Scrap conveyance device and scrap conveyance method

Abstract

Provided are a scrap conveyance device and a scrap conveyance method capable of suppressing overlapping of scrap and foreign matter in a scrap group at an unloading place. A scrap conveyance device (1) conveys a scrap group (SS) including a plurality of pieces of scrap (S) and foreign matter (D) to an unloading place (60). The scrap conveyance device (1) is provided with a scrap conveyance mechanism (10) which includes an inclined plate (11) and a scrap spreading mechanism (13). The inclined plate (11) is provided with an inclined surface (12) extending obliquely downward from above and also extending in the lateral width direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, the inclined plate (11) conveying the scrap group (SS) to the unloading place (60) by allowing the scrap group (SS) discharged on the inclined surface (12) to slide obliquely downward. The scrap spreading mechanism (13) causes the scrap group (SS) discharged on the inclined surface (12) to fall toward the outside in the width direction of the inclined plate (11) relative to the discharge position of the scrap group (SS).

Description

Scrap conveying device and scrap conveying method

[0001] The present invention relates to a scrap transport device and a scrap transport method.

[0002] Steelworks are seeking to increase the use of iron-based scrap as a raw material for producing steel products while reducing environmental impact. Scrap collected from the market is generated as waste from various products, such as processing equipment, automobiles, and electrical equipment. These products consist of various devices, such as electronic devices used for control, motors that act as actuators, various sensors, and electrical wires connecting the electronic devices to the actuators and sensors. Iron-based scrap is produced by extracting iron-based materials from the waste from such products. However, because iron-based materials are often connected to other materials during product manufacturing, materials containing non-iron components may be mixed into the iron-based scrap. Examples of materials containing non-iron components include electric motors containing copper, electrical wires containing copper, and electronic circuit boards containing copper or other metals.

[0003] On the other hand, when producing steel products, the composition of the steel product is important. For example, if a steel product contains a large amount of copper as an impurity, it can cause cracks during manufacturing, resulting in problems. When this copper is melted together with iron-based scrap to produce steel products, it cannot be removed during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, sealed objects can be found in iron-based scrap as impurities. If sealed objects containing moisture are mixed with the iron-based scrap, the high temperatures can cause steam explosions during the melting of the iron-based scrap, resulting in equipment damage and other adverse effects on steel production. Sealed objects include pipes, whose ends can be crushed during scrap transportation, resulting in a sealed structure.

[0004] In this way, when materials containing elements other than iron and sealed objects are melted together with iron-based scrap, various problems arise during the production of steel products, so it is desirable to detect and remove foreign matter such as materials containing elements other than iron and sealed objects before melting. In other words, a group of iron-based scrap made up of multiple pieces of iron-based scrap contains foreign matter such as materials containing elements other than iron and sealed objects that are undesirable when using the iron-based scrap, and it is desirable to detect and remove foreign matter in the group of iron-based scrap before melting.

[0005] In recent years, object recognition technologies have been developed that use deep learning and other techniques to identify pre-trained objects from captured images of an object, and it is conceivable that such technologies could be applied to foreign object detection using scrap images. For example, Patent Document 1 (Patent Document 1) proposes a sealed object detection system that detects sealed objects contained in a collection of iron scrap. The sealed object detection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a camera that photographs the collection of iron scrap, an inference unit that uses a trained model constructed in advance by machine learning using the presence or absence of sealed objects in the training images as training data to estimate whether the collection of iron scrap contains a sealed object from the camera image generated by the camera, and a notification unit that detects when it is estimated that the collection of iron scrap contains a sealed object. The sealed object detection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it easy to detect sealed objects contained in a collection of iron scrap.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-86285

[0007] However, the conventional sealed object detection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the following problem. That is, in the sealed object detection system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a camera photographs scrap iron piled up in a scrap yard, scrap iron lifted from the scrap yard by a crane, or scrap loaded onto a truck or ship. However, when scrap iron is piled up, it is not possible to eliminate the possibility that the foreign object to be detected is buried in the pile of scrap iron and not exposed to the surface, and it is not possible to prevent the foreign object from being missed.

