JP5857638B2 - Article input equipment and method for detecting article protrusion from collection container in article input equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article input facility for automatically inputting an article into a collection container by an input device, and a method for detecting the protrusion of an article from the collection container in the article input facility.

A conventional article input facility is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
The article input facility described in Patent Document 1 conveys a collection container having an upper opening into which articles are loaded by a conveyance device, and is arranged along a conveyance path of the collection container by the conveyance device. Thus, the equipment automatically puts the articles into the conveyed collection container from above.

JP 2008-222328 A

  In the conventional article input facility, when an article is input into the collection container by the input device, an input error that the article falls out of the collection container may occur. If an input error occurs and the article falls out of the collection container, it is necessary to temporarily stop the conveying device in order to process the dropped article, and processing of the facility is delayed. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the occurrence of input errors as much as possible.

One of the main causes of such an input error is that an article is automatically put into the collection container by the input device, and there is a gap between the articles so that the article is stored in the collection container. In this case, the articles are filled up in the collection container earlier than planned, and the articles thrown in by the next charging device cannot enter the collection container. When the operator finds a collection container in which the article is full and the article may drop, the operator manually stops the conveyance device by pressing a button switch or the like. Then, the worker leveles the inside of the collection container filled with the articles, and performs the “unloading” in which the next input device forms a space in which the articles can be input into the collection container.
In order to perform such “unloading” more efficiently and reliably, it is conceivable to detect the protrusion of an article and automatically stop the conveying device.

  However, simply detecting the protrusion of an article from the collection container also detects a bag placed on the collection container or an article that is unlikely to fall out of the collection container, so there is no need to perform unloading. In some cases, the conveying device is stopped up to the collection container, and such a useless stop of the conveying device is not preferable because it causes a decrease in processing efficiency of the facility.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an article input facility that can accurately detect an article that may fall from the collection container and can prevent a reduction in the processing efficiency of the facility, and a method for detecting the protrusion of an article from the collection container in the article input facility. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the present invention, a conveying device that conveys a collection container into which an article is introduced from an upper opening along a conveying path, and a conveying path as described in claim 1. Detects presence / absence of a plurality of input devices that are arranged to input articles to the collection container and an object that is arranged on the downstream side of the input device in the transport path and is located above the upper end of the transported collection container a detection device which, on the basis of the detected length along the conveying direction of the object by the detection device calculates the detection distance, the detection distance is determined controller that it is necessary to repeatedly load exceeds the threshold set in advance When the control device determines that unloading is necessary, a display that displays information that identifies which loading device is to be loaded with goods to a collection container that requires unloading And . Therefore, according to the present invention, unloading is required when an object located above the upper end of the conveyed collection container and having a detection distance exceeding a preset threshold is detected by the detection device. It is determined. In addition, when it is determined that unloading is necessary, the display unit displays information for identifying which loading device is scheduled to load articles into the collection container that needs unloading. Therefore, the operator can check the articles in the input device that is scheduled to input the articles into the collection container that needs to be unloaded and estimate the size of the empty space required in the collection container. It is possible to perform.

Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 2, a transport device that transports a collection container into which articles are placed from the upper opening along the transport path, and a transport device that is disposed along the transport path, A loading device that loads the article, a detection device that is disposed downstream of the loading device in the transport path and detects the presence or absence of an object located above the upper end of the collection container to be transported, and an object by the detection device A detection distance is calculated based on the detection length along the conveyance direction, and the detection distance is a threshold value set in advance based on the conveyance direction length of wrinkles formed on the collection bag covered on the collection container. A control unit that determines that unloading is necessary, and the detection device is configured such that the optical axis of the light passes above the upper end of the collection container, and the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit Comprising a photoelectric sensor comprising It is characterized in that it is assumed that covered the bag for collecting articles having a light-transmitting property. With such a configuration, since the detection light of the photoelectric sensor basically passes through the collection bag, it is possible to prevent the collection bag from being erroneously detected as an article protruding from the collection container. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an encoder that emits a pulse signal in conjunction with a driving unit of the transport device, and the control device can calculate a detection distance based on the pulse signal of the encoder. Is preferred. With such a configuration, when the detection distance is calculated, the influence of the conveyance speed of the conveyance device can be eliminated, and the detection accuracy can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, as described in claim 4, a collection container covered with a collection bag having a light-transmitting property, into which an article is placed, is transported along a transport path. And the presence of an object located above the upper end of the collection container to be conveyed, which is disposed on the downstream side of the input device in the conveyance path, and Based on the detection length along the conveyance direction of the object by a detection device composed of a photoelectric sensor composed of a light projecting part and a light receiving part, configured so that the optical axis of light passes above the upper end of the collection container The detection distance is calculated, and when the detection distance exceeds a threshold set in advance based on the length of the wrinkle formed in the collection bag covered on the collection container, unloading is necessary. It is characterized by determining. In this case, when an object located above the upper end of the transported collection container and having a detection distance exceeding a preset threshold is detected by the detection device, it is determined that unloading is necessary. And unnecessary unloading can be prevented. Basically, since the detection light of the photoelectric sensor passes through the collection bag, erroneous detection of the collection bag as an article protruding from the collection container is prevented.

  According to the article input facility of the present invention and the method for detecting the protrusion of an article from the collection container in the article input facility with respect to the collection container, there is a risk that the article protrudes above the upper end of the conveyed collection container and falls from the collection container. Only a certain article is accurately detected, a wasteful stop of the conveying device is prevented, and a decrease in processing efficiency of the entire facility can be prevented.

It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the article | item throwing-in installation in embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part side view of the article input equipment. It is front sectional drawing explaining the protrusion detection method of the articles | goods in the article input equipment, (a) is the case where the articles are protruding from the upper end of the collection container, (b) is the articles from the upper end of the collection container When not protruding, (c) shows a case where the bag is wrinkled, and (d) shows a case where the bag is not wrinkled, but the bag is on the optical axis of the photoelectric sensor. It is a principal part side view explaining the protrusion detection method of the articles | goods of the article injection | throwing-in equipment, (a) is a case where an article with a thin thickness protrudes, (b) is a case where a bag is wrinkled, (c ) Indicates a case where a thick article protrudes in the transport direction. It is a control block diagram of the article input equipment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of an article input facility 11 for automatically inputting an article 13 into a collection container 12.
The article loading facility 11 transports a plurality of collection containers 12 along a transport path by a transport device 14 and automatically loads an article 13 into the collection container 12 by a loading device 15 arranged along the transport path. It is equipment to do.

In the article input facility 11, a plurality of work areas Z (also referred to as zones) in which an operator (not shown) is in charge of work are arranged.
In the work area Z, a plurality of articles storage means 23 for storing articles of each type, and articles 13 taken out from the article storage means 23 by an operator are automatically put into a collection container 12 transported by a transport device 14. 1 and 2, a gate-shaped frame 17 to which a detection device for detecting the protrusion of the article 13 with respect to the collection container 12 is attached, and a display 24 having a digital display unit and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 15 is installed above the conveying device 14, and the article 13 is dropped from above on the collecting container 12 conveyed in the horizontal direction by the conveying device 14. The article 13 is charged from the upper opening. The collection container 12 is usually covered with a collection-transparent bag 12a. However, whether or not the collection container 12 is covered with the bag 12a is arbitrary.

  An operator in the work area Z takes out the article 13 corresponding to the collection container 12 from the article storage means 23 and places it in one of the input devices 15. The input device 15 on which the article 13 is placed by the operator starts an input operation when the target collection container 12 approaches the input device 15 and automatically inputs the article 13 into the collection container 12.

