JP4503313B2 - Weight sorter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a weight sorter, and more particularly to an apparatus that discharges a selected number of articles when a predetermined number or a predetermined amount is accumulated.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a weight sorter that discharges an article selected as described above when a predetermined number or a predetermined amount is accumulated, such as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example There is.

  In this weight sorter, a weighing conveyor is interposed at one location of the circulation conveyor, and a plurality of reject conveyors are interposed at other locations of the circulation conveyor corresponding to different weight ranks. Articles can be supplied from the respective reject conveyors to the buckets of the corresponding bucket conveyors. Each time an article is supplied to the weighing conveyor, the article is weighed by the weighing conveyor. This measured value is supplied to the control unit, and it is selected which one of the weight ranks corresponds. When the articles transferred from the weighing conveyor to the circulation conveyor reach the reject conveyor corresponding to the selected weight rank, the reject conveyor is driven by the control unit and sent onto the corresponding bucket conveyor. The control unit includes a counter corresponding to each reject conveyor, and each counter accumulates the number or weight each time the corresponding reject conveyor feeds the article to the corresponding bucket conveyor. When the corresponding counter value indicates that the number or total weight of articles supplied to the bucket of a certain bucket conveyor has reached a predetermined value, the bucket conveyor is operated and the predetermined number or weight The bucket containing the articles is transferred, and the empty bucket is transferred to the corresponding reject conveyor. At the same time, the control unit resets the counter used to determine whether or not a predetermined number or a predetermined weight of articles has been accumulated. While the bucket conveyor is being transferred, even if another article is selected if the weight rank corresponding to the bucket conveyor being transferred is met, the other article is not transferred onto the bucket conveyor. Circulate on the circulation conveyor. This control is also performed by the control unit.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-21774

  In the above weight sorter, control of the bucket conveyor and control of the weight sorter are performed by a common control unit. However, for example, when a device provided at a subsequent stage of a weight sorter such as a bucket conveyor is manufactured by a manufacturer different from the weight sorter, the bucket conveyor has its own control unit. Therefore, when a predetermined number or weight of articles are distributed to the packaging machine or the like, it is necessary to instruct the bucket conveyor from the weight sorter that the articles have been distributed. However, there are various types of control units for the bucket conveyor, and there is a possibility that an instruction from the weight sorter can be received and that an instruction cannot be received.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a weight sorter capable of instructing that a predetermined number or weight of articles has been distributed to the processing equipment according to the equipment receiving and processing the goods from the weight sorter. To do.

The weight sorter according to the present invention includes weighing means for weighing each article and generating a weight signal representing the weight of the article each time the article is supplied. The sorting means sorts the article based on the value of the weight signal. The sorting means includes, for example, a sorter that sorts the article in two stages, that is, whether the article is more than the reference weight or less than the reference weight, and a multistage sorter that classifies one of three or more weight ranks. . According to the sorting result by the sorting means, the sorting means sorts the articles. In the case of two-stage sorting, only one distribution means is provided, but in the case of multi-stage sorting, a plurality of sorting means are provided. When the sorted articles become a predetermined one of a predetermined constant and a predetermined amount, a completion signal generating means generates a completion signal that prompts the processing of these articles. Completion signal generating means is also provided for each rung in the case of multistage sorting. The processing means processes the articles sorted by the sorting means. The processing means responds to the completion signal, automatically processes the articles sorted by the sorting means and outputs a response signal, and responds to the completion signal and sorted by the sorting means. It is selected between those that automatically process the article so as not to output the response signal, and those that do not output the response signal by operating a notification means that prompts manual processing in response to the completion signal. It is a thing. The completion signal changes from the first level to the second level at the start of generation, maintains the second level for a predetermined time, and then changes to the first level; One of the status signals that changes from the first level to the second level at the start of generation and maintains the second level until the response signal is supplied is selected. The setting means starts the generation of the completion signal when the selected article reaches a constant with respect to the completion signal generation means, or the completion signal when the selected article reaches a fixed quantity. And whether the completion signal is generated as the pulse signal or the status signal is set.