[0008] Therefore, in order to detect foreign objects without missing any, currently, after unloading the iron scrap into the scrap yard, workers must sometimes use heavy machinery with arms to spread out the scrap and check it, which takes time and effort. Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve this conventional problem, and its object is to provide a scrap transport device and a scrap transport method that can prevent scrap and foreign objects from overlapping in a pile of scrap at the unloading location.

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides a scrap transport device that transports a group of scraps including multiple scraps and foreign objects to an unloading location, and is equipped with a scrap transport mechanism that includes an inclined plate that extends diagonally downward from above and has an inclined surface that extends in a width direction from left to right perpendicular to the up-down direction, and that transports the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the unloading location by sliding them diagonally downward, and a scrap spreading mechanism that drops the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the outside of the width direction of the inclined plate beyond the loading position of the group of scraps.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a scrap transport method for transporting a group of scraps including a plurality of scraps and foreign objects to an unloading location using a scrap transport device, wherein the scrap transport device is provided with a scrap transport mechanism including an inclined plate that extends obliquely downward from above and has an inclined surface that extends in a width direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and that transports the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface by sliding it diagonally downward to the unloading location, and a scrap spreading mechanism that drops the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the outside of the width direction of the inclined plate beyond the loading position of the group of scraps.

[0011] The scrap transport device and scrap transport method according to the present invention can provide a scrap transport device and scrap transport method that can prevent scrap and foreign objects from overlapping in a pile of scrap at an unloading location.

[0012] FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a scrap transport device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a scrap transport mechanism in the scrap transport device shown in FIG. 1 installed on a raised portion for truck travel. FIG. 3 is a view of the scrap transport mechanism in FIG. 2 as viewed from the direction of arrow A. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 of a first modified example of the scrap transport mechanism. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 of a second modified example of the scrap transport mechanism. FIG. 6 is a view of the scrap transport mechanism in a scrap transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the direction of arrow A, similar to FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the scrap transport mechanism in a scrap transport device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below are examples of devices and methods for embodying the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components in the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic. Therefore, it should be noted that the relationships and ratios between thicknesses and planar dimensions may differ from the actual ones, and the drawings may also contain portions where the relationships and ratios of dimensions differ from one another.

[0014] First Embodiment Fig. 1 shows the overall configuration of a scrap transport device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1, the scrap transport device 1 includes a scrap transport mechanism 10, a photography device 20, and a foreign object detection device 30. The scrap transport mechanism 10 is installed on the front end surface of a truck travel protrusion 52 that protrudes from the ground near an unloading location 60.

[0015] The truck 50, with the scrap group SS loaded on its loading platform 51, travels on the truck travel raised portion 52 toward the front end side where the scrap transport mechanism 10 is installed, and stops above the scrap transport mechanism 10. The loading platform 51 of the truck 50 is then dumped up, and the scrap group SS is dumped onto the inclined plate 11 of the scrap transport mechanism 10. The scrap group SS is then transported while sliding down the inclined plate 11 due to gravity, and is dropped into the unloading area 60.

[0016] The scrap group SS contains multiple scraps (iron-based scrap) S and, in some cases, one or more foreign objects D. Here, the foreign objects D generally refer to anything undesirable when using the scrap S, such as materials containing components other than iron and sealed objects. Examples of materials containing components other than iron include electric motors containing copper, electrical wires containing copper, and electronic circuit boards containing copper or other metals. Examples of sealed objects include pipes whose ends may be crushed during scrap transportation, resulting in a sealed structure. The scrap transport mechanism 10 includes the inclined plate 11 described above and a scrap unfolding mechanism 13.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the inclined plate 11 extends obliquely downward from above and includes an inclined surface 12 extending in a width direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The scrap pile SS fed onto the inclined surface 12 slides obliquely downward to be transported to the unloading location 60. The inclined plate 11 is formed by welding a first metal inclined plate portion 11a on the left side in the width direction and a second metal inclined plate portion 11b on the right side in the width direction at a widthwise center portion 12c. The first inclined plate portion 11a inclines obliquely from its left edge 12aa toward the widthwise center portion 12c. The second inclined plate portion 11b inclines obliquely from its right edge 12ba toward the widthwise center portion 12c. The first inclined plate portion 11a and the second inclined plate portion 11b are welded at the center portion 12c. The inclined surface 12 of the inclined plate 11 is composed of an upper surface 12a of the first inclined plate portion 11a and an upper surface 12b of the second inclined plate portion 11b.

