Collection device and method for controlling collection device

Abstract

A collection device according to the present disclosure comprises: a detection unit that detects an object included in a conveyed article conveyed in a conveyance direction by a conveyance device; a collection unit that collects, by means of a collection member, the object conveyed in the conveyance direction by the conveyance device; and a control unit that, when the object to be collected upon detection of the object by the detection unit has a predetermined feature, executes a feature object discharge operation that causes the collection member to move in a direction having a higher degree of freedom of movement of the collection member with respect to a discharge unit that discharges the object, and then causes the object to be released from the discharge unit.

Description

Collection device and method for controlling collection device

[0001] This specification discloses a collection device and a method for controlling the collection device.

[0002] Conventionally, a device for collecting objects has been proposed that includes, for example, a hand device having a butting member with a butting surface that butts sideways against waste placed on the upper surface of a conveyor and a clamping member that moves to clamp the waste, and that, depending on the type of waste, executes one of three modes: a sweep mode in which the waste is moved by pushing with the butting member, a gripping sweep mode in which the waste is clamped between the clamping member and the butting member and pushed with the butting member, and a gripping mode in which the waste is clamped and lifted and moved (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device is said to be able to easily collect waste with a wide variety of items.

[0003] JP 2016-68034 A

[0004] However, although the device of Patent Document 1 takes into consideration the movement of waste, after the waste is grasped and moved to the discharge section, which is the disposal position, some waste may protrude from the discharge section and cannot be discharged properly. Thus, there is a need for a fraud device that, when an object having a predetermined characteristic is collected, can more reliably discharge the collected object into the discharge section.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and its main purpose is to provide a collection device and a control method for a collection device that can more reliably discharge collected objects into the discharge section.

[0006] The present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] That is, the collection device disclosed in this specification comprises a detection unit that detects a target object contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device; a collection unit that collects the target object being transported in the transport direction by the transport device with a collection member; and a control unit that, when the target object collected by the detection unit has a predetermined characteristic, moves the collection member in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to a discharge unit that discharges the target object, thereby executing a characteristic object discharge operation to release the target object from the discharge unit.

[0008] In this collection device, by performing a characteristic object discharge operation in which the collection member is moved in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement for an object having a specified characteristic, the entire collected object can be moved onto the discharge section, thereby more reliably discharging the collected object into the discharge section.

[0009] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a recycling system 10. An explanatory diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection device 30. An explanatory diagram showing an example of captured images 71, 72 of a detection unit 31. A perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection section 40 and a discharge section 50. A flowchart showing an example of an object collection processing routine. An explanatory diagram of the collection section 40 and the discharge section 50 in a normal discharge operation processing. A flowchart showing an example of a feature discharge operation processing routine. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a normal discharge operation and a feature discharge operation. An explanatory diagram of the degree of freedom of movement. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30B equipped with another discharge section 50B. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30C equipped with another discharge section 50C. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an another collection device 30D. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30E equipped with another collection section 40E. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an another collection section 40F and a discharge section 50F.

[0010] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a recycling system 10 that recycles waste materials. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection device 30. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of captured images 71 and 72 captured by the collection device 30 and the detection unit 31. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection section 40 and a discharge section 50. In this embodiment, the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, and the up-down direction are as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In this embodiment, the direction in which the treatment material 12 is transported as the transported object is referred to as a transport direction D, and the direction intersecting the transport direction D is referred to as a cross direction C.

[0011] The material 12 to be treated as transported material in the recycling system 10 is a mixture of waste materials 13 to be recycled, such as stone, sand, asphalt, and concrete, and foreign matter 14, which is a target material including paper, resin, wood, and metal. The foreign matter 14 includes rigid bodies that are resistant to shape change, as well as flexible objects and long objects that are specifically long in a specific direction. As shown in FIG. 1 , the recycling system 10 includes a primary crusher 15, a primary magnetic separator 16, a screening machine 17, a collection device 30, a secondary crusher 18, a secondary magnetic separator 19, and conveying devices 20-25.

[0012] The primary crusher 15 is a device that performs primary crushing of the raw material 12. This primary crusher 15 crushes the material 12 to a predetermined primary size or smaller (e.g., 40 cm or smaller). The primary magnetic separator 16 is a device that uses magnetic force to remove magnetic foreign matter contained in the material 12. The screening machine 17 is a device that separates the material 12 by passing the material 12 over a mesh, separating the material 12 from those that are smaller than the primary size. The secondary crusher 18 is a device that performs secondary crushing of the material 12 to a size smaller than that of the primary crusher 15. This secondary crusher 18 crushes the material 12 to a predetermined secondary size or smaller (e.g., 10 cm or smaller). The secondary magnetic separator 19 is a device that removes magnetic material from the material 12 that was not completely removed by the primary magnetic separator 16 and the collecting device 30. In the recycling system 10, for example, the material to be treated 12 may be repeatedly transported multiple times along the transport paths of the primary magnetic separator 16, the screener 17, and the collector 30. The transport devices 20-25 as the transport line are devices that place the material to be treated 12 on a transport surface and transport it along the transport direction D, and are configured as, for example, belt conveyors. The transport devices 20-25 may be configured as devices other than belt conveyors as long as they can transport the material to be treated 12.

[0013] The sampling device 30 is configured as a device for sampling an object, placing the treatment material 12 on the conveying surface of the conveying device 22, conveying the treatment material 12 within the conveying path, and sampling and removing the foreign matter 14 as the object. As shown in FIG. 2 , the sampling device 30 is composed of a detection unit 31, a sampling section 40, a discharge section 50, and a control device 60. The sampling device 30 also includes a storage section 36 outside the conveying path R for storing the object. The conveying device 22 places the treatment material 12 on the conveying surface and transports the treatment material 12 at a predetermined transport speed.

