JP5329365B2 - Line distribution apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for sorting and transporting a rectangular parallelepiped transport object having the same dimensions without overturning.

  In order to avoid the adverse effects of rainwater and dust outdoors, a tissue carton containing a large number of tissue papers folded in order is usually made of a transparent resin film as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like. Often sold in a packed state. In recent years, by changing the size and size of tissue cartons without changing the size and shape of tissue paper, it has been made more compact to reduce transportation costs and display space in stores. Things that are easy to consider are planned. The relationship between height h, depth d, and width w in a typical tissue carton is usually h <d <w. When packing such cartons, a plurality of, most commonly five, cartons are stacked and packed so that the surfaces defined by the depth d and the width w overlap. For this reason, in the production line of tissue cartons, in consideration of the conveyance efficiency and workability in packing, the surface defined by the height h and width w of the tissue cartons can be conveyed up and down. It is convenient in various points.

  In general, the transport efficiency of such a tissue carton is higher than the packing efficiency of packing this with a resin film. For this reason, usually, a plurality of pack packing lines, for example, 2 to 4 lines, are provided with respect to the tissue carton production line so as not to impair the tissue carton production efficiency. Along with this, there is a sorting device as disclosed in Patent Document 2 that alternately distributes a plurality of tissue cartons to a plurality of packing lines between the tissue carton production line and the tissue carton packing line. It has been incorporated.

JP 2009-107681 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 05-020324 JP 2003-026261 A

  When the height h of the tissue carton becomes 50 mm or less due to the demand for compactness, the posture of the tissue carton is unstable when transporting the surface defined by the height h and width w of the tissue carton up and down. It is easy to become. This is the same when the height h of the tissue carton becomes 1/2 or less of the depth d. When such a flat and compact tissue carton is transported at a high speed of, for example, 0.5 to 1.6 meters per second, this may possibly fall over when the tissue cartons are sorted in the sorting device. In such a case, it has been found that problems may occur due to handling in a post-packaging line.

[Object of invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide a sorting apparatus and a sorting method that can surely prevent a fall even when a rectangular parallelepiped shaped transport object having the same dimensions is sorted and transported at a high speed even if it is in a posture that tends to fall. There is to do.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a pair of endless chains arranged coaxially apart from each other, chain drive means for simultaneously driving the pair of endless chains to rotate, and a direction of rotation of the pair of endless chains And a plurality of guide rods whose longitudinal ends are supported by the pair of endless chains, and supported by the guide rods so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the guide rods. A plurality of carriers for transporting from one side of the pair of endless chains set with the carry-in position to the other side set with a plurality of carry-out positions along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod, and the plurality of carriers And a sorting mechanism for guiding a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped conveyance object having the same dimensions to a plurality of carry-out positions. A carrier posture holding means having a holding surface that opposes the upper surface of the conveyed product placed on the carrier up to the carry-out position in proximity or contact state and moves at a speed corresponding to the turning drive speed of the endless chain; Furthermore, it is in the sorting apparatus characterized by comprising.

  In the present invention, the pair of endless chains are simultaneously swiveled by the chain driving means, and accordingly, the plurality of guide rods supported by the pair of endless chains and the plurality of carriers supported by these guide rods are also swung simultaneously. Driven. The conveyed product is placed on a carrier at a carry-in position set on one side of the pair of endless chains and transferred to the other side of the pair of endless chains. By the sorting mechanism arranged in the middle of the transfer of the conveyed product, the carrier moves along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod, and the conveyed product is transferred to a desired unloading position. The conveyed product posture holding means has a holding surface that moves at a speed corresponding to the rotational driving speed of the endless chain facing the upper surface of the conveyed product placed on the carrier in a close or abutting state, and moves from the loading position to the carrying position. Prevents the transported goods from falling over.

  In the sorting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the sorting mechanism has a plurality of guide cams that reach from the sorting position set between the carry-in position and the plurality of carry-out positions to the carry-in position via the plurality of carry-out positions; A cam follower that is provided on each carrier and can be engaged with a guide cam, and an actuator that drives the carrier along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod at the sorting position so that the cam follower engages with a desired guide cam. You may have.

The height h, the depth d, and the width w of the conveyed product are in a relationship of h <d ≦ w, and the surface defined by the height h and the width w is placed on the carrier so as to face in the vertical direction. be able to. In this case, it is possible to make the surface defined by the depth d and the width w of the conveyed product face the conveyance direction. Further, it is effective that the distance S between the upper surface of the carrier and the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means has a relationship of h ≦ S <(h ² + d ² ) ^1/2 .

