Patent Publication Number: US-2012031741-A1

Title: Food and drink conveying device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a food and drink conveying device for allowing a traveling body to travel along a traveling lane by driving a conveying and driving body. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventional food and drink conveying devices are provided between a kitchen area and a serving area and are provided with: an ordered food and drink conveying path (traveling lane) for conveying food and drink on a conveying surface in order to serve the food and drink to a customer area; a looped chain (conveying and driving body) provided so as to be movable along the ordered food and drink conveying path beneath the conveying surface; and a tray (traveling body) that can move on the conveying surface by means of wheels with food and drink placed on top, where the tray is supported by and connected to the chain on one side by means of a tray bracket extending from the chain in such a manner that the tray can move on the conveying surface when the chain is driven. In such a food and drink conveying device, the conveying path is partially made of a first corner (curved path) and a second corner (curved path) through which the tray goes around, and the first and second corners are provided with a support piece over which the tray rises while moving so that the wheels do not receive resistance from the conveying plane (see, for example, Patent Document 1). 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2008-44688 (page 7, FIG. 7) 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problem to be Solved by the Invention 
     In the food and drink conveying device in the Patent Document 1, however, the tray (traveling body) rides over the support piece in a corner (curved path) of the conveying path (traveling lane) so that the tray inclines by a predetermined angle θ relative to the conveying surface with the tray bracket as the fulcrum, and therefore there is a risk that the stability of the food and drink placed on the tray may be lost. Though some of the other conventional food and drink conveying devices use magnetic force to drive the tray so that the tray does not receive resistance from the conveying surface, the reliability of the connection for the drive is low due to the centrifugal force the tray receives in a corner. 
     The present invention is provided in view of these problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a food and drink conveying device for allowing a traveling body on which food, and drink are placed to move without failure while maintaining the stability of the food and drink along the curved paths of the traveling lane. 
     Means for Solving Problem 
     In order to achieve the above described object, the food and drink conveying device according to Claim  1  of the present invention is a food and drink conveying device, having: a traveling lane at least partially having a curved path; a conveying and driving body provided along the traveling lane; a traveling body that can travel along the above described traveling lane with food and drink placed on top; and a connecting means for driving and connecting the above described conveying and driving body and the above described traveling body, the food and drink conveying device allowing the above described traveling body to travel along the above described traveling lane by driving the above described conveying and driving body and being characterized in that the above described connecting means is formed of a first connecting means attached to the above described traveling body and a second connecting means attached to the above described conveying and driving body, and either the above described first connecting means or the above described second connecting means is attached to a main body and can move in the main body so as to follow the other connecting means. According to this characteristic, one connecting means moves so as to follow the other connecting means in a curved path of the traveling lane, and therefore only the connecting means can move even when the orbits of the traveling body and the conveying and driving body are different, and thus the traveling body can travel stably without fail along the curved path. 
     The food and drink conveying device according to Claim  2  of the present invention is the food and drink conveying device according to Claim  1 , characterized in that guide means for holding the above described traveling lane from the two sides in the direction of the width so as to regulate the traveling path of the above described traveling body are pivotally supported around an axis so as to be rotatable horizontally in two locations, front and rear, of the above described traveling body. According to this characteristic, the guide means are pivotally supported by the traveling body around an axis so as to be rotatable horizontally in two portions, front and rear, of the traveling body, and therefore the traveling body can travel without fail even in a curved path of the traveling lane. 
     The food and drink conveying device according to Claim  3  is the food and drink conveying device according to Claim  1  or  2 , characterized in that the above described first connecting means and the above described second connecting means are magnetic bodies respectively provided to the above described traveling body and the above described conveying and driving body. According to this characteristic, the traveling body and the conveying and driving body are connected through magnetic force from the magnetic bodies, and therefore it is not necessary to directly connect a bracket or the like for conveying the drive from the conveying and driving body to the traveling body between the traveling body and the conveying and driving body, and thus it is not necessary to create a slit for moving the bracket or the like along the conveying path. 
