JPH0464013B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention provides a method for measuring articles (objects to be weighed) on a plurality of weighing machines.
is supplied, performs a combination calculation on each measurement data, finds a combination whose combined total value is equal to or closest to the set value, and calculates a combination whose total value is within a predetermined error from the set value. The present invention relates to a combination weighing or counting method in which articles are quantitatively weighed by discharging the articles from a weighing machine that corresponds to the combination when the items are within a set allowable range.

Regarding this type of combination weighing or counting method,
Although various improvements have been attempted in the past, the present applicant has previously proposed a new method in Japanese Patent Application No. 162983/1983 that increases the weighing speed even faster than the conventional one while keeping the combined weighing accuracy constant. disclosed a method.

The method of this prior invention selects a certain number of weighing machines or less to participate in a combination calculation from among a plurality of weighing machines, and combines the weighing data of these weighing machines to obtain a value that is equal to or closest to a set value. At the same time, at the next weighing, the weighing data of the weighing machines that did not participate in the previous combination calculation, and the weighing data of the weighing machines that did not participate in the previous combination calculation, and the items that participated in the previous combination calculation, are discharged. A combination calculation is performed using the weighing data of the weighing machine that was not used. According to this, the combination calculation for the next weighing can be performed without waiting for the article to be resupplied to the weighing machine that discharged the article during the previous weighing, and as a result, the weighing cycle is shortened and the weighing speed is increased. This will speed up the process.

By the way, depending on the properties of the goods, there may be unevenness in the supply of goods to the weighing machines. It may not be possible to find combinations contained within. As a measure against such a case, a method is known in which an article is additionally supplied to one of the weighing machines and the combination calculation is performed again using the same set of weighing machines.

However, in this method, the weighing machine that has additionally supplied the article must necessarily participate in the next combination operation, so the execution of the combination operation must be delayed during the additional supply. Therefore, even if the metering cycle is shortened as in the above invention, the cycle will be disrupted, and the increase in metering speed will be impaired.

Therefore, when a combination of weighing machines that falls within the set tolerance range cannot be found, a combination that falls within the set tolerance range is quickly found without impairing the speeding up of the weighing speed by the method of the prior invention. There is a need for the development of new methods that can do this.

This invention was developed in response to this need, and while increasing the weighing speed, it does not disturb the weighing cycle even if a combination of weighing machines that falls within the set tolerance cannot be found. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that can quickly find combinations that fall within this set tolerance range without causing problems.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the method of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a metering cycle of the method according to this embodiment.

In the figure, a state in which articles are supplied to 15 weighing machines W1 to W15 is shown, and 10 weighing machines from the 15 weighing machines W1 to W15, for example, W1.
-W10 is selected as a weighing machine to participate in the next combination calculation.

A combination calculation is performed on the weighing machines selected in , and the combined total value is equal to or the closest value to the set value, and the combination is within the set tolerance range with a predetermined error allowed for the set value. Weighing machines such as W1, W3, W4, W
6 and W8 are selected, and indicates the state in which articles are discharged from these weighing machines.

Next, are weighing machines W11 to W15 that did not participate in the previous combination calculation, and weighing machine W that participated in the previous combination calculation but did not discharge articles.
2, W5, W7, W9, and W10, 10 weighing machines are selected as the weighing machines to participate in the next combination calculation. In this case, if there are 10 weighing machines that can participate in combination as in the example above, then
If there are 11 or more weighing machines, select up to 10 weighing machines, and if there are less than 10 weighing machines that can participate in combination, select all of them. The method for selecting 10 weighing machines (or 10 or less, the same applies hereinafter) in this case will be described later.

Then, the combination calculation is performed again on the 10 weighing machines selected in this way, but in this case, the combination calculation is performed on the weighing machines W1, W3, which discharged the article in the previous weighing cycle,
Since this is performed without waiting for the completion of resupply of articles to W4, W6, and W8, the weighing cycle is shortened accordingly.

