JPH06104487B2 - Sorting device for conveyed objects - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transport object sorting apparatus for appropriately sorting objects such as various bottles, cans, and packages in a system in which the objects are transported. Is.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as an apparatus for selecting an object such as a bottle, for example, an apparatus described in JP-A-55-24579 is known. In this device, when a switch for manually selecting a bottle is operated, the corresponding bottle is sorted and conveyed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-described conventional techniques, manpower is required and automation is desired. Therefore, it is conceivable to detect the conveyed object at a predetermined position and press the object at a predetermined timing in anticipation of reaching the object pressing position after a predetermined time from that position. However, this method is effective only when the conveyed object is conveyed at a predetermined speed, and there are fluctuations in the conveying speed when the object slides on the conveying path, and when restarting operation after an emergency stop or Since the transport speed gradually increases at the start of the initial operation, the object cannot be pressed at a predetermined timing.

The present invention has been made as a solution to the problems of the prior art as described above, and an object thereof is to be able to automatically select an object without manual operation, and when the transport speed of the object is not steady. However, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor object sorting apparatus capable of accurately sorting objects.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, a drive source, an object pressing unit that presses an object conveyed on a conveying path to move the object in a required direction, and a driving force of the drive source is transmitted to the object pressing unit. / Coupling means for not transmitting and suddenly stopping the object pressing means, and object detection provided at a position upstream of conveyance from a pressing position of the object pressing means against the object and detecting an object conveyed on the conveying path Means, an object passing detecting means which is provided at a position further upstream from the installation position of the object detecting means and detects the passage of an object conveyed on the conveying path, and the detection of the object passing detecting means. Time data creation for creating time data corresponding to the time required to reach the pressing position after the detection output of the object is obtained based on the output And a transmission timing control for applying a control signal to the coupling means based on the time data created by the time data creation means and the detection output of the object detection means to control the transmission timing of the driving force of the drive source. And a means for selecting conveyed objects.

(Operation) According to the above configuration, the time data created by the time data creating means reflects the speed of the object as detected by the object passing detection means, and is changed according to the speed of the object. Therefore, by controlling the timing at which the driving force of the driving source is transmitted to the coupling means by using this time data, it is possible to press the object at an appropriate timing at all times.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, an object 2 such as a bottle is conveyed on a conveying path 1 such as a belt conveyor from the right to the left in the figure. Reference numeral 3 is a motor as a drive source, which rotates at an appropriate rotational speed. The rotation of the motor 3 reaches the coupling means 7 by a transmission mechanism that is transmitted to the timing gear 6 via the timing gear 4 and the timing belt 5, for example. The coupling means 7 is, for example, a vacuum clutch brake or the like, and performs coupling between the timing gear 6 and the brush body 8 and sudden stop of the brush body 8.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a component portion including the coupling means 7, the timing gear 6, and the glass body 8. As is clear from the figure, the timing gear 6 is attached to the shaft 9 by the nut 10.
Is stuck to. The brush body 8 has an annular main body 8A (FIG. 3) and a hair body 11 planted on the outer periphery of the main body 8A. As shown in FIG. The length changes as it goes around, and it is in a so-called eccentric state. A brush position detecting cam 12 and a predetermined rotation detecting cam 14 are provided integrally with the brush body 8 on the coupling means 7 side of the brush body 8. Brush position detection cam 12 and predetermined rotation detection cam 14
Each have an annular shape with a different diameter, and cutouts 13 and 14A are formed in predetermined portions on the outer circumference. (of course,
It may be one in which a protruding portion is formed on a predetermined portion of the outer circumference. ). When the brush body is in the initial position, for example, of the hair bodies 11 of the brush body 8, for example, the shortest part of the bristles opposes the transport path 1, and the object 2 is prevented from being pressed, and A proximity switch 15 is provided at the position of the casing of the coupling means 7 facing the notch 13 of the brush position detecting cam 12 provided integrally with the brush body 8. Further, the cutout portion 14A of the predetermined rotation detecting cam 14 is formed so as to form a predetermined rotation angle with the cutout portion 13.
A stop sensor 16 is provided at the position of the casing of the coupling means 7 facing 14A. The output signals of the proximity switch 15 and the stop sensor 16 are given to the control unit 20. When the coupling means 7 transmits the rotation of the motor 3 to the brush body 8 under the control of the control unit 20, the brush body 8 rotates and pushes out the object 2 located at the position facing the brush body 8 in the transport path 1 in two rows. Conveyed path 21A, 21B
The object 2 is moved to the transport path 21A. Brush body 8
A start sensor 17 for detecting the object 2 is provided on the upstream side of the transport path 1. Assuming that the distance between the start sensor 17 and the center of the brush body 8 is l ₁ as shown and the diameter (width, etc.) of the object 2 is D, the start sensor 17 is l ₁ D / 2. The position of is determined. The output signal of the start sensor 17 is given to the control unit 20.

