JP2003012142A - Article conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To group plural containers in predetermined intervals in order to solve problems that a PET(polyethylene terephtalate) bottle is expanded by heat when hot-filling is performed, the container at a rear part gets out of the position when the containers are grouped in a sate of intimate contact to each other at front and behind, and the containers become unstable when the containers are grasped with plural grippers of a gripper head at the same time. SOLUTION: The containers 2 are supplied in three lines by a supply conveyer 4 (4a, 4b and 4c), and are transferred to an introducing conveyor 6 (6a, 6b and 6c) continuously arranged in the downstream. A screw 8 (8a, 8b, and 8c) is disposed on the introducing conveyor 6. The containers 2 are held in a pocket 8A comprising a spiral groove of the screw 8 and are conveyed. A first sensor 22 detects when a top of the containers 2 reaches the downstream end of a boxing position K, and the introducing conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are stopped. The containers 2 are held in the pocket of the screw 8, and are always grouped in predetermined intervals.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article conveying / processing apparatus, which has an apparatus for grouping articles conveyed by a conveyor into a predetermined position by a predetermined number and then grasping and taking out the articles. The present invention relates to the transport processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when packing articles such as cans and bottles in boxes, a plurality of articles that have been continuously conveyed by a conveyer conveyor are grasped in a fixed number, that is, in a single operation at the same time. It is necessary to divide into groups according to the number to be inserted. Therefore, at the entrance of an article processing device such as a caser (boxing device), a device for temporarily stopping the subsequent containers of the group of containers to be grouped is provided and further introduced to a position to be grouped. Stop means for stopping the container is provided. A grouping device provided with a means for stopping such a container has been conventionally known (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-39860).

The grouping device according to the invention described in the above publication (in this invention, a constant number supply device for articles) is a container (4) that is conveyed in a plurality of rows on a conveyor (2).
The number of stoppers (8) in a row reached a predetermined number by counting with a sensor provided for each stopper (8) in each row
To raise the containers (4) in that row above the conveyor (2) and raise the pressing pad (32) above.
The container (4) is stopped on the conveyor (2) by being sandwiched between the container and the container. Further, the containers (4) that are grouped and packed at the same time are stopped by a stop claw (106) (see FIG. 7 of the above publication).

[0004]

The first container of the containers to be grouped is stopped by a stop claw (stopper), and the succeeding containers are sequentially stopped following the first container in a state in which they are in close contact with each other. When the container to be grouped in such a state is, for example, a PET container filled with a liquid heated by hot filling, the container expands due to heat, and therefore the position shifts and the pitch between the containers varies. Occurs, and in particular, the container on the rear side is greatly displaced. If the containers thus grouped are misaligned, gripping operation becomes unstable, such as a grip mistake when gripping with the gripper of the caser.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the articles are grouped at regular intervals so that a gripping operation or the like in an article processing apparatus such as a caser can be stably performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport processing apparatus for the above-mentioned article.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article conveying and processing apparatus which drives an introduction conveyor which is continuously provided on a downstream side of a supply conveyor for supplying articles. A screw capable of accommodating the drive means and the article, which is arranged on the side portion of the introduction conveyor and has a pocket in which the width in the front-rear direction is larger than the thickness in the front-rear direction on the outer peripheral surface, and which rotates the screw. Means and an article take-out means for holding and taking out a plurality of articles contained in the pocket of the screw,
And a control means for controlling the driving means, the rotating means and the article removing means.

In the above-mentioned article conveying / processing apparatus, the articles to be grouped are held in the pockets of the screws, respectively. Therefore, if the pitch of the screws at the grouping positions is kept constant, the grouped articles are always kept at constant intervals. Can be located at.

Further, in the article conveying / processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the articles are brought into contact with the front surface side or the rear surface side of the pocket by making the article conveying speed by the introduction conveyor different from the article conveying speed by the screw. When the article held in the screw pocket reaches the take-out position of the article take-out means, the introduction conveyor and the screw are stopped, and these articles are regulated by the screw pocket. The article is taken out by the article take-out means.

In the article conveying / processing apparatus according to the invention,
By differentiating the speed of the introduction conveyor and the screw, all the grouped containers can be kept in contact with either the front surface or the rear surface of the pocket of the screw, so that accurate positioning is possible.

Further, in the article conveying / processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the driving means of the introducing conveyor and the rotating means of the screw can be speed-controlled, and the article held in the pocket of the screw is at the take-out position. The speed of the introduction conveyor and the screw is reduced so that the articles are not separated from the front side or the rear side of the pocket when approaching.

