JP2002179023A - Fluid filling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high pressure gas filling system which can cope with a speedup of a rotary table. SOLUTION: The fluid filling system includes a filling machine for filling a cylinder 2 with a gas and a conveyer 9 for carrying the cylinder 2 to the filling machine. The conveyer 9 includes a pair of right and left holding arms 24 which are designed to be capable of moving fore and aft. The arms 24 are moved forward while the cylinder 2 is held by holding parts 31 provided on a front of the respective arms 24, thereby carrying the cylinder 2 to the filling machine which is moving in a direction B intersecting with the fore-and-aft direction on a horizontal plane. When the cylinder 2 is carried into the filling machine, the middle of the arm 24 located ahead in the moving direction B of the filling machine is bent. Thus, the holding part 31 of the arm 24 is retreated to escape from the cylinder 2 which is moving together with the filling machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to, for example, a method of automatically carrying cylinders sequentially into a gas filling apparatus, and loading the introduced cylinders with gas such as LPG by a filling machine provided in a rotary table type gas filling apparatus. And a fluid filling system such as a high pressure gas filling system configured to automatically carry out a cylinder from a gas filling device after automatically filling the gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a high-pressure gas filling system for sequentially and automatically filling a large number of cylinders with a gas such as LPG. In this high-pressure gas filling system, the empty cylinder brought into the platform is transferred to the carry-in conveyor by the incoming conveyor, and is transferred to the carry-in device in front of the gas filling device by the carry-in conveyor. The cylinder is carried into the gas filling device by the device.

[0003] The gas filling apparatus includes a rotary table that rotates around a vertical axis, and a plurality of charging machines that are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral side of the rotary table. The cylinders are loaded one by one into each filling machine while the filling machine is moving in the rotation direction of the rotary table.
When gas is filled in the cylinder by the filling machine, when the filling machine comes to the disposition position of the unloading device, the cylinder is unloaded by the unloading device, and the cylinder is transferred to the unloading port by the unloading conveyor.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show an example of the carry-in device (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-285191). The carry-in device 71 includes a carry-in / holding unit 73 for holding a cylinder 72, and the carry-in / holding unit 73 that advances the rotary table 74 while holding the cylinder 72, and fills the rotary table 74 that rotates the cylinder 72. And a pull-back means 76 for retracting the carry-in holding means 73 after carrying the cylinder 72 into the filling machine.

The carrying-in holding means 73 includes a movable body 77 which can move forward and backward, and a pair of left and right holding arms 78 supported by the movable body 77. On the left and right sides of the movable body 77,
The sliders 79 are fixed, and each slider 79 is supported by a guide rod 80 arranged in the front-rear direction so as to be able to move back and forth, so that the movable body 77 can move back and forth. The left and right holding arms 78 are attached to the rear base 7.
8a is supported by the slider 79 so as to be rotatable around an axis 81 in the front-rear direction.

The holding arm 78 extends upward from the base portion 78a toward the front, and then extends forward. A holding portion 82 is provided for contact with the holding portion 82. Further, the movable body 77 is provided with an opening / closing device for rotating the base portions 78a of the left and right holding arms 78 around the axial center 81 in the front-rear direction. The left and right holding portions 82 are configured to be opened and closed while approaching and separating from each other by rotating about the axis 81 of the direction. The cylinder 72 is configured to be clamped and held from both left and right sides by 82.

The synchronous loading means 75 includes first and second rotating arms 84 and 85, the base of which is rotatably supported on a support base 83 about a vertical axis 89 and which is rotatable in a horizontal plane. The first rotating arm 8 provided on the rotating table 74 side
4 includes a contact member 87 </ b> A that can be brought into contact with the contact roller 86 provided on the distal end side of the fourth arm 4, and a connection link 88 that connects the distal end side of the second rotating arm 85 to the movable body 77. .
The first rotating arm 84 is vertically swingably attached to the base side of the second rotating arm 85 and is vertically swingable by an air cylinder 90. The position can be freely changed between a contact position at which the contact member 87A can be contacted and a retracted position at which the contact member 87A is not contacted, which is indicated by a virtual line in FIG.

The contact member 87A is provided with the contact roller 86.
, And a retractable position where it does not contact the contacted roller 86, and is provided for each filling machine. The retraction means 76 is composed of an air cylinder, the cylinder tube 76A is fixed to the frame 91 of the carry-in conveyor, and the distal end side of the piston rod 76B is connected to the movable body 77. This air cylinder is of a single-acting type, and when the movable body 77 moves forward, the piston rod 76B is pulled out by the load, and the piston rod 76B is returned by the compressed air.
7 is configured to be pulled back.

In the above construction, when the preparation for carrying in the cylinder 72 on the filling machine side is ready, the contact member 87
When A is located at the contact position and the cylinder 72 is transferred to the carry-in device 71 and the cylinder 72 is held by the holding portion 82, the contacted roller 86 is located at the contact position. Then, when the cylinder 72 moves on the carry-in conveyor in the direction of the arrow A and is transferred to the carry-in device 71, the left and right holding arms 78 stand by in a posture in which the holding portions 82 at the ends thereof are spread. Then, the holding arm 78 is closed by the opening / closing device, and the cylinder 72 is held between the left and right holding portions 82.

