Patent Description:
Conventionally, in order to disperse adhesive articles that are difficult to convey, such as raw chicken, onto a conveyor that is radially disposed, a dispersion table that is rotated by using a motor to convey the articles, and a dispersion table that conveys the articles by using vibration are known.

<CIT> discloses a combination weighing device and an electromagnetic feeder.

However, the dispersion table that is rotated by using the motor to convey the articles has problems of a high cost, poor hygiene, and the like.

Furthermore, the dispersion table that conveys the articles by using vibration has a problem in which the articles adhere, and therefore the conveyance force of the conveyor (a feeder) is not transmitted to the articles, and the articles fail to be conveyed. In order to solve such problems, in a case where an inclination angle of such a dispersion table is increased, a problem in which the articles roll down on the dispersion table in one direction immediately after feeding the articles, and this causes a deterioration in dispersiveness, or a problem in which the height of an apparatus increases, and layout is limited newly arises.

Moreover, conventionally, as countermeasures against adhesion of the articles, or as an increase in conveyance force, it has been proposed that a serrated unevenness or groove is provided. However, there has been a problem in which it is difficult to apply this proposal to a dispersion table having a conical shape.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the problems described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination weighing apparatus that is capable of appropriately conveying adhesive articles to a conveyor.

A combination weighing device according to one embodiment is summarized as including a dispersion table that receives and conveys an article that has been supplied from an outside; a driving unit that applies conveyance force to the dispersion table, the conveyance force causing the article to be conveyed; a plurality of conveyors that receives the article from the dispersion table, and conveys the article toward a downstream side; a plurality of hoppers that temporarily receives a plurality of the articles that has been discharged from the plurality of conveyors, and discharges the plurality of the articles to the downstream side; an obtaining unit that obtains a weight value of the article that is retained in each of the plurality of hoppers; and a controller that performs combination calculation on a basis of the weight value that has been obtained by the obtaining unit, wherein on a surface on which the article is conveyed in the dispersion table, a plurality of inclined faces is disposed, the plurality of inclined faces rising along a circumferential direction or a radiation direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a combination weighing apparatus that is capable of appropriately conveying adhesive articles to a conveyor.

Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference symbols. However, note that the drawings are schematic, and ratios of dimensions are different from actual ones. Therefore, specific dimensions and the like are determined in consideration of the following description. Moreover, there may be portions where dimensional relationships or proportions are different among the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to omit redundant description, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted.

A combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes a dispersion table <NUM>, a driving unit <NUM>, a plurality of conveyors <NUM>, a plurality of pool hoppers <NUM>, a plurality of weighing hoppers <NUM>, a collection discharge chute <NUM>, an obtaining unit <NUM>, and a controller <NUM>.

The dispersion table <NUM> receives articles (objects to be weighed) that have been supplied from an outside (a supply apparatus), and conveys the articles to the conveyors <NUM>, while dispersing the articles.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, vibration is applied in a vibration direction D4 of an upward/downward direction U/D by the driving unit <NUM> described later, and therefore the dispersion table <NUM> according to the present embodiment conveys the articles toward a downstream side (an outside in a radial direction) DS, while dispersing the articles in a radiation direction D1. In this case, a configuration in which a combination of vibration in the vibration direction D4 described above and vibration in a circumferential direction D2 is applied to the articles may be employed.

Note that the dispersion table <NUM> is not limited to such a configuration, and may have a mechanism of being driven to rotate around a rotation axis C that extends in the upward/downward direction U/D to convey the articles to the conveyors <NUM>. In other words, any configuration may be employed, if the dispersion table <NUM> has a function of conveying such articles to the conveyors <NUM>.

For example, such articles are soft and adhesive foods, such as raw chicken. However, the articles are not limited to these. Specific examples include fruit such as prune or cut pineapple, and candies coated with sugar, and any articles may be employed.

The driving unit <NUM> applies, to the dispersion table <NUM>, conveyance force that causes the articles to be conveyed. In the present embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, the driving unit <NUM> is configured to apply vibration in the vibration direction D4 of the upward/downward direction U/D to the dispersion table <NUM>.

Each of the conveyors <NUM> receives the articles from the dispersion table <NUM>, and conveys the articles from an upstream side US toward the downstream side DS. In the present embodiment, each of the conveyors <NUM> is configured to supply the articles that have been supplied from the dispersion table <NUM>, to the pool hopper <NUM> that is provided to correspond to the downstream side DS of each of the conveyors <NUM>.

