JP2003246435A - Article state grasping device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article form detector capable of detecting the state of an article in the proceeding direction of a conveyor without changing an installation position and layout even in the case of requiring to secure the working space of an operator or having no space from the viewpoint of layout. <P>SOLUTION: Portal posts 6 are arranged along a moving line of a pallet 2 and toward the moving line. The posts 6 are provided with article height detectors 11 for detecting the height of the article 4 on the pallet 2 to be the prescribed height, and an article left width detector 12 and an article right width detector 13 for detecting the width of the article 4 on the pallet 2 to be the prescribed width. It is constituted to confirm the state of the article 4 on the pallet 2 depending on whether these detectors 11, 12, 13 are operated when the front end and rear end of the pallet 2 pass the position of the posts 6. With this constitution, an installation space can be reduced in comparison with conventional constitution, and the state of the article in the proceeding direction of the conveyor can be detected without changing an installation position and layout. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention prevents articles from collapsing or coming into contact with shelves during transportation.
The present invention relates to an article state grasping apparatus for grasping the state of an article, particularly an abnormality in the state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when detecting the state of articles on a pallet that is being moved by a conveyor (packing style; the state of articles in the direction in which the conveyor is moving), an article state grasping device stands on four pillars. Each of the gate posts is attached with six photoelectric switches as means for detecting the left and right widths and heights of the front end of the article and the left and right widths and heights of the rear end of the article. A timing sensor is provided to detect the condition of the article. That is, when the timing sensor is operated, the left and right widths of the front end and the rear end of the article on the pallet are each not less than the predetermined width by the photoelectric switch, or the heights of the front end and the rear end of the article on the pallet are the predetermined heights. I have confirmed that. When it is confirmed that the width is equal to or larger than the predetermined width or the height is equal to or larger than the predetermined height, an article state abnormality signal is output to notify the operator that the state of the article is abnormal.

[0003]

However, in the structure of the conventional article state grasping apparatus, the article state grasping apparatus is installed when it is desired to secure a working space for an operator or when there is no space on the layout such as walls and shutters. Change position or change conveyor layout (9
It was necessary to rotate 0 °, branch 90 °, etc.).

Therefore, the present invention is an article state grasping apparatus capable of grasping the state of articles in the traveling direction of a conveyor without changing the installation position or the layout even if the operator wants to secure a work space or there is no space in the layout. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is an article state grasping apparatus for grasping the state of an article while moving the article, Height detection means for arranging a pillar along the moving path of the article and facing each other across the moving path, and detecting at least the height of the article on the pillar at a predetermined height, and the article. Is provided with any one of width detecting means for detecting that the width is a predetermined width, and when the front end and the rear end of the article pass through the column position, at least the height detection means of the article By checking whether the height is detected to be a predetermined height or whether the width of the article is detected to be a predetermined width by the width detection means, It is characterized in that to check the state.

According to the above construction, whether or not the height of the article is detected to be the predetermined height by at least the height detecting means when the front end and the rear end of the article pass through the support column position, Alternatively, whether or not the width of the article is detected to be the predetermined width is confirmed by the width detecting means, and the state of the article on the carrier is confirmed. Further, since the support columns are arranged along the movement route of the article and face each other across the movement route, the installation space of the support columns can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, so that it is necessary to secure a work space for the worker. Even if there is no space on the layout, the state of the article in the article moving direction can be detected without changing the installation position or the layout.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the state of the article is confirmed while the article is continuously conveyed. According to the above configuration, the state of the article is confirmed while continuously conveying the article, and is confirmed without hindering the conveyance of the article.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the article is configured to be moved by being placed on a carrier, and the article is placed at the position of the column. A front end passage detecting unit for detecting the carrier is provided, and a rear end passage detecting unit for detecting the carrier is provided at a position where the front end of the carrier passes when the rear end of the carrier passes the column position. When the conveyance body is detected by the front-end passage detection means, and when the conveyance body is detected by the rear-end passage detection means, at least the height detection means sets the height of the article to a predetermined height. The width of the article is detected by the width detection means or the width of the article is detected by the width detection means to be greater than or equal to a predetermined width. Sure It is characterized in that.