It is preferable that the friction coefficient μ ₁ of the upper surface of the carrier and the friction coefficient μ ₂ of the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means are in a relationship of μ ₂ <μ ₁ , and in this case, the conveyed product with respect to the turning drive speed V ₁ of the endless chain The movement speed V ₂ of the holding surface of the posture holding means may be in a relationship of 0.9V ₁ ≦ V ₂ ≦ 1.1V ₁ .

  The conveyed product posture holding means is a second distribution device that is arranged symmetrically with respect to the distribution device with the conveyed product interposed therebetween, and operates in synchronization with the distribution device, and the holding surface is a carrier of the second distribution device. It may be the lower surface.

  The transported article may be a tissue carton storing tissue paper bundles.

  The second aspect of the present invention is a method of distributing a transported object from a carry-in position at which the transported object is carried in to a desired carry-out position among a plurality of carry-out positions for carrying out the transported object. Placing the conveyed product on a carrier; distributing the carrier to a desired unloading position at a distribution position set between the loading position and the plurality of unloading positions; The method includes a step of transporting a conveyed product on the carrier to a desired carry-out position, and a step of maintaining the posture of the conveyed product on the carrier from the carry-in position to the desired carry-out position. is there.

  In the sorting method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the step of holding the posture of the conveyed product can include a step of bringing the holding member into proximity to or in contact with the upper surface of the conveyed product on the carrier. In this case, the step of bringing the holding member close to or in contact with the upper surface of the conveyed product can include a step of driving the holding member at a speed corresponding to the conveyance speed of the conveyed product.

  According to the sorting apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent the conveyed product from being overturned from the carry-in position to the desired carry-out position.

  When the distribution mechanism has a plurality of guide cams, a cam follower that can be engaged with the guide cams, and an actuator that drives the carrier so that the cam follower engages with the desired guide cam, the transported object is surely desired. Can be distributed to the unloading position.

  When the height h, depth d, and width w of the conveyed product are in a relationship of h <d ≦ w, and the surface defined by the height h and width w is placed on the carrier and faces up and down The conveyance efficiency of the conveyed product can be maximized.

  When the surface defined by the depth d and the width w of the conveyed product faces the conveying direction, when the conveyed item is distributed along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod together with the carrier, the posture of the conveyed item is minimized. be able to.

When the distance S between the upper surface of the carrier and the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means is in a relationship of h ≦ S <(h ² + d ² ) ^1/2 , the fall of the conveyed product along the transfer direction is surely prevented. be able to.

When the friction coefficient μ ₁ of the upper surface of the carrier and the friction coefficient μ ₂ of the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means are in a relationship of μ ₂ <μ ₁ , the conveyed product is stably distributed and transferred in accordance with the movement of the carrier. Can do. In particular, if the moving speed V ₂ of the holding surface of the conveyed object posture holding means with respect to the pivot driving speed V ₁ of the endless chain are in relation of _{0.9V 1 ≦ V 2 ≦ 1.1V 1} , more reliably conveyed Can be sorted and transferred.

  In the case of the second sorting apparatus in which the transported object posture holding means is arranged symmetrically with respect to the sorting apparatus with the transported object interposed therebetween, the transported object is moved along with the carrier along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent the posture of the conveyed product from collapsing. In addition, since the same equipment can be used, maintenance work and the like are facilitated.

  According to the sorting method of the present invention, since there is a step of maintaining the posture of the conveyed product on the carrier from the carry-in position to the desired carry-out position, the step is placed on the carrier from the carry-in position and transferred to the desired carry-out position. The fall of the conveyed product can be reliably prevented.

  When the step of holding the posture of the conveyed product includes the step of bringing the holding member close to or in contact with the upper surface of the conveyed product on the carrier, it is possible to prevent the posture of the conveyed product from being more than predetermined. In particular, when the step of bringing the holding member close to or in contact with the upper surface of the transported object includes the step of driving the holding member at a speed corresponding to the transport speed of the transported object, the posture of the transported object is more reliably collapsed than a predetermined value. Can be prevented.

