JP4614099B2 - Goods transport equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides an article conveyance system configured to convey the storage container to which an article having a granular shape or a smaller shape than the storage container is dropped and supplied by a conveying unit at an article filling position with respect to the upper open type storage container. Regarding equipment.

The article transporting equipment drops and supplies an article having a shape smaller than that of a storage container such as a granular article or a press-molded product from above into an upper open type storage container at an article filling point, and the article is filled. In such an article transport facility, conventionally, when an article filling operation is performed on the storage container at the article filling location, a part of the storage container is transported in the storage container. In order to prevent the article from being filled unevenly in a raised state, the article is leveled so that the article is leveled, and then the article is stored as it is in the storage container by the conveying means. In such a state, there is one configured to be conveyed toward the next processing step by the conveying means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
When the leveling process is further described, the position of the storage container is changed in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction at the article filling point where the article is supplied by being dropped, so that the relative drop supply point with respect to the storage container is different. It was configured to be filled with the article in a state where

  In addition, as a configuration for performing the leveling process at the article filling location, as described in Patent Document 1, the configuration is different from the configuration in which the container is dropped and supplied by changing the position of the storage container in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The storage container is provided with wheels so that the storage container can move and travel, and the storage container is placed on a balance-type carrier that is wider than the width along the direction of movement of the storage container. The storage container is made to move by tilting and repeatedly colliding with the vertical wall portion on the other end side of the loading platform so as to level the articles in the storage container (see Patent Document 2) or the storage container. There is a device that applies a forced vibration to level the articles in the storage container by the vibration (see Patent Document 3).

JP 2003-81444 A JP-A-6-183572 JP-A-9-255159

  In the above-described conventional configuration, after the article filling operation is performed in the article filling place, the article is conveyed by the conveying means while being stored in the container as it is. Thus, there is a possibility that sufficient leveling cannot be performed only by the leveling process at the article filling portion.

  In other words, when an article having a granular shape or a smaller shape than the storage container is dropped and supplied to the upper open type storage container at the article filling point, the position of the article with respect to the storage container is dropped. Since the fall supply state of articles with respect to the storage container is likely to change, such as the number of articles to be changed, there is a risk that the fall supply state of articles with respect to the storage container is not constant and sufficient leveling cannot be performed. There is.

  As a result, the article is conveyed in a state in which the article is raised partially in the storage container and is filled in a non-uniform manner. For example, an article protruding upward from the storage container in a later processing step may interfere with other objects. May occur.

  Therefore, in order to avoid such disadvantages, another leveling apparatus for performing another leveling process different from the leveling process at the article filling location in the transport path by the transport means. Each time the article is filled into the storage container, another leveling process may be performed. Even if it is not necessary to perform the leveling process, another leveling process is always performed, so that it takes extra processing time to perform the leveling process. There is a disadvantage that the work efficiency when the container is filled and transported is low, and the transport processing capacity of the entire article transport facility is low when transporting the storage container filled with the article is performed continuously.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an article transport facility that can be filled and transported in a storage container in a flattened state without reducing the transport processing capacity of the entire facility as much as possible. is there.

  The article transport facility according to the present invention is configured to transport the storage container to which the article having a granular shape or a smaller shape than the storage container is dropped and supplied by a transport means at a position where the top open type storage container is filled. 1st characteristic structure is comprised from the said storage container by which the said article is filled in the said article filling location in the conveyance path | route by the said conveyance means, and is mounted and conveyed by the said conveyance means. A protruding state detecting means for detecting whether or not the article protrudes upward or is an article protruding state in which the protruding height of the article from the storage container is equal to or higher than a set height; and in the transport path When the protruding state detecting means detects that the article is protruding, the leveling force is applied to the storage container. Given to in each additionally have a Hitoshitaira processing apparatus for executing Hitoshitaira process for Hitoshitaira the article of the storage container.

  According to the first characteristic configuration, the article is dropped and supplied to the upper open type storage container at the article filling location to fill the article, and the storage container filled with the article is transported by the transport means. In the conveying path by the conveying means, the protruding state detection means causes the article to protrude upward from the storage container or the protruding height of the article from the storage container is a set height or more. Is detected.