[0014] The detection unit 31 is a device that detects the presence and condition of the waste material 13 and foreign matter 14. The detection unit 31 is disposed upstream of the collection unit 40 in the conveying direction D. The detection unit 31 includes a detection unit 32 that detects the waste material 13 and the treatment material 12 containing the foreign matter 14 being conveyed by the conveying device 22, and a detection unit 33 that detects the height of the treatment material being conveyed by the conveying device 22. The detection unit 32 may be configured, for example, as a camera that captures images of the treatment material 12 being placed on the conveying surface of the conveying device 22 and conveyed. The detection unit 32 captures an image of a predetermined range including the treatment material 12 from above the conveying surface of the conveying device 22 and outputs the image data to the control device 60. As shown in FIG. 3 , the detection unit 32 captures captured images 71 and 72 that include the waste material 13 and foreign matter 14. The captured image 71 is an example of an image in which no treatment material 12 is being conveyed on the conveying device 22. The captured image 72 is an example of an image of the treatment material 12 and foreign matter 14 being transported on the transport device 22. The control device 60 can use machine learning to determine the material of the foreign matter 14 based on information about the captured image (e.g., image brightness) captured by the detection unit 32. The detection unit 33 detects the height of the treatment material 12 and other materials on the transport device 22. The detection unit 33 may be located, for example, upstream of the collection unit 40 in the transport direction D and configured as a stereo camera equipped with two cameras. Alternatively, the detection unit 33 may be a sensor that detects reflected waves obtained by irradiating the transport surface and determines the height of the reflection position. The detection units 32 and 33 are held above the transport surface of the transport device 22 by a gantry installed to straddle the transport device 22 in the left-right direction. The detection unit 33 outputs information about the detected height of the treatment material 12 to the control device 60.

[0015] The storage unit 36 ​​is a dust box that serves as a disposal unit for storing foreign objects 14. The storage unit 36 ​​is disposed further outside the support unit 35 of the collection unit 40, which is disposed above the transport path R (see FIG. 3, etc.). The foreign objects 14 collected by the collection unit 40 are dropped into the storage unit 36 ​​via the discharge unit 50. The storage unit 36 ​​may have multiple storage containers to separate the foreign objects according to their weight and material.

[0016] The sampling unit 40 is a device that uses a sampling member 49 to sample and remove target objects such as foreign matter 14 contained in the treatment material 12 being transported in the transport direction D by the transport device 22. The sampling unit 40 is configured as a moving mechanism that moves the sampling member 49 in the cross direction C along the X-axis direction and in the transport direction D along the Y-axis direction, for example. The sampling unit 40 is provided downstream of the detection unit 31 in the transport direction D. The sampling unit 40 discards the sampled foreign matter 14 in a storage unit 36 ​​located outside the transport path R of the transport device 22. The sampling unit 40 includes a support arm 41, a cross-movement unit 42, a sampling head 44, a lifting unit 46, and an attachment unit 47.

[0017] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support arm unit 41 is provided with an elevator 46 that raises and lowers the sampling member 49 and is a structure capable of moving the sampling member 49 along the conveying direction D. The support arm unit 41 includes, for example, an elevator mechanism having a mounting unit 47 to which the sampling member 49 is attached and an elevator 46 that raises and lowers the mounting unit 47, and a support arm that is provided at one end of the mechanism and supported by a cross-movement unit 42. The support arm unit 41 moves the sampling member 49 along the front-to-rear direction, and the support arm is provided at the rear end. The cross-movement unit 42 supports the support arm of the support arm unit 41 at one end and moves the sampling member 49 along the conveying direction D and moves the support arm unit 41 in a cross-direction C that crosses the conveying direction D. The cross-movement unit 42 includes an X-axis slider. The X-axis slider includes a slider that moves along a guide rail installed along the cross direction C and a drive motor that drives the slider. The guide rail is suspended between support units 35 disposed on both sides of the conveying device 22 along the conveying direction D. The cross-movement unit 42 also includes a drive mechanism that moves the support arm unit 41 along the conveying direction D. This drive mechanism slides a columnar support arm disposed at the rear end of the support arm unit 41 along the conveying direction D. For example, it may include a moving roller that contacts and moves the support arm, and a motor that rotates the moving roller. The cross-movement unit 42 can have a simpler structure than the Y-axis slider (see FIG. 13 , described later). The sampling head 44 is composed of components that move in the X- and Y-axis directions relative to stationary structures such as the support unit 35 and the support member on which the X-axis slider is disposed and suspended across the support unit 35. Here, the sampling head 44 is composed of, for example, the support arm unit 41 and the cross-movement unit 42. The lifting unit 46 is a linear motion mechanism that moves the mounting unit 47, to which the collection member 49 is attached, in the vertical direction. The lifting unit 46 may be a linear motor or a ball screw mechanism. The mounting unit 47 is configured to mount various collection members 49 in a releasable manner.

[0018] The sampling member 49 is a member for sampling an object and may also be configured to grasp the object. The sampling member 49 includes a base and gripping claws. The sampling member 49 grasps and releases the foreign matter 14 by opening and closing the gripping claws to sample and remove it from the processing material 12. The sampling member 49 is moved in the X, Y, and Z directions within a predetermined range of the transport device 22 by the support arm 41, the cross-movement unit 42, and the lifting unit 46. The base is removably fixed to the mounting unit 47 and is a main body that pivots the gripping claws. A gripping drive unit (not shown) is disposed on the base, and the gripping drive unit rotates the gripping claws, opening and closing their tips. The sampling member 49 is mounted to the mounting unit 47 so that the base can rotate 360° around the vertical axis of the mounting unit 47. The gripping claws are a pair of members that grasp an object.