The collection container 12 into which the article 13 has been input by the input device 15 is conveyed through the portal frame 17 and is detected from the collection container 12 by the detection device provided on the left and right inner sides of the portal frame 17. A check is made to see if the bulge protrudes.
The detection device detects the presence / absence of an object located above the upper end of the collection container 12 conveyed by the conveyance device 14. More specifically, for example, the detection device is preferably configured by a photoelectric sensor 18 including a light projecting unit 18a and a light receiving unit 18b opposed to the light projecting unit 18a. In this case, the optical axis 18c of the light traveling from the light projecting unit 18a toward the light receiving unit 18b passes through a position slightly above the distance h from the upper end of the collection container 12 as shown in FIGS. Has been. By detecting the position of the distance h slightly above the upper end of the collection container 12, the possibility that the photoelectric sensor 18 detects the article 13 that is not likely to fall is reduced. The distance h is preferably about 10 mm, for example, and this can reduce the possibility that the optical axis 18c of the photoelectric sensor 18 is applied to the folded portion of the bag 12a at the upper end of the collection container 12, The possibility of erroneous detection of the bag 12a as the article 13 is further reduced.
The bag 12a is translucent, and even if the cover 12a is not sufficiently covered and the bag 12a enters the optical axis 18c of the photoelectric sensor 18, the detection light of the photoelectric sensor 18 basically passes through the bag 12a. Therefore, the bag 12a is not erroneously detected as the article 13, but when the bag 12a is wrinkled, the wrinkled portion is not translucent, and the article 13 is not transmitted with light. There is a possibility of false detection. However, empirically, wrinkles are not formed over a very large range. Therefore, by setting a threshold value, such erroneous detection is prevented.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view for explaining the height at which an object is detected by the photoelectric sensor 18. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the article 13 protrudes from the upper end of the collection container 12, the light from the light projecting unit 18a is blocked by the article 13, does not reach the light receiving unit 18b, and the photoelectric sensor 18 outputs an object detection signal.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the article 13 is stored below the upper end of the collection container 12 and when the upward protrusion of the article is less than the distance h, the light is emitted from the light projecting unit 18a. The light reaches the light receiving unit 18b without being blocked, and the photoelectric sensor 18 outputs an object non-detection signal.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the wrinkles are folded and approached to the bag 12a in the vicinity of the upper end of the collection container 12, the light projecting unit is used even though the bag 12a has translucency. The light from 18a is blocked by the folded portion of the bag 12a, does not reach the light receiving portion 18b, and the photoelectric sensor 18 outputs an object detection signal.
As shown in FIG. 3 (d), the bag 12a is not folded in the vicinity of the upper end of the collection container 12, but when the light is applied to the optical axis 18c, the light from the light projecting unit 18a passes through the bag 12a. The light passes through and reaches the light receiving unit 18b, and the photoelectric sensor 18 outputs an object non-detection signal. Thus, the photoelectric sensor 18 is preferably configured so that the unfolded bag 12a transmits light. Thereby, it is prevented that the photoelectric sensor 18 erroneously detects the bag 12a as the article 13, and the useless stop of the transport device 14 can be prevented.

  The transport device 14 is provided with an encoder 19 that generates a pulse signal for calculating the transport distance (FIGS. 1 and 5). The encoder 19 generates a pulse signal in conjunction with the rotation of the drive unit of the transport device 14 and is used to accurately determine the transport distance by the transport device 14 without depending on the transport speed of the transport device 14. . Thereby, when the detection distance is calculated, the influence of the conveyance speed of the conveyance device can be eliminated, and the detection accuracy can be improved.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the article input facility 11 includes a stop device for stopping and decelerating the conveying device 14 for unloading by an operator based on input signals of the encoder 19 and the photoelectric sensor 18, and an input device using the display 24. Is provided with a control device 20 that displays information for specifying the information. The control device 20 includes a distance calculation unit 21 and a protrusion detection unit 22.

  The distance calculation unit 21 converts the pulse signal input from the encoder 19 into a conveyance distance and outputs it. The protrusion detection unit 22 has a detection distance threshold (threshold length d) set in advance (FIG. 4). The protrusion detection unit 22 calculates the detection distance as a difference in the conveyance distance while the object detection signal is continuously input from the photoelectric sensor 18 after the object detection signal is input from the photoelectric sensor 18. The detection distance is the length in the conveying direction of the article 13 that protrudes from the upper end of the collection container 12.

