JP2001192114A - Aligning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To convert articles 12 in one row state to a zigzag pattern during conveyance, to efficiently align the articles 12 like a zigzag, and improve process capacity. SOLUTION: A conveying means conveys the articles 12 in the conveying direction A. A guide means 16 guides the articles 12 conveyed by the conveying means in one row state in the conveying direction A. An aligning body 40 of a zigzag pattern converting means 17 moves the articles 12 in one row state outputted from an output part 25 of the guide means 16 every two articles in the direction crossing the conveying direction A, and converts the articles 12 in one row state to the zigzag pattern on the conveying means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an aligning apparatus for aligning articles in a staggered pattern.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in the case of transporting containers such as PET bottles, bottles, and cans as articles, a plurality of articles are arranged in a staggered arrangement, and
The articles in the aligned state are stacked on a pallet in a plurality of stages, and are packed in that state.

[0003] In an alignment device for aligning articles in a staggered manner,
A predetermined number of articles conveyed in a line in the conveyance direction by the conveyance means are received, and the first article in the conveyance direction is stopped at a predetermined position by a stopper, and the article stopped at the predetermined position is moved by a pusher in the conveyance direction. By repeating such an operation, the articles stopped at predetermined positions by the pusher are sequentially moved to align the articles. At this time, each time the article is received, the stop position of the article by the stopper is alternately shifted by an approximate radius of the article, whereby the articles moved by the pusher are arranged in a staggered manner.

[0004]

However, in the conventional aligning apparatus, the operation of stopping the articles conveyed in a single row with a stopper and moving the stopped articles in a direction intersecting the conveying direction is repeated. Otherwise, the articles cannot be arranged in a staggered manner, so that the articles cannot be efficiently arranged in a staggered manner, and there is a problem that the processing capacity is low.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and it is possible to efficiently arrange articles in a staggered pattern by converting a single row of articles into a staggered pattern during the transportation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment device capable of improving processing capacity.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aligning apparatus for transporting articles in a transport direction with articles placed thereon, and for guiding the articles transported by the transport means in a row in the transport direction. A guide means having an exit part in the middle of the conveying means, and an alignment body provided on one side of the row of articles in a row at the exit part of the guide means so that the downstream side can advance and retreat into the article row with the upstream side as a fulcrum. When the aligned body swings into the article row, articles exiting from the outlet of the guide means are moved obliquely with respect to the transport direction by a predetermined number, and the articles in a row are staggered on the transport means. And a zigzag pattern converting means for converting into a staggered pattern.

The staggered pattern conversion means is provided at one end of the one row of article rows at the outlet of the guide means, with the upstream side serving as a fulcrum and the downstream side being able to advance and retreat into the row of articles.
By moving a single row of articles conveyed by the conveyance means and exiting from the exit of the guide means by a predetermined number at a slant in the conveyance direction, the single row articles are converted into a staggered pattern during the conveyance. However, the articles can be efficiently arranged in a staggered manner, and the processing capacity is improved. Moreover, since the structure is such that the articles are pushed by the aligned body, there are few restrictions on the material and shape of the articles that can be handled, and the article can be applied to many articles.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the aligning apparatus according to the first aspect, the alignment body is retracted from the article row while moving in the article conveying direction from a position where the article has entered the article row. .

[0009] Then, the aligned body that has entered the article row moves away in the article row while moving in the article conveying direction.
The arrangement prevents the staggered pattern of the articles from being broken when the aligned body retreats from the article row.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the aligning apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a plurality of guide means and staggered pattern conversion means are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the transport means. Is what it is.

The plurality of guides and the zigzag pattern converting means are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying means, so that a plurality of rows of articles are arranged in a zigzag manner.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, reference numeral 11 denotes an alignment device, and the articles handled by the alignment device 11 are, for example, cylindrical containers 12 such as plastic bottles for beverages. The container body 13 has an opening 14 provided at the upper end.

The aligning device 11 is for arranging a plurality of rows of containers 12 in a staggered manner with respect to each other.
It has a plurality of rows of guide means 16 and a zigzag pattern conversion means 17 for arranging the containers 12 in a zigzag pattern for each row.