[0019] The discharge unit 50 is a unit that moves the foreign matter 14, which is the object collected by the collection unit 40, out of the transport path R. The discharge unit 50 includes a discharge / transport unit 51, a placement unit 52, a flap unit 53, a placement / movement unit 54, and an inclined unit 55. The discharge / transport unit 51 is disposed above the transport device 22 in a position where it overlaps at least a portion thereof, and transports the object collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that intersects with the transport direction D. The discharge / transport unit 51 may be, for example, a belt conveyor. As shown in FIG. 2 , the discharge / transport unit 51 is provided with guides 56 on both side surfaces along the cross direction C to prevent the object from falling. The placement unit 52 is disposed on the flap unit 53 and is a placement table on which the object is placed. The placement unit 52 may be, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped member whose longitudinal direction is the cross direction C. The placement unit 52 is disposed on the flap unit 53 so as to be slidable along the conveying direction D. The placement unit 52 moves between a close position where it is close to the discharge conveying unit 51 (see solid lines in FIGS. 2 to 4 ) and a separate position where it is separated from the discharge conveying unit 51 (see dotted lines in FIGS. 2 to 4 ). The flap unit 53 has the placement unit 52 on which the object collected by the collection member 49 is placed, and moves the object placed on the placement unit 52 to the discharge conveying unit 51, which moves the object out of the conveying path R of the conveying device 22. The flap unit 53 may be, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped member whose longitudinal direction is the cross direction C. The flap unit 53 is disposed on the collection unit 40 side of the discharge conveying unit 51. The flap unit 53 moves the placement unit 52 between the collection member 49 side and the discharge conveying unit 51 side, thereby moving the foreign object 14 to the discharge conveying unit 51.

[0020] The placement moving unit 54 is a drive mechanism that moves the placement unit 52 between a separated position on the sampling unit 40 side and a position close to the discharge conveying unit 51 for moving the object out of the conveying path R. The placement moving unit 54 is disposed on the back side of the flap unit 53 and, as shown in FIG. 6 described later, moves the protrusion of the placement unit 52, which is inserted into a groove formed in the flap unit 53 along the conveying direction D, back and forth along the groove. The tilting unit 55 rotates the flap unit 53, on which the placement unit 52 is superimposed, between a horizontal state and an inclined state. As shown in FIG. 6 described later, the tilting unit 55 tilts the placement unit 52 between a horizontal placement position and an inclined inclined position in order to move the object out of the conveying path R. The tilting unit 55 tilts the placement unit 52 from the placement position to the inclined position when the placement unit 52 is close to the discharge conveying unit 51, and then releases the tilt from the inclined position to the placement position. The flap section 53 is pivotally supported so that the placement section 52 can rotate and tilt at a position close to the discharge / conveyance section 51. The tilting section 55 tilts the placement section 52 by pushing up a rotation support section (not shown) fixed to the underside of the flap section 53, and makes the placement section 52 horizontal by releasing this pushing up.

[0021] The control device 60 controls the entire collection device 30, including the collection unit 40, and includes a control unit 61 and a memory unit 62. The control unit 61 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU and controls the entire device. The control unit 61 outputs control signals to the detection unit 31, the collection unit 40, and the discharge unit 50, and inputs signals from the detection unit 31, the collection unit 40, and the discharge unit 50. When the target object has a predetermined characteristic, such as a soft or long object, the control unit 61 executes a characteristic object discharge operation by moving the collection member 49 in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to the discharge unit 50, which discharges the target object, to release the target object from the discharge unit 50. The control unit 61 also controls the tilting unit 55 to keep the placement unit 52 in a tilted position while the collection unit 40 is waiting and not collecting the target object. The control unit 61 also rotates the placement unit 52 from the tilted position to the placement position and releases the tilt at any time before or after the collection unit 40 collects the target object. The storage unit 62 is a storage medium for storing information, and is configured by, for example, an HDD, a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 62 stores information used when collecting and processing the target object.

[0022] Next, the operation of the collection device 30 configured as described above will be described. First, a process for collecting and removing foreign matter 14 as a target from the material to be processed 12 to produce waste material 13 will be described. Here, the foreign matter removal process for removing foreign matter 14 from the material to be processed 12 will be described as an example of a process for collecting a target. In the collection device 30, the detection unit 31 will be described as constantly performing image capture processing by the detection unit 32 and height sensing by the detection unit 33. The detection unit 31 may also perform image capture processing and height sensing at predetermined intervals as needed, rather than constantly. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine for collecting a target executed by the control unit 61 of the control device 60. This routine is stored in the memory unit 62 and is executed by the control unit 61 after the collection device 30 is started.

[0023] When this routine starts, the control unit 61 first drives the conveying device 22 (S100) and acquires an image of the conveying path R and a detected height value from the detection unit 31 (S110). Next, the control unit 61 determines whether it is time to detect an object (S120). This object detection timing may be, for example, when the detection unit 32 captures all of the processing material 12 being conveyed by the conveying device 22 in a continuous still image, and when that still image transitions to the next image. Note that if the detection unit 32 captures a video, the detection timing may be when a certain period of time has elapsed since the capture of the still image. Furthermore, the detection timing of the detection unit 33 may be, for example, every certain period of time, or may be the same as the detection timing of the detection unit 32.

[0024] When the timing for detecting an object is reached in S120, the control unit 61 acquires the captured image captured by the detection unit 32 and the height values ​​measured by the detection unit 33, and performs a process for detecting the waste material 13 and the foreign object 14 as the object using the captured image and the height values ​​(S130). The control unit 61 may, for example, perform a process for detecting an area of ​​the treatment material 12 that differs in brightness from the conveyance surface of the conveying device 22 and designate that area as the treatment material 12. The control unit 61 may also determine the area of ​​the treatment material 12 from the acquired height of the conveyance surface. Furthermore, the control unit 61 can determine the presence or absence of the foreign object 14 based on whether the captured image contains an area of ​​the foreign object 14 that differs in brightness from the waste material 13 (see FIG. 3). Furthermore, the control unit 61 uses machine learning to determine the material of the waste material 13 or the foreign object 14 based on information about the captured image captured by the detection unit 32 (e.g., image brightness, etc.).