The rotary table 74 is rotating in the direction of arrow B. When the filling machine moves in the direction of arrow B and the contact member 87A contacts the contacted roller 86, the contact member 87A is rotated. The contacted roller 86 is pushed by this, the second rotation arm 85 is rotated integrally with the first rotation arm 84, and the movable body 77 is pulled to the vicinity of the rotation table 74 via the connection link 88. Can be Along with this operation, the cylinder 72 held by the holding arm 78 is pushed out onto the rotary table 74 in synchronization with the rotation operation of the rotary table 74, and the cylinder 72 is carried into the filling machine.

Thereafter, the holding arm 78 is opened and the holding portion 8 is opened.
2 is separated from the cylinder 72, and the retraction means 76 is driven to pull back the holding arm 78. As described above, since the cylinder 72 is loaded onto the rotary table 74 in synchronization with the rotation of the rotary table 74, the loading operation can be automated while preventing the loading timing and the loading position from being shifted. ing. The cylinder 72 carried into the filling machine on the rotating table 74 is filled by the filling machine while the rotating table 74 is rotating, and is carried out of the filling machine by the carrying-out device.

The unloading device has substantially the same construction as the unloading device, and has unloading and holding means for holding the cylinder 72 and a rotating means for rotating the unloading and holding means for holding the cylinder 72 of the filling machine on the rotary table 74. Synchronous unloading means for advancing to the filling machine on the table 74;
Withdrawal means for retracting the carry-out holding means while holding the holding means. The carrying-out holding means corresponds to the carrying-in holding means 73 of the carrying-in device 71, the synchronous carrying-out means corresponds to the synchronous carrying-in means 75 of the carrying-in device 71, and the retraction means corresponds to the retraction means 76 of the carrying-in device 71.

The contact member 87B of the unloading device is connected to the loading device 7
The contact member 87A is located below the first contact member 87A, and is configured not to contact the contact roller 86 of the carry-in device 71. When the filling of the cylinder 72 with the gas is completed, the contact position is determined. Protrude into. Then, when the rotary table 74 is rotated and the filled cylinder 72 approaches the unloading device, the contact member 87B contacts the contacted roller of the synchronous unloading means, and the holding arm, which has been opened in advance, synchronously unloads. It is adapted to be moved onto the turntable 74 via the means.

Next, the holding arm is closed and the cylinder 72 is closed.
Is held, the pull-back means is driven and the cylinder 72 is driven.
Is carried out of the filling machine on the turntable 74.

[0015]

In the conventional apparatus, for example, in the loading device 71, the right and left holding arms 7 are provided.
8 by rotating the base 78a around the axis 81 in the front-rear direction, thereby holding the cylinder 72 and holding the arm 7
8, the cylinder 72 is carried into the filling machine which moves in the rotation direction B of the rotary table 74, and then the holding arm 78 is opened to release the cylinder 72, and the holding arm 78 is released.
In this high-pressure gas filling system, the cylinder 72 is carried into the filling machine that moves in the direction of arrow B. Therefore, when the rotation speed of the rotary table 74 is increased, the holding arm 78 is moved. When the holding arm 78 releases the cylinder 72 and retreats from the filling machine, the cylinder 72 may be caught by the holding portion 82 of the holding arm 78 because the opening operation of the cylinder cannot correspond to the moving speed of the filling machine.

The cylinder 72 is held by the holding portion 82 of the holding arm 78.
Causes problems such as the cylinder 72 not being able to be securely held by the gripping arm on the filling machine side and the cylinder 72 sliding down from the rotary table 74. Further, in the unloading device, when the rotation speed of the rotating table 74 is increased, the forward movement of the holding arm of the unloading and holding means to the rotating table 74 may be delayed, and the cylinder 72 may not be properly held. If the timing of the forward movement of the holding arm in the unloading device is increased, the cylinder 72 may come into contact with the holding portion of the holding arm on the rear side in the rotation direction B of the rotary table 74 of the holding arm.
The forward movement timing of the holding arm cannot be accelerated.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
In the case where the container is carried into the filling machine moving in the direction intersecting with the carrying-in direction, or in the case where the container is carried out from the filling machine moving in the direction intersecting with the carrying-in direction, in response to the increase in the moving speed of the filling machine, An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid filling system that can carry out a container well.

[0018]

The technical means taken by the present invention to solve the technical problem comprises a filling machine for filling a container with a fluid and a carry-in device for carrying the container into the filling machine. The carrying-in device includes a pair of left and right holding arms that are movable in the front-rear direction, and the holding arms provided on the front side of each holding arm move the holding arms forward in a state where the holding arms are sandwiched, so that the holding device moves in the horizontal plane. In the fluid filling system configured to carry the container into the filling machine moving in the direction crossing the front-rear direction in the above, when the container is carried into the filling machine, the fluid filling system is located on the front side in the moving direction of the filling machine. By bending a middle part of the holding arm, the holding part of the holding arm is retracted so as to escape from the container moving with the filling machine.

