JP2024152355A - TRANSPORTATION APPARATUS, TRANSFER APPARATUS, AND TRANSPORTATION METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device, a transfer device and a conveyance method which align an object to be conveyed in a prescribed direction on a packaging container.SOLUTION: A conveyance device includes: a first conveyance mechanism 27 for conveying an object 2 along a first conveyance path A1 at first conveyance speed; a second conveyance mechanism 26 which is arranged on the downstream of the first conveyance path A1, and conveys the object 2 supplied from the first conveyance path A1 along a second conveyance path A2 at second conveyance speed higher than the first conveyance speed; and a detection device 50 which acquires information on a photographic image obtained by photographing the object 2 from above the second conveyance path A2, and detects and outputs attitude information of the object 2 based on the information on the image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a transport device, a transfer device, and a transport method for transporting and transferring objects such as agricultural products.

After agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits are harvested from farmland, they are collected at collection and shipping points and then delivered to wholesale and retail stores before reaching consumers. During this distribution process, agricultural products are washed, inspected, sorted, and other tasks performed at the collection and shipping points. After being lined up into a desired number of individual pieces, the agricultural products are washed, inspected, sorted, and then transferred to packaging containers and packed. Generally, this type of work is performed manually, but in order to achieve a certain level of processing capacity, ensure quality, and reduce the number of workers, there are plans to transport the agricultural products on conveyors or other devices and perform the above series of tasks without relying on human labor.

JP 2017-159223 A

"Tohto Co-op Magazine MOGMOG July/August 2022 Issue," pages 2-3, "This month's production area: Hashida Farm," published on July 10, 2022, URL: https://www.tohto-coop.or.jp/mogmog/2022%E5%B9%B47%E3%83%BB8%E6%9C%88%E5%8F%B7/

Some types of agricultural produce are lined up in a specific orientation inside packaging containers such as shipping cardboard boxes. Examples include cucumbers, bitter melons, and carrots. These are roughly cylindrical in shape, but have irregular shapes with individual differences in size and curvature. For this reason, there is a demand for technology that can accurately detect the orientation of the object being transported and properly grasp the object using a robotic hand, etc.

The present invention aims to provide a transport device, a transfer device, and a transport method that can accurately detect the posture of an object being transported.

The conveying device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a first conveying mechanism that conveys an object along a first conveying path at a first conveying speed, a second conveying mechanism that is disposed downstream of the first conveying path and conveys the object supplied from the first conveying path along a second conveying path at a second conveying speed that is faster than the first conveying speed, and a detection device that acquires information on a captured image of the object taken from above the second conveying path, and detects and outputs posture information of the object based on the image information.

The transfer device according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises the transport device according to the first aspect, a holding hand capable of holding and releasing the object being transported and configured to be movable toward and away from the second transport path, and a controller that controls the operation of the holding hand based on the posture information.

The conveying method according to the third aspect of the present invention is a method in which a first conveying mechanism conveys an object along a first conveying path at a first conveying speed, a second conveying mechanism disposed downstream of the first conveying path conveys the object supplied from the first conveying path along a second conveying path at a second conveying speed that is faster than the first conveying speed, information on a captured image of the object taken from above the second conveying path is obtained, and posture information of the object is detected and output based on the image information.

The present invention provides a transport device, a transfer device, and a transport method that accurately detect the orientation of an object being transported.

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a side view of a transfer device including a transport device according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the detection device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of posture information of an object detected by the detection device shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the posture of an object transported by the transport device. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in posture of an object transported by the first transport device and the second transport device illustrated in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in posture of an object transported by the first transport device and the second transport device illustrated in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of transferring an object onto a container by the transfer robot shown in FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a crop transporting device, a transfer device, and a transporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a plan view and a side view of a transfer device including a transport device according to one embodiment.
In the drawings, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate three mutually orthogonal directions. For ease of explanation, the configurations in each drawing are appropriately enlarged, reduced, or omitted.

In this embodiment, the object 2 is a farm product having a fragile property or a complex shape, such as a vegetable or a fruit. In this embodiment, a cucumber is used as the object 2 as an example of the farm product.
1 includes a pre-processing device 70, a transport device, a transfer robot 40, and a controller 60. The transport device includes a first transport device (first transport mechanism) 27, a second transport device (second transport mechanism) 26, and a detection device 50.

The transport device transports objects 2, such as vegetables and fruits, to a position where they can be picked up by a transfer robot 40. The transfer device is a device that transfers objects 2 on the transport path to a container 3. The container 3 is, for example, a box that is open at the top and has a placement section 3a on which the objects 2 are placed, and after multiple objects 2 are transferred from above, the opening is covered with a sheet or lid as necessary.

The pre-processing device 70 includes a manual sorting area (not shown) that sorts the objects 2 (cucumbers) based on grades defined by their size, curvature, and weight, and a sorting area (not shown) that sorts the sorted objects by grade.