The transport means 15 is a belt conveyor having an endless belt 19, and transports the container 12 on the belt 19 in the transport direction A.

Each of the plurality of rows of guide means 16 is
Are arranged along the conveying direction A, and are arranged side by side in the belt width direction crossing the conveying direction A, so that the upstream side, the middle side, and the downstream side Each has a pair (both sides) of guide rails 21, 22, 23 for guiding both sides of the container 12, respectively.

Each pair of guide rails 21 on the upstream side is a container.
12 are arranged with an interval for guiding them in a one-row state (one-row pattern).

Each of the pair of intermediate guide rails 22 has an inclined portion 24 formed at an intermediate portion of one of the guide rails 22 so as to be inclined in a direction in which the downstream side is separated from the other guide rail 22. The upstream side is arranged with an interval for guiding the containers 12 in a row, and the inclined portion 24 is provided.
Are arranged at intervals so as to guide the containers 12 in a staggered pattern. The location where the interval between the guide rails 22 on both sides is increased by the inclined portion 24 is the outlet portion 25 that exits from the area where the containers 12 are guided in a single row on the transporting means 15.
It is configured as An opening 26 is formed in the other guide rail 22.

Each pair of guide rails 23 on the downstream side is a container.
12 are arranged at intervals to guide them in a staggered pattern.

Further, the staggered pattern converting means 17 is provided with a frame 34 comprising side portions 31 on both sides in the belt width direction of the conveying means 15 and bridging portions 32, 33 provided between these side portions 31. Have.

Rails 35 are disposed on the side portions 31 on both sides of the frame 34 in parallel with the transport direction A. Moving bodies 37 having slide portions 36 at both ends which slidably engage with the rails 35 are provided.
Are mounted so as to be movable in parallel with the transport direction A. Each of the moving bodies 37 hangs down at an outlet portion 25 of each guide means 16 corresponding to an outer position of the guide rail 22 on one side (the guide rail 22 on the opposite side to the guide rail 22 having the inclined portion 24). The swing shafts 38 are rotatably supported by bearings 39, and the lower ends of the respective swing shafts 38 are attached to the upstream side of the aligning body 40 in the transport direction A, and the downstream side of the aligning body 40 is in the passage 20 in one row. It is possible to advance and retreat in the container row (article row) in the state. Passage 20
The alignment body 40 entering the inside becomes substantially parallel to the inclined portion 24 of the guide rail 22, and the space between the alignment body 40 and the inclined portion 24 moves one container 12 on the downstream side toward the inclined portion 24 to substantially the radius of the container 12. It is configured as an alignment portion s that arranges the two containers 12 in a staggered pattern by being shifted.

A lever 41 is fixed to the upper end of each swing shaft 38, and the tip of each lever 41 is attached to a slide member 43 supported on a movable body 37 by a plurality of guide rollers 42 so as to be slidable in the belt width direction. Are linked. A motor 44 is provided on the moving body 37, and a rotary shaft of the motor 44 has a screw shaft.
45 is connected, and a screw member 46 screwed to the screw shaft 45 is connected to the slide member 43. Then, the slide member 43 is slid in the belt width direction by the drive of the motor 44, via each lever 41 and each swing shaft 38,
Each alignment body 40 is integrally advanced and retracted into the passage 20.

A motor 47 is provided on the bridging portion 32 of the frame 34, a screw shaft 48 is connected to a rotating shaft of the motor 47, and a screw member 49 screwed to the screw shaft 48 is connected to the moving body 37. Have been. Then, the moving body 37 is slid parallel to the transport direction A by the driving of the motor 47.

A support 50 is provided between the side portions 31 on both sides of the frame 34 and is located below the erection portion 32.
Each of the swing shafts 51 is rotatably supported by a bearing 52 at the lower end of each of the swing shafts 51. A stopper 53 capable of moving forward and backward is attached to the moving member. A lever 54 is fixed to an upper end of each swing shaft 50, and a rod 56 of each cylinder 55 is connected to a tip of each lever 54. Each cylinder 55 is provided on a support 50. Then, the respective stoppers 53 are independently advanced and retracted into the passage 20 by driving the respective cylinders 55.

