JP7786704B2 - feeding device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a supply device.

It is not easy to fully automate the sorting process for a variety of waste products (supplied items) that vary in size and shape. Currently, the work is done visually and by hand, one by one. One of the main reasons why full automation is difficult is that there is no technology or equipment that can individually align the waste products to be sorted at regular intervals without delay and supply them individually to the transport conveyor.

Parts feeders used in the manufacturing industry are equipped with conveying paths and guide tracks specialized for the dimensions and shapes of parts, enabling aligned supply.
The parts feeder of Patent Document 1 rotates the eccentric mountain-shaped center to transfer the group of parts to a spiral conveying path. The dimensions of the conveying path are determined according to the parts, thereby realizing aligned supply.
In the case of the parts feeder of Patent Document 2, a group of parts is placed in a hopper installed above a guide track. The parts are sent to a guide track set according to the part dimensions, and are then aligned and supplied by a conveyor.

Picking robots are also an example of a technology for supplying individual items. Unlike parts feeders, picking robots analyze images captured by a camera to identify the three-dimensional position of an object in space, then grasp it with a manipulator and place it directly on a conveyor. Patent Documents 3 and 4 also anticipate application to the aligned supply of irregularly shaped objects.

Vibration feeders are also widely used. Vibration feeders vibrate trays to feed solid particles at a constant mass flow rate.
The vibrating feeder of Patent Document 5 has a vibration direction that is negative or 0 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane (or the conveying direction of the group of objects) and the direction inclined to the normal direction (vertical upward is positive) (hereinafter referred to as the vibration angle).
The vibrating feeders of Patent Documents 6 and 7 control the mass flow rate by setting the vibration angle to a gentle positive angle (10 to 20 degrees, up to about 30 degrees).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-264420 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-64731 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-203350 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-117068 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-218189 Special table 2019-531994 publication Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-106711

The parts feeders disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are devices that are used only for specific objects, i.e., one-of-a-kind objects. In other words, if the objects to be fed are not one-of-a-kind, it is difficult for the parts feeder to align and feed them.
The picking robots disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 mostly use a method of determining the position and orientation of an object by comparing it with a 3D shape model input into a computer in advance, and then formulating a grasping plan. As a result, when dealing with a group of irregularly shaped objects for which there is no 3D shape model, the accuracy of estimating the position and orientation decreases, and the accuracy of grasping decreases as the diversity and complexity of the shapes increase.
In the vibrating feeders disclosed in Patent Documents 5, 6 and 7, when the vibration angle is greater than 30 degrees, the objects to be fed tend to move up and down in the vertical direction, which causes problems such as a decrease in the amount of conveyance and inefficient feeding.
For this reason, the inventors also repeated experiments by setting the vibration angle to 30 degrees or less, but it was not easy to feed individual irregular objects, so they attempted to improve the situation by devising the tray shape. For example, they devised a tray shape by making the width of the tray outlet narrower than the width of the inlet, and by forming both side panels asymmetrically. Although this resulted in some improvement, blockages of groups of irregular objects still occurred, and it was not easy to continue feeding individual objects at a constant speed.
As described above, with conventional supply technologies such as parts feeders, picking robots, and vibrating feeders, it was difficult to smoothly and individually extract irregular objects such as waste products and align them in a line at regular intervals on a transport conveyor.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a supply device that can stably supply irregularly shaped objects at an optimal supply speed.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
The supply device of the present invention is a supply device that supplies an amorphous object, which is a supply material, to a supply target, and is characterized by comprising a tray having a bottom plate supported along a horizontal surface and a pair of side plates that each rise vertically upward from an end of the bottom plate in a first direction along the bottom plate, and a vibration unit that vibrates the tray in a second direction that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction, from the horizontal surface toward a normal direction vertically upward to the horizontal surface, in a direction tilted at an angle of 35 degrees to 65 degrees.

According to this invention, the tray is supported so that its bottom plate is aligned with a horizontal plane, and vibrates in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, tilted at an angle of 35 degrees to 65 degrees from the horizontal plane toward a normal line perpendicular to the horizontal plane. This allows the objects to be discharged smoothly from the tray. Therefore, the objects can be stably supplied at an optimal supply speed. In other words, if the tilt is less than 35 degrees, the objects may easily become clogged in the tray, which may increase the time required to supply the objects. Furthermore, if the tilt is 65 degrees or more, the movement speed in the conveying direction decreases, which may increase the time required to supply the objects.

This configuration can be applied to a single-item supply device for irregular objects, such as waste products, which uses a single device to smoothly discharge individual products and align them on a belt conveyor at an optimal speed (approximately two items per second) for efficient operation of an object recognition device that combines subsequent image processing and weight measurement. It can also be used to supply a group of individual, one-of-a-kind objects (single-line). In other words, it can be expected to be effective as a replacement for a parts feeder.

The tray may also be characterized by having an inlet through which the material is fed and an outlet through which the material fed from the inlet is discharged, the width of the outlet being narrower than the width of the inlet, the pair of side plates being asymmetrical with respect to the conveying direction of the material, and rod-shaped protrusions being provided on the bottom plate of the tray.

According to this invention, the width of the discharge opening is narrower than the width of the input opening, so that even when a large amount of objects are input into the tray through the input opening, the number of objects discharged from the discharge opening at one time can be appropriately controlled.
The pair of side plates are asymmetric with respect to the conveying direction of the objects. As a result, when the objects are conveyed from the inlet to the outlet, and multiple objects contact the side plates on the bottom plate, the force received from the side plates becomes asymmetric with respect to the conveying direction of the objects. This prevents the multiple objects from being conveyed symmetrically in the conveying direction. This prevents the multiple objects from clogging inside the tray.
The tray also has rod-shaped protrusions on the bottom plate. This allows the objects conveyed inside the tray to climb onto the rod-shaped protrusions, changing their position. In other words, the objects are positioned at an angle relative to the bottom plate of the tray. This prevents the objects from clogging the bottom plate.

The tray may also be characterized in that the bottom plate has a bottom surface that is inclined toward the conveying direction.