  At this time, when the article is dropped and supplied at the article filling location and the storage container is filled with the article, if the article is loaded in a biased state in the storage container so as to rise only partially, the protruding state The detection means detects that the article is protruding. However, when the filling process of the article into the storage container is performed satisfactorily and evenly or substantially uniformly filled, the protruding state detecting means does not detect the article protruding state.

  When the protruding state detecting means detects that the article is in the protruding state, the leveling device provided in a state located on the lower side of the conveying path relative to the protruding state detecting means in the conveying path is stored. A leveling process is performed to level the articles in the storage container by applying a leveling force to the container. By the leveling process, the articles in the storage container can be filled and transported in a state where the articles are leveled in the storage container.

  When it is not detected by the protruding state detection means that the article is in the protruding state, the storage container is conveyed by the conveying means as it is without the leveling apparatus performing the leveling process. As a result, useless leveling processing is not performed, so that there is less risk of lowering the conveyance processing capacity. At this time, the articles in the storage container are already leveled.

  Accordingly, it has become possible to provide an article transport facility that can fill and transport articles in a storage container in a flattened state without reducing the transport processing capacity of the entire facility as much as possible.

According to a second characteristic configuration of the present invention, in addition to the first characteristic configuration, when the protruding state detecting means detects that the article is in the protruding state, the storage container is leveled by the leveling apparatus. Control of the operation of the transport means so that the transport is stopped in a state where it is located at the target position and the operation of the transport means is resumed after the leveling process by the leveling device is completed. A transport control means is provided;
The leveling apparatus is
The upper part of the storage container in the transport direction and the lower part of the storage container in the transport direction, which are located at the leveling target position, are alternately pushed up from below to apply the leveling force to the storage container. A pair of front and rear push-up devices that perform a push-up operation that tilts and
The push-up device tilts at each of the front side portion in the transport direction from the front end portion of the storage container located at the leveling target position and the rear side portion in the transport direction from the rear end portion of the storage container. A pair of front and rear receiving and supporting devices switchable between an operating position for receiving and supporting the container and a non-operating position that retracts below the transfer mounting surface of the transfer means;
It comprises a leveling control means for controlling the operation of each push-up device and each receiving support device,
In the state where the leveling control means is detected by the protruding state detecting means to be in the article protruding state, the storage container is positioned at the leveling target position and the conveyance is stopped, In the state where the pair of front and rear receiving support devices are respectively switched to the operating position, the pair of front and rear thrusting devices perform the leveling process for performing the thrusting operation alternately for a set number of times, and the leveling is performed. The operation is controlled so that the pair of front and rear receiving and supporting devices are switched to the non-acting positions after the finishing process is completed.

  According to the second characteristic configuration, when the protruding state detection unit detects that the article is in the protruding state, the transfer by the transfer unit stops when the storage container moves to the leveling target position. Accordingly, the pair of front and rear receiving support devices are respectively switched to the operating positions, and a leveling process is performed in which the pair of front and rear thrusting devices alternately perform a thrusting operation for a set number of times.

That is, one of the pair of front and rear push-up devices pushes up the storage container from the lower side to apply a leveling force to tilt the storage container. At this time, the articles stored in the storage container are shaken and leveled by the tilting of the storage container by the push-up device. The article leveling operation by such tilting is alternately performed a set number of times in the front and rear pushing devices, and the articles in the storage container are sufficiently leveled. When the storage container is tilted, the pair of front and rear receiving and supporting devices prevent the tilting more than necessary, thereby preventing the article from spilling outside.
After the leveling processing by the leveling processing device is completed, the pair of front and rear receiving support devices are switched to the non-operating positions, respectively, and the transport means resumes transport and transports the storage container.

  In this way, the leveling apparatus is configured to level the articles by pushing up and tilting the storage container located at the leveling target position from below, so that the amount of movement in the horizontal direction is small. It is possible to reduce the size of the article as much as possible and to level the article reliably.

  According to a third characteristic configuration of the present invention, in addition to the first characteristic configuration, the article does not protrude upward from the storage container toward the lower side in the transport direction than the leveling apparatus, or It is provided with a leveling state confirmation means for confirming whether or not the article is in an article leveling state whose height is less than a set height, and the article leveling state confirmation means may be in an article leveling state. When it cannot be confirmed, the container is provided with a container excluding means for excluding the storage container from the conveying path by the conveying means.