Here, each of the conveyors <NUM> may include a vibration feeder of a type of conveying the articles by using vibration, or may include a screw feeder of a type of conveying the articles by rotating a screw that is provided in a trough.

Each of the pool hoppers <NUM> temporarily receives the article that has been discharged from the conveyor <NUM>, and discharges the article to each of the weighing hoppers <NUM> that is disposed on the downstream side.

Each of the weighing hoppers <NUM> temporarily retains the article that has been discharged by the pool hopper <NUM>, and weighs a weight value of the article. Each of the weighing hoppers <NUM> discharges the temporarily retained article to the collection discharge chute <NUM> that is disposed on the downstream side.

The obtaining unit <NUM> obtains the weight value of the article that has been retained by each of the weighing hoppers <NUM>. The controller <NUM> performs combination calculation on the basis of the weight values of the articles that have been obtained by the obtaining unit <NUM>.

The collection discharge chute <NUM> collects the articles that have been discharged from the plurality of weighing hoppers <NUM>, and drops the articles downward.

An example of the dispersion table <NUM> of the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to the present embodiment is described below with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the dispersion table <NUM> includes a plurality of inclined faces (protrusions) <NUM> on a surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed. Stated another way, slatted-shutter working has been performed on the surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed in the dispersion table <NUM>. Slatted-shutter working may be louver working.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, the plurality of inclined faces <NUM> is disposed on the surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed in the dispersion table <NUM>.

Here, as illustrated in <FIG>, the plurality of inclined faces <NUM> rises along the radiation direction D1. Note that, as illustrated in <FIG>, the radiation direction D1 is a direction that is orthogonal to the circumferential direction D2, and goes from the upstream side US to the downstream side DS.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the respective inclined faces <NUM> include a plurality of protrusions <NUM> that is provided on the surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed. Furthermore, as illustrated in <FIG>, at lower ends 22E in the radiation direction D1 of the plurality of protrusions <NUM>, an opening 21A that faces a reverse face <NUM> from the surface <NUM> is disposed.

In other words, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the dispersion table <NUM> includes a first sliding face (the surface) <NUM> that includes a plurality of openings 21A, and a second sliding face (the inclined face or the protrusion) <NUM> that closes part of each of the plurality of openings 21A, and is disposed in a position on an upper side U of the dispersion table <NUM> relative to the first sliding face <NUM>.

The second sliding face <NUM> is formed to be continuous to the first sliding face <NUM> on the upstream side US, a left-hand side L, and a right-hand side R of the opening 21A described above.

Specifically, as illustrated in <FIG>, the second sliding face <NUM> includes a left-hand side flat face <NUM>, a right-hand side flat face 22R, and an upper side flat face 22U.

Here, the left-hand side flat face <NUM> is formed to rise from the first sliding face <NUM> toward the upper side U on the left-hand side L of the opening 21A, as illustrated in <FIG>.

Furthermore, the right-hand side flat face 22R is formed to rise from the first sliding face <NUM> toward the upper side U on the right-hand side R of the opening 21A, as illustrated in <FIG>.

Moreover, the upper side flat face 22U is formed to couple the left-hand side flat face <NUM> to the right-hand side flat face 22R, as illustrated in <FIG>.

On the surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed in the dispersion table <NUM>, as described above, the articles slide from the upstream side US to the downstream side DS along the first sliding face <NUM> and the upper side flat faces 22U of the second sliding faces <NUM> due to driving force from the driving unit <NUM>, or the like, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>.

By employing such a configuration, the inclined faces (the protrusions or the second sliding faces) <NUM> are provided on the surface <NUM> on which the article is conveyed in the dispersion table <NUM>. Therefore, an area of contact between the article having high adhesiveness and the surface <NUM> can be decreased, adhesion of the article to the surface <NUM> can be reduced, and conveyance control can be appropriately performed.

Moreover, even in a case where the article having high adhesiveness has come into contact with the surface <NUM>, air flows from the openings 21A. Therefore, an air layer can be formed between the surface <NUM> and the article, and air pressure is also applied to a portion where the surface <NUM> is in contact with the article. This can reduce adhesion of the article to the surface <NUM>.

Note that a configuration in which the openings 21A are formed has been described above. However, this configuration is not restrictive, and a configuration in which the openings 21A are absent may be employed.

Furthermore, a movement of the article to the upstream side US is regulated by the lower end 22E, and therefore the article is smoothly conveyed to the downstream side DS.

A combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to a second embodiment is described below with reference to <FIG>, focusing on a difference from the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to the first embodiment that has been described above.

In the present second embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, the dispersion table <NUM> is driven to rotate around the rotation axis C that extends in the upward/downward direction U/D to convey the articles toward the conveyors <NUM>.

Here, in the present second embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, a plurality of inclined faces <NUM> that rises along the circumferential direction D2 is disposed on the surface <NUM> on which the articles are conveyed in the dispersion table <NUM>.

Stated another way, in the present second embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, in a plan view, a direction D3 in which the inclined faces <NUM> rise matches the circumferential direction D2. Note that, as illustrated in <FIG>, in a plan view, the upper side flat face 22U has a trapezoidal shape, and the direction D3 in which the inclined faces <NUM> rise and the circumferential direction D2 are orthogonal to an upper side 22U1 and a lower side 22U2 in the upper side flat face 22U.

A combination weighing apparatus <NUM> in a first variation is described below with reference to <FIG>, focusing on a difference from the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> according to the second embodiment that has been described above.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the present first variation, the direction D3 in which the inclined faces <NUM> rise deviates from the circumferential direction D2 by a predetermined angle A1.

By employing such a configuration, the inclined faces <NUM> can be formed to correspond to an actual track along which the articles are conveyed on the dispersion table <NUM>, and therefore adhesion of the articles can be further reduced, and conveyance performance can be improved.

A combination weighing apparatus <NUM> in a second variation is described below with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, focusing on a difference from the combination weighing apparatuses <NUM> according to the first and second embodiments that have been described above.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the present second variation, a region R1 where the inclined faces <NUM> are not disposed may be provided along the circumferential direction D2.

Alternatively, as illustrated in <FIG>, in the present second variation, a region R2 where the inclined faces <NUM> are not disposed may be provided along the radiation direction D1.

By employing such a configuration, welding can be performed in the region R1 or the region R2 that has been described above. Alternatively, a reinforcing member of the dispersion table <NUM> can be disposed on the reverse face <NUM> of the region R1 or the region R2 that has been described above.

A combination weighing apparatus <NUM> in a third variation is described below with reference to <FIG>, focusing on a difference from the combination weighing apparatuses <NUM> according to the first and second embodiments that have been described above.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the third variation, the dispersion table <NUM> may have a shape in which a cone 10A having an acute vertex angle is coaxially superimposed onto a center of a cone 10B having an obtuse vertex angle. The diameter of the cone 10B is larger than the diameter of the cone 10A.

By employing the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> described above, the inclined faces <NUM> can avoid adhesion of the adhesive articles to the surface <NUM> the dispersion table <NUM>.

Furthermore, by employing the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> described above, the conveyance force of the conveyors <NUM> to be applied to the articles can be improved due to the lower ends 22E of the inclined faces <NUM>.

Furthermore, by employing the combination weighing apparatus <NUM> described above, the inclined faces <NUM> are disposed to correspond to a direction in which the conveyance force is applied (the circumferential direction D2 or the radiation direction D1), and therefore the conveyance force can be increased, and dispersiveness can be improved simultaneously. For example, in the case of the dispersion table <NUM> that conveys the articles by using vibration, the plurality of inclined faces <NUM> is disposed along the radiation direction D1. In the case of the dispersion table <NUM> that is rotated by using a motor to convey the articles, the plurality of inclined faces <NUM> is disposed along the circumferential direction D2. Therefore, a conveyance ability in an intended direction can be improved.

Claim 1:
A combination weighing apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a dispersion table (<NUM>) that receives and conveys an article that has been supplied from an outside;
a driving unit (<NUM>) that applies conveyance force to the dispersion table, the conveyance force causing the article to be conveyed;
a plurality of conveyors (<NUM>) that receives the article from the dispersion table, and conveys the article toward a downstream side (DS);
a plurality of hoppers (<NUM>) that temporarily receives a plurality of the articles that has been discharged from the plurality of conveyors, and discharges the plurality of the articles to the downstream side;
an obtaining unit (<NUM>) that obtains a weight value of the article that is retained in each of the plurality of hoppers; and
a controller (<NUM>) that performs combination calculation on a basis of the weight value that has been obtained by the obtaining unit, characterised in that:
on a surface (<NUM>) on which the article is conveyed in the dispersion table, a plurality of inclined faces (<NUM>) is disposed, the plurality of inclined faces rising along a circumferential direction (D2) or a radiation direction (D1).