JPH06107302A - Empty can collecting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide an empty can collection machine that enables efficient collection of empty cans and has markedly improved usability. [Constitution] The empty can collecting machine 1 is provided with a control device 26, and the control device 26 includes a press device 13 and a stepping motor.
An empty can sensor 20 which is connected to the front door 3 and is provided in the vicinity of the shoe 7 on the back surface of the loading port 5 of the front door 3 and detects loading of the empty can 4 from the loading port 5; The can type sensor 8 for detecting whether the material is an aluminum can or an iron can, and the cans sorted by the sorting device 14 are detected for each aluminum can and iron can, and the control device 26 individually detects the cans. Aluminum can sensor 29 and iron can sensor 3 for counting the number of inputs
0 and the full can sensor 19 are connected. In addition, the control device 26 has two counters 27 and 28 for counting the number of empty cans dropped in the collection box 16 for each iron can or aluminum can.
(EN) Provided is an empty can collecting machine which is capable of efficiently collecting empty cans provided with the above, and has significantly improved usability.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an empty can collecting machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an empty can collecting machine for collecting empty cans made of iron or aluminum used for various beverage containers has been used from the viewpoint of resource saving. In such an empty can collecting machine, the inserted empty cans are pressed and dropped into a collecting box in the housing to be collected. After pressing, the empty can slides on a plate-shaped slider and falls into the collection box. In an empty can collecting machine including a sorting device in which the inclination directions of the sliders are selected in different directions, an iron empty can collecting unit or a steel empty can collecting section in a collecting box is provided depending on whether the empty can is made of iron or aluminum. It is sorted and collected in the aluminum empty can collection section.

[0003].

In the conventional empty can collecting machine, since the drop position of the collecting box where the empty can falls is fixed by the slider, the empty cans are accumulated in the collecting box as the collecting of the empty can progresses. However, although the space remains in the collection box, the top of the accumulated empty cans exceeds the upper edge of the collection box. An optical sensor is installed in the empty can collecting machine at a position corresponding to the upper edge of the collecting box, and when the top of the accumulated empty can is detected, it becomes impossible to further collect the empty can. Therefore, the conventional empty can collection machine has a problem of low usability.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and to provide an empty can collecting machine capable of efficiently collecting empty cans and having markedly improved usability.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a collection box for collecting an empty can that has been inserted, an input amount detecting means for detecting an input amount of an empty can that has been input, and an empty can that has been input. Corresponding to the detection result of the empty can dropping means for dropping the container at different dropping positions, and the detection result of the input amount of the empty cans input by the input amount detecting means, a plurality of different drop positions are set by the empty can dropping device. It is an empty can collection machine characterized in that it includes a drop position control means which is set to any one of the drop positions.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the inserted empty cans are collected in the collection box. At this time, the input amount detecting means detects the input amount of the inserted empty can. Corresponding to the detection result of the input amount of the inserted empty cans by the input amount detecting means, the drop position control means determines the falling position of the empty cans by the empty can dropping means to the collection box of a plurality of different falling positions. Specify either one. Therefore, the empty cans fall to different positions in the collection box as the collection progresses, and it becomes impossible to collect the empty cans even though the space remains in the collection box. Can be prevented. This allows
The usability of the empty can collection machine can be significantly improved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a collection box 1 for an empty can 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a front view of the vicinity of FIG. 6, FIG. 2 is a front view of the empty can collecting machine 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view in a state where the front door 3 of the housing 2 of the empty can collecting machine 1 is opened. Empty can collecting machine 1 of this embodiment
The front door 3 of the housing 2 is provided with an opening 5 large enough for the empty can 4 to be inserted therein, and an opening / closing lid 6 for closing the opening 5 openably and closably. Front door 3 input port 5
On the back side of the box, there is arranged a shunt 7 for guiding the loaded empty can 4 to a press device to be described later in the machine. In the vicinity of this shunt 7, whether the loaded empty can 4 is an iron can or not. A can type sensor 8 for identifying whether the can is an aluminum can is provided.