In the article conveying / processing apparatus according to the invention,
Since the introduction conveyor and the screw are decelerated before being stopped, the impact at the time of stop can be suppressed.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of an article carrying / processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Is a plan view thereof. In this transfer processing apparatus, a large number of PET containers 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as containers) that have been hot-filled and capped on the upstream side are transferred by a transfer conveyor (not shown but installed on the right side of the drawing). It is fed into a caser (generally designated by 1) by a feed conveyor 4 having three rows of transport paths 4a, 4b, 4c. An introduction conveyor 6 that introduces the containers 2 into the caser 1 is continuously installed on the downstream side of the supply conveyor 4, and the containers 2 conveyed by the supply conveyor 4 in three rows are supplied to the introduction conveyor 6. Transferred to the boxing position K with 3 rows.

A screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) is provided on each side of each of the transfer paths 6a, 6b, 6c on the introduction conveyor 6 having three rows of transfer paths 6a, 6b, 6c. . Each of these screws 8a, 8b, 8c
Has a pocket 8A (see FIG. 3) formed in a spiral groove capable of receiving the container 2 on its outer peripheral surface. The container 2 is housed in the pocket 8A and is rotated to advance the container 2. Let The width W of each pocket 8A (container housing portion) that receives the container 2 in the spiral groove in the front-rear direction is slightly larger than the diameter of the container 2 (the thickness in the front-rear direction in the case of a container other than a circular container). It is getting bigger. Further, each screw 8a, 8b, 8c has an upstream end (right end in the drawing) extending above the downstream end of the supply conveyor 4, and the containers 2 conveyed by the supply conveyor 4 in three rows are provided with these screws 8a. , 8b, 8c through the introduction conveyor 6
(6a, 6b, 6c).

An opening / closing stopper 10 (10a, 10b, 10c) is provided on the inlet side of each screw 8a, 8b, 8c.
Are provided respectively, and the containers 2 conveyed by the supply conveyor 4 have screws 8a, 8b, 8
Before being introduced into c, these opening / closing stoppers 10a, 10
It can be temporarily stopped by b and 10c. Also,
The opening / closing stoppers 10a, 10b, 10c are opened by a signal from a sensor which will be described later, and the container 2 is introduced into the introducing conveyor 6 (6a, 6b, 6c) and the screw 8 (8).
a, 8b, 8c) side.

The supply conveyor 4 comprises three drive motors 5a, 5b and 5c, and three rows of transport paths 4a, 4b and 4 are provided.
c are driven independently of each other. On the other hand, the introduction conveyor 6 has three rows 6a by one motor 7 with an inverter,
6b and 6c are driven simultaneously, and the three screws 8a, 8b and 8c are also driven to rotate simultaneously by one servomotor 9. The feed conveyor 4 is normally operated continuously, and the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are operated intermittently to effect the casing.

A case conveyor 12 is installed in parallel with the supply conveyor 4 and the introduction conveyor 6 continuously installed on the downstream side thereof. The case conveyor 12 is designed to be operated intermittently.
The containers 2 are inserted into these cases 14 while a plurality of (4 in the present embodiment) 4 are conveyed and are temporarily stopped at the boxing position K. This case conveyor 1
Guides 16 are provided on both sides of the transport path of the upper case 14.

A control means (not shown) is provided in the article conveying / processing apparatus according to this embodiment, and the supply conveyor 4 (4a, 4b, 4c) and the introduction conveyor 6 (6) are provided.
a, 6b, 6c), screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8)
c), the drive of the opening / closing stopper 10 (10a, 10b, 10c) and the article take-out means (robot) described below is controlled by this control means.

Box packing position K of the case conveyor 12
The boxing robot 18 is arranged on the opposite side of the introduction conveyor 6. In this embodiment, four containers 2 in each row are inserted into each case 14 in three rows, and the three cases 14 are boxed at the same time. Therefore, the gripper head 20 attached to the hand of the robot 18 is provided with 3 × 12 grippers 20a.

A first sensor 22 is provided at the tip (downstream end) of the boxing position K, and when the first sensor 22 detects the container 2, the introduction conveyor 6 (6a, 6a).
b, 6c) and the screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) are stopped, and the robot 18 performs boxing. Further, a second sensor 24 is provided at a position near the inlets of the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8, and each screw 8
Count the number of containers 2 introduced into a, 8b, 8c.

Further, the screws 8 (8a, 8b, 8
A third sensor 26 is provided slightly upstream of the inlet of c), and when the container is introduced into the caser 1 at the beginning of operation, the third sensor 26 causes the introduction conveyor 6 (6a, 6b, 6).
c) and the number of containers 2 introduced to the screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) side are counted, and the introduction conveyor 6, screw 8 and opening / closing stopper 10 (10a, 1
0b, 10c). Also, the third sensor 2
A fourth sensor 28 is provided on the upstream side of 6, and the introduction conveyor 6 (6a, 6b, 6c) on the downstream side and the screw 8 (8a, 8b, while detecting the container 2 by the fourth sensor 28). By controlling the drive of 8c),
The containers 2 are continuously supplied so as not to come out at all container holding positions in the pockets 8A of the screws 8a, 8b, 8c.