     The food and drink conveying device according to Claim  4  of the present invention is the food and drink conveying device according to any of Claims  1  to  3 , characterized in that the above described traveling body is positioned perpendicular to the above described conveying and driving body. According to this characteristic, the conveying and driving body is not arranged in the direction of the width of the traveling body, and therefore the traveling lane can be made narrower. 
     The food and drink conveying device according to Claim  5  of the present invention is the food and drink conveying device according to any of Claims  2  to  4 , characterized in that the above described guide means are provided with a traveling wheel for traveling along the above described traveling lane. According to this characteristic, the traveling body can be prevented from swaying horizontally while traveling, and therefore the traveling body can travel more stably. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan diagram showing the entirety of the food and drink conveying device according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan diagram showing a partially exposed ordered food and drink conveying path; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective diagram showing a traveling body; 
         FIG. 4  is a side diagram showing the traveling body along a straight path of the ordered food and drink conveying path; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan diagram showing the traveling body along a straight path of the ordered food and drink conveying path; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional diagram along line A-A in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional diagram along line B-B in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan diagram showing the traveling body in the first corner of the ordered food and drink conveying path; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective diagram showing the traveling body in the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional diagram showing the state of the traveling body when in use in the food and drink conveying device according to the second embodiment; and 
         FIG. 11(   a ) is a plan diagram showing the traveling body in the third embodiment and  FIG. 11(   b ) is a cross sectional diagram along line C-C in  FIG. 11(   a ). 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The food and drink conveying device according to the present invention is described below on the basis of the embodiments. 
     First Embodiment 
     The food and drink conveying device according to the first embodiment is described in reference to  FIGS. 1 to 8 . Here, in the present embodiment, the direction in which the traveling body travels along the ordered food and drink conveying path from the kitchen area to the customer area is the direction in which the traveling body moves forward. First, the symbol  1  in  FIG. 1  is a food and drink conveying device to which the present invention is applied. This food and drink conveying device  1  is provided with ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2 , which make up the traveling lane in the present invention, that cover the kitchen area C where the kitchen staff C 1 , C 2  and the like prepare sushi and other food and drinks, and the customer area A where customers eat and drink in a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, for example. 
     A looped conveying path  5  in rectangular form as viewed from the top is installed around the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  and along the tables T 1 , T 2 , T 3  and T 4  in the customer area A. The looped conveying path  5  is provided with a crescent chain conveyor  4 , which is looped and can rotate, so that dishes  6  on which food and drink are placed are conveyed along this crescent chain conveyor  4  continuously when the crescent chain conveyor  4  is driven. 
     In the conveyor-belt sushi restaurant where such a looped conveying path  5  is installed, the customers can eat and drink by removing the food and drink conveyed along the looped conveying path  5 , and when customers want to eat food or have a drink of something that is not conveyed on the looped conveying path  5 , an individual order can be placed to the staff or through an ordering device, not shown. 
     The thus individually ordered food and drink are placed on any of the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  within the kitchen area C after being prepared in the kitchen area C, and then conveyed to the vicinity of the customer who placed the order. 
     Concretely, when an order is placed from a customer in the customer area A, kitchen staff C 1 , C 2  or the like in the kitchen area C behind the partition wall W prepare the ordered food and drink  9  on the preparation table  8   a  or  8   b  and place it on a dish  6 , and after that, as described below, place the dish  6  on the traveling body  7  which is provided so as to freely travel forwards and backwards on the conveying surface  3  along the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     Next, the ordered food and drink  9  placed on the traveling body  7  is conveyed to a serving area B through the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  or  2 . At this time, the ordered food and drink  9  that has been conveyed through the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  or  1   b  can be removed from the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  or  1   b  directly by the customer in the area G 1 , G 2 , G 3  or G 5 , while the ordered food and drink  9  that has been conveyed through the ordered food and drink conveying path  2  is conveyed to the service staff H 1 , who distributes it to the customer. 
