Foreign matter removing device, sorting device, foreign matter removing method, and sorting method

Abstract

A foreign matter removing device according to the present disclosure comprises: a collecting unit that uses a collecting member to collect foreign matter contained in conveyed objects being conveyed in a conveying direction by a conveying device; a discharge conveying unit that is disposed above the conveying device in a position at least partially overlapping the conveying device, and conveys the foreign matter collected by the collecting unit in an intersecting direction that intersects the conveying direction; and a control unit that controls the collecting unit to collect the foreign matter by moving the collecting member toward the conveying device in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction, with respect to the foreign matter being conveyed in the conveying direction, and to release the foreign matter onto the discharge conveying unit.

Description

Foreign matter removal device, sorting device, foreign matter removal method, and sorting method

[0001] This specification discloses a foreign matter removal device, a sorting device, a foreign matter removal method, and a sorting method.

[0002] A conventional sampling device for sampling articles includes, for example, a first sorting device that pinpoints and rejects inspected articles within a predetermined conveyance section in accordance with the inspection results of the article inspection device, provided that a first sorting condition is met; a second sorting device disposed downstream of the first sorting device that sorts inspected articles in units of sorting sections of a predetermined conveyance distance in accordance with the inspection results of the article inspection device and the satisfaction of a second sorting condition; and a control unit that determines whether the first sorting condition is met in accordance with the inspection results and the conveyance state of the inspected articles, and determines whether the second sorting condition is met in accordance with the satisfaction of the first sorting condition and the success of the pinpoint rejection by the first sorting device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device is said to be able to effectively suppress a decrease in product yield while reliably preventing defective articles from flowing to the non-defective article passing side.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-2014

[0004] However, although the device of Patent Document 1 is said to be able to effectively suppress a decrease in product yield, no consideration has been given to making the device compact.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and its main purpose is to provide a foreign matter removal device, a sorting device, a foreign matter removal method, and a sorting method that can make the device more compact.

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

[0007] That is, the foreign matter removal device disclosed in this specification comprises a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect foreign matter contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device; a discharge transport unit that is arranged above the transport device in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the transport device and transports the foreign matter collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects the transport direction; and a control unit that controls the collection unit to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the foreign matter being transported in the transport direction, thereby collecting the foreign matter and releasing the collection of the foreign matter on the discharge transport unit.

[0008] In this foreign body removal device, the discharge and transport unit is positioned overlapping the transport device, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member. Furthermore, in this foreign body removal device, the discharge and transport unit can move collected foreign bodies out of the transport path, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member compared to when the collection member moves collected foreign bodies out of the transport path. Furthermore, in this foreign body removal device, the collection member is moved vertically when collecting foreign bodies, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member in the transport direction compared to when collecting foreign bodies by following them along the transport direction. Therefore, this foreign body removal device can be made more compact.

[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 foreign matter removal device 30. A perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection section 40. An explanatory diagram showing examples of captured images 71, 72 of a detection unit 31. A perspective view of the collection section 40 and a discharge section 50. A flowchart showing an example of a foreign matter removal processing routine. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a discharge operation of the collection section 40. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a foreign matter removal device 30B equipped with another discharge section 50B. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a foreign matter removal device 30C equipped with another collection section 40C.

[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 foreign matter removal device 30. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of a collection unit 40. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of captured images 71 and 72 captured by the foreign matter removal device 30 and the detection unit 31. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the schematic configuration of the collection unit 40 and the discharge unit 50. In this embodiment, the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, and the up-down direction are as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. 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 horizontally 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 secondary crusher 18, a secondary magnetic separator 19, a foreign matter removal device 30, 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 from the primary size or larger by passing the material 12 over a mesh. 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. In the recycling system 10, for example, the material 12 may be repeatedly transported multiple times along the transport path R of the primary magnetic separator 16, the screening machine 17, and the foreign matter removal device 30, or the secondary crusher 18, the secondary magnetic separator 19, and the foreign matter removal device 30. The transport devices 20-25 as the transport line are devices that place the material 12 on the transport surface of the transport path R and transport it along the transport direction D, and are configured as belt conveyors, for example. The transport devices 20-25 may be configured as devices other than belt conveyors as long as they can transport the material 12.