Further, another technical means includes a filling machine for filling the container with a fluid, and an unloading device for unloading the container from the filling machine. The unloading device includes a pair of left and right movable in the front-rear direction. A holding arm is provided, the left and right holding arms are moved forward, and the holding units provided on the front side of each holding arm are advanced to the filling machine moving in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane, In the fluid filling system configured to take out the container from the filling machine by moving the holding arm backward after holding the container by the left and right holding units, when the holding unit advances to the filling machine, the filling machine In which the holding portion of the holding arm is retracted to a position where the holding portion of the holding arm does not come into contact with the container that moves together with the filling machine by bending the middle portion of the holding arm located on the rear side in the moving direction of the container. To.

The left and right holding arms are swingably supported so that the left and right holding portions can pinch the container from the left and right sides or retract the left and right holding portions from the container to the left and right sides. Preferably, a transfer means for moving the holding arm back and forth is provided below the transfer surface of the container. Further, the holding arm is composed of a rear support portion and a front movable portion rotatably supported by the support portion, and the movable portion is rotated by an air cylinder,
Preferably, the holding arm is configured to be bent.

Further, the present invention can be applied to a fluid filling system in which a plurality of filling machines are installed on a rotary table that rotates around a vertical center axis, and the filling machines move in the rotation direction together with the rotary table.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a high-pressure gas filling system 1 for automatically filling a large number of cylinders (vessels) 2 with a gas such as LPG. A loading section 4 for loading an empty cylinder 2 into the filling device 3 and a cylinder 2 filled with gas;
From the gas filling device 3.

The cylinder 2 is an ordinary pressure-resistant container, and its upper and lower ends are formed in a closed cylindrical shape, and a valve is provided at the center of the upper surface. The empty cylinder 2 carried in from the carry-in entrance 6 is transferred to the carry-in section 4 in the carry-in transfer direction A,
A carry-in conveyor for transferring the cylinder 2 to the gas filling device 3 is provided, and an orienteering code reading unit 7, a measuring unit 8, and a carry-in device 9 are arranged in order from the rear in the carry-in and transfer direction A to the front. Have been. Carriage 6
The empty cylinder 2 automatically or manually loaded is transferred in the loading transfer direction A by the loading conveyor.
The orienteering code reading unit 7 is reached, where the cylinder 2 is positioned (the position is corrected) so that the direction of the filling port of the valve provided on the upper part of the cylinder 2 is directed to a predetermined direction, and the cylinder 2 is positioned. A bar code (or an identification code such as a number or a symbol) attached to the upper part of is read.

The code read from this bar code is
The size of the cylinder 2 (for example, a 20 kg cylinder, 3
The empty weight (empty capacity) of the cylinder 2 (0 kg cylinder or 50 kg cylinder) and the cylinder 2 are read. When a cap is attached to the valve of the cylinder 2, the cap is removed before reaching the orienteering code reader 7. Next, the cylinder 2 is transferred to the weighing unit 8, where the current weight of the cylinder 2 is measured, and the remaining gas is calculated by comparing the measured weight with the empty weight.

The gas filling device 3 has a central axis X in the vertical direction.
The rotary table 12 includes a rotary table 12 that rotates around in a direction indicated by an arrow B, and a plurality of filling machines 13 that are arranged on an outer peripheral side of the rotary table 12 in a circumferential direction. Each filling machine 13 is installed so as to face outward in the radial direction of the rotary table 12, and can receive the cylinder 2 from the radial outside of the rotary table 12. Machine 13
Is moved in the direction B, the cylinder 2 is carried in the carry-in transfer direction A by the carry-in device 9 (therefore, the cylinder 2 is carried into the filling machine 13 by the carry-in device 9). Transport direction and transport direction A
Is configured so that the cylinder 2 is loaded into the filling machine 13 that moves in a direction intersecting the loading direction A in the horizontal plane.)

At the lower end of the filling machine 13, there is provided a mounting portion 10 composed of a plurality of rollers. The cylinder 2 is loaded on the mounting portion 10, and the cylinder 2 mounted on the mounting portion 10 is mounted.
While the gas is being measured by the measuring device, the gas is filled up to the weight according to the standard of the cylinder 2 and the like. Further, a pair of openable and closable gripping arms 11 for gripping the cylinder 2 is provided at a position above the mounting portion 10, and the cylinder detection sensor detects that the cylinder 2 has been loaded onto the mounting portion 10. Then, the cylinder 2 is gripped by the gripping arm 11.

The filling machine 13 includes the filling machine 13
A filling nozzle which is attached to a filling port of the cylinder 2 charged in the tank and injects gas into the cylinder 2 from the filling port;
The filling nozzle is provided so as to face radially inward of the rotary table 12. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the orienteering code reading unit 7,
The direction of the filling port of the valve 10 of the cylinder 2 is changed so as to face rearward in the carrying-in / transporting direction A. The unloading section 5 is provided with an unloading conveyor for transferring the cylinder 2 from the gas filling device 3 to the unloading port 14 in the unloading and transferring direction C (the direction opposite to the loading and transferring direction A). The gas filling amount checking unit 16, the gas leak checking unit 17, and the seal cap device 18 are sequentially arranged from the rear in the unloading / transporting direction C to the front.

