JP2002347729A - Method for attaching suspending-label and device for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attach a group of suspending-labels to a unit of a plurality of bottles 90 on a feeding conveyor 11, respectively, in a suspending-label attaching device which includes label holders 61 each reciprocating between a label stock portion 3 for groups of suspending-labels 4 and 4 and a label attaching station 31 on the feeding conveyor 11, and fits and attaches the suspending labels 4 and 4 taken out of the label stock portion 3 by the label holder 61, on the outside of bottles 90 fed by the feeding conveyor 11 in the label attaching station 31, from above. SOLUTION: The flow of bottles are stemed in line at a bottle gate position 83 positioned on the downstream side of a bottle feeding direction in the label attaching station 31 and the suspending-labels 4 and 4 stocked in the label stock portion 3 are attached to a plurality of the bottles 90 stemed in line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for attaching a hanging label to a neck portion following a mouth of a bottle filled with soy sauce or drinking water in a suspended state, and an apparatus for implementing the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device for mounting a hanging label of this kind,
There is an invention of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-067366 already proposed. The hanging label mounting device includes a label holder that holds a plurality of hanging labels separately.

In this case, a plurality of bottles of soy sauce or the like are filled in a corrugated cardboard case which is opened upward, and thereafter, the label holder is opposed to these bottles from above. And
By lowering the label holder, hanging holes respectively formed in the plurality of hanging labels held by the label holder are externally fitted to the neck of each bottle in the cardboard case.

[0004] However, in the above-described conventional apparatus, if a mounting error occurs in which the hanging label is not mounted on a specific bottle in the cardboard case, it is necessary to manually remount the hanging label on this bottle. This operation is troublesome because it is necessary to insert an operator's hand between the bottles in the cardboard case having a small gap. As a method for solving such a problem, a method in which a hanging label is hung in advance on the neck of the bottle, and then the bottle is filled in a cardboard case can be adopted.

More specifically, a label holder is provided for reciprocatingly moving between an upper region of a transport conveyor for transporting bottles in a line and a label stock section, and the label holder is used to suspend one label from the label stock section. Take out the unit and attach it one by one to the bottles on the conveyor.

[0006] However, as described above, when the method of attaching the hanging labels to the bottles conveyed in a line on the conveyor is adopted, the label mounting station on the conveyor (the hanging labels are attached to the bottles). (When wearing)
It is necessary to make one round trip of the label holder between the label loading station and the label stock unit within a short time from the arrival of a specific bottle to the arrival of the next bottle. Therefore, assuming that the reciprocating speed of the label holder is constant, the speed of the transport conveyor is set to be slower than in the case where the hanging labels are attached to the bottles on the transport conveyor in units of a plurality of bottles. Therefore, there is a problem that the processing speed is reduced.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has been made in consideration of a problem that a "label stocking section for stocking a group of hanging labels and a label mounting station in a running area of a continuously moving transport conveyor". A label holder which reciprocates between the labels, the hanging labels taken out of the label stock section by the label holder, and the label mounting station is moved from the top to the upright bottle which is conveyed in a line by the conveyor. The hanging label mounting device for external fitting "enables the hanging labels to be mounted on multiple bottles collectively for multiple bottles on the transport conveyor, thereby speeding up processing. The task is to be able to achieve

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems [1] "The bottles on the transport conveyor are damped in a line by entering a bottle damming position located at the downstream end in the bottle transport direction at the label mounting station. A stopper for stopping is provided, and the label stock unit is configured to stock the hanging labels in a line at a pitch equal to an alignment pitch of the blocked bottles, and the label holder is attached to the label stock unit. It is provided with a plurality of individual holders for holding the respective hanging labels arranged in a row in a state where they are arranged in the row, and the label holder holding each of the hanging labels is separated from the label stock part by the label stocker. Holder transfer means which is blocked at the mounting station and transfers the bottles above each bottle is provided, and the label holder transferred above each bottle is provided with Holder lowering control means for externally fitting the hanging labels held on the bottles to the bottles from above, and the bottles with the hanging labels passing through the damming position. Stopper control means for retracting the stopper from the damming position until the operation is completed is provided. "

The above technical means works as follows. The transport conveyor is always in a running state, and in this state, when the stopper enters a blocking position set in the bottle transport area, the bottles are blocked by the stopper in a state where the bottles overlap in the transport direction.

On the other hand, the hanging labels are stocked in the label stock portion in a state where they are arranged in a line at a pitch equal to the arrangement pitch of the blocked bottles, and the hanging labels are maintained in the line. Each of the hanging labels is separately held by each individual holder of the label holder while keeping the hanging labels.

Next, the label holder is transferred by the holder transfer means to an upper region of the bottle at the label mounting portion on the transport conveyor. Thereafter, the hanging labels are externally fitted to the respective bottles on the conveyed conveyor confined from above by lowering the label holder. Thereby, the hanging labels can be collectively attached to the bottle on the conveyor in plural units.