[0013] The foreign matter removal device 30 is configured as a sorting device that sorts out predetermined objects from materials transported by a transport device. This foreign matter removal device 30 is configured as a device for collecting objects. The processing material 12 is placed on the transport surface of the transport device 24, and the processing material 12 is transported along the transport path R. The foreign matter removal device 30 collects and removes foreign matter 14 as processing targets. That is, the foreign matter removal device 30 is configured as a waste material processing device that removes foreign matter 14 from waste material 13 and recycles the waste material. As shown in FIG. 1 , the foreign matter removal device 30 may be disposed downstream of the secondary crusher 18 and the secondary magnetic separator 19. This foreign matter removal device 30 may also be used to process relatively small processing materials 12, e.g., 10 to 20 cm or less. The foreign matter removal device 30 may also be disposed downstream of the primary crusher 15 and the primary magnetic separator 16 depending on the size of the processing material 12 and the weight per unit volume of the processing material 12. 2 to 5, the foreign matter removal device 30 is composed of a detection unit 31, a collection section 40, a discharge section 50, and a control device 60. The foreign matter removal device 30 also includes a storage section 36 outside the transport path R that stores the target object.

[0014] The conveying device 24 places the material 12 to be treated on its conveying surface and conveys the material 12 at a predetermined conveying speed. The conveying device 24, for example, conveys the material 12 that has been processed in the secondary crusher 18 and the secondary magnetic separator 19. The conveying device 24 is disposed, for example, at an inclination that allows the material 12 to be stably conveyed without rolling off. The conveying device 24 is disposed so that the material moves upward along the conveying direction D. The leading end of the conveying device 24 in the conveying direction D is usually disposed above the next conveying device 25, so the conveying device 24 is disposed in the direction in which the material moves upward. The angle θ of the conveying device 24 may be, for example, in the range of 0° to 20°, or may be 18° or less, or may be 16° or less.

[0015] The detection unit 31 is a device that detects the presence and condition of 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 transported materials, such as waste material 13 and treatment material 12 containing foreign matter 14, transported by the conveying device 24, and a detection unit 33 that detects the height of the transported materials transported by the conveying device 24. The detection unit 32 may be configured, for example, as a camera that captures images of the treatment material 12 being placed on the transport surface of the conveying device 24. The detection unit 32 captures an image of a predetermined range including the treatment material 12 from above the transport surface of the conveying device 24 and outputs the image data to the control device 60. As shown in FIG. 4 , the detection unit 32 captures an image 71 of the transport path R and an image 72 that includes waste material 13 and foreign matter 14. The image 71 is an example of an image in which no treatment material 12 is being transported on the conveying device 24. 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 24. 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 24. 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 24 by a gantry installed to straddle the transport device 24 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] The sampling unit 40 is a device that uses a sampling member 49 to sample and remove target substances, such as foreign matter 14, contained in the treatment material 12, which is transported in the transport direction D by the transport device 24. The sampling unit 40 is configured as a moving mechanism that moves the sampling member 49, for example, in the cross direction C along the X-axis direction and in the transport direction D along the Y-axis direction. The sampling unit 40 is horizontally disposed so that the sampling member 49 moves up and down in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. The sampling unit 40 may be horizontally disposed by fixing a columnar support member 35 that supports the sampling unit 40 horizontally. Note that "the sampling unit 40 is horizontally disposed" may mean that the sampling member 49 is horizontally movable, or that the support arm 41 and the cross-movement unit 42 are horizontally movable. The sampling unit 40 is located downstream of the detection unit 31 in the transport direction D. The sampling unit 40 is also located upstream of the discharge / transport unit 51 in the transport direction D. The sampling unit 40 discards the sampled foreign matter 14 via the discharge unit 50 into the storage unit 36 ​​disposed outside the transport path R of the transport device 24. The sampling unit 40 includes a support arm unit 41, a cross-movement unit 42, a sampling head 44, a lifting unit 46, and an attachment unit 47.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , 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 disposed 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 disposed 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 horizontally in the cross direction C and a drive motor that drives the slider. The guide rail is suspended between support members 35 disposed on both sides of the transport device 24 along the transport direction D. The support members 35 are members that support the collection unit 40, and the discharge transport unit 51 is disposed below the support members 35. The cross-movement unit 42 also includes a drive mechanism that moves the support arm unit 41 along the transport direction D. This drive mechanism slides a columnar support arm disposed at the rear end of the support arm unit 41 along a guide rail installed horizontally along the transport 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 43 (see FIG. 9 , described below). 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 a support member on which an X-axis slider is disposed and hung across the support unit 35. Here, the sampling head 44 is composed of, for example, a support arm unit 41 and a cross-movement unit 42. The lifting unit 46 is a linear motion mechanism that moves the mounting unit 47, to which the sampling member 49 is attached, in the vertical direction. This lifting unit 46 may be a linear motor or a ball screw mechanism. The mounting unit 47 is configured to mount various sampling members 49 in a detachable manner.

