JP3094853B2 - Sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorting apparatus for loading a load from a loading device onto a belt conveyor for sorting traveling bodies and sorting the loaded objects to a target sorting section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of sorting equipment, for example, there is one shown in FIG. That is, 60 is the traveling route
A plurality of traveling vehicles that can travel on the traveling vehicle 61, and a sorting belt conveyor 63 that sorts the load 62 in the left-right and lateral directions with respect to the traveling direction 66 is provided above the traveling vehicles 60. Further, on the left and right sides of the traveling route 61, there are provided a charging belt conveyor 64 for charging the load 62 to the sorting belt conveyor 63 of the traveling vehicle 60 from the lateral direction, and a plurality of sorting chutes 65.

According to this, an operator 67 places a load 62 on the starting end of a loading belt conveyor 64, thereby
The conveyor belt 62 is conveyed from the starting end to the terminal end of the feeding belt conveyor 64 and is fed onto and supported by the sorting belt conveyor 63 of the traveling vehicle 60. Then, the load 62 is transported on the traveling route 61 by the traveling cart 60, and is sorted by the belt conveyor 63 for sorting.
Is driven and paid out to the target chute 65.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional type, when the load 62 is loaded from a lateral direction onto the sorting belt conveyor 63 of the traveling vehicle 60 by the loading belt conveyor 64, the load 62 is transferred to the sorting belt. There was a problem that the conveyor 63 protruded left and right.

[0005] In addition, the traveling truck 61 has a curved traveling route 61.
When traveling, the belt conveyor for sorting the traveling carriage 60
There was a problem that the load 62 supported on 63 shifted or jumped in the left-right direction.

Accordingly, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is intended to prevent the load from shifting to the left or right when the load is fed to the belt conveyor for sorting the traveling body and when the load is being conveyed by the traveling body. It is intended to prevent it.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a method in which a load is placed on a traveling route on which a plurality of traveling bodies can travel. Providing a charging device for charging from above and from the traveling direction, a sorting belt conveyor for supporting the load supplied from the charging device and sorting the load in the left and right lateral direction with respect to the traveling direction, on the upper part of each traveling body, A driving device for driving the sorting belt conveyor; a plurality of projections extending in the width direction provided on the surface of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor at a plurality of locations in the transport direction; A loading unit formed between the units, a detecting device for detecting that the loading unit is located at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and the driving device based on the detection of the detecting device. Control And a control device is provided which, on the left and right sides of the running path, in which is characterized in that the formation of the sorting unit according to the type of load.

[0008] According to this, the load is loaded into the loading portion of the belt conveyor for sorting the predetermined traveling body from above and in the traveling direction by the loading device, and is supported by the belt conveyor for sorting and travels the traveling body. Is transported on the traveling route. At this time, since the projections of the sorting belt conveyor are located on both the left and right sides of the load, it is possible to prevent the load from shifting in the left and right direction at the time of loading and loading the load.

Thereafter, the driving device of the sorting belt conveyor is driven to rotate the belt, and the load is discharged from the loading section to the target sorting section. When the detecting device detects that the loading section is located at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, the control device stops the driving device. Thus, the loading section stops at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and prepares for the next load to be loaded.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the projections are provided at two places in the conveying direction, a through-hole is formed in the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and a detecting device is formed between the two projections. A photoelectric switch for detecting the through-hole when the loading portion is located on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor.

According to this, after the belt of the sorting belt conveyor rotates and the load is discharged from the loading section to the target sorting section, the loading section rotates once and the belt of the sorting belt conveyor is again rotated. It returns to a predetermined position on the upper surface side. At this time, the photoelectric switch detects the through hole, and the control device stops the driving device based on the detection. Thus, the loading section stops at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and prepares for the next load to be loaded.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, the driving device is a motor, and the control device drives the motor at a high speed to sort the loads on the sorting belt conveyor when sorting the loads on the sorting belt conveyor. The motor is driven at a low speed.

According to this, when the load is delivered from the loading section to the target sorting section, the motor is driven at a high speed.
Discharge of goods can be done quickly. After that, the through-hole can be reliably detected by the photoelectric switch by driving the motor at a low speed, and erroneous detection can be prevented.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a plurality of traveling vehicles (an example of a traveling body) that can travel on a traveling route 2 formed in a loop. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, these traveling vehicles 1 are connected by a coupler 3 at the front and rear thereof, and travel while being supported and guided by a traveling rail 5 via a plurality of traveling rollers 4. is there. Each of the traveling vehicles 1 is of a linear motor drive type, and the traveling rail 5
A linear motor 6 is disposed on a side surface of the vehicle, and a metal plate 7 forming a secondary conductor of the linear motor is provided below each traveling vehicle 1. A loading belt conveyor 11 (an example of a loading device) that loads the load 9 from above the traveling trolley 1 and from the traveling direction 10 is provided at a predetermined location above the traveling route 2.

