Transport conveyor and aligning device

Abstract

This transport conveyor is a dish transport conveyor for conveying a first dish upward from a water tank among the first dish and a second dish stored in the water tank, the transport conveyor comprising: a first rotating body disposed at the starting end side of the transport conveyor; a second rotating body disposed at the terminal end side of the transport conveyor; an endless belt stretched over the first rotating body and the second rotating body; and a plurality of protruding parts provided on the surface of the endless belt and being engageable with the first dish and the second dish. The transport conveyor comprises a first portion including the first rotating body and mainly located in water of the water tank, and a second portion including the second rotating body and mainly positioned above the water. The endless belt is set so as to move at a first angle with respect to the water surface of the water tank in the first portion, and so as to move at a second angle greater than the first angle with respect to the water surface in the second portion. In the second portion, the second angle is set so that a virtual line extending downward in the vertical direction from the center of gravity of the first dish engaged with the protrusion part intersects the surface of the endless belt in a region where the first dish is disposed, and so that a virtual line extending downward in the vertical direction from the center of gravity of the second dish engaged with the protrusion part intersects the endless belt outside a region where the second dish is disposed.

Description

Conveyor and alignment device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a conveyor for conveying tableware upward from a water tank to which first tableware is to be conveyed. The present disclosure also relates to an alignment device for aligning tableware having a circular plate body and a platform provided on the underside of the plate body, the center of gravity of which is on the platform side.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a system for lifting dishes stored in a water tank. This system includes a conveyor for lifting dishes and a means for generating a water flow to collect the dishes at the start of the conveyor. One type of plate used for placing food is a plate having a flat plate body and a platform attached to the underside of the plate body. Patent Literature 2 discloses a plate inverting device that aligns the orientation of such plates as they pass through the conveyor. In this plate inverting device, if a plate conveyed by the conveyor has its plate body facing upward, it passes through in that state. If the platform is facing upward, the plate is lifted by a path-changing member and then inverted by a plate inverting unit so that the plate body faces upward. As a result, all plates that pass through the plate inverting device are transported with their plate body facing upward.

[0003] JP 2020-89426 A JP 2014-65555 A

[0004] However, the system of Patent Document 1 is configured to lift all dishes accumulated in the water tub, and therefore cannot lift specific dishes. The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problem, and its first objective is to provide a conveyor that can lift specific dishes from dishes accumulated in the water tub. Furthermore, in the plate inverting device of Patent Document 2, the shape and position of the path changing member and the plate inverting unit are adjusted so that the plate passes between the path changing member and the plate inverting unit when the plate body is facing upward. Therefore, this plate inverting device is limited in the shape of the plates that can be used, and for example, it cannot be used for plates other than those with a specified outer diameter. The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problem, and its second objective is to provide an alignment device that can align and transport plates of various outer diameters.

[0005] Item 1. A tableware conveyor that conveys first tableware upward from a water tub out of first and second tableware stored in the water tub, comprising: a first rotating body located at the starting end of the conveyor; a second rotating body located at the terminal end of the conveyor; an endless belt stretched over the first and second rotating bodies; and a plurality of protrusions provided on the surface of the endless belt that are engageable with the first and second tableware, wherein the conveyor has: a first section that includes the first rotating body and is located primarily in the water of the water tub; and a second section that includes the second rotating body and is located primarily above the water, wherein in the first section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a first angle relative to the water surface of the water tub; and in the second section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a second angle relative to the water surface that is greater than the first angle, and in the second section, A conveyor, wherein the second angle is set so that an imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the first dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt in the area where the first dish is located, and an imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the second dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt outside the area where the second dish is located.

[0006] Item 2. The transfer conveyor according to Item 1, wherein the protrusion is formed of an arc-shaped plate member that is convex downward so as to support the first tableware.

[0007] Item 3. The transfer conveyor according to Item 1 or 2, further comprising an exclusion member in the second section, spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the endless belt, and configured so that the second tableware that comes into contact with the exclusion member is released from the endless belt.

[0008] Item 4. The transfer conveyor according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the endless belt is configured to move horizontally at an upper end of the second section.

[0009] Item 5. A transfer conveyor according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein a guide member is provided to guide the orientation of the first tableware so that the first tableware, transported upward by the endless belt in the second section, falls downward in a predetermined direction after detaching from the endless belt near the upper end of the second section.

[0010] Item 6. A transfer conveyor according to Item 1, wherein the second angle is set so that, in the second region, the imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the first tableware engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt above the position of engagement between the first tableware and the protrusion, and the imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the second tableware engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt below the position of engagement between the second tableware and the protrusion.

[0011] Item 7. The transport conveyor according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a pressure roller is provided between the first section and the second section to change the angle of the endless belt between the first section and the second section by pressing the endless belt.

[0012] Item 8. The transfer conveyor according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the endless belt extends linearly in a plan view from a lower end of the first section to an upper end of the second section.

[0013] Item 9. The transfer conveyor according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the water tub is connected to the downstream end of a dish recovery channel that is installed inside a restaurant and recovers the first and second dishes, and the first and second dishes transported by the dish recovery channel are stored in the water tub.

[0014] Item 10. A tableware transfer conveyor that transfers first tableware stored in a water tub upward from the water tub, comprising: a first rotating body arranged at the starting end of the transfer conveyor; a second rotating body arranged at the terminal end of the transfer conveyor; an endless belt stretched between the first and second rotating bodies; and a plurality of engagement portions provided on the surface of the endless belt that are engageable with the first tableware, wherein the transfer conveyor has: a first section that includes the first rotating body and is located mainly in the water of the water tub; and a second section that includes the second rotating body and is located mainly above the water, wherein at the first section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a first angle relative to the water surface of the water tub; and at the second section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a second angle relative to the water surface that is greater than the first angle.

[0015] Item 11. The transfer conveyor is a conveyor for conveying the first dish upward from the water tub of the first and second dishes stored in the water tub, wherein the plurality of engagement portions are provided on the surface of the endless belt and are capable of engaging with the first dish and the second dish, and the transfer conveyor described in Item 10 is provided with an ejection member at the second portion that ejects the second dish from the endless belt as the second dish moves upward on the endless belt at the second angle.

[0016] Item 12. An alignment device for aligning plates having a circular plate body and a platform provided on the underside of the plate body, with the center of gravity on the platform side, comprising: a first passageway into which the plates are loaded; and a second passageway connected to the first passageway, wherein the first passageway and the second passageway are formed to extend obliquely from top to bottom in that order and are configured to allow the plates to pass through, the first passageway has a first bottom surface portion having a width slightly greater than the height of the plate, and a pair of first side surfaces rising from both sides of the first bottom surface portion, and is configured so that the plate is loaded from above with the diameter of the plate body facing downward, and the second passageway has a second bottom surface portion connected to the first bottom surface portion and a pair of second side surfaces provided on both sides of the second bottom surface portion, and is configured so that the distance between the pair of second side surfaces increases downward.

[0017] Item 13. A plate alignment device according to Item 12, further comprising a third passage connected to the second passage and through which the plates pass after passing through the second passage, the third passage having a pair of guide rails extending obliquely from above to below and spaced apart, and configured so that the plates pass through with both sides of the plate body of the plate supported by the pair of guide rails.

[0018] Item 14. The tray aligning device according to Item 12 or 13, wherein in the first passage, upper ends of the pair of first side portions are curved so as to be apart from each other.