The operation of the article conveying / processing apparatus having the above configuration will be described. First, the transport conveyor (not shown) on the upstream side of the caser 1 and the supply conveyor 4 are driven to start the supply of the container 2. At this point, the introduction conveyor 6
(6a, 6b, 6c) and screw 8 (8a, 8
b, 8c) are stopped, and the opening / closing stopper 10 (10a, 1c)
0b, 10c) are kept closed.

The three conveyor lines 4a, 4 of the supply conveyor 4
The containers 2 are supplied to the insides of b and 4c, respectively, and are stopped by the opening / closing stoppers 10a, 10b, and 10c provided at the entrances of the screws 8a, 8b, and 8c, respectively, and gradually accumulated. When the accumulated container 2 reaches the position of the fourth sensor 28, the signal from the fourth sensor 28 drives the introduction conveyor 6 and the screws 8a, 8b, 8c, and the opening / closing stoppers 10a, 10b, 10c are opened. It will be released.

The opening / closing stoppers 10a, 10b, 10c
The container 2 stopped by the screw 8a,
It is accommodated in the pocket 8A of 8b, 8c, and is advanced by the rotation of these screws 8a, 8b, 8c and the traveling of the supply conveyor 4, and is transferred from the supply conveyor 4 onto the introduction conveyor 6. In this embodiment, the traveling speed of the introduction conveyor 6 is set to be slightly higher than the moving speed of the container 2 being conveyed by the screw 8, and the container 2 contacts the front surface 8Aa side in the pocket 8A of the screw 8. They are conveyed in contact with each other (see FIG. 3). It should be noted that the traveling speed of the introduction conveyor 6 is set to be slightly lower than the speed of the container 2 being conveyed by the screw 8 so that the container 2 is conveyed while being in contact with the rear surface 8Ab side of the pocket 8A of the screw 8. You can

The introduction conveyor 6 (6a, 6a in the caser 1
b, 6c) and the screws 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) are introduced with a certain number (for example, 10) of containers 2, and then these introduction conveyors 6 (6a, 6b, 6c) and the screws 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) is temporarily stopped. By supplying a predetermined number of containers 2 from the supply conveyor 4 side to the introduction conveyor 6 side, even if the number of containers 2 on the supply conveyor 4 side decreases, the containers are provided while the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are stopped. 2 is accumulated. Then, when the container 2 is accumulated again to the position of the fourth sensor 28, the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are operated again to operate the container 2
Is introduced into the caser 1.

In this way, the screws 8 (8a, 8
(b, 8c) The container 2 is introduced while being packed from the supply conveyor 4 side so that the container 2 does not come out in each pocket 8A of the spiral groove, and is advanced toward the boxing position K. While the screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8c) is rotating, the pulse of the servo motor 9 is counted to detect the position of the top container 2 held, and the take-out position, that is, the first sensor. When approaching 22, the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are decelerated. Since the servomotor 9 driving the screw 8 has a faster reaction speed than the motor 7 with the inverter, the screw 8 is decelerated faster than the introduction conveyor 6. Further, as described above, the transport speed of the introduction conveyor 6 is controlled to be higher than the speed at which the screw 8 transports the container 2, so that the container 2 does not separate from the front surface 8Aa side of the pocket 8A of the screw 8 and Decelerate while touching.

When the leading container 2 reaches the position of the first sensor 22 provided at the downstream end of the boxing position K and is detected, the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are stopped by the signal from the first sensor 22. Let the robot 1
The gripper head 20 is operated by 8 and 12 in 3 rows
Holding the book containers 2 at the same time and introducing the conveyor 6 (6a, 6a
b, 6c) on each screw 8 (8a, 8b, 8c). Further, the gripper head 20 is moved onto the case conveyor 12, and the containers 2 are simultaneously inserted into the cases 14 which are intermittently conveyed by three cases.