According to this invention, the bottom plate of the tray has a sloped bottom surface that slopes in the conveying direction. This allows for more efficient conveyance of the supplied items.

The present invention provides a supply device that can stably supply materials at an optimal supply speed.

1 is a side view of a supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a tray in the supply device. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A1-A1 in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the supply device, with a part of the tray cut away. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the tray of the case 2. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which a plurality of objects to be supplied are blocked inside the tray of the case 2. FIG. FIG. 10 illustrates a blockage caused by the position of the waste product. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tray shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray with a tapered, sloped bottom. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a main part of a tray according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of a supply device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG.
The supply device 1 according to this embodiment is mainly used for supplying an object W, which is an irregular object, onto a supply target (for example, a belt conveyor).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply device 1 includes a tray 10 of this embodiment and a vibrating unit 50.
The tray 10 is a container for supplying a plurality of objects W (see FIG. 5) having different shapes. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the tray 10 includes a bottom plate 11, a first side plate (side plate) 16, a second side plate (side plate) 21, a back plate 26, a flange 31, an inclined plate 36, and rod-shaped protrusions (protrusions) 41. Note that FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to a first direction X described later.
The tray 10 also has an inlet 46 through which the object W is introduced and an outlet 47 through which the object W introduced from the inlet 46 is discharged.

The bottom plate 11 is formed in a plate shape and is supported along a horizontal plane. In a plan view of the bottom plate 11 in a thickness direction Z, the length of the bottom plate 11 in a second direction Y is longer than the length of the bottom plate 11 in a first direction X (see FIG. 2). The first direction X and the second direction Y are directions that run along the bottom plate 11 and are perpendicular to each other.
The bottom plate 11 includes an equal-width portion 12 and a tapered portion 13. The equal-width portion 12 has a rectangular shape that is longer in the second direction Y in a plan view. The equal-width portion 12 is disposed on a first side Y1 in the second direction Y (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side Y1) than the tapered portion 13. The length of the tapered portion 13 in the first direction X on a second side Y2 in the second direction Y opposite the first side Y1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the second side Y2) is shorter than the length in the first direction X at the end of the first side Y1. Each edge of the tapered portion 13 in the first direction X is formed in a broken line shape corresponding to the first side plate 16 and the second side plate 21.
The length in the first direction X at the end of the first side Y1 of the tapered portion 13 is equal to the length in the first direction X of the equal width portion 12. The center in the first direction X at the end of the first side Y1 of the tapered portion 13 and the center in the first direction X at the end of the second side Y2 of the equal width portion 12 coincide with each other.
The equal width portion 12 and the tapered portion 13 are arranged on the same plane and are continuous with each other.
For example, the length L1 of the bottom plate 11 in the first direction X is 1000 mm.

The first side plate 16 rises from an end of the bottom plate 11 on a first side X1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side X1) in a first direction X along the bottom plate 11 to a first side Z1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side Z1) in the thickness direction Z. "Rising to the first side Z1" here means not only extending parallel to the first side Z1 but also extending at an angle of, for example, 60 degrees or less with respect to the first side Z1. In this example, the first side plate 16 extends parallel to the first side Z1 from an end of the bottom plate 11. Here, the side opposite the first side X1 is referred to as a second side X2 in the first direction X (hereinafter simply referred to as the second side X2). The side opposite the first side Z1 is referred to as a second side Z2 in the thickness direction Z (hereinafter simply referred to as the second side Z2).
The first side plate 16 is formed in a wavy shape by connecting a plurality of plate pieces 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, and 17e (hereinafter simply referred to as plate pieces 17a to 17e) in the second direction Y. The wavy shape here means a shape in which, as it moves toward a first side in a predetermined direction, it displaces at least once to the first side perpendicular to the predetermined direction and once to a second side opposite to the first side.

The plate pieces 17a to 17e are each formed in a plate shape and extend in the thickness direction Z.
The plate piece 17a extends parallel to the end of the bottom plate 11 on the first side Y1 toward the second side Y2.
The plate piece 17b extends from the end of the plate piece 17a on the second side Y2 in a direction between the second side X2 and the second side Y2. The plate piece 17c extends from the end of the plate piece 17b on the second side Y2 in a direction between the first side X1 and the second side Y2. The plate piece 17d extends from the end of the plate piece 17c on the second side Y2 in a direction between the second side X2 and the second side Y2. The plate piece 17e extends from the end of the plate piece 17d on the second side Y2 in parallel to the second side Y2.

Here, a configuration that satisfies the following two conditions is called a corner portion.
A configuration in which a pair of adjacent plate pieces in the second direction Y among the plurality of plate pieces 17a to 17e is formed at a portion where the plate pieces are connected to each other.
The angle formed by the pair of plate pieces constituting the corner portion toward the side plates 16, 21 is 165 degrees or more and 179 degrees or less (less than 180 degrees).
The angle formed by a pair of plate pieces here means the angle formed by the pair of plate pieces in a cross section defined by a first reference plane when a first reference plane is defined that is perpendicular to each plate piece.

2 , the first side plate 16 has a corner 18a where plate pieces 17a and 17b are connected to each other. The angle θ1 formed by the plate pieces 17a and 17b constituting corner 18a toward the side plates 16 and 21 is equal to or greater than 165 degrees and equal to or less than 179 degrees. The first side plate 16 has a corner 18b where plate pieces 17c and 17d are connected to each other. The angle θ2 formed by the plate pieces 17c and 17d constituting corner 18b toward the side plates 16 and 21 is equal to or greater than 165 degrees and equal to or less than 179 degrees.
That is, the first side plate 16 has two corners 18a and 18b.
In this example, the angles θ1 and θ2 are equal to each other. The angle θ3 formed by the plate pieces 17b and 17c with respect to the outside of the side plates 16 and 21 is equal to the value obtained by subtracting the angle θ1 from 360 degrees. In other words, the plate pieces 17b and 17d are parallel to each other.