[0019] Item 15. The plate alignment device according to Item 12 or 13, wherein a sensor is provided in the third passage, the sensor is configured to detect the transit time of the plates passing a predetermined distance, and when the detected transit time exceeds a predetermined value, the introduction of the plates into the first passage is stopped.

[0020] Furthermore, the transfer device according to the present disclosure is intended to transfer tableware of the same type from among a plurality of stacked tableware.

[0021] Item 16. A tableware transfer device for transferring at least one piece of tableware from a discharge device that discharges a plurality of stacked tableware upward, comprising: two or more support units that support at least one of the discharged tableware; an adjustment unit that moves the two or more support units horizontally closer to or farther apart; a robot arm that moves the support units; a sensor that detects the type of tableware discharged from the discharge device; and a control unit, wherein the support unit comprises: a support unit that is inserted between adjacent stacked tableware and supports the upper one of the adjacent tableware from below; at least one elongated member that is connected to the support unit and extends upward; and a connection unit that connects an upper part of the elongated member to the adjustment unit, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the steps of: inserting the support unit between the adjacent tableware when the sensor detects that the types of tableware in the adjacent tableware are different; and driving the robot arm to move the tableware that is above the support unit.

[0022] Item 17. The tableware transfer device according to Item 16, wherein the control unit is configured to move the predetermined number of tableware when the type of tableware detected by the sensor is the same for a predetermined number of consecutive times.

[0023] Item 18. The tableware transfer device according to Item 16 or 17, wherein the control unit is configured to stop the discharge of the tableware from the discharge device for a predetermined time when the support part is inserted between adjacent tableware.

[0024] The conveyor of the present disclosure can lift specific dishes from dishes accumulated in a water tub, and the alignment device of the present disclosure can align and convey dishes of various outer diameters.

[0025] 11. A schematic diagram of a washing system. A cross-sectional view and a plan view of a first dish. A cross-sectional view and a plan view of a second dish. A cross-sectional view and a plan view of a third dish. A side view of a transport conveyor. A partial front view of the transport conveyor. An enlarged side view of the transport conveyor. An enlarged cross-sectional view showing the transport of the first dish. An enlarged cross-sectional view showing the falling of the second dish. A cross-sectional view showing the operation of the removal member. A plan view of an alignment device. A side view of FIG. 11. A cross-sectional view showing the alignment mechanism. A cross-sectional view showing the alignment mechanism. A cross-sectional view of a third passage of the alignment device. A cross-sectional view of a third passage of the alignment device. A perspective view of a washing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cross-sectional view of the washing device. A view explaining the supply of the first dish. A plan view of the transport path. A side view of the discharge section. A view explaining the discharge of the first dish. A view explaining the discharge of the first dish. A side view of a brush unit. A plan view of a brush body. A side view of a transfer device. A plan view showing the positional relationship between the support section of the transfer device and the first dish. A side view explaining the operation of the transfer device. A side view explaining the operation of the transfer device. Fig. 34 is a front view showing another example of the protrusions of the transport conveyor. Fig. 35 is a front view showing another example of the protrusions of the transport conveyor. Fig. 36 is a front view showing another example of the protrusions of the transport conveyor. Fig. 37 is an enlarged side view showing another example of the transport conveyor. Fig. 38 is a plan view showing another example of the alignment device. Fig. 39 is a side view of Fig. 34.

[0026] An embodiment of a dish washing system incorporating a conveyor and an aligning device according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the washing system. In this embodiment, the washing system is installed in a food service establishment such as a restaurant. As shown in FIG. 1, the dish washing system according to this embodiment includes a conveyor 1, an aligning device 2, a washing device 3, and a transfer device 6. This washing system lifts first to third dishes 7-9 accumulated in a water tank 10, washes them, and transfers them to a conveying path. The conveyor sorts and transports the first and third dishes, while the aligning device 2 selects only the first dish 7 and places it in the washing device 3. The washed first dish 7 is then transferred to a conveying path 100 by the transfer device 6. The first dish 7 on the conveying path 100 is transported to the kitchen, where food and beverages are placed. A dish recovery channel (not shown) is installed within the restaurant, circulating around each customer's table. Water flows through the dish recovery channel, and this water flow carries the dishes 7-9 after eating and drinking. The downstream end of the dish recovery channel is connected to a water tub 10, and the dishes 7-9 transported through the dish recovery channel are collected in the water tub 10. In other words, the dishes 7-9 after eating and drinking are transported through the dish recovery channel and collected in the water tub 10 automatically (without being moved by a person). The washing system is controlled by a control device (not shown). The control device is not particularly limited, but can be configured, for example, by a known computer such as a PLC.

[0027] The following describes in detail the dishes to be washed in this washing system and each device. For the sake of convenience, the following description will be given according to the directions shown in the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these directions.

[0028] <1. Tableware> First, the first to third tableware handled by the washing system of this embodiment will be described. The first tableware 7 is a substantially flat plate for placing food such as sushi on, and the second tableware 8 is a deep container with an internal space for holding soup or the like. The third tableware 9 has a similar configuration to the first tableware 7 but has a smaller outer diameter than the first tableware 7, and is a small plate for holding soy sauce, for example. These will be described in detail below.

[0029] <1-1. First and Third Dishes> As shown in FIG. 2 , the first dish (dish) 7 has a disk-shaped dish body 71 and a cylindrical pedestal 72 attached to the underside of the dish body 71. The top surface of the dish body 71 is curved and convex downward. The pedestal 72 has an outer diameter smaller than that of the dish body 71. The center of gravity G1 of the first dish 7 is located at the pedestal 72. That is, in the height direction of the first dish 7, the pedestal 72 is located closer to the bottom of the pedestal 72 than its center. Multiple types of first dishes 7 are prepared. For example, some have a recess near the center of the dish body 71, and some have different colors, but the outer diameters are generally the same. In this embodiment, first dishes 7 with the same shape are assumed to be the same color.

[0030] <1-2. Second Tableware> As shown in FIG. 3 , the second tableware 8 has a cup-shaped main body 81 with an opening at the top and a base 82 provided on the underside of the main body 81. The main body 81 has a deep interior space so as to accommodate soup, noodles, rice bowls, etc. The base 82 is cylindrically shaped, similar to the first tableware 7. The center of gravity G2 of the second tableware 8 is located inside the main body 81. That is, in the height direction of the second tableware 8, it is located closer to the opening of the main body 81 than the center. In addition, multiple types of second tableware 8 are prepared, including those with different outer diameters, depths, shapes, and colors of the main body 81, for example.

[0031] <1-3. Third dish> As shown in Figure 4, the third dish 9 has a plate body 91 and a foot 92 that are configured similarly to the first dish 7, but is a small plate in which the outer diameters of the plate body 91 and the foot 92 are smaller than those of the first dish 7.

[0032] <2. Conveyor> Figure 5 is a side view of the conveyor, Figure 6 is a partial front view of the conveyor, and Figure 7 is an enlarged side view of the conveyor. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the conveyor 1 is used to lift the first dish 7 and the third dish 9 from a water tub 10 in which used dishes 7 to 9 are stored. As shown in Figure 5, the conveyor 1 includes a first rotating body 11 and a second rotating body 12 disposed at the starting end and the ending end, respectively, an endless belt 14 stretched over the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12, and a third rotating body 13 disposed between the first rotating body 11 and the second rotating body 12. The conveyor 1 is configured so that the conveying angle changes at the location where the third rotating body 13 is disposed.