[0018] 3, the width of the inclined plate 11 gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS (diagonally downward from above) so that the width is W1 at the upstream end in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS and W2, which is wider than W1, at the downstream end in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS. The scrap spreading mechanism 13 drops the scrap group SS loaded onto the inclined surface 12 to the outside in the width direction of the inclined plate 11 (toward the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba in the width direction) of the loading position of the scrap group SS (a position near the center 12c in the width direction of the inclined plate 11).

[0019] The scrap spreading mechanism 13 is provided on the inclined surface 12 and includes a convex portion 13a that extends from both widthwise edges (the left and right widthwise edges 12aa and 12ba) of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center 12c. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the convex portion 13a of the scrap spreading mechanism 13 is configured as a triangle. The convex portion 13a includes an upper surface 12a of a first inclined plate portion 11a that slopes obliquely from the left widthwise edge 12aa of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center 12c, and an upper surface 12b of a second inclined plate portion 11b that slopes obliquely from the right widthwise edge 12ba of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center 12c. The convex portion 13a has a similar configuration to the inclined surface 12. Therefore, the widthwise center 12c of the inclined surface 12 is higher than the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba, and the scrap mass SS falls while spreading not only from above in the conveyance direction to diagonally downward, but also from the widthwise center 12c of the inclined plate 11 to both widthwise outer sides (towards the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba). As a result, the scraps S and foreign objects D in the scrap mass SS piled up on the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 are spread out in a thin layer at the unloading location 60.

[0020] A pair of fall prevention plates 14a, 14b are provided on both widthwise edges (left edge 12aa and right edge 12ba) of the inclined plate 11. As shown in Fig. 4, each fall prevention plate 14a, 14b extends upward from the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba in the widthwise direction of the inclined plate 11. As shown in Fig. 3, each fall prevention plate 14a, 14b extends from the upstream end to the downstream end of each of the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba of the inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS. The pair of fall prevention plates 14a, 14b prevent the scrap group SS from falling outward in the width direction from the inclined surface 12 when the scrap group SS falls while spreading out from the center 12c in the width direction of the inclined plate 11 to both outer sides in the width direction (towards the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba).

[0021] Here, the width of the inclined plate 11 (width W1 of the upstream end in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS, width W2 of the downstream end), the inclination angle θ of the inclined plate 11 (inclined surface 12) relative to the horizontal direction (see Figure 2), the height H of the inclined plate 11 from the unloading location 60 (height between the upper surface of the truck travel protrusion 52 and the unloading location 60, see Figure 2), and the height h1 of the convex portion 13a that constitutes the scrap spreading mechanism 13 (see Figure 4) are determined based on the size of the scrap S to be received.

[0022] Typically, the width of the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 delivering the scrap S is approximately 2.4 m, and the height of the piled scrap SS loaded on the loading platform 51 is approximately 2.4 m. Because the width or height of a single scrap S is generally approximately 500 mm, if the height of the stacked scrap SS can be increased to 500 mm or less, foreign objects D can be prevented from being buried and hidden. Therefore, the width W1 of the upstream end of the inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction of the scrap SS is preferably approximately 2.4 m, so that a scrap SS having a width of 2.4 m and a height of 2.4 m can be input. Furthermore, the width W2 of the downstream end of the inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction of the scrap SS is preferably approximately 1 / 5 or less of the height of the scrap SS having a width of 2.4 m and a height of 2.4 m input from the upstream end of the inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction. In this case, the width W2 of the downstream end is preferably 12 m, which is five times the width W1 of the upstream end.

[0023] The height H of the inclined plate 11 from the unloading location 60 is, for example, approximately 5 m. The inclination angle θ of the inclined plate 11 (inclined surface 12) relative to the horizontal is preferably approximately 30° to 45°. If the inclination angle θ is less than 30°, the scrap pile SS placed on the inclined surface 12 may stop midway during transport. On the other hand, if the inclination angle θ is greater than 45°, the piled scrap pile SS placed on the inclined surface 12 may fall onto the unloading location 60 without properly spreading in the width direction. The height h1 of the convex portion 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13 is preferably approximately 500 mm, which is the same as the height of the individual scrap S (approximately 500 mm). If the height of the convex portion 13a is the same as the height of the individual scrap S, the scrap pile SS can be properly spread in the width direction when transported.

