Problem To improve the efficiency of a combination weighing operation.

Solution An article conveyance device 110 includes an article discharge container 10, an article conveyance mechanism 30, an article detection mechanism 60, and a control unit 90. The article discharge container 10 has discharge outlets 20 and discharges, from the discharge outlets 20, articles A it is holding. The article conveyance mechanism 30 has plural feeders 40 including a first feeder 41 to an n-th feeder 4n. The plural feeders 40 convey the articles A they have received from the discharge outlets 20. The article detection mechanism 60 has plural sensors 70. The plural sensors 70 include a first sensor 71 to an n-th sensor 7n. The first sensor 71 to the n-th sensor 7n detect the presence of the articles A in the first feeder 41 to the n-th feeder 4n, respectively. The control unit 90 judges whether or not jamming of the articles A is occurring in the discharge outlets 20 based on output of the article detection mechanism 60. The control unit 90 increases a conveyance intensity of some feeders receiving the articles A from places where the jamming is occurring in the discharge outlets 20.

Problem To improve the efficiency of a combination weighing operation.

Solution An article conveyance device 110 includes an article discharge container 10, an article conveyance mechanism 30, an article detection mechanism 60, and a control unit 90. The article discharge container 10 has discharge outlets 20 and discharges, from the discharge outlets 20, articles A it is holding. The article conveyance mechanism 30 has plural feeders 40 including a first feeder 41 to an n-th feeder 4n. The plural feeders 40 convey the articles A they have received from the discharge outlets 20. The article detection mechanism 60 has plural sensors 70. The plural sensors 70 include a first sensor 71 to an n-th sensor 7n. The first sensor 71 to the n-th sensor 7n detect the presence of the articles A in the first feeder 41 to the n-th feeder 4n, respectively. The control unit 90 judges whether or not jamming of the articles A is occurring in the discharge outlets 20 based on output of the article detection mechanism 60. The control unit 90 increases a conveyance intensity of some feeders receiving the articles A from places where the jamming is occurring in the discharge outlets 20.

For tuning a vibrating conveyor having an electric vibrator that drives a vibration element connected to a conveying unit of the vibrating conveyor for oscillating the conveying unit to a mechanical resonance frequency f.sub.R of the vibrating conveyor, an electric drive unit varies the frequency f.sub.v of a AC drive voltage (u.sub.v) in a given frequency range, measures a current consumption of the electric vibrator unit for different applied frequencies f.sub.v of the AC drive voltage (u.sub.v) and using the frequency f.sub.v with the lowest current consumption of the electric vibrator unit as frequency f.sub.v of the AC drive voltage (u.sub.v) for operating the vibrating conveyor.

A vibrating machine including a first machine part that vibrates in operation, a second machine part connected to an installation area of the vibrating machine, and a vibratory drive. A resilient bearing is arranged between the machine parts and has at least one air spring per support point and at least one compressed air reservoir fluidically connected to the air spring. A throttle is switched intermediate the air spring and the compressed air reservoir. The first machine part bearing has a resonant or natural frequency lower than an operating frequency of the vibrating machine. The bearing system has a frequency-dependent lower stiffness level with high damping at low frequencies, an upper stiffness level with low damping at higher frequencies, and a transition zone at an intermediate transitional frequency. The throttle is dimensioned such that the transitional frequency is close to, preferably slightly above, the resonant or natural frequency.

A vibrating machine including a first machine part that vibrates in operation, a second machine part connected to an installation area of the vibrating machine, and a vibratory drive. A resilient bearing is arranged between the machine parts and has at least one air spring per support point and at least one compressed air reservoir fluidically connected to the air spring. A throttle is switched intermediate the air spring and the compressed air reservoir. The first machine part bearing has a resonant or natural frequency lower than an operating frequency of the vibrating machine. The bearing system has a frequency-dependent lower stiffness level with high damping at low frequencies, an upper stiffness level with low damping at higher frequencies, and a transition zone at an intermediate transitional frequency. The throttle is dimensioned such that the transitional frequency is close to, preferably slightly above, the resonant or natural frequency.

There is provided a device, system, and method for flexible feeding capable of being integrated into an assembly system. The device includes a disperser, a part retainer, a vibrator, an excess part removal device, a pick-and-placer, carriers, a transporter, a carrier inspection disc, a part remover, a gate, a transfer station, and re-entry tracks. The method includes dispersing parts, agitating parts, removing excess parts, picking captured parts, placing the captured parts into carriers, inspecting the carriers, positioning the carriers at a transfer station, and transferring the parts to a downstream processor. The system includes a flexible feeding device configured to perform flexible feeding operations, a data processor, and a medium having machine-readable instructions executable by the data processor and configured to cause the data processor to generate signals useful in the synchronization of two or more flexible feeding operations.

An oscillating conveyor having a conveying apparatus and a drive device that, upon actuation by a control device, excites an oscillation of the conveying apparatus with respect to a base of the oscillating conveyor to convey objects supported by a conveying surface of the conveying apparatus. The control device includes a communication interface for communication with an external communication device. The control device is designed so as, upon receiving a communication message including address and control information, to use the communication interface to check an addressing condition, the meeting of which is dependent on the address information, and only if the addressing condition is met to alter the actuation of the drive device based on the control information and/or to set an internal control parameter on which at least one chronologically subsequent actuation of the drive device by the control device is dependent to a value that is dependent on the control information.

An oscillating conveyor having a conveying apparatus and a drive device that, upon actuation by a control device, excites an oscillation of the conveying apparatus with respect to a base of the oscillating conveyor to convey objects supported by a conveying surface of the conveying apparatus. The control device includes a communication interface for communication with an external communication device. The control device is designed so as, upon receiving a communication message including address and control information, to use the communication interface to check an addressing condition, the meeting of which is dependent on the address information, and only if the addressing condition is met to alter the actuation of the drive device based on the control information and/or to set an internal control parameter on which at least one chronologically subsequent actuation of the drive device by the control device is dependent to a value that is dependent on the control information.

A vibrating screen feed conveying apparatus for conveying and separating sticky “moisture laden bulk solids” which are sticky and wet flowing onto a vibrating screening feeder and into a hopper. The apparatus includes a bed on which material is conveyed, a longitudinal counterbalance supported on a plurality of isolation springs, a plurality of inclined drive springs extending between the bed and the longitudinal counterbalance, and a plurality of stabilizers for controlling movement of the drive springs along their central axes. A plurality of vibratory motors, each having rotatable eccentric weights are attached to the rear end of the longitudinal counterbalance. The eccentric weights rotate in phase with one another to vibrate the bed at a vibration frequency.

A vibrating screen feed conveying apparatus for conveying and separating sticky “moisture laden bulk solids” which are sticky and wet flowing onto a vibrating screening feeder and into a hopper. The apparatus includes a bed on which material is conveyed, a longitudinal counterbalance supported on a plurality of isolation springs, a plurality of inclined drive springs extending between the bed and the longitudinal counterbalance, and a plurality of stabilizers for controlling movement of the drive springs along their central axes. A plurality of vibratory motors, each having rotatable eccentric weights are attached to the rear end of the longitudinal counterbalance. The eccentric weights rotate in phase with one another to vibrate the bed at a vibration frequency.