[0033] The first rotating body 11 is disposed in the water of the water tank 10, and the second rotating body 12 is disposed above the water surface of the water tank 10. The third rotating body 13 is disposed near the water surface and is engaged with an endless belt 14. A motor (not shown) is connected to the second rotating body 12 and drives the endless belt 14. Meanwhile, the first rotating body 11 and the third rotating body 13 are driven rollers that rotate as the endless belt 14 is driven.

[0034] As shown in Figure 7, the transport conveyor 1 has a first section 101 located primarily underwater and a second section 102 located primarily above the water surface. The first section 101 is the section between the first rotor 11 and the third rotor 13, and the second section 102 is the section between the third rotor 13 and the second rotor 12. The front surface of the first section 101 is inclined at an angle α of preferably 15 to 35 degrees (more preferably 20 to 30 degrees, specifically 25 degrees) relative to the water surface, and lifts the dishes 7 to 9 floating near the water surface. The second section 102 is a section continuous with the first section 101, and the front surface of the second section 102 lifts the dishes 7 to 9 lifted by the first section 101 further upward. The inclination angle β of the front surface of the second portion 102 is larger than the inclination angle α of the first portion 101, and is preferably 70 to 90 degrees (more preferably 75 to 85 degrees, specifically 80 degrees). Here, as shown in FIG. 1 , the endless belt 14 extends linearly in a plan view from the lower end of the first portion 101 to the upper end of the second portion 102. Specifically, in this embodiment, the endless belt 14 extends linearly in a front-to-rear direction in a plan view. Moreover, the second portion 102 has a larger upward inclination angle than the first portion 101. This allows the size of the endless belt 14 in the transport conveyor 1 in the transport direction (i.e., the front-to-rear direction) to be reduced. As a result, the size of the entire cleaning system in the front-to-rear direction can be reduced.

[0035] On the front surface of the endless belt 14, at the connecting portion between the first portion 101 and the second portion 102, a plurality of pressure rollers 15 are arranged to press both sides of the endless belt 14. That is, the pressure rollers 15 are arranged at positions corresponding to the third rotating body 13. In this embodiment, four pressure rollers 15 are arranged on both sides of the endless belt 14. The pressure rollers 15 are used to change the angle of the endless belt 14 between the first portion 101 and the second portion 102, and the four pressure rollers 15 are arranged in an arc shape along the conveyance direction on both sides of the endless belt 14. The endless belt 14 is bent in an arc shape from the first portion 101 to the second portion 102 by being pressed by the pressure rollers 15.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6 , protrusions (engagement portions) 16 for supporting the tableware are provided on the surface of the endless belt 14 at predetermined intervals in the conveyance direction. Each protrusion 16 is provided near the center of the endless belt 14 in the width direction. Each protrusion 16 is formed in a plate shape and is arc-shaped so as to be convex downward on the front surface of the conveyor 1. The height of each protrusion 16 from the surface of the endless belt 14 is lower than the height of the base of each of the dishes 7-9. The radius of curvature of each protrusion 16 is also larger than the radius of curvature of the plate body 71 of the first dish 7. Furthermore, the horizontal width D of each protrusion 16 is larger than the diameter of the plate body 71 of the first dish 7. Therefore, the first dish 7 is conveyed upward while the outer surface of the base 72 or the outer edge of the plate body 71 is supported by the protrusions 16. In this embodiment, the protrusions 16 are used as the engaging portions for supporting the tableware, but other configurations may be used as long as they are configured to engage with the tableware and transport the tableware together with the endless belt 14. For example, the engaging portions may be configured to form recesses on the surface of the endless belt 14, and the tableware may be engaged in the recesses.

[0037] As described above, because the inclination angle α of the first section 101 of the conveyor 1 is small, when the dishes 7-9 get caught on the endless belt 14, most of the dishes 7-9 floating near the water surface of the water tub 10 are transported to the water surface. However, because the inclination angle β of the second section 102 is large, of the dishes 7-9 pulled up at the first section 101, only the first dish 7 and the third dish 9 are pulled up, while the second dish 8 falls from the endless belt 14. In this way, the conveyor 1 places as many dishes as possible on the endless belt 14 at the first section 101 and sorts the placed dishes at the second section 102. However, if the inclination angle β is too small, many dishes will get caught on the protrusions 16, making it impossible to sort the first dish 7, as described below. On the other hand, if the inclination angle β is too large, the first dish 7 will also be less likely to get caught on the protrusions 16, which may reduce the efficiency of pulling up the first dish 7.

[0038] The inclination angle β of the second section 102 of the transfer conveyor 1 can be determined as follows. As shown in FIG. 8 , the inclination angle β of the second section 102 is determined so that, when the first dish 7 is supported by the protrusions 16, an imaginary line S1 extending vertically from the center of gravity G1 of the first dish 7 intersects with the surface of the endless belt 14 (intersection point C) inside the area where the first dish 7 is placed (the area where the placed first dish 7 is projected onto the surface of the endless belt 14). In other words, the inclination angle β is set so that an imaginary line G1 extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the first dish 7 intersects with the surface of the endless belt 14 above the engagement position between the first dish 7 and the protrusions 16. As a result, the first dish 7 supported by the protrusions 16 is transported upward without separating from the protrusions 16. The third dish 9, like the first dish 7, has its center of gravity G3 located on the platform 92, and is therefore transported upward by the second section 102.

[0039] 9 , the second dish 8 is supported by the protrusions 16 at the outer peripheral surface of the base 82 or the opening edge of the body 81, but disengages from the protrusions 16 as it is transported upward. That is, the inclination angle β of the second portion 102 is determined so that, when the second dish 8 is supported by the protrusions 16, an imaginary line S2 extending vertically from the center of gravity G2 of the second dish 8 intersects with the surface of the endless belt 14 (intersection point C) outside the area where the second dish 8 is placed (the area where the placed second dish 8 is projected onto the surface of the endless belt 14). In other words, the inclination angle β is set so that the imaginary line G2 extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the second dish 8 intersects with the surface of the endless belt 14 below the position where the second dish 8 engages with the protrusions 16. As a result, even if the second dish 8 is once supported by the protrusion 16, it will detach from the protrusion 16 due to the action of the center of gravity G2 and fall from the endless belt 14 into the water tank 10. Therefore, the first dish 7 and the third dish 9 are sorted and transported by the transport conveyor 1.

[0040] Furthermore, the transport conveyor 1 is provided with an ejection member 17 for removing the second tableware 8, which is unexpectedly supported by the protrusions 16 and transported upward, from the endless belt 14, and a guide member 18 disposed near the upper end of the transport conveyor 1. These will be explained below.

[0041] 10 , the exclusion member 17 is a rod-shaped member that extends from the front of the endless belt 14 toward the surface of the endless belt 14. The distance D between the exclusion member 17 and the surface of the endless belt 14 is longer than the height of the first dish 7 and shorter than the height of the second dish 8. Therefore, the first dish 7 supported by the protrusions 16 does not come into contact with the exclusion member 17, but the second dish 8 supported by the protrusions 16 does come into contact with the exclusion member 17 and is separated from the endless belt 14.

[0042] Next, the guide member 18 will be described. As the endless belt 14 of the transport conveyor 1 moves while turning 180 degrees, the first dish 7 also turns 180 degrees and falls to the rear of the transport conveyor 1. As a result, a rotational force is applied to the first dish 7 from the endless belt 14, and this momentum may cause the first dish 7 to be incorrectly fed into the aligning device 2, which will be described later. Therefore, in this embodiment, a guide member such as that shown in FIG. 7 is provided. The guide member 18 has the function of guiding the direction in which the first dish 7 falls so that it falls downward behind the second section 102 after passing the front surface of the second section 102 and the upper end thereof and then separating from the endless belt 14.

