WO2024237077A1 - Sorting/recovery device and sorting/recovery method - Google Patents

Abstract

A sorting/recovery device (1) is provided with a workpiece flattening unit (3), a workpiece conveyance unit (5), a workpiece recognition unit (7), a workpiece gripping unit (9), and a workpiece recovery unit (11). The workpiece gripping unit (9) is provided with a cylinder (33), a hand (35), and an air nozzle (37). The cylinder (33) is arranged in an inclined manner so as to move a workpiece (WK) diagonally upward with respect to a conveyance surface (26) from a position at which the workpiece (WK) is gripped by the hand (35).

Description

Sorting and recovery device and sorting and recovery method

This disclosure relates to a sorting and recovery device and a sorting and recovery method.

Discarded home appliances such as televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners that are brought to recycling plants are first disassembled by workers and some of the parts are recovered. After some of the parts have been recovered, the discarded appliances are crushed in a crusher and then sorted into materials such as iron, copper, and plastic using various sorting machines.

In recent years, there has been a demand for improved worker safety, improved processing capacity for waste home appliances, and high-purity sorting of materials. In order to meet these demands, there is a need to automate the processes that were previously performed manually by workers.

Conventionally, for example, there is a process in which an operator visually selects some of the crushed waste home appliances being transported on a conveyor, which may affect sorting by a sorting machine. As a method for automating such a process, Patent Document 1 proposes a sorting device that uses an articulated robot. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes a foreign object removal device equipped with a discharger that uses a cylinder.

Patent No. 6958663 JP 2000-42499 A

In order to recycle waste home appliances, it is necessary to improve the processing capacity for sorting and recovering the workpieces that are to be sorted.

The present disclosure has been made based on such development, and one objective is to provide a sorting and recovery device that can improve the processing capacity for sorting and recovering workpieces to be sorted, and another objective is to provide such a sorting and recovery method.

The sorting and recovery device according to the present disclosure is a sorting and recovery device that recovers workpieces to be sorted according to their material from among a plurality of workpieces being transported, and includes a transport unit, one or more workpiece gripping units, and one or more workpiece recovery units. The transport unit has a transport surface on which a plurality of workpieces are placed, and transports the plurality of workpieces placed on the transport surface in a first direction as a transport direction. The one or more workpiece gripping units include a first workpiece gripping unit that grips a first workpiece of one material as a workpiece to be sorted from among the plurality of workpieces being transported by the transport unit, and moves the first workpiece diagonally upward with respect to the transport surface from the position where the first workpiece is gripped. The one or more workpiece recovery units include a first workpiece recovery unit that recovers the first workpiece gripped by the first workpiece gripping unit.

The sorting and recovery method disclosed herein is a method for recovering workpieces to be sorted according to their material from among multiple workpieces being transported on a transport surface, and includes the following steps: Load multiple workpieces onto the transport surface. Gripping a workpiece to be sorted from among the multiple workpieces being transported, and moving the workpiece to be sorted diagonally upward from the position where it was gripped relative to the transport surface to recover it.

According to the sorting and recovery device of the present disclosure, one or more workpiece gripping units include a first workpiece gripping unit that grips a first workpiece of one material as a workpiece to be sorted from among a plurality of workpieces transported by the transport unit, and moves the first workpiece from the position where the first workpiece is gripped diagonally upward with respect to the transport plane. This makes it possible to shorten the operating time from gripping the workpiece to be sorted to collecting it. As a result, it is possible to improve the processing capacity for sorting and recovering the workpieces to be sorted.

According to the sorting and recovery method disclosed herein, a workpiece to be sorted is grasped from among multiple workpieces being transported, and is then moved from the position where it was grasped diagonally upward relative to the transport plane to be recovered. This makes it possible to shorten the operation time from grasping the workpiece to be sorted to recovery. As a result, it is possible to improve the processing capacity for sorting and recovering the workpiece to be sorted.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a sorting and recovery device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a partial top view showing a workpiece gripping unit and its surrounding structure in the sorting and recovery device in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial side view for explaining an example of the structure and operation of a workpiece gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the sorting and recovery device in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining an example of the operation of the sorting and recovery device in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a first partial side view for explaining an example of the operation of the workpiece gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a second partial side view for explaining an example of the operation of the workpiece gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a third partial side view for explaining an example of the operation of the work gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a fourth partial side view for explaining an example of the operation of the work gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a partial top view for explaining an example of the operation of the workpiece gripping unit in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a first partial side view showing an example of a workpiece gripping unit in a sorting and collecting device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a second partial side view showing an example of a workpiece gripping unit in a sorting and collecting device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a partial side view showing an example of a workpiece gripping unit in a sorting and collecting device according to a second modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a first plan view showing an example of a hand in a workpiece gripping unit of a sorting and collecting device according to a third modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a second plan view showing an example of a hand in a workpiece gripping unit of a sorting and collecting device according to a third modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a third plan view showing an example of a hand in a workpiece gripping unit of a sorting and collecting device according to a third modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partial side view for explaining an example of the operation of a workpiece gripping unit of a sorting and collecting device according to a third modified example in the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a workpiece flattening unit in a sorting and collecting device according to a fourth modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a sorting and recovery device according to a fifth modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a sorting and recovery device according to a sixth modified example in the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view showing an example of a workpiece recovery unit in a sorting and recovery device according to a seventh modified example in the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partial top view showing the arrangement structure of the workpiece gripping unit in the sorting and recovery device according to the eighth modified example of the same embodiment. FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view for explaining the operation of a workpiece gripping unit in a sorting and collecting device according to an eighth modified example of the embodiment. A first partial side view for explaining the structure and operation of a work gripping unit in a sorting and recovery device of embodiment 2. FIG. 11 is a second partial side view for explaining the structure and operation of the work gripping unit in the sorting and collecting device in the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a third partial side view for explaining the structure and operation of the work gripping unit in the sorting and collecting device in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial top view showing a sorting and recovery device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sorting and recovery device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a partial top view showing a sorting and recovery device according to a second modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a sorting and recovery device according to a second modified example of the embodiment. A partial side view for explaining the structure and operation of a work gripping unit in a sorting and recovery device according to embodiment 3. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a workpiece recovery conveyor in the workpiece recovery unit in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a workpiece recovery conveyor in the workpiece recovery unit in the embodiment.

Embodiment 1.
An example of a sorting and recovery device according to the first embodiment will be described. The sorting and recovery device is a device that recovers workpieces selected as sorting targets while transporting crushed workpieces such as waste home appliances. As shown in Fig. 1, the sorting and recovery device 1 includes a work flattening unit 3 as a work flattening section, a work transport unit 5 as a work transport section, a work recognition unit 7 as a work recognition section, a work gripping unit 9 as a work gripping section, and a work recovery unit 11 as a work recovery section.

