KR102721350B1 - Device for unloading and loading logs - Google Patents

Abstract

A log unloading and loading device for automating log grafting work is disclosed. The log unloading and loading device according to one aspect of the present invention may include: a pair of rotating shafts arranged horizontally at the rear and front sides and having gear cogs on their outer peripheries; a closed-curve shaped transport chain having the pair of rotating shafts coupled to both ends so as to mesh with the gear cogs; a holder cup coupled to the transport chain at a predetermined interval, the front support thereof having an upward slope toward the front and the rear support thereof having an upward slope toward the rear and having a concave shape in the middle; and a motor configured to rotate at least one of the pair of rotating shafts and the transport chain, wherein the relative inclination of the upper portion of the transport chain with respect to the horizontal plane may be configured to be smaller than the relative inclinations of the front support and the rear support of the holder cup with respect to the transport chain so that a log member resting on the holder cup does not roll. Such a log unloading and loading device can prevent the log material from falling and rolling, thereby maintaining a high level of quality of the inoculated log material.

Description

DEVICE FOR UNLOADING AND LOADING LOGS

The present invention relates to log inoculation for mushroom cultivation, and more particularly, to a log unloading and loading device of an automatic log inoculation machine capable of automating log inoculation work.

Log inoculation is a technique for mushroom cultivation, in which a number of holes are drilled at regular intervals in a log (i.e., log) that has not been specially processed, and mushroom spawn is inserted into the holes to cause mushrooms to grow on the log. Although various mushroom cultivation techniques have been developed to date, the log inoculation method, which has been used for hundreds of years, is still widely used because the log inoculation method is very environmentally friendly and the logs used can provide a suitable culture environment for some mushroom mycelia that require relatively strict requirements.

Since the work of drilling holes in logs and inserting spores for log inoculation is repeated countless times, there is a great demand for automation, but the shape of logs makes it difficult to automate the inoculation work.

For example, when the spawn is inserted into an insertion hole formed along the circumference on the side of a log member, the log member that has been inoculated in this way must be handled carefully. During the transport process, the log member may fall from a considerable height or roll around, which may cause scratches and damage to the surface of the log member, and there is a risk that the spawn inserted into the insertion hole or the sealing material injected to fix the spawn may come off from the designated position. This phenomenon may make it difficult for the log member to provide an optimal environment for mycelial cultivation, which may reduce production.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and one aspect of the present invention is to provide a device capable of unloading logs from an automatic log inoculation machine capable of automating log inoculation work and loading them onto a separate cart, etc.

Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent through the embodiments described below.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a log unloading and loading device may include: a pair of rotating shafts arranged horizontally at the rear and front sides and having gear cogs on their outer peripheries; a closed-curve shaped transport chain having the pair of rotating shafts coupled to both ends so as to mesh with the gear cogs; a holder cup coupled to the transport chain at a predetermined interval, the front support thereof having an upward slope toward the front and the rear support thereof having an upward slope toward the rear and having a concave shape in the middle; and a motor configured to rotate at least one of the pair of rotating shafts and the transport chain, wherein the relative inclination of the upper portion of the transport chain with respect to a horizontal plane may be configured to be smaller than the relative inclinations of the front support and the rear support of the holder cup with respect to the transport chain so that a log member resting on the holder cup does not roll.

The log unloading and loading device according to the present invention may have one or more of the following embodiments. For example, the log unloading and loading device may further include a control plate having a through-slit formed therein; and a slide piece movably coupled to the control plate and coupled with the rotating shaft. The control plate may include a protruding support portion having a fastening hole formed therein, and the slide piece may include a fastening bolt configured to be inserted into the fastening hole.

The log unloading loading device may further include an unloader provided at a position adjacent to the front side of the transport chain, wherein the unloader may include: a support configured to allow the log member to be seated; and a lift configured to lower the support, and when the lift lowers the support, the log member seated on the support may be configured to be seated on the holder cup at the front side of the transport chain. The unloader may further include: an intermediate member coupled to an upper portion of the lift; and an elastic member interposed between the intermediate member and the support to elastically support the support with respect to the intermediate member, in which case the lift may lower the support by lowering the intermediate member.

The log unloading loading device may further include a stacker configured to move a log member settled on the holder cup at the rear side of the transport chain. The stacker may include a horizontal frame extending in a horizontal direction; a vertical frame extending vertically from the horizontal frame; at least one track roller rotatably connected to at least one of the horizontal frame and the vertical frame; a first driving unit configured to rotate the track roller to move the horizontal frame and the vertical frame in a forward-backward direction; a clamp base movably connected to the vertical frame in a vertical direction; a second driving unit configured to move the clamp base in a vertical direction; a clamp disc movably connected to the clamp base in a horizontal direction; and a pressing unit configured to move the clamp disc in a horizontal direction, wherein a range of movement of the vertical frame in the forward-backward direction by the track roller may include a position adjacent to the rear side of the transport chain.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a log unloading and loading device may include: a horizontal frame extending in a horizontal direction; a vertical frame extending vertically from the horizontal frame; at least one track roller rotatably connected to at least one of the horizontal frame and the vertical frame; a first driving unit configured to rotate the track roller to move the horizontal frame and the vertical frame in a forward-backward direction; a clamp base movably connected to the vertical frame in a vertical direction; a second driving unit configured to move the clamp base in a vertical direction; a clamp disk movably connected to the clamp base in a horizontal direction; and a pressure unit configured to move the clamp disk in a horizontal direction.