Below the shoe 7 in the housing 2,
A press device 1 for pressing the empty can 4 that has passed through the shoot 7.
3 is arranged, and below the pressing device 13, a sorting device 1 for separating pressed empty cans into aluminum cans and iron cans.
4 are arranged. A stepping motor 9 is connected to the distribution plate 15 provided in the distribution device 14. Distribution board 1
5 is normally oriented to the iron can collecting section 17 of the collecting box 16, that is, in the diagonally leftward downward direction in FIG. 1, and the distribution plate 15 is the aluminum can of the collecting box 16 only when an aluminum can is loaded. The aluminum can is guided by inclining to the collecting section 18 side, that is, diagonally right downward in FIG. When the aluminum can falls to the collecting unit 18, the distribution plate 15 returns in the direction toward the collecting unit 17 side for the iron can.

In the empty can collecting machine 1, a full can sensor 19 is arranged at a position corresponding to the upper edge of the collecting box 16. The full can sensor 19 includes a light emitting element 23 such as an LED (light emitting diode) and a light receiving element 24, and the empty cans accumulated in the collection box 16 exceed the upper edge of the collection box 16. When accumulated, empty cans that exceed the upper edge are detected, and further operation of collecting empty cans is stopped by the operation of the control device described later.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical construction of the empty can collection machine 1 of this embodiment. The empty can collection machine 1 includes a control device 2 which is realized as, for example, a microprocessor.
6, the press device 13 and the stepping motor 9 are connected to the control device 26, and the control device 26 is provided in the vicinity of the shoe 7 on the back surface of the inlet port 5 of the front door 3 and is connected to the inlet port 5. Empty can sensor 20 for detecting the input of empty can 4
And a can type sensor 8 for detecting whether the material of the empty can is an aluminum can or an iron can, and the cans sorted by the sorting device 14 are detected for each aluminum can and iron can, The aluminum can sensor 29 and the iron can sensor 30 for counting the number of individual charges by the control device 26, and the full can sensor 19
And are connected. Further, the control device 26 is provided with two counters 27 and 28 for counting the number of empty cans dropped in the recovery box 16 for each iron can or aluminum can.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the empty can collecting operation of this embodiment. When an empty can is loaded from the loading port 5 of the front door 3 of the empty can collection machine 1, the empty can sensor 22 detects the loaded empty can in step a1. Step a2
Then, the press device 13 operates under the control of the control device 26 to press the empty can and drop it onto the distribution plate 15. In step a3, the can type sensor 8 determines whether the inserted empty can is an iron can or an aluminum can. If the empty can is an iron can, in step a4, the control device 26
Increases the count value nf of the counter 27 by +1.

At step a5, it is judged whether the count value nf of the counter 27 is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference number Nf. If the determination at step a5 is negative, at step a6, the control unit 26 causes the stepping motor 9 to operate.
Then, a driving pulse having the pulse number P1 is output to drive the stepping motor 26 to tilt the distribution plate 15 from the reference state of FIG. 1 in the counterclockwise direction by the angle θ1. As a result, the pressed empty cans are collected in the collection unit 17 of the collection box 16.
To the first drop position 31. Step a5
If the determination is YES, the control device 26 outputs the driving pulse of the pulse number P2 to the stepping motor 9 in step a7, drives the stepping motor 26, and the distribution plate 1
1 is tilted counterclockwise in FIG. 1 from the reference state in FIG. 1 by an angle θ2 larger than the angle θ1. As a result, the pressed empty can is dropped to the second drop position 32 in the recovery unit 17 of the recovery box 16.

If the determination in step a3 is negative, the inserted empty can is made of aluminum. At this time, in step a8, the control device 26
Increments the count value na of the counter 28 by +1. In step a9, it is determined whether or not the count value na by the counter 28 is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference number Na. If the determination at step a9 is negative, at step a10, the control device 26 causes the stepping motor 9 to operate.
Then, a driving pulse of the pulse number P3 is output to drive the stepping motor 26 to tilt the distribution plate 15 from the reference state of FIG. 1 by the angle φ1 clockwise in FIG. As a result, the pressed empty can falls to the first drop position 33 in the collection unit 18 of the collection box 16. If the determination in step a9 is affirmative, in step a11, the control device 26 outputs a drive pulse of the pulse number P4 to the stepping motor 9 to drive the stepping motor 26, and the distribution plate 1
1 is tilted clockwise from the reference state of FIG. 1 by an angle φ2 larger than the angle φ1. This allows
The pressed empty can falls to the second drop position 34 in the recovery unit 18 of the recovery box 16.