2 and 4, the second side plate 21 rises from the end of the second side X2 of the bottom plate 11 toward the first side Z1. In this example, the second side plate 21 extends parallel to the first side Z1 from the end of the bottom plate 11. The second side plate 21 is formed in a wave shape by connecting a plurality of plate pieces 22a, 22b, and 22c (hereinafter simply referred to as plate pieces 22a to 22c) to each other in the second direction Y.
That is, in this embodiment, both the side plates 16 and 21 are formed in a wavy shape. However, it is also possible for one of the side plates 16 and 21 to be formed in a wavy shape.
The plate pieces 22a to 22c are each formed in a plate shape and extend in the thickness direction Z. The end of the second side Y2 of the plate piece 22a is disposed in a position in the second direction Y corresponding to the middle portion of the plate piece 17b in the second direction Y.
The plate piece 22a extends parallel to the end of the bottom plate 11 on the first side Y1 toward the second side Y2.
The plate piece 22b extends from the end of the plate piece 22a on the second side Y2 in a direction between the first side X1 and the second side Y2. The plate piece 22c extends from the end of the plate piece 22b on the second side Y2 in parallel to the second side Y2.
The second side plate 21 has a corner 23a at the portion where the plate pieces 22a and 22b are connected to each other. The angle θ6 formed by the plate pieces 22a and 22b constituting the corner 23a toward the side plates 16 and 21 is between 165 degrees and 179 degrees. That is, the second side plate 21 has one corner 23a.

In this embodiment, each of the side plates 16 and 21 has 1 to 5 corners. At least one of the side plates 16 and 21 may be configured to have 1 to 5 corners.
2, the positions of the ends of the first sides Y1 of the plate pieces 17a and 22a in the second direction Y coincide with each other. The positions of the ends of the second sides Y2 of the plate pieces 17e and 22c in the second direction Y coincide with each other.

2 and 4, a plane disposed between the first side plate 16 and the second side plate 21 and perpendicular to the first direction X is defined as a second reference plane (reference plane) S1. The second reference plane S1 may be a plane including the center line of the bottom plate 11 in the first direction X.
In this case, the side plates 16 and 21 are asymmetric with respect to the second reference plane S1. In other words, the side plates 16 and 21 are not symmetric with respect to at least a portion of the second reference plane S1. For example, the plate piece 17b of the first side plate 16 and the plate piece 22b of the second side plate 21 are not symmetric with respect to the second reference plane S1.
2, a width (distance) L2 of the end of the side plate 16, 21 on the second side Y2 is shorter than a width L3 of the end of the side plate 16, 21 on the first side Y1. For example, the width L2 is 100 mm, and the width L3 is 260 mm.
The ends of the side plates 16, 21 and the bottom plate 11 on the first side Y1 form an inlet 46. The ends of the side plates 16, 21 and the bottom plate 11 on the second side Y2 form an outlet 47. In other words, the relationship between the widths L2 and L3 is such that the width of the outlet 47 is narrower than the width of the inlet 46.

2 and 3, the back plate 26 rises toward the first side Z1 from the end of the first side Y1 of the bottom plate 11. The back plate 26 seals the gap between the first side plate 16 and the second side plate 21.
2 to 4 , the flange 31 includes a pair of first flange pieces 32 and a second flange piece 33. Each first flange piece 32 extends from an end of the side plate 16, 21 on the first side Z1 in parallel to the first direction X toward the outside of the side plate 16, 21. The second flange piece 33 extends from an end of the back plate 26 on the first side Z1 in parallel to the first side Y1. The pair of first flange pieces 32 and second flange pieces 33 are continuous with each other.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inclined plate 36 is disposed at the end of the first side Y1 of the bottom plate 11. The inclined plate 36 gradually inclines toward the first side Z1 as it approaches the second side Y2. In a cross section perpendicular to the first direction X shown in Figure 3, the angle θ8 formed between the bottom plate 11 and the inclined plate 36 (hereinafter also referred to as the inclined plate angle) is an acute angle of 5 degrees or more and 10 degrees or less. In this embodiment, the end of the inclined plate 36 on the second side Y2 is disposed closer to the first side Z1 than the bottom plate 11. That is, a step is formed in the thickness direction Z between the end of the inclined plate 36 on the second side Y2 and the bottom plate 11.
The end of the second side Y2 of the inclined plate 36 may be connected to the bottom plate 11. In this case, the inclined plate angle means the angle formed between the inclined plate 36 and an extension line of the second side Y2 of the bottom plate 11.

2 to 4, the rod-shaped protrusion 41 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape. The semi-cylindrical shape here refers to a shape obtained by cutting a cylinder along a plane including the axis of the cylinder. The diameter of the rod-shaped protrusion 41 is 5 mm or more and 40 mm or less. The length (in the second direction Y) of the rod-shaped protrusion 41 is 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less.
The rod-shaped protrusion 41 is disposed between the side plates 16, 21 and at a position spaced apart from the side plates 16, 21. The rod-shaped protrusion 41 protrudes toward the first side Z1 beyond the bottom plate 11. The rod-shaped protrusion 41 is disposed on the bottom plate 11 closer to the second side Y2 than the inclined plate 36. The rod-shaped protrusion 41 extends from the end of the bottom plate 11 on the second side Y2 toward the first side Y1 along the second direction Y. The rod-shaped protrusion 41 extends to near the boundary between the equal-width portion 12 and the tapered portion 13.
It is preferable that the end face of the first side Y1 of the rod-shaped projection 41 is gradually inclined toward the second side Y2 as it approaches the first side Z1 (see FIG. 3).
Furthermore, instead of the rod-shaped protrusions 41, the bottom plate 11 may have a peak in the center in the first direction X and a slope that descends toward the end in the first direction X. The slope may be provided toward both end sides in the first direction X. The slope may be provided only toward one end side in the first direction X, with the other end side having a step shape without any slope. Furthermore, when the step shape is provided toward the other end side, the lower end of the step shape may be located at a position lower than the height of the bottom plate 11. In other words, a recess may be provided in the bottom plate 11. Alternatively, the bottom plate 11 may have only a recess without any protrusions or slopes.

The tray 10 configured as described above is formed, for example, by bending steel plate or steel material.