The log unloading and loading device according to the present invention may include one or more of the following embodiments. For example, the log unloading and loading device may further include a housing frame having a track rail with which the track rollers engage. The housing frame may also include a guide rail configured to align a portion of a bogie for loading the log member.

The logging loader may further include a sensor that detects whether a log is placed in a designated area of a cart for loading the log.

The logging defect loading device may further include a conveyor that transports the log material within a range of movement in the forward/reverse direction of the vertical frame by the track roller. The conveyor may include: a pair of rotating shafts arranged horizontally at the rear and front sides and having gear cogs on their outer peripheries; a transport chain having a closed curve shape in which the pair of rotating shafts are connected at both ends so as to mesh with the gear cogs; a holder cup connected to the transport chain at a predetermined interval, the front support thereof having an upward slope toward the front and the rear support thereof having an upward slope toward the rear and having a concave shape in the middle; and a motor configured to rotate at least one of the pair of rotating shafts and the transport chain.

The logging loader may further include an unloader for supplying the log material. The unloader may include a support configured to secure the log material; and a lift for lowering the support.

According to the problem solving means of the present invention as examined above, various effects including the following can be expected. However, the present invention is not established only when all of the following effects are exhibited.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a log unloading and loading device capable of automatically unloading processed logs and loading them onto a cart is provided. In particular, the log unloading and loading device can prevent the logs from falling and rolling, thereby maintaining the quality of the grafted logs at a high level.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view exemplarily showing an automatic log inoculation device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a part of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view exemplarily showing an unloader of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a portion of a conveyor of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a stacker of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a portion of a stacker of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a portion of a stacker of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a cart that can be used with a stacker of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention can be modified in various ways and has various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that it includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprises" or "has" and the like are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. When describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

For convenience of explanation, the following expressions are used in this specification: “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “front-and-rear direction”, “horizontal direction”, “vertical direction”, etc. In the following description, “front” is intended to refer to the side closer to the automatic log inoculator (1000), and “rear” is intended to refer to the side further away from the automatic log inoculator (1000). “Upper” or “top” is based on the direction in which the automatic log inoculator (1000) is depicted in the drawing. The “front-and-rear direction” is the direction of the straight line connecting the front and rear described above, the “horizontal direction” is the direction of the straight line connecting the left and right, and the “vertical direction” is intended to refer to the direction of the straight line connecting the upper and lower. Of course, when the log automatic inoculator (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention is actually used, the front, rear, upper, and lower directions mentioned in the specification may not match the actual front, rear, upper, and lower directions.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view exemplarily showing an automatic log inoculation machine (1000) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, in an automatic log inoculation machine (1000) according to an embodiment of the present invention, a conveyor (100) and a loader (200) supply a log member (10) under the control of a control unit (900), a clamp (300) fixes the log member (10) while rotating and moving the log member (10) so that a processing unit (400) can process and inoculate the side of the log member (10) for log inoculation. The log member (30) on which the inoculation is completed can then be loaded onto a cart (50) by a log unloading and loading device that may include an unloader (500), a conveyor (600), and a stacker (700).

The clamp (300) of the automatic log inoculator (1000) places a log member (10) between a pair of clamp disks and then presses and fixes both ends of the log member (10) by moving the clamp disks toward each other. The clamp (300) of the automatic log inoculator (1000) can rotate and move the fixed log member (10) under the processing unit (400) according to the control of the control unit (900), and the processing unit (400) can perform processing such as drilling an insertion hole in the log member (10), inserting a fungus, and injecting a sealing material thereon. When processing is completed along the circumferential direction in all designated areas of the log member (10), the clamp (300) moves the processed log member (30) to a designated position, and then the clamp disks of the clamp (300) are moved away from each other to release the fixation of the log member (30).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the log unloading and loading device for the log automatic inoculator may be configured to receive the separated log material (30) at this time, move it to another location, and then load it onto a separate cart (50). That is, the log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device that unloads the log material (30) from the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculator (1000) and loads it onto the cart (50). The log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention may be implemented as a part of the log automatic inoculator (1000) or may be implemented as an independent device from the log automatic inoculator (1000). Although the control unit (900) that controls various components of the log unloading and loading device is depicted in the drawing as being a part of the log automatic inoculator (1000), this is only one example, and the control unit (900) may be configured to control only the log unloading and loading device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a part of a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a part of a conveyor (600) is omitted to help understanding of the invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view exemplarily showing an unloader (500) of a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a part of a conveyor (600) of a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a stacker (700) of a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views exemplarily showing a part of a stacker (700) of a log unloading and loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a cart (50) that can be used with a stacker (700) of a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include one or more of an unloader (500), a conveyor (600), and a stacker (700), but a greater effect may be obtained when these are used together.