Thereafter, when the stopper attached to the hanging label is retracted from the damming position until the bottle having the hanging label has passed through the damming position, the bottle attached to the hanging label is conveyed downstream by the conveyor. Is done.

[0013] [2] The method according to the above [1], wherein the hanging label is not attached to the bottle at the defective product monitoring position downstream of the damming position on the transport conveyor. An inspection sensor that outputs a defective product signal when detecting that a defective product is provided, and a defective product removing unit that removes the defective product from the transport conveyor in response to the defective product signal is provided. ” If a mounting error of the hanging label occurs at the position, when the bottle related to the mounting error is transported to the defective product monitoring position, a defective product signal is output from the inspection sensor that detects the defective product. Then, the defective product removing means operates in response to the defective product signal, and the defective product is removed from the transport conveyor. Therefore, only non-defective products having the hanging label attached thereto are supplied downstream of the defective product monitoring position on the transport conveyor.

[3] In the item [2], the statement "the defective product removing means is a pusher for pushing out the body of the bottle to be conveyed in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction" is not described above. In response to the non-defective signal, the pusher pushes a defective product (a bottle without a hanging label) out of the conveyor and removes it.

[4] According to the invention of the above item 1, "the bottles conveyed in a line by the conveyance conveyor are dammed, so that the bottles are arranged in a line so as to sequentially overlap in the conveyance direction. The plurality of hanging labels stocked in the label stock section in a state where they are arranged in a line at the same pitch as the alignment pitch of each blocked bottle, with a label holder while maintaining the state of being arranged in the line. Holding, moving the label holder to the position of each blocked bottle, and attaching the hanging label to each bottle from above from outside ".

[0016]

The present invention has the following specific effects. Hanging labels can be attached to each bottle conveyed on the conveyor on multiple units at a time, so the processing speed is faster than attaching hanging labels one by one to bottles conveyed on the conveyor. Can be achieved. In the case of the item (2), a defective product in which the hanging label is not mounted due to a mounting error can be removed from the transport conveyor.

[0017]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a hanging label mounting device illustrating an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view thereof.

A conveyor for transporting the bottle (90) in an upright state.
Above (11), fall prevention rails (12) and (12) arranged so as to sandwich the body of the bottle (90) are arranged side by side,
A label conveyor (50) provided in the label stock section (3) on both sides of the transport conveyor (11) stores a large number of hanging labels (4) and (4) in a state of being stacked vertically. 5) (5) is placed. And each label cassette
(5) includes four compartments (54) (5
4) The groups are formed in two rows. Below the cassette conveyor (50), the hanging labels (4) (4) in a stacked state are lifted and lifted through through holes (53) (53) formed in the bottom wall of the label cassette (5). A lift (52) for adjusting the height is provided so that the upper hanging label (4) substantially coincides with the upper end of the label cassette (5).

A discharge conveyor (51) for discharging empty label cassettes (5) (5) is provided near the cassette conveyor (50). The changed label cassettes (5) and (5) are transferred to a discharge conveyor (51) by a transfer device (not shown).

A traveling body (61) reciprocating in an upper area between the label mounting section (31) and the label stock section (3) in the traveling area of the transport conveyor (11) is provided. Vehicle (6
The rails (2) provided horizontally on the top of the frame (2)
The vehicle is guided by 1). In this embodiment, the rail (21) and the traveling body (61) guided and moved by the rail (21) move the label holder, which is a collection of the individual holders (6) and (6) described later, as described above. Corresponding to

