next conveyor roller 10, passing below the conveyor belt 52. In this embodiment, there are two guide rollers 12, each positioned below the two conveyor belts 52. The number of guide rollers 12 should be determined according to the number of conveyor belts 52; for example, if the conveyor belt 52 consists of three belts, each guide roller 12 should be positioned below the three belts.

[0033] Furthermore, the guide roller 12 is positioned so that, before being raised by the lifting mechanism, there is a gap (clearance) between it and the conveyor belt 52 that is greater than the upward movement. In other words, the guide roller 12 is positioned lower than the conveyor belt 52 or other parts when it rises to the second position, as described later, from the first position.

[0034] The driven roller 13 rotates in conjunction with the drive belt 14. The driven roller 13 is positioned below the guide roller 12, together with the drive roller 11, so that the drive belt 14 passes below the conveyor roller 10 and the guide roller 12. In this embodiment, one driven roller 13 is positioned below the drive roller 11 in the distribution direction, but an appropriate number of driven rollers may be positioned at appropriate locations depending on the arrangement and structure of the other parts.

[0035] The drive belt 14 is an endless rotating body that is wound around rollers such as the conveyor rollers 10 that make up a set of rollers, and transmits the driving force of the drive rollers 11 to rotate multiple rollers in conjunction. The drive belt 14 is wound around pulleys located at the ends of the multiple rollers to transmit the driving force. Alternatively, grooves may be provided on the surface of each roller, and the drive belt 14 may be wound around these grooves to transmit the driving force. The drive belt 14 can be any mechanical element that can transmit rotational force, and other endless rotating bodies such as timing belts, V-belts, or chains may also be used.

[0036] The drive motor 15 is a driving means for driving the drive roller 11. The drive motor 15 is driven by the control unit 30 when providing the tray T to the seat 60 and when retrieving the tray T from the seat 60. The drive motor 15 can rotate in both directions, the direction in which the tray T is provided and the direction in which it is retrieved, and is, for example, a forward and reverse drive motor. Also, since the drive motor 15 can rotate in both directions, the tray distribution unit 2 can transport the tray T to either of the seat 60 on both sides. The drive motor 15 transmits power by being connected to the drive roller 11, for example, by a V-belt. The drive motor 15 and the drive roller 11 may be connected by other endless rotating bodies such as chains or gears, or they may be directly connected without using these power transmission elements.

[0037] In this embodiment, the driving force of one drive motor 15 is transmitted to multiple sets (two sets in this embodiment) of roller sets for driving. Alternatively, a drive motor 15 may be provided for each roller set and driven separately.

[0038] The housing 20 supports and fixes each part of the transport unit, such as the roller set and the drive motor 15. The housing 20 is supported within the transport lane 50 by the electric cylinder 16 of the lifting unit, which will be described next. Each part of the transport unit fixed to the housing 20 is raised and lowered as a whole by the lifting unit. The housing 20 can be any shape, such as a frame or a box, as long as it can fix the transport unit and be raised and lowered by the electric cylinder 16.

[0039] Next, the lifting and lowering section of the tray distribution unit 2 will be described. The lifting and lowering section is a part that has the function of raising the transport unit in order to lift the tray T at the distribution position F from the transport belt 52. The lifting and lowering section raises and lowers the transport unit between a first position and a second position in the height direction.

[0040] The first position is one in which the conveying surface (upper end) of the transfer unit is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying belt 52, and in this embodiment, the upper end of the conveying roller 10 is lower than the conveying surface of the conveying belt 52. The second position is one in which the conveying surface (upper end) of the transfer unit is higher than the conveying surface of the conveying belt 52, and in this embodiment, the upper end of the conveying roller 10 is higher than the conveying surface of the conveying belt 52.

[0041] When the lifting unit raises the transport unit to the second position, the tray T is lifted and supported by the transport rollers 10. The first position can be any suitable position below the transport rollers 10 so as not to interfere with the tray T being transported by the transport belt 52. The second position can be any suitable position at approximately the same height as the transport surface of the transport unit 4 in front of the seats.