[0025] Next, the control unit 61 determines whether or not a foreign object 14 is present in the image captured by the transport device 22 (S140). When a foreign object 14 is present in the transport device 22, the control unit 61 determines whether or not a collection start timing for collecting the foreign object 14 has arrived (S150). When the collection start timing has not arrived, the control unit 61 remains in standby. The collection start timing may be set to a timing that predates the time required for the collection member 49 to move directly above the foreign object 14 and collect the foreign object 14, calculated based on the collection position of the foreign object 14 moving along the transport direction D and the movement distance of the collection member 49. On the other hand, when the collection start timing has arrived, the control unit 61 determines whether or not the foreign object 14, which is the target object, has a predetermined characteristic (S160). Examples of predetermined characteristic objects include objects that are likely to fall from the mounting unit 52, such as flexible objects or objects that are long in a predetermined direction.

[0026] If the object does not have the predetermined characteristic, the control unit 61 executes a direct discharge operation process for the normal object (S170 to S240). The normal object may be, for example, a rigid body other than a long object. Regarding the direct discharge operation process, the operations of the collection unit 40 and discharge unit 50 are described below. However, as long as it is possible to prevent improper contact between the collection unit 40, the foreign object 14, and the discharge unit 50, the operation timing may be such that multiple units operate in the chronological order shown in the flowchart, simultaneously, or in a reversed order.

[0027] 6A is a diagram illustrating the movement of the collection member 49 onto the movement path of the foreign body 14, FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the collection of the foreign body 14 and the movement of the placement unit 52 to the placement position, FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating the movement of the placement unit 52 to the separated position and the release of collection of the foreign body 14 at the release position, FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating the movement of the placement unit 52 to the close position and the retraction of the collection member 49, FIG. 6E is a diagram illustrating the rotation of the placement unit 52 to an inclined position, and FIG. 6F is a diagram illustrating the discharge / conveyance unit 51 discharging the foreign body 14 from the conveyance path R. In the collection / conveyance process of the object, specifically, the control unit 61 moves the support arm 41 along the intersecting direction C to move the foreign body 14 to the collection position where it will be collected, and causes the collection member 49 to wait on the movement path of the foreign body 14 (S170, FIG. 6A). Next, the control unit 61 lowers the collection member 49 to collect the target object at the collection position, and then raises the collection member 49 to move the collection member 49 a shorter distance directly to the collection release position (S180, FIG. 6B ). The collection release position may be, for example, above the central region of the mounting unit 52 that is in the separated position slid relative to the flap unit 53.

[0028] Next, the control unit 61 rotates the flap unit 53 from the inclined position in the standby state to the horizontal placement position (S190, FIG. 6B) and moves the placement unit 52 from the close position to the separated position (S200, FIG. 6C). Next, the control unit 61 causes the collection member 49 to execute a release of collection of the object, releasing the object (FIG. 6C), and moves the collection member 49 to the next position (S210, FIG. 6D, E). Subsequently, the control unit 61 moves the placement unit 52 from the separated position to the close position (S220, FIG. 6D), tilts the flap unit 53 from the placement position to the inclined position, and moves the object to the discharge conveyance unit 51 (S230, FIG. 6E). Then, the control unit 61 causes the discharge conveyance unit 51 to move the object out of the conveyance path R (S240, FIG. 6F). The collection unit 40 and the discharge unit 50 perform these operations to move the target foreign matter 14 to the storage unit 36 ​​located outside the transport path R. In this way, the collection device 30 uses the discharge transport unit 51 and the flap unit 53 to transport the target foreign matter 14 out of the transport path R.

[0029] On the other hand, if the target object is determined to be a predetermined characteristic object in S160, the control unit 61 executes a characteristic object discharge operation process (S250). FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a characteristic object discharge operation process routine executed by the control unit 61 of the control device 60. This routine is stored in the memory unit 62 and is executed by the control unit 61 in S250 of the target object collection process routine. Note that steps in this characteristic object discharge operation that are the same as those in the normal object discharge operation are assigned the same step numbers and will not be described in detail. When this routine starts, the control unit 61 first causes the collection member 49 to wait on the path of movement of the foreign object 14 in S170. Next, the control unit 61 lowers the collection member 49 to collect the target object at the collection position, then raises the collection member 49 and moves it to the collection release position via a path that allows the collection member 49 a high degree of freedom of movement relative to the discharge unit 50 that discharges the target object (S300). The collection release position may be, for example, above the center position of the mounting portion 52 that is in a separated position slid relative to the flap portion 53. In this case, the control unit 61 executes a feature object discharging operation such that the collection member 49 moves around toward the center of the mounting portion 52 of the discharge unit 50 when the collection member 49 passes through a path with a high degree of freedom of movement. Furthermore, the control unit 61 may move the collection member 49 in the cross direction C above the mounting portion 52 of the discharge unit 50 as the feature object discharging operation.

[0030] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a normal discharge operation and a feature object discharge operation. FIG. 8A shows a diagram illustrating a normal object discharge operation performed on a feature object, and FIG. 8B shows a diagram illustrating a feature object discharge operation performed on a feature object. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the degree of freedom of movement. In FIG. 9, an example of a mounting unit 52 is shown, in which the left-right direction is the cross direction C, the upward direction is the transport direction D, and the left-right direction is the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 8A, if a long or soft object is moved to the collection release position over a shorter distance, some of the end or other part of the object may not rest on the mounting unit 52, and the foreign object 14 may be pulled by this end and fall into the transport path R. Here, the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49 for the feature object through a path on the mounting unit 52 that has a longer movement distance and a higher degree of freedom of movement of the collection member 49, so that the entire foreign object 14 is placed on the mounting unit 52, as shown in FIG. 8B. As shown in FIG. 9 , in the direct discharge operation process, the collection member 49 is moved directly onto the mounting portion 52 of the discharge unit 50. Because the range of motion of the support arm 41 limits the degree of freedom of movement, the collection member 49 moves only a short distance L1. During this operation, a portion of the target object, such as an edge, may not be placed on the mounting portion 52. On the other hand, in the feature object discharge operation process, the collection member 49 is moved in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement on the mounting portion 52 of the discharge unit 50, such as along the intersecting direction C. Therefore, the collection member 49 moves a longer distance L2, making it easier to place the entire target object on the mounting portion 52 (see FIG. 8B ). In this way, the control unit 61 performs the feature object discharge operation process to more reliably move the feature object onto the discharge unit 50.