  According to the third characteristic configuration, the article does not protrude upward from the storage container by the leveling state confirmation means at the lower side in the transport direction than the leveling apparatus, or the height of the article is It is confirmed whether or not the article is in a leveled state that is less than the set height. When the leveling state confirmation means can confirm that the article is in a leveled state, the article is transported as it is, but the leveling state confirmation means confirms that the article is in a leveled state. When it is not possible, the storage container is removed from the conveyance path by the conveyance means by the container exclusion means.

  Therefore, when it is still impossible to confirm that the article is in the leveled state even after the leveling process is performed by the leveling apparatus, the storage container is excluded from the transport path by the transport means. It is possible to avoid the disadvantage of lowering the processing capacity of the article transporting equipment due to erroneous transport of the storage container by the transport means in a state where the leveling is not performed.

  In addition to the third feature configuration, the fourth feature configuration of the present invention is located above the storage container transported by the transport means between the leveling device and the leveling state confirmation means. It is in the point provided with the leveling tool which contact | abuts with respect to the articles | goods which protrude toward or more than setting height.

  According to the fourth characteristic configuration, the leveling tool is protruded upward from the storage container by the leveling tool at a position on the lower side in the transport direction than the leveling device, or is in contact with an article having a set height or more. By this action, the article is leveled.

  In this way, the leveling device is forced to level by touching the article with the leveling tool, so that the article that could not be leveled by the tilting operation by pushing up in the leveling processing device is more sure. Can be leveled.

  According to a fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention, in addition to the fourth characteristic configuration, the leveling tool is capable of moving backward and backward from the abutment operation position toward the lower side in the transport direction, and is returned to the abutment operation position. It is in the point which is provided in the state which is energized.

  According to the fifth characteristic configuration, the leveling tool is provided so as to be retractable and displaceable toward the lower side in the transport direction and in a state of being urged to return to the contact operation position. When an excessive force is applied during this operation, the leveling tool is elastically moved backward. Therefore, when the leveling tool comes into contact with the article, the article is forcibly pushed to damage the article, or the article is forced to push the article, such as spilling out of the storage container. Inconvenience can be avoided.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an article conveyance facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the article transport facility. The article transporting equipment is configured to store and transport a plurality of articles B such as press-molded articles produced by processing and forming in the production apparatus A in a state of filling containers C as storage containers having an open top. It has become.

  That is, the articles continuously manufactured by the production apparatus A and sequentially placed and conveyed by the belt conveyor 1 are sequentially dropped and supplied into the container C as an example of the storage container at the article filling point D to supply the container C The container C filled with the article B is placed and conveyed by the chain conveyor 2 as a conveying means, and is loaded into the article storage device 4 via the warehousing conveyor 3. Has been. Specifically, the chain conveyor 2 is configured to place and convey the conveyor C by a pair of left and right rotating chains that are integrally rotated by a driving motor 2A as described later. The empty container C is supplied manually, for example, and supplied to the article filling point D by the empty container supply conveyor 5.

  Although not described in detail, the article storage device 4 includes a pair of storage shelves 7 in which a plurality of article storage units 6 that store the containers C are arranged in parallel in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the pair of storage shelves 7. The stacker crane 8 is disposed between the stacker cranes 8 and the like. The stacker crane 8 allows the container C to be carried into one of the article storage units 6 and stored therein. The container C stored in the article storage unit 6 is configured to be carried out to the carry-out conveyor 9. The articles stored in the container C to be carried out are transported to another place (not shown) and used.

  An article stabilization device 10 that stabilizes the storage state of the articles filled in the container C is provided in the transport path of the chain conveyor 2. Hereinafter, the article stabilization apparatus 10 will be described.

  The article stabilizing device 10 has a protruding height from the container C of an article that is filled with the article B at the article filling point D and is carried by the chain conveyor 2 in the conveyance path by the chain conveyor 2. The upper-side load height detector 11 as a protruding state detecting means for detecting whether or not the article is in a protruding state that is equal to or higher than the set height, and on the lower side of the conveyance than the upper-side load height detector 11 in the conveyance path Positioning and leveling the articles in the container C by applying a leveling force to the container C when the upper load detector 11 detects that the article is protruding. And a leveling apparatus 12 for executing the processing.