  When the calculated detection distance exceeds the threshold length d, the protrusion detection unit 22 determines that loading is necessary, outputs a stop signal to the transport device 14, and collects containers by the transport device 14. 12 is stopped. Alternatively, the protrusion detection unit 22 resets the calculated detection distance to zero when an object non-detection signal is input from the photoelectric sensor 18 before the calculated detection distance exceeds the threshold length d. Thereby, it is determined that unloading is necessary when an object located above the upper end of the conveyed collection container and an object with a detection distance exceeding a preset threshold is detected by the detection device, Unnecessary unloading can be prevented.

  In addition, when the protrusion detection unit 22 determines that the unloading is necessary, the display unit displays information for identifying which loading device is to be loaded with articles to the collection container that needs unloading. indicate. The worker can check the articles in the input device that is going to input articles to the collection container that needs to be unloaded and estimate the size of the empty space required in the collection container. It is possible to do. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when three input devices 15 are installed in one work area Z, each of the input devices 15 has No. 1, No. 1 2, no. It is assumed that 3 is assigned. When it is determined by the protrusion detection unit 22 that unloading is necessary, No. 2 is collected for the collection container 12 that needs unloading. No loading device 15 is scheduled to be loaded. 2 and No. In the case where an article is scheduled to be input from the input device 3, a number assigned to the input device is displayed on the digital display unit of the display 24 such as “3 2 −”. As a result, the operator can no. 2 and No. 3 can be confirmed, and No. 3 in the collection container. 2 and No. Thus, unloading can be carried out while estimating the size of the empty space required when a new article is introduced from the third input device 15.

  When the protrusion of the article 13 from the collection container 12 is detected and the conveying device 14 is stopped by the control device 20, the operator unloads the collection container 12 from which the protrusion of the article 13 is detected, and again Then, the conveying device 14 is manually restarted by pressing a button switch or the like.

FIG. 4 shows a specific example of the state of the collection container 12.
FIG. 4A shows a case where a thin bag-like or plate-like article 13 protrudes from the upper end of the collection container 12. In this case, since the length (thickness) in the conveyance direction of the plate-shaped article is less than the threshold length d, the conveyance device 14 is not stopped by the control device 20. Since such a thin plate-like article 13 is unlikely to drop from the collection container 12, this prevents a wasteful stop of the transport device 14.

  FIG. 4B shows a case where the bag 12a placed on the collection container 12 is folded in the transport direction and wrinkled. In this case, when the conveyance direction length of the wrinkle formed on the bag 12a is less than the threshold length d, the conveyance device 14 is not stopped by the control device 20, but is larger than the threshold length d. At that time, the conveying device 14 is stopped by the control device 20. From experience, even if the bag 12a covered on the collection container 12 is wrinkled, it is rare that the wrinkled part is formed long in the conveying direction of the collection container 12. For example, the threshold length If d is set to about 30 mm, it is possible to substantially avoid erroneous detection of the wrinkled portion formed in the bag 12a as the article 13.

FIG. 4C shows a case where an article 13 that is long (thick) in the conveying direction protrudes from the upper end of the collection container 12. In this case, the transport device 14 is stopped by the control device 20. This is because the article 13 that is long in the transport direction exceeds the threshold length d of the detection distance.
Thereby, the collection container 12 with the possibility that the articles | goods 13 may fall can be detected correctly.