The traveling body (61) includes a label cassette.
The same number (8) as the label storage portions (54) and (54) formed in (5)
Individual holders (6) and (6) are provided, and the conveyor (1)
The individual holders (6) and (6) in a row of four parallel to (1) correspond to the label holder described above. This allows each individual holder
In (6) and (6), the hanging labels (4) and (4) in the label cassette (5) can be separately taken out. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, these individual holders (6) and (6) are provided with the upper sheet portion (41) of the hanging label (4) and a laterally bent downward from one side thereof. An upper suction head (72) (72) and a side suction head (71) for separately sucking the sheet portion (42) are provided.
The side suction head (71) and the upper suction heads (72), (72) are suction pipes (62) whose protruding length from the traveling body (61) changes.
(63) and connected to the lower end of the suction pipe (62).
(63) is connected to the vacuum device (60) (see FIG. 3). Therefore, by operating the vacuum device (60), the inside of the side suction head (71) and the inside of the upper suction head (72) can be brought into a negative pressure state.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hanging label (4)
The upper sheet portion (41) is formed with an engagement hole (44) for externally fitting to the neck below the mouth of the bottle (90).
At the periphery of (44), retaining tongue pieces (45) (45) protrude.
Also, a horizontal seat portion connected to one side of the upper seat portion (41)
(42) is folded upward at the lower end and glued on the upper side, and the article on the inner surface can be read when the glued portion is peeled off. Also hanging label
(4) is stacked on the label cassettes (5) and (5) in a state of being folded in two at the boundary between the upper sheet part (41) and the horizontal sheet part (42).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, above the label mounting portion (31) of the conveyor (11), the transfer area of the bottles (90) and (90) by the conveyor (11). Off standby position
A stopper (81) that moves from (82) to the damming position (83) is provided, and when the stopper (81) is moved to the damming position (83), it is conveyed by the conveyance conveyor (11). Bottle (9
0) and (90) are blocked by the stopper (81) in a state where they are arranged in a line.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the conveyor (1
The defective product monitoring position (2) downstream of the damming position (83) in (1)
In (4), a pusher (26) for pushing out defective products without the hanging label (4) attached to the bottle (90) from the above-mentioned conveyor (11) to the defective product table (25) on the side thereof is provided. Have been.
Then, the pusher (26) advances in response to a defective product signal from the inspection sensor (29) disposed above the defective product monitoring position (24), whereby the hanging label (4) Jars (90) that are not installed from the conveyor (11) to the defective table
(25) They are pushed up. For this reason, the inspection sensor (29) has a cap that covers the opening at the upper end of the bottle (90).
A bottle sensor (27) for monitoring the presence or absence of a bottle (90) by detecting reflected light of a light beam applied to the top surface of (91), and the bottle sensor (27)
A label sensor (28) is provided for detecting the presence or absence of a hanging label (4) attached to the bottle (90) when the presence of (0) is detected. And when the bottle sensor (27) detects the bottle (90),
Specifically, when the label sensor (28) does not detect the hanging label (4) when detecting the reflected light from the top surface of the cap (91), a defective product signal is output from the label sensor (28). The pusher (26) advances by the defective signal and the bottle (9
0) is pushed out onto the defective table (25).

Next, the operation of the label mounting apparatus will be described. As shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, the traveling body (61) including the individual holders (6) and (6) is located above the label cassette (5) in which the hanging labels (4) and (4) are stored. Along with
In this state, the suction pipes (6
3) (63) extends downward from the traveling body (61), whereby the hanging labels (4) (4) (upper) accommodated in the label accommodating portions (54) (54) of the label cassette (5). Seat (41) and side seat (42)
The upper suction heads (72) and (72) are pressed against the upper sheet portion (41) so that the upper suction portions (41) overlap each other. In this state, the suction pipe (63) is operated by the operation of the vacuum device (60).
When the inside of (63) becomes negative pressure, the upper suction head at this tip
(72) (72) adsorbs the upper sheet portion (41), and in this adsorbed state, the suction pipes (63) and (63) rise, whereby the upper sheet portion (41)
Rises while being sucked by the upper suction heads (72), (72). Then, the horizontal sheet portion (42) of the hanging label (4) hangs down by its own weight, and at this time, the side suction head (71) moves the suction pipe to the position facing the horizontal sheet portion (42). (62), and as a result, the horizontal seat part (4
2) is sucked by the side suction head (71) (the inside of which is in a negative pressure state by the operation of the vacuum device (60)). Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a hanging label bent in an L-shape.
(4) is held by the side suction head (71) and the upper suction heads (72), (72). In this manner, four hanging labels (4) are arranged in a row from each label accommodating portion (54) (54) of the label cassette (5).
(4) is sucked and held by the individual holders (6) and (6) in two rows.

On the other hand, as shown by the arrow at the right end in FIG. 1, bottles (90) and (90) are supplied at predetermined intervals to the upstream end of the conveyor (11). The bottles (90) are blocked in a line by a stopper (81) that advances to a blocking position (83) on the conveyor (11).

In this state, by operating a motor (not shown) provided on the traveling body (61), the traveling body (61) travels along the rail (21). Thereby, the engaging holes (44) (44) of the four hanging labels (4) (4) held by the four individual holders (6) (6) belonging to one row are moved to the transport conveyor ( 11) The caps (91) and (91) of the four bottles (90) and (90) blocked above are individually opposed from above. When the suction pipes (63), (63), (62), and (62) are lowered from the traveling body (61) in this state, the engagement holes (44) and (44) are closed by the cap of the bottle (90).
It fits over the neck (93) following (91) and is in a suspended state. still,
In the present embodiment, the suction pipes (63), (63), (62), and (62) are used to externally fit the engagement hole (44) of the label (4) with the neck (93) of the bottle (90).
The control device (not shown) for lowering the vehicle from the traveling body (61) corresponds to the “holder lowering control means” described as the item 1 of the invention described above.