[0024] Furthermore, the inclination angle θa in the width direction of the first inclined plate portion 11a of the inclined plate 11 (see FIG. 4) and the inclination angle θb in the width direction of the second inclined plate portion 11b of the inclined plate 11 (see FIG. 4) are preferably the same, approximately 5° to 20°, in order to appropriately spread the scrap group SS in the width direction. In this embodiment, the convex portion 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13 has a triangular shape formed by the upper surface 12a of the first inclined plate portion 11a, which is inclined so as to rise obliquely from the left edge 12aa of the inclined plate 11 toward the center 12c in the width direction, and the upper surface 12b of the second inclined plate portion 11b, which is inclined so as to rise obliquely from the right edge 12ba of the inclined plate 11 toward the center 12c in the width direction, as shown in FIG. 4, for the following reason.

[0025] That is, if the convex portion 13a has a triangular shape with two inclined upper surfaces 12a, 12b, manufacturing costs are low and liners can be easily attached to the inclined upper surfaces 12a, 12b. When the scrap pile SS contains a large amount of heavy scrap S, the inclined plate 11 is subject to rapid wear, which may require repeated re-manufacturing or protection with a liner. Therefore, when the scrap pile SS contains a large amount of heavy scrap S, it is preferable to form the convex portion 13a in a triangular shape. The photographing device 20 in the scrap transport device 1 is, for example, a camera, and photographs the scrap pile SS on the inclined surface 12 or the scrap pile SS that has slid down from the inclined surface 12 to the unloading area 60.

[0026] The foreign object detector 30 is also connected to the photographing device 20, processes the images photographed by the photographing device 20, detects foreign objects D in the scrap group SS, and outputs the foreign object detection results to an output device (not shown). The detected foreign objects D in the scrap group SS are lifted and removed by a transfer means such as a crane or heavy machinery. At this time, an operator may confirm the position of the foreign objects D from the output device and operate the transfer means to remove the foreign objects D, or the transfer means may be automatically controlled by a signal from the output device to remove the foreign objects D. Meanwhile, the scrap S in the scrap group SS other than the foreign objects D is transferred to a predetermined scrap storage location by the same transfer means or another transfer means such as a lifting magnet 40.

[0027] Next, a scrap transport method using the scrap transport device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . First, with the scrap transport mechanism 10 installed on the front end surface of a truck travel raised portion 52 that rises from the ground near the unloading location 60, an operator drives a truck 50, with scrap piles SS loaded on its loading platform 51, along the truck travel raised portion 52 toward the front end surface where the scrap transport mechanism 10 is installed, and stops the truck 50 above the scrap transport mechanism 10. The operator then dumps the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 and dumps the scrap piles SS onto the inclined surface 12 of the inclined plate 11 of the scrap transport mechanism 10. As a result, the scrap piles SS are transported by gravity, sliding diagonally downward along the inclined plate 11, and dropped into the unloading location 60.

[0028] During the transport of the scrap pile SS, the scrap pile SS loaded onto the inclined plane 12 is spread out not only diagonally downward from above in the transport direction, but also toward both widthwise outer edges (toward the left edge 12aa and the right edge 12ba) from the loading position of the scrap pile SS (near the center 12c in the width direction of the inclined plane 11) due to the action of the scrap spreading mechanism 13. As a result, the scrap pile S and foreign objects D in the scrap pile SS piled up on the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 are spread out in a thinly spread state at the unloading location 60. The photographing device 20 in the scrap transport device 1 photographs the scrap pile SS on the inclined plane 12 or the scrap pile SS that has slid down from the inclined plane 12 to the unloading location 60. The foreign object detector 30 then processes the image captured by the photographing device 20 to detect foreign objects D in the scrap pile SS and outputs the foreign object detection results to an output device (not shown).