The unloader (500) lowers the log material (30) separated from the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculator (1000) to a required position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a preferred embodiment, the unloader (500) may be positioned below the movement path of the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculator (1000) and between a pair of conveyor modules (601, 602) constituting the conveyor (600). Referring to FIG. 4, the unloader (500) may largely include an unloader frame (510), a support (520), a lift (530), an intermediate member (540), and an elastic member (550).

The unloader frame (510) is a frame forming the main body of the unloader (500) and can support other components of the unloader (500). A through hole for passing a moving shaft (542) of a lift (530) and a through hole for passing a guide rod (524) coupled to the lower part of a support (520) may be formed on the upper part of the unloader frame (510). A guide sleeve (514) may be provided on the lower part of the through hole for passing the guide rod (524) so as to help maintain the guide rod (524) in an aligned state. Meanwhile, a coupling member (512) for coupling to the main body of the log automatic inoculator (1000) and/or the conveyor frame (610) of the conveyor (600) may be provided on the lower part of the unloader frame (510).

The support (520) corresponds to a portion where a log member (30) separated from a clamp (300) of a log automatic inoculator (1000) is seated. The front support (521) of the support (520) may have an upward slope toward the front, and the rear support (522) of the support (520) may have an upward slope toward the rear. The support (520) may thus have a concave shape in the middle, and may have a shape similar to or identical to the holder cup (640) of the conveyor (600) described below. This shape may prevent the log member (30) seated thereon from rolling.

One or more guide rods (524) may extend downward from the lower portion of the support (520). In a preferred embodiment, a pair of guide rods (524) may be provided on both sides of the support (520) to help the support (520) maintain a stable posture.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the support (520) is positioned between a pair of conveyor modules (601, 602) forming the conveyor (600), but may be formed at another location so that the log member (30) secured on the support (520) can be moved to the holder cup (640) of the conveyor (600) as the support (520) is lowered. For example, in some embodiments not shown, a pair of supports (520) may be provided on both left and right sides of the conveyor (600).

The lift (530) can serve to raise and lower the support (520). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the lift (530) raises and lowers the intermediate member (540) to raise and lower the support (520).

If the log member (30) is not yet secured to the support (520), the lift (530) can raise the support (520) and move it below the log member (30) that the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculation device (1000) is securing. The lift (530) can raise the support (520) until the support (520) contacts the log member (30) between the clamps (300) of the log automatic inoculation device (1000), or can raise the support (520) to a position where the distance from the log member (30) is small enough that damage is not caused even if the log member (30) is separated and falls, but does not contact the log member (30). In some embodiments, when a raw material (10) before processing is loaded into a raw material automatic inoculation machine (1000), the control unit (900) can estimate the approximate diameter of the raw material (10), and the lift (530) can determine the elevation height of the support (520) based on the estimated diameter of the raw material (30).

After the log member (30) separated from the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculator (1000) is placed on the support (520), the lift (530) can lower the support (520) so that the log member (30) can be placed on the holder cup (640) of the conveyor (600). If the log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention does not include the conveyor (600), the lift (530) can lower the support (520) to a height at which the log member (30) can be fixed to the clamp disk (870) of the stacker (700).

The intermediate member (540) may be coupled to the upper portion of the lift (530), for example, the moving shaft (542) of the lift (530) may be coupled to the lower portion of the intermediate member (540). The support (520) may be supported on the intermediate member (540). In some embodiments, the intermediate member (540) may be omitted and the support (520) may be directly coupled to the moving shaft (542) of the lift (530), but when the intermediate member (540) is included as in the present embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the elastic member (550) may be more easily arranged between the support (520) and the lift (530).

The elastic member (550) can be interposed between the support (520) and the intermediate member (540), and can elastically support the support (520) with respect to the intermediate member (540). In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, a guide rod (524) extending downward from the lower portion of the support (520) passes through a through hole and a guide sleeve (514) formed in the unloader frame (510), and an elastic member (550) in the form of a coil spring is arranged on the outer surface of the guide rod (524) in the section between the support (520) and the intermediate member (540). Due to this structure, even if a relatively heavy log member (30) is placed on the support (520), the support (520) does not strongly resist it, and the elastic member (550) acts as a kind of shock absorber and absorbs the impact due to the weight of the log member (30) through elastic deformation. This ultimately prevents the occurrence of scratches or damage on the surface of the log member (30) or the separation of the seed and/or sealant.

The conveyor (600) serves to move the log material (30) to the stacker (700). As illustrated in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, the conveyor (600) may be positioned below the movement path of the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculator (1000), and an unloader (500) may be arranged on the front side of the conveyor (600). Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the conveyor (600) may largely include a conveyor frame (610), a rotating shaft (620), a transfer chain (630), a holder cup (640), a control plate (650), a slide piece (660), and a motor (670). In addition, in the example illustrated in the drawing, the conveyor (600) includes a pair of conveyor modules (601, 602).

