Article sorting determination device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12280402-B2
Application number	US-202418786428-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2024
Priority date	Aug 3, 2023
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

An article sorting determination device including a conveying unit configured to convey an article, an acquisition unit configured to acquire first information and second information, the first information relating to a size of the article being conveyed by the conveying unit and the second information relating to a width of a passage port through which the article passes through downstream of the conveying unit; and a control unit configured to output a sorting signal for sorting the article from the conveying unit when determining that the article would get stuck in the passage port on the basis of the first information and the second information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article sorting determination device, comprising:
a conveying unit configured to convey an article;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire first information and second information, the first information relating to a size of the article being conveyed by the conveying unit and the second information relating to a width of a passage port through which the article passes through downstream of the conveying unit; and
a control unit configured to output a sorting signal for sorting the article from the conveying unit when determining that the article would get stuck in the passage port on the basis of the first information and the second information.

2. The article sorting determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cutting device configured to cut the article to produce an article piece is disposed in the conveying unit, and
the control unit obtains third information relating to a size of the article piece after cutting the article on the basis of the first information and outputs the sorting signal when comparing the second information and the third information and thereby determining that the article would get stuck in the passage port.

3. The article sorting determination device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit outputs the sorting signal to a sorting device disposed upstream from the cutting device and causes the sorting device to sort the article prior to cutting from the conveying unit.

4. The article sorting determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second information is information relating to a width of a passage port of a member included in a combination weighing device or a vertical packaging device disposed downstream of the conveying unit.

5. The article sorting determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit acquires a total weight of the articles conveyed in a predetermined time period by the conveying unit, excluding a weight of one or more of the articles sorted from the conveying unit, and controls a setting of an article processing device disposed downstream of the conveying unit.

6. The article sorting determination device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an X-ray irradiation unit configured to irradiate the article being conveyed by the conveying unit with X-rays;
a detection unit configured to detect the X-rays transmitted through the article; and
an inspection unit configured to generate a transmission image on the basis of the X-rays detected by the detection unit and inspect the article by using the transmission image that is generated,
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the first information on the basis of the transmission image, and
the control unit outputs a sorting signal for sorting the article from the conveying unit even when determining that the article is abnormal as a result of the inspection.

Assignees

• Ishida Seisakusho

Inventors

• Yuki Shinya
• Sugimoto Kazuyuki
• Sakagami Yoshiaki
• Yurugi Futoshi

Classifications

• B07C5/10

  measured by light-responsive means {(sorting according to colour B07C5/342)} · CPC title

• G01N23/083

  the radiation being X-rays · CPC title

• B07C5/04

  Sorting according to size {(sorting devices as a component of the automatic supply and removal of workpieces B23Q7/12)} · CPC title

• B07C2501/0081

  Sorting of food items · CPC title

• B07C5/362

  Separating or distributor mechanisms (switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74) · CPC title