When the gas is filled in the cylinder 2 by the filling machine 13, when the filling machine 13 comes to a position substantially facing the unloading device 15, the cylinder 2 is discharged by the unloading device 15.
Is taken out (transported) in the carry-out and transfer direction C, and the taken-out cylinder 2 is taken out by the carry-out conveyor in the carry-out and transfer direction C.
The gas filling amount checking unit 16 checks whether the gas filling amount is excessive or insufficient. Then, the gas leak checking unit 17 checks whether or not the plug is not properly closed. A seal cap is attached to the safety valve 19 of the valve 10 of the cylinder 2 by the device 18.
, The cap is mounted by the cap mounting device,
It is discharged from the carry-out port 14.

It should be noted that the case where the filling amount is insufficient or the plugging is insufficient is appropriately excluded. Next, the loading device 9 and the unloading device 1
5 will be described in detail, but in the following description, the front of the carry-in and transfer direction A is referred to as the front, the rear of the carry-in and transfer direction A is referred to as the rear, and the left side toward the front of the carry-in and transfer direction A is referred to as the left. A The right side toward the front is referred to as the right side (the lateral direction perpendicular to the carry-in transfer direction A is the left-right direction). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 8, the loading device 9 includes a loading and holding unit 20 that holds the cylinder 2, a transfer unit 21 that moves the loading and holding unit 20 back and forth, and a filling device that moves the cylinder 2. And a carry-in synchronizing means 22 for setting a carry-in timing when carrying in the machine 13.

The carry-in holding means 20 comprises a movable body 23 which can be moved back and forth at a position below the cylinder transfer surface 30 of the carry-in conveyor, and a pair of left and right holding arms 24L, 24R supported by the movable body 23. Have. Sliders 25 are fixed to both left and right sides of the movable body 23, and each slider 25 is supported by a guide member 26 composed of a rod or the like arranged in the front-rear direction so as to be movable back and forth. It is free to move in any direction. The guide member 26 is disposed below the cylinder transfer surface 30 of the carry-in conveyor, and its front and rear ends are fixed to the frame 27 of the carry-in conveyor.

Base 2 of left and right holding arms 24L, 24R
4a is supported by a slider 25 so as to be rotatable around a longitudinal axis, and the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R can be opened and closed. That is, the holding arms 24L, 2
A support tube 28 having a longitudinal axis is provided on the base 24a of the 4R. The support tube 28 is fitted around a longitudinal support shaft 29 provided on the slider 25 so as to be rotatable around the axis. When the support cylinder 28 rotates around the axis of the support shaft 29, the holding arms 24L and 24R swing left and right to open and close.

The left and right holding arms 24L, 24R
Swings inward in the left-right direction and closes, so that the cylinder 2 can be sandwiched and held between the distal ends of the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R.
The cylinder 2 sandwiched between the distal ends of the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R is configured to open by swinging the L and 24R outward in the left and right direction. The left and right holding arms 24L and 24R extend upward from the base 24a, and then extend in an inclined direction that shifts upward as going forward, and extend upward from the cylinder transfer surface 30 of the carry-in conveyor. The holding portion 31 is extended to the front and extended to the extension end side, that is, to the tip end side (front side) of the holding arms 24L and 24R, so as to abut the cylinder 2 and pinch it.
Are provided so as to be tiltable around the front-rear axis.

On the inner side in the left-right direction of the holding portion 31, a tapered surface 32 is formed which expands inward in the left-right direction in plan view, and this tapered surface 32 contacts the cylinder 2. Further, the movable body 23 is provided with an opening / closing device 33 for rotating the bases 24a of the left and right holding arms 24L, 24R around the support shaft 29. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the opening / closing device 33 includes a rotating piece 35 whose middle portion is rotatably supported by a movable body 23 around a vertical support shaft 34, and a rotating piece 35.
Connecting rod 3 for connecting one end side of the support cylinder 28 to the left support cylinder 28
6L, a connecting rod 36R for connecting the other end of the rotating piece 35 to the right support cylinder 28, and a driving means 37 for rotating the rotating piece 35.

One end of each of the connecting rods 36L, 36R is pivotally connected to a rotating piece 35 via a ball joint, and the other end of each of the connecting rods 36L, 36R is fixed to the support cylinder 28 so as to project downward. The lower end of the bracket 38 is pivotally connected via a ball joint. The driving means 37 is composed of an air cylinder or the like.
The bottom side of 7A is supported by the movable body 23 via a support shaft 39 having an axis in the vertical direction so as to be rotatable around the axis.
The tip end of the cylinder rod 37B is pivotally connected to the other end of the rotating piece 35.

In the opening / closing device 33 having the above-described structure, by projecting the cylinder rod 37B, the rotating piece 35 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view of FIG. 36R is pushed outward in the left-right direction, whereby the left and right holding arms 24L, 24R swing in the closing direction. Also, as shown by arrows in FIG. 8, by retracting the cylinder rod 37B, the rotating piece 35 is rotated clockwise in the plan view of FIG. 8, and the left and right connecting rods 36L, 36R are left and right. Inward in the direction, thereby holding the left and right holding arms 24L,
24R swings in the opening direction.