[0042] The lifting mechanism in this embodiment is an electric cylinder 16. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism is composed of three electric cylinders 16. The electric cylinder 16 is an electric linear actuator that extends and retracts by the driving force of a motor, allowing the transport unit to be raised and lowered. The electric cylinder 16 is arranged such that, for example, the extendable rod side is fixed to the housing 20, and the case side is fixed to the mounting base 54 in the transport lane 50. Note that, as a lifting mechanism, a device other than an electric cylinder may be used, as long as it can raise and lower the transport unit to the predetermined position.

[0043] Next, the stopper guide 18 is a component used to stop the tray T, which has been transported from the seating area transport section 4 (described later), at an appropriate position in the sorting direction on the transport belt 52 when the tray T is being collected. The appropriate position is a position where the tray T can be transported stably on the transport belt 52, and is the original sorting position before the tray is transported to the seating area. The stopper guide 18 is an elongated plate-shaped component and is positioned between two rows of transport rollers 10 in a plan view, as shown in Figure 3. The stopper guide 18 rises to a height that will reach the edge of the tray T when the tray T is being collected. When not being collected, it is lowered and housed within the transport lane 50.

[0044] The stopper guide 18 is raised and lowered by an electric cylinder 18a. In this embodiment, one stopper guide 18 and one electric cylinder 18a are arranged on the outside of each of the conveyor rollers 10 on both sides. The electric cylinder 18a is fixed to the stopper guide 18 on the telescopic rod side, for example, and the case side is fixed to the wall surface or base 54 inside the conveyor lane 50. The stopper guide 18 furthest from the seat 60 where the tray T to be collected is located (the downstream side in the direction of movement of the tray T during collection) rises to stop the tray T. The electric cylinder 18a is controlled by the control unit 30. The shape of the stopper guide 18 can be any shape as long as it can hit and stop the tray T, and it may be a rod shape with a circular or polygonal cross-section. The stopper guide 18 may also be composed of multiple stoppers.

[0045] Next, the seat-front transport unit 4 will be described. The seat-front transport unit 4 transports the trays T transported from the tray distribution unit 2 to the serving position on the seating side of the transport lane 50. When retrieving the trays T from the serving position, the trays T are transported in the reverse direction from when they were served and returned to the tray distribution unit 2. In this embodiment, the seat-front transport unit 4 is a belt conveyor capable of transporting trays T and is located within the tables of the seating area 60.

[0046] The serving position is set to an appropriate location within the range that can be transported and retrieved by the seating transport device 4, and where it is easier to remove the plate from the tray T than from the transport lane 50 on the seat. For example, in the case of box-type seating, the position can be on the transport lane 50 side of the table 60, as shown in Figure 3. In the case of counter seating, the position can be on the transport lane 50 side of the counter table.

[0047] The seat-front transport unit 4 is positioned at least on the seating side of the transport lane 50, and is only required to be able to transport the tray T to the serving position as described above. Depending on the arrangement, structure, shape, etc., of the transport lane 50 and the seating area 60, the seat-front transport unit 4 may be positioned in a different location than in this embodiment, as long as it is in a position from which customers can take out the food and beverages on the tray T at the serving position from their seats.

[0048] Furthermore, the height of the conveying surface of the seat-front conveying unit 4 is approximately the same as the position of the conveying surface of the conveying roller 10 when the transfer unit is raised to the second position described above. This prevents any step difference from occurring between the seat-front conveying unit 4 and the tray distribution unit 2, allowing the trays T to be transported stably. In this embodiment, the conveying surface of the seat-front conveying unit 4 is aligned with the top surface of the table 60, but this is not the only option. Depending on the position of the conveying lane 50 and the arrangement of other parts, the conveying surface of the seat-front conveying unit 4 may be higher than the table 60.