A speed detect sensor 18 for detecting that the object 2 is passing is provided further upstream of the start sensor 17. If the distance between the speed detect sensor 18 and the start sensor 17 is l ₂ , this l ₂ is D <l ₂ <{D + △
t (V ₁ + V ₂ )}.

Here, V ₁ is the speed at which the object 2 passes through the speed detect sensor 18, and V ₂ is the object 2 start sensor.
It is the speed when passing 17.

The control unit 20 has an input unit 30 for inputting data such as how the system start switch and the object 2 are pressed (for example, all of them are pushed to the transport path 21A side or only defective products are pushed to the transport path 21 side). It is attached. The control information is stored in the control unit 20 by the selection information storage unit 2 in which data indicating whether or not the object 2 to be pressed against the transport path 21A is stored.
1, time data creating means 22, transmission timing control means 22
Is provided. The time data creating means 22 sends an output signal while the speed detect sensor 18 is passing from the front end to the rear end of the object 2, so that the same object 2 is based on this.
After the start sensor 17 detects the
Create time data corresponding to the time to reach the center. Specifically, if the output of the speed detect sensor 18 as shown in FIG. 4 (a) is obtained by passing the object 2, for example, l ₁ <l ₂ etc. Considering that the pressing timing (hitting point) is deviated, the counter is counted up by the clock shown in the fourth (b) after being delayed by Δt, and this count value is used as time data.

The transmission timing control means 23 gives a start signal via the signal line 24 and a stop signal via the signal line 25 based on the time data created by the time data creation means 22 and the output of the start sensor 17, and outputs the start signal from the motor 3. The rotation is transmitted to the brush body 8 or the brush body 8 is suddenly stopped. Specifically, when the information about the first object 2 in the selection information storage means 21 indicates that the object 2 is to be pressed against the transport path 21A, the transmission timing control means 23 causes the time data creation means 22.
After obtaining the time data created by, and obtaining the detection signal of the object 2 from the start sensor 17, the count value which is the above time data is down-counted by the clock shown in FIG. 4 (c), and the count value becomes zero. When this happens, a start signal is given to the signal line 24 to transmit the rotation of the motor 3 in the coupling means 7 to the brush body 8 for rotation. As a result, the object 2 is pressed toward the transport path 21A. Then, when the brush body 8 rotates a predetermined amount and the cutout portion 14A is detected by the stop sensor 16, the transmission timing control means 23 sends a stop signal to the signal line 25 to stop the transmission of the rotation and stop the brush body 8 suddenly. To perform. As a result, the brush body 8
Stops after a predetermined reaction time. At this time, the proximity switch 15 comes to face the notch 13,
If they do not face each other, they can be used for an abnormal alarm output or the like. The selection information storage means 21 inputs and outputs information by a first-in first-out operation.