Thus, in this embodiment, the empty can collecting machine 1
The collection unit 1 of the collection box 16 for collecting the empty cans according to whether the empty cans are made of iron or aluminum.
When individually dropping into the collecting units 17 and 18, corresponding to the number of empty cans that have fallen into the collecting units 17 and 18, different dropping positions 31 and 3 in the collecting units 17 and 18, respectively.
2; 33, 34 can be selectively dropped. Therefore, in comparison with the case where the empty cans are dropped only to the fixed falling positions in the recovery units 17 and 18, respectively, in the recovery units 17 and 18, in the state in which the space in which the empty cans are not accumulated remains, It is possible to prevent the situation where empty cans are piled up high at the fixed drop position and detected by the full can sensor 19 and it becomes impossible to further collect the empty cans, and the empty cans can be efficiently collected. Therefore, the usability of the empty can collection machine 1 is significantly improved.

This embodiment is characterized in that the tilt angle of the distribution plate 15 is controlled by the control of the stepping motor 9, and the specific procedure of the control operation shown in FIG. However, it is not limited to the example of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the structure of an empty can collecting machine 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the distribution plate 15 of the distribution device 14 is driven by a plurality of electromagnetic plungers 35, 36, 37, 38 fixed to the empty can collecting machine 1. The distribution plate 15 is supported by a support shaft 39 so as to be freely angularly displaced. The tips of the rods 35a, 36a, 37a, 38a of the plurality of electromagnetic plungers 35 to 38 are angularly displaced to the distribution plate 15 at a distance from the support shaft 39. Rod 35a has a longer stroke than rod 36a and rod 38a has a longer stroke than rod 37a. Also, each rod 35a-
38a is a coil spring 35b, 36b, 37, respectively.
The coil springs 35b to 3 are wound by b and 38b.
8b spring biases the corresponding rods 35a to 38a in the extending direction.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the electrical construction of this embodiment. The configuration of the present embodiment is similar to the configuration shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. The feature of the present embodiment is that a plurality of electromagnetic plungers 35, 3 are provided except for the stepping motor 9 in the configuration of FIG.
6, 37, 38 are connected.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, step b1
When the empty can sensor 22 detects this inserted empty can,
In step b2, the pressing device 13 operates under the control of the control device 26 to press the empty can and drop it onto the distribution plate 15. In step b3, the can type sensor 8 determines whether the inserted empty can is an iron can or an aluminum can. When the empty can is an iron can, in step b4, the control device 26 increments the count value nf of the counter 27 by +1.

At step b5, it is judged whether or not the count value nf by the counter 27 is equal to or more than a predetermined reference number Nf. If the determination in step b5 is negative, in step b6, the control device 26 drives the electromagnetic plunger 36 to tilt the distribution plate 15 from the reference state in FIG. 6 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6 by the angle θ1. As a result, the pressed empty can is dropped to the first drop position 31 in the recovery unit 17 of the recovery box 16. If the determination in step b5 is affirmative, in step b7, the control device 26 causes the electromagnetic plunger 3
6 to move the distribution plate 15 from the reference state in FIG. 6 counterclockwise in FIG. 6 to an angle θ2 larger than the angle θ1.
Incline. As a result, the pressed empty can is dropped to the second drop position 32 in the recovery unit 17 of the recovery box 16.

