JPH0817660B2 - Candy shape measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a candy shape measuring device, and more specifically, it samples high-temperature candy immediately after production and automatically measures the shape size and weight of the candy. The present invention relates to a candy shape measuring device that feeds back to a candy manufacturing device to manufacture a candy having a target size.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For a candy flowing through a candy production line, an operator manually pulls out a plurality of candy immediately after production at regular time intervals, stacks the candy and measures the shape and dimensions with a digital caliper to measure one candy. The average dimensional value is given, and the weight of the candy is measured with a scale,
They relied on manual measurements to record these data.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional measuring method, the worker manually pulls out and measures a plurality of candy immediately after the production, but the candy immediately after the production has a high temperature. Since it is easy to do and has a large viscosity, it has a problem that it is difficult to measure because it adheres to a measuring instrument. For this reason, a measurement error and a reduction in the efficiency of the measurement work are caused, which has an effect on feeding back the measurement data to the candy manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, in the candy manufacturing industry, even in the case of a candy having a high temperature immediately after manufacturing, a candy shape measuring device capable of accurately and quickly measuring the shape dimension and weight of the candy without deforming the candy. Development was long-awaited.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a candy shape measuring device capable of automatically measuring the shape size and weight of high-temperature candy immediately after production and feeding back the measurement result to the candy making device. The purpose is to do.

[0004]

A method according to the above-mentioned object.
The candy shape measuring device described is a sampling means for sampling a candy on a candy production line, a feeder for carrying the candy taken out by the sampling means while air-cooling the candy while being floated by air pressure, and in the middle of the feeder. Or a candy size measuring sensor and a candy weighing scale provided downstream, and a control device for controlling these and outputting the measured candy size data and weight data to a candy manufacturing device. It is configured. The candy shape measuring device according to claim 2 is the measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the dimension measuring sensor is a candy width measuring sensor, the candy width measuring sensor, and a candy thickness. And a measuring sensor.

[0005]

In the candy shape measuring device according to the first aspect, a predetermined number of candy immediately after production on the candy production line is sampled by the sampling means, and the candy taken out by the sampling means is floated above the feeder by air pressure. The candy is cooled while being conveyed, and the shape and dimensions of the candy are measured with a dimension measurement sensor, and the weight of the candy is measured with a weight scale in the middle or downstream of this feeder. By outputting from the control device to the candy making device, it is possible to automatically measure the shape dimension and weight of the high temperature candy immediately after production, and further feed back the measurement result to the candy making device to obtain the candy of the target size. It can be manufactured.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a candy shape measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a device side used in the candy shape measuring device of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a candy of FIG. 4 is a front view of the shape measuring apparatus, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the same part, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system used in the candy shape measuring apparatus of the above embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a candy shape measuring apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged in the middle of a conveying path 11 connected to a carry-out port of a candy manufacturing apparatus constituting a candy manufacturing line. Has been done. The conveying path 11 is a vibrating conveying path, and conveys the candy 12 along the inclined surface while vibrating, and drops the candy 12 from the lower end of the upper conveying path 11a to the lower conveying path 11b and sends it out. Less than,
The candy shape measuring device 10 will be specifically described.

The candy shape measuring device 10 includes a conveying path 1
A fan-shaped chute 13 as an example of sampling means for sampling a predetermined number of candy 12 from 1;
A candy transport path 14 that transports the candy 12 taken in by the chute 13, and a lateral width measurement sensor 15, a vertical width measurement sensor 16, and a thickness that are examples of dimension measurement sensors for the candy 12 that are arranged in the candy transport path 14. The measurement sensor 17, a weight scale 18 arranged downstream of the thickness measurement sensor 17 of the candy conveying path 14 for measuring the weight of the candy 12, a table 19 on which these are placed, and these devices are controlled. A control device 20 for outputting the measured dimensional data and weight data of the candy 12 to a candy manufacturing device (not shown) is provided.