The conveyor frame (610) is a frame forming the main body of the conveyor (600) and can support other components of the conveyor (600). When the conveyor (600) is composed of a pair of conveyor modules (601, 602), the conveyor frame (610) can form the outer shape of each conveyor module (601, 602) and can also include a frame (612) that supports each conveyor module (601, 602) and the motor (670) from below.

The rotating shaft (620) may be arranged horizontally at the rear and front sides of each conveyor module (601, 602), and may have a gear cog provided on its outer surface. For example, a cog wheel (622) may be provided at a predetermined position of the rotating shaft (620), and a gear cog may be formed on the outer surface of the cog wheel (622). As illustrated in FIG. 3, two conveyor modules (601, 602) at the rear side of the conveyor (600) may share one rotating shaft (620). A driven wheel (624) connected to a driving wheel of a motor (670) by a power transmission chain (676) may be formed on the shared rotating shaft (620). Since the two conveyor modules (601, 602) share one rotating shaft (620), their respective transport chains (630) may move at the same speed. Meanwhile, both ends of the rear rotary shaft (620) of each conveyor module (601, 602) can be connected to a slide piece (660).

The transport chain (630) may correspond to a portion that transports the holder cup (640) and the log member (30) that is placed thereon. The transport chain (630) may be configured in a closed curve shape, and front and rear rotary shafts (620) may be coupled to both ends of the transport chain (630). When the conveyor (600) includes two conveyor modules (601, 602), each conveyor module (601, 602) may include one or more transport chains (630), and the transport chain (630) of each conveyor module (601, 602) may move a plurality of holder cups (640). In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, each of two conveyor modules (601, 602) includes two transfer chains (630), and each holder cup (640) is supported by two transfer chains (630). The transfer chains (630) can be mounted so that the positions of the holder cups (640) are parallel in the two conveyor modules (601, 602).

The transport chain (630) is configured to mesh with the gear cog of the rotary shaft (620), so that when the rotary shaft (620) rotates, the transport chain (630) can rotate in response thereto. That is, when the rotary shaft (620) rotates, its rotational power is transmitted to the transport chain (630) by the gear cog of the cog wheel (622), so that the upper part (631) of the transport chain (630) can move toward the rear, and the lower part (632) can move toward the front.

The holder cup (640) corresponds to a portion that actually comes into contact with the log member (30). The holder cup (640) can be coupled to the conveying chain (630) at a predetermined interval, and as described above, the positions of the holder cups (640) in the two conveyor modules (601, 602) can be configured so that they are parallel. The front support (641) of the holder cup (640) can have an upward slope toward the front, and the rear support (642) can have an upward slope toward the rear, so that the holder cup (640) can have a concave shape in the middle.

A log member (30) is placed and transported on a holder cup (640) that moves along the upper part (631) of the transport chain (630) in each conveyor module (601, 602). Depending on the configuration of the log unloading and loading device, the upper part (631) of the transport chain (630) may have a downward slope or an upward slope as it faces the rear, or may be horizontal. In the example illustrated in the drawing, the upper part (631) of the transport chain (630) has a downward slope as it faces the rear. Here, the holder cup (640) may be configured so that the relative inclination of the upper portion (631) of the transport chain (630) with respect to the horizontal plane is smaller than the relative inclinations of the front support (641) and the rear support (642) of the holder cup (640) with respect to the transport chain (630), so that the wooden member (30) placed on the holder cup (640) does not roll.

The control plate (650) is provided on the front, rear, or both sides of the rotary shaft (620) to control the position of the rotary shaft (620) and to control the tension of the transport chain (630). The control plate (650) can be fixed to the conveyor frame (610). In the example shown in the drawing, a through slit (655) extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the control plate (650), and the through slit (655) of the control plate (650) is aligned with the through slit (615) formed on the conveyor frame (610). The control plate (650) includes a slide rail (652), which allows the slide piece (660) to move relatively to the control plate (650). A protruding support portion (654) protruding in the horizontal direction can be formed on the control plate (650), and a fastening hole (665) can be formed on the protruding support portion (654).

The slide piece (660) is a portion where an end of the rotary shaft (620) is connected and is connected to the control plate (650) so as to be movable in the forward and backward directions. As illustrated in the drawing, the rotary shaft (620) can be connected to the slide piece (660) by passing through a through slit (615) formed in the conveyor frame (610) and a through slit (655) formed in the control plate (650). Of course, in some embodiments, such as when the control plate (650) is arranged on the outside of the slide piece (660) or when both the control plate (650) and the slide piece (660) are arranged on the inside of the conveyor frame (610), at least one of the through slit (615) of the conveyor frame (610) and the through slit (655) of the control plate (650) may be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 5, in a conveyor (600) according to one embodiment of the present invention, a rotary shaft (620) is rotatably coupled to a shaft portion (662) to which a cogwheel (622) is fixed, and thus the shaft portion (662) is configured not to rotate. The shaft portion (662) configured not to rotate is coupled and fixed to a slide piece (660). Of course, the cogwheel (622) may be fixed to the shaft portion (662) and the shaft portion (662) may be rotatably coupled to the slide piece (660).