The manual sorting area is, for example, a roller conveyor-type transport mechanism that transports the objects 2 in the transport direction (Y direction) while rotating them while lying down. At this time, the objects 2 are visually inspected by a worker, and any that do not meet the requirements to be sold are removed. Note that the sorting of the objects 2 may be performed by computer image recognition, or non-standard objects may be removed by a robotic hand.

The sorting area is, for example, a conveyor belt type transport mechanism that sorts each class of object 2 transported from the manual sorting area in the transport direction Y to each transport path. Note that in Figure 1, the transport paths for multiple classes of object 2 are not shown, and only the transport paths A1 and A2 for one arbitrary class of object 2 are shown.

The first conveying device 27 is, for example, a belt conveyor type conveying mechanism. The first conveying device 27 conveys the object 2 supplied from the sorting area of the pre-processing device 70 downstream in the conveying direction Y. The first conveying device 27 includes a conveying guide member installed along the first conveying path A1 of the object 2, a conveying belt supported by the conveying guide member and arranged across the first conveying path A1, a plurality of conveying rollers provided on the back side of the conveying belt and feeding the conveying belt, a conveying speed detector attached to the conveying rollers, and a motor serving as a drive source for rotating the conveying rollers. The first conveying device 27 guides and conveys the object 2 placed in a lying state on the conveying surface 27a on the conveying belt along the first conveying path A1 while remaining in a lying state by the feed movement of the conveying belt accompanying the rotation of the conveying rollers.

The second conveying device 26 is, for example, a belt conveyor type conveying mechanism. The second conveying device 26 is installed downstream of the first conveying device 27, and conveys the object 2 supplied from the first conveying device 27 downstream in the conveying direction Y. In this embodiment, the second conveying path A2 of the object 2 by the second conveying device 26 and the first conveying path A1 of the object 2 by the first conveying device 27 are continuous (or arranged with a predetermined interval between them).

The second conveying device 26 includes a conveying guide member installed along the second conveying path A2 of the object 2, a conveying belt supported by the conveying guide member and arranged across the second conveying path A2, a number of conveying rollers provided on the back side of the conveying belt for feeding the conveying belt, a conveying speed detector attached to the conveying rollers, and a motor serving as a drive source for rotating the conveying rollers. The second conveying device 26 guides and conveys the object 2 placed in a lying state on the conveying surface 26a of the conveying belt along the conveying path A1 while remaining in the lying state, by the feed movement of the conveying belt accompanying the rotation of the conveying rollers. The first conveying path A1 and the second conveying path A2 can be set appropriately, and may be curved, bent, or inclined.

It is desirable that the conveying surface 26a of the object 2 in the second conveying device 26 and the conveying surface 27a of the object 2 in the first conveying device 27 are approximately the same in position in the height direction (Z direction). The heights of the conveying surfaces 27a and 26a may be set so that the object 2 can move smoothly when moving from the conveying surface 27a to the conveying surface 26a. In addition, the first conveying path A1 and the second conveying path A2 are arranged along the Y direction in the figure as an example. Note that the upstream end of the second conveying path A2 of the second conveying device 26 and the downstream end of the first conveying path A1 of the first conveying device 27 do not need to be continuous, and may be arranged at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction Y. It is desirable that the interval between the downstream end of the first conveying path A1 and the upstream end of the second conveying path A2 is at least shorter than half the longitudinal length of the object 2, and more desirably shorter than the diameter of the cross section of the approximately cylindrical object 2.

In this embodiment, the operation of the first conveying device 27 and the second conveying device 26 is controlled by a controller 60 described later, and the conveying speed of the object 2 by the second conveying device 26 (second conveying speed) is faster than the conveying speed of the object 2 by the first conveying device 27 (first conveying speed). In this embodiment, for example, the second conveying speed is 150 [mm/s] and the first conveying speed is 50 [mm/s]. The first conveying speed and the second conveying speed are not limited to the above, and it is sufficient that the second conveying speed is faster than the first conveying speed. The second conveying speed is sufficient as long as the transfer robot 40 described later can periodically perform the process from picking up the object 2 on the second conveying path A2 to placing it in the container 3. For example, when multiple objects 2 conveyed on the second conveying path A2 are transferred by multiple transfer robots 40, the second conveying speed can be made faster.

The detection device 50 includes an image processing device VS including an imaging device having an image sensor, and an illumination device (not shown).
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the detection device shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of posture information of an object detected by the detection device shown in FIG. 1. In FIG.