[0043] To achieve this function, the guide member 18 is formed in a plate shape, covers the upper end of the second section 102, and extends downward toward the rear of the second section 102. This guide member 18 reduces the rotational force acting on the first dish 7, so that it falls with reduced momentum behind the second section 102 and is fed into the aligning device 2, which will be described later. Note that, like the first dish 7, the third dish 9 also falls toward the rear of the transport conveyor 1 by the guide member 18 and is fed into the aligning device 2.

[0044] 3. Alignment Device Next, the alignment device will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 16. Figure 11 is a plan view of the alignment device, Figure 12 is a side view of Figure 11, Figures 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views showing the alignment mechanism, and Figures 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views of the third passage of the alignment device. The alignment device 2 is a device for aligning the first tableware 7 that have passed through the transport conveyor 1 so that the top surfaces of the plate bodies 71 face upward, and feeding them into the washing device 3, which will be described later.

[0045] 11, the aligning device 2 extends from the rear of the transport conveyor 1, sloping downward toward the right, and includes a first passage 21 provided behind the transport conveyor 1, a second passage 22 connected to the first passage 21, and a third passage 23 connected to the second passage 22. The first tableware 7 that has passed through the first to third passages 21 to 23 is then fed into the washing device 3. On the other hand, the third tableware 9 leaves the aligning device 2 through the third passage 23, as will be described later.

[0046] 11 and 12 , the first passage 21 is located behind the conveyor 1 and below the upper end of the conveyor 1. Specifically, the first dishes 7 dropped downward by the guide member 18 are fed into the first passage 21. More specifically, the first passage 21 includes a first bottom surface 211 extending in the left-right direction, a pair of first side surfaces 212 extending from both sides (front and rear ends) of the first bottom surface 211, and an end wall 213 extending from the upstream (left) end of the first bottom surface 211. The width (front-to-rear width) of the first bottom surface 211 is slightly larger than the height of the first dishes 7, and the first dishes 7 fed between the first side surfaces 212 are received in the first passage 21 with their radial direction facing downward. The upper ends of the first side surfaces 212 are curved away from each other. This makes it easier for the first dish 7 falling from the transport conveyor 1 to be dropped into the first passage 21. Furthermore, because the first bottom surface portion 211 is inclined downward toward the right, the dropped first dish 7 moves by its own weight toward the second passage 22 on the right side. The width of the first bottom surface portion 211 is preferably within two times the height of the first dish 7, and more preferably within 1.5 times the height. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the width is such that the downward movement of the first dish 7 is not hindered by friction caused by contact between the first dish 7 and both first side surfaces 212.

[0047] 3-2. Second Passage As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the second passage 22 has a second bottom surface 221 that is continuous with the first bottom surface 211 of the first passage 21 and a pair of second side surfaces 222 that are continuous with each of the first side surfaces 212. The second bottom surface 221 is continuous with the first bottom surface 211 and slopes downward toward the right. Each second side surface 222 has a first portion 222a that is connected to the first side surface and a second portion 222b that is connected to the right side of the first portion 222a. The first portions 222a rise from both sides of the second bottom surface 221 and curve away from each other as they extend downward (to the right). The pair of second portions 222b are spaced apart at a distance slightly wider than the outer diameter of the first dish 7. The second bottom surface 221 is shaped to connect both second side surfaces 222. The first dish 7 that has passed through the second passage 22 is placed on the second bottom surface portion 221 so that the top surface of the dish body 71 faces upward, as will be described later.

[0048] 11 and 12, the third passage 23 is formed by a pair of guide rails 231. That is, the pair of guide rails 231, each having a U-shaped cross section, are arranged at a horizontal interval so that their openings face each other. The outer edge of the plate body 71 of the first dish 7 is inserted into the opening of each guide rail 231. Therefore, the first dish 7 moves downward while being supported by the pair of guide rails 231. The first dish 7 passes through the third passage 23 and is guided to an inlet 311 of the washing device 3, which will be described later.

[0049] However, the configuration of each guide rail 231 may be other than this, as long as it can move the first dish 7 downward while supporting it.

[0050] 17 , a sensor 24 such as a photoelectric sensor is provided at the bottom end of the third passage 23 to detect the time it takes for the first dish 7 to pass the sensor 24. In this embodiment, 0.2 seconds is set as an example of the threshold (predetermined value). If the time it takes for the first dish 7 to pass the sensor 24 exceeds 0.2 seconds, it is determined that the first dish 7 is stuck near the bottom end of the third passage 23, and the conveyor 1 is controlled to stop. If the time it takes for the first dish 7 to pass the sensor 24 falls within 0.2 seconds, it is determined that the first dish 7 is no longer stuck and can be smoothly supplied to the washing device 3, and the conveyor 1 is restarted.

[0051] 3-4. Behavior of the first dish 7 passing through the alignment device When the first dish 7 is fed from the transfer conveyor 1 into the first passage 21, the first dish 7 may be positioned with the plate body 71 in the front as shown in Fig. 13 or with the plate body 71 in the rear as shown in Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. 13(a), when the plate body 71 is positioned in the front in the first passage 21, the outer edge of the plate body 71 of the first dish 7 is in contact with the vicinity of the connection between the first bottom surface portion 211 and the front first side surface portion 212. In addition, the center of gravity G1 of the first dish 7 is located rearward of the center of the first passage 21 in the width direction. At this time, the first dish 7 moves through the first passage 21 to the second passage 22, but since the width of the second passage 22 increases as it goes downward, as the first dish 7 moves through the second passage 22, the center of gravity G1 causes the first dish 7 to tilt toward the rear second side surface portion 222, with the contact point between the dish main body 71 and the second bottom surface portion 221 as a fulcrum F, as shown in Figures 13(b) and 13(c). Then, after passing through the first portion 222a of the second passage 22 and entering the second portion 222b, the platform 72 faces downward, and the top surface of the dish main body 71 faces upward as it moves downward.

[0052] 14(a), when the dish body 71 is positioned rearward in the first passage 21, the outer edge of the dish body 71 of the first dish 7 contacts the vicinity of the joint between the first bottom surface portion 211 and the rear side surface portion 212. The center of gravity G1 of the first dish 7 is located forward of the center of the width of the first passage 21. The first dish 7 moves through the first passage 21 to the second passage 22, but because the width of the second passage 22 increases downward, as the first dish 7 moves through the second passage 22, the center of gravity G1 causes the first dish 7 to tilt toward the front second side surface portion 222, with the contact point between the dish body 71 and the second bottom surface portion 221 as a fulcrum F, as shown in FIGS. After passing through the first portion 222a of the second passage 22 and entering the second portion 222b, the plate body 71 descends downward with the platform 72 facing downward and the top surface of the plate body 71 facing upward.

[0053] As described above, when the first dish 7 is placed into the first passage 21, regardless of whether the plate body 71 is facing forward or backward, when the first dish 7 enters the second section 222b, the platform 72 faces downward and the top surface of the plate body 71 faces upward. The first dish 7, whose up-down orientation has been adjusted in this way, moves toward the third passage 23 while leaving a gap between them. The third dish 9 also behaves in a similar manner and enters the third passage 23.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 15 , the first tableware 7 moves downward in the third passage 23 while being supported by the guide rail 231 , and is supplied to the inlet 311 of the washing device 3 in order.