[0031] Next, the control unit 61 rotates the flap unit 53 from the inclined position in the standby state to the horizontal placement position in S190, moves the placement unit 52 from the close position to the separated position in S200, causes the collection member 49 to release the object, and moves the collection member 49 to the next position in S210. Subsequently, the control unit 61 moves the placement unit 52 from the separated position to the close position in S220, tilts the flap unit 53 from the placement position to the inclined position in S230, and moves the object to the discharge conveyance unit 51. Then, the control unit 61 moves the object out of the conveyance path R by the discharge conveyance unit 51 in S240. The collection unit 40 and the discharge unit 50 perform these operations to move the characteristic object to the storage unit 36 ​​outside the conveyance path R.

[0032] After S240 or S250, or when it is not the timing to detect an object in S120, or when there is no object in S140, the control unit 61 determines whether the recycling process of the treatment material 12 has been completed (S260). If the recycling process of the treatment material 12 has not been completed, the control unit 61 executes the processes from S110 onward. On the other hand, if the recycling process of the treatment material 12 has been completed in S260, the control unit 61 stops the conveying device 22 (S270) and ends this routine.

[0033] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The collection device 30 of this embodiment corresponds to an example of a collection device of the present disclosure, the detection unit 32 corresponds to an example of a detection unit, the collection unit 40 corresponds to an example of a collection unit, the collection member 49 corresponds to an example of a collection member, the discharge unit 50 corresponds to an example of a discharge unit, and the control unit 61 corresponds to an example of a control unit. Also, the discharge transport unit 51 corresponds to an example of a discharge transport unit, the placement unit 52 corresponds to an example of a placement unit, the flap unit 53 corresponds to an example of a flap unit, the placement movement unit 54 corresponds to an example of a placement movement unit, and the inclined unit 55 corresponds to an example of an inclined unit. Also, the support arm unit 41 corresponds to an example of a support arm unit, the cross movement unit 42 corresponds to an example of a cross movement unit, and the lifting unit 46 corresponds to an example of a lifting unit. Furthermore, the conveying device 22 corresponds to an example of a conveying device, the foreign matter 14 corresponds to an example of a target object, the processing material 12 corresponds to an example of a conveyed object, the conveying path R corresponds to an example of a conveying path, the conveying direction D corresponds to an example of a conveying direction, and the crossing direction C corresponds to an example of a crossing direction. Note that in this embodiment, by explaining the operation of the collecting device 30, an example of a control method for the collecting device and a collecting method of the present disclosure will also be clarified.

[0034] The collection device 30 described above includes a detection unit 32 that detects foreign matter 14 as a target contained in the treatment material 12 as a transported object transported along the transport direction D by the transport device 22, a collection unit 40 that collects the target transported in the transport direction D by the transport device 22 with a collection member 49, and a control unit 61 that, when the target to be collected is determined to be a characteristic target having a predetermined characteristic based on the detection of the target by the detection unit 32, executes a characteristic target discharge operation above the discharge unit 50, moving the collection member 49 in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to the discharge unit 50 that discharges the target, thereby releasing the target from the discharge unit 50. In this collection device 30, by executing the characteristic target discharge operation that moves the collection member 49 in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement for a target having the predetermined characteristic, the entire collected target can be moved onto the discharge unit 50, thereby more reliably discharging the collected target to the discharge unit 50.

[0035] Furthermore, the control unit 61 executes a characteristic object discharge operation when the object to be collected is a flexible object and / or a long object having a predetermined characteristic. This collection device 30 can more reliably discharge soft objects that easily slip through the discharge unit 50 or long objects that are likely to become partially dislodged from the discharge unit 50. Furthermore, when the collection member 49 collects an object having a predetermined characteristic, the control unit 61 executes a characteristic object discharge operation that wraps around toward the central region of the mounting unit 52 of the discharge unit 50. This collection device 30 allows the collected object to be moved around in its entirety onto the discharge unit 50, thereby more reliably discharging the object to the discharge unit 50. Furthermore, when the collection member 49 collects an object that does not have a predetermined characteristic, the control unit 61 executes a direct discharge operation that moves the collection member 49 directly to the mounting unit 52 of the discharge unit. This collection device 30 can further shorten the processing time for normal objects by moving them directly to the discharge unit 50. The discharge unit 50 has a mounting unit 52 on which the object collected by the collection unit 40 is placed, and is configured to include a flap unit 53 that moves the object placed on this mounting unit 52 out of the transport path R of the transport device 22. In this collection device 30, the object can be more reliably placed on the mounting unit 52, which moves the object out of the transport path R after being placed thereon.

[0036] The collection device 30 also includes a discharge conveying unit 51, which is disposed near the flap 53 and at least partially overlaps the upper portion of the conveying device 22 and conveys the objects collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that crosses the conveying direction D. The flap 53 moves the objects to the discharge conveying unit 51. This collection device 30 can more reliably discharge the collected objects to the discharge unit 50 than devices equipped with the flap 53 and the discharge conveying unit 51. Furthermore, in this collection device 30, the discharge conveying unit 51 is positioned overlapping the conveying device 22, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member 49 and enabling a more compact device. Furthermore, because the discharge conveying unit 51 can move the collected objects outside the conveying path R, the movement range of the collection member 49 can be narrowed compared to when the collection member 49 moves the objects outside the conveying path R. This allows a more compact device in a predetermined direction, such as the cross direction C, for example.