The detection device 50 is provided at a predetermined location on the transport path A2 of the second transport device 26, acquires information on a captured image of the photographed area PA on the transport path A2 of the second transport device 26 taken from above, detects the posture of the object 2 included in the captured image using an image processing device VS, and outputs posture information. In this embodiment, the photographed area PA is a rectangular area, and is set so that the long side of the photographed area PA is approximately parallel to the transport direction Y of the object 2. The shape of the photographed area PA may be a circle or a square, and is not limited to a rectangle. The detection device 50 is connected to the controller 60, and sends the detected posture information of the object 2 to the controller 60.

The posture information of the object 2 detected by the detection device 50 includes the coordinates of the reference point PC3 of the object 2 and the inclination θ. The reference point PC3 of the object 2 is a point on the object 2 with the upper left corner of the photographing area PA as the reference (0, 0), the position in the transport direction Y as D1, and the position in the X direction as D2, and corresponds to the coordinates of a part of the object 2 stably held by the holding hand 41 of the transfer robot 40 described later. When the object 2 is held by the holding hand 41, the controller 60 described later controls the holding hand 41 and the moving device so that the holding center of the holding hand 41, where the vector information considering the orientation of each holding member 44 overlaps, and the reference point PC3 of the object 2 are approximately aligned. At that time, the controller 60 controls the rotation mechanism 49 so that the orientation of each holding member 44 matches the inclination θ of the object 2, and corrects the holding hand 41 by rotating the base part 43.
The coordinates of the reference point PC3 may be, for example, the coordinates of the center of gravity of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR of the image of the object 2, or may be coordinates obtained by correcting the center of gravity of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR according to the bending state of the object 2. The inclination θ of the object 2 is, for example, the angle (rotation angle) formed between the long side of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR of the image of the object 2 and the transport direction Y of the object 2.

An example of the operation of the detection device 50 to detect the orientation information of the target object 2 will be described below.
The detection device 50 recognizes the object 2 in the image of the photographing area PA, and sets a minimum circumscribing rectangle PR of the image of the object 2. The detection device 50 determines the angle between the long side of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR and the transport direction Y of the object 2 as the inclination θ of the object 2.

The detection device 50 also detects the coordinates (first center of gravity coordinates) of the center of gravity PC1 of the minimum circumscribing rectangle R1. Next, the detection device 50 rotates the image of the object 2 by -θ so that the long side of the minimum circumscribing rectangle R1 is approximately parallel to the horizontal direction on the image processing plane, and moves the image of the object 2 so that the center of gravity PC1 overlaps with the center coordinates (first coordinates) PC0 set on the image processing plane. The detection device 50 sets a minimum circumscribing rectangle R2 of the part of the image of the object 2 included in the detection area (first area) PB that includes the center coordinates PC0, and detects the coordinates (second center of gravity coordinates) of the center of gravity PC2 of the minimum circumscribing rectangle R2.

In this embodiment, the detection area PB has a pair of sides extending horizontally and a pair of sides extending vertically on the image processing plane, and is set so that the center of gravity of the detection area PB is at the center coordinate PC0. The detection area PB is also set so that its horizontal width on the image processing plane is smaller than the longitudinal width of the minimum circumscribing rectangle R1, and its vertical width is equal to or larger than the lateral width of the minimum circumscribing rectangle R1.
The detection device 50 detects the coordinates of the reference point PC3 by adding the difference (PC2-PC0) between the coordinates of the center of gravity PC2 and the central coordinate PC0 to the coordinates of the center of gravity PC1 of the minimum circumscribed rectangle R1.

When the coordinates of the reference point PC3 are calculated as described above, for example, even if the radius of curvature of the object 2 is small, the reference point PC3 becomes a position on the object 2, and the object 2 can be grasped by the holding hand 41 of the transfer robot 40 described below. Note that if the object 2 is approximately cylindrical (has a sufficiently large radius of curvature) and is transported in a lying state on the transport belt of the transport device 26, the center of gravity PC1 of the minimum circumscribed rectangle R1 becomes a position on the object 2, so the coordinates of the center of gravity PC1 may be used as the coordinates of the reference point PC3.

For example, when the coordinates (D1, D2) of the reference point PC3 are (a, b), the holding hand 41 descends in the Z direction (moves -z) and is controlled by the controller 60 so that the gripping center of the holding hand 41 is located at a position (a+α, b+β) corrected by the movement (α, β) due to the transport of the object 2, and grips the object 2. The amount of movement of the holding hand 41 in the Z direction is set according to the cross-sectional diameter of the object 2, and in this embodiment is set to a fixed value common to multiple objects 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the posture of an object transported by the transport device.
Here, for example, when the object 2 is transported with a large inclination θ, the entire object 2 may not fit within the photographing area PA of the detection device 50, and a part of the object 2 may not be included in the photographed image, as shown in FIG. 4. Note that the end of the transport surface 26a in the X direction is not included in the photographing area PA because a member supporting the transport belt or a part of the configuration of the detection device 50 may be arranged thereon, or the object 2 may not be sufficiently illuminated. That is, the end of the photographing area PA in the X direction is set a predetermined distance inward from the end of the transport belt of the second transport device 26 in the X direction. In such a case, if the image processing device VS detects the reference point PC3 and the inclination θ of the object 2 using a photographed image that does not include a part of the object 2, the detection accuracy of the posture of the object 2 will decrease.