The workpiece flattening unit 3 includes a base 13 and a vibrating feeder 15. The vibrating feeder 15 includes a trough 21 on which the workpieces are loaded, and a drive unit 17 that applies vibrations to the trough 21. The trough 21 used has a rectangular bottom surface 21a with three side walls 21b (square shape). The width of the bottom surface 21a is set to be narrower than the width of the conveyor belt of the workpiece conveying unit 5 described below. The height of the side walls 21b is set to a height that prevents the workpieces from flying out of the trough 21 when the drive unit 17 applies vibrations to the trough 21. A material with excellent wear resistance is used for the trough 21.

The vibrating feeder 15 is arranged on the base 13 with an elastic part 19 such as a spring interposed therebetween. The elastic part 19 is provided as an anti-vibration measure to suppress the transmission of vibrations of the vibrating feeder 15 to the base 13. As described below, the work placed on the trough 21 is transported towards the work transport unit 5 while expanding in the width direction on the bottom surface part 21a as the vibrating feeder 15 vibrates. Specifically, the work piled up on the trough 21 is levelled in the width direction as it is transported. The length of the trough 21 is set to a length that allows the bottom surface part 21a to be levelled in the width direction before the work falls into the work transport unit 5.

The work transport unit 5 is equipped with a transport belt 25 having a transport surface 26. The width of the transport belt 25 is set to a width on which the work, which has been flattened in the width direction by the work flattening unit 3, can be placed in a flattened state. The material used for the transport belt 25 is a material with excellent cut resistance and impact resistance. For example, the transport belt 25 may be a slat conveyor in which the transport surface 26 that comes into contact with the work is made of metal.

The work recognition unit 7 is equipped with a camera 29, lighting 31, and a camera mount 27. The camera 29 and lighting 31 are electrically connected to the control unit 2. The camera 29 is attached to the camera mount 27. The camera 29 has a field of view that allows it to capture images from one end to the other end of the width of the conveyor belt 25. The camera 29 has a field of view that allows it to capture images of the work being conveyed by the conveyor belt 25.

The lighting 31 is attached to the camera mount 27. The lighting 31 is positioned so as to illuminate the conveyor belt 25 and the work being conveyed. The lighting 31 is positioned near the camera 29. When taking pictures with the camera 29, a light-shielding member 28 (see dashed double-dashed line), such as a panel or a blackout curtain, may be attached to surround the camera mount 27 to block light that enters the field of view of the camera from outside the sorting and recovery device 1.

The workpiece gripping unit 9 includes a cylinder 33, a hand 35, and an air nozzle 37. As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder 33 is arranged so that the extension/retraction direction (arrows Y2 and Y3) of the cylinder 33 is approximately parallel to the conveying direction (arrow Y1) of the conveyor belt 25 in a plan view of the workpiece gripping unit 9 (sorting and recovery device 1) seen from above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cylinder 33 is installed at an angle to the conveying surface 26 of the conveyor belt 25 when viewed from the side. As an example of the arrangement of the cylinder 33, the orientation of the cylinder 33 is set so that the direction (arrow Y2) of pushing the cylinder 33 toward the conveyor belt 25 has a component (arrow Y2V) toward the conveying surface 26 and a component (arrow Y2H) opposite the conveying direction (arrow Y1), while the direction (arrow Y3) of contracting the cylinder 33 has a component (arrow Y3H) in the conveying direction (arrow Y1) and a component (arrow Y3V) directed upward from the conveying surface 26.

In other words, the orientation (tilt) of the cylinder 33 is set so that the workpiece WK is moved diagonally upward with respect to the transport surface 26 from the position where the hand 35 grasps the workpiece WK. More specifically, the orientation (tilt) of the cylinder 33 is set so that the workpiece WK is moved from the position where the hand 35 grasps the workpiece WK with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3H) that moves the workpiece WK parallel to the transport surface 26 and a second movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3V) that moves the workpiece WK upward from the transport surface 26.

In this case, the angle θ1 between the inclined cylinder 33 and the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) is an obtuse angle. Therefore, in this work gripping unit 9, a relatively large work WK is selected compared to the arrangement described below (see FIG. 10). Depending on the work WK selected, it is possible that the work WK may become entangled in the hand 35, increasing the volume of the work WK, but even in such cases, the work WK can be gripped.

The hand 35 used will be one that is suitable for gripping the workpiece, depending on the material of the workpiece being selected. For example, when gripping iron, a magnetic chuck that attracts the workpiece with magnetic force may be used. Also, for relatively lightweight workpieces such as plastic, a vacuum chuck that adsorbs the workpiece with air, or a vacuum conveyor may be used.

Furthermore, for long and thin workpieces such as copper wire, a gripping unit with multiple claws may be used. In this case, the cylinder 33 is pushed out and the unit waits for the workpiece to be sorted to be transported, and when the workpiece arrives, it can be gripped by hooking it onto the claws. Modified examples of the hand 35 will be described later.

The air nozzle 37 is positioned in a position that allows air to be blown toward the workpiece grasped by the hand 35 when the workpiece is lifted diagonally upward. The air is blown toward the conveying surface 26 of the conveying belt 25. The air is blown at a volume sufficient to remove workpieces that are not to be sorted and that are attached to the workpieces to be sorted. By blowing air toward the grasped workpieces, the workpieces that are not to be sorted are dropped onto the conveying surface 26.

The work recovery unit 11 is equipped with a work recovery conveyor 47 and a work recovery box 49. The work recovery conveyor 47 is disposed at a position where the released work falls (drops) when the work gripping unit 9 releases the work. The work recovery conveyor 47 is disposed directly below the hand 35 when the cylinder 33 is in a retracted state.

A material with excellent cut resistance and impact resistance is used as the material for the belt of the work recovery conveyor 47. To improve the durability of the belt, a slat conveyor whose transport surface that comes into contact with the work is made of metal may be used as the belt. The work recovery box 49 is disposed to the side of the work transport unit 5. The work transported by the work recovery conveyor 47 is collected in the work recovery box 49. An example of the sorting and recovery device 1 according to the first embodiment is configured as described above.

Next, an example of the sorting and recovery operation of the workpieces by the sorting and recovery device 1 described above will be described. The flow of the operation is shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, first, in step ST1, workpieces, for example, crushed waste home appliances, etc., are input into the sorting and recovery device 1. Next, in step ST2, workpieces of materials to be sorted are recognized from the input workpieces. Next, in step ST3, the recognized workpieces to be sorted are gripped. Next, in step ST4, the gripped workpieces to be sorted are released. Finally, in step ST5, the released workpieces to be sorted are collected, completing the series of operations for sorting and collecting the workpieces.

Next, the workpiece sorting and recovery operation (steps ST1 to ST5) will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, in step ST1, the crushed workpiece WK is loaded into the trough 21 in the workpiece flattening unit 3. The workpiece WK loaded into the trough 21 advances along the bottom surface 21a of the trough 21 toward the workpiece transport unit 5 due to the vibration of the drive unit 17 in the vibrating feeder 15.