[0049] The seating area transport unit 4 includes a belt 40, driven rollers 42, drive rollers 44, a drive motor 45, and a storage unit 46. The belt 40 is a transport belt with a width sufficient to transport trays T. The size of the opening in the table (storage unit 46) is formed to match the length and width of the belt 40 in the transport direction. The belt 40 is wound around a pair of driven rollers 42 and drive rollers 44. The driving force from the drive motor 45 is transmitted to the drive rollers 44 by a timing belt or the like, and the belt 40 rotates as the drive rollers 44 rotate. The drive motor 45 is controlled by the control unit 30. The drive motor 45 is a forward / reverse drive motor that rotates in both directions, similar to the drive motor 15 of the tray distribution unit 2. The storage unit 46 is a case-shaped member that houses the belt 40, the rollers and drive motor 45, etc., and is installed in the opening of the table. The seating area transport unit 4 can be similarly positioned on or near the counter table if the seating area 60 is a counter table.

[0050] Next, the first sensor 22 is a sensor that detects the passage of tray T. For example, an area sensor can be used for the first sensor 22. The first sensor 22 is positioned between the tray sorting unit 2 and the seat-front transport unit 4 and detects the passage of tray T during serving and collection. Based on the detection signal from the first sensor 22, the control unit 30 stops the transport operation of the tray sorting unit 2 and the seat-front transport unit 4 after the tray T has passed, thereby stopping the tray at the serving position when transporting to the seats 60, or stopping the tray at the sorting position when collecting. The first sensor 22 is not limited to an area sensor as long as it can detect the passage of tray T, and may also be an optical sensor, for example.

[0051] Next, the components of the conveying lane 50 will be described. As described above, the conveying belt 52 conveys the tray T along the conveying lane 50. In this embodiment, two conveying belts 52 are arranged in the direction of the conveying lane. The conveying belt 52 is driven by a roller drive unit 52a (shown in Figure 4), 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 conveying 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 conveying lane branched off from that conveying lane.

[0052] The second sensor 56 is a sensor that detects the passage of the transport tray T at a position just before the sorting position F in order to stop the transport tray T at each sorting position F. The arrival time required from the sensor's passage to reaching the sorting position F can be calculated based on the transport speed of the transport belt 52 and the distance from the detection position by the second sensor 56 to the sorting position F. During tray transport, the transport belt 52 can be driven for the above arrival time from the time of detection by the second sensor 56, thereby stopping the tray T at the target sorting position F. The second sensor 56 is not limited to any sensor that can detect the passage of the tray T, but area sensors and optical sensors can be used.

[0053] Next, the control unit 30 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 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 providing and retrieving trays T. Specifically, the control unit 40 controls the drive motor 15, electric cylinder 16, electric cylinder 18a, drive motor 45, and conveying belt drive unit 52a. It also acquires signals from the first sensor 22, the second sensor 56, etc., and controls each part to convey the trays T to the correct position. Details of the operation of the conveying device 1 by the control unit 30 will be described later.

[0054] The control unit 30 includes a processor 31 and a memory 32, etc. The processor 31 is, for example, a CPU, and executes programs stored in the memory 32 to control the operation of the transport device 1. The memory 32 stores control programs 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 programs stored in the memory 32 may be realized by the ASIC.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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 customer seat 60. The retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 is not particularly limited as long as it can directly or indirectly detect that food or beverages have been removed from the tray and output a signal that acts as a trigger to start the retrieval operation. The retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 is, for example, a sensor that detects when food or beverages (or the plate on which they are placed) placed on the tray T have disappeared from the tray. Specifically, by placing an area sensor between the customer seat front transport unit 4 and the customer seat 60 and detecting the movement of a customer's hand in and out of the tray when taking food or beverages from the customer seat side to the serving position side where the tray is located, it is possible to detect that food or beverages have been removed from the tray T. In this case, it is advisable to surround the customer seat front transport unit 4 so that the hand and food or beverages always pass through the detection area of ​​the area sensor when taking food or beverages.