A support base 1 is provided on the side of the table 19 on the side of the conveyance path 11.
9a is erected, and an air cylinder 22 that is vertically rotatable is provided on the support base 19a by a rotating portion 21 that is erected on the upper end of the lower transport path 11b. The rod 23 of the air cylinder 22 can be bent by a hinge, and the chute 13 is connected to the tip of the rod 23. Air cylinder 22
When the rod 23 is protruded, the rod 23 extends while bending downward, the chute 13 rotates downward, and the candy 12 dropped on the chute 13 is transferred to the upper conveyance path 1
When the rod 23 is retracted while falling from the lower end of the la 1a onto the lower conveying path 11b, the chute 13 rotates upward to the same height level as the upper conveying path 11a, and a predetermined number of candy 12 is fed. Are taken in line by the chute 13 into the candy carry-in path 24 which constitutes the carry-in side of the candy carrying path 14. At this time, shoot 1
3 is vibrated under the influence of the vibration of the conveying path 11b because the rotating portion 21 to which the air cylinder 22 is indirectly mounted is erected on the vibrating conveying path 11b. The uptake is smooth.

The candy carry-in path 24 is inclined downward, and a candy carrying path 14 is formed at the lower end of the candy carry-in path 24, and the candy 12 is carried while being air-cooled while being floated from the lower surface by air pressure. The vibration feeder 25 is connected. This vibrating feeder 25
It is a long feeder that bends in an L-shape inclined downward by vibrating using an electromagnet, and is provided by a porous sintered plate so that compressed air can be blown out. The candy 1 taken into the candy shape measuring device 10
Since 2 is just manufactured, the temperature is still high and it is soft, easily deformed and easily attached to the conveying surface.
Is solidified by being air-cooled while passing through the vibrating feeder 25, and is transported while floating, so that it is hard to adhere to the transport surface even during solidification. Further, the vibration feeder 2 of the embodiment
5 is divided into a number of blocks, and can be easily removed and washed. In addition, at the downstream end of the candy carry-in path 24, the taken candy 1
A non-contact type counter 26 for counting the number of 2 is provided.

The lateral width measuring sensor 15 for measuring the lateral width of the candy 12 is provided on the downstream side of the long portion of the L-shaped vibrating feeder 25 by a laser parallel scanning method having a well-known structure. A sensor 27 for detecting passage of the candy 12 is connected to the upstream side of the lateral width measuring sensor 15 of the vibrating feeder 25 and the measuring position a of the lateral width measuring sensor 15 for connecting the candy 12 in the middle of the vibrating feeder 25.
A drop chute 28 that is inclined downwards and is provided on the upstream side of the drop chute 28, and based on a detection signal of the sensor 27, the rod 30 of the air cylinder 29 is vertically moved in and out to drop the candy 12 into the chute. There is provided a gate stopper 31 for waiting at the upper end of 28 and for canceling this waiting state (see also FIG. 4).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the vibration feeder 25
An elongated lateral cylinder 32 is provided on the side of the elongated portion of the rod, and a bracket 34 is attached to the tip of the rod 33 of the elongated horizontal cylinder 32.
A vertical cylinder 35 is attached via. The measuring position a is attached to the tip of the rod 36 of the vertical cylinder 35.
Member 37 for pushing out the candy 12 of FIG.
Is provided. Further, upstream of the width measurement sensor 15,
A sensor 15a for detecting the candy 12 and setting the respective dimension measuring sensors 15 to 17 in an operable state is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vibration feeder 25
The vertical width measuring sensor 16 and the thickness measuring sensor 17 are arranged downstream of the short portion. The lower end of the vibrating feeder 25 is connected to a dropping chute 38 that inclines downward to drop the candy 12 on which the measurement of all the geometrical dimensions has been completed onto the measurement position d of the weighing scale 18.
Further, a stopper 40 of the candy 12 which is operated by the cylinder 39 is arranged in the bent portion of the vibrating feeder 25, and a long air cylinder 41 is provided outside the bent portion of the vibrating feeder 25. Air cylinder 4
By projecting the rod 42 of No. 1, the candy 12 reaching the bent portion of the vibration feeder 25 is measured at the measurement position b of the vertical width measurement sensor 16 and the measurement position c of the thickness measurement sensor 17.
Then, it is pushed out to the upper end of the drop chute 38.