1, the vibration unit 50 includes a main body 51, a control unit 52, and a cable 53. Here, a plane including the thickness direction Z and the second direction Y is referred to as a YZ plane.
The main body 51 has a known configuration. For example, the main body 51 includes a motor and a gearbox (not shown). The motor drives the gearbox. The gearbox supports the tray 10 so that the bottom plate 11 is aligned with a horizontal plane and the first side Z1 faces upward. The main body 51 vibrates the tray 10 on the YZ plane in directions that intersect with the thickness direction Z and the second direction Y.
As shown in FIG. 3, a vibration direction D is defined on the YZ plane, which is inclined at an angle θ10 toward the first side Z1 with respect to the second direction Y as it approaches the second side Y2.
The vibration direction D is a direction including a first direction between the first side Z1 and the second side Y2 and a second direction between the second side Z2 and the first side Y1. The main body 51 vibrates the tray 10 in the vibration direction D.
The angle θ10 is the amount by which the tray 10 is tilted from a horizontal plane toward a normal line pointing vertically upward to the horizontal plane, with the second side Y2 in the second direction Y as the reference, in a second direction Y that is perpendicular to both the vertical direction (thickness direction Z) and the first direction X. The angle θ10 is preferably between 35 degrees and 65 degrees.

The amplitude of vibration by the vibrating unit 50 (hereinafter simply referred to as amplitude) is preferably 1.5 mm or more and 6.0 mm or less. The frequency of vibration by the vibrating unit 50 (hereinafter simply referred to as frequency) is preferably 20 Hz (Hertz) or more and 50 Hz or less. The frequency may also be 20 Hz or more and 60 Hz or less.

The control unit 52 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), a memory, and an input/output unit. The memory stores a control program for controlling the CPU, constants including amplitude and frequency, and the like. The input/output unit includes a keyboard, a display, and the like. The operator issues instructions to the CPU by operating the keyboard. The results of processing by the CPU are displayed on the display.
The cable 53 connects the main body 51 and the control unit 52 .

Next, the operation of the supply device 1 configured as above will be described.
When an operator operates the input/output unit to give an instruction to the control unit 52, the control unit 52 drives the vibration unit 50 to vibrate the tray 10 in the vibration direction D at a predetermined amplitude and frequency.
For example, a plurality of objects W supplied to the inlet 46 by a hopper (not shown) moves up the inclined plate 36 toward the second side Y2 as the tray 10 vibrates. At this time, since the shapes of the plurality of objects W are different from one another, the time required for the plurality of objects W to climb up the inclined plate 36 differs from one another. When each object W passes over the inclined plate 36, it falls down the step and is placed on the bottom plate 11.
This allows multiple objects W to be supplied in a lined up state one by one onto the bottom plate 11, which is located on the second side Y2 of the inclined plate 36, thereby preventing multiple objects W from clogging the inside of the tray 10.

Because the side plates 16, 21 are asymmetric with respect to the second reference plane S1, when multiple objects W come into contact with the side plates 16, 21 while being transported on the bottom plate 11 toward the second side Y2, the force they receive from the side plates 16, 21 is asymmetric in the first direction X. This prevents the multiple objects W from being transported symmetrically in the first direction X toward the second side Y2. This causes bridges, etc. (described below), to be formed symmetrically in the first direction X, preventing the multiple objects W from blocking the inside of the tray 10.

Because the bottom plate 11 is provided with the rod-shaped protrusions 41, as shown in Fig. 5, the plurality of objects W to be supplied climb onto the rod-shaped protrusions 41, changing the position of the plurality of objects W. Each object W is disposed at an angle relative to the bottom plate 11 of the tray 10, making it difficult for the plurality of objects W to form a bridge, which will be described later. This prevents the plurality of objects W from clogging the inside of the tray 10. Because the width L2 of the end of the second side Y2 of the side plates 16, 21 is shorter than the width L3 of the end of the first side Y1, the plurality of objects W are discharged to the outside from the discharge port 47 of the tray 10 in a lined-up state.
The material W discharged from the tray 10 is transported, for example, by a conveyor (not shown). Then, various metals such as gold and silver are extracted from the material W and recycled.

Next, the results of an experiment using the tray 10 of the embodiment configured as described above and a tray of a comparative example will be described.
Small electrical appliances for disposal were used as the plurality of supplied items W. More specifically, 10 smartphones, 10 mobile phones, and 10 digital cameras were used as the plurality of supplied items W. The total number of the plurality of supplied items was 30. Here, mobile phones refer to mobile phones other than smartphones (for example, feature phones).
Each object is rectangular, but the shapes and sizes vary. The surface of each object is uneven due to protrusions, etc. The long and short sides and thicknesses of the objects are as follows:
・Long side: 54.0 to 91.9mm (average 68.7mm)
・Short side: 23.6 to 48.5 mm (average 35.5 mm)
Thickness: 3.8 to 22.3 mm (average 12.2 mm)
In general, the ratio of the long side to the short side of a small electrical appliance is about 2 to 5.

Experiments were conducted under the experimental conditions shown in Table 1, Experiments No. 1 to No. 7.

In Table 1, if each item of the experimental conditions is met, it is indicated by "○", and if it is not met, it is indicated by "×".
The trays of Case 1 and Case 2 do not have an inclined plate or a rod-like protrusion.
In the tray of Case 1, the pair of side plates are symmetrical with respect to the second reference plane. The width of the outlet and the width of the inlet are equal to each other, and each width is 236 mm. The width of the outlet is sufficiently wider than the long sides of the multiple objects to be supplied.
The tray of Case 2 is shown in Figure 6. In the tray 100 of Case 2, the side plates 101 and 102 are symmetrical with respect to the second reference plane S1. The tray 100 has a tapered shape, in which the width of the outlet is narrower than the width of the inlet. The width of the outlet is 100 mm. The width of the outlet is approximately equal to the long side of the multiple objects to be supplied. This is a condition that can cause blockage depending on the posture of the objects to be supplied, etc.
The tray of the case 3 differs from the tray of this embodiment only in that it does not have an inclined plate or a rod-shaped protrusion.