[0055] As described above, the third passage 23 is configured by a pair of guide rails 231 spaced apart. The distance between the pair of guide rails 231 is set to fit the first dish 7 and is therefore larger than the outer diameter of the third dish 9. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16 , the third dish 9 that enters the third passage 23 falls downward between the pair of guide rails 231. In this way, as the first dish 7 and the third dish 9 pass through the aligning device 2, the third dish 9 falls away, and only the first dish 7 is supplied to the washing device 3. Furthermore, foreign objects other than the first dish 7, such as dust, also fall between the pair of guide rails 231, preventing such foreign objects from entering the washing device 3.

[0056] 4. Cleaning Apparatus Next, the cleaning apparatus will be described. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus, and Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning apparatus.

[0057] 17 and 18 , the washing machine 3 includes a housing 31, a supply unit 32, a conveying unit 33, and a discharge unit 34 for the first tableware 7 provided in the housing 31, and first and second brush units 36, 37 for washing the first tableware 7. In the washing machine 3, the first tableware 7 supplied from the alignment device are supplied in a stacked state by the supply unit 32 into the housing 31. The supplied first tableware 7 are then lined up in a row inside the housing 31 and conveyed by the conveying unit 33, and are washed by the pair of brush units 36, 37 during this conveyance. After washing, the first tableware 7 are discharged in a stacked state to the outside of the housing 31 by the discharge unit 34. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0058] 17 , the housing 31 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a circular inlet 311 and outlet 312 are formed at a distance from each other on its top surface. The inlet 311 is an opening for supplying the first dishes 7 into the housing 31, and is circularly shaped to match the shape of the first dishes 7. On the other hand, the outlet 312 is an opening for discharging the first dishes 7 washed inside the housing 31 to the outside of the housing 31, and, like the inlet 311, is also circularly shaped to match the shape of the first dishes 7. The inlet 311 receives the first dishes 7 discharged from the third passage 23 of the aligning device 2. Therefore, the area of ​​the inlet 311 opposite the third passage 23 is covered by a guide cover 313. As a result, the first dishes 7 supplied from the third passage 23 hit the guide cover 313 and are fed into the inlet 311.

[0059] Meanwhile, a plurality of support rods 314 extending in the vertical direction are arranged at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the discharge outlet 312. As will be described later, the first tableware 7 after washing are discharged in a stack from the discharge outlet 312, and the first tableware 7 are stacked in the space surrounded by the support rods 314. Therefore, the stacked plurality of first tableware 7 are supported by the support rods 314 so as not to collapse.

[0060] A color sensor 319 is provided outside the outlet 312, which detects the number and color of the first dishes 7 discharged from the outlet 312.

[0061] 18, the supply unit 32 is a section that guides the first dish 7 inserted from the insertion port 311 downward, and has a guide 321 that extends in the vertical direction, and a pair of receiving rollers 322, 323 that are arranged below the guide 321. The guide 321 guides the first dish 7 downward while keeping it horizontal, and is formed in a cylindrical shape to fit the outer shape of the first dish 7.

[0062] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the supply of the first dish 7. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 , each receiving roller 322, 323 is cylindrical and rotatable around a horizontally extending axis. Each receiving roller 322, 323 is connected to a motor (not shown) via a gearbox 328 and is configured to rotate around its axis by the motor and gearbox 328. As shown in FIG. 19 , the receiving rollers 322, 323 are configured to support the underside of the dish body 71 of the first dish 7. Specifically, the receiving rollers 322, 323 are spaced apart at a distance that is wider than the outer shape of the base 72 of the first dish 7 and narrower than the outer shape of the dish body 71. Axial grooves 3221, 3231 are formed on the outer periphery of each receiving roller 322, 323, respectively, and the outer edge of the dish body 71 fits into each groove 3221, 3231.

[0063] Next, the operation of the supply unit 32 will be described. As shown in FIG. 19( a), the first dishes 7 inserted through the insertion port 311 are guided downward by the guide 321 in a stacked state, and the lowest first dish 7a is supported by the receiving rollers 322, 323. This restricts downward movement of the stacked first dishes 7. In this state, as shown in FIG. 19( b), when the receiving rollers 322, 323 rotate toward each other, the grooves 3221, 3231 of each receiving roller 322, 323 fit into the outer edge of the plate body 71 of the lowest first dish 7a. Then, as shown in FIG. 19( c), when the receiving rollers 322, 323 further rotate, the receiving rollers 322, 323 support the plate body 71 of the second-lowest first dish 7b from below, while moving the lowest first dish 7a downward while sandwiching the outer edge of the lowest first dish 7a between the grooves 3221, 3231. 19(d), only the first dish 7a, which is the lowest one, can be moved downward by both receiving rollers 322, 323. In other words, the supply unit 32 moves the first dish 7 downward intermittently at predetermined time intervals.

[0064] 18, a sensor 3211 is attached near the upper end of the guide 321 to detect the first tableware 7 passing through the guide 321. When the stacked first tableware 7 moves downward and the first tableware 7 can no longer be detected, the control device stops the operation of the washer 3 (stopping at least the supply unit 32, conveyance unit 33, discharge unit 34, brush units 36 and 37, water spray, etc.). After that, the first tableware 7 is supplied to the supply unit 32, and when the sensor 3211 detects the first tableware 7, the control device 5 restarts the washer 3.

[0065] 18 and 20, the first tableware 7 moved downward by the supply unit 32 is transported horizontally (to the right) by the transport unit 33. More specifically, the transport unit 33 has a pair of known transport screws 331 arranged horizontally at a predetermined interval. Each transport screw 331 has a first end and a second end and is rotatable around an axis extending horizontally. The first end of each transport screw 331 on the supply unit 32 side is connected to a motor via the gear box 328 described above, and is configured to rotate around its axis by the motor and gear box 328. The first tableware 7 moved downward from the supply unit 32 is placed between these transport screws 331 at predetermined intervals. Then, as shown in FIG. 20, the first tableware 7 is supported by these transport screws 331 and transported horizontally toward the discharge unit 34. Therefore, the first tableware 7 is transported horizontally one by one at predetermined intervals by the transport screws 331.

[0066] 18 and 21, the discharge section 34 includes a pusher 341 disposed at the second end of each of the conveying screws 331, a pair of stoppers 342, 343 disposed above the pusher 341 to restrict downward movement of the first dish 7, and a guide 347 extending in the vertical direction. The pusher 341 is disposed below each of the conveying screws 331 and is configured to move vertically between the conveying screws 331. This pushes the first dish 7 supported by the conveying screws 331 upward. The pusher 341 can be driven, for example, by an air cylinder. The pushed-up first dish 7 passes between the pair of stoppers 342, 343 and is then supported by the stoppers 342, 343. The guide 347 guides the first dish 7 upward while maintaining it in a horizontal position, and is cylindrically shaped to fit the contour of the first dish 7.

[0067] More specifically, each stopper 342, 343 is formed in the shape of a triangular prism that resembles a right triangle when viewed from the side, and is rotatable around a horizontal axis. Similarly to the receiving rollers 322, 323, each stopper 342, 343 has a support surface 3421, 3431 that supports the underside of the dish body 71 of the first dish 7. The stoppers 342, 343 are spaced apart at a distance that is wider than the outer shape of the base 72 of the first dish 7 and narrower than the outer shape of the dish body 71. However, the rotation axes 3422, 3432 of each stopper 342, 343 are located outside the first dish 7.