Here, the carrier is for carrying and carrying articles such as pallets. According to the above configuration, when the transport body is detected by the front end passage detection means, and when the transport body is detected by the rear end passage detection means, the state of the article on the transport body is confirmed, that is, The state of the "front" position (at least either the height or width of the article) and the state of the "back" position of the article (at least either the height or width of the article) are confirmed,
The state of the three-dimensional article is confirmed.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, further comprising an article detecting means for detecting that an article is placed on the carrier at the position of the support column. It is characterized in that the state of the article on the carrier is confirmed when the article is detected on the carrier by the article detecting means.

According to the above construction, when the article detecting means confirms the article on the carrier, the state of the article on the carrier is confirmed.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of a conveyor device equipped with an article condition grasping device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a conveyor device equipped with the article condition grasping device.

The article state grasping apparatus in FIG. 1 detects the state of articles on a pallet (an example of a carrier) that is continuously conveyed and is stored in, for example, an automatic warehouse. 1 and 2, 1 is a pallet (an example of a carrier)
A conveyor device (conveying means) composed of a pair of chain conveyors that convey 2 along the moving path α of the pallet 2 and the article 4 on the pallet 2 by the conveyor device 1 and at a right angle to the moving path α. Is provided with a pallet 2 and a gate-shaped support column 6 having a space 5 through which the article 4 on the pallet 2 passes (the support columns 6 face each other along the movement route of the article and across the movement route). It is an example of a pillar that is arranged). Further, branch bodies 7 are respectively projected horizontally on both inner side surfaces of the vertical column portion 6a of the column 6 and below the pallet conveying surface of the conveyor device 1.

The pallet 2 is horizontally opposed to both inner side surfaces of the vertical column 6a of the column 6 and at a predetermined height position where it can be detected that the height of the article 4 on the pallet 2 is abnormal.
An article height detector (an example of height detection means) 11 including a transmissive photoelectric switch for detecting that the height of the article 4 above is a predetermined height is arranged, and the upper horizontal column portion 6 of the column 6 is arranged.
The pallet 2 is located at two predetermined positions facing the inner bottom surface of b and the top surface of the branch body 7 so that it can be detected that the width of the article 4 on the pallet 2 (the width in the direction perpendicular to the moving path α) is abnormal. An article left width detector 12 and an article right width detector 13 each including two pairs of transmissive second photoelectric switches that detect that the width of the upper article 4 in the perpendicular direction is a predetermined width are provided.
The article left width detector 12 and the article right width detector 13 constitute an example of width detecting means.

Further, a first article presence / absence detector composed of two pairs of transmission type second photoelectric switches for detecting the presence / absence of the article 4 on the pallet 2 diagonally opposed to both inner side surfaces of the vertical column portion 6a of the column 6. 14 and a second article presence / absence detector 15 are provided. The article first presence / absence detector 14 and the article second presence / absence detector 15 form article detecting means.

Further, a pallet front end passage detector (an example of front end passage detecting means) 21 including a roller lever (arm) type limit switch for detecting passage of the pallet 2 along the pallet conveying surface of the conveyor device 1 at the position of the column 6 is shown. Is provided, and when the rear end of the pallet 2 passes the position of the support column 6, the conveyor device 1 is provided at the position where the front end of the pallet 2 passes.
A pallet trailing edge passage detector (an example of trailing edge passage detecting means) comprising a roller lever (arm) type limit switch for detecting passage of the pallet 2 along the pallet conveying surface of
Two are provided. These pallet front end passage detectors 2
1, a roller lever type limit switch forming the pallet rear end passage detector 22 is provided with a roller 23 at the tip of the lever of the limit switch, and the passage of the pallet 2 is detected when the roller 23 is lowered by the passage of the pallet 2. .

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 31 is a drive motor for driving the conveyor chain 32 of the conveyor device 1, and 33 is a sprocket of the conveyor chain 32.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a judging device 41 which is a computer for judging the state of the article 4.