  Further, when it is detected by the upper load detector 11 that the article is protruding, the conveyance is stopped in a state where the container C is positioned at the leveling target position T by the leveling processing device 12, In addition, transport control means 100 for controlling the operation of the chain conveyor 2 is provided so that the operation of the chain conveyor 2 is resumed after the leveling process by the leveling device 12 is completed.

  The leveling processing device 12 alternately pushes up the upper side of the container C in the transport direction and the lower side of the container C in the transport direction from the lower side to the container C, which is located at the leveling target position T. A pair of front and rear push-up devices 13a and 13b that perform a push-up operation that tilts by applying a force for leveling, a front side in the transport direction from the front end of the container C located at the leveling target position T, and An action position that receives and supports the container C tilted by the push-up devices 13a and 13b and a non-action that retreats below the conveyance placement surface of the chain conveyor 2 at each of the rear side portions of the container C in the conveyance direction rear side. Control of the operation of the pair of front and rear receiving support devices 14a and 14b, which can be switched between positions, and the push-up devices 13a and 13b and the receiving support devices 14a and 14b. Leveling control means 200, and the leveling control means is detected by the upper load detector 11 to be in the article protruding state, and the container C is the leveling target. In a state where the conveyance is stopped at the position T, the pair of front and rear receiving support devices 14a and 14b are switched to the working positions, and the pair of front and rear thrusting devices 13a and 13b alternately set the number of times. A leveling process for performing the pushing-up operation is executed, and after the leveling process is completed, the operation is controlled so that the pair of front and rear receiving support devices 14a and 14b are switched to the non-operating positions. ing.

Hereinafter, a specific configuration will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion whose detection height is set at a position slightly higher than the height of the container C placed and conveyed by the chain conveyor 2 is provided at the uppermost position in the conveyance direction of the chain conveyor 2. An upper side load detector 11 is provided as a state detecting means. The upper load detector 11 includes a transmissive photoelectric switch including a projector 15 and a light receiver 16. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the light projector 15 is provided on one of the left and right vertical frames 18 fixed to the left and right support frames 17 of the chain conveyor 2 and extended upward, and the light receiver 16 is provided on the other. When the light from the projector 15 is received by the light receiver 16, it is detected that the article is not in the protruding state, that is, the protruding height of the article B from the container C is less than the set height. When the light from the projector 15 is interrupted in the middle and the light receiver 16 does not receive the light, the article is in the protruding state, that is, the protruding height of the article B from the container C is equal to or higher than the set height. Will be detected.

  A leveling device 12 is provided that performs leveling processing on the container C that is on the lower side in the transport direction than the upper load detector 11 and is stopped at the leveling target position T. It has been. The leveling apparatus 12 includes a pair of front and rear push-up devices 13a and 13b and a pair of front and rear receiving support devices 14a and 14b as described above. 4 and FIG. 5, the push-up devices 13a and 13b are fixed to the base frame 19 and the rectangular base frame 19 received and supported on the floor surface. The air cylinder 20 includes a pair of sliding plates 21 and a connecting plate 23 that connects the tip of the cylinder rod 22 with a small distance in the conveying width direction. The rubber contact member 24 is provided. The connecting plate 23 and the pair of contact members 24 are provided in a state in which the connecting plate 23 and the pair of contact members 24 can move up and down through the rotation chains on the left and right sides of the chain conveyor 2.

  When the cylinder rod 22 of the air cylinder 20 is retracted, even if the contact member 24 is positioned below the placing and conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2 and the container C is placed and conveyed on the chain conveyor 2, the conveyance trouble is hindered. When the cylinder rod 22 is extended by supplying air to the air cylinder 20 without any action, the contact member 24 slides upward by a set amount from the loading / conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2 and the container It is configured to switch to an operating state where it contacts the bottom of C and pushes up the container C.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the receiving support devices 14 a and 14 b is fixedly attached to a mounting support base 25 that extends between the lower portions of the support frames 17 on both the left and right sides of the chain conveyor 2. An air cylinder 26 is attached and fixed. The air cylinder 26 receives a container C on a connecting plate 29 that connects two sliding guide bodies 27 and the tip of a cylinder rod 28. The receiving member 30 is connected.