The slide piece (660) may include a fastening bolt (664). The fastening bolt (664) may extend in the forward and backward directions and may be formed to have a sufficient length to be inserted into the fastening hole (665) of the protruding support member (654). The fastening bolt (664) may be fixed to the protruding support member (654) in one or two directions by one or more nuts. This structure of the adjustment plate (650) and the slide piece (660) allows for fine adjustment of the position of the shaft (620), thereby allowing for adjustment of the tension of the transport chain (630) as needed.

In some embodiments, an elastic member (not shown) may be provided on the outer surface of the fastening bolt (664) on the side facing the slide piece (660) with respect to the protruding support member (654). For example, in FIG. 5, a nut is fastened to the outer surface of the fastening bolt (664) on the opposite side of the slide piece (660) with respect to the protruding support member (654) to limit the range in which the slide piece (660) and the rotary shaft (620) coupled thereto move forward. An elastic member (not shown) on the side closer to the slide piece (660) with respect to the protruding support member (654) may press the slide piece (660) toward the front end of the conveyor module (601, 602). Such an elastic member (not shown) may serve to absorb shock when an impact is applied, such as when the wooden member (30) is seated on the holder cup (640), while allowing the transport chain (630) to maintain the necessary tension.

The motor (670) may be configured to rotate at least one of the rotary shaft (620) and the transport chain (630). As illustrated in the drawing, when a plurality of conveyor modules (601, 602) share one rotary shaft (620), the motor (670) may rotate the driving wheel, which may be connected to the driven wheel (624) of the rotary shaft (620) by a power transmission chain (676), etc. As the motor (670) rotates, the driving wheel may rotate the driven wheel (624) in a required direction, and as the rotary shaft (620) shared by both conveyor modules (601, 602) rotates, the transport chains (630) of both conveyor modules (601, 602) may rotate at the same speed.

When the log member (30) is supplied on the holder cup (640), the holder cup (640) and the log member (30) can be moved backward by the transport chain (630). As described above, the relative inclination of the upper part (631) of the transport chain (630) with respect to the horizontal plane is smaller than the relative inclination of the front support (641) and the rear support (642) of the holder cup (640) with respect to the transport chain (630), so that the log member (30) placed on the holder cup (640) does not roll down. The control plate (650) and the slide piece (660) can limit the degree to which the transport chain (630) sags downward due to the weight of the log member (30).

The stacker (700) serves to load the log material (30) onto the cart (50). As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a preferred embodiment, the rear side of the conveyor (600) may be included within the space occupied by the stacker (700). Specifically, the movable range of the vertical frame (740) of the stacker (700) may include a position adjacent to the rear side of the transport chain (630) of the conveyor (600). In the example illustrated in the drawing, a groove is formed in the outer cover of the first driving unit (760) so that the first driving unit (760) does not interfere with the operation of the power transmission chain (676) of the conveyor (600).

In a case where the log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention does not include a conveyor (600), the movable range of the vertical frame (740) of the stacker (700) may include a position where the unloader (500) is installed. Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, the stacker (700) may include a housing frame (710), horizontal frames (730, 732), a vertical frame (740), a track roller (750), a first driving unit (760), a clamp base (770), a second driving unit (780), a clamp disc (870), and a pressurizing unit (880). For convenience of explanation, the moving part of the stacker (700) will be referred to as a moving unit (702).

The housing frame (710) corresponds to a frame that fixes and supports a non-moving portion of the stacker (700). The housing frame (710) may include various vertical portions (712) and horizontal portions (714) to surround the moving portion (702) and define its range of movement. The housing frame (710) may also include a guide rail (716) and a track rail (720). In some embodiments, the stacker (700) may be implemented without the housing frame (710).

The guide rail (716) may be configured to align a portion of the bogie (50). The guide rail (716) may have a shape corresponding to a portion of the bogie (50), for example, at a height corresponding to that portion. An operator or an automated device may align the bogie (50) to a required position by placing the bogie (50) in contact with the guide rail (716).

The track rail (720) corresponds to a part where the track roller (750) of the stacker (700) engages and moves. The track rail (720) can be extended by a predetermined length in the forward and backward directions, and can define a range in which a moving part of the stacker (700) can move by the track roller (750). In some embodiments, the track roller (750) of the stacker (700) can be formed so that it rolls on the ground rather than moving along the track rail (720). In this case, the track rail (720) may be omitted. However, by providing the track rail (720), each part of the moving part (702) and the bogie (50) can be aligned with higher accuracy, and wear of the track roller (750) can be prevented, thereby increasing durability.

The horizontal frame (730, 732) corresponds to a portion extending in the horizontal direction as a part of the moving part (702). In the example illustrated in the drawing, the moving part (702) is depicted as including a horizontal frame (730) provided on the lower side and a horizontal frame (732) provided on the upper side, but an embodiment in which the moving part (702) includes a horizontal frame (730, 732) on only one of the upper and lower sides is also possible. Of course, it goes without saying that providing the horizontal frame (730) on the lower side and providing the horizontal frames (730, 732) on the upper and lower sides will increase the structural stability of the moving part (702).