There are various processing means for processing the articles sorted by the weight sorter. In addition to the bucket conveyor as described in the prior art, there may be a packaging machine. In some cases, a bag is placed, and when a predetermined number or weight of articles are sorted into the bag, the lamp is turned on, the bag is manually removed, and another bag is attached to the sorting location. Further, these processing means have various functions such as those having a function of responding to a completion signal upon receipt of the completion signal and those having no function. Therefore, when there is a response signal from the processing means by the setting means, the completion signal generating means is set to generate a completion signal as a status signal, and when there is no response from the processing means , a completion signal is set as a pulse signal. Completion signal generating means is set so as to be generated so that any processing means can be supported. In addition, in the weight sorter, there are a case where a completion signal is generated when a predetermined number of articles are distributed, and a case where a completion signal is generated when an article is distributed by a predetermined weight. In this case, the completion signal generating means is set by the setting means so that the completion signal can be generated.

  The setting means can set the constant or fixed value in the completion signal generating means. The predetermined number (constant) and the predetermined weight (quantitative) need to be changed depending on the situation. Therefore, the number and weight can be arbitrarily set by the setting means.

  As described above, the sorting unit sorts the article as to which of the plurality of ranks corresponds. The distribution means is provided corresponding to each rank. The completion signal generating means is provided corresponding to each rank. The processing means can perform any one of a plurality of different processes, and the setting means sets which processing is performed on the processing means.

  Some weight sorters have processing means capable of a plurality of different processes. For example, there are those that circulate articles without being sorted by the sorting means, and those that sort to the overflow part. It sets so that an appropriate thing may be used among these some processes.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately set the end time of the completion signal in accordance with the device that receives and processes the article from the weight sorter.

  The weight sorter according to the first embodiment of the present invention has an infeed conveyor 2 as shown in FIG. This infeed conveyor 2 conveys articles in a predetermined direction. A weighing conveyor 4 is provided adjacent to the end portion on the conveyance direction side. As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyor 4 is controlled by the conveyor control circuit 10 in accordance with instructions from the CPU 8 provided in the control unit 6. The weighing conveyor 4 is provided with weighing means, for example, a weighing sensor 12. The weighing sensor 12 weighs articles sent to the weighing conveyor 4 by the feeding conveyor 2, and the analog weight signal is converted into a digital weight signal by the A / D converter 14 and supplied to the CPU 8. The CPU 8 determines which weight rank it corresponds by comparing this digital weight signal with each boundary value of a plurality of predetermined different weight ranks.

  Articles weighed by the weighing conveyor 4 are conveyed to a sorting conveyor 16 adjacent to the weighing conveyor 4 at the end of the weighing conveyor 4 on the conveyance direction side. The distribution conveyor 16 is also controlled by the conveyor control circuit 18 based on an instruction from the CPU 8. The sorting conveyor 16 is provided with a plurality of, for example, six sorting devices, for example, gates 20a to 20f, at intervals. These gates 20a to 20f are driven by the distribution device drive circuit 22 in accordance with the rank discrimination result in the CPU 8. For example, when the CPU 8 determines that the article has a rank corresponding to the gate 20a, the gate 20a is driven, and the article is distributed to the sorting unit 24a provided on the side of the sorting conveyor 16 in the conveying direction. It is done. When the gate 20a is not driven, the article moves on the sorting conveyor 8. Similarly, distribution units 24b to 24f are provided corresponding to the gates 20b to 20f. The articles that are not sorted by the sorting units 24 a to 24 f are transported by a delivery conveyor 26 that is provided adjacent to the sorting conveyor 16.

  The delivery conveyor 26 and the delivery conveyor 2 may be configured in a loop so that the articles that have not been sorted can be again weighed by the weighing conveyor 4, and the delivery conveyor 26 can distribute defective products (see FIG. It is also possible to send in articles that have not been sorted. Moreover, each distribution part 24a thru | or 24f can each be used as a packaging machine or a boxing device, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, or provided with an appropriate chute and provided with a detachable bag at its lower end opening. It is good. In this case, notifying means such as a lamp is provided corresponding to each bag, and the notifying means is operated when a predetermined number or a predetermined weight range of articles are distributed to the bags as will be described later. Or each distribution part 24a thru | or 24f can also be made into a bucket conveyor.

  Each distribution unit, for example, a packaging machine or boxing device 24 a to 24 f is configured to be able to communicate with the CPU 8 via the input / output circuit 28. Further, the CPU 8 operates based on a storage unit, for example, a program stored in the memory 30.