On the side of the weighing scale 18, the candy 12 on the measurement position d for which the weight measurement has been completed is placed on the lower conveying path 1.
The lowermost transport path 11 provided further below 1b
A long air cylinder 43 that pushes back to c is provided, and a push-back member 45 of the candy 12 is fixed to the tip of a rod 44 of the air cylinder 43. By pushing the rod 44 of the air cylinder 43, the push-back member 45 pushes the side surface of the candy 12 on the measurement position d toward the transport path 11 and then pushes the candy 12 back from the return chute 46 to the transport path 11 c.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 20 of the candy shape measuring device 10 controls the dimensional data of the candy 12 from the width measuring sensor 15, the height measuring sensor 16 and the thickness measuring sensor 17 and the weighing scale 18. Candy 1
An industrial personal computer 47 that calculates the weight data of 2, a display 48 that displays these data on a screen, a printer 49 that prints these data, a disk 50 that stores the data, and a status indicator 51 that displays the operating status. The candy shape measuring device 10 is provided on the operation panel 52.
It is equipped with a switch for automatic operation and manual operation and other operating switches. Next, a control system including the control device 20 of the candy shape measuring device 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the device side 53 of the candy shape measuring device 10, an article temperature measuring device 54 for measuring the temperature of the candy 12 provided at a predetermined position of the candy conveying path 14 and a lateral width measuring sensor 15 are provided. , Width measurement sensor 1
6, a thickness measuring sensor 17 and a weighing scale 18 are provided, and controllers 55 to 59 are connected to each. In addition, the respective dimension measurement sensors 15, 16, 17
Trigger sensors 60 to 62 for starting the respective dimension measurement sensors 15 to 17 are arranged in the vicinity of. In addition to this, on the device side 53 of the candy shape measuring device 10, sensors 15a, 26, 27 for detecting the position of the candy 12 on the candy transport path 14, a sequencer 63, and an input board for inputting the control sequence of the sequencer 63. An air cylinder 65, such as a vertical cylinder 29 and a horizontal cylinder 32, which is controlled by 64 and a sequencer 63, is provided.

On the other hand, the control device 20 of the candy shape measuring device 10 has a controller 20 having the above-mentioned respective constituent parts 47 to 51.
Besides, keyboard 66, blinter buffer 67, A
D conversion board 68, communication interfaces 69, 7
0, PIO board 71 is provided. Candy 12
Is taken into the candy shape measuring device 10, and when the sensors 15a, 26, 27 detect that the candy 12 has reached a predetermined position while passing through the candy transport path 14, the sequencer 63 causes the sequencer 63 to select one of the air cylinders 65. A predetermined cylinder is driven to stop the candy 12 or transfer it to another position.

Thus, while the candy 12 is moving on the candy conveying path 14, the trigger sensors 60 to 6 are respectively provided.
When 2 detects the candy 12, the detection signal is PI
It is sent from the O board 71 to the industrial personal computer 47 and returned to the industrial Pansocon 47 for communication interface 6
9 and the corresponding controllers 56 to 58, signals for activating the corresponding shape dimension measuring sensors 15 to 17 are sent, and the measurement data is sent to the controllers 56 to 5.
8. It is transmitted to the industrial personal computer 47 via the AD conversion board 68. Further, the weight data from the weighing scale 18 is sent to the industrial personal computer 47 through the dedicated controller 59 and the communication interface 70.