At this time, the workpieces WK (within the dotted frame DL1) piled up on the bottom surface 21a are gradually broken down as the drive unit 17 vibrates, and just before they fall onto the transport belt 25, they are flattened in the width direction of the trough 21 (within the dotted frame DL2). The workpieces WK that have been flattened in the width direction fall from the trough 21 onto the transport belt 25 of the work transport unit 5, and are transported towards the work recognition unit 7.

Next, in step ST2, the workpieces WK to be sorted are recognized from among the workpieces WK being transported. The workpieces WK being transported are photographed by the camera 29. Based on the image data of the photographed workpieces WK, the control unit 2 recognizes the workpieces WK to be sorted, such as the type (material) of the workpieces WK, the position of the workpieces WK, and the height of the workpieces WK, as well as the information required to grasp the workpieces WK.

Next, in step ST3, the workpiece WK to be sorted is gripped. Based on the acquired information about the workpiece WK to be sorted, the control unit 2 controls the operation of the workpiece gripping unit 9. As shown in FIG. 6, when the workpiece gripping unit 9 is in a standby state before gripping the workpiece WK (WK1) to be sorted, the cylinder 33 is in a retracted state.

As shown in Figures 7 and 10, when the workpiece WK1 to be sorted among the workpieces WK being transported reaches a position where it can be gripped by the workpiece gripping unit 9, the cylinder 33 extends obliquely toward the conveyor belt 25, as shown by the arrow Y2. This allows the workpiece WK1 to be sorted to be gripped by the hand 35.

Next, in step ST4, the gripped workpiece WK1 is released. As shown in Figures 8 and 10, while the workpiece WK1 is gripped, the cylinder 33 retracts diagonally upward as indicated by arrow Y3. This causes the workpiece WK1 to move diagonally upward relative to the transport surface 26. More specifically, the workpiece WK1 is moved from the position where it is gripped by the hand 35 with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3H) that moves it parallel to the transport surface 26, and a second movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3V) that moves it upward from the transport surface 26.

When the workpiece WK1 is moved and comes within the range of the air nozzle 37, air is blown from the air nozzle 37 toward the workpiece WK1 as necessary. As a result, if a workpiece (not shown) that is not to be sorted is attached to the workpiece WK1, the workpiece that is not to be sorted falls onto the conveyor belt 25.

Next, in step ST5, the released workpiece WK1 is collected. When the gripped workpiece WK1 reaches a position directly above the workpiece recovery conveyor 47, the hand 35 releases the workpiece WK1. As shown in FIG. 9, the released workpiece WK1 falls onto the workpiece recovery conveyor 47. As shown in FIG. 10, the dropped workpiece WK1 is transported by the workpiece recovery conveyor 47 and then collected in a workpiece recovery box 49. This completes a series of sorting and recovery operations for sorting and collecting the crushed workpiece WK.

The workpieces WK that are not selected for sorting are transported by the conveyor belt 25 and then collected in a collection box 53. The collected workpieces WK will be further sorted by other sorting devices (not shown) etc. as necessary.

In the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1, the work gripping unit 9 and the work recovery unit 11 can improve the recovery processing capacity of the work WK1 (WK) to be sorted. This will be explained.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cylinder 33 is arranged so that the extension direction of the cylinder 33 is approximately parallel to the conveying direction (arrow Y1) of the conveyor belt 25 in a plan view of the workpiece gripping unit 9 from above. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the cylinder 33 is installed at an angle to the conveying surface 26 of the conveyor belt 25 when viewed from the side.

As a result, for example, the time required for the series of operations up to the collection of the workpiece can be shortened compared to a conventional sorting and collection device that uses an articulated robot. Specifically, when an articulated robot is used, the articulated robot will perform a series of operations before releasing the workpiece: origin position, workpiece above, approaching the workpiece, gripping the workpiece, lifting the workpiece, above the collection box, approaching the collection box, releasing the workpiece, and above the collection box.

In contrast to the articulated robot, the workpiece gripping unit 9 in the sorting and recovery device 1 described above performs a series of operations: pushing out the cylinder 33, gripping the workpiece WK1, contracting the cylinder 33, and releasing the workpiece WK1, thereby releasing the workpiece WK1 to be sorted.

In particular, when the cylinder 33 retracts, the workpiece WK1 grasped by the hand 35 is moved to directly above the work collection conveyor 47 (see FIG. 8) with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3H) that moves the workpiece WK1 from the position where it was grasped parallel to the transport surface 26, and a second movement component (corresponding to arrow Y3V) that moves the workpiece WK1 upward from the transport surface 26. In other words, the workpiece WK1 is moved diagonally upward from the position where it was grasped relative to the transport surface 26. The grasped workpiece WK1 is then released, and the workpiece WK1 to be sorted is collected.

This shortens the time required for the entire series of operations from gripping the workpiece WK1 to releasing it. As a result, the transport speed at which the workpiece WK is transported by the transport belt 25 can be increased, improving the processing capacity of the sorting and recovery device 1 for sorting and recovering the workpiece WK.

In addition, the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1 is equipped with a workpiece gripping unit 9, which can improve the sorting purity of the workpiece WK1 (WK) to be sorted. This will be explained below.

In conventional sorting and recovery devices, which recover workpieces by using a cylinder to push the workpieces transported by a conveyor to the side of the conveyor, the workpieces to be sorted are pushed across the conveyor. For this reason, it is expected that when the workpieces to be sorted are pushed out, workpieces that are not to be sorted will also be pushed to the side of the conveyor. This can result in a decrease in the sorting purity of the recovered workpieces.

In contrast, in the workpiece gripping unit 9 in the sorting and recovery device 1 described above, the cylinder 33 is installed at an angle to the transport plane of the transport belt 25. This allows the hand 35 to approach the workpiece WK1 (WK) to be sorted from diagonally above to a position where the workpiece WK1 (WK) will be gripped. In other words, the hand 35 can be brought close to the workpiece WK1 (WK) to be selected with pinpoint precision. This makes it possible to increase the sorting purity of the workpiece WK1 (WK) to be sorted.

In addition, in the sorting and recovery device 1, multiple (three) work gripping units 9 are arranged in the width direction of the conveyor belt 25. This narrows the area covered by one work gripping unit 9. This makes it possible to select the number of work gripping units 9 and the hands 35 to be arranged depending on the shape of the work WK1 (WK) to be selected, reducing the possibility of gripping a work that is not to be selected. As a result, the sorting purity of the work WK1 (WK) to be selected can be improved.

