Measuring device

Abstract

To provide a weighing device that can facilitate loading and unloading of a container.SOLUTION: A weighing device 120 includes: a placing unit 52 on which a container 50 for storing an article group X is placed; a container drive unit 54 for moving the placing unit 52; a control unit 70 for controlling the container drive unit 54; a gripping unit 30 for gripping some of the articles from the article group X in the container 50; and a cover unit 20 surrounding the placing unit 52 and the gripping unit 30 and having a left opening 22A, a right opening 22B, and a front opening 22C through which the container 50 can pass. The control unit 70 controls the container drive unit 54 to move the placing unit 52 toward a position of the preset left opening 22A among the left opening 22A, the right opening 22B, and the front opening 22C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a weighing device.

Background Art

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, an article gripping system that grips, weighs, and discharges articles from a group of articles stored in a container is known. In this system, the control unit positions the container below the gripping unit and then raises the container. The control unit causes the gripping claws to grip an article, and the weight of the gripped article is measured. When predetermined conditions are satisfied, the control unit releases the grip on the article by the gripping claws and discharges the article to the lower discharge chute.

[0003] The container is placed on a placement surface and is moved by a container drive unit. When weighing is performed multiple times and the amount of articles stored in the container decreases, the container is replaced with a new container that contains more articles by a person or a machine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the above-described conventional system, when the amount of articles stored in the container decreases, the container is replaced. However, when it is determined that the container needs to be replaced, the position of the container is not fixed at a certain position. Further, in order to replace the container, a person or a machine needs to access the inside of the device, but a structure that takes into account the replacement (loading and unloading) of the container is not adopted. Therefore, it takes time to replace the container.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a weighing device that can easily load and unload a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) One aspect of the present invention is a weighing device for gripping and weighing articles, comprising: a mounting section on which a container for containing a group of articles formed by the aggregation of articles is placed; a drive unit for moving the mounting section; a control unit for controlling the drive unit; a gripping section for gripping some of the articles from the group of articles in the container; and a cover section surrounding the mounting section and the gripping section and having a plurality of openings through which the container can pass, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit and moves the mounting section toward a predetermined opening among the plurality of openings.

[0008] According to this weighing device, the cover has multiple openings through which containers can pass. The control unit moves the loading unit toward a predetermined opening among these openings. Therefore, an operator or external device can easily insert and remove containers through the openings. By setting one or more predetermined openings according to the operating status of the device, containers can be inserted and removed at positions that suit the layout of the production line, thereby increasing convenience.

[0009] (2) The weighing device described in (1) above may further include a remaining quantity detection unit that detects the remaining quantity of the group of articles contained in the container, and the control unit may start moving the placement unit based on the remaining quantity of the group of articles detected by the remaining quantity detection unit. In this case, the container can be easily replaced when the remaining quantity of the group of articles becomes low.

[0010] (3) In the weighing device described in (1) or (2) above, the cover portion has openings on the front, left side, and right side, and the control unit may move the mounting portion in any of the three directions. In this case, the surface on which the container is inserted and removed can be set appropriately according to the layout of the device, further enhancing convenience.

[0011] (4) In the weighing device described in any one of the above items (1) to (3), a temperature detection unit is further provided for detecting the temperature of the group of articles in the container, and the control unit may start moving the placement unit when the temperature of the group of articles detected by the temperature detection unit is lower than a predetermined temperature. In this case, the container can be replaced when it is detected that the temperature of the group of articles has decreased. The quality of the articles to be weighed can be maintained.

[0012] (5) In the weighing device described in any one of the above items (1) to (4), the control unit may move the mounting part until a part of the mounting part passes through a predetermined opening. In this case, since the mounting part is moved until a part of the mounting part passes through the opening, it becomes possible to automatically replace the container by an external device or the like.

[0013] (6) In the weighing device described in any one of the above items (1) to (5), the control unit may start moving the placement unit toward a predetermined opening after releasing the article gripped by the gripping unit. In this case, the weighing is efficient because the container is replaced or swapped after weighing is completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, an operator or external equipment can easily insert and remove the container through the opening. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view of a weighing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing various configurations related to the position control of the mounting section. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the gripping section, the mounting section, and the remaining amount detection section. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the weighing device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the openings provided in three directions in the weighing device. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. 5 and shows the position of the placement part that is moved toward the position of the opening. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the container. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the container as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 9] FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams showing an example of the conveying equipment provided outside the metering device, and are diagrams showing the container replacement procedure in the order of FIGS. 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c).