[0057] Alternatively, the area sensor's emitter and receiver may be horizontally installed on both sides in the width direction of the passenger seat front transport unit 4, 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 food and beverages on the tray T may be directly detected by the area sensor. The change in detection state before and after the removal of food and beverages can be used to detect that food and beverages have been removed from the tray. The area sensor may be replaced with (multiple) photoelectric sensors to perform the same detection. When a detection signal indicating that food and beverages have been removed from the tray is output as a retrieval instruction signal, the control unit 30 can start the tray T retrieval process.

[0058] Furthermore, the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 may be an image detection system including a camera and an image processing device. The camera can capture images of the tray T from above the seating area transport unit 4, and by analyzing the captured images, it can detect when food or beverages have been removed from the tray T and output a retrieval instruction signal.

[0059] Furthermore, the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 may be equipped with a scale that detects the weight of the items being transported on the seating area transport unit 4. By detecting the change (decrease) in weight before and after the food and beverages are removed from the tray T, the removal of the food and beverages can be detected. The control unit 30 acquires the measured weight and, if a weight decrease of more than a predetermined value corresponding to the food and beverages is detected, or if the measured weight decreases to the weight of only the tray T which has been stored in advance, it can acquire the measured weight as a retrieval instruction signal and proceed to the retrieval operation. Alternatively, the scale may also make the determination of predetermined weight changes, and only send the signal to instruct retrieval to the control unit 30.

[0060] Furthermore, the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 may be, for example, a retrieval instruction button installed at the customer's seat 60. When a customer has finished removing plates from tray T, they can press this button to output a retrieval instruction signal, and the retrieval of tray T can begin. The retrieval instruction button may be a physical button or a button displayed on a touch panel. The above describes the configuration of the conveying device 1 of this embodiment.

[0061] Next, the operation of the conveying device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the flow of tray conveying operation by the conveying device 1 of this embodiment. First, an operation input is made in the operation input unit 34 to instruct which seat 60 to convey the tray T to. Based on this operation input, the control unit 30 controls the conveying belt drive unit 52a to operate the conveying belt 52 and conveys the tray T to the distribution position F corresponding to the designated seat 60. After the passage of the rear end of the tray T is detected by the second sensor 56 located in front of the target distribution position F, the conveying belt 52 is stopped when the arrival time required to reach the distribution position F has elapsed, thereby stopping the tray T at the distribution position F. Figure 5(a) shows the state in which the tray T has been conveyed to and stopped at the target distribution position F.

[0062] Next, the control unit 30 controls the tray distribution unit 2 located at the target distribution position F to start the transport operation of the tray T in the distribution direction. Specifically, first, the control unit 30 controls the electric cylinder 16 to raise the transport unit of the tray distribution unit 2 from the first position to the second position (Figure 5(a), (b)). As a result, the transport roller 10 lifts the tray T from the transport belt 52.

[0063] Next, the control unit 30 controls the drive motor 15 to rotate the drive roller 11, thereby rotating each roller in the transport unit. At this time, the control unit 30 controls the rotation direction of the drive motor 15 so that the tray T is transported in the direction of the seat 60 designated as the destination (in Figure 5, the direction of the seat 60 on the right). The control unit 30 also operates the drive motor 45 of the seat front transport unit 4 to rotate the belt 40 in the direction of transport of the tray T.

[0064] The control unit 30 then stops the drive motor 15 after it has started transporting the tray T and the first sensor 22 on the seating area side detects that the tray T has finished passing (i.e., after the rear end of the tray T has passed the first sensor 22 and nothing is detected). The control unit 30 also stops the drive motor 45 of the seating area transport unit 4. The control unit 30 should stop the drive motor 45 after a preset time has elapsed from the moment it detects the passage of the tray T, so that the tray T stops at the correct position on the transport belt 40. With this control, the tray T stops at the serving position in the seating area transport unit 4 (Figure 5(c)). After the tray T stops at the serving position, the dishes on the tray T are removed.