     The traveling body  7  that has conveyed the ordered food and drink  9  returns to the kitchen area C through the conveying surface  3  along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a ,  1   b  or  2  which runs from the kitchen area C to the serving area B. That is to say, the traveling body  7  is provided so as to move freely between the serving area B and the kitchen area C on the conveying surface  3  along the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  which are formed as independent conveying paths. 
     Next, these three ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  are described. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  are provided to run straight from the kitchen area C to the customer area A, passing through the openings, not shown, in the partition wall W. In the kitchen area C, the ordered food and drink conveying path  2  is located at the center and the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  are placed on the left and right of the ordered food and drink conveying path  2  close to each other. 
     Since the three ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  are placed close to each other, the ordered and prepared food and drink can be selected efficiently and placed on any of these ordered food and drink conveying paths from the same place. 
     Meanwhile, the ordered food and drink conveying path  2  is provided at the center of the rectangular serving area B in such a manner as to divide the serving area B into two as viewed from the top. The ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  are bent on the left or right so as to move away from the ordered food and drink conveying path  2  at the center in the vicinity of the partition wall W, and after that runs straight close to the inside of the looped conveying path  5 . Furthermore, the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  are bent towards the area G 4  in the vicinity of the inside of the looped conveying path  5 , and after that run along the looped conveying path  5 . 
     That is to say, the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  has a first corner  10   a  (right curved) and a second corner  11   a  (left curved) as part of a curved path in the present invention close to the partition wall W, and the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   b  has a first corner  10   b  (left curved) and a second corner  11   b  (right curved) as part of a curved path in the present invention close to the partition wall W. 
     In addition, the section of the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  between the kitchen area C and the first corners  10   a  and  10   b,  the section of the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  between the first corners  10   a  and  10   b  and the second corners  11   a  and  11   b , and the section of the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a  and  1   b  between the second corners  11   a  and  11   b  and the area G 4  are straight paths  12   a  and  12   b  as described above. 
     Next, these ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  as well as the traveling body  7  are described in detail in reference to  FIGS. 2 to 8 . Though the ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   a ,  1   b  and  2  have different forms, they share the same structure for allowing the traveling body  7  to travel. Therefore, only the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  is described below, and the descriptions of the other ordered food and drink conveying paths  1   b  and  2  are omitted. Furthermore, when the traveling body  7  is in the corners  10   a  and  11   a  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  and in the corners  10   b  and  11   b  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   b , only the direction in which the below described first magnetic body  18  moves is opposite, and therefore only the description of the traveling body  7  in the first corner  10   a  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  is provided. 
     First, the structure of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  for allowing the traveling body  7  to travel is described. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a drive sprocket  13  which rotates horizontally by means of a drive motor, not shown, is provided at the end of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  on the kitchen area C side beneath the conveying surface  3 , and a tension sprocket  14  is provided at the end on the serving area B side. 
     A drive belt  15 , which is the conveying and driving body in the present invention, is looped around the drive sprocket  13  and the tension sprocket  14  at the two ends so that the drive belt  15  is driven through the rotation of the drive sprocket  13 . Here, this tension sprocket  14  is provided with a tension adjusting portion  16  for adjusting the tension to the drive belt  15 . 
     This drive belt  15  is looped and provided beneath the conveying surface  3  on which the traveling body  7  travels along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  so that the drive belt  15  moves along the conveying surface  3 . In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a belt bracket  17  in approximately L shape is attached to one portion of the drive belt  15 . 
     The upper end of this belt bracket  17  is placed beneath the center of the conveying surface  3  in the direction of the width. Furthermore, a second magnetic body  19 , which is the second connecting means in the present invention, is secured to the upper end of this belt bracket  17 . It is desirable for this second magnetic body  19  to be made of a metal having ferromagnetism or a permanent magnet. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  6  and  7 , the drive belt  15  is guided by a number of idlers  20   a  provided in the direction of conveyance so as to be freely slidable beneath the straight path  12   a,  and it is also guided by a number of idlers  20   b  provided in the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a  with the same curvature as the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a  so as to be freely slidable. 