The vertical frame (740) may extend vertically from the horizontal frames (730, 732). The vertical frame (740) may serve to support the vertical movement of the clamp base (770). The vertical frame (740) may include, for example, a guide shaft (742) extending along the vertical direction, and the clamp base (770) may be movably coupled to the guide shaft (742). In a preferred embodiment, the vertical frame (740) may be provided on both left and right sides.

The track roller (750) can be rotatably coupled to at least one of the horizontal frame (730) and the vertical frame (740) or to another location of the moving part (702). The track roller (750) allows the moving part (702) to move in the forward and backward direction. In the example shown in the drawing, some of the track rollers (750) are connected to an end of a rotary shaft (850), and when the motor (830) of the first driving part (760) rotates under the control of the control part (900), the rotational power is transmitted to the rotary shaft (850), causing the track roller (750) to rotate.

The first driving unit (760) rotates the track roller (750) under the control of the control unit (900). In FIG. 8, the outer cover of the first driving unit (760) is omitted. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, the motor (830) of the first driving unit (760) rotates the driving wheel (832) under the control of the control unit (900), and the rotational power of the motor (830) is transmitted to the transmission shaft (840) by a belt or chain (not shown) connecting the driving wheel (832) and the driven wheel (842). The cog wheels (844) of the plurality of transmission shafts (840) are connected to each other by a belt or chain (not shown), etc., so that the plurality of transmission shafts (840) rotate in the same direction. The rotational power of the transmission shaft (840) is transmitted to the rotary shaft (850) by the belt (856) connecting the driving wheel (846) and the driven wheel (856), and the track rollers (750) connected to the ends of each rotary shaft (850) can all rotate in the same direction. Of course, various structures can be used for the first driving unit (760) to rotate the track rollers (750).

The clamp base (770) corresponds to a part that supports a clamp disk (870) that holds a wooden member (30). The clamp base (770) is coupled to a vertical frame (740) and can be coupled so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

The second driving unit (780) functions to move the clamp base (770) in the vertical direction under the control of the control unit (900). In FIG. 7, the outer cover (734) around the second driving unit (780) is omitted. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the second driving unit (780) is implemented in the form of a motor, and a primary transmission shaft (790) and a secondary transmission shaft (800) are provided on the left and right sides thereof, respectively. The driving wheel (782) of the second driving unit (780) is directly engaged with the primary transmission shaft (790) on one side, and is engaged with the primary transmission shaft (790) on the other side via a different cog wheel (784), so that the primary transmission shafts (790) on both sides rotate in different directions.

The rotational power of the primary transmission shaft (790) is transmitted to the secondary transmission shaft (800) by a belt or chain (not shown) connecting the driving wheel (796) and the driven wheel (806), and the rotational power of the secondary transmission shaft (800) causes the clamp base (770) to move upward or downward by a chain (not shown) connected to the clamp base (770) and meshed with the gear cog of the driving wheel (808). Although the chain (not shown) transmitting the rotational power of the secondary transmission shaft (800) to the clamp base (770) is omitted in FIG. 7, it can be understood that the upper part of the chain is spanned over the roller (818) and the lower part of the chain is spanned over the roller (828) and extends downward through the through hole (825) to be connected to the clamp base (770). Of course, various structures can be used for the second driving unit (780) to move the clamp base (770) in the vertical direction.

The clamp disc (870) serves to lift the raw material (30) provided to the stacker (700) by applying pressure from both ends. To this end, the clamp disc (870) can be movably coupled to the clamp base (770) in the horizontal direction. A plurality of spikes can be provided on the surface facing inward of each clamp disc (870), and a mechanism connected to the clamp base (770) can be provided on the outer surface corresponding to the opposite side.

The pressurizing portion (880) corresponds to a portion that moves the clamp disc (870) in the horizontal direction. The pressurizing portion (880) may be implemented in the form of, for example, a pneumatic actuator, but may utilize one of various electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, and mechanical structures.

Referring to FIG. 8, the clamp base (770) may include an inner member (772) and an outer member (774) that include overlapping portions, and these may be coupled to be relatively movable with respect to each other in the horizontal direction. For example, a slide rail may be provided on an outer surface of a side surface of the inner member (772), a coupling member (773) that is movably coupled to the slide rail may be provided on an inner surface of a side surface of the outer member (774), and a clamp disc (870) may be coupled to the outer member (774). When the pressurizing member (880) operates, the moving shaft of the pressurizing member (880) may move the outer member (774), thereby moving the clamp disc (870) coupled thereto.

In this way, the moving part (702) of the stacker (700) can move the clamp disc (870) at a position corresponding to the supplied log member (30) to pressurize both ends of the log member (30) to fix the log member (30) between the clamp discs (870), and then move the log member (30) to a designated position of the cart (50) or other position. In a state where the log member (30) is gripped, the first driving part (760) can rotate the track roller (750) to move the log member (30) forward and backward as much as necessary, and the second driving part (780) can move the clamp base (770) to move the log member (30) in the vertical direction as much as necessary. The control unit (900) can move the wooden member (30) to a set position and then control the pressurizing unit (880) to cause the clamp bases (770) to separate from each other, so that the wooden member (30) can be separated from the clamp base (770) and settled at the corresponding position.

