Patent ID: 12012279

Abstract:
In an article processing apparatus (1), a plurality of hoppers (12) are disposed in a circular shape and each of the plurality of hoppers (12) causes an article (100) received from an upstream side to temporarily stay and then discharges the article (100) toward a discharge opening (20) on a downstream side. Each of the hoppers (12) includes: a body portion (12A); a slide portion (12B) provided on a downstream side of the body portion (12A), and having a slide surface (120) extending continuously from the body portion (12A); and a gate (12C) provided on the body portion (12A) to switch between a first state where the gate (12C) causes the article (100) to stay in the body portion (12A) and a second state where the gate (12C) releases the staying of the article (100) to cause the article (100) to slide down from the body portion (12A). The slide portion (12B) has a length (L) or an angle (A) with respect to a horizontal direction (H) of a path along which the article (100) slides down the slide surface (120), takes off from a downstream end portion (120E) of the slide portion (12B), freely falls in a space (S) where the slide surface (120) does not exist, and then reaches the discharge opening (20), in the second state.