Furthermore, by blowing air from the air nozzle 37 toward the workpiece WK1 (WK) while moving the gripped workpiece WK1 (WK) diagonally upward relative to the conveying surface 26, it is possible to remove workpieces that are not to be selected and that are attached to the workpiece WK1 (WK) without delaying the series of operations. This can contribute to improving the sorting purity of the workpiece WK1 (WK) that is to be selected.

Next, we will explain the modified examples. In each modified example, the same components as those in the sorting and recovery device 1 according to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and their explanations will not be repeated unless necessary.

(First Modification)
As another example of the arrangement of the cylinder 33 in the workpiece gripping unit 9, the cylinder 33 may be arranged at an angle opposite to the arrangement shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 11, the direction of the cylinder 33 may be set so that the direction (arrow Y4) in which the cylinder 33 is pushed toward the conveyor belt 25 (workpiece WK2) has a component (arrow Y4V) toward the conveyor surface 26 and a component (arrow Y4H) in the same direction as the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, when the cylinder 33 retracts, the workpiece WK2 grasped by the hand 35 is moved to directly above the work recovery conveyor 47 with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component (corresponding to arrow Y5H) that moves the workpiece WK2 from the position where it was grasped parallel to the transport surface 26, and a second movement component (corresponding to arrow Y5V) that moves the workpiece WK2 upward from the transport surface 26. In other words, the workpiece WK2 is moved diagonally upward with respect to the transport surface 26 from the position where it was grasped. The grasped workpiece WK2 is then released, and the workpiece WK2 to be sorted is recovered.

In this case, the angle θ2 between the tilted cylinder 33 and the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) is an acute angle. Therefore, in this work gripping unit 9, a relatively small work WK is selected compared to the arrangement shown in FIG. 3.

Furthermore, a sensor 38 that recognizes the position of the work may be attached to the work gripping unit 9. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, when the cylinder 33 is extended toward the conveyor belt 25, the movement speed of the work WK2 (WK) can be matched with the operating speed of the work gripping unit 9 while the sensor 38 recognizes the work WK2 (WK). In other words, the work WK2 (WK) to be selected can be more accurately gripped while correcting the gripping position of the work WK2 (WK) to be selected.

Furthermore, when gripping a workpiece WK to be selected, the workpiece gripping unit 9 can also make an operation of bringing the workpiece WK into contact with other workpieces WK to be selected that are being transported by the transport belt 25. In this case, by using, for example, a magnetic chuck as the hand 35, the other workpieces WK are magnetically attracted to the first gripped workpiece WK, and multiple workpieces WK can be efficiently collected.

(Second Modification)
A single-axis robot may be applied as the workpiece gripping unit 9 instead of the cylinder 33. As shown in Fig. 13, a slider-type or rod-type single-axis robot 39 may be disposed. By using the single-axis robot 39, the extension and contraction operations (arrows Y2 and Y3) can be performed with higher accuracy.

(Third Modification)
A hand that grips workpieces made of different materials may be applied as the work gripping unit 9. As shown in Fig. 14, the hand 41 includes needle-shaped claws 43 and a magnetic attraction mechanism 45. A plurality of needle-shaped claws 43 are arranged in the depth direction toward the paper surface. The plurality of needle-shaped claws 43 are slidable in the direction in which the needle-shaped claws 43 extend.

The needle-like claws 43 are arranged in line symmetry with respect to the center (center line) of the hand 41, approaching each other toward the tip of the hand 41. When the pair of needle-like claws 43 arranged in line symmetry on the left and right sides are pushed out from a standby state to grip a workpiece, their tips cross each other. A material with excellent durability and high strength is selected for the claws 43.

The magnetic attraction mechanism 45 is equipped with a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnetic attraction mechanism 45 has a magnetic force sufficient to grip the workpiece. In addition, the magnetic force of the magnetic attraction mechanism 45 can be switched on and off.

As shown in FIG. 14, when a workpiece such as iron that can be attracted by the magnetic attraction mechanism 45 is to be gripped, the claws 43 are in a standby state. Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the magnetic force of the magnetic attraction mechanism 45 is turned on, so that the workpiece WK3 (WK) such as iron is gripped (attracted) by the hand 41.

On the other hand, when gripping a workpiece such as a copper wire, first, the hand 41 contacts the workpiece with the claws 43 in a standby state, as shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 16, when the hand 41 contacts the workpiece WK4 (WK), the pair of needle-shaped claws 43 on the left and right are pushed out from their standby state, and the tips cross each other, so that the workpiece WK4 (WK) is gripped by the claws 43. By providing such a hand 41, workpieces WK made of different materials can be gripped by a single hand 41.

When using such a hand 41, a workpiece gripping unit 9 is used that can stop the hand 41 at a desired position corresponding to the material of the workpiece WK. Here, as an example, a workpiece gripping unit 9 equipped with a single-axis robot 39 is arranged as shown in FIG. 17. The workpiece recovery unit 11 has a workpiece recovery conveyor 47 and a workpiece recovery conveyor 48.

The workpiece WK3, such as iron, attracted to the magnetic attraction mechanism 45 is released when it moves to a position directly above the workpiece recovery conveyor 47, and is then transported by the workpiece recovery conveyor 47 and collected in the workpiece recovery box 49.

The workpiece WK4, such as a copper wire, held by the claws 43 is released when it moves to a position directly above the workpiece recovery conveyor 48, and is then transported by the workpiece recovery conveyor 48 and collected in the workpiece recovery box 50.

(Fourth Modification)
In addition to flattening the workpieces WK using vibration, a brush may also be applied as the workpiece flattening unit 3. As shown in Fig. 18, the sorting and recovery device 1 is provided with a workpiece flattening unit 3 equipped with a brush 23. The brush 23 reciprocates in the width direction of the conveyor belt 25.

The crushed workpieces WK are fed directly onto the conveyor belt 25 of the workpiece conveying unit 5. The fed workpieces WK come into contact with the reciprocating brushes 23, and are smoothed out across the width of the conveyor belt 25.

(Fifth Modification)
The workpiece gripping units 9 are not limited to three arranged in the width direction of the conveyor belt 25. For example, when the amount of workpieces WK to be sorted and collected is relatively small, or when the number of workpiece materials to be sorted is small, one workpiece gripping unit 9 may be arranged as necessary, as shown in Fig. 19. In this case, efficient sorting and collection can be performed by narrowing the width of the conveyor belt 25. In addition, the cost of the sorting and collection device 1 can be reduced depending on the number of workpieces WK to be sorted and collected.

(Sixth Modification)
When the amount of pulverized workpieces WK is relatively large, a plurality of workpiece gripping units 9 may be arranged along the conveying direction of the conveyor belt. As shown in Fig. 20, a first workpiece gripping unit 9a and a second workpiece gripping unit 9b are arranged as the workpiece gripping units 9. The first workpiece gripping unit 9a is arranged on the upstream side of the conveying direction (arrow Y1), and the second workpiece gripping unit 9b is arranged on the downstream side of the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

Furthermore, the work collection units 11 include a first work collection unit 11a corresponding to the first work gripping unit 9a, and a second work collection unit 11b corresponding to the second work gripping unit 9b. The first work collection unit 11a includes a first work collection conveyor 47a and a first work collection box 49a. The second work collection unit 11b includes a second work collection conveyor 47b and a second work collection box 49b.