The control means (not shown) for controlling the zigzag pattern conversion means 17 controls the motors 44 and 47, and moves the moving body 37 to the upstream side in the transport direction A to move the alignment body 40. When the alignment body 40 is moved into the passage 20 and the alignment body 40 is retreated outside the passage 20, the moving body 37 is simultaneously moved to the downstream side in the conveyance direction A, so that the alignment body 40 is moved to the downstream side in the conveyance direction A. After being moved out of the passage 20 while being moved, and furthermore, the aligned body 40 is drawn out of the passage 20, the moving body 37 is moved.
Is moved to the upstream side in the transport direction A, and the alignment body 40 can enter the passage 20. The speed at which the moving body 37 is moved downstream in the transport direction A is substantially the same as the transport speed of the transport unit 15.

On the downstream side in the transport direction A, a predetermined number of containers 12 converted into a staggered pattern are received, and the containers 12 are moved from four sides toward the center to form a staggered state. Alignment means for aligning is provided.

Next, the operation of arranging a plurality of rows of containers 12 in a staggered manner by the aligning device 11 will be described.

By driving the transport means 15, the containers 12 placed on the belt 19 are continuously transported in the transport direction A within the passages 20 of the guide means 16 in a plurality of rows.

The staggered pattern converting means 17 includes a stopper
53 is retracted from the inside of the passage 20 and the aligned body 40 is
20 into the guide rail 22 so as to be substantially parallel to the inclined portion 24 of the guide rail 22.

Guide rails 21 on the upstream side of each guide means 16
Among the containers 12 conveyed in the passage 20 as a single row at the upstream portion between the intermediate and intermediate guide rails 22, the first container 12 at the top contacts the alignment body 40 at the outlet 25, Along the inclination of the aligning body 40, it moves about the radius of the container 12 in the belt width direction between the aligning body 40 and the inclined portion 24 of the guide rail 22, and moves to the portion of the guide rail 22 on the downstream side of the inclined portion 24. Stop by contact. The second container 12 from the top passes through the position of the stopper 53 of the outlet 25, and comes into contact with the stopped first container 12 and stops. Thereby, the two containers 12 are arranged in a zigzag pattern at the alignment portion s between the alignment body 40 and the inclined portion 24.

When it is detected by a sensor (not shown) that the second container 12 from the top has passed the location of the stopper 53 of the outlet 25 and entered the alignment portion s, the stopper 53 enters the passage 20 and Then, the third container 12 is locked, and the third and subsequent subsequent containers 12 are stopped.

After the stopper 53 has entered the passage 20, the alignment body 40 is retracted from the passage 20 while moving in the transport direction A of the container 12. Thereby, the container 12 is released to the downstream side in the transport direction A while maintaining the zigzag pattern without breaking the staggered pattern of the two containers 12 which are released by being locked by the aligning body 40 and begun to be transported by the transport means 15. To be transported.

The aligned body 40 retracted from the passage 20 slides upstream in the retracted state and then enters the passage 20 again. When the alignment body 40 has entered the passage 20, the stopper 53 is retracted from the passage 20, and the stopped container 20 is sent to the alignment part s between the alignment body 40 and the inclined part 24.

In this manner, the containers 12 conveyed in a single row are sequentially converted into a staggered pattern by the alignment unit s, and the containers 12 in the staggered pattern are sequentially sent out downstream in the conveying direction A. Such an operation is performed simultaneously in the passages 20 of the guide means 16 in each row, and arranges the plurality of rows of containers 12 in a staggered manner.

Then, a predetermined number of containers converted into a staggered pattern are arranged on the aligning means disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction A.
Accept 12 and move container 12 from all sides toward the center,
Combine in a staggered pattern. In this state, pallets can be stacked.