The tray of the case 4 differs from the tray of this embodiment only in that it does not have an inclined plate.
In the tray of Case 5, the inclined plate angle is set to 5 degrees in the tray of this embodiment.
In the tray of Case 6, the angle of the inclined plate is set to 10 degrees in the tray of this embodiment.
In the trays of Cases 4 to 6, the angle of each corner of the first side plate in the tray of this embodiment was 162 degrees. The angle of the corner of the second side plate was 118 degrees. The diameter of the rod-shaped protrusion was 20 mm, and the length of the rod-shaped protrusion was 450 mm.

The multiple feed materials were randomly mixed and placed in a pile at the tray inlet, after which the tray was vibrated in the vibration direction.
The time required for all the supplied materials to be discharged after the application of vibration (hereinafter referred to as the discharge time) was measured. If all the supplied materials were not discharged within 60 seconds after the application of vibration due to blockage of the supplied materials inside the tray, etc., the following treatment was carried out. The experiment was terminated when 60 seconds had passed since the application of vibration. The number of supplied materials remaining on the tray was recorded.
The mixing state of the plurality of materials to be supplied and the arrangement state at the inlet were changed, and 10 experiments were carried out under the experimental conditions of each experiment number.

In Experiments No. 1 to 4, the amplitude was set to 1.5 mm and the frequency was set to 60 Hz.
In Experiment No. 1, the tray of Case 1 was used. In all 10 experiments, the tray was not clogged with multiple objects, and all objects were discharged. However, most of the objects were discharged in a pile at the same time, and it was not possible to supply multiple objects in a single, aligned state. The average discharge time was 9 seconds.
In the column of "Prevention of clogging of supplied material" in Table 1, if the supplied material did not clog the inside of the tray in all experiments, the evaluation was indicated by "○". If the supplied material clogged the inside of the tray even once during all experiments, the evaluation was indicated by "×".
In the "Aligned supply of supply objects" column of Table 1, if multiple supply objects could be supplied in an aligned state one by one in all experiments, the evaluation was indicated by "○". If multiple supply objects could not be supplied in an aligned state one by one even once during all experiments, the evaluation was indicated by "×".
In Experiment No. 1, the evaluation of prevention of clogging of the supplied material was "good", and the evaluation of aligned supply of the supplied material was "poor".

In Experiment No. 2, the tray in Case 2 was used. As shown in Table 2, the supplied material became clogged in 8 out of 10 experiments.

For example, in the first experiment, all of the objects were discharged, and the discharge time was 19.4 seconds. In the second experiment, some of the objects were discharged, and three smartphones, three mobile phones, and one digital camera remained on the tray without being discharged.
When vibration was applied, the multiple objects began to move uniformly toward the outlet. As they approached the outlet, the objects became densely packed, causing blockages due to the object's position or by the object forming a bridge, resulting in blockages.
Fig. 6 shows a state in which one object W is blocking the tray 100 due to its position. Fig. 7 shows a state in which a plurality of objects W form a bridge (arch-shaped bridge) and block the tray 100. The plurality of objects W are arranged along the bottom plate of the tray 100.
The discharge times in the two experiments in which all the material was discharged were 19 seconds and 29 seconds. If no blockage occurred, the material could be supplied at a rate of nearly one unit per second.
In Experiment No. 2, the tray was clogged with the objects to be supplied eight times, and therefore the evaluation of preventing clogging of the objects to be supplied was "x". The evaluation of aligned supply of the objects to be supplied was "x".

In Experiment No. 3, the tray in Case 3 was used. As shown in Table 3, multiple objects were able to be discharged much more smoothly (without clogging) than in Experiment No. 2.

In Table 3, the total discharge rate means the number of times all the supplied materials were discharged divided by the number of experiments. In this example, the total discharge rate is 50% from the formula (5/10).
The ratio of the number of discarded vehicles means the number of discarded vehicles divided by the number of input vehicles, which is 300 vehicles.
In this example, the ratio of the number of discarded units is calculated as 93% from the formula (280/300).
The average discharge time means the average transport time of the five experiments in which all the samples were discharged. In this example, the average transport time is the average discharge time of the five experiments in which all the samples were discharged.
In Experiment No. 3, the objects to be supplied clogged the tray five times, so the evaluation of preventing clogging of the objects to be supplied was "x". The evaluation of aligned supply of the objects to be supplied was "x".

In Experiment No. 4, tray No. 4 was used. As shown in Table 4, all of the supplied material was discharged in all 10 experiments. None of the supplied material remained inside the tray.

The average discharge time was 27 seconds, but the minimum discharge time was 15 seconds and the maximum discharge time was 57 seconds, showing a large variability between experiments.
In Experiment No. 4, the evaluation of prevention of clogging of the supplied material was "good." The evaluation of aligned supply of the supplied material was "poor."

In Experiment No. 5, the tray of Case 4 was used. In Experiment No. 5 and Experiment No. 7, the amplitude was set to 6.0 mm. In Experiment No. 5 to Experiment No. 7, the frequency was set to 24.8 Hz.
In Experiment No. 5, the amplitude was increased and the frequency was decreased compared to Experiment No. 4. In Experiment No. 5, as shown in Table 5, all of the supplied material was discharged in all 10 experiments.

In Experiment No. 5, none of the supplied material remained inside the tray. The average discharge time was 17.4 seconds.

In Experiment No. 6, the tray in Case 5 was used and the amplitude was 4.0 mm. As shown in Table 6, in four of the ten experiments, the supplied material remained inside the tray.

However, the reason why the supplied objects remained on the inclined plate was because they could not climb all the way up the inclined plate. The supplied objects were not blocked inside the tray. By supplying multiple supplied objects to the inlet again, the remaining supplied objects on the inclined plate can easily climb up the inclined plate, so there is no problem with the remaining supplied objects.
In Table 6, the transport time means the time from when the first object is discharged from the tray to when the 30th object is discharged from the tray. The average transport time means the average transport time in an experiment in which all objects are discharged. There is a time lag between when vibration is applied to the tray and when the first object is discharged from the tray. The transport time is the value obtained by subtracting this time lag from the discharge time.
In Experiment No. 6, the evaluation of prevention of clogging of the supplied material was "good", and the evaluation of aligned supply of the supplied material was "good".