The hand 35a of the first workpiece gripping unit 9a and the hand 35b of the second workpiece gripping unit 9b may each be equipped with a hand 35 suitable for workpieces WK of different materials. In this case, for example, it is possible to sort and collect workpieces WK such as iron, workpieces WK such as copper wire, and workpieces WK such as plastic.

Furthermore, the hand 35a of the first work gripping unit 9a and the hand 35b of the second work gripping unit 9b may each be equipped with a hand 35 suitable for work WK of the same material. In this case, the sorting and recovery processing capacity for the same work WK to be selected can be improved.

(Seventh Modification)
As the work collection unit 11, a method other than the work collection conveyor 47 may be used. As shown in Fig. 21, a work collection chute 51 may be arranged as the work collection unit 11. The work collection chute 51 has a box shape with an open top, and is inclined so as to become lower toward the work collection box 49.

The side walls of the work recovery chute 51 are set at a height that prevents the work WK, which is released from the hand 35 and falls, from flying out. In addition, the contact surface of the work recovery chute 51 that comes into contact with the work WK must be made of a highly wear-resistant material.

(Eighth Modification)
The workpiece holding unit 9 is not limited to being arranged so that, when viewed from above in a plan view of the workpiece holding unit 9 (sorting and recovery device 1), the extension and contraction direction of the cylinder 33 (arrows Y2, Y3) is approximately parallel to the conveying direction of the conveying belt 25 (arrow Y1).

As shown in FIG. 22, in a plan view of the work gripping unit 9 (sorting and recovery device 1) seen from above, the work gripping unit 9 may be positioned so that the extension and contraction direction of the cylinder 33 (arrows Y6 and Y7) intersects with the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 25 (arrow Y1) at an angle α.

Even in such a case, as shown in the left diagrams of Figures 22 and 23, when gripping the workpiece WK, the cylinder 33 of the hand 35 of the workpiece gripping unit 9 is extended (arrow Y6) to reliably grip the workpiece WK to be selected. At this time, the direction (arrow Y6) in which the cylinder 33 is pushed toward the conveyor belt 25 is a composite direction of a component (arrow Y6V) toward the conveyor surface 26 and a component (arrow Y6H) that is opposite to the conveying direction (arrow Y1) and intersects with the conveying direction (arrow Y1) at an angle α.

On the other hand, as shown in the right diagrams of Figures 22 and 23, the direction in which the cylinder 33 is retracted (arrow Y7) is a component in the same direction as the conveying direction (arrow Y1), and is a composite direction of a component (arrow Y7H) that intersects with the conveying direction (arrow Y1) at an angle α, and a component (arrow Y7V) that points upward from the conveying surface 26.

In this type of work gripping unit 9, the lengths (strokes) of the extension and retraction (arrows Y6 and Y7) of the cylinders 33 are set to different lengths, so that the gripped work WK can be directly collected in the work collection box 49. This makes it possible to collect the gripped work WK without placing the work collection unit 11.

Embodiment 2.
As an example of a sorting and recovery device according to embodiment 2, a sorting and recovery device that can correct the gripping position of the workpiece based on the workpiece recognition result and can recover the workpiece with higher purity will be described. The sorting and recovery device according to embodiment 2 differs from the sorting and recovery device according to embodiment 1 in that a rotating shaft is attached to the cylinder in the workpiece gripping unit.

As shown in FIG. 24, the workpiece gripping unit 9 in the sorting and recovery device 1 includes a cylinder 61, a hand 65, and an air nozzle 67. A rotating shaft 63 is attached to the cylinder 61. The rotating shaft 63 extends in a direction intersecting the conveying direction (arrow Y1). The cylinder 61 is arranged so as to be rotatable by the rotating shaft 63. The cylinder 61 may be selected to have a stroke that allows multiple positioning.

By rotating (pivoting) the cylinder 61 using the rotating shaft 63, the angle between the cylinder 61 and the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) can be set to a desired angle, such as angle θ31 or angle θ32. The rotating shaft 63 is connected to, for example, a motor (not shown). The rotation angle of the rotating shaft 63 can be precisely controlled by driving the motor.

The operation of the workpiece gripping unit 9, including the rotational operation of the rotating shaft 63, is controlled by the control unit 2. Note that other configurations are similar to those of the sorting and recovery device 1 described in the first embodiment, so the same members are given the same reference numerals and their descriptions will not be repeated unless necessary.

Next, an example of the work sorting and recovery operation by the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1 will be described. The sorting and recovery operation in this case differs from the sorting and recovery operation by the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1 in steps ST2 and ST3 of the operation flow shown in Figure 4.

In step ST2, the workpieces WK to be sorted are recognized from among the workpieces WK being transported. The workpieces WK being transported are photographed by the camera 29. Based on the image data of the photographed workpieces WK, the control unit 2 recognizes the workpieces WK to be sorted, such as the type (material) of the workpieces WK, the position of the workpieces WK, and the height of the workpieces WK, as well as the information required to grasp the workpieces WK.

In particular, in the case of the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1, the optimal angle of the cylinder 61 for gripping the workpiece WK to be sorted and the position for gripping the workpiece WK are calculated based on information regarding the height of the workpiece WK, the height of other workpieces WK located around the workpiece WK, and information regarding the shape of the hand 65, etc.

Next, in step ST3, the workpiece WK to be sorted is gripped. The operation of the workpiece gripping unit 9 is controlled by the control unit 2 based on the information acquired about the workpiece WK to be sorted. At this time, the cylinder 61 is rotated by the rotating shaft 63 so that the angle between the cylinder 61 and the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) becomes the angle calculated in step ST2.

When the workpiece WK to be sorted among the workpieces WK being transported reaches a position where it can be grasped by the workpiece gripping unit 9, the cylinder 61 extends toward the conveyor belt 25 as shown by the arrow Y2. This allows the workpiece WK to be sorted to be grasped by the hand 65. The operation of recovering the workpiece WK after the workpiece WK to be sorted is grasped is the same as in the case of the sorting and recovery device 1 described above.

Depending on the shape of the workpiece WK or the shape of the hand 65, the workpiece WK may be scooped up or hooked. In that case, the cylinder 61 may be rotated after the cylinder 61 (hand 65) extends toward the conveyor belt 25. The hand 65 is selected to be suitable for gripping the workpiece WK.

According to the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1, the cylinder 61 can be more accurately aligned to the position where the workpiece WK is gripped by attaching the rotating shaft 63 to the cylinder 61. This will be explained in detail.