Furthermore, when a combination whose total combination value is within the set tolerance range is found in the above combination calculation, the item is discharged from the weighing machine corresponding to that combination, for example, W5, W9, W11, W12, W14. This shows the state of the weighing machine W that discharged the goods during the previous weighing cycle.
1. Resupply of articles to W3, W4, W6, and W8 is completed. Therefore, for the next weighing cycle, the weighing machines W1, W3, and
Ten weighing machines will be selected from among the weighing machines including W4, W6, and W8 to participate in the combination calculation.

By the way, if a combination calculation is performed on the 10 selected weighing machines and a combination that falls within the allowable setting range cannot be found,
The following response measures will be taken:

First, it is assumed that 10 weighing machines are selected in , and as a result of performing a combination calculation on these weighing machines in , the combined total value that is closest to the set value is less than or equal to the lower limit of the setting allowable range. in this case,
While prohibiting the discharge of articles, the weighing machine with the smallest weighing data among the weighing machines participating in the combination calculation at that time is detected, and the article is additionally supplied to this weighing machine.

The method of detecting the weighing machine with the smallest weighing data in this case will be explained in detail later, but it is assumed that W3 was the weighing machine with the smallest weighing data among the weighing machines that participated in the combination calculation. Then, in the next weighing cycle, in selecting 10 weighing machines,
Weighing machine W to which goods in 10 weighing machines are additionally supplied
Select 10 weighing machines from a total of 14 weighing machines, including the remaining 9 weighing machines excluding 3 and 5 weighing machines that did not participate in the combination calculation, using the method described below. Performs combinatorial operations. As a result, if a combination is found that falls within the set allowable range, the weighing machines that correspond to that combination, for example, items W1, W4, W8, W11, and W14, are discharged. During this time, the additional supply to the weighing machine W3 is completed, so in the next weighing cycle,
Weighing machines W1, W4, W immediately after discharging goods at
8. Regarding other weighing machines except W11 and W14,
The normal weighing operation will be performed.

In addition, as shown in , if as a result of the combination calculation for the 10 selected weighing machines, the total value of the combination closest to the set value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the set tolerance range, the goods will be discharged at . However, during this period, the weighing machines W1, W4, W8, and W1 that discharged goods from the previous weighing cycle
1. Since resupply of articles to W14 is completed, articles will be supplied to all weighing machines at the start of the next weighing cycle. Therefore, in this case, as shown in , 10 weighing machines are selected again from all the weighing machines W1 to W15 using the method described later, and the combination calculation is performed again for these weighing machines.

In this way, even if a combination whose combined total value falls within the set tolerance range is not found, countermeasures can be taken while maintaining a constant metering cycle.

In particular, if the combined total value closest to the set value is greater than or equal to the upper limit of the allowable setting range, a certain number of weighing machines will be reselected from all weighing machines to participate in the combination calculation in the next weighing cycle. Therefore, repeating the same error is suppressed, and if the combined total value closest to the set value is less than the lower limit of the set tolerance range, the weighing machine with the smallest weighing data among the weighing machines that participated in the combination calculation is In other words, since we detected a weighing machine that was in short supply of goods and supplied additional goods, in this case as well, the lack of supply of goods that was the cause of the error was resolved, and the next In the weighing cycle,
This ensures that combinations within the set tolerance range are found. Therefore, in either case, the normal operating state can be quickly restored without reducing the metering speed.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a block diagram of the apparatus used to carry out the method of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show flowcharts of its operation.

In FIG. 2, the weighing section 1 is configured by distributing, for example, 15 weighing machines W1 to W15 equally in a circle, and each of the weighing machines W1 to W15 receives a discharge command signal from the combination calculation section 2. By S1,
The articles supplied to those weighing hoppers (not shown) are discharged, and after a certain period of time, the supply section F1
~Weighing data D1 after receiving supplies from F15
~D15. In addition, each of the supply units F1 to F15 is connected to each of the weighing machines W1 to F15.
Provided corresponding to W15, timer circuit T1~
It is configured to receive a supply command signal S2 from T15 and supply a predetermined amount of articles to the corresponding weighing hopper.