[0037] The discharge unit 50 also includes a mounting / moving unit 54 that moves the mounting unit 52 between a separated position on the sampling unit 40 side and a close position for moving the object out of the transport path R of the transport device 22, and a tilting unit 55 that tilts the mounting unit 52 from the separated position to an inclined position when in the close position. In this collection device 30, the mounting unit 52 can be moved to the separated position on the sampling unit 40 side, thereby narrowing the range of movement of the collection member 49 and enabling a more compact device. In addition, in this collection device 30, tilting the mounting unit 52 to the inclined position makes it easier to move the collected object out of the transport path R. Furthermore, the discharge unit 50 includes a mounting unit 52 whose longitudinal direction is a cross direction C that intersects the transport direction D, and the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49 on the mounting unit 52 in the cross direction C as the characteristic object discharge operation. In this collection device 30, the collection member 49 can be moved in the cross direction C, which has a high degree of freedom of movement, so that the object can be placed on the placement portion 52 more reliably.

[0038] The discharge unit 50 is disposed above the transport device 22 at a position at least partially overlapping the transport device 22 and includes a discharge transport unit 51 that transports the object collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that crosses the transport direction D. In this collection device 30, the object can be more reliably placed on the discharge transport unit 51, which moves the object out of the transport path R. Furthermore, the collection unit 40 is provided with an elevator unit 46 that raises and lowers the collection member 49, a support arm unit 41 that can move the collection member 49 along the transport direction D, and a cross movement unit 42 that supports one end of the support arm unit 41 and moves the collection member 49 along the transport direction D and moves the support arm unit 41 in a cross direction C that crosses the transport direction D. In this collection device 30, since the support arm unit 41 moves along the transport direction D, a narrower range of movement in the transport direction D makes it easier to support the support arm unit 41, which in turn simplifies the support structure and allows for a more compact device. Furthermore, the collection unit 40 collects and removes the foreign matter 14, which is an object being transported in the transport direction D by the transport device 22, using the collection member 49. This collection device 30 can be used as a foreign matter removal device that removes foreign matter.

[0039] It goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the control unit 61 defines a feature object having a predetermined characteristic as a flexible object or a long object, but this is not particularly limited thereto, and in addition to or instead of a flexible object, an object that is difficult to place on the discharge unit 50 may be defined. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the control unit 61 defines an object that is not a predetermined feature object as a rigid body, but this is not particularly limited thereto, and an object that is not a predetermined feature object may be defined as an object that is easy to place in its entirety on the discharge unit 50.

[0041] In the embodiment described above, when the control unit 61 causes the collection member 49 to collect a predetermined feature object and place it on the discharge unit 50, the control unit 61 executes a feature object discharge operation that wraps around toward the central region of the discharge unit 50. However, this is not particularly limited as long as the movement is in a direction with a higher degree of freedom of movement. Note that the collection member 49 can be moved more smoothly in the feature object discharge operation by performing a wraparound movement.

[0042] In the embodiment described above, when an object that is not a predetermined characteristic is collected by the collection member 49 and placed on the discharge unit 50, the control unit 61 executes a direct discharge operation in which the collection member 49 is moved directly to the discharge unit 50. However, this is not particularly limited. The control unit 61 does not have to move the collection member 49 to the discharge unit 50 by the shortest distance.

[0043] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the discharge unit 50 includes a mounting portion 52 and a flap portion 53. However, this is not limited thereto, and the mounting portion 52 and the flap portion 53 may be omitted. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30B including a different discharge unit 50B. As shown in FIG. 10, the collection device 30B includes a discharge unit 50B that does not include the mounting portion 52 and the flap portion 53. This collection device 30B also performs a feature object discharge operation when placing a feature object on the discharge transport unit 51 serving as the discharge unit 50. Note that, in this collection device 30B, as shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 10, the support arm 41 needs to be extended farther, and therefore further improvements, such as increasing the extension and strength of the support arm, are necessary. For this reason, it is preferable that the discharge unit 50 include a mounting portion 52 and a flap portion 53.

[0044] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge unit 50 includes the discharge conveying unit 51. However, this is not limited thereto, and the discharge conveying unit 51 may be omitted. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30C including a different discharge unit 50C. As shown in FIG. 11, the collection device 30C includes a discharge unit 50C that does not include the discharge conveying unit 51. This discharge unit 50C is disposed to the side of the conveying device 22 and includes, for example, a placement unit 52, a flap unit 53, a placement movement unit 54, and an inclined unit 55, similar to the discharge unit 50 described above. The flap unit 53 is disposed on a support unit 35 disposed to the side of the conveying path R of the conveying device 22 along the conveying direction D. The flap unit 53 is a plate-like member that is inclined with its longitudinal direction along the conveying direction D and its free end facing the conveying path R. The placement unit 52 is disposed on the flap unit 53 so as to be slidable along the transverse direction C relative to the flap unit 53. In this collection device 30C as well, the target object can be moved to the outside of the transport path R, and a feature object discharge operation can be performed when the feature object is placed on the placement section 52 as the discharge section 50.