It is a three-dimensional projection figure showing the external appearance of an example of the pack packing tissue carton used as the object of this invention. It is a three-dimensional projection figure which represents typically the conveyance path | route from the distribution part to a packaging part in the manufacturing line of the packed cartons shown in FIG. It is a top view of the distribution part in the manufacturing line of the packed cartons shown in FIG. 1, and the conveyed product attitude | position holding means is abbreviate | omitted. FIG. 4 is a side view of a distribution unit illustrated in FIG. 3. It is a schematic diagram of the distribution mechanism in the distribution part shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. It is a side view which shows other embodiment of a distribution part.

  An embodiment in which the line sorting apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a five-pack packing line of tissue cartons will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and may be applied to any other technique belonging to the spirit of the present invention, that is, when it is necessary to sort and transport a transported object having a rectangular parallelepiped shape having the same dimensions. Is possible.

  The external appearance of the packed cartons that are the subject of the present invention is shown in FIG. A typical box-shaped tissue carton 11 has a height h, a depth d, and a width w such that h <d <w. In the present embodiment, the height h of the tissue carton 11 is set to a dimension that is 1/2 or less of the depth d, and the compactness is taken into consideration. It should be noted that even the tissue carton 11 having the same depth d and width w can be the subject of the present invention.

  A plurality (five in the illustrated example) of tissue cartons 11 having the same size and shape have surfaces (hereinafter referred to as upper and lower surfaces) 12 defined by their depth d and width w overlapping each other. They are stacked and packed in a transparent resin film 13. Moreover, the both ends of the handle 14 formed with the same resin film are joined to the transparent resin film 13 along the width direction of the tissue carton 11 positioned at the top by heat sealing.

  A line for manufacturing such packed cartons 10 includes a tissue carton manufacturing unit for manufacturing a tissue carton 11 in which a tissue paper bundle (not shown) is enclosed, a posture changing unit, a sorting unit 15, and a pack packaging unit. 16 and the like.

  The tissue carton manufacturing section can be further subdivided into a tissue folding section, a tissue bundle cutting section, a tissue bundle inserting section, and a tissue carton sealing section. The tissue folding portion is an area in which the tissue paper continuum is folded in order to form a tissue paper bundle continuum. The tissue bundle cutting part is an area for obtaining a tissue paper bundle by cutting a continuous body of tissue paper bundles folded in a stacked state at a tissue folding part with a cutter. The tissue bundle insertion part is an area in which the tissue paper bundle cut by the tissue bundle cutting part is inserted into an empty tissue carton. The tissue carton sealing portion includes left and right lid plates that form surfaces (hereinafter referred to as side surfaces) 17 defined by the height h and depth d of the tissue cartons in which tissue paper bundles are stored. It is an area | region sealed using an adhesive agent. Details of the tissue carton production section from the tissue folding section to the tissue carton sealing section are well known, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,578,927 and US Pat. No. 5,595,043.

  The posture changing unit has a surface 18 defined by a height h and a width w of the tissue carton 11 delivered from the tissue carton sealing unit of the tissue carton manufacturing unit (hereinafter referred to as front and back surfaces) 18 up and down. This is for changing the posture of the tissue carton 11 to face the direction. As an example of the posture changing unit, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-26261 can be adopted, but any other known configuration can be adopted. On the downstream side of the posture changing unit, the tissue carton 11 with the front and rear surfaces 18 facing in the vertical direction is transported in a state of being close along the transport direction. Therefore, even if the front and rear surfaces 18 of the tissue carton 11 having an unstable posture are turned up and down, the fall can be prevented to some extent.

  A line downstream of the posture changing unit described above is schematically shown in FIG. 2, the planar shape of the distributing unit 15 is shown in FIG. 3, and the side surface shape is shown in FIG. 4. Is schematically shown in FIG.

  The sorting unit 15 into which the tissue carton 11 is carried in from the posture changing unit via the carry-in conveyor 19 includes a line automatic sorting device (channelizer) 20 known in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-20324. The automatic line sorting apparatus 20 in this embodiment is a modification of the channelizer MODEL MD (trade name) manufactured by Acculex Co., Ltd. This line automatic distribution device 20 has three transport channels that can continuously distribute the tissue cartons 11 to a plurality of (three in this embodiment) delivery positions P2 to P4. The first and second transport channels are respectively connected to the subsequent pack packaging unit 16 through the carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R. The remaining transport channels are connected to a discharge conveyor 22 disposed between the pair of carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R. This discharge conveyor 22 discharges the tissue cartons 11 determined to be defective after being delivered from the tissue carton manufacturing department and, if necessary, the tissue cartons 11 scheduled to be packed in the same manner as the tissue cartons 11 to the outside of the line. belongs to.