     These idlers  20   a  and  20   b  are pivotally supported by an axis so as to be rotatable horizontally so that noise can be prevented from being made through the friction against the drive belt  15 . In addition, a belt guide  21  for preventing the drive belt  15  from being removed between the idlers  20   a  and  20   b  is provided beneath the straight path  12   a.    
     Furthermore, a rail  22  protrudes from the center of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  at the center in the direction of the width of the conveying surface  3  along approximately the entirety in the longitudinal direction of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a . Concretely; the conveying surface  3  is the upper surface of a metal plate, such as of aluminum or stainless steel, and the rail  22  is formed through pressing of this plate, and therefore the plate where the rail is formed has a conveying trench  23  in a C shape facing downwards in the cross section on the bottom side. 
     The above second magnetic body  19  is placed within this conveying trench  23 , and this second magnetic body  19  moves along approximately the entirety of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  within the conveying trench  23  when the drive belt  15  is driven. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the traveling body  7  is formed of a carrier  24  which runs on the conveying surface  3  and a tray  25  for the placement of a dish  6  on which an ordered food and drink  9  is placed and which is attached to the carrier  24  from the top. A recess  25   a  for the placement of a dish  6  is created on the upper surface of the tray  25  so that the dish  6  placed in this recess  25   a  can be prevented from falling off from the tray  25 . 
     The carrier  24  is mainly formed of a base  26  to which the tray  25  is attached and wheel brackets  27  which are attached to portions of the base  26 , the front end and the rear end. These wheel brackets  27 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , are in a C shape facing downward and formed of a horizontal plate  27   a  in rectangular form that is long in the direction of the width as viewed from the top and vertical plates  27   b  that extend from the left and right ends of the horizontal plate  27   a  towards the bottom. 
     Load wheels  28 , which are wheels for allowing the traveling body  7  to travel on the conveying surface  3  in the present invention, are supported around an axis on the outside of the two vertical plates  27   b.  In addition, two orbital wheels  29 , which are rotatable bodies in the present invention, are pivotally supported by the carrier  24  around an axis between the two vertical plates  27   b  so as to be freely rotatable horizontally. Concretely, these orbital wheels  29  are supported around an axis so as to be symmetrical between the left and right sides relative to a straight line within the space surrounded by the horizontal plate  27   a  and the two vertical plates  27   b.    
     Furthermore, the distance between the two orbital wheels  29  is approximately the same as or slightly greater than the width of the rail  22  or the distance between the left side and the right side of the rail  22  on the conveying surface  3 . When the traveling body  7  is placed on the conveying surface  3 , the two orbital wheels  29  make contact with or are located in close vicinity of the rail  22  in the front and in the rear of the traveling body  7  so that the rail  22  is sandwiched from both sides in the direction of the width. 
     Thus, the orbital wheels  29  hold the rail  22  in the direction of the width in the front and in the rear of the traveling body  7  so that the traveling path for the traveling body  7  is restricted on the conveying surface  3 , and in addition the traveling body  7  can be prevented from vibrating in the direction of the width. That is to say, these wheel brackets  27  and the orbital wheels  29  form the swaying preventing means in the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , these wheel brackets  27  are pivotally supported around axes in the front and in the rear end of the carrier  24  so as to be freely rotatable horizontally where the two axes  30  are provided along the center line L which divides the carrier  24  into two in the direction of the width. Furthermore, this center line L is located above the rail  22  which is at the center of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  in the direction of the width, while the traveling body  7  is traveling along the straight path  12   a  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a.    
     In addition, a long hole  31 , which is long in the direction of the width, is provided at approximately the center of the base  26  as viewed from the top so as to penetrate through the carrier  24  in the upward and downward directions. Guide pieces  32 , which face in the direction of the width from the upper surface of the base  26 , are provided in the front and rear of the long hole  31 . These guide pieces  32  are provided parallel to the long hole  31  and have approximately the same width as the long hole  31 . 