  When the air cylinder 26 is retracted, the receiving member 30 is positioned below the placing and conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2 and there is no hindrance to conveying even if the container C is placed and conveyed by the chain conveyor 2. Inactive state. When air is supplied to the air cylinder 26 and the cylinder rod 28 is extended, the receiving member 30 is slid so as to be positioned above the placement conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2, and the push-up devices 13 a and 13 b The container C tilted by the operation is received and the operation state is switched to prevent the container C from being tilted more than necessary.

  A position detector 40 is provided for detecting whether or not the container C has reached the leveling target position T. Although detailed description is omitted, the position detector 40 is configured by a photoelectric switch similar to the upper load detector 11 and is configured such that light is blocked when the container C reaches the leveling target position T. It has become.

  A leveling state for confirming whether or not the leveling of the article from the container C is lower than a set height at a location on the lower side in the transport direction than the leveling apparatus 12 is an article leveling state. A lower load detector 31 is provided as a confirmation means. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower load detector 31 is a transmission type photoelectric switch composed of a projector and a light receiver supported by the left and right vertical frames 32, as shown in FIG. It is configured. That is, when the light from the projector 33 is received by the light receiver 34, the article is in a leveled state, that is, the protruding height of the article B from the container C is less than the set height. When the light from the projector 33 is detected and the light receiver 34 does not receive the light, the article is not leveled, that is, the protruding height of the article B from the container C is equal to or higher than the set height. It will be detected.

  Further, from the container C being transported by the chain conveyor 2 between the leveling processing device 12 and the lower load detector 31, which is located on the lower side in the transport direction than the leveling processing device 12. There is provided a leveling tool 35 that comes into contact with an article whose protruding height is equal to or higher than a set height. The leveling tool 35 is provided so as to be able to move backward and displace from the abutment operation position toward the lower side in the transport direction, and in a state of being biased back to the abutment operation position.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the leveling tool 35 is supported by the frame 36 so as to be swingable around the horizontal axis P, and is directed toward the upper side in the transport direction by the tension spring 37. And the contact is restricted by the restricting tool 38 so as to contact the article B so as to be held in the downward posture as the contact action position. When an excessive force is applied when acting on the article, it is configured to be retractable so as to retract toward the lower side in the conveying direction against the urging force of the tension spring 37.

  Guide members 38 for receiving and guiding the left and right side portions of the container C are provided on the left and right side portions of the conveyance path by the chain conveyor 2 in the article stabilizing device 10, and the container C does not shift in the left and right direction. It is comprised so that mounting and conveyance can be performed, maintaining a mounting state.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the article stabilizing device 10 operates the chain conveyor 2 and the leveling processing device 12 based on the detection results of the upper load detector 11 and the position detector 40, respectively. A control device H comprising a microcomputer for controlling the conveyor is provided, and using this control device H, the conveyance control for controlling the operation of the chain conveyor 2, specifically, the operation of the drive motor 2A for driving the chain conveyor 2 is provided. A leveling control means 200 for controlling the operation of the means 100, the push-up devices 13a and 13b, and the receiving support devices 14a and 14b is configured. Further, when the control device H detects that the article-side load detector 31 is not in the article leveling state, the control device H does not convey the container C to the article storage device 4, but conveys the container C by the chain conveyor 2. The transport state of the chain conveyor 2 and the transport state of the standby conveyor 39 are controlled so as to be transported to the standby conveyor 39 as a container exclusion means to be excluded from the container.

A specific control operation of the article stabilization process in the control device H will be described.
As shown in FIG. 10, the control device H controls the driving motor 2 </ b> A for driving the chain conveyor 2 after the filling process for filling the article by placing an empty container C in the article filling point D is performed. Then, it is placed and conveyed (step 1). When the upper-side load height detector 11 detects that the article is not in the protruding state, that is, the protruding height of the article from the container C is less than the set height, the container C is directly moved in the lower conveyance direction. Continuing the conveyance toward the side, as indicated by the line L1 in FIG. 11, the conveyance is performed to the article storage device 4 via the warehousing conveyor 3 (steps 2 and 9). Thereafter, the article storage device 4 transports the article to a predetermined article storage unit 6 for storage.