[0019] 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 24 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.

[0020] 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 conveying unit 51. The discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed above the transport device 24 in a position where it overlaps at least a portion thereof, and conveys the object collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that crosses the transport direction D. The discharge conveying unit 51 may be, for example, a belt conveyor. As shown in FIG. 2 , the discharge conveying unit 51 is provided with guides 56 on both side surfaces along the cross direction C to prevent the object from falling. The discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed upstream in the transport direction D of the collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign matter 14.

[0021] The control device 60 controls the entire foreign matter removal 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. The control unit 61 controls the collection unit 40 to move the collection member 49 toward the conveying device 24 in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction with respect to the foreign matter 14 being conveyed in the conveying direction D, thereby collecting the foreign matter 14, and to release the foreign matter 14 from the discharge conveying unit 51. The memory unit 62 is a storage medium for storing information, and is configured, for example, with a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The memory unit 62 stores information used in the collection process of the target object.

[0022] Next, the operation of the foreign matter removal device 30 configured as described above will be described. Here, the process of collecting and removing foreign matter 14 as the target object from the processing material 12 as the transported material and producing waste material 13 will be described. In the foreign matter removal 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 appropriate, rather than constantly. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a foreign matter removal processing 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 after the foreign matter removal device 30 is started.

[0023] When this routine starts, the control unit 61 first drives the conveying device 24 (S100) and acquires information such as an image of the conveying path R and the height of an object on the conveying path R from the detection unit 31 (S110). Next, the control unit 61 determines whether it is time to detect a foreign object (S120). This foreign 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 24 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 conveyor device 24 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 may 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. 4). Furthermore, the control unit 61 may use machine learning to determine the presence and 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 as a target object in the image captured by the transport device 24 (S140). If a foreign object 14 is present in the transport device 24, the control unit 61 sets a timing to start collecting the foreign object 14 based on information such as the shape, material, transport position, and height of the foreign object 14 (S150). The timing to start collecting the foreign object 14 can be calculated backwards, for example, based on the movement speed of the collection member 49, the transport speed of the transport device 24, the collection position P, and the like. This collection start timing may be set to a timing that goes back in time by calculating the time required for the collection member 49 to move directly above the foreign object 14 and collect the foreign object 14, based on the collection position P of the foreign object 14 moving along the transport direction D and the movement distance of the collection member 49. Once the timing for collecting the foreign object has been determined, the control unit 61 controls the collection unit 40 so that the collection member 49 is positioned above the movement path along which the foreign object 14 passes along the conveying direction D, and causes the collection member 49 to wait in that position (S160).

[0026] Next, the control unit 61 determines whether the timing for starting collection of the foreign matter 14 has arrived (S170). If the timing for starting collection has not arrived, the control unit 61 remains in standby. On the other hand, if the timing for starting collection has arrived, the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49 vertically downward toward collection position P on the conveying device 24 side, causes the collection member 49 to grip the foreign matter 14, and then moves the collection member 49 vertically upward (S180). Next, the control unit 61 releases the collection state of the foreign matter 14 on the discharge / conveying unit 51 (S190), and causes the discharge / conveying unit 51 to move the foreign matter 14 out of the conveying path R (200). The control unit 61 lowers the collection member 49 to collection position P in accordance with the timing at which the foreign matter 14 will arrive based on the conveying speed of the conveying device 24. The control unit 61 also controls the collection unit 40 to grip the foreign matter 14 with the collection member 49 at collection position P and collect it. Furthermore, the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49, which has collected the foreign matter 14, upward in the vertical direction, and then moves it above the discharge conveyance unit 51 along the conveyance direction D. In this way, the control unit 61 causes the collection member 49 to wait upstream of the discharge conveyance unit 51 in the conveyance direction D, and when the foreign matter 14 is conveyed along the conveyance direction D, moves the collection member 49 above the collection position P, which is downstream of the discharge conveyance unit 51 in the conveyance direction D, and then moves the collection member 49 vertically toward the collection position P to collect the foreign matter 14.