     In addition, a sliding piece  33 , which is approximately square as viewed from the top, is provided between the front and rear guide pieces  32 . The four sides of this sliding piece  33  have approximately the same length as the distance between the front and rear guide pieces  32  so that the sliding piece  33  can slide in the direction of the width above the long hole  31 , while the front and the rear are guided by the two guide pieces  32 . 
     A first magnetic body  18 , which is the first connecting means in the present invention, is attached to the lower surface of this sliding piece  33 . Either a second magnetic body  19  provided beneath the conveying surface  3  or the first magnetic body  18  attached to the traveling body  7  is formed of a ferromagnetic metal and the other is formed of a permanent magnet or both may be formed of a permanent magnet. Furthermore, the two are placed so that the different magnetic poles face each other with the conveying surface  3  in between in the case where the two are formed of a permanent magnet. 
     Here, guide wheels  34 , which form a pair in the direction of the width, are provided in the upper end portion of the belt bracket  17  so as to make contact with the lower surface of the plate of which the upper surface is the conveying surface  3 . These guide wheels  34  prevent the drive belt  15  from moving towards the first magnetic body  18  when the first magnetic body  18  and the second magnetic body  19 , which are provided so as to face each other with the conveying surface  3  in between, are attracted to each other through magnetic force. 
     The first magnetic body  18  can move in the direction of the width within the long hole  31  when the sliding piece  33  slides in the direction of the width above the long hole  31 . Here, the range within which the first magnetic body  18  moves in the direction of the width is regulated because the first magnetic body  18  may make contact with the left and right ends of the inner wall of the long hole  31 . In addition, a support plate  35  for supporting the tray  25  from the bottom is attached between the front and rear guide pieces  32  when the tray  25  is attached to the carrier  24 , and thus the long hole  31  and the sliding piece  33  are covered by the carrier  24  as viewed from the top, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     When the drive belt  15  is driven, the above described structure of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  and the traveling body  7  allows the traveling body  7  to which the first magnetic body  18  that is driven by and connected to the second magnetic body  19  through magnetic force is attached to travel along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  in the conveying surface  3 . 
     Next, the operation of the traveling body  7  which travels on the conveying surface  3  is described. First, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first magnetic body  18  is provided along the straight path  12   a  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  so as to face the second magnetic body  19  which moves within the conveying trench  23 , and therefore is located in approximately the center of the long hole  31  which is along the center line L that connects the front and rear axes  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the traveling body  7  comes to the first corner  10   a,  the front wheel bracket  27  of the traveling body  7  starts rotating along the curve of the rail  22  in the first corner  10   a,  and then the wheel brackets  27  rotate around the axes  30  so that the orbital wheels  29  move along the rail  22  in the first corner  10   a.    
     When the traveling body  7  moves in the first corner  10   a,  the amount of swaying and rotation is different between the front and rear wheel brackets  27  of the traveling body  7 , and therefore there are different tracks of the inner wheels of the traveling body  7 , and thus the center line L of the traveling body  7  moves in the first corner  10   a  inside the path through which the second magnetic body  19  moves (two-dotted chain line in  FIG. 8 ). 
     At this time, the first magnetic body  18  is driven by and connected to the second magnetic body  19  through magnetic force, and therefore moves towards the outside of the first corner  10   a  within the long hole  31  relative to the traveling body  7  which moves with the center line L shifting towards the inside of the first corner  10   a  so as to maintain the position of facing the second magnetic body  19 . That is to say, the first magnetic body  18  moves to follow the second magnetic body  19  through the traveling body  7 . 
     When the traveling body  7  comes back to the straight path  12   a  from the first corner  10   a,  the traveling body  7  moves such that the center line L of the traveling body  7  is located above the center of the rail  22 , and therefore the first magnetic body  18  moves towards the center of the long hole  31  within the long hole  31 . 
     As described above, the first magnetic body  18  attached to the traveling body  7  moves to follow the second magnetic body  19  so that such a state that the second magnetic body  19  and the first magnetic body  18  are always connected when driven is maintained, and the traveling body  7  can travel stably even when there is a difference in the orbit through which the traveling body  7  and the drive belt  15  move. 