A pair of front and rear sorters for supporting the load 9 loaded from the loading belt conveyor 11 and sorting the load 9 horizontally and horizontally with respect to the traveling direction 10 of the traveling vehicle 1 are provided on the upper part of each traveling vehicle 1. Belt conveyor 12 is provided.
Both sorting belt conveyors 12 are respectively a pair of left and right drive rollers 13 and a driven roller 14, a belt 15 wound between the drive roller 13 and the driven roller 14, and a pair of the drive roller 13 and the driven roller. 14 and a pair of side frames 16 that rotatably support.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a motor 18 (an example of a driving device) for driving the above-mentioned sorting belt conveyor 12 is provided on a bracket 17 attached to a lower portion of one side frame 16. Have been. Pulley 19 provided on the drive shaft of each motor 18 and belt conveyor 12 for each sort
A drive belt 21 is wound between the drive roller 13 and a pulley 20 provided on the drive roller 13. Each of the motors 18 is supplied with power from the traveling rail 5 in a non-contact manner. That is, reference numeral 45 denotes a guide line provided on the traveling rail 5;
Is a pickup unit provided as a power supply device on the traveling vehicle 1. The pickup unit 46 includes a ferrite 47 as a magnetic member and a pickup coil 48 formed on the ferrite 47.

On the surface of the belt 15 of each sorting belt conveyor 12, there are provided two projections 23 extending in the width direction of the belt 15 in the conveying direction 24. As shown in FIG. 3, these projections 23 are formed by a horizontal plate portion 25 fixed to the surface of the belt 15 and a vertical plate portion 26 formed at the center of the horizontal plate portion 25. It is formed in a shape. A loading section 28 having a space in which the load 9 can be placed is formed between two opposing projections 23 on the transport path 27 of the sorting belt conveyor 12.

Each of the sorting belt conveyors 12 is provided with a photoelectric switch 29 as an example of a detecting device for detecting that the loading section 28 is located on the upper surface side of the belt 15. The photoelectric switch 29 is connected to the lower rotation path 30 of the belt 15.
Emitter / receiver 32 that emits detection light 31 upward from below
And a reflector for reflecting the emitted detection light 31 to the light emitting and receiving device 32
33. The emitter / receiver 32 is a belt
It is located below the lower rotation path 30 of the 15 and is provided on a bracket 34 attached to the lower part of the side frame 16 on one side of each of the sorting belt conveyors 12. The reflection plate 33 is located between the lower rotation path 30 and the upper rotation path 35 of the belt 15, and is provided on the bracket 36. The bracket 36 is attached to a cross member 37 provided between both side frames 16 of each sorting belt conveyor 12. Further, a through hole 38 is formed in each belt 15, and the through
When the belt 28 is located at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt 15, the through hole 38 is located between the light emitter / receiver 32 and the reflector 33, and the detection light
31 reciprocates between the light emitter / receiver 32 and the reflection plate 33 through the through hole 38. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a light projector 39 and a light receiver 40 for detecting the presence or absence of the load 9 in the load portion 28 are provided on the upper surfaces of both ends of the side frame 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the sorting belt conveyor 12 is provided with a control device 41 for controlling the motor 18 based on the detection of the photoelectric switch 29 and the detection of the light projector 39 and the light receiver 40. Have been. That is, the control device 41
Drives the motor 18 at high speed when sorting the loads 9 in the horizontal direction on the basis of the detection and non-detection of the light projector 39 and the light receiver 40, and drives the motor 18 at low speed after sorting the loads 9.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of sorting chutes 42 (an example of a sorting unit) are provided on the left and right sides of the traveling route 2. Hereinafter, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

When handling and sorting folded clothes (for example, jeans) as the load 9, the load 9
As shown in FIG. 2, the loading belt conveyor 11 feeds the belt to the loading section 28 of both the sorting belt conveyors 12 of the predetermined traveling vehicle 1 from above and in the traveling direction 10 of the traveling vehicle 1.
As shown in (1), it is supported on both sorting belt conveyors 12 and is conveyed on the traveling route 2 by the traveling of the traveling vehicle 1.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, since the projections 23 of the two belt conveyors 12 for sorting are located on both the left and right sides of the load 9, the load 9 can be moved in the left and right directions at the time of loading and loading. Displacement can be prevented. In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the traveling vehicle 1 travels on the curved portion 43 of the traveling route 2, the load 9
Can be prevented from jumping out of both sorting belt conveyors 12 in the left-right direction. At this time, the light projector 39 and the light receiver 40 shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the motor 18 is driven at a high speed to drive the belt 15
Is rotated, and the load 9 is discharged from the load placing portion 28 to the target chute 42. After the dispensing, the two light emitters 39 and the two light receivers 40 shown in FIG. 4 do not detect the load 9 on the loading portion 28,
The motor 18 is switched to the low-speed drive, and the loading section 28 makes one round to return to the predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt 15 again. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the detection light 31 emitted from the light emitter / receiver 32 passes through the through-hole 38 of the belt 15, is reflected by the reflector 33, passes through the through-hole 38 again, and is projected and received. The light is received by the device 32.
Due to this detection, the control device 41 stops the motor 18, so that the loading section 28 stops at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt 15, and prepares for the next load 9 to be loaded.