Further, the timer circuits T1 to T15 are for providing a certain time difference between the start of discharging the article from the weighing hopper and the start of supplying the article thereto, and input the discharge command signal S1, After the certain period of time has elapsed, the supply command signal S2
Output.

Of the weighing data D1 to D15 output from each weighing machine W1 to W15, only the weighing data of the weighing machine designated by the combination command signal S3 output from the combination calculation section 2 passes through the first multiplexer 3 in sequence. The signals are then sent to the A/D converter 3', where they are converted into digital quantities and sequentially introduced into the combination calculation section 2. In this case, the selection of the weighing data D1 to D15 to the combination calculation unit 2 is carried out by inputting the combination command signal S3 to the first multiplexer 3, and only weighing data D1 to D15 of the designated weighing machines W1 to W15 are input. This is done by sequentially transferring. In that case, the selection of weighing machines W1 to W15 is as follows:
Among the weighing machines that did not discharge goods last time, a maximum of 10 weighing machines are selected based on the number of times the goods were discharged. In this case, each weighing machine W1 to W
The number of times the article is not discharged for 15 is counted by non-discharge counters C1 to C15 provided corresponding to the respective measured numbers W1 to W15.

The non-discharge counters C1 to C15 input the combination calculation start signal S0 and count the number of non-discharges by regarding this as a non-discharge signal, and when the article is discharged, the non-discharge counter of the weighing machine that discharged the article is counted. By inputting the discharge command signal S1 to the counter, the count value is cleared to zero. That is,
Unless the discharge command signal S1 is input, the number of non-discharges is counted every time the calculation start signal S0 is input.

The count values counted in this manner are input to the selection control section 4, where the count values corresponding to the weighing machines that were not discharged last time are selectively output to the sequential circuit 5 at the next stage.

The selection control in this case is the discharge command signal S1 supplied to the weighing machine designated for discharge.
is performed by inputting it to the selection control section 4 via the second multiplexer 6.

The sequential circuit 5 arranges the count values corresponding to the weighing machines discharged from the selection control section 4 in descending order, and identifies the arranged count values and the corresponding weighing machine numbers [identifying each weighing machine W1 to W15]. The number assigned for this purpose] is output to the selection section 7 at the next stage.

Based on this input signal, the selection unit 7 selects a certain number of weighing machines or less, for example, a maximum of 10 weighing machines if there are 11 or more, in order of preference starting from the weighing machines that have discharged the least number of articles, and selects the selected weighing machines for the next time. The weighing machine participating in the combination is specified to the combination calculation unit 2 via the third multiplexer 8. In this case, if there are a plurality of weighing machines with the same number of discharges, they are selected in order from the one with the smallest weighing machine number.

The combination calculation section 2 temporarily writes the measurement data D1 to D15 sequentially sent from the A/D converter 3' into a built-in register, and sequentially combines them according to a predetermined combination procedure and outputs them from the setting device 9. Find one combination that gives the value closest to the set value, and
The combined metric values of the set are sent to the comparator 10. At this time, if the set value is set equal to the lower limit of the allowable setting range, one set of combinations that is equal to the set value, equal to or greater than the set value, and closest to the set value can be found.

The comparator 10 determines whether the sent combination total value is within the set permissible range using the upper and lower limit value setter 1.
Compare with the upper limit value and lower limit value output from 1 and 12. Note that the combination calculation is started by inputting an article discharge request signal from a packaging machine (not shown) interlocked with this combination weighing device as the calculation start signal S0.

As a result of the comparison, if the combined total value is within the set allowable range, a pass signal S4 is output to the AND gate 13, and the AND gates 13 of the weighing machines constituting the combination are closed, thereby causing the weighing machine to load the goods. The combination calculation unit 2 outputs the discharge command signal S1.

On the other hand, when the combined total value falls outside the set allowable range, the article is not ejected and the process moves to the next operation.