  The CPU 8 accumulates the number or weight of articles distributed to each packaging machine or boxing device 24a to 24f by a counter, and when the accumulated value reaches a predetermined number or weight, a completion signal, for example, The count-up signal is supplied to the corresponding distribution unit (any one of the distribution units 24a to 24f). For example, the signal that has been at the L level until now is changed to the H level. In response to the count-up signal, packaging is performed when the sorting unit is a packaging machine, and packaging is performed when the sorting unit is a boxing device. In the case where the bag is attached to the chute as described above, the notification means described above notifies the count-up based on the count-up signal from the CPU 8, the worker removes the bag, and attaches another bag to the chute.

  There are various types of wrapping machines, boxing devices, and the like that are the distribution units 24a to 24f. When the count-up signal is supplied from the CPU 8, there are some that can respond to this and others that cannot respond. The CPU 8 needs to stop the count-up signal or reset the counter described above. When there is a response to the supply of the count-up signal from the allocating units 24a to 24f, the count-up signal is stopped according to the response. For example, a signal that has been at H level is set to L level. This method is called a status signal method. For example, when the sorting unit is a packaging machine, the packaging machine responds when packaging is completed, and when the packaging unit is a boxing apparatus, the boxing apparatus may respond when boxing is completed. When the allocating units 24a to 24f do not respond, the CPU 8 needs to automatically stop the count-up signal. For example, the signal is changed from L level to H level, and when a predetermined time has elapsed, the signal is again set to L level. This method is called a pulse signal method. Therefore, it is necessary to set whether to stop the count-up signal by the pulse signal system or the status signal system in accordance with the distribution units 24a to 24f.

  Even when the status signal system is adopted, the responding packaging machine or boxing device may respond by the pulse signal system, or may respond by the status signal system. For example, in the case of the pulse signal system, the response signal changes from L level to H level, and automatically returns to L level when a predetermined time has elapsed. In the case of the status signal system, the response signal changes from the L level to the H level, and the weight sorter responds without sorting to return to the L level again. In this case, the weight sorter determines that there is a response when it detects a change in the response signal from the L level to the H level. Therefore, it is necessary to set which method the response signals of the allocating units 24a to 24f are.

  Further, in this weight sorter, it is necessary to distribute a predetermined number of articles to the distributing units 24a to 24f, that is, constant distribution is necessary, but only a predetermined weight is allocated to the distributing units 24a to 24f. It is necessary to set whether or not to allocate to each other, that is, whether quantitative distribution is necessary. In addition, it is necessary to set how many articles are used as constants in the case of constant distribution, and how much weight is used in the case of quantitative distribution.

  Further, when the count-up signal is a status signal system, what happens when the next selected article is conveyed onto the sorting conveyor 16 while there is no response from the sorting units 24a to 24f? It is necessary to set whether to process. There are a plurality of processing methods. For example, without sorting on the sorting conveyor 16, it is sent to the feeding conveyor 26 and circulated again to the feeding conveyor 2, or the non-defective products in the sorting sections 24a to 24f. For example, an allocation section dedicated to overflow is provided and distributed here, or distribution sections having the same rank are provided in the distribution sections 24a to 24f, and distribution is performed there. It is necessary to set which of these processes is performed.

  These settings are performed by an operation setting display unit 32 provided attached to the weighing conveyor 4.

  The weight sorter configured as described above operates as follows. It is assumed that the above setting has already been performed. As shown in FIG. 3, first, the CPU 8 performs an interlock signal process (step S2). This process will be described later.

  Next, the CPU 8 determines whether an article is present on the weighing conveyor 4 (step S4). If it is determined that the article does not exist, step S2 is executed. If it is determined that an article exists, the CPU 8 reads a digital weighing signal from the A / D converter 14 (step S6). The CPU 8 performs rank discrimination based on the read digital weighing signal (step S8). As a result of the rank determination, the CPU 8 determines which rank the article is determined to belong to (steps S10a, 10b,...).