If the photoelectric sensor 18 detects an overhang in a certain work area Z, the unloading device 15 can be transported to the next work area Z with the unloading performed in the work area Z. (FIG. 1). In some cases, one photoelectric sensor 18 may be provided for each of the plurality of work areas Z.
Further, a conveyor for sending the article 13 to the feeding device 15 may be provided between the article storage means 23 and the feeding device 15.
Further, a plurality of photoelectric sensors 18 may be used instead of the encoder 19. That is, the plurality of photoelectric sensors 18 are arranged so that the optical axes 18c are aligned in the transport direction with the distance between the most upstream photoelectric sensor 18 and the most downstream photoelectric sensor 18 being a threshold length d. Also good. In this case, when all the photoelectric sensors 18 output an object detection signal, the control device 20 determines that unloading is necessary and the transport device 14 is stopped. Also by this method, the protrusion of the article 13 can be detected without depending on the conveyance speed of the conveyance device 14.

  As described above, according to the article loading facility of the present embodiment, the conveying device 14 that conveys the collection container 12 into which the article 13 is thrown from the upper open portion along the conveying path, and the conveying apparatus 14 are arranged along the conveying path. The presence or absence of an input device 15 that inputs the article 13 into the collection container 12 and an object that is disposed on the downstream side of the input device 15 in the conveyance path and is located above the upper end of the collection container 12 to be conveyed. The detection distance is calculated based on the photoelectric sensor 18 to be detected and the detection length along the conveyance direction of the object by the photoelectric sensor 18, and it is determined that unloading is necessary when the detection distance exceeds a preset threshold value. As a result, only the articles 13 that may fall from the collection container 12 are accurately detected, the useless stop of the transfer device 14 is prevented, and the processing efficiency of the entire facility can be prevented from being lowered.

d Threshold length h Distance Z Work area 11 Article input equipment 12 Collection container 12a Bag 13 Article 14 Transport device 15 Input device 17 Frame 18 Photoelectric sensor 18a Light projecting portion 18b Light receiving portion 18c Optical axis 19 Encoder 20 Control device 21 Distance calculation Unit 22 protrusion detection unit 23 article storage means 24 display

Claims (4)

A transport device for transporting a collection container into which articles are placed from an upper opening along a transport path;
A plurality of input devices that are arranged along the transport path to input articles to the collection container;
A detection device that is arranged on the downstream side of the input device in the transport path and detects the presence or absence of an object located above the upper end of the transported collection container;
A control device that calculates a detection distance based on a detection length along the conveyance direction of the object by the detection device, and determines that unloading is necessary when the detection distance exceeds a preset threshold;
A display for displaying information identifying which loading device is to be loaded with goods to a collection container that requires loading when it is determined by the control device that loading is necessary; An article input facility characterized by comprising: A transport device for transporting a collection container into which articles are placed from an upper opening along a transport path;
An input device that is arranged along the transport path and inputs an article to the collection container;
A detection device that is arranged on the downstream side of the input device in the transport path and detects the presence or absence of an object located above the upper end of the transported collection container;
The detection distance is calculated based on the detection length along the conveyance direction of the object by the detection device, and the detection distance is based on the conveyance direction length of the wrinkle formed on the collection bag that covers the collection container. A control device that determines that unloading is necessary when a preset threshold value is exceeded,
The detection device is configured by a photoelectric sensor composed of a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit configured such that the optical axis of light passes above the upper end of the collection container,
The article collection facility, wherein the collection container is covered with a translucent collection bag. Provided with an encoder that emits a pulse signal in conjunction with the drive unit of the transport device,
The article input facility according to claim 1, wherein the control device is capable of calculating a detection distance based on a pulse signal of the encoder. A collection container covered with a collection bag having a light-transmitting property into which articles are charged from the upper opening is conveyed along a conveyance path,
The articles are placed into the collection container by a loading device arranged along the transport path,
It is arranged on the downstream side of the input device in the conveyance path, detects the presence or absence of an object located above the upper end of the collection container to be conveyed, and so that the optical axis of the light passes above the upper end of the collection container The detection device configured by the photoelectric sensor including the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit calculates the detection distance based on the detection length along the object conveyance direction, and the detection distance is put on the collection container. An article from a collection container in an article input facility, wherein it is determined that unloading is necessary when a predetermined threshold value is exceeded based on a conveyance direction length of wrinkles formed in the collection bag. Squeeze detection method.

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