In Experiment No. 7, the tray in Case 6 was used. As shown in Table 7, in all 10 experiments, the supplied material remained inside the tray.

However, the reason why the supplied objects remained was because they could not climb all the way up the inclined plate and remained on the inclined plate, not because they were blocked inside the tray.
In Experiment No. 7, the evaluation of prevention of clogging of the supplied material was "good", and the evaluation of aligned supply of the supplied material was "good".

The trays used in the experiments in which the evaluation of clogging prevention of the object and the evaluation of aligned supply of the object were both "○" are examples. The trays used in the experiments in which at least one of the evaluation of clogging prevention of the object and the evaluation of aligned supply of the object were "×" are examples.
The trays in Cases 1 to 4 used in Experiments No. 1 to 5 are comparative examples. The trays in Cases 5 and 6 used in Experiments No. 6 and 7 are examples.

Next, the following study was conducted to determine the most suitable conditions for the angle θ10 when the above-described supply device 1 supplies the material W. Specifically, a DEM numerical simulation experiment was conducted. This numerical simulation experiment is described, for example, in "Method for Determining Input Parameters Used in DEM Analysis of Vibration Feeder Using Genetic Algorithm" on pages 551-556 of Volume 62, No. 4 of MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS.
The simulation conditions are shown below. The objects are waste products (three items: smartphone, feature phone, and digital camera; hereinafter, referred to as "supplied objects W"). Using calculation parameters set based on the above-mentioned "Method for determining input parameters used in DEM analysis of a vibrating feeder using a genetic algorithm," a total of 30 supplied objects W, 10 per item, are fed by gravity through the inlet 46 for the supplied objects W in Figure 9. A vibration simulation was performed for 60 seconds under conditions of a vibration amplitude of 5 mm and a vibration frequency of 45 Hz. At this time, the vibration angle θ10 was changed within the range of 0 to 85 degrees.

It is assumed that a belt conveyor (speed: 2 m/s) is installed at the discharge port 47 of the tray 10. The discharge time intervals of the supplied objects W discharged from the tray 10 and arriving at the destination of the belt conveyor were measured, and the median of the discharge time intervals was calculated.
8 shows the movement of a group of objects W in a numerical simulation experiment conducted using the tapered tray 10 shown in FIG. 10 at a vibration angle of 15 degrees. Because the vibration angle is small, all of the objects W rush toward the discharge port 47 at once. When the long sides of the objects W become nearly parallel to the discharge port 47, the objects W are sandwiched between the side plates 16 and their movement is restricted. At the same time, the following group of objects W acts to further restrict their movement. The effects of these two types of restriction make it easy for blockages to occur.
On the other hand, when the vibration angle becomes larger, the group of objects W is less likely to become blocked because the moving speed component in the conveying direction becomes smaller and the group of objects W moves vertically upward, which is less likely to be restricted by the surrounding objects W or the side plates 16. However, when the vibration angle becomes 70 degrees or more, the group of objects W moves predominantly vertically, so the number of products being conveyed becomes extremely small.
Table 8 shows the results of the numerical simulation experiment of the first embodiment.

Table 8 shows the simulation results for three ranges: 0 to 30 degrees, 35 to 65 degrees, and 70 to 85 degrees. The values in the table are the average values of the results obtained in the simulation for each range.

The conveying speed of the belt conveyor is set to 2 m/s, and when all the objects W are discharged one after another at regular intervals from the discharge port 47, the objects W continue to be discharged from the belt conveyor every 0.5 seconds. In other words, the optimal value (target value) of the median of the discharge time interval under these simulation conditions is 0.5 seconds.
It is desirable that the number of supply items W remaining inside the tray 10 is zero. If the value is zero or more, there are two possible cases: a case where the remaining items are due to a blockage, and a case where the transport is taking a long time and it is predicted that the items will be discharged if the simulation is continued. If anything, there were more cases where the supply stopped due to a blockage.
The median value of the discharge time interval is high at a vibration angle of 30 degrees or less used in the conventional supply device 1. This is because the above-mentioned blockage occurs frequently, causing temporary or complete delays in the transport of the group of objects W to be supplied.
When the vibration angle was 70 degrees or more, the moving speed in the conveying direction became slower, making it difficult to convey the object W. This caused the discharge to become intermittent, resulting in variations in the time intervals. As a result, the median value of the discharge time intervals tended to increase with the vibration angle.
When the vibration angle is between 35 and 65 degrees, the balance between the driving force in the vertical direction and the driving force in the conveying direction is good, and it is difficult for the objects W to be supplied to become clogged. It was also confirmed that it is possible to continue discharging the objects W steadily at regular intervals.

(Comparative embodiments and examples)
Table 9 shows the results of a numerical simulation experiment using the tray 10 of FIG. 10 as a comparison with the present invention.
The conditions for the numerical simulation experiment were the same except that the tray 10 shown in FIG. 10 was used.

As shown in Table 9, by setting the vibration angle between 35 and 65 degrees, the discharge time interval can be controlled to approach the target value.
However, in the case of the tapered tray 10 shown in Fig. 10, a larger number of objects W remained in the tray 10 after 60 seconds than in the case of using the tray 10 shown in Fig. 9. The tendency was different from that in the case of using the tray 10 shown in Fig. 9, and when objects W remained, clogging occurred in almost all cases.
From the above, it was confirmed that by using a tray 10 shaped as shown in Figure 9 and using a vibration angle of 35 to 65 degrees, it is possible to steadily supply individual irregular objects without causing blockage as much as possible.

(Other embodiments and examples)
As another example, a numerical simulation experiment was conducted using 30 copies of a specific object W (one smartphone) and the tapered tray 10 shown in FIG.
That is, the present embodiment is the same as the comparative example except for the change in the material W. The results of the numerical simulation experiment are shown in Table 10.