That is, the manner in which the value is outside the permissible setting range includes a case where the value is less than the lower limit of the permissible setting range, and a case where the value is equal to or more than the upper limit of the permissible setting range. A possible cause of the value being below the lower limit is insufficient supply of the articles corresponding to each of the weighing machines W1 to W15. Therefore, when the lower limit value or less is reached, the following signal Sd is outputted from the comparison section 10, and this is inputted to the light weight detection section 15 via the OR gate 14 to search for a weighing machine with insufficient supply.

The lightweight detection unit 15 always receives the weighing machine numbers that participated in the combination and the corresponding weighing data from the combination calculation unit 2, and detects the following signals.
When Sd is input, this is used as an operation start signal to detect at least one weighing machine with the smallest data among the loaded weighing data. In this case, a certain standard value may be set and all weighing machines that do not meet this standard value may be detected.

When a weighing machine with insufficient supply is detected, the lightweight detection section 15 sends a message to the supply section corresponding to the detected weighing machine.
In order to output the additional supply signal S5 of the article and at the same time prohibit the participation of the detection weighing machine in the combination calculation in the next weighing cycle, this additional supply signal S5 is outputted.
5 is input to the selection control section 4 via the second multiplexer 6. And the additional supply in this case is
This is done at the same timing as the supply of articles to the weighing hopper. Therefore, the additionally supplied weighing machine can participate in the weighing cycle combination calculation one after another.

On the other hand, when the combined total value exceeds the upper limit of the allowable setting range, the reasons for each weighing machine W1 to W
It is possible that there is too much supply of goods for 15. Therefore, when the upper limit value is exceeded, the goods are re-supplied to the weighing machine from which the goods were discharged in the previous weighing cycle and the weighing data is output, and then in the next weighing cycle, all weighing machines are re-supplied. A new set of weighing machines to participate in the combination calculation is selected from among them, and the combination calculation is performed again using the weighing data of these weighing machines.

Various methods can be considered for selecting a new set of weighing machines in this case, but here we will select 15 weighing machines W.
Divide 1 to W15 into 3 groups of 5 units each: A, B, and C.
Two sets are selected from these three sets and a combination calculation is performed. Then, as a result of the comparison, when the combined total value is again equal to or greater than the upper limit of the set permissible range, the comparison section 10 outputs the above signal Su, which is input to the grouping control section 16. The control unit 16
selects two sets different from the above two sets from among the three sets A, B, and C based on this input signal, and designates the selected weighing machine as the weighing machine to participate in the next combination calculation.

Then, the command signal S6 is inputted to the combination calculation unit 2 via the third multiplexer 8. Further, the designation signal S6 in this case is output in synchronization with the calculation start signal S0 that is output next.

In the figure, S7 is a signal switching control signal for inputting the designation signal S6 outputted from the grouping control section 16 to the combination calculation section 2. The control unit 16 also includes the pass signal S.
A signal Sd of 4 or below is input as the operation cancellation signal, and the operation of the control section 16 is thereby canceled when the combined total value falls within the set value range or below the lower limit value.

Next, such an operating procedure is shown in Figures 3 and 4.
This will be explained based on the diagram.

First, after clearing the count values of the non-discharge counters C1 to C15 to zero as an initialization at the start of work, the selection control unit 4 selects the weighing machines W1 to W15 on which no articles were discharged in the previous weighing cycle, and then selects The counter values of the counters C1 to C15 corresponding to the weighing machines W1 to W15 are sequentially arranged in the circuit 5. Then, the selection unit 7 selects up to 10 weighing machines in descending order of the count value. In this case, if all the count values are zero at the start of work, 10 weighing machines are selected in order from the one with the smallest number.

In this state, a calculation start signal S0 is received from the packaging machine, and by inputting the signal S0, all non-discharge counters C1 to C15 are counted up, and the selected 10 weighing machines, for example, W1 to W1, are counted up.
Execute the combination calculation with the metric data of 0.