[0065] Next, the control unit 30 receives a signal from the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62 instructing the retrieval of the tray T provided to the seat 60. As described above, for example, the control unit 30 receives a detection signal as a retrieval instruction signal from the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62, such as an area sensor, image detection system, or scale, which detects that the tray T has been removed. Alternatively, the control unit 30 receives a retrieval instruction signal when a retrieval instruction button installed at the seat, which also serves as the retrieval instruction signal output unit 62, is pressed.

[0066] When the control unit 30 receives a retrieval instruction signal, it proceeds to the retrieval operation of tray T. The control unit 30 rotates the drive motor 45 of the seat front transport unit 4 and the drive motor 15 of the tray distribution unit 2 in the opposite direction to when they were being served, to transport tray T towards the tray distribution unit 2 (Figure 6(d)). The control unit 30 also operates the electric cylinder 18a on both sides that is furthest from the seat front transport unit 4 that is retrieving tray T, to raise the stopper guide 18.

[0067] Then, once the rear end of the tray has passed the first sensor 22 and the detection of the tray T is complete, the control unit 30 stops the drive motor 45 of the passenger seat front transport unit 4 and the drive motor 15 of the tray distribution unit 2 (Figure 6(e)). At this time, the control unit 30 stops the drive motor 15 for at least the time required for the tray T to hit the stopper guide 18 so that it can be stopped at the correct position on the transport roller 10 and transported reliably by the transport belt 52. This time can be calculated or measured in advance and set appropriately based on the time it takes from the point when the tray T is no longer detected until the tray T hits the stopper guide 18.

[0068] Next, the control unit 30 operates the electric cylinder 18a to lower the raised stopper guide 18, and also operates the three electric cylinders 16 to lower the tray distribution unit 2 from the raised second position to the first position (Figure 6(f)). This operation makes the tray T supported by the conveyor belt 52 and ready for transport by the conveyor belt 52. The control unit 30 operates the conveyor belt 52 to transport the tray T to a predetermined collection position. The predetermined collection position for the tray T can be set at any suitable location; for example, it may be on the kitchen side where the tray T was placed during serving, or a collection position may be set on the opposite side of the conveyor lane 50 from the kitchen side, and the tray T may be transported there. The above describes the operation flow of the conveyor device 1 of this embodiment.

[0069] According to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, trays loaded with food and beverages can be transported from the conveying lane 50 to the seating area, and the trays T can be collected after the food and beverages have been removed. With the conveying device 1, not only can the trays T be transported, but they can also be collected, so the trays T do not need to be placed on the seating area, thus freeing up dining space. Furthermore, the collection of the trays T can be automated, making operations more efficient.

[0070] In this embodiment, the roller set, such as the conveyor roller 10, is arranged in two rows in the direction of the conveyor lane, but this is not limited to this configuration. If the conveyor roller 10 is a roll with a width close to the size of the tray T, and the tray T can be conveyed stably with just one set of rollers, then only one row of the roller set, such as the conveyor roller 10, may be arranged.

[0071] Furthermore, when using rollers that are longer in the axial direction as described above, a flat conveying belt may be wound around them instead of the drive belt 14. The flat belt can be used to drive and rotate the multiple rollers while simultaneously conveying the tray T. Alternatively, multiple drive belts 14 may be wound around each roller, and the rollers may be rotated by the multiple drive belts 14. In this case as well, the conveying surface of the tray T is formed by the multiple drive belts.

[0072] Alternatively, the transport device 1 may not include the transport belt 52 or the transport belt drive unit 52a of the transport lane 50, and may be controlled separately. In this case, the control unit 30 only needs to obtain a signal from the transport lane side indicating that the transport of the tray T to the distribution position F corresponding to the destination seat in the transport lane 50 has been completed. Based on this signal, the control unit 30 can operate the tray distribution unit 2 and the seat-front transport unit 4 at the corresponding positions to transport the tray T to the seat. Furthermore, during retrieval, when the retrieval operation at the tray distribution unit 2 is completed, the control unit 30 should output a retrieval completion signal to the control unit of the transport belt 52 and start transport on the transport belt 52. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1. Conveying device 2. Tray sorting unit 10 Conveyor rollers 11 Drive rollers 12 Guide rollers 14. Drive belt 15 Drive motor 16 Electric Cylinder 18 Stopper Guide 18a Electric Cylinder 4. Front passenger transport section 40 belts 44 drive rollers 45 Drive motor 22 First Sensor 30 Control Unit 50 transport lanes 52 Conveyor belt 56. Second Sensor 60 seats T Tray F distribution position