     As described above, in the food and drink conveying device  1  according to the first embodiment, the connecting means is formed of a first magnetic body  18  attached to the traveling body  7  and a second magnetic body  19  attached to the drive belt  15  so that either the first magnetic body  18  or the second magnetic body  19  can move in the main body to which it is attached so as to follow the other magnetic body  19  or  18 , and therefore one magnetic body  18  or  19  moves to follow the other magnetic body  19  or  18  in the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a . Even in the case where the orbits of the traveling body  7  and the drive belt  15  are different, the centrifugal force allows the traveling body  7  to travel smoothly with good response in the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a , and thus the traveling body  7  can travel stably without fail in the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a.    
     In addition, wheel brackets  27  for holding the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  from the two sides in the direction of the width and having orbital wheels  29  for regulating the traveling path of the traveling body  7  are pivotally supported around an axis so as to be rotatable horizontally in two locations, front and rear, of the traveling body  7 , and therefore the traveling body  7  can travel without fail along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  even including the first corner  10   a  and the second corner  11   a.    
     In addition, the first connecting means and the second connecting means are the first magnetic body  18  and the second magnetic body  19  which are respectively provided to the traveling body  7  and the drive belt  15 , and therefore the traveling body  7  and the drive belt  15  are connected to each other through magnetic force from the first magnetic body  18  and the second magnetic body  19 . Thus, it is not necessary to directly connect a bracket or the like for conveying the drive of the drive belt  15  to the traveling body  7  between the traveling body  7  and the drive belt  15 , and therefore it is not necessary to create a slit for allowing the bracket to move along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a.    
     In addition, the traveling body  7  is positioned perpendicular to the drive belt  15 , and thus no part of the drive belt  15  is positioned in the direction of the width of traveling body  7 , and therefore the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  can be made narrower. 
     In addition, the wheel brackets  27  are provided with load wheels  28  for allowing the traveling body  7  to travel along the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  so that the traveling body  7  can be prevented from swaying horizontally when traveling, and therefore the traveling body  7  can travel more stably. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, the food and drink conveying device according to the second embodiment is described in reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Here, the descriptions of the components having the same structure as in the above embodiment are not repeated. 
     The traveling body  7  travels on the conveying surface  3  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a  in the food and drink conveying device  1  according to the first embodiment. In contrast, supports  38  are provided so as to extend downwards from the front end and the rear end of the base  37  of the traveling body  36 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , and a tray  39  is attached between the front and rear supports  38  in the second embodiment. The traveling body  36  is attached to the, ordered food and drink conveying path  40  having such a structure as to be inverted from the structure in the first embodiment so that the traveling body  36  can travel, as shown in  FIG. 10 , with a tray  39  hanging from the traveling body  36  and conveying an ordered food and drink  9 . In this case as well, the same working effects as in the first embodiment can be gained. 
     In this case, it is necessary for the wheel brackets  27  in a C shape facing upwards to be attached with vertical plates  27   b  extending upwards from the left and right ends of horizontal plates  27   a,  and at the same time for conveying brackets  41  having a conveying surface  41   a  on which load wheels  28  engage and move from the left and right ends of the ordered food and drink conveying path  40  to be attached. In addition, the second magnetic body  19  is provided above the base  37 , and therefore the first magnetic body  18  is provided on the upper surface of the sliding piece  33 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     Next, the food and drink conveying device according to the third embodiment is described in reference to  FIGS. 11(   a ) and  11 ( b ). Here, the same symbols are attached to the same components as in the above embodiments and the same descriptions are not repeated. 
     Though in the food and drink conveying device  1  according to the first embodiment the orbital wheels  29  hold the rail  22  from the two sides in the direction of the width, in the front and rear of the traveling body  7 , so that the traveling body  7  can travel along the rail  22  on the conveying surface  3  of the ordered food and drink conveying path  1   a , it is also possible for the conveying surface  3  to be flat, as shown in  FIGS. 11(   a ) and  11 ( b ), so that the traveling body  42 , which is in plate form as viewed from the top, can travel on this conveying surface  3 . 