[0027] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the discharge operation of the sampling unit 40. As shown in FIG. 7 , the sampling unit 40 moves the sampling member 49 downstream along the conveying direction D and above the sampling position P. The sampling member 49 is then raised and lowered in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction to sample the foreign matter 14 without performing a tracking operation in response to the movement of the foreign matter 14. The foreign matter removal device 30 is disposed downstream of the secondary crusher 18. Since there are few large foreign matters 14 and the load, such as impact and stress, on the sampling head 44 when sampling the foreign matter 14 is reduced, the foreign matter 14 can be sampled without a tracking operation. The foreign matter removal device 30 is generally disposed in a location with relatively limited extra space, and there is a high demand for a compact device. Since the sampling unit 40 does not perform a tracking operation, the range of movement along the conveying direction D is reduced, allowing for a more compact device. Furthermore, if the collection member 49 moves the foreign matter 14 to the storage section 36 outside the transport path R, the support section 35 supporting the collection head 44 must be positioned further outward, resulting in a larger device width. The collection unit 40 can be made more compact in the transverse direction C by using a discharge conveying section 51 that conveys the foreign matter 14 out of the transport path R along the transverse direction C. Furthermore, if the collection unit 40 has the discharge conveying section 51 disposed downstream of the collection position P, as shown in FIG. 7 , and the conveying device 24 is positioned on an upward slope, the device becomes larger in height due to the clearance between the discharge conveying section 51 and the transport path R. By arranging the discharge conveying section 51 upstream of the collection position P, the collection unit 40 can shorten the travel distance of the collection member 49 and make the device more compact in height.

[0028] After S200, or when it is not the timing for detecting foreign matter in S120, or when there is no foreign matter 14 in S140, the control unit 61 determines whether the recycling process of the treatment material 12 has been completed (S210). 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 S210, the control unit 61 stops the conveying device 24 (S220) and ends this routine.

[0029] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The foreign matter removal device 30 of this embodiment corresponds to an example of a sorting device and foreign matter removal device of the present disclosure, 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 and conveyance unit 51 corresponds to an example of a discharge and conveyance unit, the support unit 35 corresponds to an example of a support unit, and the control unit 61 corresponds to an example of a control unit. Note that in this embodiment, by explaining the operation of the foreign matter removal device 30, examples of the sorting device, waste material processing device, control method for a sorting device, sorting method, foreign matter removal method, and waste material processing method of the present disclosure will also be clarified.

[0030] The foreign matter removal device 30 described above includes a collection unit 40 that uses a collection member 49 to collect foreign matter 14 contained in the treatment material 12 as a transported object transported in the transport direction D by the transport device 24, a discharge conveying unit 51 that is disposed above the transport device 24 in a position that at least partially overlaps the transport device 24 and conveys the foreign matter 14 collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that intersects the transport direction D, and a control unit 61 that controls the collection unit 40 to move the collection member 49 toward the transport device 24 in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction relative to the foreign matter 14 transported in the transport direction D to collect the foreign matter 14 and release the foreign matter 14 from the discharge conveying unit 51. In this foreign matter removal device 30, the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed overlapping the transport device 24, thereby further narrowing the range of movement of the collection member 49. Furthermore, in this foreign matter removal device 30, the discharge and transport unit 51 can move the collected foreign matter 14 outside the transport path R, which allows the movement range of the collection member 49 to be narrower than when the collection member 49 moves the collected foreign matter 14 outside the transport path R. Furthermore, in this foreign matter removal device 30, the collection member 49 is moved in the vertical direction when collecting foreign matter, which allows the movement range of the collection member 49 in the transport direction D to be narrower than when collecting foreign matter by following the foreign matter along the transport direction D. Therefore, this foreign matter removal device 30 can be made more compact.