In addition, a first position P1, which is the pick-up position of the object 2 on the second transport path A2, is located on the secondary side (downstream side) of the detection device 50, and a third position P3, which is the holding completion position, is set downstream of the first position P1 on the second transport path A2. If the accuracy of detecting the posture of the object 2 by the detection device 50 decreases, the accuracy of the pick-up process, moving process, opening process, etc. of the object 2 by the transfer robot 40 described below may also decrease.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the second conveying speed by the second conveying device 26 is set to be faster than the first conveying speed by the first conveying device 27, thereby adjusting the posture of the target object 2 when it is inserted into the second conveying device 26.

5 and 6 are diagrams each showing an example of a change in posture of an object transported by the first transport device and the second transport device shown in FIG.
5 and 6, the left side of the paper is the upstream side and the right side is the downstream side, and an example of the posture of the target object 2 on the first transport path A1 and the second transport path A2 when viewed from above is roughly shown.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the object 2 is transported on the first transport path A1 inclined counterclockwise with respect to the transport direction Y, when a part of the object 2 enters the second transport path A2, a force in the transport direction Y is applied to the downstream end of the object 2. The component of this force in the transport direction Y in the short direction of the object 2 (≒ the short side direction of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR) causes the object 2 to enter the second transport path A2 while rotating clockwise. This reduces the angle between the object 2 and the transport direction Y, and the end of the object 2 is no longer positioned at the end of the transport surface 26a in the X direction.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, when the object 2 is transported on the first transport path A1 in a state tilted clockwise with respect to the transport direction Y, when a part of the object 2 enters the second transport path A2, a force in the transport direction Y is applied to the downstream end of the object 2. The component of this force in the transport direction Y in the short direction of the object 2 (≒ the short side direction of the minimum circumscribing rectangle PR) causes the object 2 to rotate counterclockwise while entering the second transport path A2. This reduces the angle between the object 2 and the transport direction Y, and the end of the object 2 is no longer positioned at the end of the transport surface 26a in the X direction.

As a result, the entire object 2 is included in the image captured by the detection device 50 of the photographing area PA, and the image processing device VS can accurately detect the coordinates and inclination θ of the reference point PC3 of the object 2 based on the object 2 contained in the image. As a result, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the accuracy of a series of operations, such as the pick-up process, moving process, and release process of the object 2 by the transfer robot 40, which will be described later.

The transfer robot 40 includes a holding hand 41 configured to be able to hold and release the target object 2, and a transfer arm 42 as a hand movement mechanism that supports and moves the holding hand 41. The configuration of the transfer robot 40 will be described in detail in the explanation of the transfer process. The transfer robot 40 may be placed on the side of the transport path A2, or on a support platform that is provided so as to straddle the extension of the transport path A2. The transfer robot 40 may be fixed to the floor or to the ceiling.

The controller 60 includes at least one processor, such as a CPU (central processing unit) or an MPU (micro processing unit), and a memory that stores the programs executed by the processor.

The control signals output from the controller 60 shown in FIG. 1 to other components are illustrative of some of the functions of the controller 60, and the controller 60 can be configured to have various functions, such as a robot controller, a vision (camera, image sensor) controller, a conveyor controller, and a control PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), and can be configured to control various components included in the transfer device. In addition, the controller 60 is connected to the drive mechanisms and various sensors of each device included in the transfer device, and controls the operation of the transport device using information detected by the various sensors.

For example, the controller 60 may also drive the first conveying device 27 and the second conveying device 26 to execute a conveying process in which the object 2 is conveyed along the conveying paths A1 and A2 at a predetermined speed, respectively. The object 2 is sent downstream by the operation of the first conveying device 27 and the second conveying device 26. The controller 60 may start and stop the conveying belts of the first conveying device 27 and the second conveying device 26 at predetermined time intervals as a conveying process for the object 2.

The controller 60 may also obtain the conveying speed of the second conveying device 26 from a conveying speed detector (e.g., an encoder device for calculating the conveying speed) EC, and drive an imaging device such as an image sensor of the detection device 50 at a predetermined timing according to the conveying speed, thereby causing the detection device 50 to capture an image of the object 2.