As described above, the staggered pattern converting means 17 conveys the sheet by the conveying means 15 and the outlet 25 of the guide means 16.
Since every other row of containers 12 is moved in a direction intersecting the transport direction A every other row of containers, the one row of containers 12 can be converted into a staggered pattern during the transport.
12 can be efficiently arranged in a staggered manner, and the processing capacity can be improved.

An aligning member 40 is provided on one side of the one row of container rows.
The downstream side of the alignment body 40 is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat into the container row with the upstream side of the fulcrum as a fulcrum. It can be reliably moved in the direction intersecting. Further, the aligned body 40 that has entered the container row is moved in the transport direction A of the container 12.
Since the alignment body 40 retreats from the inside of the container row while moving to the inside, it is possible to prevent the zigzag pattern of the containers 12 from being broken when the alignment body 40 retreats from the inside of the container row.

Further, since a plurality of guides 16 and an aligned body 40 of the staggered pattern converting means 17 are arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction A of the transport means 15, a plurality of rows of containers are provided.
12 can be arranged in a staggered pattern with respect to each other.

Further, since the structure is such that the container 12 is pushed by the aligning body 40, there is little restriction on the material and shape of the article such as the container 12 which can be handled, and the invention can be applied to many articles.

Note that the staggered pattern conversion means 17
Although the containers 12 are arranged in a staggered pattern, three or more containers 12 are arranged in a zigzag pattern at a time by arranging the containers 12 obliquely with respect to the transport direction A every three or more predetermined numbers. Can be placed.

[0041]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a staggered arrangement is provided such that the upstream side is a fulcrum on one side of a row of articles at the exit of the guide means, and the downstream side is movable into and out of the row of articles. Since the articles in a single row that are conveyed by the conveying means and exit from the outlet of the guide means are moved obliquely in the conveying direction by a predetermined number by the aligned body of the shape pattern converting means, the single row state is conveyed during the conveyance. Can be converted to a zigzag pattern, the articles can be efficiently arranged in a staggered pattern, the processing capacity can be improved, and the articles can be handled by the structure in which the articles are pushed by the aligned body. There are few restrictions on the material and shape of the material, and it can be applied to many articles.

According to the aligning device of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the aligning device of the first aspect, in addition, the aligned body swinging and entering the row of articles moves from the row of articles while moving in the conveying direction of the articles. Since the retreat is performed, it is possible to prevent the zigzag pattern of the articles from being broken when the alignment body retreats from the article row.

According to the aligning device of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the aligning device of the first or second aspect, a plurality of guide means and a staggered pattern are provided in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the transport means. Since the conversion means are arranged side by side, articles in a plurality of rows can be arranged in a staggered pattern.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a part of an alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the alignment device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the alignment device.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the alignment device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Alignment device 12 Container as an article 15 Transport means 16 Guide means 17 Staggered pattern conversion means 25 Exit part 40 Alignment body

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Katsuyuki Tairafuku, 900, Oouchi, Noguchi-cho, Kakogawa-shi, Hyogo Okura Transport Aircraft Co., Ltd. F-term in Okura Transport Co., Ltd. (reference) 3F081 AA18 BA02 BC04 BD09 CB01 CC08 CE13 DA03 DA08 EA10

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means for carrying articles in a conveying direction with the articles placed thereon, a guiding means for guiding the articles conveyed by the conveying means in a line in the conveying direction, and having an outlet portion in the middle of the conveying means; At the exit of the guide means, there is an alignment body provided on one side of the row of articles in a row so that the upstream side is a fulcrum and the downstream side can be advanced and retracted into the row of articles. A staggered pattern converting means for moving articles exiting from the outlet of the guide means by a predetermined number of movements in a predetermined number at a slant with respect to the conveying direction, and converting a single row of articles on the conveying means into a staggered pattern; An alignment device characterized in that: 2. The aligning device according to claim 1, wherein the aligning body moves away from the position in the article row while moving in a conveying direction of the article from a position where the aligning body has swung into the article row. 3. The aligning device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of guide means and a staggered pattern converting means are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting a conveying direction of the conveying means.