[0031] Furthermore, the conveying device 24 is disposed so that the conveyed object rises along the conveying direction D, and the discharge conveying section 51 is disposed upstream in the conveying direction D of the collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign object 14. If the conveying device 24 is disposed on an upward slope and the discharge conveying section 51 is disposed downstream in the conveying direction D, interference between the conveyed object and the discharge conveying section 51 becomes a problem. However, in the foreign object removal device 30, by disposing the discharge conveying section 51 upstream, this interference can be prevented while further reducing the size of the device. Furthermore, the collection section 40 collects the foreign object 14 as the target object from the conveying device 24, which is disposed so that the conveyed object rises along the conveying direction D, and the discharge conveying section 51 is disposed upstream in the conveying direction D of the collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign object 14. In this foreign body removal device 30, the distance traveled by the collection member 49 when the collection member 49 collects the foreign body 14 and then discharges it to the discharge conveyance section 51 can be further shortened compared to a device that collects foreign body 14 at a collection position P upstream of the discharge conveyance section 51. Furthermore, the foreign body removal device 30 includes a support section 35 that supports the collection section 40, and the discharge conveyance section 51 is disposed below the support section 35. In this foreign body removal device 30, the distance traveled by the collection member 49 when the collection member 49 picks up the foreign body 14 and then discharges it to the discharge conveyance section 51 can be further shortened. Furthermore, the control section 61 controls the collection section 40 to wait on the line along which the foreign body 14 passes, and to lower the collection member 49 in accordance with the timing at which the foreign body 14 reaches the collection position P based on the conveyance speed of the conveyance device 24, and to collect the foreign body 14 at the collection position P. In this foreign body removal device 30, the collection member 49 waits on the passage line and is raised and lowered, allowing for more efficient collection of foreign bodies 14. Furthermore, the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49, which has collected the foreign bodies 14, along the conveying direction D to the discharge conveying unit 51. In this foreign body removal device 30, the foreign bodies 14 can be moved to the discharge conveying unit 51 in the shortest distance, allowing for more efficient release of the collected foreign bodies 14. The collection unit 40 is disposed horizontally so that the collection member 49 is raised and lowered in the vertical direction.In this foreign body removal device 30, the collection section 40 is held horizontally, making it easier to collect foreign bodies 14 compared to, for example, a device in which the collection section 40 is arranged at an angle and the collection member 49 is raised and lowered in an inclined position.

[0032] Furthermore, in the foreign body removal device 30, the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed upstream in the conveying direction D of a collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign body 14, the collection unit 40 is disposed upstream in the conveying direction D of the discharge conveying unit 51, and the control unit 61 keeps the collection member 49 on standby upstream in the conveying direction D of the discharge conveying unit 51, and when the foreign body 14 is transported along the conveying direction D, moves the collection member 49 above the collection position P, which is downstream in the conveying direction D of the discharge conveying unit 51, and then moves the collection member 49 vertically toward the collection position P to collect the foreign body 14. In the foreign body removal device 30, the standby position of the collection member 49 is above the discharge conveying unit 51, and the foreign body 14 is collected at the downstream collection position P, avoiding the discharge conveying unit 51, so that the device can be made compact in the conveying direction D. Furthermore, the transported material is waste material 13 including one or more of stone, sand, asphalt, and concrete, and the foreign matter removal device 30 is a waste material processing device that removes foreign matter 14 from the treatment material 12 including the waste material, thereby recycling the waste material 13. With this foreign matter removal device 30, it is possible to make the device that performs waste material processing more compact.

[0033] 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.

[0034] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the conveying device 24 is disposed so that the conveyed object ascends along the conveying direction D, and the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed upstream in the conveying direction D from the collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign matter 14. However, the angle θ of the conveying device 24 is not particularly limited to this. The angle θ of the conveying device 24 may be disposed so that the conveyed object descends, or may be disposed horizontally, for example. In this case, the discharge conveying unit 51 may be disposed upstream in the conveying direction from the collection position P where the collection member 49 collects the foreign matter 14. In this foreign matter removal device 30, the movement distance of the collection member 49 can be shortened compared to a device in which the collection member 49 moves downstream, thereby enabling the device to be made more compact along the conveying direction D.