As a result of the combination calculation, if the combined total value is within the set allowable range, the weighing machine corresponding to the combination, for example, W1, W3, W4, W6, W8
An article discharge command signal S1 is output to cause the article to be discharged, and at the same time, this discharge command signal S1 causes the non-discharge counters C1, C3, C4, C6 corresponding to these weighing machines W1, W3, W4, W6, W8 to be activated. ,C8
Clear to zero. Then, after a certain period of time has elapsed, from the timer circuits T1, T3, T4, T6, T8,
The article supply command signal S2 is output to the supply section corresponding to the discharge weighing machines W1, W3, W4, W6, W8, and these weighing machines W1, W3, W4, W6,
The weighing hopper of W8 is re-supplied with a predetermined amount of articles.

In addition, the output of this discharge command signal S1 or the weighing machines W1, W3, W4, W6, which discharged the article,
In synchronization with the resupply of goods to the weighing hopper of W8, 10 weighing machines other than these weighing machines participate in the next combination calculation, in the above example W.
2, W5, W7, and W9 to W15 are selected in the above procedure, and a combination calculation is executed using the weighing data of these weighing machines W2, W5, W7, and W9 to W15 in response to the next calculation start signal S0.

In this way, the combination calculation in the next weighing cycle is performed on a weighing machine other than the weighing machine that discharged the article in the previous weighing cycle, and during this next weighing cycle, the combination calculation is performed on the weighing machine that discharged the article last time. Since the resupply of the article is completed, in the next weighing cycle, the same weighing operation is performed including the weighing machine that has completed the resupply, and in this way,
Weighing operations are repeated in a fixed cycle.

During such weighing work, when the combined total value closest to the set value determined by the combination calculating section 2 falls below the lower limit of the setting allowable range, the following signal Sd is output from the comparing section 10,
As a result, the weighing machine with the smallest weighing data, for example W3, is detected by the lightweight detection section 15, and the additional article supply signal S5 is output to the supply section corresponding to the weighing machine W3.

Then, in the next weighing cycle, this weighing machine W
A combination calculation is performed on the selected 10 weighing machines except for 3, and during that time, the article is additionally supplied to the weighing machine W3, and in the next weighing cycle, the weighing machine W3 also participates in the weighing operation. will be held.

In addition, when the combined total value of the set closest to the set value determined in combination calculation 2 exceeds the upper limit of the set tolerance range, the process shifts to the operation shown in the flowchart in Figure 4 without discharging the article. do.

That is, the grouping control unit 16 first
The 15 weighing machines W1 to W15 are divided into three groups A, B, and C, and at first, among them (A,
B) Two sets of weighing machines W1 to W10 are designated as weighing machines that will participate in the next combination calculation.

Then, with the calculation start signal S0, this (A, B)2
A combination calculation is executed for the set of weighing machines W1 to W10, and if the combined total value closest to the set value is within the set tolerance range, the operation shifts to the normal operation shown in Figure 3, and the lower limit of the set tolerance range is reached. If it is less than the value, the process shifts to the additional supply operation shown in FIG. If it is again equal to or greater than the upper limit of the allowable setting range, the unit waits for the next calculation start signal S0 and executes the combined calculation for the new two sets of weighing machines W6 to W15 (B, C). Then, if the upper limit of the setting allowable range is further exceeded, then the two sets of weighing machines W11 (C, A)
-W15, and performs a combinational operation on W1-W5.

If the combined total value exceeds the upper limit of the set allowable range even after the above operations, (C, A) is executed to change the weighing data of these weighing machines.
Weighing machines W11 to W15, W1 to W belonging to two groups of
5, the one with the smallest weighing data is detected by the light weight detection section 15, and the article is additionally supplied to the detection weighing machine. In that case, this lightweight detector 1
The operation command for 5 is the above-mentioned signal Su,
Combination operation end signal S for two sets of (C, A)
8 through the AND gate 17 to the lightweight detection unit 1
This is done by entering the information in step 5.