In this embodiment, the object to be supplied W is a unique item, and as shown in Table 8, the median value of the discharge time interval is closer to the target value at vibration angles of 35 to 65 degrees and 70 to 85 degrees than at vibration angles of 30 degrees or less used in the conventional supply device 1.
Furthermore, when the vibration angle was 30 degrees or less, as used in the conventional supply device 1, approximately 20 objects out of 30 remained unsupplied. Furthermore, when the vibration angle was 30 degrees or less, supply often stopped completely due to blockage.
The number of remaining objects W was 6.7 on average in the range of 35 to 65 degrees, and 11.5 on average in the range of 70 to 85 degrees, meaning that more objects could be discharged than at vibration angles of 30 degrees or less.
Although the number of remaining supply items W did not become zero, this was due to a different cause than supply being stopped due to blockage, and it was simply because the items could not be discharged within 60 seconds. However, if the vibration had continued, it would have been possible to discharge them.

As described above, by using the tray 10 of this embodiment, the plurality of objects W to be supplied can be supplied one by one in a lined up state without causing blockage of the inside of the tray 10.
The first side plate 16 is formed in a wave shape by connecting the plate pieces 17a to 17e to one another in the second direction Y. Therefore, the first side plate 16 formed in a wave shape can be easily configured by the plate pieces 17a to 17e.

The first side plate 16 has one to five corners 18a, 18b, and the angle that the pair of plate pieces constituting each corner 18a, 18b form with the side plates 16, 21 is 165 degrees to 179 degrees. If the first side plate 16 does not have corners 18a, 18b, it will be difficult for the first side plate 16 to apply force to the objects W that come into contact with the first side plate 16. On the other hand, if the first side plate 16 has six or more corners, the objects W may be caught by the corners, causing the objects W to become blocked inside the tray 10.
If the angle between the pair of plate pieces is less than 165 degrees, the object W to be supplied may be caught at the corner, causing the object W to become blocked inside the tray 10. On the other hand, if the angle between the pair of plate pieces exceeds 179 degrees (180 degrees or more), it becomes difficult for the first side plate 16 to apply force to the object W to be supplied that is in contact with the first side plate 16.
By setting the number of corners 18a, 18b that the first side plate 16 has and the angles of each corner 18a, 18b as described above, it is possible to more reliably prevent multiple supplied items W from becoming blocked inside the tray 10.

The rod-shaped protrusions 41 extend along the second direction Y and are disposed between the side plates 16, 21 at positions spaced apart from the side plates 16, 21. The rod-shaped protrusions 41 extend in a direction in which the plurality of objects W to be supplied moves due to vibration of the tray 10. Compared to when the rod-shaped protrusions 41 are in contact with the side plates 16, 21, the plurality of objects W are more likely to climb onto the rod-shaped protrusions 41, causing the posture of the rod-shaped protrusions 41 to change. Therefore, the posture of the plurality of moving objects W changes more significantly over a wider range in the second direction Y, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the plurality of objects W from clogging the inside of the tray 10.
The rod-shaped protrusion 41 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape and extends from the end of the second side Y2 to the first side Y1 of the bottom plate 11. The diameter of the rod-shaped protrusion 41 is 5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, and the length of the rod-shaped protrusion 41 in the first direction X is 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less. This makes it easier for the plurality of objects W to be supplied to maintain the position where they ride on the rod-shaped protrusion 41, and also makes it possible to more reliably change the position of the plurality of objects W that ride on the rod-shaped protrusion 41.

The inclined plate angle θ8 formed between the bottom plate 11 and the inclined plate 36 is between 5 degrees and 10 degrees. This makes it possible to more reliably supply multiple items W aligned one by one from the inclined plate 36 onto the bottom plate 11 located on the second side Y2 without blocking the tray 10 with multiple items W.

The supply device 1 of this embodiment also includes a tray 10 and a vibrating unit 50. By vibrating the tray 10 with the vibrating unit 50, the plurality of objects W to be supplied can be made to climb the inclined plate 36 and supplied one by one to the second side Y2 in a lined up state through the space between the side plates 16 and 21.
The vibration amplitude of the vibration unit 50 is 1.5 mm or more and 6.0 mm or less, and the vibration frequency of the vibration unit 50 is 20 Hz or more and 50 Hz or less. Therefore, a plurality of objects W to be supplied can be supplied one by one in an aligned state approximately every second.

The tray 10 is supported so that its bottom plate 11 is aligned with a horizontal plane, and vibrates in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X, in a direction Z tilted at an angle of 35 degrees to 65 degrees from the horizontal plane toward the normal direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. This allows the objects W to be discharged smoothly from the tray 10. Therefore, the objects W can be stably supplied at an optimal supply speed. That is, if the tilt (angle θ10) is less than 35 degrees, the objects W are likely to become clogged in the tray 10, which may increase the time required to supply the objects W. If the tilt (angle θ10) is 65 degrees or more, the speed of movement in the conveying direction decreases, which may increase the time required to supply the objects W.

This configuration can be applied to a single-item supply device for irregular objects, such as waste products, which uses a single device to smoothly discharge individual products and align them on a belt conveyor at an optimal speed (approximately two items per second) for efficient operation of an object recognition device that combines subsequent image processing and weight measurement. It can also be used to supply a group of individual, one-of-a-kind objects (single-line). In other words, it can be expected to be effective as a replacement for a parts feeder.

Furthermore, the width L3 of the discharge port 47 is narrower than the width L3 of the input port 46. This allows the number of supplies W discharged from the discharge port 47 at one time to be appropriately controlled even when a large amount of supplies W is input into the tray 10 from the input port 46.
The pair of side plates 16 are asymmetric with respect to the conveying direction of the objects W. As a result, when the objects W are conveyed from the inlet 46 to the outlet 47 and the plurality of objects W contact the side plates 16 on the bottom plate 11, the force received from the side plates 16 becomes asymmetric with respect to the conveying direction of the objects W. This prevents the plurality of objects W from being conveyed symmetrically in the conveying direction. This makes it possible to prevent the plurality of objects W from clogging inside the tray 10.
The tray 10 also has rod-shaped protrusions 41 on the bottom plate 11. As a result, the plurality of objects W being supplied while being transported inside the tray 10 climb onto the rod-shaped protrusions 41, causing the posture of the objects W to change. In other words, the objects W are disposed in a tilted posture relative to the bottom plate 11 of the tray 10. This makes it possible to prevent the plurality of objects W from clogging the bottom plate 11.