[0029] As described above, the scrap transport device 1 according to the first embodiment includes an inclined plate 11 that extends obliquely downward from above and in a width direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and that transports scrap piles SS loaded onto the inclined plate 12 to the unloading location 60 by sliding them down obliquely. The scrap transport device 1 also includes a scrap transport mechanism 10 that includes a scrap spreading mechanism 13 that drops the scrap piles SS loaded onto the inclined plate 12 to a position outside the width direction of the inclined plate 11 relative to the loading position of the scrap piles SS. This allows the scrap piles S and foreign objects D in the scrap piles SS at the unloading location 60 to be spread out in a thinly spread state, preventing them from overlapping. This allows the presence of foreign objects D in the scrap piles SS to be detected without overlooking them.

[0030] Furthermore, in the scrap transport device 1 according to the first embodiment, the scrap spreading mechanism 13 is provided on the inclined surface 12 and is configured with convex portions 13a that are convex from the left and right width edges 12aa and 12ba of the inclined plate 11 toward the width center 12c. As a result, when the scrap group SS is transported, the scrap group SS falls while spreading out so as to descend from the vicinity of the width center 12c of the inclined plate 11, which is the input position for the scrap group SS, toward the left and right width edges 12aa and 12ba. This allows the scrap S and foreign objects D in the scrap group SS that have been piled up on the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 to be appropriately spread out in a thinly spread state at the unloading location 60.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the scrap transport method of the first embodiment, the scrap transport device 1 described above is used to transport a scrap group SS containing multiple scraps S and foreign objects D to an unloading location 60. As a result, the scraps S and foreign objects D in the scrap group SS at the unloading location 60 are spread out in a thinly spread state, and overlapping of the scraps S and foreign objects D can be suppressed. This makes it possible to detect the presence of foreign objects D in the scrap group SS without overlooking it.

[0032] (First Modified Example of Scrap Conveying Mechanism) Next, a first modified example of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first modified example of the scrap conveying mechanism similar to FIG. 4 . In FIG. 5 , the same components as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. The first modified example of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 5 has the same basic configuration as the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 4 , but differs in the shape of the convex portion 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13. Like the scrap spreading mechanism 13 of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 4 , the scrap spreading mechanism 13 of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 5 is provided on the inclined surface 12 and is configured with convex portions 13a that are convex from both widthwise edges (left and right widthwise edges 12aa and 12ba) of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center.

[0033] 4, the shape of the protrusion 13a in the first modified example is different from the shape of the protrusion 13a shown in Fig. 4, and is configured as a trapezoidal shape including an upper surface 12d of a third inclined plate portion 11d made of metal that is inclined so as to rise obliquely from the left edge 12aa of the inclined plate 11 toward the center in the width direction, an upper surface 12e of a fourth inclined plate portion 11e made of metal that is inclined so as to rise obliquely from the right edge 12ba of the inclined plate 11 toward the center in the width direction, and an upper surface 12f of a flat plate portion 11f made of metal that extends in the width direction at the center in the width direction.

[0034] In this way, the convex portion 13a of the first modified example is trapezoidal in shape, consisting of an upper surface 12d of the third inclined plate portion 11d that is inclined so as to rise diagonally from the left edge 12aa of the inclined plate 11 toward the center in the width direction, an upper surface 12e of the fourth inclined plate portion 11e that is inclined so as to rise diagonally from the right edge 12ba of the inclined plate 11 toward the center in the width direction, and an upper surface 12f of the flat plate portion 11f that extends in the width direction at the center in the width direction, for the following reasons, which are the same as the triangular convex portion 13a of the first embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0035] If the shape of the convex portion 13a is a trapezoid consisting of two inclined upper surfaces 12d, 12e and the upper surface 12f of the flat plate portion 11f, the manufacturing cost is low and it is easy to attach a liner to the upper surfaces 12d, 12e, 12f. If the scrap group SS contains a large amount of heavy scrap S, the inclined plate 11 will wear out quickly, and it may be necessary to remake the inclined plate 11 multiple times or to protect it with a liner. Therefore, if the scrap group SS contains a large amount of heavy scrap S, it is preferable to form the convex portion 13a in a trapezoidal shape.

[0036] (Second Modification of Scrap Conveying Mechanism) Next, a second modification of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 6 . FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second modification of the scrap conveying mechanism similar to FIG. 4 . In FIG. 6 , the same components as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. The second modification of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 6 has the same basic configuration as the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 4 , but differs in the shape of the convex portion 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13. Like the scrap spreading mechanism 13 of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 4 , the scrap spreading mechanism 13 of the scrap conveying mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 6 is provided on the inclined surface 12 and is configured with convex portions 13a that are convex from both widthwise edges (the left and right widthwise edges 12ga and 12gb) of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center.