Further, the left holding arm 24L, that is, the holding arm 24 on the front side in the rotation direction B of the rotary table 12 is provided.
L is configured to be bendable in the middle, and the holding portion 31
Can be retracted from the cylinder 2 so as to escape from the cylinder 2 moving in the rotation direction B of the rotary table 12 (to a position where the path of the cylinder is not obstructed). This holding arm 24L
Is mainly composed of a rear support portion 41 and a front movable portion 42, and a U-shaped bracket 43 that is open forward in a side view is fixed to a front upper end side of the support portion 41, A cylindrical body 44 having a vertical axis is provided at the rear end side of the movable portion 42.
The cylindrical body 44 is externally fitted to a support shaft 45 provided on the bracket 43 so as to be rotatable around the axis. When the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R are closed, the movable portion 42 is Are rotatable outward in the left-right direction around the vertical axis.

The movable portion 4 of the left holding arm 24L
A movable means 47 for moving the movable portion 42 is disposed on the side of (side in the left-right direction). This movable means 4
Reference numeral 7 denotes an air cylinder or the like.
The front portion of the cylinder tube 47A is rotatably supported around a vertical axis by a support 48 provided above the support portion 41, and the distal end side of the piston rod 47B is A bracket 46 is provided so as to protrude outward, and is rotatably mounted on the bracket 46 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis.

As shown by the solid lines in FIG. 4, the holding arms 24L, 2
4R retracts the piston rod 47B in the closed state of holding the cylinder 2, the left holding arm 2
The 4L movable portion 42 is rotated around the support shaft 45 outward in the left-right direction, so that the intermediate portion is bent. At this time, the movable portion 42 of the left holding arm 24L is
The held cylinder 2 is in the rotation direction B of the rotary table 12.
Evacuate to a position where it does not contact even if it moves to. Transfer means 2
1 is composed of an extrusion cylinder and a cylinder tube 2
1A is fixed to the frame 27 side of the conveyor, the distal end side of the piston rod 21B is connected to the movable body 23, and the piston rod 21B is connected to the cylinder tube 21.
By moving out of A, the movable body 23 is configured to move back and forth.

The transfer means 21 according to the present embodiment
Is configured such that the piston rod 21B is protruded by supplying compressed air to the chamber on the top side of the piston, and the piston rod 21B is retracted by supplying pressurized oil to the chamber on the rod side of the piston, When projecting the piston rod 21B, the projecting speed of the piston rod 21B is controlled by the speed at which the oil in the chamber on the rod side of the piston is drained. The carry-in synchronization means 22 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in (1), there are provided first and second detectors 50 and 51 provided on the loading device 9 side, and a detected object 52A provided on the turntable 12 side.

The first and second detectors 50 and 51 are arranged at the end side of the carry-in conveyor, are attached to the frame 27 of the carry-in conveyor, and in this embodiment, contact the detected body 52A. The first detection body 50 is disposed on the rear side in the rotation direction B of the turntable 12 and is used for starting a loading operation. 50 is the object 5 to be detected
When 2A is detected, the loading operation of the loading device 9 is started.
The second detector 51 is disposed in front of the rotation direction B and is used for detecting a normal carry-in position. When the detector 50 detects the detected object 52A, the cylinder 2 carried into the filling machine 13 is detected. Is detected to be at a regular carry-in position (a position where the filling nozzle of the filling machine 13 can be automatically connected to the filling port of the valve of the cylinder 2).

The detection object 52A includes a guide rod 55 supported on a stay 53 fixed to the rotary table 12 so as to be movable in the radial direction of the rotary table 12, and a moving means 54 such as an air cylinder attached to the stay 53. Is fixed to the distal end side of the piston rod 54a.
2A moves in the radial direction of the rotary table 12 by moving the piston rod 54a of the moving means 54 back and forth, and contacts 50a and 50a of the detection bodies 50 and 51 indicated by phantom lines in FIG.
The position can be freely changed between a contact position where the contact member 51a can be contacted and a non-contact position where the contact members 50a and 51a of the detection members 50 and 51 cannot be contacted, as indicated by solid lines in FIG.

The detection object 52A is provided for each filling machine 13. In the carrying-in synchronization means 22 having the above configuration, when the preparation for carrying in the cylinder 2 on the filling machine 13 side is completed, the detected object 52A is positioned at the contact position. When the preparation for carrying in the cylinder 2 is not ready, such as when the filling machine 13 fails, the detected object 52A is
By being located at the non-contact position, the detected object 52A
The loading operation of the cylinder 2 is not performed for the filling machine 13 corresponding to the above, and the charging operation can be performed by loading the cylinder 2 into an arbitrary filling machine 13.

The left and right holding arms 24 are in a standby state in which the holding portions 31 at the ends thereof are in a standby state until the cylinder 2 moves on the carry-in conveyor and is transferred to the carry-in device 9. Is transported between the left and right holding units 31 of the loading device 9, the left and right holding arms 24 are closed by the opening / closing device 33, and the cylinder 2 is held by the left and right holding units 31. Then, when the filling machine 13 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the detected object 52A comes into contact with the first detected object 50, and the detected object 52A is detected by the first detected object 50. In response to the detection signal of the first detection body 50, the transfer means 21 operates, the piston rod 21B protrudes, the holding arm 24 moves forward together with the movable body 23 while holding the cylinder 2, and the cylinder 2 of the filling machine 13 It is carried into the receiver 10.