In the above, if the clock frequency of FIG. 4 (b) is selected to be lower than the clock frequency of FIG. 4 (c) as shown in FIG. 4, when the system is started, etc.
Even if the speed when passing in front of the start sensor 17 is faster than the speed of the object 2 when passing in front of the speed detect sensor 18, this can be followed. In general,
The frequencies of the two clocks are selected so that the object 2 can be pushed out properly in the steady state. For example, in consideration of Δt, when the count value of 5 pulses is obtained at the clock of FIG. 4 (b), the time for the object 2 to travel from the start sensor 17 to the center of the brush body 8 is shown in FIG. c)
The frequency is selected so that the clock of 5 pulses comes. Then, when the system starts, the count value of 10 pulses becomes time data, and even if the object 2 passing through the start sensor 17 advances to the center of the brush body 8 with 9 pulses, 10
It can be seen that the hitting point does not significantly shift because the pulse is pushed out at the pulse and the interval between the 9th pulse and the 10th pulse is short. Note that these clocks may be common clocks obtained from, for example, a sensor that detects the rotation speed of a motor (not shown) that drives the transport path 1. That is, for example, a slit disk is provided on the shaft of the motor, and the slit of the slit disk is detected by an opt sensor to be used as a clock, or a slit mark is attached to a belt or the like on the conveyance path 1 and detected by the opt sensor to be used as a clock. Or attach an encoder to the motor shaft to get a clock.
When this clock is used, the transport speed and the clock are synchronized, so that the object 2 can always be pressed accurately.

The essential part of the above-mentioned conveying object sorting apparatus can be specifically configured by including a circuit as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the configuration of FIG. 3, the input section 30 in FIG.
Also, the sorting information storage means 21 in the control unit 20 is not included. In the figure, a terminal 301 is for taking in a clock obtained from an encoder or the like attached to the shaft of the drive motor of the above-mentioned transport path 1, and the clock reaches the interface circuit 302. When using such a clock,
In the switches 303A and 303B, contacts opposite to those shown in the figure are selected. The clock circuit 304 generates the clock shown in FIG. 4 (b), and the clock circuit 305 generates the clock shown in FIG. 4 (c). These clocks are given to the amplifier counters 308 and 309 via the count enable circuits 306 and 307, respectively. The power-on reset circuit 301 is a count enable circuit 306, 307 when the power is turned on such as when the system is powered on.
Is reset and a reset instruction signal is given to the reset circuit 311. The reset circuit 311 is a power-on reset circuit 310.
The up counter 308, the down counter 309, and the latch circuit 312 are reset in response to the reset instruction signal. Also,
The reset circuit 311 receives the signal of the speed detect sensor 18 via the terminal 314 and the interface circuit 315, gives a latch timing signal to the latch circuit 311 at the end of the detection of the speed detect sensor 18, and outputs the clock from the clock circuit 304. For example, the up counter 308 and the down counter 309 are reset after a delay of one pulse.

When the count enable circuit 307 receives the detection output of the start sensor 17, the count enable circuit 307 passes the clock to the down counter 309 and downs on the condition that the output of the down counter 309 was active (for example, H level) before this. Allow counting. On the other hand, the count enable circuit
When the permission signal is obtained from the timer 316, the 306 passes the clock to the up counter 308. Timer 316 has terminal 314,
Speed detect sensor via interface 315 1
When the detection start signal of 7 is received, the time counting is started, and when the time of Δt described in FIG. 4 is set as the time counting, the time is over and the permission signal is given to the count enable circuit 306.

On the other hand, since the output signal switching circuit 321 normally selects the output signal of the down counter 309 and supplies it to the interface circuit 322 as described later, the interface circuit 3
Down counter from 22 to signal line 24 as start signal
The output of 309 is sent. Therefore, in normal operation, when the speed detect sensor 18 starts to detect the object 2, the timer 316 is started, and after Δt time, the enable signal is given to the count enable circuit 306 and the up counter 308 is clocked (see FIG. ) Correspondence) is given,
Up counting is started. Then, when the speed detect sensor 18 finishes detecting the object (when the rear end passes), the timer 316 stops sending the permission signal, so the up-counting of the up-counter 308 is finished, as shown in FIG. 4 (a). This means that the value counted by the clock in FIG. 4 (b) is set for the part of the pulse excluding Δt. Then, a latch timing signal is given from the reset circuit 311 to the latch circuit 312, the count value of the up counter 308 is latched by the latch circuit 312, and set in the down counter 309.