[0037] However, the shape of the convex portion 13a in the second modified example differs from the shape of the convex portion 13a shown in FIG. 4 . The convex portion 13a is formed by the upper surface of a metal curved plate portion 11g that is convex upward from the left edge 12ga of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center and the widthwise right edge 12gb, similar to the inclined surface 12. The reason why the convex portion 13a in the second modified example is formed by the upper surface of the curved plate portion 11g that is convex upward from the left edge 12ga of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center and the widthwise right edge 12gb is as follows: By forming the convex portion 13a into a curved shape, any convex shape can be easily manufactured. Therefore, when the scrap group SS contains a large amount of scrap S with a light individual weight, the inclined plate 11 is less likely to wear and need to be remanufactured, so it is preferable to form the convex portion 13a into a curved shape to form any protrusion shape.

[0038] Second Embodiment Next, a scrap transport mechanism in a scrap transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 . FIG. 7 is a view of the scrap transport mechanism in the scrap transport device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the direction of arrow A, similar to FIG. 3 . FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7 . In FIGS. 7 and 8 , the same components as those in FIGS. 3 and 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. The basic configuration of the scrap transport mechanism 10 in the scrap transport device 1 according to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is similar to the basic configuration of the scrap transport mechanism 10 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , except for the configuration of the scrap spreading mechanism 13. The scrap spreading mechanism 13 in the scrap transport mechanism 10 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided on an inclined surface 12 and includes a convex portion 13a that is convex from both widthwise edges (the left and right widthwise edges 12aa and 12ba) of the inclined plate 11 toward the widthwise center.

[0039] In contrast, the scrap spreading mechanism 13 in the scrap transport mechanism 10 shown in Figures 7 and 8 is composed of multiple (five in this embodiment) ribs 13b-13f arranged side by side on the inclined surface 12 in the width direction of the inclined surface 12. The inclined plate 11 is composed of a metal flat plate portion 11h whose width gradually increases from the upstream end to the downstream end in the transport direction of the scrap group SS. The upstream end of the inclined plate 11 in the transport direction of the scrap group SS has a width W1, and the downstream end in the transport direction has a width w2. The upper surface of the inclined plate 11 forms the inclined surface 12. The plurality of ribs 13b to 13f extend in the direction of conveyance of the scrap group SS, and radially expand such that the intervals B1, B2, B3, and B4 between adjacent ribs 13b:13c, 13c:13d, 13d:13e, and 13e:13f in the width direction gradually increase from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. Each of the ribs 13b to 13f rises perpendicularly from the inclined surface 12.

[0040] The height h2 of each rib 13b-13f and the spacings B1, B2, B3, and B4 between adjacent ribs 13b:13c, 13c:13d, 13d:13e, and 13e:13f in the width direction are determined based on the size of the scrap S to be received. Generally, the width or height of a single scrap S is approximately 500 mm. If the height h2 of each rib 13b-13f is too short, it will not be effective in spreading the scrap group SS. If the height h2 is too long, there is a risk that the scrap group SS may get caught during transport. For this reason, the height h2 of each rib 13b-13f is preferably approximately 50-100 mm. The height h2 of each rib 13b-13f is the same for all ribs 13b-13f, but may be different.

[0041] Furthermore, the spacings B1, B2, B3, and B4 between adjacent ribs 13b:13c, 13c:13d, 13d:13e, and 13e:13f in the width direction are desirably approximately 500 mm, which is the dimension of a single scrap S, at the upstream end of the narrowest inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS, and are desirably approximately 2500 mm, which is five times that dimension, at the downstream end of the inclined plate 11 in the conveying direction of the scrap group SS. Thus, according to the scrap conveying device 1 of the second embodiment, the scrap spreading mechanism 13 is a plurality of ribs 13b to 13f arranged in a row on the inclined surface 12 in the width direction of the inclined surface 12, with each rib 13b to 13f extending along the conveying direction of the scrap group SS and spreading radially so that the spacings B1, B2, B3, B4 between adjacent ribs 13b:13c, 13c:13d, 13d:13e, 13e:13f in the width direction gradually increase from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction.