  When the upper-side load height detector 11 detects that the article is in the protruding state, that is, the protruding height of the article from the container C is equal to or higher than a set height, the position detector 40 When it is detected that the container C has been transported to the leveling target position T on which the leveling device 12 acts, the drive motor 2A for the chain conveyor 2 is controlled so that the transport is stopped there. (Step 3). Then, each of the receiving support devices 14a and 14b is in an operating state, that is, the receiving member 30 is switched to a state in which the receiving member 30 is positioned above the placement conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2 by extending the air cylinder 26 (step) 4).

  Next, a leveling process for operating the push-up devices 13a and 13b is executed (step 5). Specifically, after the push-up operation for operating the air cylinder 20 to switch to the working state and then returning to the non-working state, the push-up devices 13a and 13b are alternately set a predetermined number of times (for example, 4 It is repeatedly executed (8 times in total) (see FIGS. 4A and 4B). By such a push-up operation, the contact member 24 is slid upward by a set amount from the loading and conveying surface E of the chain conveyor 2 by the driving force of the air cylinder 20 to push up the container C and tilt the container C. The article B in the container C is shaken and leveled by the vibration at that time. Thus, when the container C tilts, the receiving member 30 in the receiving support devices 14a and 14b prevents the tilting more than necessary, thereby preventing the article B from spilling outside.

  When the leveling process by the push-up devices 13a and 13b is completed, the receiving and supporting devices 14a and 14b are switched to the non-operating state, and the conveyance of the container C by the chain conveyor 2 is resumed (steps 6 and 7). . At this time, when the protruding height of the article B from the container C is still equal to or higher than the set height, the article B protruding beyond the set height is forcibly leveled by the pushing operation by the leveling tool 35. It will be. However, when an excessive force exceeding the urging force of the tension spring 37 is applied, the leveling tool 35 is elastically retracted and displaced, so that there is no disadvantage such as damage to the article B or falling from the container C. Can perform leveling.

  Then, when it is detected by the lower side load height detector 31 that the article is in the leveled state, that is, the protruding height of the article B from the container C is less than the set height, the container C is conveyed as it is. Conveyance is continued toward the lower side in the direction, and as shown by line L1 in FIG. 11, the material is conveyed to the article storage device 4 via the warehousing conveyor 3 (steps 8 and 9). Thereafter, the article storage device 4 is transported to and stored in a predetermined article storage unit 6.

  When the lower-side load height detector 31 detects that the article is not leveled, that is, the protruding height of the article from the container C is equal to or higher than a set height, the container C is conveyed to the article storage device 4. Instead, as shown in line L2 in FIG. 11, the transport state of the chain conveyor 2 is such that the container C is removed from the transport path to the article storage device 4 by the chain conveyor 2 and transported to the standby conveyor 39. In addition, the conveyance state of the standby conveyor 39 is controlled (step 10).

[Another embodiment]
Hereinafter, other embodiments are listed.

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the leveling treatment device pushes up the storage container from the lower side and applies a leveling force to tilt the tilting device, and a pair of front and rear receiving support devices. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the storage container is configured to be movable and collided with the other end side of the loading platform as it moves. It is possible to level the article in various forms, such as those that level the article, or those that apply forced vibration to the storage container and level the article in the storage container by vibration. It is.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the leveling tool is provided that acts on an article whose protruding height of the article from the container being conveyed by the conveying means is equal to or higher than a set height. It is good also as a structure which is not equipped with such a leveling tool.

(3) In the above embodiment, an article protruding state in which the upper load detector as the protruding state detecting means is configured by a photoelectric switch, and the protruding height of the article from the container is equal to or higher than a set height. However, instead of such a configuration, it may be configured to detect whether or not an article protrudes upward from the upper end of the container. Further, various types of sensors such as a contact type sensor can be used instead of the photoelectric switch.

(4) In the above embodiment, the lower load detector as the leveling state confirmation means is configured by a photoelectric switch, and the protruding height of the article from the storage container is less than a set height. Although it is configured to detect whether or not an article is in a leveled state, it may be configured to detect whether or not an article protrudes upward from the upper end of the container instead of such a configuration. . Further, various types of sensors such as a contact type sensor can be used instead of the photoelectric switch.

(5) In the above embodiment, the control device is used to configure the transport control unit and the leveling control unit. However, instead of such a configuration, transport for controlling the transport unit is performed. And a control device dedicated to leveling processing for controlling the leveling processing device may be provided separately.