If the determination in step b3 is negative, the inserted empty can is made of aluminum. At this time, in step b8, the control device 26
Increments the count value na of the counter 28 by +1. In step b9, it is determined whether the count value na of the counter 28 is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference number Na. If the determination in step b9 is negative, in step b10, the control device 26 drives the electromagnetic plunger 37 to tilt the distribution plate 15 from the reference state in FIG. 6 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 6 by an angle φ1. As a result, the pressed empty can falls to the first drop position 33 in the collection unit 18 of the collection box 16. If the determination in step b9 is affirmative, in step b11, the control device 26 drives the electromagnetic plunger 38 to move the distribution plate 15 from the reference state of FIG.
The angle φ2 is larger than the angle φ1 in the clockwise direction at
Incline. As a result, the pressed empty can is dropped to the second drop position 34 in the recovery unit 18 of the recovery box 16.

In the second embodiment which realizes such an operation, the same effect as the effect realized by the first embodiment can be realized.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing the structure of an empty can collecting machine 1b according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. The feature of the present embodiment is that the collecting units 17 and 18 of the collecting box 16 are provided.
Mechanically detecting the weight of each empty can,
It is intended to adjust the dropping position of the empty can to each of the collecting units 17 and 18. That is, each of the collecting units 17 and 18 is arranged so as to be movable up and down according to its weight.
Driving levers 40 and 41 are arranged in the vicinity of 18, respectively.

The drive lever 40 has an abutting portion 43 that abuts on the bottom of the collecting portion 17, and a side opposite to the abutting portion 43.
It is configured to include a stop portion 44 arranged near the lower surface of the distribution plate 15 and a connecting portion 45 that connects the contact portion 43 and the stop portion 44. The drive lever 41 has a structure similar to that of the drive lever 40, and is supported by a support shaft 46 arranged in the vicinity of the recovery unit 18 so as to be angularly displaceable. The drive lever 41 is
The structure is similar to that of the drive lever 40, and the abutting portions 43,
The contact portion 47, the stop portion 48, and the connecting portion 49, which have the same shape and configuration as the stop portion 44 and the connecting portion 45, are included.

When the empty cans are gradually accumulated in the collecting parts 17 and 18, the weight of the collecting parts 17 and 18 increases. As a result, the recovery parts 17 and 18 are lowered in accordance with the amount of the accumulated empty cans, and the drive levers 40 and 41 are angularly displaced around the support shafts 42 and 46. As a result, the stop portions 44, 48 of the drive levers 40, 41 are lowered, and when the distribution plate 15 is driven by the motor 42 and tilted, the stop position gradually moves downward. The fall position of the empty can on the collecting units 17 and 18 moves from the outer side to the inner side in the horizontal direction in FIG.

Therefore, also in the third embodiment, the same effects as the effects described in the first embodiment can be realized.

[0026]

As described above, when the input amount detecting means of the present invention detects the input amount of the inserted empty cans, it corresponds to the detection result of the input amount of the inserted empty cans by the input amount detecting means. Then, the drop position control means sets the drop position of the empty can to the collection box by the empty can drop means to one of a plurality of different drop positions. Therefore, the empty cans fall to different positions in the collection box as the collection progresses, and it becomes impossible to collect the empty cans even though the space remains in the collection box. Can be prevented. As a result, the usability of the empty can collection machine can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a collection box 16 of an empty can 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the empty can collection machine 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which a front door 3 of the housing 2 of the empty can collection machine 1 is opened.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the empty can collection machine 1 of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an empty can collecting operation of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the configuration of an empty can collection machine 1a according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a configuration of an empty can collection machine 1b according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a, 1b Empty can collecting machine 4 Empty can 9 Stepping motor 13 Press device 14 Sorting device 15 Sorting plate 16 Collection box 17, 18 Collection section 19 Full can sensor 26 Control device 27, 28 Counter 31, 32, 32, 34,35 Drop position 35,36,37,38 Electromagnetic plunger 40,41 Drive lever

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A collection box for collecting the loaded empty cans, a loading amount detecting means for detecting the loading amount of the loaded empty cans, and dropping the loaded empty cans into the collection box at different dropping positions. In accordance with the empty can dropping means and the detection result of the throwing amount of the empty cans thrown by the throwing amount detecting means, the dropping position by the empty can dropping means is changed to one of a plurality of different dropping positions. An empty can collecting machine comprising: a falling position control means to be defined.