  For this reason, a defective carton detector (not shown) for determining whether or not the tissue carton 11 is a defective product is arranged in the middle of the transport line of the tissue carton 11 between the tissue carton manufacturing unit and the distribution unit 15. Has been. When any abnormality is found in at least a part of the tissue carton, the sorting unit 15 uses the discharge conveyor 22 to remove it from the line.

  The automatic line distribution device 20 in the present embodiment includes a pair of endless chains 23, a chain driving unit 24, a plurality of guide rods 25, a plurality of carriers 26, a distribution mechanism 27, and a conveyed product posture holding unit 28. It has.

  The chain drive unit 24 simultaneously drives a pair of endless chains 23 that are coaxially spaced apart from each other. The chain drive means 24 of the present embodiment includes two sets of front and rear sprockets 24a meshing with the endless chain 23, a drive chain 24b for driving one set of sprockets 24a, and a drive motor for driving the drive chain 24b to rotate. 24c.

  A plurality of guide rods 25 arranged at regular intervals along the turning drive direction of the pair of endless chains 23 are respectively supported by link plates (not shown) of the pair of endless chains 23 at their longitudinal ends.

  The carrier 26 supported by the guide rod 25 movably along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod 25 is from one side (right side in FIGS. 3 and 4) to the other side (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the pair of endless chains 23. It is for transferring the tissue carton 11 to the middle, left side). Each carrier 26 engages with each of the two guide rods 25 in a state of straddling two adjacent guide rods 25 and can move along the longitudinal direction thereof. On one side of the endless chain 23, a carry-in position P1 for the tissue carton 11 is set, and a carry-in conveyor 19 is connected thereto. Further, on the other side of the endless chain 23, a plurality of carry-out positions P2 to P4 are set along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod 25, and the previous carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R and the discharge conveyor 22 are connected to them. .

  The distribution mechanism 27 guides the plurality of carriers 26 from the carry-in position P1 to a desired position among the three carry-out positions P2 to P4. The distribution mechanism 27 in this embodiment includes three sets of rail-shaped guide cams 27a, a cam follower 27b that is provided on the carrier 26 and can be engaged with any of the three sets of guide cams 27a, and an actuator 27c. Have The three sets of guide cams 27a having a rail shape extend from the sorting position P5 set between the carry-in position P1 and the carry-out positions P2 to P4 to the carry-in position P1 via the individual carry-out positions P2 to P4. Each is arranged. The actuator 27c drives the carrier 26 along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod 25 at the distribution position P5 so that the cam follower 27b integrated with the carrier 26 engages with a desired guide cam 27a of the three sets. Normally, the actuator 27c is operated every time five tissue cartons 11 pass, and the distribution direction of the tissue cartons 11 is alternately switched toward the two carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R.

  The conveyed product posture holding means in the present embodiment facing the upper surface of the tissue carton 11 placed on the carrier 26 from the carry-in position P1 to the carry-out positions P2 to P4 in the proximity or contact state is the belt conveyor 28. The belt conveyor 28 has a holding surface 28a that moves at a speed corresponding to the turning drive speed of the endless chain 23 by a drive source (not shown). The holding surface 28a of the belt conveyor 28 functioning as a holding member in the present invention is defined by the upper surface of the tissue carton 11 placed on the carrier 26 (in this embodiment, the height h and the width w of the tissue carton 11). Opposite the front and rear surfaces 18). The belt conveyor 28 reliably prevents the tissue cartons 11 from being overturned during transfer from the loading position P1 to the unloading positions P2 to P4.

The distance S between the holding surface 28a of the belt conveyor 28 and the upper surface of the carrier 26 on which the tissue carton 11 is placed preferably has a relationship of h ≦ S <(h ² + d ² ) ^1/2 . Thereby, the tissue carton 11 can move stably without falling between the carrier 26 and the belt conveyor 28. In this case, as the belt conveyor 28 is distributed movement of the tissue carton 11 is not obstructed, it is set larger than the frictional coefficient mu ₂ of the holding surface 28a of the upper surface of the friction coefficient mu ₁ a belt conveyor 28 of the carrier 26 Is preferred. Further, it is effective to set the movement speed V ₂ of the holding surface 28a of the belt conveyor 28 substantially the same as the turning drive velocity V ₁ of the endless chain 23. However, as long as you set high friction coefficient mu ₁ of the upper surface of the carrier 26 than the frictional coefficient mu ₂ of the holding surface 28a of the conveyor belt 28, so to satisfy the relationship of 0.9V ₁ ≦ _{V 2} ≦ 1.1V ₁ If so, there is no problem that the posture of the tissue carton 11 is shifted.