The controller 60 also drives the transfer robot 40 to move and open/close the holding hand 41, pick up the object 2 from the pick-up position P1, move it to directly above the placement position P2, and release the object 2 to the placement position P2, thereby carrying out a transfer process. Note that the longitudinal direction of the object 2 may be inclined with respect to the transport direction Y. In this case, a correction process is performed to align the position of the object 2 at the same time as the transfer process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of transferring an object onto a container by the transfer robot shown in FIG. 1 .
In Figure 7, the upper part shows the trajectory of the holding hand 41 moving along the transport direction of the object 2 when viewed from a direction X perpendicular to the transport direction, and the lower part shows the state of the holding hand 41 and the object 2 at the waiting position, pick-up position, holding completion position and lift-up position of the trajectory when viewed from the downstream side to the upstream side of the transport direction.

First, the configuration of the transfer robot 40 for carrying out the transfer process of the target object 2 will be described.
The holding hand 41 includes a base portion 43, and a holding member 44 and a pressing member 45 extending downward from the base portion 43. As an example, the holding hand 41 includes a plurality of holding members 44 arranged opposite each other and capable of holding the object 2 therebetween, and a pressing member 45 arranged between the plurality of holding members 44. The holding hand 41 is configured to be able to hold and release the object 2 and to be able to approach and separate from the second transport path A2. The holding members 44 are arranged on both sides that sandwich the object 2. In this embodiment, a total of four holding members 44, two on each side that sandwich the object 2, are supported by the base portion 43.

The holding members 44 are made of a flexible and elastically deformable cushioning material such as elastomer resin material or silicone rubber. The holding members 44 have an air flow path inside and are configured to be expandable. Each holding member 44 has finger-shaped members configured to be bendable at multiple locations. For example, the holding members 44 have blade parts arranged on opposing surfaces facing each other and a bellows-like expansion and contraction part arranged on the outer surface opposite the blade parts and capable of expansion and contraction. The air flow path is connected to an air supply mechanism as a drive mechanism and is configured to adjust the amount of air inside. For example, the air supply mechanism is connected to a controller 60 and supplies air to the holding members 44 under the control of the controller 60, thereby bending and deforming the holding members 44 and driving the holding hands 41 to open and close.

The blade portion and the telescopic portion of the retaining member 44 have different telescopic behaviors, and as the amount of air increases or decreases, the outer telescopic portion extends more than the inner blade portion. The blade portion also has a deformation allowance groove formed on the opposing surface side that makes it easier to bend and deform the blade portion inward. Each retaining member 44 is configured to be able to be bent and deformed by the telescopic portion expanding and contracting according to the supply of air to the internal air flow path. For example, when the amount of air inside the retaining member 44 increases due to the supply of air, the telescopic portion expands and the tip of the blade portion is displaced inward, causing the retaining member 44 to bend and deform.

Two holding members 44 are arranged on each side of the short side of the object 2, whose longitudinal direction is aligned along the second transport path A2, and are arranged opposite each other so that the object 2 is sandwiched in the gap between the opposing holding members 44. In other words, the two sets of holding members 44 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction Y, and a gap extending along the transport direction is formed.

The multiple holding members 44 are configured to be switchable between a closed state in which the tips of the members approach each other to grip the object 2, and an open state in which the tips of the members move away from each other to release the object 2. In other words, the holding members 44 are driven by an air supply mechanism as a drive mechanism to function as an active manipulator that actively operates.

In addition, each holding member 44 may be configured to be detachable from the base portion 43. For example, the holding members 44 are replaceable depending on the characteristics of the object 2, such as the shape. For example, by changing the size, shape, or number of the holding members 44, it is possible to configure the holding members 44 to match the shape of the object 2.

The pressing member 45 is disposed between the multiple holding members 44 arranged opposite to each other. The pressing member 45 includes a shaft portion that extends downward from the base portion 43 of the holding hand 41 and is supported so as to be movable forward and backward relative to the base portion 43, and a head portion provided at the tip of the shaft portion. The shaft portion is supported by the base portion 43 so as to be movable forward and backward in the vertical direction. The shaft portion moves upward when an external force is applied upward, and returns to its initial position when the application of the external force is released. For example, the shaft portion has a restoring property that allows it to return to a free state in which it protrudes toward the tip direction due to gravity. Therefore, the pressing member 45 is configured to press the object 2 toward the tip direction with a predetermined pressing force, and to retreat, i.e., to be retracted, by the force received from the object 2. In other words, the pressing member 45 is a passive manipulator that operates passively in response to the behavior of the object accompanying the operation of the holding member 44.

The pressing member 45 presses the object 2 toward the tip with a predetermined pressing force due to the weight of the pressing member 45. This pressing force is configured to be smaller than the holding force of the holding member 44. For example, the pressing force is configured to be a force that causes the object 2 to retreat when it comes into contact with and is pressed against the object 2 when the object 2 is grasped by closing the holding member 44. In other words, when the object 2 is scooped up by the holding member 44, the pressing member applies a force that is sufficient to stabilize the position of the object 2 without pressing the object in the opposite direction or damaging it. The pressing member 45 may further include a biasing member such as a spring that has resilience and assists in the pressing force.