     In this case, a number of ball casters  43  (three in the present embodiment) for allowing the traveling body  42  to travel on the conveying surface  3  are attached to the bottom of the traveling body  42 , and thus the traveling body  42  can go around the first corner  10   a  while reducing the friction between the traveling body  42  and the conveying surface  3 . 
     Furthermore, a hole  44 , which is circular as viewed from the top and faces downwards, is created at approximately the center of the bottom of the traveling body  42 , and a first magnetic body  18  is placed within this hole  44 . The first magnetic body  18  is supported by springs  45  horizontally in the four directions within the hole  44 , and the elastic force of these springs  45  can allow the first magnetic body  18  to move within the hole  44 . 
     When the traveling body  42  having the above described structure travels along approximately the center in the direction of the width of the straight path  12   a  and then gets to the first corner  10   a,  the centrifugal force that works on the traveling body  42  allows the traveling body  42  to move outside of the first corner  10   a.  At this time, the first magnetic body  18  moves towards the inside of the first corner  10   a  within the hole  44  relative to the traveling body  42  so as to maintain the position of facing the second magnetic body  19 . 
     Here, when the traveling body  42  gets to the straight path  12   a  from the first corner  10   a  and the centrifugal force stops working on the traveling body  42 , the traveling body  42  is pulled back to approximately the center in the direction of the width by the restoring force of the springs  45  within the hole  44 . 
     Though the three embodiments of the present invention are described in reference to the drawings, concrete structures of the invention are not limited to these embodiments and the present invention covers modifications and additions as long as the gist of the present invention is not deviated from. 
     For example, though the three embodiments are described with the food and drink being sushi, the invention is not limited to this and can be applied to various foods and drinks. 
     In addition, though the food and drink conveying device  1  is described as a device for conveying ordered food and drink  9  ordered by a customer in the three embodiments, it may be a continuous conveying device for continuously conveying food and drink which have been prepared in advance between the kitchen area C and the customer area A. 
     Though the connecting means is magnetic bodies in the above described embodiments, the traveling body does not travel when connected with a magnetic body in the case where a traveling body having a guide means travels along the rail. A slit may be created throughout the entire length of the ordered food and drink conveying path, and rods or pins on the drive belt may be used as connecting means which are connected to the traveling body through the slit, and in this case as well, the pins are supported so as to be movable relative to the traveling body. 
     Though in the first embodiment the first magnetic body  18  is attached so as to be movable in the direction of the width within the long hole  31  of the base  26  and the second magnetic body  19  is secured to the upper end of the belt bracket  17  attached to the drive belt  15  so that the first magnetic body  18  can move to follow the second magnetic body  19 , the first magnetic body  18  may be secured to the base  26  and the second magnetic body  19  may be attached so as to be movable in the direction of the width at the upper end of the belt bracket  17  so that the second magnetic body  19  can move to follow the first magnetic body  18 . 
     EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS 
     
         
           1  food and drink conveying device 
           1   a ,  1   b ,  2  ordered food and drink conveying path (traveling lane) 
           3  conveying surface 
           9  ordered food and drink 
           10   a,    10   b  first corner (curved path) 
           11   a,    11   b  second corner (curved path) 
           12   a,    12   b  straight path 
           15  drive belt (conveying and driving body) 
           18  first magnetic body (first connecting means) 
           19  second magnetic body (first connecting means) 
           22  rail 
           24  carrier 
           25  tray 
           26  base 
           27  wheel bracket (swaying preventing means) 
           28  load wheel 
           29  orbital wheel (rotatable body, swaying preventing means) 
           31  long hole 
           34  guide wheel 
           36  traveling body 
           37  base 
           38  support 
           39  tray 
           40  ordered food and drink conveying path 
           41   a  conveying surface 
           42  traveling body 
           43  ball caster 
           44  hole 
           45  spring 
         L center line