  For example, if it is determined that it belongs to rank 1, the answer to the determination in step S10a is yes, and the CPU 8 determines whether a count-up signal has already been generated (step S12). If it is determined that the count-up signal is generated, an interlock signal abnormality process described later is performed (step S13). If it is determined that the count-up signal is not issued, the CPU 8 determines whether or not the constant setting method is set in the operation setting display unit 32 (step S14). If it is determined that the method is a constant method, the value of the accumulated memory formed by the CPU 8 is increased by one (step S16). If it is determined in step S14 that the method is not a constant method, the digital measurement signal read in step S6 is accumulated in the accumulation memory formed by the CPU 8 because it is set as the quantitative method (step S18).

  Subsequent to step S16 or step S18, it is determined whether the count value is equal to or greater than a constant or a fixed amount set by the operation setting display unit 32 (step S20). Here, if it is determined that it is not a constant or a fixed amount, the CPU 8 controls the sorting device driving circuit 22 so as to drive the gate corresponding to rank 1 (step S22). Hereinafter, when the constant or fixed number of rank 1 items are distributed to the corresponding distribution unit, the answer to the determination in step S20 is YES, and the count-up signal transmission flag is set (step S24). Thereafter, step S22 is executed.

  Although illustration is omitted, similar processing is performed also when it is determined that it belongs to another rank.

  Following step S22, the interlock signal processing in step S2 is performed again. In this interlock signal processing, as shown in FIG. 4, it is first determined whether or not the counter up signal transmission flag is set (step S26). If it is determined that it is not set here, the CPU 8 determines whether a count-up signal is being transmitted (step S28). This is performed by the CPU 8 determining whether a count-up signal transmission flag, which will be described later, is on (step S28). If the answer to this determination is no, the interlock signal processing is terminated. Therefore, in a state where the number is not constant or fixed, only steps S26 and S28 are executed, and no processing is performed.

  If it is determined in step S26 that the count-up signal transmission flag is set, the CPU 8 determines whether or not the operation setting display unit 32 is set to transmit a pulse signal (step S30). If the answer to this determination is yes, since it is a pulse signal system, a count-up signal is transmitted (step S32), the accumulated memory is cleared (step S34), and the count-up signal transmission flag is deleted (step S36). ), The interlock signal processing is terminated. The count-up signal transmitted in step S32 disappears after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  If the answer to the determination in step S30 is no, the status signal system and the operation setting display unit 30 are set, so a count up signal is first transmitted (step S38), and then the count up signal is being transmitted. The flag is turned on (step S40). Then, the count-up signal transmission flag is deleted (step S42), and the interlock signal processing is ended.

  If it is determined in step S28 that the count-up signal is being transmitted, the state of the external signal is input to the CPU 8 (step S44), and it is determined whether the response signal is input from the corresponding distribution unit (step S44). Step S46). If the answer to this determination is no, this interlock signal processing is terminated. If the answer to the determination in step S46 is yes, the accumulated memory is cleared (step S48), the count-up signal is turned off (step S50), the count-up signal transmission flag is turned off (step S52), The lock signal processing is terminated.

  Since interlock signal processing is performed in this way, it is possible to cope with cases where the allocating unit is a pulse signal system or a status signal system.

  In step S12 shown in FIG. 3, it is determined that the count-up signal is being transmitted. This means that a new or new article is in the state where a constant or fixed quantity of articles is distributed to the sorting section corresponding to the rank. It means that it was selected if it corresponds to the rank. In this case, the interlock signal abnormality process of step S13 is performed as shown in FIG.

  In the interlock abnormality process, the CPU 8 determines whether the operation setting display unit 32 is set to pass the article (step S54). If the answer to this determination is yes, there is no sorting (step S56), the article passes on the sorting conveyor 10, and this abnormality processing is completed. If the answer to the determination in step S54 is no, it is determined whether or not the operation setting display unit 32 is set so that the distribution to the distribution unit of the same rank is performed (step S58). If the answer to this determination is yes, the allocating device drive circuit 22 is controlled so as to distribute to another allocating section of the same rank (step S60), and this abnormality process is terminated. If the answer to the determination in step S58 is no, the weight sorter is provided with a non-defective overflow receiving part, and the sorting device drive circuit 22 is controlled so that articles are distributed to the receiving part. (Step S62), the abnormality process ends.

  As described above, according to the weight sorter of the present embodiment, since various settings are performed by the operation display setting unit 32, a state corresponding to the device can be used regardless of the device of the distribution unit. Can generate a count-up signal.