Claims

1. A conveying device that transports trays of food and beverages, which have been transported to a sorting position by a conveyor belt on a conveyor lane, to the seating area. A transfer unit having multiple transport rollers that are driven by a drive mechanism and transport the tray in a direction that faces the customer seating area, A lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the plurality of conveying rollers between a first position lower than the conveying surface of the conveying belt and a second position higher than the conveying surface of the conveying belt, A tray sorting unit comprising: a lifting unit that raises the plurality of transport rollers from a first position to a second position, lifts the trays in the sorting position from the transport belt, and rotates the plurality of transport rollers to transport them in the sorting direction; A front-of-seat transport unit is positioned in front of the tray sorting unit in the sorting direction and transports the trays transported from the tray sorting unit to the serving position on the customer side. A control unit that controls the operation of the tray distribution unit and the seat front transport unit, Equipped with, When the control unit receives a signal instructing the retrieval of the trays transported to the serving position, it instructs the seating area transport unit and the tray sorting unit to transport the trays in the opposite direction to the transport to the serving position and retrieve them to the sorting position. The conveyor belt has multiple conveyor belts, The plurality of conveying rollers are positioned in a location that does not overlap with the conveying belt in a plan view, and are arranged in the distribution direction between the plurality of conveying belts and on the outside of the plurality of belts. The aforementioned multiple conveying rollers are connected by an endless rotating body and rotate in conjunction with each other. The transfer unit further includes guide rollers positioned below the conveyor belt, A conveying device characterized in that the endless rotating body is guided by the guide roller, passes below the conveying belt, and is wound around the next conveying roller.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that once the trays to be collected have been conveyed to the sorting position, the lifting unit lowers the plurality of conveying rollers from the second position to the first position.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide roller moves up and down together with the conveying roller by the lifting unit, and is below the conveying belt when the conveying roller rises to the second position.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tray sorting unit has a stopper guide that stops the tray at the sorting position when the tray is collected.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying roller rotates in both directions, enabling the tray to be conveyed to either of the seating areas on either side of the conveying lane.

6. A conveying device for conveying trays carrying food and beverages that have been transported to a sorting position by a conveyor belt on a conveying lane, to the customer seating area, A transfer unit having multiple transport rollers that are driven by a drive mechanism and transport the tray in a direction that faces the customer seating area, A lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the plurality of conveying rollers between a first position lower than the conveying surface of the conveying belt and a second position higher than the conveying surface of the conveying belt, A tray sorting unit comprising: a lifting unit that raises the plurality of transport rollers from a first position to a second position, lifts the trays in the sorting position from the transport belt, and rotates the plurality of transport rollers to transport them in the sorting direction; A front-of-seat transport unit is positioned in front of the tray sorting unit in the sorting direction and transports the trays transported from the tray sorting unit to the serving position on the customer side. A control unit that controls the operation of the tray distribution unit and the seat front transport unit, Equipped with, When the control unit receives a signal instructing the retrieval of the trays transported to the serving position, it instructs the seating area transport unit and the tray sorting unit to transport the trays in the opposite direction to the transport to the serving position and retrieve them to the sorting position. A conveying device comprising a sensor for detecting the passage of a tray between the tray sorting unit and the seat-front conveying unit, wherein the control unit stops the conveying operation by the tray sorting unit and the seat-front conveying unit based on the detection signal from the sensor, and stops the tray at the serving position when conveying to the seat or at the sorting position when collecting.

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