The holding hand 41 is supported by a transfer arm 42 serving as a moving device, and is configured to be movable and rotatable.
The transfer arm 42 extends, for example, from a base end disposed adjacent to the second transport path A2 in an upward and planar direction across the transport path, and movably and rotatably supports, for example, the base portion 43 of the holding hand 41. As a specific example, the transfer arm 42 includes a support portion 46, a first rotating arm 47, a second rotating arm 48, a rotating mechanism portion 49, and a lifting mechanism portion 51.

The support pillar 46 is erected upward from a base end position adjacent to the side of the second transport path A2 or the end position of the second transport path A2, for example, and supports the first pivot arm 47 rotatably around a rotation axis in the Z direction.

The first pivot arm 47 is connected to the upper end of the support column 46 and includes an arm 47a extending perpendicular to the Z-axis, which is the extension direction of the support column 46, and a drive source 47b, such as a rotary motor, that rotates the arm 47a. A second pivot arm 48 is connected to the tip of the arm 47a.

The second pivot arm 48 is connected to the tip of the arm portion 47a of the first pivot arm 47 and includes an arm portion 48a extending perpendicular to the Z axis, and a drive source 48b such as a rotary motor that rotates the arm portion 48a. The base portion 43 of the holding hand 41 is connected to the tip of the arm portion 48a via a rotation mechanism portion 49 and an elevation mechanism portion 51.

For example, the direction and amount of rotation of the pivot arms 47, 48 are determined based on the posture information detected by the detection device 50. That is, when transferring, the amount of rotation is adjusted using correction conditions calculated according to the detected position of the object 2 (the coordinates of the reference point PB and the inclination θ), so that the object 2 can be moved to a position suitable for each object 2.

The rotation mechanism 49 is provided at the tip of the second rotating arm 48, and supports the base 43 of the holding hand 41 so that it can rotate around a rotation axis along the Z direction. The rotation operation of the rotation mechanism 49 is controlled by the controller 60. For example, the direction and amount of rotation are determined based on the orientation information detected by the detection device 50 on the second transport path A2. That is, the rotation mechanism 49 rotates the base 43 under correction conditions calculated according to the detected orientation of the object 2 during transfer, thereby correcting the orientation of the holding hand 41 to match the orientation of each object 2. An example of the orientation of the holding hand 41 to match the object 2 is, for example, a posture in which two sets of holding members 44 are positioned to sandwich both sides of the object 2.

The lifting mechanism 51 supports the base 43 of the holding hand 41 so that it can move in the Z direction relative to the tip of the second pivot arm 48. The lifting mechanism 51 is equipped with a motor mechanism capable of linear motion and has a lifting shaft that can move in the Z direction. The lifting mechanism 51 supports the base 43 at the lower end of the lifting shaft, thereby supporting the holding hand 41 so that it can be raised and lowered.

The lifting and lowering operation of the lifting mechanism 51 is controlled by the controller 60. For example, the stroke of the lifting and lowering operation is determined based on the information detected by the detection device 50. In other words, the lifting and lowering mechanism 51 lifts and lowers the holding hand 41 under correction conditions calculated according to the detected position of the target object 2 during transfer.

The transfer arm 42 configured as described above is capable of positioning the holding hand 41 at any position within a predetermined movable surface and movable range determined by the strokes of the multiple arms from a base adjacent to the second transport path A2, and is configured to enable the holding hand 41 to move up and down and rotate. For example, the transfer arm 42 is driven under the control of the controller 60 to move the holding hand 41 close to the second transport path A2 while moving the holding hand 41 in the same direction as the transport movement at the pickup position P1. The transfer arm 42 also moves the holding hand 41 in the same direction as the transport movement at the pickup position P1 until the holding hand 41 is closed and holds the target object 2. The transfer arm 42 also moves the holding hand 41 away from the transport path A2 while moving the holding hand 41 in the same direction as the transport movement at the pickup position P1.

Next, an example of a transfer process in which the controller 60 transfers the target object 2 to the container 3 using the transfer robot 40 will be described.
When the object 2 passes through an inspection position upstream of the first position P1, which is the pick-up position, the controller 60 drives the detection device 50 to capture an image of the object 2 and detect the posture and other conditions of each object 2. The controller 60 then acquires posture information of the object 2 from the detection device 50 and calculates the operating conditions of the holding hand 41 in the transfer process. For example, the operating conditions include the orientation of the holding hand 41 during holding and the amount of correction for rotation during movement to the second position P2. The controller 60 may also determine various items related to the commercial value of the object 2 based on the detected image of the object 2.