If the container 2 is accumulated up to the position of the fourth sensor 28 at the time when the container 2 is gripped and taken out by the gripper head 20 as described above, the introduction conveyor 6
(6a, 6b, 6c) and screw 8 (8a, 8
b, 8c) to drive the container 2 into the introduction container 6 and the screw 8. When the container 2 is not accumulated up to the position of the fourth sensor 28, the introduction conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are made to wait until the container 2 is accumulated.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the structure described in the above embodiment, and the shape, structure and the like of each part can be appropriately modified and changed. For example, the number of rows of articles (containers 2) to be conveyed, the number of containers 2 simultaneously gripped by the gripper 20a, and the like can be appropriately set.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, by making the article conveying speed of the introducing conveyor 6 and the article conveying speed of the screw 8 different, the container 2 is moved to the front surface 8A of the pocket 8A.
Although it is conveyed in a state of being brought into contact with a or the rear surface 8Ab, the container 2 can be moved in the front surface 8Aa of the pocket 8A by shifting the stop timing even when the conveying speed of the introducing conveyor 6 and the screw 8 are the same. Alternatively, it can be stopped by contacting the rear surface 8Ab. For example, if the introduction conveyor 6 is stopped first and then the screw 8 is stopped, the container 2 is moved to the rear surface 8Ab of the pocket 8A.
Can be stopped in a state of being in contact with the side, and conversely, if the introduction conveyor 6 is stopped after stopping the screw 8 first, the state in which the container 2 is in contact with the front surface 8Aa side of the pocket 8A Can be stopped at.

[0030]

As described above, in the article conveying / processing apparatus according to the present invention, the introducing conveyor continuously provided on the downstream side of the article supplying conveyor and the driving means for driving the introducing conveyor, A screw, which is arranged on the side of the introduction conveyor and has a pocket in which the width in the front-rear direction is larger than the thickness in the front-rear direction of the article, which is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and a rotating means for rotating the screw, By providing the article take-out means for grasping and taking out a plurality of articles contained in the pocket of the screw, and the control means for controlling the driving means, the rotation means and the article take-out means, the articles are always kept at constant intervals. Since the groups can be opened by opening, even if the shape is slightly deformed like a hot-filled PET container, the article take-out means Therefore during removal, error or the like is taken out can be reliably held there is no fear of occurrence.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the article conveying speed by the introduction conveyor and the article conveying speed by the screw are made different from each other so that the article is brought into contact with the front side or the rear side of the pocket. When the article conveyed and held in the pocket of the screw reaches the take-out position of the article take-out means, the introduction conveyor and the screw are stopped, and the article take-out means is regulated by the pocket of the screw. Since the article is taken out by the above method, the article can be positioned more accurately and taken out surely.

In the invention according to claim 3, the drive means of the introduction conveyor and the rotation means of the screw are speed-controllable, and when the article held in the pocket of the screw approaches the take-out position. To
Since the introduction conveyor and the screw are decelerated so that the articles are not separated from the front side or the rear side of the pocket, the impact when stopping the container can be mitigated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of an article conveyance / processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a conveyance state of a container by a screw.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 articles (containers) 4 supply conveyor 6 Introduction conveyor 8A pocket 8a screw 8b screw 8c screw 18 Article removal means (robot)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Michio Ueyama             1-10-7 Minamimachi, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo (72) Inventor Ikuo Hanami             Shibuya Ko 58, Soybean Tamotocho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture             Business (72) Inventor Seiichi Kurosawa             Shibuya Ko 58, Soybean Tamotocho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture             Business (72) Inventor Toshinori Murata             Shibuya Ko 58, Soybean Tamotocho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture             Business F term (reference) 3E054 AA15 CA08 DD04 EA02 FA04                       FA07 FE03 GA01 GB02 GC02                 3F072 AA07 AA08 GA06 GB10 GD01                       GG04 GG06 JA09 KA01 KA30                       KD01 KD07 KD11 KD27 KD30                 3F081 AA19 BA02 BC07 BD08 BD11                       BD15 BF06 BF15 CB01 CB06                       CC08 CC19 CE02 CE10 DA02                       DA11 EA05 EA07 EA10 EA13                       FA01 FA02 FB01 FB02 FB06                       FB08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An introduction conveyor continuously provided on the downstream side of a supply conveyor for supplying an article, a driving means for driving the introduction conveyor, and a side portion of the introduction conveyor, the width of which in the front-rear direction is the article. A screw capable of accommodating an article in which a pocket having a thickness larger than the thickness in the front-rear direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and rotating means for rotating the screw,
Conveying an article, comprising: an article taking-out means for grasping and taking out a plurality of articles contained in the pocket of the screw; and a control means for controlling the driving means, the rotating means and the article taking-out means. Processing equipment. 2. The article is conveyed while being brought into contact with the front side or the rear side of the pocket by making the article convey speed of the introduction conveyor different from the article convey speed of the screw, and the article is conveyed into the pocket of the screw. When the held article reaches the take-out position of the article take-out means, the introduction conveyor and the screw are stopped, and the article is taken out by the article take-out means while the articles are restricted by the pocket of the screw. 1. The article conveying and processing apparatus according to item 1. 3. The drive means of the introduction conveyor and the rotation means of the screw are speed-controllable, and when the article held in the pocket of the screw approaches the take-out position, the article is placed on the front side of the pocket or The article conveying / processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the introduction conveyor and the screw are decelerated so as not to separate from the rear surface side.