  Accordingly, the pair of endless chains 23 are simultaneously driven to rotate by the chain driving means 24, and accordingly, a plurality of guide rods 25 supported by the pair of endless chains 23 and a plurality of carriers 26 supported by these guide rods 25. Are also swiveled at the same time. The tissue carton 11 fed from the carry-in conveyor 19 is transferred onto the carrier 26 at the carry-in position P1 set on one side of the pair of endless chains 23, and is transferred to the other side of the pair of endless chains 23. The carrier 26 is moved along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod 25 by the distribution mechanism 27 arranged in the middle of the transfer of the tissue cartons 11, and the tissue cartons 11 are distributed and transferred to the desired carry-out positions P2 to P4. .

  Thus, in this embodiment, since the conveyance line of the tissue carton 11 is divided into two using the distribution unit 15, the following advantages are obtained. That is, the conveyance speed of the carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R for carrying out the tissue cartons 11 from the distribution unit 15 can be set to about half the conveyance speed of the carry-in conveyor 19 for loading the tissue cartons 11 into the distribution unit 15. it can. As a result, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the tissue carton 11 by maximizing the line speed of the tissue carton manufacturing unit.

  On the downstream end side in the transport direction of the carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R, a stopper (not shown) that contacts the tissue cartons 11 that are aligned with the carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R35 and prevents the movement is disposed. .

  The pack wrapping unit 16 in this embodiment includes two unillustrated wrapping machines that are connected in the adjacent state to the downstream side in the transport direction of the pair of carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R. Each packaging machine takes out five tissue cartons 11 in order from the leading side in contact with the stopper from the group of tissue cartons staying on the downstream side in the transport direction of the carry-out conveyors 21L and 21R, and removes them from the side. Pack with 13. Furthermore, both ends of the carrying handle 14 formed of a resin film are joined to the transparent resin film 13 for packing by heat sealing.

  The packed tissue cartons 10 packed in the pack packing unit 16 in this way are stored in predetermined card packs in a cardboard box (not shown) and transported toward each consumption area.

  As for the details of the configuration from the tissue folding portion to the pack packaging portion 16 in the pack packing line of this tissue carton 11, any known configuration can be adopted as appropriate, and the posture changing portion is divided into the sorting portion 15 and the pack. It is also possible to arrange it between the packaging part 16.

  In the above-described embodiment, the belt conveyor 28 is arranged above the sorting unit 15 as the conveyed product posture holding means, but the same configuration as the automatic line sorting device 20 of this sorting unit 15 is arranged above the sorting unit 15. It is also possible to operate them synchronously.

  In the above-described embodiment, the belt conveyor 28 is arranged above the sorting unit 15 as the conveyed product posture holding means, but the same configuration as the automatic line sorting device 20 of this sorting unit 15 is arranged above the sorting unit 15. It is also possible to operate them synchronously.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows the side surface shape of another embodiment of such a distribution unit 15, but the same reference numerals are used for elements having the same functions as those of the previous embodiment, and redundant description is omitted. To do. That is, the conveyed product posture holding means in the present embodiment is the second automatic line distribution device 20 that is arranged symmetrically with respect to the automatic line distribution device 20 of the distribution unit 15 with the tissue carton 11 in between. Therefore, the carrier 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) (not shown) of the second automatic line sorting apparatus 20 functions as a holding member in this embodiment, and the lower surface thereof functions as a holding surface 28a. In the present embodiment, relative sliding between the lower surface of the carrier 26 of the second automatic line sorting device 20 that is the holding surface 28a and the tissue carton 11 does not occur by the sorting operation. For this reason, it becomes possible to maintain the posture of the tissue carton 11 more reliably than in the previous embodiment.

  It should be noted that the present invention should be construed only from the matters described in the claims, and in the above-described embodiment, all the changes and modifications included in the concept of the present invention are other than those described. Is possible. That is, all matters in the above-described embodiment are not intended to limit the present invention, and include any configuration not directly related to the present invention. To get.