Then, for the weighing machine whose weighing data has been changed, the combination calculation is performed again from the pair (A, B) in the above procedure. In this way, (A, B), (B,
Even if you change the combination of C), (C, A) and repeat one combination three times, if the total value of the combination is only equal to or higher than the upper limit of the set tolerance range,
Since it is considered that it is no longer possible to find a suitable combination, the alarm 18 is activated to stop all operations. In this case, the drive signal for the alarm device 18 and the stop signal for the combination calculation unit 2 are output from the grouping control unit 16.

An embodiment in which combined weighing is performed has been described above, but the present invention can be similarly implemented in a case where combined counting is performed by dividing the measured value by the single weight of the article.

As explained above, this invention applies to combinations in which a certain number or less of weighing machines are selected from a plurality of weighing machines, a combination calculation is performed, and the combined total value is equal to or closest to the setting. At the same time, in the next weighing cycle, the weighing machines that did not discharge the article last time, that is, the weighing machines that did not participate in the previous combination operation, and the weighing machines that participated in the combination operation but did not discharge the article, will be used for the next weighing cycle. Since the combinatorial calculation is performed for the weighing machines that were not used, it is possible to perform the next weighing operation without waiting for the goods to be resupplied to the weighing machine from which the goods were previously discharged, and this allows the weighing cycle to be completed. This will result in faster metering speeds.

In particular, according to the present invention, when the combined total value exceeds the upper limit of the set tolerance range in the current weighing cycle, the article is re-supplied to the weighing machine from which the article was previously discharged, and the weighing data is output. After that, in the next weighing cycle, a new weighing machine is selected from among all the weighing machines to participate in the combination calculation, so the next weighing can be started immediately without disturbing the weighing cycle that has been sped up as described above. It becomes possible to find combinations that fall within the set tolerance range in a cycle. In addition, when the combined total value falls below the lower limit of the set tolerance range, the weighing machine with the smaller weighing data is detected from among the weighing machines that participated in the combined calculation, and the weighing machine for that weighing machine is added during the next weighing cycle. Since articles are additionally supplied to the machine, in this case as well, without disturbing the weighing cycle, the shortage of supplies that caused such a combination not to be found can be resolved by the next weighing cycle. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a weighing cycle schematically illustrating the method of this invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of a block diagram of an apparatus used to carry out the method of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing its operation. W1 to W15...Weighing machine, D1 to D15...Measuring data, 1...Measuring section, 2...Combination calculation section,
4... Selection control section, 5... Sequential circuit, 7... Selection section, 9... Weight setting section, 10... Comparison section, 11...
...Upper limit setting section, 12...Lower limit setting section, 15...Light weight detection section, 16... Grouping control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Combining the weighing data of a certain number of weighing machines or less, which is less than the total number of weighing machines selected from among multiple weighing machines, selects a combination whose total value is equal to or closest to the set value, and selects the combination. If the total value is within the set tolerance range that allows a predetermined error with respect to the set value, the article is discharged from the weighing machine corresponding to that combination, and the combined total value closest to the set value is set within the set tolerance range. When the upper limit is exceeded, discharging the article in that weighing cycle is prohibited, and after the re-supply of the article to the weighing machine that discharged the article in the previous weighing cycle is completed, in the next weighing cycle, Select again the weighing machines to participate in the combination calculation from all the weighing machines, perform the combination calculation on these weighing machines, and when the combined total value closest to the set value falls below the lower limit of the setting tolerance range. , while prohibiting the discharge of goods in that weighing cycle, detects at least one weighing machine with small weighing data among the weighing machines that participated in the combination calculation of that cycle, and supplies additional goods to that weighing machine. At the same time, after the re-supply of goods to the weighing machine that discharged the goods in the previous weighing cycle is completed, in the next weighing cycle, all weighing machines except the weighing machine to which the above-mentioned additional supply will be performed participate in the combination calculation. Select the weighing machine again,
A combination weighing or counting method, characterized in that a combination calculation is performed on these weighing machines, and after the above-mentioned additional supply is completed, one after another the weighing cycle is executed including the additionally supplied weighing machines.