After that, the object 2 is detected by the start sensor 17, and the detection signal reaches the terminal 313. Therefore, the count enable circuit 307 allows the clock of the clock circuit 305 to pass therethrough, down counting by the clock shown in FIG. 4C is started, and when the count value becomes zero, the output of the down counter 309 becomes active, A start signal is output to the signal line 24, the rotation of the motor 3 by the coupling means 7 is transmitted to the brush body 8, and the object 2 is pressed and moved to the transport path 21A side. Of course, the selection information in the selection information storage means 21 is used, for example, according to the AND condition with the start sensor 17 coming to the terminal 313, and is used for controlling whether or not the above selection is performed.

The present embodiment has the following configuration in addition to the above-described configuration in which normal selection is performed in response to the change in the transport speed. That is, a start-up circuit 319 is provided as shown in FIG. The start-up circuit 319 is supplied with an operation signal of a switch for starting (starting) the system via a terminal 317 and an interface circuit 318. Further, this operation signal is a start signal for the timer 320. The timer 320 is of course located downstream of the position of the speed detect sensor 18 when the system starts up,
It is detected that the detection signal is obtained from the speed detect sensor 18 after there is no object 2 within a predetermined distance on the upstream side and the system is in a state sufficient to operate using the up counter 308 and the down counter 309. It is for. That is, after the time-up signal is given from the timer circuit 320 to the start-up circuit 319, the speed detect sensor 18 is supplied via the terminal 314 and the interface circuit 315.
When a detection start signal is given by the start-up circuit 319,
A control signal for selecting the output of 309 is transmitted. As a result, the operation using the up counter 308 and the down counter 309 is performed as described above.

Start-up circuit 319 is terminal 317, interface circuit
The detection signal of the speed detect sensor 18 is obtained from 315, and from the start of the system to the passage of two objects 2 (when it is not the output of the timer 320, of course), the terminal 324
The output signal switching circuit outputs a control signal that commands the start signal to be sent based on the detection signal from the start sensor 17
Give to 321. Further, the startup circuit 319 has obtained an overflow signal from the up counter 308, detects the arrival of this overflow signal after the passage of two objects 2 from the start of the system, and continuously starts when the overflow signal is obtained. A control signal for instructing the transmission of the start signal based on the detection signal of the sensor 17 is output, and when the overflow signal is not obtained, the control signal is output so that the output signal of the down counter 309 is transmitted as the start signal. The startup circuit
319 receives the output of the output signal switching circuit 321, detects that two objects between the speed detect sensor 18 and the brush body 8 have been conveyed, and then creates a switching timing for which signal should be output. I am using. The output signal of the stat sensor 17 reaching the terminal 324 is a spike-like signal indicating the detection of the tip of the object 2 while the signal arriving at the terminal 313 is a spike-shaped signal during the detection period from the tip to the trailing end of the object 2. It is the corresponding status signal. Output signal switching circuit 321
Is a timing corresponding to the rear end of the object 2 of the status signal output from the start sensor 17 when a control signal is given to select the output signal of the start sensor 17 coming from the start-up circuit 319 to the terminal 324. Outputs a start signal to the interface circuit 322.
As a result of the above configuration, for example, when the system is started, there are two objects 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ between the center P of the brush body 8 and the speed detect sensor 18, as shown in FIG. And Then, the startup circuit 319 sends a control signal to the output signal switching circuit 321 so as to select the signal from the terminal 324 for system startup. Therefore the output signal switching circuit 321 via the interface circuit 322 a start signal upon detection of the rear end of the object 2 ₁ by the start sensor 17 transmits to the coupling means 7.
As a result, the brush body 8 rotates and presses the object 21. At this time, since the object 2 ₁ is l ₁ D / 2 as described in FIG. ₁ , the object 2 ₁ moves to the brush body 8 as shown in FIG. located in the center P pressing the object 2 ₁ is made accurately. Such operation is performed for the object 2 _2, after pressing the object 2 ₂ by the control signal from the start-up circuit 319 based on the presence or absence of overflow signal from the up-counter 308, coming from the terminal 324 from the down counter 309 The status signal of the start sensor 17 is selected. Thus, the object 2 can be pressed accurately even when the system is started up or started after the emergency stop. In the above description, the start signal combined with the selection information arrives at the terminal 313, but the output of the interface 322 is combined with the selection information and the coupling means 7 is combined.
You may give it to. Further, the signal of the stop sensor 16 is given from the terminal 323.