(6) In the above embodiment, the processing for leveling the articles in the storage container is not performed at the article filling location. However, instead of such a configuration, leveling is performed at the article filling location. The structure which performs a process may be sufficient. As the leveling treatment at that time, there are various forms such as a mode in which the storage container is moved in the horizontal direction and the horizontal direction to level the article, and a fine vibration is applied to the storage container to level the article. Configuration can be applied.

(7) In the above embodiment, the press-molded product is illustrated as an article having a shape smaller than that of the container. However, the present invention is not limited to the press-molded product, and various articles may be targeted, and may be a granular article. .

Plan view showing the overall configuration of the article transport equipment Side view of article stabilization device Front view of load detector Side view of push-up device Front view of push-up device Front view of receiving support device Side view of receiving support device Side view of leveling unit Control block diagram Flow chart of control operation Diagram showing container transport status

Explanation of symbols

2 Conveying means 11 Protruding state detecting means 12 Leveling processing devices 13a and 13b Pushing devices 14a and 14b Receiving and supporting devices 31 Leveling state confirming means 35 Leveling tools 39 Container removing means 100 Conveying control means 200 Leveling control Means B Article C Storage container

Claims (5)

An article conveying facility configured to convey the storage container to which an article having a granular shape or a smaller shape than the storage container is dropped and supplied by a conveying unit at an article filling position with respect to the upper open type storage container. ,
In the conveyance path by the conveyance means, the article projects upward from the storage container that is filled with the article at the article filling point and is placed and conveyed by the conveyance means, or the article A protruding state detecting means for detecting whether or not the protruding height from the storage container is an article protruding state having a set height or more;
A leveling force is applied to the storage container when the protruding state detecting unit detects that the protruding state of the article is located on the lower side of the conveying path than the protruding state detecting unit in the conveying path. And a leveling apparatus that executes a leveling process for leveling the articles in the storage container. When it is detected by the protruding state detecting means that the article is in the protruding state, the container is stopped in a state where the storage container is positioned at a leveling target position by the leveling apparatus, and the leveling is performed. A transport control means for controlling the operation of the transport means so that the operation of the transport means is resumed after the leveling process by the stabilization processing device is completed;
The leveling apparatus is
The upper part of the storage container in the transport direction and the lower part of the storage container in the transport direction, which are located at the leveling target position, are alternately pushed up from below to apply the leveling force to the storage container. A pair of front and rear push-up devices that perform a push-up operation that tilts and
The push-up device tilts at each of the front side portion in the transport direction from the front end portion of the storage container located at the leveling target position and the rear side portion in the transport direction from the rear end portion of the storage container. A pair of front and rear receiving and supporting devices switchable between an operating position for receiving and supporting the container and a non-operating position that retracts below the transfer mounting surface of the transfer means;
It comprises a leveling control means for controlling the operation of each push-up device and each receiving support device,
In the state where the leveling control means is detected by the protruding state detecting means to be in the article protruding state, the storage container is positioned at the leveling target position and the conveyance is stopped, In the state where the pair of front and rear receiving support devices are respectively switched to the operating position, the pair of front and rear thrusting devices perform the leveling process for performing the thrusting operation alternately for a set number of times, and the leveling is performed. The article conveyance facility according to claim 1, wherein the operation is controlled so as to switch the pair of front and rear receiving support devices to a non-operating position after the finishing process is completed. The article leveling means that the article does not protrude upward from the storage container at a location lower in the transport direction than the leveling apparatus, or the protruding height of the article from the storage container is less than a set height. A leveling state confirmation means for confirming whether or not the state is flattened is provided,
3. A container removing means for removing the storage container from a conveying path by the conveying means when the leveling condition confirmation means cannot confirm that the article is in an even state. Goods transport equipment.   Between the leveling apparatus and the leveling state confirmation means, it protrudes upward from the storage container being transported by the transport means or is in contact with an article having a set height or more. The article conveying facility according to claim 3, wherein a leveling tool is provided to act.   The article transporting equipment according to claim 4, wherein the leveling tool is provided so as to be reversibly displaceable toward the lower side in the transport direction from the contact operation position and in a state of being urged to return to the contact operation position.

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