[0035] In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 61 causes the sampling member 49 to wait on the line through which the foreign matter 14 passes, but this process may be omitted. Note that, from the viewpoint of efficiency of foreign matter removal, it is preferable to have the sampling member 49 wait on the transport line through which the foreign matter 14 passes in advance.

[0036] In the embodiment described above, the control unit 61 moves the collection member 49, which has collected the foreign matter 14, along the conveying direction D to the discharge conveying unit 51. However, this is not particularly limited, and the collection member 49 may be moved in the left-right direction while being moved onto the discharge conveying unit 51. For example, when there is a foreign matter 14 to be collected next, it may be preferable to move the collection member 49 onto the line of the foreign matter 14, as this will result in more efficient foreign matter removal.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the collection unit 40 is disposed horizontally so as to raise and lower the collection member 49 in the vertical direction, but this is not particularly limited, and the collection unit 40 may be disposed at an angle. Note that a horizontal arrangement of the collection unit 40 is preferable because it allows the collection member 49 to be raised and lowered more stably.

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the collection section 40 is arranged upstream along the conveying direction D of the discharge and conveying section 51, but this is not limited to this, and the collection section 40 may be arranged above the discharge and conveying section 51 as long as the collection member 49 can release the foreign matter 14 and move to the discharge and conveying section 51.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed upstream of the collection position P in the conveying direction D. However, this is not limited thereto, and the discharge conveying unit 51 may be disposed downstream of the collection position P in the conveying direction D. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a foreign matter removal device 30B equipped with a different discharge unit 50B. In this foreign matter removal device 30B, the discharge conveying unit 51 is disposed downstream of the collection position P in the conveying direction D, where the collection member 49 is raised and lowered. This foreign matter removal device 30B also collects foreign matter 14 by moving the collection member 49 vertically, thereby achieving a more compact device than devices that follow the foreign matter 14. Note that if the discharge conveying unit 51 were disposed at the position indicated by the dashed line, the support arm 41 would need to be extended farther, which would require further improvements, such as increasing the extension and strength of the support arm. For this reason, it is preferable to dispose the discharge conveying unit 51 closer to the collection position P.

[0040] 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. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a foreign matter removal device 30C including a collection unit 40C. The foreign matter removal device 30C includes a collection unit 40C and a discharge unit 50. The collection unit 40C includes an X-axis slider 42C, a Y-axis slider 43, a collection head 44, and an elevator unit 46. The X-axis slider 42C is a drive mechanism including a guide rail installed horizontally along a cross direction C perpendicular to the conveying direction D of the conveying device 24, 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 24 along the conveying direction D. A sampling head 44 equipped with an elevator 46 is fixed to the slider of the X-axis slider 42C. The Y-axis slider 43 includes a guide rail installed horizontally 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 35 installed on the conveying device 24 along the conveying direction D. The X-axis slider 42C is disposed 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 24 by the X-axis slider 42C, the Y-axis slider 43, and the elevator 46. The discharge unit 50 includes a discharge / conveyance unit 51, which is similar to that of the foreign matter removal device 30, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In this foreign matter removal device 30C, the sampling member 49 may also be raised and lowered vertically.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, the foreign matter removal device 30 has been described as moving the collection member 49 in the vertical direction to collect foreign matter 14 and not performing a tracking operation for the foreign matter 14. However, this is not particularly limited, and the collection member 49 may be moved in the conveyance direction D to perform a tracking operation for collecting the foreign matter 14. That is, the foreign matter removal device 30 may include a collection unit 40 that uses the collection member 49 to collect foreign matter 14 as a target contained in an object conveyed in the conveyance direction by the conveyance device 24, and a discharge conveyance unit 51 that is disposed above the conveyance device 24 in a position at least partially overlapping the conveyance device 24 and conveys the foreign matter 14 collected by the collection unit 40 in a cross direction C that crosses the conveyance direction D. In this foreign matter removal device 30, the discharge conveyance unit 51 can further narrow the range of movement of the collection member 49, thereby making the device more compact.