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0017] First, referring to FIG. 1, the article moving system 1 to which the metering device 120 according to this embodiment is applied will be described. The article moving system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a system that takes out and moves some articles from the group of articles X in the container 50. The container 50 houses the group of articles X formed by the collection of articles. The article moving system 1 takes out some articles from the container 50 so that the weight (mass) of some articles is within the range of the target weight, and discharges the articles to the outside. That is, the article moving system 1 is a metering system that moves articles of a predetermined target weight from the group of articles X. The articles discharged by the article moving system 1 are, for example, packaged in bags in the subsequent process of the article moving system 1, or housed in another container, and shipped as products. The articles are, for example, noodles such as spaghetti, foods containing a lot of sugars, etc. The articles may be foods having high adhesiveness.

[0018] The article transfer system 1 includes a weighing device 120 for weighing articles. The weighing device 120 includes two robot hands (gripping units) 15 each having a plurality of gripping parts 30, two hand driving parts 10 for horizontally moving the robot hands 15, a placement part 52 on which a container 50 for accommodating an article group X is placed, and a container driving part (driving part) 54 for moving the container 50 (placement part 52) in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction respectively. The weighing device 120 also includes a control part 70 (see FIG. 2) for controlling each part of the robot hand 15, the hand driving part 10, and the container driving part 54 respectively. The robot hand 15, the hand driving part 10, and the container driving part 54 are attached, for example, on a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped auxiliary frame 122 of the weighing device 120. The main body frame 121 and the auxiliary frame 122 are adjacent in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 4). A cover part 20 is provided on the outer surface side of the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped main body frame 121 so as to cover substantially the whole of the main body frame 121 (shown by a virtual line in FIG. 1). The cover part 20 may cover both the main body frame 121 and the auxiliary frame 122.

[0019] In the weighing device 120, for example, a pair of robot hands 15 having the same configuration are arranged side by side on the left and right. In the following description, the robot hand 15 arranged on the left side in the front view of FIG. 1 may be referred to as the first robot hand 15A, and the robot hand 15 arranged on the right side in the front view may be referred to as the second robot hand 15B. However, when explaining the common configuration and function, the name of the robot hand 15 is simply used.

[0020] In the robot hand 15, for example, four gripping parts 30 arranged in the left-right direction are arranged in four rows in the front-back direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1). Thus, if M is the number of gripping parts 30 arranged in the left-right direction and N is the number of gripping parts 30 arranged in the front-back direction (both M and N are natural numbers), the robot hand 15 has a configuration in which (M × N) gripping parts 30 are arranged at grid points. In this embodiment, each robot hand 15 has 16 gripping parts 30. The arrangement of the gripping parts 30 in the robot hand 15 may be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the container 50 and the type of article. Both or either M and N may be natural numbers other than 4.

[0021] Each gripping section 30 has, for example, a plurality of gripping claws (gripping members) 30a, and grips some of the articles from the group of articles X by closing the gripping claws 30a. Each gripping section 30 includes a gripping member driving mechanism 30b that drives the plurality of gripping claws 30a. The gripping member driving mechanism 30b drives the gripping claws 30a using, for example, a motor or fluid pressure as a driving source. The mechanism for gripping articles by opening and closing the gripping claws 30a will be described later.

[0022] The robot hand 15 has a plurality of weighing devices 40 for weighing the weight of the item gripped by each gripping part 30. That is, 16 weighing devices 40 are provided for 16 ((M × N)) gripping parts 30. The robot hand 15 has, for example, a single plate-shaped connecting member 16. The top surface of each weighing device 40 is fixed to the connecting member 16 via a mounting bracket. Each gripping part 30 is fixed to the bottom surface of each weighing device 40.

[0023] Each measuring instrument 40 includes a sensor unit and an internal control unit housed within the casing of the measuring instrument 40 (neither of which are shown). The sensor unit includes, for example, a force sensor and an acceleration sensor. For example, a strain gauge type load cell is used as the force sensor. For example, a strain gauge type load cell or a MEMS type miniature acceleration sensor is used as the acceleration sensor.

[0024] In the weighing device 120, for example, two hand drive units 10 having the same configuration are provided, each corresponding to the first robot hand 15A and the second robot hand 15B. In the following description, the hand drive unit 10 located on the left side in the front view of Figure 1 and moving the first robot hand 15A may be referred to as the first hand drive unit 10A, and the hand drive unit 10 located on the right side in the front view and moving the second robot hand 15B may be referred to as the second hand drive unit 10B. However, when describing common configurations and functions, the name "hand drive unit 10" is simply used.