In addition, the bottom plate 11 of the tray 10 has a sloped bottom surface that slopes in the conveying direction. This allows for more efficient conveyance of the object W.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. Only the differences will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a tray 60 of this embodiment includes a second side plate 61 instead of the second side plate 21 of the tray 10 of the first embodiment.
The second side plate 61 rises toward the first side Z1 from the end of the second side X2 of the bottom plate 11. The second side plate 61 includes a plate piece 62 and a connecting piece 63 instead of the plate piece 22c of the second side plate 21.

The plate piece 62 includes a plate piece main body 66 and a curved piece 67 .
The plate piece main body 66 is formed in a plate shape and is gradually inclined toward the second side X2 as it approaches the first side Z1.
The curved piece 67 is curved so as to be convex in the direction between the second side X2 and the second side Z2. The end of the curved piece 67 on the second side Z2 is connected to the bottom plate 11. The end of the curved piece 67 on the first side Z1 is connected to the end of the second side Z2 of the plate piece main body 66. The end of the first side Z1 of the plate piece main body 66 is connected to the first flange piece 32 of the flange 31.
The connecting piece 63 is formed in a plate shape with its thickness direction aligned in the second direction Y. The connecting piece 63 seals the gap between the plate piece 22b and the plate piece 62.
12, the object W is indicated by a two-dot chain line. The object W, which moves along the curved piece 67 and the plate piece main body 66, is likely to change its position.

According to the tray 60 of this embodiment, a plurality of objects W to be supplied, each having a different shape, can be supplied in a lined up state one by one without causing clogging inside.
Furthermore, the object W placed at the end of the second side Y2 of the tray 60 moves along the curved piece 67 and the plate piece main body 66, allowing the object W to easily change its position.
The tray 60 may not include the curved piece 67 and the plate piece main body 66 may be directly connected to the bottom plate 11 .

Although the first and second embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications, combinations, deletions, etc. of the configurations within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations shown in each embodiment can be used in appropriate combinations.
For example, in the first and second embodiments, the first side plate 16 may be formed into a sinusoidal wave shape by bending a steel material, etc. In this case, the first side plate 16 does not have the corners 18 a.

The first side plate 16 and the second side plate 21 do not have to be formed in a wavy shape as long as they are formed asymmetrically with respect to the second reference plane S1.
The rod-shaped protrusion 41 may not necessarily have a shape extending along the second direction Y, but may have a hemispherical shape, for example. The rod-shaped protrusion 41 may be disposed at a position where it contacts the first side plate 16 or the second side plate 21.
The inclined plate angle θ8 may be less than 5 degrees or may be greater than 10 degrees.

Furthermore, the first side plate 16 and the second side plate 21 may be disposed symmetrically in the first direction X.
Furthermore, the object W to be supplied is not limited to a smartphone, a feature phone, or a digital camera, but may be other items. For example, the present invention may be applied to a tablet PC, a laptop computer, or other items.

Furthermore, although the vibration unit 50 has been described as including a motor and a gearbox, it may instead be an air-driven type.
Furthermore, in order to promote the discharge of the object W from the discharge port 47, a detection means for detecting the discharge of the object W may be provided at the discharge port 47. The detection means may be, for example, a photosensor, a magnetic sensor, or an image sensor. When it is detected that the object W is not being discharged from the discharge port 47, the amplitude and frequency of the vibration of the tray 10 by the vibrating unit 50 may be controlled to be increased.

In this embodiment, the supply device 1 is configured to supply small electrical appliances as the objects W, but this is not limiting. For example, the supply device 1 may be used in various devices, such as a material sorting device for crushed waste pieces of various configurations, or various devices that require objects to be supplied one by one at intervals in the conveying direction, such as a sorting device for goods and luggage in the distribution industry, a sorting device or processing device for agricultural products, or an industrial product production line. Furthermore, the supply device 1 may be used as a weighing device by providing a weight sensor on the tray 10 to detect the weight of the objects W discharged from the discharge port 47.
In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate.

1 Supply device 10 Tray 11 Bottom plate 16 Side plate 21 Side plate 41 Rod-shaped protrusion 46 Input port 47 Discharge port 50 Vibration unit 60 Tray 100 Tray 101 Side plate 102 Side plate L2 Width L3 Width W Object to be supplied X First direction Y Second direction Z Thickness direction

Claims (5)

A supply device that supplies an object to be supplied, which is an irregular object, to a supply target,
a tray including a bottom plate supported along a horizontal surface and a pair of side plates each rising vertically upward from an end of the bottom plate in a first direction along the bottom plate;
a vibration unit that vibrates the tray in a second direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the first direction, in a direction tilted at an angle of 35 degrees or more and 65 degrees or less from the horizontal plane toward a normal direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane ,
The tray is
An inlet for inputting the material to be supplied;
a discharge port for discharging the object to be supplied that has been input from the input port;
Equipped with
The pair of side plates are asymmetric with respect to the conveying direction of the object to be supplied .
Feeding device. The width of the discharge port is narrower than the width of the input port , and a rod-shaped protrusion is provided on the bottom plate of the tray.
2. The feeding device of claim 1. The bottom plate of the tray is provided with a bottom surface inclined toward the side facing the object in the thickness direction of the bottom plate as it moves toward the conveying direction.
3. The feeding device of claim 2. a step is formed between the bottom plate and the inclined bottom surface at an end portion of the inclined bottom surface facing the conveying direction;
4. The feeding device of claim 3. an inclination angle of the bottom surface with respect to the bottom plate in the direction toward the conveying direction is an acute angle;
4. The feeding device of claim 3.