Next, the operation of the candy shape measuring apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. During normal transportation of the candy 12, as shown in FIG. 3, by projecting the rod 23 of the air cylinder 22 and rotating the chute 13 downward, all the candy 12 manufactured by the candy manufacturing apparatus (not shown) , Falls from the lower end of the upper transport path 11a onto the lower transport path 11b, and is then transported along the flow. Candy 12
The rod 23 of the air cylinder 22 when measuring the shape of the
And the chute 13 is rotated upward to the same height level as the upper transport path 11a.
A predetermined number of candies 12 are taken into the candy carrying-in path 24 in a line via the chute 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, then the candy 1
2 slips down the candy carry-in path 24 and reaches the upper end of the vibrating feeder 25, where the counter 26 counts the number. Candy 12 on vibrating feeder 25
Are sequentially transported while being air-cooled while floating by the air pressure from the lower surface. As shown in FIG. 4, during transportation,
When the sensor 27 detects the candy 12, the rod 30 of the air cylinder 29 projects and the gate stopper 31
Is lowered, and the candy 12 is waited in a line at the upper end of the dropping chute 28. After that, the gate stopper 31 is moved up and down, only the leading candy 12 is slid down from the dropping chute 28 to the measurement position a of the width measurement sensor 15, and the sensor 15a detects it.
Based on a command from the control device 20, the respective dimension measurement sensors 15 to 17 are ready to start measurement, and then the trigger sensor 60 detects the candy 12, whereby the width measurement of the candy 12 by the width measurement sensor 15 is performed. Done.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rod 36 of the vertical cylinder 35 is projected to lower the pushing member 37,
Then, the rod 33 of the lateral cylinder 32 is projected, and the pushing member 37 pushes the candy 12 after the measurement from the back to the bent portion of the vibrating feeder 25. After that, the rods 33 and 36 are retracted and the pushing member 37 is pulled back to the position above the lower end of the dropping chute 28.

Next, when the candy 12 reaches the bent portion of the vibrating feeder 25, the stopper 40 is opened by the air cylinder 39, and the rod 42 of the air cylinder 41 projects to drop the candy 12 onto the chute 3.
8 is pushed to the upper end. During this process, when the trigger sensors 61 and 62 detect the candy 12, when the candy 12 reaches the measurement position b, the height measuring sensor 16
The vertical width of the candy 12 is measured by, and the thickness of the candy 12 is measured by the thickness measuring sensor 17 when the measurement position c is reached. The measurement data is sent to the industrial personal computer 47 of the controller 20 together with the width data of the candy 12 by the width measurement sensor 15.

Then, the candy 12 pushed to the upper end of the dropping chute 38 slides down the dropping chute 38 to reach the measuring position d of the weight scale 18, and the weight of the candy 12 is measured. The rod 44 of 43 projects, and the candy 12 for which all measurements have been completed is returned via the chute 46 to the lowermost transport path 11c.
Push back to. These operations are repeated until the measurement of all the candy 12 taken into the candy transport path 14 is completed. It should be noted that the weight data of the candy 12 is obtained from the weight scale 18 by the industrial personal computer 47 of the control device 20.
Sent to The industrial personal computer 47 feeds back the dimensional data and the weight data of the candy 12 to a candy manufacturing device (not shown) and manufactures the candy 12 having the target size based on this data.

As described above, a predetermined number of candy 12 immediately after production on the candy production line is sampled by the chute 13, and the taken out candy 12 is conveyed while being cooled while being floated on the vibration feeder 25 by air pressure. In the middle of the vibrating feeder 25, the width and width of the candy 12 are measured by the width measuring sensor 15, the height measuring sensor 16, the thickness measuring sensor 17 and the weight scale 18.
Since the dimensional data and the weight data of the candy 12 are output from the control device 20 to the candy manufacturing device (not shown), the shape and size and the weight of the hot candy 12 immediately after manufacturing can be automatically measured, and the measurement result By feeding back to the candy manufacturing apparatus, the candy 12 having the target size can be manufactured.