Here, the position indicated by the imaginary line D in FIGS. 9 and 11 is the normal carry-in position of the cylinder 2 in the filling machine 13, and the cylinder 2 is first moved by the detection signal of the first detector 50. 11, ie, a position slightly forward of the rotation direction B of the turntable 12 than the regular carry-in position D. Then, when the filling machine 13 moves in the direction of arrow B and the cylinder 2 coincides with the regular carry-in position D, the detected object 52A comes into contact with the second detection body 51, and the second detection When the detection target 52A is detected by the body 51, the detection signal of the second detection body 51
The opening / closing device 33 is actuated, the holding arms 24L and 24R are opened, the holding portion 31 is separated from the cylinder 2 (the holding of the cylinder 2 by the holding portion 31 is released), and the cylinder 2 is placed at the regular carry-in position D. At the same time, the cylinder 2 is gripped by the gripping arm 11 of the filling machine 13.

At this time, simultaneously with or before the holding arms 24L and 24R are opened, or before the holding arms 24L and 24R are opened, the movable means 47 is operated to move the movable portion 42 of the left holding arm 24L to the support shaft 45. The left holding arm 24L is bent outward from the middle part, and the holding portion 31 of the left holding arm 24L is
3. Retract so as to escape from the cylinder 2 that moves together with the cylinder 3 (the holding section 31 of the left holding arm 24L retracts to a position where the cylinder 2 does not come into contact even if the cylinder 2 moves in the direction of arrow B).

When the cylinder 2 is released from being held by the holding section 31, the holding means 24L, 24R are transferred by the transfer means 21.
Is returned to the original position (moves backward). After carrying the cylinder 2 into the filling machine 13, the left holding arm 2
When 4L bends from the middle, the left holding arm 24
Since the holding portion 31 of L does not hinder the advance of the cylinder 2, the left and right holding arms 24L, 24R are kept open after returning to the original position or returning to the original position. (The left and right holding arms 24L, 2
If the cylinder 2 to be carried in next is sent to the carry-in device 9 before the 4R returns to the original position, the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R are returned to the original position. , Configured to be open).

As described above, the left holding arm 24
L, that is, the holding arm 24L on the front side in the rotation direction B of the turntable 12 is bent from the middle, so that the holding portion 31 of the holding arm 24L turns the entire holding arm 24L around the support shaft 29. Moved to hold section 31
Is retracted more quickly than the cylinder 2 is retracted from the cylinder 2, so that even if the rotation speed of the turntable 12 is increased, it is possible to sufficiently cope with the problem. Also, the cylinder 2 is installed in the loading device 9.
When the loading device 9 is not ready, such as when the object is not transferred, the detection signal is controlled even if the object 52A comes into contact with the first and second detectors 50 and 51. It is configured not to be sent to the device.

After the cylinder 2 is loaded into the filling machine 13, the detected object 52A corresponding to the filling machine 13 retreats to the non-contact position. In the carrying-in device 9 having the above-described configuration, the detection target 52A is detected by the first detection target 50, and the detection signal of the first detection target 50 detects the holding arm 24A.
L, 24R cylinder loading operation is started, and the holding arm 2
Since the carrying-in operation of the cylinders of 4L and 24R is performed by the transfer means 21, the rotation table 1 can be used as in the conventional case.
As compared with the configuration in which the holding arm is pulled by the rotation force of 2, the load for drawing the holding arms 24L and 24R does not act on the rotary table 12, the rotation of the rotary table 12 becomes smooth, and This does not affect the weighing accuracy and also improves the durability.

Since the holding arms 24L and 24R are not drawn by the rotational force of the rotary table 12, the loading operation of the holding arms 24L and 24R can be accelerated, and the loading operation cycle can be shortened. Further, the cylinder 2 is carried in a position slightly ahead of the regular carrying position D in the rotation direction B of the turntable 12 by the detection signal of the first detector 50, and the cylinder 2 is carried by the detection signal of the second detector 51. When it is recognized that the cylinder 2 matches the regular carry-in position D, the holding of the cylinder 2 by the holding portion 31 is released. Therefore, even if the speed of the turntable 12 is increased, the cylinder 2 can be securely moved. It can be loaded into the regular loading position D of the filling machine 13.

On the other hand, the cylinder 2 carried into the filling machine 13 on the rotating table 12 is filled by the filling machine 13 while the rotating table 12 rotates, and is carried out of the filling machine 13 by the carrying-out device 15. As shown in FIG. 3, the unloading device 15 has substantially the same configuration as the loading device 9.
An unloading and holding means 57 for holding the cylinder 2, a transfer means 58 for moving the unloading and holding means 57 back and forth, and an unloading synchronization means 56 (see FIG. 9) for unloading timing when unloading the cylinder 2 from the filling machine 13. It has.

