Boxing system

Abstract

A boxing system includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor that convey packages at predetermined intervals, a robot that simultaneously holds and transports a package group, and a control device. The control device controls the robot to cause it to accumulate the package groups in a boxing area. The control device generates a first command causing the package group to be directly transported from the conveyance area to the boxing area. The control device also generates a second command causing transporting of the package group from the conveyance area to a temporary placement area different from the boxing area. A third command generated by the control device causes transporting of the package group from the temporary placement area to the boxing area. The control device causes the robot to execute the first command, the second command, and the third command to accumulate the package groups in the boxing area.

1 . A boxing system comprising:
 a conveyance device that conveys objects at predetermined intervals in a conveyance area;   a robot that simultaneously holds and transports an object group comprising a plurality of the objects; and   a control device that controls the robot to cause the robot to accumulate the object groups in a boxing area,   wherein the control device has
 a first command generating component that generates a first command for having the object group directly transported from the conveyance area to the boxing area, 
 a second command generating component that generates a second command for transporting the object group from the conveyance area to a temporary placement area different from the boxing area, 
 a third command generating component that generates a third command for transporting the object group from the temporary placement area to the boxing area, and 
 a command component that causes the robot to execute the first command, the second command, and the third command to accumulate the object groups in the boxing area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The boxing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the command component causes the robot to execute the second command so that the object group is transported from the conveyance area to the temporary placement area during a period of time until it becomes possible to accumulate the object groups in the boxing area. 
     
     
         3 . The boxing system according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a shutter including an accumulation surface on which the object groups are accumulated and an opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the accumulation surface,   a pusher that applies force to the object groups accumulated on the accumulation surface to thereby gather the object groups in one location on the accumulation surface, and   a holding unit that holds, under the accumulation surface, a box whose opening has been made to face the accumulation surface,   wherein   after the object groups have been gathered in one location on the accumulation surface by the pusher, the opening and closing mechanism of the shutter is driven to open and close the accumulation surface to thereby move the object groups on the accumulation surface to the box, and   the command component causes the robot to execute the second command until the shutter opens and closes.   
     
     
         4 . The boxing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the command component, after causing the robot to execute the second command, causes the robot to execute the first command at least once and then causes the robot to execute the third command. 
     
     
         5 . The boxing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the conveyance device has
 a first conveyance device that receives the objects from an upstream apparatus and conveys at the predetermined intervals the objects in a first posture and 
 a second conveyance device that is placed downstream of the first conveyance device and conveys, in a second posture that is a posture different from the first posture, the objects that have been conveyed thereto by the first conveyance device, and 
   the robot simultaneously holds and transports the object group which comprises a plurality of the objects in the second posture conveyed by the second conveyance device.   
     
     
         6 . The boxing system according to  claim 5 , wherein the position at which the robot takes hold of the object group is changed in accordance with the position at which the object group is conveyed. 
     
     
         7 . The boxing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the command component, after causing the robot to execute the second command, causes the robot to execute the first command at least once and then causes the robot to execute the third command. 
     
     
         8 . The boxing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the command component, after causing the robot to execute the second command, causes the robot to execute the first command at least once and then causes the robot to execute the third command. 
     
     
         9 . The boxing system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the conveyance device has
 a first conveyance device that receives the objects from an upstream apparatus and conveys at the predetermined intervals the objects in a first posture and 
 a second conveyance device that is placed downstream of the first conveyance device and conveys, in a second posture that is a posture different from the first posture, the objects that have been conveyed thereto by the first conveyance device, and 
   the robot simultaneously holds and transports the object group which comprises a plurality of the objects in the second posture conveyed by the second conveyance device.   
     
     
         10 . The boxing system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the conveyance device has
 a first conveyance device that receives the objects from an upstream apparatus and conveys at the predetermined intervals the objects in a first posture and 
 a second conveyance device that is placed downstream of the first conveyance device and conveys, in a second posture that is a posture different from the first posture, the objects that have been conveyed thereto by the first conveyance device, and 
   the robot simultaneously holds and transports the object group which comprises a plurality of the objects in the second posture conveyed by the second conveyance device.   
     
     
         11 . The boxing system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the conveyance device has
 a first conveyance device that receives the objects from an upstream apparatus and conveys at the predetermined intervals the objects in a first posture and 
 a second conveyance device that is placed downstream of the first conveyance device and conveys, in a second posture that is a posture different from the first posture, the objects that have been conveyed thereto by the first conveyance device, and 
   the robot simultaneously holds and transports the object group which comprises a plurality of the objects in the second posture conveyed by the second conveyance device.