[0042] As a result, when the scrap group SS is transported, the scrap group SS is transported in the transport direction of the scrap group SS while being spread in the width direction by the multiple radially extending ribs 13b to 13f that make up the scrap spreading mechanism 13. Then, the scrap S and foreign objects D in the scrap group SS that have been piled up on the loading platform 51 of the truck 50 can be appropriately spread out in a thinly spread state at the unloading location 60. Therefore, overlapping of the scrap S and foreign objects D in the scrap group SS at the unloading location 60 can be suppressed.

[0043] Third Embodiment Next, a scrap transport mechanism in a scrap transport device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the scrap transport mechanism in a scrap transport device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9 , the same components as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. The basic configuration of the scrap transport mechanism 10 in the scrap transport device 1 according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is similar to the basic configuration of the scrap transport mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 4 , except that the scrap transport mechanism 10 in the scrap transport device 1 according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 includes a convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15. The scrap transport mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 9 includes an inclined plate 11, a convex portion 13a constituting a scrap spreading mechanism 13, and a convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15. The convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15 adjusts the height h1 of the convex portion 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13 from both widthwise edges (left edge 12aa and right edge 12ba) of the inclined plate 11.

[0044] Specifically, when the convex portion 13a is triangular, the inclined plate 11 is configured by connecting a first inclined plate portion 11a on the left side in the width direction and a second inclined plate portion 11b on the right side in the width direction at the center of the width direction by a hinge structure 16. The convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15 is configured by a first cylinder 15a having a cylinder rod 15c that moves the left first inclined plate portion 11a up and down in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow, and a second cylinder 15b having a cylinder rod 15d that moves the right second inclined plate portion 11b up and down in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow. The height h1 of the convex portion 13a can be adjusted by moving the left first inclined plate portion 11a up and down in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow using the cylinder rod 15c of the first cylinder 15a and moving the right second inclined plate portion 11b up and down in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow using the cylinder rod 15d of the second cylinder 15b. By making the height h1 of the convex portion 13a changeable in this manner, it is possible to adjust the height h1 of the convex portion 13a according to the type and dimensions of the scrap S to be received.

[0045] As described above, according to the scrap transport device 1 of the third embodiment, the scrap transport mechanism 10 is provided with a convexity height adjustment mechanism 15 that adjusts the height h1 of the convexity 13a constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13 from both widthwise edges (left edge 12aa and right edge 12ba) of the inclined plate 11. This makes it possible to adjust the height h1 of the convexity 13a depending on the type and size of the scrap S to be received. While the present invention has been described above as an embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications and improvements can be made.

[0046] For example, the scrap transport device 1 does not necessarily have to include the photography device 20 and the foreign object detection device 30. In this case, an operator may visually inspect the scrap pile SS on the inclined surface 12 or the scrap pile SS that has slid from the inclined surface 12 onto the unloading area 60 to check for the presence of foreign objects D. Furthermore, in the scrap transport device 1 according to the second embodiment, the multiple ribs 13b to 13f constituting the scrap spreading mechanism 13 are provided on the inclined surface 12 of the inclined plate 11 that is composed of the flat plate portion 11h, but the multiple ribs 13b to 13f may also be provided on the inclined surface 12 of the inclined plate 11 that is provided with the convex portion 13a in the first embodiment.

[0047] Furthermore, the scrap spreading mechanism 13 is configured with the convex portion 13a in the first embodiment and with the plurality of ribs 13b to 13f in the second embodiment, but is not limited thereto. The scrap spreading mechanism 13 may also be configured with a vibration mechanism that vibrates the inclined plate 11. Specifically, the inclined plate 11 may be made movable and vibrated in an out-of-plane direction (for example, the up-and-down direction in FIGS. 4 to 6 ) while the scrap group SS is being transported. By vibrating the inclined plate 11, the piled scrap group SS falls down the inclined surface 12 while breaking up, making it possible to spread the scrap group SS in the width direction more effectively than without vibration.