Meanwhile, FIG. 9 depicts a cart (50) that can be used with a stacker (700). The cart (50) can include shelves (51, 52) formed of one or more layers, and each shelf (51, 52) can support one or more log members (30). As illustrated, a groove formed concavely downward can be formed at a designated position on each shelf (51, 52) where the log member (30) is to be seated. As a result, when the log member (30) is seated at the corresponding position, the log member (30) can be prevented from rolling even when the cart (50) moves.

A support frame (54) may be provided at the bottom of the bogie (50), and a catch (56) may be provided on the support frame (56). In the example shown in the drawing, the guide rail (716) of the housing frame (710) is formed in a shape corresponding to the support frame (54) of the bogie (50). When the bogie (50) is placed at a designated position of the housing frame (710) so that the left and rear sides of the support frame (54) come into contact with the guide rail (716), the catch (56) of the bogie (50) may be hung over a part of the housing frame (710) so that the bogie (50) may be temporarily fixed at that position.

The log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a sensor, and when the cart (50) is placed at a designated position of the housing frame (710), the sensor of the log unloading and loading device may detect whether a log member (30) is already placed in a designated area of the cart (50). The control unit (900) of the log unloading and loading device may place the log member (30) being gripped by the clamp disc (870) of the stacker (700) in an empty space of the cart (50) based on the detection result of the sensor.

Hereinafter, the operation of the log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

When the processing of the log member (30) is completed in the log automatic inoculation machine (1000) and the clamp (300) of the log automatic inoculation machine (1000) moves the log member (30) to a position above the unloader (500), the control unit (900) can control the lift (530) of the unloader (500) to cause the support (520) to rise to a predetermined position below the log member (30). In some embodiments, the lift (530) can cause the support (520) to rise until it comes into contact with the log member (30), and the unloader (500) can be equipped with a separate sensor (not shown) that can detect whether the support (520) is supporting the log member (30).

Meanwhile, the control unit (900) can also control the motor (670) of the conveyor (600) to cause the holder cup (640) of the conveyor module (601, 602) to be placed at a position below the log member (30). The time at which the holder cup (640) is placed at a designated position may be the same as the time at which the support (520) is placed at a designated height, but there may also be a slight time difference.

When the support (520) and the holder cup (640) reach the designated position, the clamp (300) can release the grip of the log member (30), and the log member (30) can be supported on the upper part of the support (520). The elastic member (550) of the unloader (500) can absorb shock that may occur when the log member (30) is moved to the support (520).

The control unit (900) can control the lift (530) of the unloader (500) to lower the support (520). As the support (520) supporting the log member (30) is lowered, the log member (30) is settled on the holder cup (640) of the conveyor (600).

Next, the control unit (900) can control the motor (670) of the conveyor (600) to transport the holder cup (640) supporting the log member (30) toward the stacker (700). As described above, the front support (641) and the rear support (642) of the holder cup (640) have angles that prevent the log member (30) from rolling, so the log member (30) can be transported without being separated from the holder cup (640).

When the holder cup (640) supporting the log member (30) reaches the movable range of the moving part (702) of the stacker (700), the control unit (900) can control the stacker (700) to cause the clamp disc (870) to move to both sides of the log member (30) of the holder cup (640). As described above, when the control unit (900) estimates the diameter of the log member (10) during the process of loading or transporting the log member (10) before processing into the log automatic inoculator (1000), the control unit (900) can determine the appropriate height of the clamp disc (870) based on the estimated diameter.

Under the control of the control unit (900), the pressurizing unit (880) can move the clamp disks (870) on both sides of the log member (30) toward each other, so that the log member (30) can be fixed between the clamp disks (870). The control unit (900) can designate a position where the log member (30) is to be loaded according to a set rule or a detection value of a sensor regarding the position of an empty space in the cart (50), and control the first driving unit (760) and the second driving unit (780) to move the clamp disks (870) and the log member (30) fixed therebetween to a designated position on the cart (50). If there are multiple locations where the log material (30) can be loaded on each shelf (51, 52) of the cart (50), it is natural that the control unit (900) will determine the loading location of the log material (30) to be a location that does not interfere with loading it to another location.

When the log member (30) fixed between the clamp discs (870) reaches a designated position, the control unit (900) can control the pressurizing unit (880) to move the clamp discs (870) away from each other, so that the grip on the log member (30) between the clamp discs (870) can be released. The log member (30) can be loaded onto the cart (50) in this way, and when the log member (30) is loaded onto all the positions of the cart (50), a worker or an automated device can move the cart (50) to another location and place a new, empty cart (50) at the corresponding position.

According to some embodiments of the present invention presented above, the processed log material (30) can be automatically unloaded and loaded onto a cart (50). In particular, the log unloading and loading device according to one embodiment of the present invention can prevent the log material (30) from falling or rolling during the transport process of the log material (30), thereby maintaining the quality of the grafted log material (30) at a high level.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.