First, of the workpieces WK shown in FIG. 24, the workpieces WK to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK5, and the workpieces WK not to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK6. There are cases where the workpieces WK5 to be sorted are adjacent to the workpieces WK6 that are not to be sorted. In this case, it is assumed that the workpieces WK6 are smaller in size than the workpieces WK5, and that the workpieces WK6 are located downstream of the workpieces WK5 in the transport direction (arrow Y1).

In this case, by adjusting the cylinder 61 (hand 65) upward using the rotating shaft 63 so that the upper part of the workpiece WK5 can be grasped, the workpiece WK5 to be selected can be grasped without coming into contact with the workpiece WK6 that is not the target of selection (see angles θ31 and θ32). This makes it possible to more reliably grasp the workpiece WK5 to be selected. As a result, the workpiece WK to be selected can be recovered with a higher purity.

Next, of the workpieces WK shown in FIG. 25, the workpieces WK to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK6, and the workpieces WK not to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK5. In this case, it is assumed that the workpieces WK6 are smaller in size than the workpieces WK5, and that the workpieces WK6 are located upstream of the workpieces WK5 in the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

In this case, when viewed from the cylinder 61 side, the workpiece WK6 is located behind the workpiece WK5. Therefore, when viewed from the cylinder 61 side, the workpiece WK6 is gripped at the point where it is located in front of the workpiece WK5. As shown in FIG. 25, the direction of the cylinder 61 (hand 65) is changed by the rotating shaft 63, and when the workpiece WK6 is transported to a point where it is located in front of the workpiece WK5 when viewed from the cylinder 61 side, the cylinder 61 (hand 65) is extended (see angles θ41 and θ42).

This allows the workpiece WK6 to be picked without being obstructed by the workpiece WK5 that is not the target of selection. In this case, it is desirable to place air nozzles 67 on both the upstream and downstream sides of the cylinder 61 in the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

Next, consider a case where both the workpiece WK5 and the workpiece WK6 shown in FIG. 26 are workpieces WK to be sorted. In this case, the cylinder 61 to which the rotating shaft 63 is attached can release the grasped workpiece WK5 or workpiece WK6 to the corresponding workpiece recovery conveyor 73. For this reason, the sorting and recovery device 1 is provided with workpiece recovery conveyors 73 corresponding to the number of types of workpieces WK to be sorted. In addition, a hand 65 capable of grasping any of the workpieces WK to be sorted is attached.

First, the orientation of the cylinder 61 is adjusted by rotating the rotation shaft 63 so that the angle between the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) and the cylinder 61 becomes angle θ51. Next, the cylinder 61 (hand 65) grips the workpiece WK5 or workpiece WK6. When the workpiece WK5 is gripped, the cylinder 61 is extended and retracted, and then the gripped workpiece WK5 is released to the workpiece recovery conveyor 73 located directly below the cylinder 61.

On the other hand, when the workpiece WK6 is gripped, the orientation of the cylinder 61 is adjusted by rotating the rotating shaft 63 so that the angle between the conveyor belt 25 (conveyor surface 26) and the cylinder 61 becomes angle θ52. Next, after the cylinder 61 is extended or retracted, the gripped workpiece WK6 is released to the workpiece recovery conveyor 73, which is positioned upstream of the cylinder 61 in the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

In this way, the grasped workpiece WK5 or workpiece WK6 to be sorted can be released to the corresponding workpiece recovery conveyor 73 by the cylinder 61 to which the rotating shaft 63 is attached.

(First Modification)
The cylinder 61 in the workpiece gripping unit 9 may further be a cylinder 61 that is slidable in a direction (width direction) intersecting the conveying direction (arrow Y1).

As shown in Figures 27 and 28, a rotating slide shaft 69 is attached to the cylinder 61. The rotating slide shaft 69 allows the cylinder 61 to move in both directions: rotating (arrow Y10) and sliding (dotted arrow Y11).

In the workpiece gripping unit 9, the position (angle, widthwise position) of the cylinder 61 (hand 65) is adjusted by the rotating slide shaft 69 toward the workpiece WK9 to be sorted, for the workpiece WK being transported, which includes the workpiece WK9 to be sorted and the workpiece WK10 not to be sorted.

According to the sorting and recovery device 1 of the first modified example, the angle between the conveyor belt 25 and the cylinder 61 can be adjusted by the rotating slide shaft 69, and the position of the cylinder 61 relative to the width direction of the conveyor belt 25 can be adjusted. This allows the cylinder 61 (hand 65) to be accurately positioned at a position to grip the workpiece WK9 to be sorted. As a result, the workpiece WK9 to be sorted can be gripped more reliably, and the workpiece WK9 to be sorted can be recovered with a higher purity.

(Second Modification)
The workpieces WK to be selected may be dropped to the side of the conveyor belt 25 by a cylinder 61 that is slidable in the width direction of the conveyor belt 25 .

As shown in Figures 29 and 30, the work transport unit 5 in the sorting and recovery device 1 has a pair of side plate portions 77 arranged to sandwich the transport belt 25. Of the pair of side plate portions 77, one side plate portion 77 has a notch 77a. The other side plate portion 77 has a notch 77b. The work recovery unit 11 also has three third work recovery boxes 75a, 75b, and 75c as third work recovery sections.

Of the workpieces WK to be sorted, workpiece WK13 is dropped from the notch 77a to the side of the conveyor belt 25 by sliding the cylinder 61 (hand 71) in the width direction. The dropped workpiece WK13 is collected in the third workpiece collection box 75a.

Furthermore, among the workpieces WK to be sorted, workpiece WK14 is dropped from notch 77b to the side of the conveyor belt 25 by sliding cylinder 61 (hand 71) in the width direction. The dropped workpiece WK14 is collected in third workpiece recovery box 75b. Furthermore, workpiece WK12 is collected in third workpiece recovery box 75c by workpiece recovery conveyor 73. Workpieces WK11 and the like that are not to be sorted are collected in recovery box 53.

In this way, by sliding the cylinder 61 (hand 71) in the width direction, multiple workpieces WK to be sorted can be sorted and collected by one hand 71 (cylinder 61).

Embodiment 3.
As an example of a sorting and recovery device according to the third embodiment, a sorting and recovery device capable of recovering workpieces with higher purity according to the shape of the workpieces will be described. The sorting and recovery device according to the third embodiment differs from the sorting and recovery device according to the first embodiment in the arrangement angle of the workpiece recovery conveyor and the shape of its conveying surface.

As shown in FIG. 31, the work recovery unit 11 in the sorting and recovery device 1 is equipped with a work recovery conveyor 81 as a fourth work recovery section. As shown in FIG. 32 and FIG. 33, an uneven portion 83 is formed on the surface (transport surface) of the work recovery conveyor 81. The work recovery conveyor 81 is disposed so as to extend in the width direction of the transport belt 25, which intersects with the transport direction (arrow Y1).