[0042] In the above-described embodiment, the foreign matter removal device 30 removes the foreign matter 14 as the target object, which is the material 12 to be transported and is a mixture of waste materials 13 to be recycled, such as stone, sand, asphalt, and concrete, and foreign matter 14, such as paper, resin, wood, and metal. However, the foreign matter removal device 30 is not limited to the waste materials 13 and foreign matter 14, as long as it is intended to collect the target object contained in the material. The material to be transported and the target object may be any object. While the above-described foreign matter removal device 30 has been described as a waste material processing device, the device is not particularly limited thereto as long as it removes foreign matter. Furthermore, although the above-described foreign matter removal device 30 has been described as a waste material processing device, it may also be a sorting device that sorts predetermined target objects from the material transported by a transport device.

[0043] In the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure has been described as the foreign matter removal device 30, but is not particularly limited thereto, and may be a control method for the foreign matter removal device 30 executed by a computer, a foreign matter removal method, or a program for this control method. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure has been described as the foreign matter removal device 30, but is not particularly limited thereto, and may be a sorting method for sorting predetermined objects from transported objects transported by a transport device executed by a computer, a control method for a sorting device, a sorting method, or a program for this method.

[0044] Here, the present disclosure may be configured as follows: For example, the sorting device of the present disclosure includes a collection unit that collects, with a collection member, objects contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and a discharge transport unit that is disposed above the transport device in a position at least partially overlapping the transport device and transports the objects collected by the collection unit in a cross direction that crosses the transport direction.

[0045] In this sorting device, the discharge and conveying unit is arranged overlapping the conveying device, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member. Furthermore, in this sorting device, the discharge and conveying unit can move the collected objects out of the conveying path, thereby narrowing the movement range of the collection member compared to when the collected objects are moved out of the conveying path by the collection member. Therefore, this sorting device can be made more compact. Note that this sorting device may employ various aspects of the foreign matter removal device described above, and may also include additional steps that realize the functions of the foreign matter removal device described above.

[0046] The foreign matter removal method disclosed herein is a foreign matter removal method executed by a computer of a foreign matter removal device that includes a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect foreign matter contained in a transported object transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and a discharge transport unit that is arranged in a position that overlaps at least a portion above the transport device and transports the foreign matter collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects the transport direction, and includes a step of controlling the collection unit to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the foreign matter transported in the transport direction to collect the foreign matter, and then release the foreign matter from the discharge transport unit.

[0047] In this foreign matter removal method, similar to the foreign matter removal device described above, the arrangement of the discharge transport unit and foreign matter transport, and the vertical movement of the collection member to collect foreign matter, can narrow the range of movement of the collection member, thereby making the device more compact. Note that the control method for this foreign matter removal device may employ various aspects of the foreign matter removal device described above, or may include additional steps that realize each function of the foreign matter removal device described above.

[0048] The sorting method disclosed herein is a sorting method executed by a computer of a sorting device that includes a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect objects contained in materials transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and a discharge transport unit that is arranged above the transport device in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the transport device and transports the objects collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects the transport direction, and includes a step of controlling the collection unit to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the objects transported in the transport direction to collect the objects, and then release the objects from collection on the discharge transport unit.

[0049] In this sorting method, similar to the sorting device described above, the arrangement of the discharge transport unit, the transport of the objects, and the vertical movement of the collection member to collect the objects can narrow the range of movement of the collection member, thereby making the device more compact. Note that this sorting method may employ various aspects of the foreign matter removal device described above, or may include additional steps that realize the functions of the foreign matter removal device described above.

[0050] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the foreign matter removal device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the foreign matter removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the foreign matter removal device according to claim 1" to "the foreign matter removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" in claim 5 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the foreign matter removal device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the foreign matter removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 6 as originally filed, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the foreign matter removal device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the foreign matter removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6" in claim 7 as originally filed.

[0051] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-103506, filed on June 27, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] The present disclosure is applicable to technical fields such as recycling of industrial waste.