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge unit 50 is disposed downstream of the collection unit 40 along the conveying direction D. However, this is not limited thereto, and the discharge unit 50 may be disposed upstream of the collection unit 40. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30D including a different collection unit 40D and discharge unit 50D. As shown in FIG. 12, the collection device 30D includes the discharge unit 50D immediately downstream of the detection unit 31, and the collection unit 40D immediately downstream of the discharge unit 50D. The discharge unit 50D includes a discharge conveying unit 51 disposed upstream, and a placement unit 52 and a flap unit 53 disposed downstream of the discharge conveying unit 51. The discharge unit 50D includes the discharge conveying unit 51, placement unit 52, flap unit 53, placement movement unit 54, and inclined unit 55, which are similar to the discharge unit 50, except that the arrangement direction of each component along the conveying direction D is opposite to that of the discharge unit 50. Moreover, the collection unit 40D includes a discharge transport unit 51, a placement unit 52, a flap unit 53, a placement movement unit 54, and an inclined unit 55, which are similar to the discharge unit 50, except that the arrangement direction of each component along the transport direction D is opposite to that of the discharge unit 50. In this collection device 30D, the discharge unit 50D can also move the object to the outside of the transport path R, and a feature object discharge operation can be performed when the feature object is placed on the placement unit 52.

[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the flap portion 53 slides the mounting portion 52 between the close position and the separated position. However, this is not particularly limited, and the mounting portion 52 may be disposed on the flap portion 53 so as not to slide. In this case, the ejection portion 50 may omit the mounting movement portion 54. In this ejection portion 50, the movement distance of the collection member 49 increases, but the configuration of the ejection portion 50 can be simplified. Furthermore, in the above-described collection device 30, the flap portion 53 uses the inclined portion 55 to make the mounting portion 52 horizontal in the mounting position and inclined in the inclined position. However, the inclination of the flap portion 53 may be omitted. In this case, the ejection portion 50 may omit the inclined portion 55. In this ejection portion 50, it is difficult to prevent contact between the respective components, but the configuration of the ejection portion 50 can be simplified.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the collection unit 40 has been described as including a support arm unit 41 and a cross-movement unit 42. However, as long as the collection unit 40 can collect the target object, it is not limited to this configuration and may be an X-Y robot. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a collection device 30E equipped with a different collection unit 40E. The collection device 30E includes a collection unit 40E and a discharge unit 50. The collection unit 40E includes an X-axis slider 42E, a Y-axis slider 43, a collection head 44, and an elevator unit 46. The X-axis slider 42E is a drive mechanism including a guide rail installed along a cross direction C perpendicular to the conveying direction D of the conveying device 22, a slider that moves along the guide rail, and a drive motor that drives the slider. The guide rail is fixed to the slider of a Y-axis slider 43 installed on the conveying device 22 along the conveying direction D. A sampling head 44 having an elevator unit 46 is fixed to the slider of the X-axis slider 42E. The Y-axis slider 43 includes a guide rail installed along the conveying direction D, a slider that moves along the guide rail, and a drive motor that drives the slider. The guide rail is fixed to a support member installed on the conveying device 22 along the conveying direction D. The X-axis slider 42E is arranged on the slider of the Y-axis slider 43. The sampling member 49 is moved in the X, Y, and Z directions within a predetermined range on the conveying path R of the conveying device 22 by the X-axis slider 42E, Y-axis slider 43, and elevator unit 46. The discharge unit 50 includes a discharge conveying unit 51, a placing unit 52, a flap unit 53, a placing moving unit 54, and an inclined unit 55. These are similar to those included in the collecting device 30, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the collection device 30E, for example, a feature object discharge operation may be performed when the feature object is placed on the placement unit 52 serving as the discharge unit 50.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge conveying unit 51 of the discharge unit 50 is disposed downstream of the collection unit 40 along the transport direction D. However, this is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 14 , the discharge conveying unit 51 may be disposed upstream of the collection position of the target object by the collection member 49 along the transport direction D. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of another collection unit 40F and discharge unit 50F, where FIG. 14A is a perspective view of the collection unit 40F and FIG. 14B is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the support arm 41. In this collection unit 40F, as shown in FIG. 14 , the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed upstream of the collection position where the collection member 49 collects the target object along the transport direction D. In this collection unit 40F, the movement distance of the collection member 49 can be shortened compared to a case in which the collection member 49 moves downstream along the transport direction D, thereby enabling the device to be more compact along the transport direction D. Furthermore, the conveying device 22 is arranged so that the conveyed object rises along the conveying direction D, and the sampling unit 40F is arranged horizontally so that the sampling member 49 rises and falls in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. This discharge unit 50F may not include a flap unit 53 or a mounting unit 52. When the conveying device 22 is arranged on an upward slope, if the discharge conveying unit 51 is arranged downstream in the conveying direction D, interference between the conveyed object and the discharge conveying unit 51 becomes a problem. However, in this sampling unit 40F, by arranging the discharge conveying unit 51 upstream, this interference can be prevented while further reducing the device's size. The installation angle θ of the conveying device 22 is preferably within an angle range that allows stable conveyance of the conveyed object, and may be, for example, between 0 and 20°. Furthermore, in this sampling unit 40F, because the sampling unit 40 is held horizontally, sampling of the target object is easier than, for example, when the sampling unit 40 is arranged at an angle and the sampling member 49 rises and falls in an inclined state. In this discharge unit 50F, when the target object is a feature object having a predetermined characteristic, the control unit 61 may perform a feature object discharge operation above the discharge unit 50F, in which the collection member 49 is moved in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to the discharge unit 50F that discharges the target object, thereby releasing the target object from the discharge unit 50F (see, for example, Figure 9).In this collection unit 40F, the control unit 61 may control the collection unit 40F to move the collection member 49 toward the conveying device 22 in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction relative to the object being conveyed in the conveying direction D to collect the object, and then release the object on the discharge conveying unit 51. In this collection unit 40F, the collection member 49 is moved vertically when collecting the object, which allows the movement range of the collection member 49 along the conveying direction D to be narrower than in a case where the collection unit 40F follows the object along the conveying direction D when collecting the object, thereby enabling a more compact device. The control unit 61 may also control the collection unit 40F to wait for the collection member 49 above the line along which the object passes, and to lower the collection member 49 in accordance with the timing at which the object reaches the collection position based on the conveying speed of the conveying device 22, and collect the object at the collection position. In this collection unit 40F, the collection member 49 waits on the passing line and is raised and lowered, allowing for more efficient movement of the object. Furthermore, the control unit 61 may also be configured to move the collection member 49, which has collected the object, to the discharge transport unit 51 along the transport direction D. This collection unit 40F can move the object to the discharge transport unit 51 over the shortest distance, allowing the object to be more efficiently released from collection. The collection device 30E shown in FIG. 13 may also be configured, similarly to the collection unit 40F, so that the discharge transport unit 51 is located upstream of the collection position. Furthermore, in the collection devices 30, 30B to 30E described above, the collection member 49 may follow the object along the transport direction D to collect the object, or this following operation may be omitted and the collection member 49 may be raised and lowered in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction to collect the object.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, the collecting device 30 is a foreign matter removal device that serves as a waste material processing device that processes the foreign matter 14 as a target object, using a mixture of waste material 13 to be recycled, such as stone, sand, asphalt, and concrete, and foreign matter 14, such as paper, resin, wood, and metal, as the transported material 12. However, as long as the target object contained in the transported material is collected, the collecting device is not limited to the waste material 13 and foreign matter 14. The transported material and the target object can be any object.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure has been described as a collection device 30, but is not limited to this, and the present disclosure may be a control method for the collection device 30 executed by a computer, or a program for this control method, or a collection method executed by a control device 60, or a program for this method.