In the above-described embodiment, when the load 9 is discharged from the loading section 28 to the target chute 42, the motor 18 is driven at a high speed, so that the load 9 can be discharged quickly. Also,
Thereafter, when the motor 18 is driven at a low speed, the through hole 38 can be reliably detected by the photoelectric switch 29, and erroneous detection can be prevented.

When the belt 9 is driven out to discharge the load 9, the belt 9 is rotated.
Even if it slips with respect to 15, one of the protrusions 23 pushes the load 9 in the payout direction, so that the load 9 is reliably discharged to the target chute 42.

In the above embodiment, the through-hole 38 through which the detection light 31 passes is formed in the belt 15 of the sorting belt conveyor 12, but instead of the through-hole 38, a reflector that reflects the detection light 31 on the surface of the belt 15 is used. May be pasted. Further, although the light emitting / receiving device 32 and the reflecting plate 33 are used as the photoelectric switch 29, a light emitting device and a light receiving device may be used. Further, instead of the through holes 38, a magnetic material may be attached to the belt 15, and the magnetic material may be detected by a magnetic sensor.

In the above embodiment, the protrusions 23 are provided at two places on the belt 15 to form one loading section 28, and one through hole 38 is formed to detect the position of the loading section 28. However, as another form, as shown in FIG.
May be provided at four locations on the belt 15 to form two loading sections 28, two through holes 38 may be formed, and a large number of loading sections 28 may be formed by a large number of projections 23. Good.

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the load is loaded on the belt conveyor for sorting a predetermined traveling body from above and in the traveling direction by the loading device. And is transported on the traveling route by the traveling of the traveling body while being supported by the sorting belt conveyor. At this time, since the projections of the sorting belt conveyor are located on both the left and right sides of the load, it is possible to prevent the load from shifting in the left and right direction at the time of loading and transporting the load.

Thereafter, the driving device of the sorting belt conveyor is driven to rotate the belt, and the load is discharged from the loading section to the target sorting section. When the detecting device detects that the loading section is located at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, the control device stops the driving device. Thus, the loading section stops at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and prepares for the next load to be loaded.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, after the belt of the sorting belt conveyor rotates and the load is discharged from the loading section to the target sorting section, the loading section makes one round and then returns. The sorting belt conveyor returns to a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt. At this time, the photoelectric switch detects the through hole, and the control device stops the driving device based on the detection. Thus, the loading section stops at a predetermined position on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor, and prepares for the next load to be loaded.

Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, when the load is discharged from the loading section to the target sorting section, the motor is driven at a high speed, so that the load can be discharged quickly.
After that, the through-hole can be reliably detected by the photoelectric switch by driving the motor at a low speed, and erroneous detection can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a traveling body of a sorting facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a traveling body of the sorting equipment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of a detection device provided on a sorting belt conveyor of the sorting equipment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a traveling body of the sorting equipment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the sorting equipment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a sorting belt conveyor of a sorting facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a conventional sorting facility.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Traveling trolley (traveling body) 2 Traveling route 9 Load 10 Traveling direction 11 Feeding belt conveyor (feeding device) 12 Sorting belt conveyor 15 Belt 18 Motor (drive device) 23 Projection 24 Transporting direction 27 Transporting route 28 Loading section 29 Photoelectric switch (detection device) 38 Through hole 41 Control device 42 Chute (sorting part)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A loading device for loading a load from above and above a traveling body on a traveling route on which a plurality of traveling bodies can freely travel is provided. A sorting belt conveyor that supports the load and sorts the load horizontally and horizontally with respect to the traveling direction, and a driving device that drives the sorting belt conveyor is provided. A plurality of protrusions extending in the direction of conveyance are provided at a plurality of locations in the conveyance direction, and a loading section is formed between a pair of projections facing each other on the conveyance path. A detection device for detecting that the vehicle is located at a predetermined position; and a control device for controlling the driving device based on the detection of the detection device. Form Sorting equipment. 2. A projection is provided at two places in the transport direction.
A through hole is formed in the belt of the sorting belt conveyor,
The photoelectric switch for detecting the through hole when the loading portion formed between the two projections is located on the upper surface side of the belt of the sorting belt conveyor is used as the detection device. Sorting equipment according to 1. 3. The control device, wherein the drive device is a motor, and the control device sorts the load on the sorting belt conveyor to a sorting unit.
3. The sorting equipment according to claim 2, wherein the motor is driven at a high speed, the load is sorted, and then the motor is driven at a low speed.