[0068] Each stopper 342, 343 is configured to rotate between a first position, in which the support surfaces 3421, 3431 are positioned above the dish body 71 to support it, and a second position, in which the stoppers 342, 343 rotate upward from the first position around their axes (in the direction of arrow Y1) to allow the first dish 7 to pass between them. The second position is a position in which the support surfaces 3421, 3431 are rotated approximately 45 to 80 degrees. However, the stoppers 342, 343 are not configured to rotate downward from the first position. Furthermore, when the first dish 7 passes between the stoppers 342, 343 and the force acting on the stoppers 342, 343 in the second position is no longer applied, the stoppers 342, 343 return to the first position due to the shift in their centers of gravity.

[0069] Next, the discharge of the first dish 7 will be described with reference to Figures 22 and 23. As shown in Figure 22(a), when both stoppers 342 and 343 are in the first position, the support surfaces 3421 and 3431 support the first dish 7. In this state, the first dish 7 on the conveying screw 331 is pushed up by the pusher 341, and when this first dish 7 pushes up both stoppers 342 and 343 from below, as shown in Figure 22(b), the stoppers 342 and 343 rotate in the direction of arrow Y1 to the second position, and the first dish 7 pushed up between the stoppers 342 and 343 passes. Then, as shown in Figure 22(c), when the first dish 7 pushed up between the stoppers 342 and 343 passes and the force acting on the stoppers 342 and 343 is released, the stoppers 342 and 343 rotate in the direction of arrow Y2 to return to the first position. 22(d), when the pusher 341 is lowered, the first dish 7 that has passed between the stoppers 342 and 343 also descends and is supported by the stoppers 342 and 343 in the first position. In this way, the first dish 7 is stacked on the stoppers 342 and 343.

[0070] <4-5. First and Second Brush Units> Next, the brush units will be described with reference to Figures 24 and 25. As shown in Figures 18 and 24, the first brush unit 36 ​​is disposed above the conveying section 33 and is configured to clean the upper surfaces of the first dishes 7 moving through the conveying section 33. On the other hand, the second brush unit 37 is disposed below the conveying section 33 and is configured to clean the lower surfaces of the first dishes 7 moving through the conveying section 33.

[0071] The first brush unit 36 ​​includes a first brush body 361 for cleaning the top surface of the first dish 7 and a first support 362 for rotatably supporting the first brush body 361. The rotation shaft provided on the first support 362 extends vertically, and the first brush body 361 is attached to the lower end of the rotation shaft. The first brush body 361 includes a disk-shaped substrate (first support portion) 3611 and a plurality of bristles 3612 extending downward from the bottom surface of the substrate 3611. The size of the substrate 3611 is formed to be roughly the same as or larger than the top surface of the dish body 71. In addition, a bristle bundle 3613, consisting of a predetermined number of bristles 3612 bound together, is arranged on the substrate 3611 across the entire bottom surface of the substrate 3611.

[0072] 25, multiple bristle bundles 3613 are arranged in a ring shape, and the ring-shaped bristle bundles 3613 are further arranged concentrically, thereby distributing the bristle bundles 3613 over the entire substrate 3611. Furthermore, because the top surface of the dish body 71 is recessed toward the center, the length of the bristle bundles 3613 is longer for those arranged near the center of the substrate 3611 and becomes slightly shorter toward the outer edge of the substrate 3611. This allows the bristle bundles 3613 to fit along the top surface of the dish body 71, enabling appropriate cleaning. The material constituting the bristles 3612 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a resin material such as nylon, PET, or PE, or animal hair.

[0073] The first brush body 361 is disposed between the pair of conveying screws 331 described above, and rotates while pressing its bristles 3612 against the upper surface of the first tableware 7 conveyed by the conveying screws 331, thereby cleaning the upper surface of the first tableware 7. As shown in Fig. 24, the first brush body 361 is configured to rotate by the rotational driving force from the motor 3616 transmitted by a gear and a shaft member (not shown) that pass through the first support body 362.

[0074] The second brush unit 37 is configured similarly to the first brush unit 36. The second brush unit 37 includes a second brush body 371 for cleaning the underside of the first tableware 7 and a second support 372 for rotatably supporting the second brush body 371. The rotation shaft provided on the second support 372 extends vertically, and the second brush body 371 is attached to the upper end of the rotation shaft. The configuration of the second brush body 371 is generally similar to that of the first brush body 361, except that the bristles 3722 extend upward. In addition, the length of the bristle bundles 3613 is the opposite of that of the first brush body 361, with the bristles located near the center of the base plate 3711 being short and gradually increasing toward the outer edges of the base plate 3711.

[0075] The second brush body 371 is disposed between the pair of conveying screws 331, and rotates while pressing its bristles 3712 against the underside of the first tableware 7 conveyed by the conveying screws 331, thereby cleaning the underside of the first tableware 7. The second brush body 371 is also configured to rotate by the rotational driving force from a motor (not shown) transmitted by a gear and a shaft member passing through the second support body 372. However, the second brush body 371 is configured to rotate in the opposite direction to the first brush body 361.

[0076] <4-6. Others> Inside the housing 31, a plurality of sprayers are provided above and below the conveying section 33, which spray cleaning water onto the first tableware 7 passing through the conveying section 33. As shown in Fig. 18 , in this embodiment, sprayers 381 and 382 are provided upstream and downstream of the first brush body 361 above the conveying section 33, respectively, so as to spray cleaning water toward the upper surface of the first tableware 7. Similarly, sprayers 383 and 384 are provided upstream and downstream of the second brush body 371 below the conveying section 33, respectively, so as to spray cleaning water toward the lower surface of the first tableware 7. Although not shown, a detergent sprayer is provided upstream of the sprayers 381 to 384.

[0077] A pair of air nozzles 385, 386 are provided between the downstream spraying sections 382, ​​384 and the discharge section 34. The air nozzles 385, 386 are respectively arranged above and below the conveying section 33, and are configured to blow air onto the upper and lower surfaces of the first dish 7 moving through the conveying section 33. This causes moisture adhering to the upper and lower surfaces of the first dish 7 to fly away.

[0078] The above-mentioned components are controlled by a control device, which controls various aspects of driving the cleaning device 3, such as turning the power of the cleaning device 3 on and off, rotating the conveying screw 331, rotating the receiving rollers 322 and 323, and rotating the brush bodies 361 and 371.

[0079] In particular, the control device controls each brush body 361, 371 to rotate forward and backward at a predetermined timing. As described above, the supply unit 32 is configured to detect the first dish 7 using the sensor 3211. When the sensor 3211 no longer detects the first dish 7, the operation of the washing device 3 is stopped. However, when the sensor 3211 subsequently detects the first dish 7, the washing device 3 is restarted. The control device changes the rotation direction of each brush body 361, 371 when the washing device 3 is restarted. For example, if the washing device 3 stops operating while the first brush body 361 is rotating forward (e.g., in the direction F1 in FIG. 24 ), when the washing device 3 is restarted, the control device is configured to rotate the first brush body 361 backward (e.g., in the direction F2 opposite to the direction F1 in FIG. 24 ). Thereafter, each time the washing device 3 is restarted, the first brush body 361 is rotated in the opposite direction from before the restart. The same applies to the second brush assembly 371, which is configured to always rotate in the opposite direction to the first brush assembly 361.

[0080] <4-7. Operation of the Washing Device> When the first tableware 7 is fed from the aligning device 2 into the feed port 311, the first tableware 7 are stacked in the supply section 32. As described above, the stacked first tableware 7 are placed one by one on the conveying screw 331 of the conveying section 33 and conveyed horizontally toward the discharge section 4. During this process, detergent and water are sprayed onto the upper and lower surfaces of the first tableware 7. The upper and lower surfaces of the first tableware 7 are also cleaned by the rotating brush bodies 361, 371. Water is sprayed onto the first tableware 7 that has passed through the brush bodies 361, 371, and further, air sprayed from the air nozzles 385, 386 blows off any adhering water.