[0053] 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-30C Collection device, 31 Detection unit, 32 Detection section, 33 Detection section, 35 Support section, 36 Storage section, 40, 40C Collection section, 41 Support arm section, 42 Cross movement section, 42C X-axis slider, 43 Y-axis slider, 44 Collection head, 46 Lifting section, 47 Mounting section, 49 Collection member, 50, 50B Discharge section, 51 Discharge conveying section, 56 Guide, 60 Control device, 61 Control section, 62 Memory section, 71 Captured image, 72 Captured image, C Cross direction, D Conveying direction, M: worker, P: collection position, R: conveying path, θ: installation angle.

Claims

1. A foreign matter removal device comprising: a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect foreign matter contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device; a discharge transport unit that is arranged above the transport device in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the transport device and transports the foreign matter collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects the transport direction; and a control unit that controls the collection unit to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the foreign matter being transported in the transport direction, thereby collecting the foreign matter and releasing it from the discharge transport unit.

2. A foreign matter removal device as described in claim 1, wherein the conveying device is arranged so that the conveyed object rises along the conveying direction, and the discharge conveying section is arranged upstream of the conveying direction with respect to the collection position where the collection member collects the foreign matter.

3. A foreign matter removal device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit causes the collection member to wait on the line on which the foreign matter passes, and controls the collection unit to lower the collection member in accordance with the timing at which the foreign matter reaches the collection position based on the conveying speed of the conveying device, thereby collecting the foreign matter at the collection position.

4. The foreign matter removal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit moves the collection member that has collected the foreign matter to the discharge and transport unit along the transport direction.

5. A foreign matter removal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the collection section is disposed horizontally so as to raise and lower the collection member along the vertical direction.

6. A foreign matter removal device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge and conveying section is arranged upstream in the conveying direction of a collection position where the collection member collects the foreign matter, the collection section is arranged above the discharge and conveying section or upstream in the conveying direction of the discharge and conveying section, and the control section causes the collection member to wait above the discharge and conveying section or upstream in the conveying direction of the discharge and conveying section, and when the foreign matter is transported along the conveying direction, moves the collection member above the collection position which is downstream in the conveying direction of the discharge and conveying section, and then moves the collection member along the vertical direction toward the collection position to collect the foreign matter.

7. The foreign matter removal device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge and transport section is disposed upstream in the transport direction from a collection position where the collection member collects the foreign matter.

8. A foreign matter removal device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the transported material is waste material including one or more of stone, sand, asphalt, and concrete, and the foreign matter removal device is a waste material processing device that removes the foreign matter from the transported material and recycles the waste material.

9. A sorting device comprising: a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect objects contained in materials transported in a transport direction by a transport device; and a discharge and transport unit that is arranged above the transport device in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the transport device and transports the objects collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects the transport direction.

10. A sorting device as described in claim 9, comprising a control unit that controls the collection unit to move the collection member toward the conveying device in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction relative to the object being conveyed in the conveying direction to collect the object, and then release the object from collection on the discharge conveying unit.

11. A sorting apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a support section that supports the collection section, and the discharge and transport section is disposed below the support section.

12. A sorting device as described in claim 9 or 10, wherein the collection section collects the object from the conveying device arranged so that the conveyed object rises along the conveying direction, and the discharge conveying section is arranged upstream in the conveying direction from a collection position where the collection member collects the object.

13. A foreign matter removal method executed by a computer in a foreign matter removal device equipped with a collection section that uses a collection member to collect foreign matter contained in an object being transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and a discharge transport section that is arranged in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the above-mentioned transport device and transports the foreign matter collected by the collection section in a direction that intersects the transport direction, the foreign matter removal method including the step of controlling the collection section to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the foreign matter being transported in the transport direction, to collect the foreign matter, and then releasing the foreign matter from collection on the discharge transport section.

14. A sorting method executed by a computer of a sorting device equipped with a collection unit that uses a collection member to collect objects contained in materials transported in a transport direction by a transport device, and a discharge transport unit that is arranged in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the above-mentioned transport device and transports the objects collected by the collection unit in a direction that intersects with the transport direction, the sorting method including the step of controlling the collection unit to move the collection member toward the transport device in a direction vertical to the horizontal direction relative to the objects transported in the transport direction to collect the objects, and then release the objects on the discharge transport unit.

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