The unloading and holding means 57 of the unloading device 15 corresponds to the loading and holding means 20 of the loading device 9, the transfer means 58 of the unloading device 15 corresponds to the transfer means 21 of the loading device 9, and the unloading synchronization means of the unloading device 15. Is the carry-in synchronization means 22 of the carry-in device 9
3 and FIG. 1 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the main differences from the loading device 9 are as follows.
The right holding arm 24R, that is, the holding arm 24R on the rear side in the rotation direction B of the turntable 12 is configured to be bent from the middle so that the holding portion 31 is retracted outward in the left-right direction. Detected body 52 of unloading device 15
B is the detected object 52 of the loading device 9 as shown in FIG.
A, and the first and second
The first and second detectors 59 and 60 of the unloading device 15 (see FIG. 9) are configured so as not to come into contact with the detecting members 50 and 51 of the loading device 9. Detectors 50, 5
1 and is configured so as not to come into contact with the detected object 52A of the loading device 9, the first detecting member 59 of the unloading device 15 is used for starting the unloading operation,
The second detector 60 is used for detecting a carry-out position.

When the filling of the gas into the cylinder 2 by the filling machine 13 is completed, the detected object 52B of the unloading device 15 projects to the contact position. Then, the rotary table 12 is rotated and the filled cylinder 2 is removed from the unloading device 1.
5, the detected object 52B first comes into contact with the first detected object 59, and when the first detected object 59 detects the detected object 52B, the transfer means 58 is activated by the detection signal. , Opened in advance and the right holding arm 24
The left and right holding arms 24L and 24R whose R is bent as shown by the solid line in FIG. 12 are moved onto the rotary table 12 (the holding section 31 advances to the filling machine 13).

The right and left holding arms 24L and 24R may be moved onto the rotary table 12 in a closed state and the right holding arm 24R is in a bent state. At this time, the left and right holding arms 24L,
24R is a discharge position F (a position where the filled cylinder 2 is taken out from the filling machine 13 by holding the cylinder 2 by the holding arms 24L and 24R or a holding portion 31 of the left and right holding arms, indicated by a solid line in FIG. When the cylinder 2 is positioned at a position G slightly behind the rotation direction B of the rotation table 12 at a position where the cylinder 2 can be satisfactorily held, the cylinder 2 is moved onto the rotation table 12 and the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R are It is on standby until the cylinder 2 reaches the carry-out position F.

Since the right holding arm 24R is in a bent state, before the cylinder 2 reaches the unloading position F,
First, even if the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R move onto the rotary table 12, the holding portion 31 of the right holding arm 24R does not contact the cylinder 2. When the cylinder 2 comes to the carry-out position F, the detected object 52B comes into contact with the second detection object 60, and the second detection object 60 detects the detected object 52B. Then, the second detector 60
, The movable means 47 and the opening / closing device 33 are operated, the movable portion 42 of the right holding arm 24R is rotated inward in the left-right direction, and the left and right holding arms 24L, 24L,
When the cylinder 24 is closed and the cylinder 2 is clamped, and the left and right holding parts 31 hold the cylinder 2, the transfer means 58 is operated, and the left and right holding arms 24L and 24R are moved backward and returned to the original position. Thereby, the cylinder 2 is taken out (conveyed) from the filling machine 13.

Thereafter, the left and right holding arms 24L, 24R
Is opened to release the holding of the cylinder 2 and is transferred to the carry-out port 14 by the carry-out conveyor. In the unloading device 15 having the above-described configuration, the detection target 52B is detected by the first detection target 59, and the rotation table 1 of the holding arms 24L and 24R is detected by the detection signal of the first detection target 59.
2 is started, and the holding arms 24L, 2
The movement of the 4R to the turntable 12 side is performed by the transfer means 58.
Therefore, a load for attracting the holding arms 24L and 24R to the rotary table 12 is greater than that of the conventional configuration in which the holding arm is attracted by the rotating force of the rotary table 12. Without this, the rotation of the turntable 12 becomes smooth, so that the measurement accuracy is not affected by the hiccups and the like, and the durability is improved.

Since the holding arms 24L and 24R are not drawn by the rotational force of the rotary table 12, the unloading operation of the holding arms 24L and 24R can be accelerated, and the unloading operation cycle can be shortened. Further, before the cylinder 2 reaches the carry-out position F, the holding arms 24L, 24L are detected by the detection signal of the first detection body 59.
R is moved to the turntable 12 to stand by, and when the cylinder 2 comes to the unloading position F, the cylinder 2 is moved by the detection signal of the second detector 60 to the left and right holding arms 24L, 24R.
And the holding arms 24L and 24R are retracted, so that even if the rotation speed of the turntable 12 is increased, the cylinder 2 can be reliably held without delaying the rotation speed (the cylinder 2 is Can be removed from the filling machine 13).

In the high-pressure gas filling system 1 having the above-described configuration, the rotary table 12 is enlarged by configuring the carry-in device 9 and the carry-out device 15 as described above.
3, the rotation table 12 can be further speeded up, and even if the operation cycle of the carry-in device 9 and the carry-out device 15 is made faster, it is possible to sufficiently cope with the problem and to speed up the automatic gas filling process of the cylinder 2. Can be provided. Further, the present invention is not limited to being adopted in the high-pressure gas filling apparatus in the above embodiment, but may be adopted in other fluid filling systems for filling a container with a fluid.