[0025] In the entire system, including the first robot hand 15A and the second robot hand 15B, eight gripping parts 30 are arranged in the left-right direction and four rows in the front-back direction. In other words, the weighing device 120 has a total of 32 gripping parts 30 (4 x 2 units (one pair) x 4 rows = (generalized to (M x 2 x N) parts)).

[0026] The hand drive unit 10 has two parallel frames 12 and a forward / backward movement mechanism 11 that moves the robot hand 15 horizontally along the frames 12. The hand drive unit 10 can move the block 111 that holds the robot hand 15 forward or backward using the forward / backward movement mechanism 11. The hand drive unit 10 has, for example, a servo motor, an air cylinder, etc., for moving the block 111. The connecting member 16 described above is connected to the block 111, for example, by screw fastening.

[0027] In the weighing device 120, the first hand drive unit 10A moves the first robot hand 15A in the forward / backward direction (horizontally), and the second hand drive unit 10B moves the second robot hand 15B in the forward / backward direction (horizontally). This makes it possible to match the position of the group of articles X in the container 50 with the article gripping position set in each robot hand 15. Note that the hand drive unit 10 or the forward / backward movement mechanism 11 may be omitted in the weighing device 120.

[0028] The internal control unit of the weighing device 40 measures the weight of the item being gripped by the gripping unit 30 based on the force measured by the sensor unit. The weighing device 40 is not limited to a method that measures the weight of the item based on the force measured when the gripping unit 30 is moving. The weighing device 40 may also measure the weight of the item being gripped by the gripping unit 30 in a stationary state using a load cell or the like. The internal control unit of the weighing device 40 may also measure the weight of the item by dividing the force measured by the force sensor by the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor. Each weighing device 40 is a weight calculation unit that calculates the weight of the item gripped by the gripping claws 30a of each gripping unit 30.

[0029] The container 50 is a component on which the group of articles X is placed. The container 50 is held or placed on a mounting section 52 that moves horizontally and vertically. The container 50, or mounting section 52, is movable between a first position P1 located below the first robot hand 15A and a second position P2 located below the second robot hand 15B, for example, by a container drive unit 54. The first position P1 and the second position P2 are separated in the left-right direction, and the area occupied by the container 50 at the first position P1 and the area occupied by the container 50 at the second position P2 do not overlap. The container 50 is an open container facing upward. In a plan view, the container 50 is the same size as, or slightly larger than, the area where the multiple gripping sections 30 are arranged. The container 50 has a shape and size that corresponds exactly to one robot hand 15.

[0030] When the container 50 is in the first position P1, moving the container 50 upwards and bringing it closer to the gripping part 30 of the first robot hand 15A allows the gripping part 30 to grasp some of the items X inside the container 50. At this time, the gripping part 30 of the second robot hand 15B cannot grasp any items from the items X inside the container 50. Similarly, when the container 50 is in the second position P2, moving the container 50 upwards and bringing it closer to the gripping part 30 of the second robot hand 15B allows the gripping part 30 to grasp some of the items X inside the container 50. At this time, the gripping part 30 of the first robot hand 15A cannot grasp any items from the items X inside the container 50.

[0031] When the amount of items X contained inside container 50 decreases, the container 50 with the reduced amount of items X inside is replaced by a person or machine with a new container 50 (containing a larger amount of items X). The remaining amount of items X is detected by a remaining amount sensor (remaining amount detection unit) 9, which will be described later. Alternatively, instead of replacing container 50, the item transfer system 1 may be equipped with an item supply mechanism for supplying items to container 50.

[0032] The container drive unit 54 uses a motor and fluid pressure as drive sources to move the container 50, or mounting unit 52, in the vertical and horizontal directions. The container drive unit 54 includes a drive box 55 fixed to an auxiliary frame 122 adjacent to the main frame 121, a first main arm 56A and a second main arm 56B that are pivotable around two parallel first axes L1 and second axes L2 provided on the drive box 55, and a first sub-arm 57A and a second sub-arm 57B that are rotatably connected to the tips of the first main arm 56A and the second main arm 56B, respectively. The drive box 55 is fixed, for example, on another frame (auxiliary frame 122) adjacent to the rear of the frame (main frame 121) to which the robot hand 15 is attached. The first axis L1 and the second axis L2 extend in the front-rear direction (perpendicular and horizontal direction in Figure 1). The tip of the first sub-arm 57A and the tip of the second sub-arm 57B are rotatably connected to the rear end of the mounting section 52. The mounting section 52 is supported by these linkage mechanisms.