The circuit shown in FIG. 3 can also be configured by a microcomputer, for example. That is, even if the microprocessor uses the program of the main memory to realize the operation of various counters and timers by software based on the outputs of the start sensor 17 and the speed detect sensor 18, the start signal as described above may be transmitted. Good.

Further, the coupling means 7 is not limited to a vacuum clutch brake, but may be an electromagnetic clutch or the like, and the brush body 8 may be a piston or an eccentric elastic body as long as it can press an object. Further, as each sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like can be appropriately adopted.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically select an object without manual operation, and to accurately select an object to be conveyed even when the object conveyance speed is not steady. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an essential portion of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a counting operation by a counter used in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an object pressing operation according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1, 21A, 21B ... Conveying path 2, 21, 22 ... Object 3 ... Motor 7 ... Coupling means 8 ... Brush body 12 ... Brush position detecting cam 13, 14A ... Notch, 14 ... Predetermined rotation detecting cam 15 ... Proximity sensor, 16 ... Stop sensor 17 ... Start sensor 18 ... Speed detect sensor 20 ... Control unit, 21 ... Selection information storage unit 22 ... Time data creation unit 23 ... Transmission timing control unit 30 ... Input unit, 304,305 ... Clock circuit 306,307 ... Count enable circuit 308 ... Up counter 309 ... Down counter, 312 ... Latch circuit 316,320 ... Timer 319 ... Startup circuit 321 ... Output signal switching circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A drive source, an object pressing means for pressing an object conveyed on a conveying path and moving the object in a required direction, and transmitting / not transmitting the driving force of the drive source to the object pressing means and pressing the object. A coupling means for abruptly stopping the means, an object detecting means provided at a position upstream of the conveyance from the pressing position for the object by the object pressing means, the object detecting means for detecting the object conveyed on the conveying path, and the object detecting means An object passing detection means which is provided at a position further upstream of the installation position for detecting the passage of an object being transferred through the transfer path, and the object detection means based on the detection output of the object passing detection means. Time data creating means for creating time data corresponding to the time required to reach the pressing position after the detection output of the object is obtained; And a transmission timing control means for applying a control signal to the coupling means to control the transmission timing of the driving force of the drive source based on the time data created by the above and the detection output of the object detection means. A device for sorting conveyed objects. 2. The time data creating means comprises a first counter for up-counting while the detection output of the object passing detection means is obtained based on the clock of the first clock generation circuit, and the transmission timing control means After the count value of the first counter is given a detection output from the object detecting means, the second value is obtained.
2. The transported object sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second counter that counts down based on the clock of the clock generation circuit. 3. The time data creating means comprises a first counter for counting up while the detection output of the object passing detection means is obtained, based on the clock obtained by the means for detecting the conveying speed of the conveying path. The transmission timing control means is provided with a second counter which counts down the count value of the first counter based on the clock obtained by the detection means after the detection output is given from the object detection means. An apparatus for selecting a conveyed object according to item (1). 4. A transmission timing control means, an object presence / absence detection circuit for detecting whether or not there is an object between a pressing position against the object and the object detection means at the start of the operation,
When the overflow output of the first counter or the detection output with an object by the object presence / absence detection circuit is obtained, the transmission timing is switched so as to control the transmission timing based only on the detection output of the object detection means. A switching device is provided, The sorting apparatus of the conveyed object in any one of Claim (2) or Claim (3) characterized by the above-mentioned.