As the transfer process, the controller 60 drives the transfer robot 40 under the calculated operating conditions, and sequentially performs the pick-up process, the moving process, and the release process. First, as the pick-up process, the holding hand 41 in the standby position is moved to the preparation position P0 above the first position P1. The preparation position P0 is set to a predetermined position that can reach the first position P1 by performing a subsequent approach movement, such as directly above a position shifted upstream of the second transport path A2 from the first position P1. At a predetermined timing before the object 2 is transported to the first position P1 of the second transport path A2, the holding hand 41 moves along a curved path that combines a downward movement in the Z direction, which is the approaching and separating direction, and a movement movement in the transport direction toward the first position P1. At that time, the holding member 44 is switched to a closed state at the timing when the object 2 and the tip of the holding hand 41 reach the first position P1. In addition, the controller 60 moves the holding hand 41 in the same direction and at the same speed as the second conveying speed of the second conveying device 26, even during the time when the holding member 44 changes from the open state to the closed state and grips the object 2. For example, the holding completion position P3 where the holding hand 41 completes holding the object 2 is on the secondary side (downstream side) of the conveying direction Y.

Then, the controller 60 moves the holding hand 41, while holding the object 2, from the holding completion position P3, which is on the secondary side of the first position P1, along a path that combines an upward movement and a movement in the conveying direction, and raises it to the lifting position P4. In this series of pick-up processes, the transfer arm 42 simultaneously performs the Z-direction raising and lowering movement by the lifting mechanism 51 and the movement in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveying movement by the rotation of the rotating arms 47, 48, so that the movement trajectory of the holding hand 41 as seen from the side (Y) direction of the conveying path becomes a trajectory that describes a pot bottom shape that is curved in an arch shape so that the upper side opens toward the second conveying path A2. Then, while the holding hand 41 is closed at the lowest point of this curved movement path to hold the object 2, it moves in the same direction and at the same speed as the second conveying speed of the second conveying device 26.

When the object 2 is transformed from an open state between the multiple holding members 44 to a closed state, for example, the telescopic portion extends, causing the tips to move inward and curve closer to each other, resulting in a closed state. When the object 2 is laid on its side on the conveying surface 26a of the second conveying path A2, the tips of the multiple holding members 44 enter the gaps formed on both sides between the object 2 and the conveying surface 26a of the second conveying path A2, thereby gripping the object 2. For example, the object 2 may be gripped by multiple holding members 44, or the object 2 may be scooped up by one or more holding members 44 and gripped by the pressing member 45 and the holding member 44.

At this time, the pressing member 45 presses the object 2 against the second transport path A2 with a predetermined force and temporarily fixes it, so that the object 2 can be stably scooped up while maintaining its posture by the multiple holding members 44 and the pressing member 45. In other words, if the holding member 44 gets under the object 2, the pressing member 45 acts to press down the object 2 from above, preventing the object 2 from bouncing up and failing to be grasped. The pressing force of the pressing member 45 is weaker than the holding force, and since it can be moved back by being pushed by the object 2, the object is not damaged.

As a result, the holding hand 41 is in a holding state, gripping the object 2 with the multiple holding members 44 and the pressing member 45. Furthermore, the holding hand 41 drives the transfer arm 42 in synchronization with the movement in the transport direction, thereby pulling the holding hand 41 upward in the Z direction.

In the operations up to this point, the stress applied to the object 2 can be released by the movement of the pressing member 45, and the object 2 is not damaged. This completes the pickup operation.

Next, as a movement process, the controller 60 moves the holding hand 41 from the lifting position P4 in any one of the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, or a combination of these directions, to directly above the second position P2 where the container 3 is disposed. Note that, in the movement process, depending on the conditions of the release position, movement in the X direction only, or movement in the Z direction in addition to movement in the X direction may be performed, or movement in the Y direction may also be combined.

At this time, the controller 60 corrects the orientation and position of each object 2 by moving and rotating the holding hand 41 under conditions according to the posture information of the object 2. For example, the controller 60 moves the holding hand 41 so that the longitudinal direction of the object 2 is in a predetermined direction, and determines the posture of the object 2 so that it is in a posture for being placed in the container 3.

As a release process, the controller 60 switches the holding hand 41 from a state in which it holds the target object 2 directly above the second position P2 where the container 3 is set in advance to an open state.

In the release process, the multiple holding members 44 are transformed from a closed state in which they grip the object 2 to an open state in which they are separated from each other by reducing the amount of air in the air flow path by the air supply mechanism, which is a drive mechanism, and the expandable parts contract and the tips move outward, releasing the object 2. When the object 2 falls with the release, the pressing members 45 are restored. That is, when the object 2 falls, the force that retracts the pressing members 45 is released, and the pressing members 45 protrude toward the object 2 below, following the fall of the object 2. Therefore, the pressing members 45 press the object 2 downward, restricting the movement of the object 2 bouncing on the placement portion 3a of the container 3, and thus preventing the object 2 from shifting position or jumping out of the container 3. In addition, since the pressing members 45 can retract when pressed by the object 2, even if the object 2 collides with them, the force can be released without damaging the object 2. The transfer operation is completed as described above.