[0033] The first main arm section 56A and the second main arm section 56B are each oscillated to face any direction by separate motors housed in the drive box 55. The pivot axes of the first sub-arm section 57A and the second sub-arm section 57B with respect to the first main arm section 56A and the second main arm section 56B are parallel to the first axis L1 and the second axis L2. For example, the rotation angle of the second sub-arm section 57B with respect to the second main arm section 56B is adjustable. The pivot axes of the first sub-arm section 57A and the second sub-arm section 57B with respect to the mounting section 52 are also parallel to the first axis L1 and the second axis L2. With the positions of the first axis L1 and the second axis L2 as fixed points, the first main arm section 56A, the first sub-arm section 57A, the second main arm section 56B, the second sub-arm section 57B, and the mounting section 52 constitute five sides of a hexagon. The container drive unit 54 has a two-axis parallel link mechanism due to these configurations. The container drive unit 54 moves the mounting unit 52 in the vertical and horizontal directions by rotating each arm portion under the control of the control unit 70. The orientation of the mounting unit 52 is maintained horizontally by the rod 58.

[0034] Under the control of the control unit 70, the mounting unit 52 can move while maintaining a horizontal posture to a first position P1, an upper position closer to the first robot hand 15A than the first position P1, a second position P2, and an upper position closer to the second robot hand 15B than the second position P2. This allows for adjustment of the relative position of the container 50 with respect to the first robot hand 15A and the relative position of the container 50 with respect to the second robot hand 15B. However, the configuration is not limited to the above, and the container drive unit 54 may have a left-right movement mechanism for moving the mounting unit 52 in the left-right direction and a vertical movement mechanism for moving the mounting unit 52 in the vertical direction. The position of the container 50 can also be adjusted with such a two-axis drive mechanism.

[0035] The container drive unit 54 raises the mounting unit 52 and the container 50, bringing the container 50 and the group of articles X closer to the robot hand 15. By lowering the mounting unit 52 and the container 50, the container 50 and the group of articles X are separated from the robot hand 15. The container drive unit 54 inserts the gripping claws 30a into the group of articles X contained (mounted) in the container 50, and then separates the gripping claws 30a that have gripped the articles from the container 50. In other words, the first robot hand 15A and the second robot hand 15B insert the gripping claws 30a of their respective gripping units 30 into the group of articles X in the container 50 and grip a portion of the articles. In a normal weighing operation that is repeated multiple times, the container drive unit 54 moves the container 50 (mounting unit 52) ​​within a predetermined range (a predetermined range within the main frame 121) corresponding to the gripping unit 30 (robot hand 15).

[0036] The weighing device 120 is equipped with one or two discharge chutes 60. The discharge chute 60 is a funnel-shaped member. The discharge chute 60 is positioned below the robot hand 15. The upper opening of the discharge chute 60 is set to be sized and positioned to encompass the entirety of the first position P1 and the second position P2 in a plan view. The discharge chute 60 receives the article dropped by the gripping part 30 of the first robot hand 15A when the container 50 is in the second position P2 and discharges it to the outside of the weighing device 120. Similarly, the discharge chute 60 receives the article dropped by the gripping part 30 of the second robot hand 15B when the container 50 is in the first position P1 and discharges it to the outside of the weighing device 120. In this way, the first robot hand 15A and the second robot hand 15B transfer the articles gripped by their respective gripping parts 30 to the destination position. In other words, the "release of grip" by each robot hand 15 and the resulting "drop of the item" signify the transfer of the item to the discharge chute 60.

[0037] In this embodiment, one discharge chute is shared, but this is not the only option. Two discharge chutes 60 of the same size and shape may be arranged side by side. That is, the first discharge chute may be located below the first robot hand 15A, and the second discharge chute may be located below the second robot hand 15B. The first position P1 of the container 50 is located between the first robot hand 15A and the first discharge chute, and the second position P2 of the container 50 is located between the second robot hand 15B and the second discharge chute. Alternatively, the items that fall from the robot hand 15 may be discharged directly to the outside without using a discharge chute.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 70 controls the operation of various components of the weighing device 120, such as the gripping member drive mechanism 30b and the container drive unit 54. The control unit 70 performs combination calculations using the weight values ​​of the items weighed by the weighing instrument 40. The control unit 70 is configured as a computer device including a processor such as a CPU, memory such as ROM and RAM, storage, and communication devices. The control unit 70 is electrically (or communicatively) connected to the hand drive unit 10, the gripping member drive mechanism 30b, the weighing instrument 40, and the container drive unit 54.