[0051] Here, the present disclosure may be configured as follows: For example, a control method for a collecting device of the present disclosure is a control method for a collecting device including a collecting unit that collects, with a collecting member, a target object contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and includes a step of, when the target object to be collected by detecting the target object being transported in the transport direction by the transport device has a predetermined characteristic, moving the collecting member in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement of the collecting member relative to a discharge unit that discharges the target object, and executing a characteristic object discharging operation to release the target object from the discharge unit.

[0052] In this control method for a collection device, similar to the collection device described above, by executing a characteristic object discharging operation that moves the collection member in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement, the collected object can be more reliably discharged to the discharge section. Note that in this control method for a collection device, various aspects of the collection device described above may be adopted, and steps that realize each function of the collection device described above may be added.

[0053] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" in claim 5 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7" in claim 8 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8" in claim 9 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9" in claim 10 as originally filed, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the collection device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10" in claim 11 as originally filed.

[0054] The present disclosure is applicable to technical fields such as recycling of industrial waste.

[0055] 10 Recycling system, 12 Treated material, 13 Waste material, 14 Foreign matter, 15 Primary crusher, 16 Primary magnetic separator, 17 Screening machine, 18 Secondary crusher, 19 Secondary magnetic separator, 20-25 Conveying device, 30, 30B-30E Sampling device, 31 Detection unit, 32 Detection section, 33 Detection section, 35 Support section, 36 Storage section, 40, 40D, 40E, 40F Sampling section, 41 Support arm section, 42 Cross movement section, 42E X-axis slider, 43 Y-axis slider, 44 Sampling head, 46 Lifting section, 47 Mounting section, 49 Sampling member, 50, 50B-50D, 50F Discharge section, 51 Discharge conveying section, 52 Placement section, 53 Flap section, 54 Placement movement section, 55 Inclined portion, 56 guide, 60 control device, 61 control section, 62 storage section, 71 captured image, 72 captured image, C cross direction, D conveying direction, M worker, R conveying path, θ arrangement angle.

Claims

1. A collection device comprising: a detection unit that detects a target object contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device; a collection unit that collects the target object being transported in the transport direction by the transport device with a collection member; and a control unit that, when the target object collected through detection of the target object by the detection unit has a predetermined characteristic, executes a characteristic object discharge operation that moves the collection member in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to a discharge unit that discharges the target object, thereby releasing the target object from the discharge unit.

2. The collection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the characteristic object discharge operation when the object to be collected is a flexible object and / or a long object as the predetermined characteristic.

3. The collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit executes the characteristic object discharge operation such that when the collection member collects an object having the specified characteristics, the object is discharged in a manner that wraps around toward the center of the discharge section.

4. A collection device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit executes a direct discharge operation of moving the collection member directly to the discharge unit when the collection member collects an object that does not have predetermined characteristics.

5. The collection device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge section has a placement section on which the object collected by the collection section is placed and a flap section that moves the object placed on the placement section out of the transport path of the transport device.

6. The collection device described in claim 5, wherein the discharge section is disposed near the flap section and at a position overlapping at least a portion above the transport device, and has a discharge transport section that transports the object collected by the collection section in a direction intersecting the transport direction, and the flap section moves the object to the discharge transport section.

7. A collection device as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the discharge section has a loading / moving section that moves the placement section between a separated position on the collection section side and a close position for moving the object out of the transport path of the transport device, and an inclination section that inclines the placement section from the loading position to an inclined position at the close position.

8. A collection device as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the discharge section has the placement section whose longitudinal direction is a cross direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the control section moves the collection member in the cross direction as the characteristic object discharge operation.

9. A collection device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge section is arranged at a position where it overlaps at least partially above the transport device, and has a discharge transport section that transports the object collected by the collection section in a direction that intersects with the transport direction.

10. A collection device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the collection unit comprises a support arm unit having a lifting unit that raises and lowers the collection member and is capable of moving the collection member along the conveying direction, and a cross-movement unit that supports the support arm unit at one end, moves the collection member along the conveying direction, and moves the support arm unit in a cross direction that intersects the conveying direction.

11. The collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the collection section collects and removes foreign matter as the target matter transported in the transport direction by the transport device using a collection member.

12. A control method for a collection device equipped with a collection unit that collects an object contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device using a collection member, the control method for a collection device including a step of, when the object being collected by detecting the object being transported in the transport direction by the transport device has a predetermined characteristic, moving the collection member in a direction with a high degree of freedom of movement relative to a discharge unit that discharges the object, and executing a characteristic object discharge operation to release the object from the discharge unit.

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