The work recovery conveyor 81 is positioned at a position where the work WK falls when the hand 35 in the work gripping unit 9 releases the gripped work WK. The work recovery conveyor 81 is positioned directly below the hand 35 when the cylinder 33 is in a retracted state. The work recovery conveyor 81 is positioned so as to incline in the conveying direction toward the conveying surface 26 of the conveyor belt 25. The work recovery conveyor 81 is positioned so as to incline at an angle θ6 with respect to the conveying surface 26 of the conveyor belt 25. Note that the angle θ6 is an arbitrary angle.

The workpiece recovery conveyor 81 is made of a material that is, for example, highly cut-resistant and impact-resistant. The uneven portion 83 formed on the surface (transport surface) of the workpiece recovery conveyor 81 has a height and gap (distance) between the uneven portions that are set to a height and gap that can hook the workpiece WK to be sorted. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the sorting and recovery device 1 described in the first embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals, and the description will not be repeated unless necessary.

Next, an example of the sorting and recovery operation of the workpieces by the sorting and recovery device 1 described above will be described. The sorting and recovery operation in this case differs from the sorting and recovery operation by the sorting and recovery device 1 according to embodiment 1 in step ST5 of the operation flow shown in FIG. 4.

First, of the workpieces WK shown in FIG. 31, the workpieces WK to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK7, and the workpieces WK not to be sorted are designated as workpieces WK8. Here, the workpieces WK7 to be sorted are assumed to be elongated workpieces WK7 such as copper wires. The workpieces WK8 not to be sorted are assumed to be spherical workpieces WK8 that tend to roll or slip. In addition, assume that when gripping the workpieces WK7 to be sorted, the workpieces WK8 not to be sorted are also gripped together with the workpieces WK7 (see step ST3).

In step ST5, the workpieces WK7 and WK8 are collected. When the workpieces WK7 and WK8 held by the hand 35 reach a position directly above the workpiece collection conveyor 81, the hand 35 releases the workpieces WK7 and WK8. The released workpieces WK7 and WK8 fall onto the workpiece collection conveyor 81.

At this time, the elongated workpiece WK7 gets caught on the uneven portion 83 formed on the surface of the workpiece recovery conveyor 81. Therefore, the elongated workpiece WK7 does not fall off the workpiece recovery conveyor 81, but is transported by the workpiece recovery conveyor 81 while caught on the uneven portion 83, and is recovered.

On the other hand, when the workpieces WK8 that tend to roll fall onto the inclined workpiece recovery conveyor 81, they roll along the workpiece recovery conveyor 81 and fall onto the transport belt 25 (transport surface 26), and are removed from the workpiece recovery conveyor 81. Note that other operations are the same as those of the sorting and recovery device 1 according to embodiment 1.

According to the above-mentioned sorting and recovery device 1, the work recovery conveyor 81 is arranged so as to be inclined (at an angle θ6) in the transport direction toward the transport surface 26 of the transport belt 25. In addition, an uneven portion 83 is formed on the surface of the work recovery conveyor 81. As a result, when a work WK8 that is not to be sorted is grasped together with a work WK7 that is to be sorted, the work WK8 that is not to be sorted can be removed from the work recovery conveyor 81, and only the work WK7 that is to be sorted can be recovered. As a result, the purity of the recovered work WK as a work WK can be improved.

It is also assumed that the workpiece WK7 to be sorted may fall from the workpiece recovery conveyor 81. In anticipation of this case, it is preferable to further arrange another workpiece gripping unit and workpiece recovery unit (workpiece recovery conveyor) (not shown) downstream of the workpiece gripping unit 9 and workpiece recovery unit 11 (workpiece recovery conveyor 73), similar to the sorting and recovery device 1 shown in FIG. 20.

In this case, in order to grasp the workpiece WK7 to be sorted that has fallen from the upstream workpiece recovery unit 11 (workpiece recovery conveyor 73) onto the conveyor belt 25 by the downstream workpiece gripping unit, it is necessary to recognize the position of the fallen workpiece WK7.

In addition, when the workpiece WK7 to be sorted falls from the workpiece recovery unit 11 (workpiece recovery conveyor 73), the position of the fallen workpiece WK7 may change, and it is necessary to recognize the position of the workpiece WK7 again. For this reason, it is desirable to place a workpiece recognition unit 7 for each workpiece gripping unit 9, similar to the sorting and recovery device 1 shown in FIG. 20.

The sorting and recovery devices described in the embodiments and variants can be combined in various ways as needed.

The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. The present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the scope described above, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

The present disclosure includes the following aspects.
[Supplementary Note 1] A sorting and recovery device that recovers workpieces to be sorted according to their materials from among a plurality of workpieces being conveyed,
A conveying unit having a conveying surface on which a plurality of the workpieces are placed, and conveying the plurality of the workpieces placed on the conveying surface in a first direction as a conveying direction;
One or more workpiece gripping units, including a first workpiece gripping unit that grips a first workpiece of one material as the workpiece to be selected from among the plurality of workpieces transported by the transport unit and moves the first workpiece obliquely upward with respect to the transport surface from a position where the first workpiece is gripped;
A sorting and recovery device comprising one or more work recovery units, including a first work recovery unit that recovers the first work gripped by the first work gripping unit.

[Appendix 2] The sorting and recovery device described in Appendix 1, in which the first workpiece gripping unit moves the first workpiece from the gripped position with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component that moves the first workpiece parallel to the conveying surface and a second movement component that moves the first workpiece upward from the conveying surface.

[Appendix 3] The sorting and recovery device described in appendix 1 or 2, in which the first workpiece gripping parts are arranged in a plurality of positions along a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[Appendix 4] The sorting and recovery device described in any one of appendices 1 to 3, in which the first workpiece gripping parts are arranged in a plurality along the first direction.

[Appendix 5] The sorting and recovery device described in any one of appendices 1 to 4, wherein the workpiece gripping unit is disposed downstream of the first workpiece gripping unit in the first direction, which is the conveying direction, and includes a second workpiece gripping unit that grips a second workpiece of a material different from the first material as the workpiece to be sorted.

[Appendix 6] The sorting and recovery device described in Appendix 5, wherein the work recovery unit includes a second work recovery unit that recovers the second workpiece gripped by the second workpiece gripping unit.

[Additional Note 7] The workpiece gripping portion has a gripping main body portion that grips the workpiece to be sorted,
The sorting and recovery device described in any one of appendix 1 to 6, wherein the first work gripping portion has a first gripping main body portion as the gripping main body portion.

[Additional Note 8] The first grip body portion is
A magnetic attraction unit that attracts the first workpiece by magnetic force;
The sorting and recovery device according to claim 7, further comprising a claw portion for hooking the first work.