[0039] The control unit 70 controls the operation of various components of the weighing device 120, such as the hand drive unit 10, the gripping member drive mechanism 30b, and the container drive unit 54, by executing a program stored in memory by the CPU, and also performs combination calculations using the weight values ​​of the items weighed by the weighing instrument 40. The various functions of the control unit 70 do not necessarily have to be implemented in software, they may be implemented in hardware, or they may be implemented through the cooperation of hardware and software.

[0040] The control unit 70 moves the hand drive unit 10 and the container 50, bringing the gripping unit 30 closer to the container 50. The control unit 70 controls the gripping member drive mechanism 30b to cause some of the items of the group of items X placed in the container 50 to be gripped by the gripping claws 30a of each gripping unit 30. The control unit 70 controls the gripping member drive mechanism 30b (gripping unit 30) and the container drive unit 54, performs combination calculations based on the calculation results from the weighing instrument 40, and selects a combination of gripping units 30 that results in a preset target weight value. The control unit 70 discharges the items from the selected plurality of gripping units 30.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, above the movable area of ​​the mounting section 52, a plurality of remaining quantity sensors 9 (remaining quantity detection units) are provided, arranged in the front-to-back direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1). For example, four remaining quantity sensors 9 are attached, corresponding to the number of rows of the gripping section 30 in that direction (N above; specifically, 4 rows). The four remaining quantity sensors 9 are fixed to the main frame 121, for example, and emit light vertically downwards while detecting the reflected light reflected from the surface of the group of articles X. As a result, each remaining quantity sensor 9 detects the remaining quantity of the group of articles X contained in the container 50 based on the height of the articles (height of the group of articles X) in the insertion direction (up and down direction) of the gripping claws 30a in the group of articles X within the container 50.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, each remaining quantity sensor 9 transmits and receives light at the central position between the first robot hand 15A and the second robot hand 15B. Each remaining quantity sensor 9 detects the position and number (M above, specifically 4) of the gripping parts 30 in the left-right direction, as well as the height of the item, while the container drive unit 54 moves the mounting part 52 and the container 50 between the first position P1 and the second position P2. The timing of detection may be adjusted by the control unit 70 (for example, to synchronize with the movement of the container drive unit 54) taking into account the left-right movement speed of the container drive unit 54. As a result, each time the container 50 moves (passes through) from the first position P1 to the second position P2, or from the second position P2 to the first position P1, a height detection signal is output for 16 points (multiple points corresponding to the planar arrangement of the multiple gripping parts 30) that are distributed in a grid pattern in the left-right direction (direction of movement) and front-back direction within the container 50.

[0043] The control unit 70 is electrically (or communicatively) connected to a plurality of remaining quantity sensors 9. Based on the detection results of each remaining quantity sensor 9, the control unit 70 calculates the insertion amount and opening angle of the gripping claws 30a relative to the group of items X in order to have each gripping unit 30 grip a desired amount of items. The control unit 70 controls the gripping operation of either the first robot hand 15A or the second robot hand 15B (either one of which should grip the items) so that the calculated insertion amount and opening angle are achieved. The configuration of the gripping members, such as the number and shape of the gripping claws 30a, may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, if the remaining quantity detected by the remaining quantity sensor 9 is lower than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 70 determines that the amount of items in the group of items X in the container 50 is insufficient for weighing and terminates the weighing of the items in the container 50.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2, the weighing device 120 is also provided with a temperature sensor (temperature detection unit) 8 for detecting the temperature of the group of articles X inside the container 50. The temperature sensor 8 may be, for example, a thermometer installed inside the container 50 that detects the temperature of the group of articles X in a contact manner, or it may be a sensor installed in a position capable of detecting infrared rays from the group of articles X that detects the temperature of the group of articles X in a non-contact manner. Only one temperature sensor 8 may be provided for the container 50, or multiple temperature sensors 8 may be provided. If multiple containers 50 are provided, their temperature sensors 8 may detect the temperature at multiple different points on the group of articles X.

[0045] The control unit 70 is electrically (or communicatively) connected to the temperature sensor 8. Based on the detection results of the temperature sensor 8, the control unit 70 determines whether the temperature of the group of items X in the container 50 is suitable for weighing. For example, in the case of freshly heated food (e.g., food that is weighed immediately after boiling or immediately after cooking), if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 8 is lower than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 70 determines that the temperature of the group of items X in the container 50 is unsuitable for weighing and terminates the weighing of the items in the container 50.

[0046] The weighing device 120 of this embodiment has a function to move the mounting section 52 outward (to a wider range) than the predetermined range in normal weighing operation for purposes such as replacing or exchanging (inserting or removing) containers 50, and to stop the mounting section 52 at a predetermined position. The position control of the mounting section 52 will be described below with reference to Figures 2, 4, and 5, etc.