Thereafter, when the negative pressure state in the suction pipes (62), (62), (63) and (63) is released, the horizontal sheet portion of the hanging label (4) is released.
The suction force of the side suction head (71) and the upper suction head (72) with respect to (42) and the upper sheet portion (41) disappears, and then the suction pipes (62), (63), (63) are raised.

Thereafter, when the stopper (81) is retracted to the standby position (82), the four conveyor bottles (4) on which the hanging labels (4) and (4) are hung by the transport conveyor (11) which is always running. 90)
(90) is transported downstream. Next, when the stopper (81) advances again to the blocking position (83) and the four bottles (90) (90) are blocked on the transport conveyor (11), the four hanging labels (4 ) (4) are held in a row, and the other four individual holders (6) (6) are moved above the bottles (90) (90), and the hanging labels (4 ) (4) is attached to bottles (90) and (90). In the present embodiment, the functional unit in the control device (not shown) for controlling the operation of reciprocating the stopper (81) between the standby position (82) and the damming position (83) is the invention described in the above-mentioned item 1. This corresponds to “stopper control means” described as a specific matter.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the bottles (90) (90) supplied from the upstream at predetermined intervals are grouped in units of four and the hanging labels (4) (4) ) Can be installed. Therefore, assuming that the reciprocating movement speed of the traveling body (61) is constant, the hanging labels per unit time are compared with the case where the hanging labels (4) are attached to the bottles (90) one by one.
Since the number of attachments of (4) increases and the speed of the transport conveyor (11) can be increased, the processing speed increases.

The bottles (90) and (90) having the hanging labels (4) and (4) mounted on the label mounting section (31) are positioned at the downstream defective product monitoring position (24).
Then, the bottle sensor (27) of the pusher (26) detects the cap (91), and the label sensor (28) detects the presence or absence of the hanging label (4) at this time. And when the hanging label (4) is not attached to the bottle (90), a defective product signal is output from the label sensor (28),
The pusher (26) advances in response to the defective product signal, whereby the bottle (90) is pushed out onto the defective product table (25) by the pusher (26).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a label mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the label mounting device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state where a hanging label (4) is sucked by a side suction head (71) and an upper suction head (72).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a hanging label (4).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bottle (90) to which a hanging label (4) is attached.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a defective product monitoring position (24).

[Explanation of symbols]

 (3) Label stock part (4) Hanging label (6) Individual holder (26) Pusher (29) Inspection sensor (31) Label attachment Station (81) ・ ・ ・ Stopper

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Oka 563 Hinodecho, Haramachi-shi, Fukushima F-term in IES Co., Ltd. (reference) 3E095 AA07 BA01 DA02 DA36 DA44 DA82 EA02 EA09 EA13 EA23 EA33 FA02 FA25

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A label holder which reciprocates between a label stock section for stocking a group of suspended labels and a label mounting station in a traveling area of a continuously traveling conveyor, wherein the label stock section is moved by the label holder. The hanging label taken out from the above, the label mounting station is externally mounted from above on the upright bottle which is transported in a line by the conveyor, the label mounting station, the bottle in the label mounting station A stopper for blocking the bottles on the transport conveyor in a line by entering a bottle blocking position located at the downstream end in the transport direction is provided, and the label stock unit is provided with an alignment pitch of each of the blocked bottles. The hanging labels are stocked in a line at a pitch equal to The holder includes a plurality of individual holders that individually hold the hanging labels arranged in a line on the label stock unit in a state of being arranged in the line, and a label holder holding the hanging labels. A holder transfer means which is stopped at the label loading station from the label stock unit and transfers the label holders above the respective bottles, and holds the label holders transferred above the respective bottles by lowering them. Holder descent control means for externally mounting each of the hanging labels to each of the bottles from above, and each of the bottles having the hanging labels attached from the damming position until the bottle has passed through the damming position. A hanging label mounting device provided with stopper control means for retracting the stopper. 2. The hanging label mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the defective label monitoring position on the downstream side of the damming position on the conveyor is the hanging label with respect to the bottle. An inspection sensor that outputs a defective product signal when detecting that the product is not mounted, and a defective product removing unit that removes the defective product from the transport conveyor in response to the defective product signal are provided. Hanging label mounting device. 3. The hanging label mounting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said defective product removing means is a pusher for pushing out a body of said bottle to be conveyed in a direction intersecting said conveying direction. Hanging label mounting device. 4. The bottles conveyed in a line by a conveyor are interlocked so that the bottles are aligned in a line so as to sequentially overlap in the conveying direction, and the same pitch as the alignment pitch of the bottles interlocked is provided. A plurality of hanging labels stocked in the label stock section in a state of being arranged in a line at a pitch are held by a label holder while maintaining the state of being arranged in the line, and the label holder is blocked by the dam A method of mounting a hanging label, wherein the hanging label is moved to the position of each bottle, and the hanging label is externally fitted to each bottle from above.