The judging device 41 includes a first pulse generator 42 for generating one pulse when the operation signal of the pallet front end passage detector 21 is turned on, and a pallet rear end passage detector 2.
A second pulse generator 43 is provided which generates one pulse when the second operation signal is turned on. The pulse width (on-time) is one scan time during which the following logic circuit operates. The determination device 41, as a logic circuit, obtains a logical sum (OR) 44 of the operation signal of the article first presence / absence detector 14 and the operation signal of the article second presence / absence detector 15, and outputs the output signal of the logical sum 44 and the first pulse. The logical product (AND) 45 of the pulse output signals of the generator 42, the logical product 46 of the output signal of the logical sum 44 and the pulse output signal of the second pulse generator 43 are obtained, and the operation signal of the article height detector 11 is obtained. The logical sum 47 of the operation signal of the article left width detector 12 and the operation signal of the article right width detector 13 is obtained, and the logical product 48 of the output signal of the logical product 45 and the output signal of the logical sum 47, and the logical product 46 of The logical product 49 of the output signal and the output signal of the logical sum 47 is obtained,
The logical sum 50 of the output signal of the logical product 48 and the output signal of the logical product 49 is obtained.

With this block, when the article 4 is detected on the pallet 2 by the article first presence / absence detector 14 or the article second presence / absence detector 15, the front end of the pallet 2 is detected by the pallet front end passage detector 21 and the pallet 6 is supported. When it is detected that the article 4 has passed the position, the article height detector 11 detects that the article 4 has a predetermined height (abnormal), or the article left width detector 12 And it is confirmed by the article right width detector 13 that the width of the article 4 has a predetermined width (abnormality), and when it is confirmed, that is, the height or width (or both) of the article 4 is detected. When there is an abnormality, the output signal of the logical sum 50 turns on.
Also, when the article 4 is detected on the pallet 2 by the article first presence / absence detector 14 or the article second presence / absence detector 15,
When the pallet rear end passage detector 22 detects that the rear end of the pallet 2 has passed the position of the support column 6, the article height detector 11 determines that the height of the article 4 is at a predetermined height. Is detected or whether the article left width detector 12 and the article right width detector 13 have detected that the width of the article 4 has a predetermined width (abnormality) is confirmed. When there is an abnormality in the height or width (or both) of the article 4, the logical sum 50
The output signal of turns on.

This logic circuit confirms the state (height and width) of the article 4 at the front end position and the rear end position of the pallet 2, and when the article 4 has a predetermined height or a predetermined width, that is, when the state of the article 4 is abnormal, For example, when the article 4 is poorly stacked and the height of the article 4 on the pallet 2 is abnormal, or when the article 4 is tilted and is not within the predetermined width, the output signal of the logical sum 50 is turned on and the article 4 is turned on. It is output as a status abnormal signal.

As described above, the state of the article 4 is confirmed when the front end and the rear end of the pallet 2 pass through the position of the support column 6, that is, the state of the "front" position of the article 4 (the height and width of the article). ) And the state of the “back” position of the article 4 (height and width of the article), whether the article height detector 11 detects that the article 4 has a predetermined height, or the article left width. Article 4 by detector 12 and article right width detector 13
The state of the article 4 can be three-dimensionally confirmed by checking whether or not the width is detected to be a predetermined width. Further, the installation space of the article state grasping device is a space for installing the gate-shaped support pillars 6, and the installation space can be reduced as compared with the conventional installation of four pillars. Even if you want to secure a space or there is no space in the layout, you can use the conveyor device 1 without changing the installation position or layout.
The state of the article 4 in the traveling direction can be detected. A sensor (photoelectric switch) for detecting the height and width of the article 4
The number of can be reduced as compared with the conventional one, and the cost and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

The state of the articles 4 on the pallet 2 can be confirmed while the pallet 2 is continuously conveyed, and can be confirmed without obstructing the conveyance of the pallet 2. Moreover, the state of the article 4 of the pallet 2 is confirmed only when the article 4 is confirmed on the pallet 2 by the article first presence / absence detector 14 and the article second presence / absence detector 15, and thus the article 4 is not placed. When the empty pallet 2 passes, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the article state abnormality signal is erroneously output due to a malfunction of any one of the article height detector 11, the article left width detector 12, and the article right width detector 13. can do.

In this embodiment, the column 6 is used to mount the article height detector 11, the article left width detector 12, and the article right width detector 13, but the upper horizontal column 6b of the column 6 is used. It is also possible to configure the two columns without the central portion of the.

In the present embodiment, the article 4 is placed on the pallet 2 and moved, but the article 4 may be directly conveyed by the conveyor device 1. At this time, the passage of the front end and the rear end of the article 4 at the positions of the columns 6 is directly
It is detected by the pallet front end passage detector 21 and the pallet rear end passage detector 22.