1000: Automatic log inoculation machine
10: Raw wood material before processing 30: Raw wood material after processing
100: Conveyor 200: Loader
300: Clamp 400: Machining section
500: Unloader 600: Conveyor
700: Stacker

Claims (12)

A pair of rotating shafts arranged transversely at the rear and front sides and having gear cogs on their outer surfaces;
A closed-curve shaped transmission chain having a pair of rotating shafts connected at both ends to mesh with the gear cog;
A holder cup having a concave shape in the middle, the front support being connected to the above-mentioned transport chain at a predetermined interval, the rear support being inclined upward toward the front, and the rear support being inclined upward toward the rear; and
A motor configured to rotate at least one of the pair of rotary shafts and the transport chain,
Further comprising an unloader provided at a position adjacent to the front side of the above transport chain,
The above unloader,
Supports configured to allow the timber member to be secured; and
Including a lift for lowering the above support,
A log unloading and loading device characterized in that when the lift lowers the support, the log member mounted on the support is mounted on the holder cup at the front side of the transport chain.
In paragraph 1,
Control panel; and
A log unloading and loading device further comprising a slide piece movably connected to the above control plate and having the above rotation shaft connected thereto.
In the second paragraph,
The above control plate includes a protruding support part having a fastening hole formed therein,
A log unloading and loading device characterized in that the above slide piece includes a fastening bolt configured to be inserted into the above fastening hole.
In paragraph 1,
A log unloading and loading device characterized in that the relative inclination of the upper part of the transport chain with respect to the horizontal plane is smaller than the relative inclination of the front and rear supports of the holder cup with respect to the transport chain, so that the log member placed on the holder cup does not roll.
In paragraph 1,
The above unloader,
An intermediate member coupled to the upper portion of the above lift; and
It further includes an elastic member interposed between the intermediate member and the support to elastically support the support with respect to the intermediate member.
A log unloading and loading device characterized in that the lift lowers the support by lowering the intermediate member.
In paragraph 1,
Further comprising a stacker configured to move a log member placed on the holder cup at the rear side of the above transport chain,
The above stacker,
A horizontal frame extending horizontally;
A vertical frame extending vertically from the above horizontal frame;
At least one track roller rotatably coupled to at least one of the horizontal frame and the vertical frame;
A first driving unit configured to rotate the track roller to move the horizontal frame and the vertical frame in the forward and backward direction;
A clamp base movably connected to the vertical frame in the vertical direction;
A second driving unit configured to move the clamp base in a vertical direction;
A clamp disc movably coupled to the clamp base in the horizontal direction; and
Including a pressurizing part configured to move the above clamp disc in the horizontal direction,
A log unloading and loading device, characterized in that the range of movement in the forward and backward direction of the vertical frame by the track roller includes a position adjacent to the rear side of the transport chain.
A horizontal frame extending horizontally;
A vertical frame extending vertically from the above horizontal frame;
At least one track roller rotatably coupled to at least one of the horizontal frame and the vertical frame;
A first driving unit configured to rotate the track roller to move the horizontal frame and the vertical frame in the forward and backward direction;
A clamp base movably connected to the vertical frame in the vertical direction;
A second driving unit configured to move the clamp base in a vertical direction;
A clamp disc movably coupled to the clamp base in the horizontal direction; and
Including a pressurizing part configured to move the above clamp disc in the horizontal direction,
Further comprising a conveyor for transporting a log material within the range of movement in the forward and backward direction of the vertical frame by the track roller,
The above conveyor,
A pair of rotating shafts arranged transversely at the rear and front sides and having gear cogs on their outer surfaces;
A closed-curve shaped transmission chain having a pair of rotating shafts connected at both ends to mesh with the gear cog;
A holder cup having a concave shape in the middle, the front support being connected to the above-mentioned transport chain at a predetermined interval, the rear support being inclined upward toward the front, and the rear support being inclined upward toward the rear; and
A log unloading and loading device characterized by including a motor configured to rotate at least one of the pair of rotating shafts and the transport chain.
In paragraph 7,
A log unloading and loading device further comprising a housing frame having a track rail with which the above track rollers engage.
In Article 8,
A log unloading and loading device characterized in that the housing frame includes a guide rail configured to align a portion of a cart for loading the log material.
In paragraph 7,
A log unloading and loading device further comprising a sensor for detecting whether a log is placed in a designated area of a cart for loading the log.
delete A horizontal frame extending horizontally;
A vertical frame extending vertically from the above horizontal frame;
At least one track roller rotatably coupled to at least one of the horizontal frame and the vertical frame;
A first driving unit configured to rotate the track roller to move the horizontal frame and the vertical frame in the forward and backward direction;
A clamp base movably connected to the vertical frame in the vertical direction;
A second driving unit configured to move the clamp base in a vertical direction;
A clamp disc movably coupled to the clamp base in the horizontal direction; and
Including a pressurizing part configured to move the above clamp disc in the horizontal direction,
Including an unloader that supplies the raw materials,
The above unloader,
A support configured to allow the above wooden member to be secured; and
A log unloading and loading device characterized by including a lift for lowering the above support.