The present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there are design changes within the scope of the invention, they are included in the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, the chute is shown as the sampling means for sampling the candy on the candy manufacturing line, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any other sampling means using a transfer head or the like may be used. Good. Further, in the examples, the width measurement sensor, the height measurement sensor and the thickness measurement sensor are shown as the candy size measurement sensor, but the thickness measurement sensor may be omitted without being limited to this. You can also Further, in the embodiment, the candy size measuring sensor and the weight scale are provided in the middle of the feeder, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be provided downstream of the feeder.

[0026]

In the candy shape measuring apparatus according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, a predetermined number of candy immediately after production on the candy production line is sampled by the sampling means, and the candy taken out by the sampling means is fed. The candy is conveyed while being cooled while being floated by air pressure, and at the middle or downstream of this feeder, the shape and dimensions of the candy are measured by a dimension measurement sensor, and the weight of the candy is measured by a weight scale. Since the dimensional data and weight data of the candy are output from the control device to the candy making device, the shape size and weight of the hot candy immediately after the production can be automatically measured, and the measurement result can be sent to the candy making device. Feedback to manufacture candy with target dimensions Rukoto can. Particularly, in the candy shape measuring device according to claim 2, since the three sensors of the width measuring sensor, the width measuring sensor and the thickness measuring sensor are adopted as the dimension measuring sensors in this manner, the shape of the candy is measured. It is possible to accurately detect the vertical and horizontal thicknesses that are the basis of the dimensions.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a candy shape measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the side of the device used in the candy shape measuring device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the candy shape measuring device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the main part.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system used in the candy shape measuring apparatus according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Candy Shape Measuring Device 11 Conveying Path 11a Conveying Path 11b Conveying Path 11c Conveying Path 12 Candy 13 Chute (Sampling Means) 14 Candy Conveying Path 15 Width Measuring Sensor (Dimension Measuring Sensor) 15a Sensor 16 Height Measuring Sensor (Dimension Measuring Sensor) 17 Thickness Measuring Sensor (Dimension Measuring Sensor) 18 Weighing Scale 19 Table 19a Support 20 Control Device 21 Rotating Part 22 Air Cylinder 23 Rod 24 Candy Carrying Path 25 Vibrating Feeder 26 Counter 27 Sensor 28 Dropping Chute 29 Cylinder 30 Rod 31 Gate stopper 32 Horizontal cylinder 33 Rod 34 Bracket 35 Vertical cylinder 36 Rod 37 Push member 38 Drop chute 39 Cylinder 40 Stopper 41 Air cylinder 2 Rod 43 Air cylinder 44 Rod 45 Push-back member 46 Return chute 47 Industrial PC 48 Display 49 Blinter 50 Disk 51 Status display lamp 52 Operation panel 53 Candy shape measuring device side 54 Product temperature measuring device 55 Controller 56 Controller 57 Controller 58 Controller 59 Controller 60 Trigger sensor 61 Trigger sensor 62 Trigger sensor 63 Sequencer 64 Input board 65 Air cylinders 66 Keyboard 67 Brinter buffer 68 AD conversion board 69 Communication interface 70 Communication interface 71 PIO board

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Michiharu Shimada 2-2, Toibata-cho, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture Nittetsu Elex ME Systems Ltd. (72) Inventor Etsuo Ikemoto 1-5, Hikari City, Kichien, Yamaguchi Prefecture 25 Kanro Stock Company Hikari Factory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sampling means for sampling candy on a candy production line, a feeder for conveying the candy taken out by the sampling means while air-cooling the candy, and a midway or downstream of the feeder. A candy size measuring sensor and a candy scale provided, and a control device that controls these and outputs the measured dimensional data and weight data of the candy to a candy manufacturing device. Candy shape measuring device. 2. The candy shape according to claim 1, wherein the dimension measuring sensor comprises a candy height measuring sensor, a candy width measuring sensor, and a candy thickness measuring sensor. measuring device.