  6 and 7 show a weight sorter according to the second embodiment. This weight sorter sorts articles into two stages, non-defective and defective. As shown in FIG. 6, it has the infeed conveyor 2 and the measurement conveyor 4 similarly to 1st Embodiment. A distribution unit 34 is provided at the end of the weighing conveyor 4 on the conveyance direction side. A packaging machine 36 is provided as a sorting unit at the end of the sorting unit 34 in the conveyance direction. A defective product receiving portion 38 and an overflow product receiving portion 40 are provided on both sides of the sorting portion 34. The distribution unit 34 is provided with distribution flippers 42a and 42b. When the flipper 42a operates, the articles sent to the distribution unit 34 are distributed to the defective product receiving unit, and when the flipper 42b operates, the distribution unit The article sent to 34 is sent to the overflow product receiver 40. Therefore, when it is determined that the product is a non-defective product, the flippers 42a and 42b are sent to the packaging machine 36 without operating.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of this weight sorter, and differs from the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in the processing after the measurement value is read in step S6. That is, the CPU 8 determines whether it is a non-defective product based on the read measurement value (step S8a). If it is determined that the product is defective, the flipper 42a is operated so that the article is distributed to the defective product receiver 38 (step S64), and the process returns to step S2.

  If it is determined that the product is non-defective in step S8, step S12 and subsequent steps are executed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. However, in the case of a non-defective product, the article is transported to the packaging machine 36 without operating the flippers 42a and 42b as described above, and therefore the processing corresponding to step S22 in the first embodiment is not performed.

  When it is determined in step S12 that the count-up signal is being transmitted, the flipper 42b is driven so as to distribute the articles to the overflow product receiving unit 40 (step S66), and the process returns to step S2.

  In place of the packaging machine 36, as shown in FIG. 8, a box feeding device 44 is provided at the end of the sorting unit 34 in the article transport direction side so as to be orthogonal to the sorting unit 34. The box 46 is arranged on the top, and when the non-defective product from the sorting unit 34 is fed into the box 46 by a predetermined number or weight, the box is moved by the box feeding device so that the next box comes to the position of the sorting unit 34. It can also be set as the structure to make.

It is a top view of the weight sorter of the 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the weight sorter of FIG. It is a flowchart of the weight sorter of FIG. It is a flowchart of the subroutine of the interlock signal process in the flowchart of FIG. It is a flowchart of the subroutine of the interlock abnormality process in the flowchart of FIG. It is a top view of the weight sorter of the 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the weight sorter of FIG. It is a top view of the modification of the weight sorter of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

4 Weighing conveyor 16 Sorting conveyor 20a to 20f Gate (sorting device)
24a to 24f Distribution unit 32 Operation setting display unit

Claims (4)

A weighing means for weighing the article and generating a weight signal representing the weight of the article each time the article is supplied;
Sorting means for sorting the article based on the value of the weight signal;
Sorting means for sorting the articles according to the sorting result by the sorting means;
A completion signal generating means for generating a completion signal for prompting the processing of the articles when the sorted articles become a predetermined one of a predetermined constant and a predetermined amount;
And processing means for processing the articles sorted by said sorting means,
Equipped,
In response to the completion signal, the processing means automatically processes the article sorted by the sorting means, or activates a notifying means for prompting manual processing according to the completion signal and outputs a response signal. Or do not output,
The completion signal changes from the first level to the second level at the start of generation, maintains the second level for a predetermined time, and then changes to the first level, and the generation start One of a status signal that sometimes changes from a first level to a second level and maintains the second level until the response signal is provided,
The completion signal generation means starts generating the completion signal when the selected article reaches a constant, or starts generating the completion signal when the selected article reaches a fixed quantity. set whether the to, or not to issue the completion signal as the pulse signal, setting means for setting whether to generate as said status signal, having a weight sorter.   2. The weight sorter according to claim 1, wherein the setting means sets the constant or fixed value in the completion signal generating means.   2. The weight sorter according to claim 1, wherein the sorting means sorts the articles into any of a plurality of ranks, the sorting means is provided corresponding to each rank, and the completion signal generating means is , Weight sorter provided for each rank.   4. The weight sorter according to claim 3, wherein the processing means can perform any one of a plurality of different processes, and the setting means sets which processing is performed on the processing means. Sorting machine.

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