In the present embodiment, the filling machine 13
The rotary table 1 which is set on the rotary table 12
2, the cylinder 2 is loaded into the filling machine 13 which moves in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction and in a linear direction, or
May be employed in a high-pressure gas filling system configured to carry out the gas.

[0059]

According to the present invention, there is provided a filling machine in which a container is sandwiched between left and right holding portions and left and right holding arms are moved forward to move the container in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Since the holding arm of the holding arm positioned at the front side in the moving direction of the filling machine is bent at the time of loading, the holding portion of the holding arm is configured to be retracted so as to escape from the container moving with the filling machine. Since the holding portion of the holding arm positioned on the front side in the moving direction of the filling machine does not hinder the progress of the container moving with the filling machine, the container moving with the filling machine after the loading of the container is positioned on the front side in the moving direction. It does not come into contact with the holding part of the holding arm, and can respond to the high moving speed of the filling machine, which can not be handled only by opening the left and right holding arms as in the past, It is possible to provide a fluid-filled system that.

Further, when the left and right holding arms are moved forward and the holding units provided at the front side of each holding arm advance to the filling machine moving in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction. Since the middle part of the holding arm located on the rear side in the moving direction of the filling machine is bent, the holding part of the holding arm is retracted to a position where it does not come into contact with the container moving with the filling machine. It is possible to advance the holding unit first and wait for it to come to the unloading position, and even if the filling machine is moved at a high speed, the container can be reliably clamped by the holding unit. Thus, it is possible to provide a fluid filling system which can cope with a high moving speed of the filling machine, which cannot be coped with only by the opening operation of the holding arm, and can cope with high speed.

The left and right holding arms are swingably supported so that the left and right holding portions can pinch the container from the left and right sides or retract the left and right holding portions from the container to the left and right sides. By providing a transfer means for moving the holding arm back and forth below the transfer surface of the container,
At the time of loading, the container can be moved between the holding arms by moving the container forward, or at the time of unloading, by moving the container backward, the container can be discharged backward from between the holding arms, and the container can be continuously connected. It is convenient to carry it in and out.

Further, the holding arm is provided with a supporting portion on the rear side,
A movable portion on the front side rotatably supported by the support portion, and the holding arm is bent by rotating the movable portion with an air cylinder. Can be operated quickly,
Can respond to high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a loading device.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a high-pressure gas filling system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a carry-in device and a carry-out device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrying-in holding means.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the carrying-in holding means as viewed from the left side.

FIG. 6 is a side view as seen from the right side of the carrying-in holding means.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the carrying-in holding unit.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a holding arm opening / closing device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a carrying-in synchronization unit and the like.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a carrying-in synchronization unit and the like.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a relationship between a position at which a cylinder is carried in by a carrying-in device and a regular carry-in position of a filling machine.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the unloading device.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a relationship between a carry-out position of the cylinder and a position of the cylinder when the holding unit advances to the filling machine.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a conventional loading device.

FIG. 15 is a side view of a conventional loading device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High-pressure gas filling system 2 Cylinder (container) 9 Carry-in device 12 Rotary table 13 Filling machine 24 Holding arm 31 Holding part 41 Supporting part 42 Movable part 47 Air cylinder (Movable means) X Center axis

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A filling machine for filling a container with a fluid, and a carrying-in device for carrying the container into the filling machine, wherein the carrying-in device comprises:
By providing a pair of left and right holding arms that are movable in the front-rear direction, by moving the holding arms forward while holding the container by holding portions provided on the front side of each holding arm,
In a fluid filling system configured to carry a container into a filling machine moving in a direction intersecting in the front-rear direction in a horizontal plane, when the container is carried into the filling machine, the container moves forward in the moving direction of the filling machine. A fluid filling system, wherein a middle part of a holding arm that is positioned is bent to retract a holding part of the holding arm so as to escape from a container that moves with the filling machine. 2. A filling machine for filling a container with a fluid, and an unloading device for unloading the container from the filling machine. The unloading device includes a pair of left and right holding arms that are movable in the front-rear direction. Move the holding arms forward to advance the holding units provided on the front side of each holding arm with respect to the filling machine moving in the direction intersecting the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane, and the container is moved by the left and right holding units. In the fluid filling system configured to take out the container from the filling machine by moving the holding arm backward after being nipped, when the holding portion advances to the filling machine, the fluid filling system is positioned rearward in the moving direction of the filling machine. A fluid filling system, wherein the holding portion of the holding arm is retracted to a position where the holding portion of the holding arm does not come into contact with a container that moves together with the filling machine by bending a middle portion of the holding arm. . 3. The left and right holding arms are swingably supported such that the left and right holding portions can clamp the container from the left and right sides or retract the left and right holding portions from the container to the left and right sides. The fluid filling system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a transfer means for moving the holding arm back and forth is provided below the transfer surface of the container. 4. A holding arm comprising a rear support portion and a front movable portion rotatably supported by the support portion, wherein the movable portion is rotated by an air cylinder. The fluid filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding arm is configured to be bent. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of filling machines are provided on a rotary table which rotates about a vertical center axis, and the filling machines are moved in a rotational direction together with the rotary table. The fluid filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.