After the transfer operation of the object 2 is completed, the controller 60 again moves the transfer arm 42 to the preparation position P0. Then, by repeating the process of holding, moving, and releasing the object 2 at a predetermined timing, the transfer process is performed sequentially in parallel with the transport process. The second position P2 where the object 2 is placed is set to move sequentially on the placement section 3a of the container 3, and multiple objects 2 are placed in a row in the container 3 sequentially.

As described above, the transfer process is performed by controlling the transfer robot 40 with the controller 60 based on the posture information of the object 2 detected by the detection device 50. In this embodiment, since it is possible to accurately detect the posture information of the object 2, it is possible to accurately perform the transfer process of the object 2 with the transfer robot 40. In other words, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a transport device, a transport device, and a transport method that accurately detect the posture of the object being transported.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate. For example, in the above embodiment, the holding hand 41 is configured to hold an object using multiple holding members that grasp the object and a pressing member that serves as a passive manipulator, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the object may be grasped using holding members and an active manipulator.

In the above embodiment, during the pick-up process in which the holding hand 41 is brought close to the transport path immediately before and after holding, movement is performed synchronously with the transport movement, and the subsequent X-direction movement process does not involve synchronous movement, but this is not limited to the above. For example, movement parallel to the transport movement may be used in combination until the movement to the second position P2. Furthermore, in the movement process, in addition to movement in the X direction, movement in the Z direction, i.e., a downward process to directly above the second position P2, may be performed.

The configuration of the transfer arm 42 is not limited to the two-axis rotating arm described above, but may be configured to be movable in three or more axial directions by a three or more axis moving mechanism.
Other devices that may be provided include a device for automatically cleaning objects, a hopper or alignment device for automating the introduction of objects, and a device for accepting defective products identified by the imaging device.

Furthermore, the specific configurations and materials of each part are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment, but can be modified as appropriate.
In addition, each component exemplified in the above embodiment may be deleted, or the shape, structure, etc. of each component may be changed. Furthermore, various inventions may be formed by appropriate combinations of multiple components disclosed in the above embodiment.

2... object, 3... container, 3a... placement section, 26... second transfer device (second transfer mechanism), 26a... transfer surface, 27... first transfer device (first transfer mechanism), 27a... transfer surface, 40... transfer robot, 41... holding hand, 42... transfer arm, 43... base section, 44... holding member, 45... pressing member, 46... support section, 47, 48... rotating arm, 47a... arm section, 47b... drive source, 48a... arm section, 48b... drive source, 49... rotation mechanism section, 50... detection device, 51... lifting mechanism section, 60... controller, 70... pre-processing device, A1... first transfer path, A2... second transfer path, P0... preparation position, P1... pickup position, P2... placement position, P3... holding completion position, P4... lifting position, PA... photography area, PB... detection area, PC3... reference point

Claims (8)

a first conveying mechanism configured to convey the object along a first conveying path at a first conveying speed;
a second conveying mechanism disposed downstream of the first conveying path and configured to convey the object supplied from the first conveying path along the second conveying path at a second conveying speed that is faster than the first conveying speed;
a detection device that acquires information about an image of the object taken from above the second transport path, and detects and outputs posture information of the object based on the information about the captured image. the first transport mechanism and the second transport mechanism each include a transport surface on which the object is placed in a lying state;
2 . The transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the transport surface at the downstream end of the first transport mechanism is substantially the same as the height of the transport surface at the upstream end of the second transport mechanism. The conveying device according to claim 2, wherein the captured image does not include an image of the end of the conveying surface of the second conveying mechanism in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the object by the second conveying mechanism. A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
a holding hand configured to hold and release the object to be transported and to be movable toward and away from the second transport path;
A controller that controls the operation of the holding hand based on the posture information. The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein the orientation information includes a rotation angle of the object relative to a transport direction of the object on the second transport path and coordinates of a reference point of the object in the captured image. The transfer device according to claim 5, wherein the rotation angle of the object is the angle between the long side of the smallest circumscribing rectangle of the object in the captured image and the conveying direction. The transfer device according to claim 5, wherein the coordinates of the reference point of the object are the coordinates of the part of the captured image where the object is grasped by the holding hand. conveying the object along the first conveying path at a first conveying speed by a first conveying mechanism;
a second conveying mechanism disposed downstream of the first conveying path conveys the object supplied from the first conveying path along a second conveying path at a second conveying speed that is higher than the first conveying speed;
A conveying method comprising: acquiring information of a captured image of the object taken from above the second conveying path; detecting and outputting posture information of the object based on the information of the captured image.