[0047] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing various configurations related to the position control of the mounting section 52. The control unit 70 includes an acquisition unit 71, a drive control unit 72, a reception unit 73, and a storage unit 76. The acquisition unit 71 acquires detection results output from the temperature sensor 8 and the remaining amount sensor 9. The drive control unit 72 controls the gripping member drive mechanism 30b (gripping section 30) and the container drive unit 54.

[0048] The weighing device 120 includes an operation panel 100 which contains various buttons (operation parts) operated by the operator. In this embodiment, the operation panel 100 is provided with a position setting button 101, a weighing start button 102, and a weighing interruption button 103. The position setting button 101 is an operation part for setting which of the multiple openings, described later, the position of the placement part 52 to be moved and stopped. The operator can use the position setting button 101 to set the position of only one opening for inserting and removing the container 50, or, for example, to set the position of one opening for removing the container 50 from the weighing device 120 and the position of one opening for loading (taking in) the container 50 into the weighing device 120. The weighing start button 102 is operated by the operator when weighing is started. The weighing interruption button 103 is operated by the operator when weighing is interrupted. The control unit 70 receives signals from the operation panel 100, such as a signal indicating the position of the opening set on the operation panel 100, a metering start signal, and a metering interruption signal. The operation panel 100 may be fixed to, for example, the main frame 121 or the auxiliary frame 122 and placed in a position easily accessible to the operator.

[0049] The reception unit 73 of the control unit 70 receives the operation content from the operation panel 100. Specifically, the reception unit 73 inputs signals indicating the opening position set on the operation panel 100, a weighing start signal, a weighing interruption signal, etc. The storage unit 76 stores, for example, the stop position of the mounting unit 52 that can be set by the position setting button 101. The storage unit 76 may also store, for example, the stop position of the mounting unit 52 when weighing is interrupted. The drive control unit 72 controls the container drive unit 54 according to the detection results acquired by the acquisition unit 71 and / or the operation content received by the reception unit 73.

[0050] Referring to Figures 1, 4 to 6, the openings and other configurations related to the position control of the mounting section 52 in this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the weighing device 120 includes a cover section 20 that surrounds the mounting section 52 and the gripping section 30 (robot hand 15). The cover section 20 is a wall attached to the main frame 121. The cover section 20 covers, for example, the entire left and right sides and front of the main frame 121. The specific configuration of the cover section 20 is not particularly limited, but the cover section 20 may be made of an opaque panel or a transparent panel. In Figures 4 and 5, the cover section 20 is not shown, but it is positioned outside a predetermined range in which normal weighing operations are performed (which can be said to be roughly the range above the discharge chute 60).

[0051] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cover portion 20 has three openings. More specifically, the cover portion 20 has a left opening 22A formed on the left side portion 21A of the cover portion 20, a right opening 22B formed on the right side portion 21B of the cover portion 20, and a front opening 22C formed on the front portion 21C of the cover portion 20. These left opening 22A, right opening 22B, and front opening 22C are all shaped and sized to allow the container 50 to pass through. The left opening 22A and the right opening 22B are formed in a rectangular shape, for example, larger than the size of the container 50 placed on the mounting portion 52 when viewed from the left or right direction. The front opening 22C is formed in a rectangular shape, for example, larger than the size of the container 50 placed on the mounting portion 52 when viewed from the front. The container 50 can be inserted into and removed through the left opening 22A, the right opening 22B, and the front opening 22C.

[0052] As shown in Figure 6, three positions for stopping the mounting unit 52 are predetermined for each opening. Specifically, the weighing device 120 has a left opening stop position PA for the mounting unit 52 corresponding to the left opening 22A, a right opening stop position PB for the mounting unit 52 corresponding to the right opening 22B, and a front opening stop position PC for the mounting unit 52 corresponding to the front opening 22C. In a plan view, the left opening stop position PA is located to the left (outside) of the position of the first robot hand 15A. In a plan view, the right opening stop position PB is located to the right (outside) of the position of the second robot hand 15B. In a plan view, the front opening stop position PC is located in front (outside) of the position of the robot hand 15 (position of the discharge chute 60). All of the left opening stop position PA, the right opening stop position PB, and the front opening stop position PC are located inside the cover unit 20 (fitted within the cover unit 20). This means that the stopping position of the mounting section 52 (the container 50 that stops and waits), controlled by the control unit 70, is located within the cover section 20.