10 Packed tissue cartons 11 Tissue cartons 12 Top and bottom surfaces of tissue cartons 13 Transparent resin films 14 Handles 15 Sorting units 16 Pack packaging units 17 Side surfaces of tissue cartons 18 Front and rear surfaces of tissue cartons 19 Loading conveyors 20 Line automatic sorting devices 21L and 21R Unloading Conveyor 22 Discharge conveyor 23 Endless chain 24 Chain drive means 24a Sprocket 24b Drive chain 24c Drive motor 25 Guide rod 26 Carrier 27 Distribution mechanism 27a Guide cam 27b Cam follower 27c Actuator 28 Conveyance posture holding means (belt conveyor)
28a Holding surface h Tissue carton height d Tissue carton depth w Tish carton width P1 Loading position P2 to P4 Unloading position P5 Sorting position S Spacing between belt conveyor holding surface and carrier top surface V ₁ Endless chain swiveling drive Speed V Moving speed of holding surface of ₂ belt conveyor

Claims (12)

A pair of endless chains arranged coaxially apart from each other;
Chain driving means for simultaneously turning and driving these pair of endless chains;
A plurality of guide rods that are arranged at regular intervals along the turning drive direction of the pair of endless chains, and whose longitudinal ends are supported by the pair of endless chains,
A plurality of carry-outs are carried out along the longitudinal direction of the guide rods from one side of the pair of endless chains which are supported by the guide rods so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the guide rods and whose carry-in positions are set. A plurality of carriers for transporting to the other side where the position is set;
A device that distributes the plurality of carriers from the carry-in position to the desired carry-out position and distributes a rectangular parallelepiped shaped conveyance object having the same dimensions to the plurality of carry-out positions,
Conveyance posture having a holding surface that faces the upper surface of the conveyed product placed on the carrier from the carry-in position to the carry-out position in the proximity or contact state and moves at a speed corresponding to the rotational drive speed of the endless chain A sorting apparatus, further comprising holding means.   The distribution mechanism is provided on each of the carrier and a plurality of guide cams that reach from the distribution position set between the carry-in position and the plurality of carry-out positions to the carry-in position via the plurality of carry-out positions. A cam follower that can be engaged with the guide cam and an actuator that drives the carrier along the longitudinal direction of the guide rod at the sorting position so that the cam follower engages with the desired guide cam. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution device is provided.   The transported object has a height h, a depth d, and a width w in a relationship of h <d ≦ w, and a surface defined by the height h and the width w is placed on the carrier so as to move in the vertical direction. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution device is directed.   The sorting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a surface defined by the depth d and the width w faces the transport direction. The space S between the upper surface of the carrier and the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means has a relationship of h ≦ S <(h ² + d ² ) ^1/2. Sorting device. The friction coefficient μ ₁ of the upper surface of the carrier and the friction coefficient μ ₂ of the holding surface of the conveyed product posture holding means are in a relationship of μ ₂ <μ _1. The sorting device described. Claim 6, wherein the moving speed V ₂ of the holding surface of the conveyed object posture holding means for turning the driving speed V ₁ of the endless chain, characterized in that the relationship of 0.9V ₁ ≦ V ₂ ≦ 1.1V ₁ Sorting device described in 1.   The transported object posture holding means is a second sorting device that is arranged symmetrically with respect to the sorting device with the transported material interposed therebetween, and operates in synchronization with the sorting device, and the holding surface is the second sorting device. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution device is a lower surface of the carrier.   9. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyed product is a tissue carton storing tissue paper bundles. A method of allocating a transported object to a desired unloading position among a plurality of unloading positions for unloading the transported object from a loading position where the transported object is loaded,
Placing a conveyed product on a carrier at the loading position;
Allocating the carrier to a desired unloading position at an allocating position set between the loading position and a plurality of unloading positions;
Transporting a transported object on the carrier from the sorting position to the desired unloading position;
Holding the posture of the conveyed product on the carrier from the carry-in position to the desired carry-out position.   The sorting method according to claim 10, wherein the step of holding the posture of the conveyed product includes a step of bringing a holding member into proximity to or in contact with an upper surface of the conveyed product on the carrier.   12. The sorting method according to claim 11, wherein the step of bringing the holding member into proximity with or in contact with the upper surface of the conveyed product includes a step of driving the holding member at a speed corresponding to the conveying speed of the conveyed object.

Images