[0081] Thereafter, the first dishes 7 are pushed upward one by one by the pusher 341 and stacked above the stoppers 342, 343. As the plurality of first dishes 7 are stacked in this manner, the first dishes 7 stacked at the top are discharged from the discharge port 312 to the outside of the housing 31. Thereafter, the first dishes 7 are transferred to the conveying path for the first dishes 7 by the transfer device 6, which will be described next.

[0082] <5. Transfer Device> <5-1. Structure of Transfer Device> Next, the transfer device will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 26 is a side view of the transfer device, Fig. 27 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the support part of the transfer device and the first tableware, and Figs. 28 and 29 are side views explaining the operation of the transfer device. The transfer device 6 is a device for transferring the first tableware to the conveying path after washing.

[0083] As shown in Figure 27, the transfer device 6 has a pair of support units 61 that support the first tableware 7, an adjustment unit 62 that adjusts the horizontal spacing between the two support units 61, and a robot arm 63 for moving the adjustment unit 62.

[0084] Each support unit 61 has a plate-shaped support portion 611, a pair of elongated members 612 extending upward from both ends of the support portion 611, and a connecting portion 613 to which the upper ends of the pair of elongated members 612 are connected. As shown in Figure 27 (a) , the support portion 611 is formed in an arc shape in a plan view and is disposed on the underside of the outer edge of the dish body 71 of the first tableware 7. The elongated members 612 are formed in a plate shape and are respectively connected to the outer edges of both ends of the support portion 611. The elongated members 612 have arc-shaped contact surfaces that contact the outer edge of the dish body 71, and the contact surfaces of the pair of elongated members 612 are disposed at positions offset from the center of the dish body 71 by approximately 30 degrees. By providing a pair of support units 61 configured in this manner, as shown in Figure 27 (b), four contact surfaces come into contact with the outer edge of the plate body 71, and further, the support portion 611 supports the underside of the outer edge of the plate body 71, thereby lifting the first dish 7 upward.

[0085] The adjustment unit 62 incorporates an actuator that moves the connecting portions 613 of each support unit 61 horizontally toward or away from each other. This allows each support unit 61 to move horizontally between a first position and a second position. As shown in FIGS. 27(a) and 26, in the first position where the two support units 61 are spaced apart, the four contact surfaces are spaced apart from the dish body 71, and the support portions 611 are also spaced apart from the first dish 7 in the horizontal direction. Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 27(b) and 28, in the second position, the two support units 61 are close to each other, and the four contact surfaces are in contact with the outer edge of the dish body 71. The adjustment unit 62 is also movable in three-dimensional space by the robot arm 63. Therefore, by driving the robot arm 63, the adjustment unit 62, the two support units 61, and the first dish 7 also move.

[0086] A sensor 64 is provided on the underside of the adjustment unit 62, and this sensor 64 can measure the distance between the sensor 64 and the uppermost first dish 7 discharged from the discharge outlet 312 of the washing device 3. Therefore, the robot arm 63 can position the support unit 611 to the position of the first dish 7 to be supported while measuring the distance to the uppermost first dish 7. The number of support units 61 is not particularly limited, and may be three or more.

[0087] <5-2. Operation of the Transfer Device> The transfer device 6 can transfer the first tableware 7 to the conveying path 100 in various ways. First, the transfer device 6 moves both support units 61 to the first position, and then drives the robot arm 63 to lower the support units 61 from above so that the stacked first tableware 7 is sandwiched between them. Then, the transfer device 6 transfers a predetermined number of the first tableware 7 discharged from the discharge outlet 312 to the conveying path 100.

[0088] For example, to transfer ten first dishes 7 at a time, the distance between the sensor 64 and the topmost first dish 7 is measured, and the support unit 611 is positioned near the underside of the dish body 71 of the tenth first dish 7 from the top, as shown in FIG. 26 . At this time, the control device stops the discharge of the first dishes 7 from the washer 3, and during this stoppage, the actuator of the adjustment unit 62 is driven to move both support units 61 to the second position, as shown in FIG. 28 . This brings the two support units 61 closer to each other, and the support unit 611 moves below the dish body 71. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 29 , the robot arm 63 is driven to lift both support units 61 upward. This lifts the ten first dishes 7 upward from the washer 3. Once both support units 61 are lifted upward, the washer 3 resumes discharging the first dishes 7.

[0089] Then, when the platform 72 of the lowest first dish 7 comes into contact with the conveying path 100 by driving the robot arm 63, the actuator is driven to separate both support units 61. In this way, ten first dishes 7 are transferred to the conveying path 100. Thereafter, the robot arm 63 is driven to lift both support units 61 upward, and the support unit 61 is again moved near the discharge outlet 312 of the washing device 3, and the above-mentioned operation is repeated.

[0090] As another transfer method, the color sensor 319 of the washing device 3 detects the number and color of the first dishes 7 discharged from the discharge outlet 312. Then, when it detects that a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of first dishes 7 of the same color have been discharged from the discharge outlet 312, the color sensor 319 also cooperates with the sensor 64 to support the plate body 71 of the tenth first dish 7 as described above and transfer it to the conveying path 100.

[0091] Alternatively, regardless of the number of first dishes 7, when it is detected that the color of a first dish 7 discharged from the discharge outlet 312 has changed, the first dishes 7 above the first dish 7 whose color has changed are transferred as described above. In this embodiment, first dishes 7 of the same color have the same shape, so first dishes 7 of the same shape are stacked on the conveying path 100. Note that a sensor that can detect the shape of the first dishes 7 can be used instead of the color sensor 319, and only stacked first dishes 7 of the same shape can be transferred.

[0092] 6. Features The washing system configured as described above has the following effects. (1) The transport conveyor 1 can select and lift only the first tableware 7 and the third tableware 9 from the tableware stored in the water tank 10. (2) The aligning device 2 can change the orientation of the first tableware 7 and the third tableware 9 so that the plate bodies face upward. (3) The aligning device 2 can drop the third tableware 9 in the third passage 23, so that only the first tableware 7 can be transported to the washing device 3. (4) The transfer device 6 can transfer a predetermined number of first tableware 7 or first tableware 7 of a predetermined color in a stacked state to the transport path 100.

[0093] 7. Modifications Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0094] (1) The configuration of the protrusion 16 is not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible as long as it is configured to at least support the first dish 7. For example, as shown in Fig. 30, multiple protrusions 16a can be provided. Each protrusion 16a can be formed from multiple plates or protruding members, and the multiple protrusions 16a can be arranged along the outer edge of the plate body 71 or the base 72 of the first dish 7. In the example of Fig. 30, two protrusions of the same shape are provided and arranged symmetrically.

[0095] As shown in Figure 31, in addition to the protrusions 16a shown in Figure 30, at least one protrusion 16b of a different shape can be provided between these protrusions 16a. These protrusions 16a, 16b can also be arranged along the outer edge of the plate body 71 or the foot 72 of the first tableware 7.

[0096] As shown in Figure 32, a plurality of protrusions 16c having a circular shape when viewed from the front can be arranged along the outer edge of the plate body 71 or the base 72 of the first tableware 7. These protrusions 16c have the same shape.

[0097] In this way, the shape, position, and number of the protrusions are not particularly limited, and when the first dish 7 is supported by multiple protrusions, the multiple protrusions can be arranged along the outer edge of the plate body 71 or base 72 of the first dish 7.