[0053] The position of one or more openings is set using the position setting button 101 on the operation panel 100 described above. The drive control unit 72 of the control unit 70 controls the container drive unit 54 and moves the mounting unit 52 toward one of the predetermined opening positions (left opening stop position PA, right opening stop position PB, and front opening stop position PC) among the multiple openings. Which stopping position the mounting unit 52 is moved toward is determined according to the timing, such as when the container 50 is removed (at the end of weighing), when the container 50 is loaded (before weighing starts), and when weighing is interrupted. In order to position the mounting unit 52 at the front opening stop position PC, the container drive unit 54 may have a drive unit in the front-rear direction in addition to the link mechanism described above, or the mounting unit 52 may have a shape that extends long in the front-rear direction.

[0054] For example, at the end of weighing, the drive control unit 72 of the control unit 70 starts moving the loading unit 52 based on the remaining amount of the item group X detected by the remaining amount sensor 9. More specifically, if the remaining amount detected by the remaining amount sensor 9 is lower than a predetermined threshold (remaining amount), the drive control unit 72 determines that the amount of item group X in the container 50 is insufficient for weighing and moves the loading unit 52 to one of the set opening stop positions.

[0055] Alternatively, the mounting unit 52 may be moved not only at the end of weighing for a particular container 50, but also, for example, when a single weighing (combined weighing) is completed. In any case, in this embodiment, the drive control unit 72 releases the article held by the gripping unit 30 and then starts moving the mounting unit 52 toward a predetermined opening.

[0056] Furthermore, during weighing, the drive control unit 72 of the control unit 70 starts moving the placement unit 52 when the temperature of the group of items X detected by the temperature sensor 8 is lower than a predetermined threshold (temperature). More specifically, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 8 is lower than a predetermined threshold (temperature), the drive control unit 72 determines that the temperature of the group of items X inside the container 50 is unsuitable for weighing and moves the placement unit 52 to one of the set opening stop positions.

[0057] Furthermore, if the operator presses the weighing interruption button 103, the drive control unit 72 releases the item being gripped by the gripping unit 30 and then starts moving the placement unit 52 toward a predetermined opening.

[0058] Thus, the cover portion 20 has openings in three directions: the front, the left side, and the right side, and the drive control unit 72 moves the mounting portion 52 in one of these three directions.

[0059] Furthermore, one or more of the left opening stop position PA, the right opening stop position PB, and the front opening stop position PC may be partially located outside the cover portion 20 (protruding outside the cover portion 20). This means that the stop position of the mounting portion 52 (the container 50 that stops and waits), controlled by the control unit 70, will partially protrude from the cover portion 20. In this case, the drive control unit 72 moves the mounting portion 52 until a part of the mounting portion 52 passes through a predetermined opening. The opening stop positions are provided so as to overlap (straddle) the corresponding openings.

[0060] According to the weighing device 120 of this embodiment, the cover portion 20 has a plurality of openings 22A, 22B, and 22C through which the container 50 can pass. The control unit 70 moves the mounting portion 52 toward a predetermined opening among these openings 22A, 22B, and 22C. Therefore, an operator or external device can easily insert and remove the container 50 through any of the openings 22A, 22B, and 22C. By setting one or more predetermined openings according to the operating status of the device, the container 50 can be inserted and removed at a position corresponding to the layout of the production line, thereby increasing convenience.

[0061] For example, as shown in Figure 9(a), the transport surface 200 is installed adjacent to and along the left side surface 21A of the cover portion 20. When weighing of a container 50 is completed, the placement portion 52 is moved to the left opening 22A (left opening stop position PA), and the container 50 can be easily removed (or automatically unloaded) through the left opening 22A. The container 50 moves along the transport surface 200 and is moved to the retraction portion 200A (see Figure 9(b)). After that, as shown in Figure 9(c), the container 50 is loaded into the weighing device 120 through the left opening 22A. For the transfer of the container 50 as described above, the height of the placement portion 52 at the left opening stop position PA matches the height of the transport surface 200. For the other right opening stop position PB and front opening stop position PC, measures are taken to match the height, taking into consideration the height of the external layout (such as the transport surface 200), in order to facilitate the transfer of the container 50.