[0048] In the scrap transport device 1 according to the third embodiment, when the convex portion 13a is triangular, the convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15 includes a first cylinder 15a having a cylinder rod 15c for moving the first inclined plate portion 11a on the left side in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow, and a second cylinder 15b having a cylinder rod 15d for moving the second inclined plate portion 11b on the right side in the diagonal direction indicated by the arrow, thereby adjusting the height h1 of the convex portion 13a. However, even if the convex portion 13a is trapezoidal as shown in Fig. 5 or curved as shown in Fig. 6, the convex portion 13a may be connected to the inclined plate 11 at the center of its width by a hinge structure, and the height h1 of the convex portion 13a may be adjusted using the first cylinder 15a and the second cylinder 15b as shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, as the convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15, it is not necessarily necessary to use the first cylinder 15a and the second cylinder 15b as long as the height h1 of the convex portion 13a from both widthwise end edges (left end edge 12aa and right end edge 12ba) of the inclined plate 11 can be adjusted.

[0049] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the bed 51 of the truck 50 is dumped onto the inclined surface 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the scrap mass SS may be lifted by a crane (not shown) from the bed 51 of the truck 50 or the bed of a trailer (not shown) and dumped onto the inclined surface 12. Furthermore, the unloading location 60 may be a belt conveyor (not shown) for scrap, and the scrap mass SS dropped from the inclined surface 12 may be transported sequentially by the belt conveyor while foreign objects D in the scrap mass SS are removed by a crane (not shown) or an arm-type robot (not shown).

[0050] 1 Scrap conveying device 10 Scrap conveying mechanism 11 Inclined plate 11a First inclined plate portion 11b Second inclined plate portion 11d Third inclined plate portion 11e Fourth inclined plate portion 11f Flat plate portion 11g Curved plate portion 11h Flat plate portion 12 Inclined surface 12a Upper surface 12aa Left edge 12b Upper surface 12ba Right edge 12c Central portion 12d Upper surface 12da Left edge 12e Upper surface 12ea Right edge 12f Upper surface 12ga Left edge 12gb Right edge 13 Scrap unfolding mechanism 13a Convex portion 13b to 13f Ribs 14a to 14b Fall prevention plate 15 Convex portion height adjustment mechanism 15a First cylinder 15b Second cylinder 15c Cylinder rod 15d Cylinder rod 16 Hinge structure 20 Photography device 30 Foreign object detection device 40 Lifting magnet 50 Truck 51 Loading bed 52 Raised portion for truck travel 60 Unloading location D Foreign object S Scrap SS Scrap group

Claims

1. A scrap transport device for transporting a group of scraps including multiple scraps and foreign objects to an unloading location, characterized in that it is equipped with a scrap transport mechanism that includes an inclined plate that extends at an angle from above downward and has an inclined surface that extends in a width direction from left to right perpendicular to the up-down direction, and that transports the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the unloading location by sliding them diagonally downward, and a scrap spreading mechanism that drops the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the outside in the width direction of the inclined plate from the loading position of the group of scraps.

2. The scrap transport device described in claim 1, characterized in that the scrap spreading mechanism is provided on the inclined surface and is composed of a convex portion that is convex from both widthwise edges of the inclined plate toward the widthwise center.

3. The scrap transport device described in claim 2, characterized in that the scrap transport mechanism is equipped with a convexity height adjustment mechanism that adjusts the height of the convexity that constitutes the scrap spreading mechanism from both end edges of the inclined plate in the width direction.

4. A scrap transport device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the scrap spreading mechanism is a plurality of ribs arranged side by side on the inclined surface in the width direction of the inclined surface, each rib extending along the transport direction of the scrap group and spreading radially so that the spacing between adjacent ribs in the width direction gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction.

5. A scrap transport device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is equipped with a photographing device that photographs the pile of scrap on the inclined surface or the pile of scrap that has slid down from the inclined surface to the unloading area, and a foreign object detection device that processes the image photographed by the photographing device to detect foreign objects in the pile of scrap.

6. A scrap transport method for transporting a group of scraps including multiple scraps and foreign objects to an unloading location using a scrap transport device, characterized in that the scrap transport device is equipped with a scrap transport mechanism that includes an inclined plate that extends obliquely downward from above and has an inclined surface that extends in a width direction from left to right perpendicular to the up-down direction, and that transports the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the unloading location by sliding them diagonally downward, and a scrap spreading mechanism that drops the group of scraps loaded onto the inclined surface to the outside of the width direction of the inclined plate from the loading position of the group of scraps.

Images