[0098] (2) In the above embodiment, the conveyor 1 is provided with a guide member 18 to allow the first dish 7 to fall from the upper end toward the aligning device 2 without flipping over (see FIG. 5). However, as shown in FIG. 33, for example, the guide member 18 can be extended so that the first dish 7 transported to the upper end of the conveyor 1 moves horizontally. In this example, an additional rotating body 19 and a second pressure roller 191 that presses the rear surface of the endless belt 14 are provided at the upper end of the conveyor 1. With this configuration, the first dish 7 transported to the upper end of the conveyor 1 moves horizontally. Therefore, the first dish 7 can move horizontally and fall correctly toward the aligning device 2 without being subjected to the rotational force of the endless belt 14 as described above.

[0099] (3) In the above embodiment, the first to third dishes 7-9 in the water tub 10 are transported by the transport conveyor 1, and the second dish 8 is dropped into the water tub 10 during transport. However, it is sufficient that at least the first dish 7 and the second dish 8 are contained in the water tub 10. Alternatively, the water tub 10 may contain dishes other than the first to third dishes 7-9. However, the transport conveyor 1 of the present disclosure is only required to be configured to transport at least the first dish 7 and the second dish 8 and drop the second dish 8 into the water tub 10 during transport.

[0100] (4) In the aligning device 2 of the above embodiment, the third dish 9 is dropped through the third passage 23. However, other methods for dropping the third dish 9 are also possible. For example, as shown in FIGS. 34 and 35 , openings 214 are formed in each first side surface portion 212 of the first passage 21. The openings 214 are rectangular and extend upward from the first bottom surface portion 211, with a length in the left-right direction greater than the outer diameter of the third dish 9. Because the center of gravity G3 of the third dish 9 is located on the platform 92 side, the third dish 9 tilts while passing through the first passage 21 and falls out of the first passage through one of the openings 214. This prevents the third dish 9 from being thrown into the washing machine 3. In this case, the third passage 23 configured as described above is unnecessary; a passage for guiding the first dish 7 between the second passage 22 and the inlet 311 of the washing machine 3 is sufficient.

[0101] (5) The configuration of the second passage 22 of the alignment device 2 is not particularly limited. For example, the lengths of the first portion 222a and the second portion 222b can be changed as appropriate, and the side of the second passage 22 can also be formed by only the curved first portion 222a.

[0102] (6) In the aligning device 2, the third passage and opening described above are not necessarily required. For example, they are not required when only the first tableware is transported.

[0103] (7) The configurations of the alignment device 2, transport conveyor 1, cleaning device 3, transfer device 6, and transport path 100 shown in the above embodiment are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible as long as they have similar functions.

[0104] (8) In the above embodiment, the conveyor 1 is used as part of the washing system, but it can also be used alone as a device for lifting up dishes that have accumulated in water. Also, in the above embodiment, the aligning device 2 is used as part of the washing system, but it can also be used alone as a device for aligning the first dishes 7 so that the plate bodies 71 face upward.

Claims

1. A tableware conveyor for conveying first tableware upward from a water tub, of first and second tableware stored in the water tub, comprising: a first rotating body located at the starting end of the conveyor; a second rotating body located at the terminal end of the conveyor; an endless belt stretched between the first and second rotating bodies; and a plurality of protrusions provided on the surface of the endless belt that are engageable with the first and second tableware; the conveyor has: a first section that includes the first rotating body and is located primarily in the water of the water tub; and a second section that includes the second rotating body and is located primarily above the water; in the first section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a first angle relative to the water surface of the water tub; and in the second section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a second angle greater than the first angle relative to the water surface; and in the second section, A conveyor, wherein the second angle is set so that an imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the first dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt in the area where the first dish is located, and an imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the second dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt outside the area where the second dish is located.

2. The transfer conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed of an arc-shaped plate member that is convex downward so as to support the first dish.

3. A conveyor as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an exclusion member in the second section spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the endless belt, and configured so that the second tableware that comes into contact with the exclusion member is released from the endless belt.

4. A transfer conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the endless belt is configured to move horizontally at the upper end of the second section.

5. A conveyor as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein a guide member is provided to guide the orientation of the first tableware so that the first tableware, transported upward by the endless belt in the second section, falls downward in a predetermined direction after detaching from the endless belt near the upper end of the second section.

6. A conveyor as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second angle is set so that, in the second portion, the imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the first dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt above the engagement position between the first dish and the protrusion, and the imaginary line extending vertically downward from the center of gravity of the second dish engaged with the protrusion intersects the surface of the endless belt below the engagement position between the second dish and the protrusion.

7. A transport conveyor as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein a pressure roller is provided between the first section and the second section to change the angle of the endless belt between the first section and the second section by pressing the endless belt.

8. The transfer conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the endless belt extends linearly in a plan view from the lower end of the first section to the upper end of the second section.

9. A conveyor as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the water tank is connected to the downstream end of a dish recovery channel installed inside a restaurant to recover the first and second dishes, and the first and second dishes transported by the dish recovery channel are stored in the water tank.

10. A conveyor for conveying tableware that conveys first tableware stored in a water tub upward from the water tub, comprising: a first rotating body arranged at the starting end of the conveyor; a second rotating body arranged at the terminal end of the conveyor; an endless belt stretched between the first and second rotating bodies; and a plurality of engaging portions provided on the surface of the endless belt that can engage with the first tableware; wherein the conveyor has: a first section that includes the first rotating body and is located mainly in the water in the water tub; and a second section that includes the second rotating body and is located mainly above the water; wherein, at the first section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a first angle relative to the water surface of the water tub; and, at the second section, the endless belt is set to move upward at a second angle relative to the water surface that is greater than the first angle.

11. The transport conveyor is a conveyor for conveying the first dish from the water tank upward, of the first and second dishes stored in the water tank, wherein the plurality of engaging portions are provided on the surface of the endless belt and are capable of engaging with the first dish and the second dish, and the second portion is provided with an exclusion member that separates the second dish moving upward on the endless belt at the second angle from the endless belt. A transport conveyor as described in claim 10.

12. An alignment device for aligning plates having a circular plate body and a platform provided on the underside of the plate body, with the center of gravity on the platform side, comprising: a first passageway through which the plates are loaded; and a second passageway connected to the first passageway; the first passageway and the second passageway are formed to extend diagonally from top to bottom in that order, and are configured to allow the plates to pass through; the first passageway has a first bottom surface portion having a width slightly greater than the height of the plate, and a pair of first side surfaces rising from both sides of the first bottom surface portion, and is configured so that the plate is loaded from above with the radial direction of the plate body facing downward; and the second passageway has a second bottom surface portion connected to the first bottom surface portion, and a pair of second side surfaces provided on both sides of the second bottom surface portion, and is configured so that the distance between the pair of second side surfaces increases as it goes downward.

13. A plate alignment device as described in claim 12, further comprising a third passage connected to the second passage through which the plates pass after passing through the second passage, the third passage having a pair of guide rails extending diagonally from top to bottom and spaced apart, and configured so that the plates pass through with both sides of the plate body of the plate supported by the pair of guide rails.

14. A plate aligning device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the upper ends of the pair of first side portions in the first passage are curved so as to be apart from each other.

15. A plate alignment device as described in claim 12 or 13, wherein a sensor is provided in the third passage, and the sensor is configured to detect the transit time of the plate passing a predetermined distance, and when the detected transit time exceeds a predetermined value, the introduction of the plate into the first passage is stopped.

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