[0062] As described above, in order to facilitate the movement of the container 50 from the transport surface 200 to the mounting section 52, or from the mounting section 52 to the transport surface 200, the container 50 includes a container body 51 and a transport trolley 80 on which the container body 51 is placed, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The transport trolley 80 includes a trolley body 81 and a handle 85 attached to the trolley body 81. The bottom surface 82 of the trolley body 81 is provided with, for example, four corner rollers 83 and two auxiliary rollers 84. Free bearings, for example, may be used as the corner rollers 83 and auxiliary rollers 84. The four corner rollers 83 are positioned at the vertices of a rectangle (or square) on the bottom surface 82, while the two auxiliary rollers 84 are positioned at offset positions in the direction in which the handle 85 extends (the direction of travel of the trolley body 81). As a result, even if there is a gap between the mounting section 52, which stops at the opening stop position, and the conveying surface 200, one of the auxiliary rollers 84 will always rest on either the mounting section 52 or the conveying surface 200, and together with the two corner rollers 83, the trolley body 81 is supported at three points, so that the container 50 can pass through the gap while maintaining a stable posture of the trolley body 81.

[0063] The control unit 70 starts moving the mounting unit 52 based on the remaining quantity of the item group X detected by the remaining quantity sensor 9. This allows for easy replacement of the container 50 when the remaining quantity of the item group X becomes low.

[0064] The control unit 70 moves the mounting section 52 in one of three directions. This allows the surface for loading and unloading containers to be set appropriately according to the layout of the device, further enhancing convenience. For example, the transport surface, transport device, supply device, etc. can be provided in a different layout from the transport surface 200 layout shown in Figure 9(a) (e.g., on the right side 21B or the front 21C).

[0065] The control unit 70 starts moving the placement unit 52 when the temperature of the group of items X detected by the temperature sensor 8 is lower than a predetermined temperature. This allows for the detection of a drop in the temperature of the group of items X and enables the replacement of the container 50. This helps maintain the quality of the items being weighed.

[0066] The control unit 70 moves the mounting section 52 until a portion of it passes through a predetermined opening. This enables the container 50 to be automatically replaced by an external device or the like.

[0067] After the gripping unit 30 releases the item it is gripping, the control unit 70 starts moving the placement unit 52 toward a predetermined opening. This ensures that the container 50 is replaced or swapped after weighing is complete, thus improving weighing efficiency.

[0068] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, openings may be provided in any part or all of the left side portion 21A, the right side portion 21B, and the front portion 21C, for example, divided into upper and lower sections. In that case, two opening stop positions of different heights are provided (separately according to the upper and lower sections).

[0069] The setting is not limited to an operator using the position setting button 101; the predetermined opening position may be set from the start of operation of the weighing device 120.

[0070] The robot hand may have only one gripping part. The remaining quantity sensor for detecting the height of the group of items X may be omitted. The temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the group of items X may be omitted.

[0071] The item transfer system does not need to perform combined weighing. In the item transfer system, a weight calculation unit that calculates the weight of an item gripped by a gripping unit is not provided, and the weight of the item may be calculated after it has been transferred. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1...Item movement system, 8...Temperature sensor (temperature detection unit), 9...Quantity sensor (quantity detection unit), 20...Cover unit, 21A...Left side unit, 21B...Right side unit, 21C...Front unit, 22A...Left opening, 22B...Right opening, 22C...Front opening, 30...Gripping unit, 50...Container, 51...Container body, 52...Placement unit, 54...Container drive unit (drive unit), 70...Control unit, 80...Transport trolley, 120...Weighing device, PA...Left opening stop position, PB...Right opening stop position, PC...Front opening stop position.

Claims

1. A weighing device that grips and weighs an item, A mounting section on which a container for containing the group of articles formed by the collection of the aforementioned articles is placed, A drive unit for moving the mounting unit, A control unit that controls the drive unit, A gripping portion for gripping some of the articles from the group of articles in the container, The container comprises a cover portion that surrounds the mounting portion and the gripping portion and has multiple openings through which the container can pass, The control unit controls the drive unit and moves the above-described mounting unit toward a predetermined opening position among a plurality of openings, in a weighing device.

2. The container further comprises a remaining quantity detection unit for detecting the remaining quantity of the group of articles contained within the container, The weighing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit starts moving the aforementioned storage unit based on the remaining amount of the group of articles detected by the remaining amount detection unit.

3. The cover portion has the openings on the front, left side, and right side. The weighing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit moves the aforementioned mounting unit in any of the three directions.

4. The container further comprises a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the group of articles inside the container, The weighing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit starts moving the aforementioned placement unit when the temperature of the group of articles detected by the temperature detection unit is lower than a predetermined temperature.

5. The weighing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit moves the aforementioned placement portion until a portion of the aforementioned placement portion passes through the predetermined opening set in advance.

6. The weighing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit, after releasing the article gripped by the gripping unit, causes the placement unit described above to move toward the predetermined opening that has been set.

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