[Appendix 9] The sorting and recovery device described in appendix 7 or 8, wherein the first workpiece gripping unit includes a cylinder that moves the first workpiece gripped by the first gripping main unit in the diagonally upward direction relative to the conveying surface.

[Appendix 10] The sorting and recovery device described in appendix 7 or 8, wherein the first workpiece gripping unit includes a single-axis robot that moves the first workpiece gripped by the first gripping main body unit obliquely upward relative to the conveying surface.

[Additional Note 11] The conveying surface in the conveying section has a width,
The sorting and recovery device described in any one of appendix 1 to 9, further comprising a workpiece flattening unit that flattens the plurality of works input to the conveying surface in the width direction.

[Additional Note 12] The first workpiece gripping portion releases the gripped state of the first workpiece,
The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first work recovery unit is arranged at a position where the first work falls by releasing the gripped state of the first work.

[Appendix 13] A sorting and recovery device as described in any one of appendices 1 to 12, which is provided with a work recognition unit that is disposed upstream of the work gripping unit in the first direction as the conveying direction and that recognizes the material of the multiple workpieces conveyed by the conveying unit.

[Appendix 14] A sorting and recovery method for recovering a workpiece to be sorted according to its material from among a plurality of workpieces transported on a transport surface, comprising:
A step of inputting a plurality of the workpieces onto the conveying surface;
A sorting and recovery method comprising: gripping the workpiece to be sorted from among the plurality of workpieces being transported; and moving the workpiece to be sorted diagonally upward from the position where it was gripped relative to the transport plane to recover it.

This disclosure can be effectively used in a sorting and recovery device that sorts and recovers crushed waste home appliances and other workpieces according to their materials.

1 Sorting and recovery device, 2 Control unit, 3 Work flattening unit, 5 Work transport unit, 7 Work recognition unit, 9 Work gripping unit, 9a First work gripping unit, 9b Second work gripping unit, 11 Work recovery unit, 11a First work recovery unit, 11b Second work recovery unit, 13 Base, 15 Vibration feeder, 17 Drive unit, 19 Elastic part, 21 Trough, 21a Bottom part, 21b Side wall part, 23 Brush, 25 Transport belt, 26 Transport surface, 27 Camera mount, 28 Light blocking member, 29 Camera, 31 Lighting, 33 Cylinder, 35 Hand, 37 Air nozzle, 38 Sensor, 33a First cylinder, 35a First hand, 37a, first air nozzle, 33b, second cylinder, 35b, second hand, 37b, second air nozzle, 39, single-axis robot, 41, hand, 43, claw, 45, magnetic attraction mechanism, 47, 48, workpiece recovery conveyor, 49, 50, workpiece recovery box, 47a, first workpiece recovery conveyor, 49a, first workpiece recovery box, 47b, second workpiece recovery conveyor, 49b, second workpiece recovery box, 51, workpiece recovery chute, 53, recovery box, ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5, step, Y1, Y2, Y2V, Y2H, Y3, Y4, Y4V, Y4H, Y5, Y6, Y7, arrow, WK, WK1, WK2, WK3, WK4, work, DL1, DL2, DL3, dotted frame.

Claims (19)

A sorting and recovery device that recovers workpieces to be sorted according to their materials from among a plurality of workpieces being transported,
A conveying unit having a conveying surface on which a plurality of the workpieces are placed, and conveying the plurality of the workpieces placed on the conveying surface in a first direction as a conveying direction;
One or more workpiece gripping units, including a first workpiece gripping unit that grips a first workpiece of one material as the workpiece to be selected from among the plurality of workpieces transported by the transport unit and moves the first workpiece obliquely upward with respect to the transport surface from a position where the first workpiece is gripped;
A sorting and recovery device comprising one or more work recovery units, including a first work recovery unit that recovers the first work gripped by the first work gripping unit. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the first workpiece gripping unit moves the first workpiece from the gripped position with a movement component that is a combination of a first movement component that moves the first workpiece parallel to the conveying surface and a second movement component that moves the first workpiece upward from the conveying surface. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first workpiece gripping parts are arranged in a plurality along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first workpiece gripping portion is arranged in a plurality of positions along the first direction. The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the workpiece gripping unit is disposed downstream of the first workpiece gripping unit in the first direction, which is the conveying direction, and includes a second workpiece gripping unit that grips a second workpiece of a material different from the first material as the workpiece to be sorted. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 5, wherein the work recovery unit includes a second work recovery unit that recovers the second workpiece gripped by the second workpiece gripping unit. The workpiece gripping portion has a gripping main body portion that grips the workpiece to be sorted,
The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first workpiece gripping portion has a first gripping main body portion as the gripping main body portion. The first grip body portion is
A magnetic attraction unit that attracts the first workpiece by magnetic force;
The sorting and recovery device according to claim 7 , further comprising a claw portion for hooking the first work. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the first workpiece gripping unit includes a cylinder that moves the first workpiece gripped by the first gripping main body unit obliquely upward relative to the conveying surface. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the first workpiece gripping unit includes a single-axis robot that moves the first workpiece gripped by the first gripping main body unit in the diagonally upward direction relative to the conveying surface. The conveying surface in the conveying section has a width,
The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a workpiece flattening section that flattens the plurality of works input to the conveying surface in the width direction. The first workpiece gripping portion releases the first workpiece from its gripped state,
The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first work recovery section is disposed at a position where the first work falls by releasing the gripped state of the first work. The sorting and recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a work recognition unit that is disposed upstream of the work gripping unit in the first direction as the transport direction and recognizes the material of the multiple workpieces transported by the transport unit. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece gripping portion includes a third workpiece gripping portion arranged to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The sorting and recovery device according to claim 14, wherein the third workpiece gripping portion is arranged to be slidable in the second direction. The third workpiece gripping unit moves the workpiece to be sorted in the second direction to flip the workpiece to the side of the transport unit,
The sorting and recovery device according to claim 15 , wherein the workpiece recovery section includes a third workpiece recovery section that recovers the workpiece to be sorted that is dropped to the side of the transport section. The work collection unit includes a fourth work collection unit that collects the work to be sorted,
The fourth workpiece recovery unit includes a recovery conveyor that transports the workpiece to be sorted in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,
The sorting and recovery device according to claim 1 , wherein the recovery conveyor is disposed so as to incline in the first direction toward the transport section. The recovery conveyor includes a belt on which the workpieces to be sorted are placed,
The sorting and recovery device according to claim 17, wherein the belt has an uneven surface. A sorting and recovery method for recovering a workpiece to be sorted according to its material from among a plurality of workpieces transported on a transport surface, comprising:
A step of inputting a plurality of the workpieces onto the conveying surface;
A sorting and recovery method, comprising: grasping the workpiece to be sorted from among the plurality of workpieces being transported; and moving the workpiece to be sorted diagonally upward from the position where the workpiece to be sorted is grasped relative to the transport plane to recover the workpiece.

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