In this embodiment, the article height detector 1 is also provided.
1, the article left width detector 12 and the article right width detector 13 are all provided, but when it is not necessary to detect the height abnormality of the article 4, only the article left width detector 12 and the article right width detector 13 are provided. And the article height detector 11 is not provided, and when it is not necessary to detect an abnormality in the left and right widths of the article 4, only the article height detector 11 is provided and the article left width detector 12 is provided. The article right width detector 13 may not be provided.

Further, in the present embodiment, the state of the article 4 at the front end position and the state of the article 4 at the rear end position of the pallet 2 are confirmed, but the state of the specific position of the article 4 of the pallet 2 should be confirmed. You can also At this time, the state of the article 4 may be confirmed when the timer is driven by the detection signal of the pallet 2 of the pallet front end passage detector 21 and the timer operates at the count value of the predetermined timer. The count value of the predetermined timer is set by the time when the specific position of the article 4 on the pallet 2 passes the position of the support column 6 (the distance from the front end of the pallet 2 to the specific position is divided by the transport speed of the conveyor device 1). Ask for). Further, the "specific position for checking the state of the article 4 of the pallet 2" can be set at a plurality of positions (at this time, it is necessary to increase the number of timers).

In the present embodiment, the article condition abnormality signal is output only. However, a signal tower or a buzzer is installed as a notification means in the vicinity, and the signal tower is turned on by the article condition abnormality signal, or A buzzer may be sounded to notify that the state of the article 4 is abnormal. It is also possible to stop the conveyor device 1 in response to an article state abnormality signal so that the operator can restore the state of the article 4 to the normal state.

In the present embodiment, the article height detector 11, the article left width detector 12, and the article right width detector 13, which are the state detecting means for the articles 4 on the pallet 2, are formed by photoelectric switches. However, the limit switch is not limited to the photoelectric switch, and a lever that comes into contact when the article 4 has a predetermined height or more, and a lever that comes into contact with when the left and right widths are more than a predetermined width are attached to the column 6 to detect the operation of these levers. It is also possible to detect the state of the article 4 on the pallet 2 by providing.

Further, in the present embodiment, the limit switch is used as the passage detecting means of the pallet 2, but it is not limited to the limit switch and it is also possible to use a photoelectric switch or a proximity switch.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the columns constituting the article state grasping device are arranged along the moving path of the carrier and opposed to each other with the moving path sandwiched therebetween. Therefore, the installation space can be reduced, and therefore, even when it is desired to secure a work space for the worker or there is no space in the layout, the state of the article in the conveyor traveling direction can be detected without changing the installation position or the layout.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a conveyor device including an article state grasping device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the article state grasping device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a judging device of the article state grasping device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Conveyor device 2 pallets 4 articles 5 spaces 6 props 7 branches 11 Article height detector 12 Article left width detector 13 Article right width detector 14,15 Article presence detector 21 Pallet front edge passage detector 22 Pallet rear end passage detector 41 Judgment device α travel route

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An article state grasping device for grasping the state of an article while moving the article, wherein columns are arranged along the movement path of the article and face each other across the movement path, In, at least one of the height detection means for detecting that the height of the article is a predetermined height and the width detection means for detecting that the width of the article is a predetermined width, the post position Whether or not the height detecting means detects that the height of the article is a predetermined height when the front end and the rear end of the article are passing, or the width of the article is detected by the width detecting means. Is a predetermined width, the state of the article is confirmed by confirming whether or not the article state is grasped. 2. The article state grasping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state of the article is confirmed while continuously conveying the article. 3. The article is configured to be placed on a carrier and moved, and front end passage detection means for detecting the carrier is provided at the column position, and a rear end of the carrier is located at the column position. When a front end of the carrier passes when passing, a rear end passage detecting means for detecting the conveyer is provided, and when the front end passage detecting means detects the conveyer, and the rear end passage detecting means. When the carrier is detected by at least the height detection means has detected that the height of the article is equal to or greater than a predetermined height, or the width detection means has a width of the article equal to or greater than a predetermined width. 3. The article state grasping apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the state of the article on the carrier is confirmed by confirming any one of the detected states of the above. 4. An article detecting means for detecting that an article is placed on the carrier is provided at the support position, and when the article detecting means detects the article on the carrier, The article state grasping apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the state of the article on the carrier is confirmed.