JP2003095419A - Screw device and container conveyor therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a screw device capable of coping with high speeds at which containers are conveyed, being simple in structure, and reducing noise during operation, and a container conveyor therewith. SOLUTION: The screw device 3, which forms regular intervals between a plurality of containers 1 conveyed by a conveyor 2, includes a regular interval forming part 5 having a helical recess 7 for engagement with a side face of the container 1 and forming regular intervals between adjacent containers 1 ; and a container guiding part 6 which has, on the side downstream of the regular interval forming part 5, an outside diameter that gradually increases in the advancing direction of the containers 1 from the diameter of the valley of a spiral recess 4 in the regular interval forming part 5, the container guiding part guiding each container 1 to a radially outward position from the bottom 4a of the valley of the regular interval forming part 5 by engaging a side face of each container 1 for which the regular intervals are formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a screw device for forming constant intervals on a plurality of containers conveyed by a conveyor, and a screw device for adsorbing a container whose constant intervals are formed by a screw device. The present invention relates to a container transfer device equipped with a star wheel device for transferring along an upper transfer path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a container transfer device in which a plurality of containers transferred by a conveyor are supplied to a star wheel device after forming constant intervals by a screw device and are transferred on the circumference by the star wheel device. The star wheel device includes a star wheel having a plurality of pockets into which a container is fitted on the circumference, and a suction cup provided in each pocket to suck a side surface (body portion) of the container. In a conventional container transporter, a pusher is attached to the piston rod of the air cylinder just downstream of the screw device to push the container with a constant interval formed by the screw device into the suction cup to adsorb it. A mold pressing device is installed. The pusher pushes the container with a predetermined stroke by an air cylinder and presses the container against the suction cup of the star wheel device.

[0003]

However, in the air cylinder type container pressing device described above, the container is pressed against the suction cup of the star wheel device by reciprocating the pusher once with a predetermined stroke. Cannot be pressed against the suction cup side at a high speed, and there is a problem that it cannot cope with an increase in container transport speed. Further, in the above container pressing device, when the container reaches the front surface of the container pressing device, the container is pressed against the star wheel device side at the same timing, so a control mechanism for timing the pusher protrusion is necessary. Therefore, there is a problem that the device structure is complicated and the device cost increases. There is also a problem that noise is generated when the pusher comes into contact with the container.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is capable of coping with speeding up of container transportation, has a simple device structure, and produces little noise during operation, and the screw device. An object of the present invention is to provide a container transporting device including the.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the screw device of the present invention is a screw device for forming a constant interval between a plurality of containers conveyed by a conveyor, and a screw device is provided on a side surface of the container. A constant interval forming part that has a spiral concave part that engages and forms a constant interval between adjacent containers, and gradually increases from the diameter of the valley of the spiral concave part in the constant interval forming part in the traveling direction of the container. Has an outer diameter on the downstream side of the constant interval forming part, and engages with the side surface of the container in which the constant interval is formed to guide the container to a position radially outward from the valley bottom of the constant interval forming part. And a container guide portion for performing the operation.

According to the present invention, the container guide portion has an outer diameter that gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container from the diameter of the valley of the spiral recess in the constant interval forming portion. That is, the container guide portion has a substantially conical guide surface whose outer diameter gradually increases toward the direction of travel of the container. The container guide portion engages with the side surface of the container conveyed by the conveyor after the constant interval is formed, and guides the container to a position radially outward from the valley bottom of the constant interval forming portion. When the container advances to the downstream end of the container guide by the conveyor, the container is guided outward in the radial direction by a predetermined distance from when the container advances in the constant interval forming part.

Another aspect of the screw device of the present invention is a screw device for forming a constant interval between a plurality of containers conveyed by a conveyor, which has spiral recesses that engage with side surfaces of the containers and are adjacent to each other. A constant interval forming portion that forms a constant interval between the containers, and a spiral concave portion having a valley diameter that gradually increases from the diameter of the valley of the spiral concave portion in the constant interval forming portion toward the traveling direction of the container. A container guide portion that is provided on the downstream side of the constant interval forming portion and that engages with a side surface of the container in which the constant interval forming portion is formed and guides the container to a position radially outward from a valley bottom in the constant interval forming portion. It is characterized by having.

According to the present invention, the container guide portion has a spiral concave portion having a diameter of a valley that gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container from the diameter of the spiral concave portion in the constant interval forming portion. ing. That is, the container guide portion has a spiral recess in which the diameter of the valley gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container. The container guide portion engages with the side surface of the container conveyed by the conveyor after the constant interval is formed, and guides the container to a position radially outward from the valley bottom of the constant interval forming portion. When the container advances to the downstream end of the container guide by the conveyor, the container is guided outward in the radial direction by a predetermined distance from when the container advances in the constant interval forming part.

Further, the container conveying device of the present invention is a star wheel device provided with a suction portion for sucking a side surface of the container into a plurality of pockets into which the container is fitted, adjacent to the screw device according to claim 1 or 2. The screw device presses the container against the suction part of the star wheel device by the container guide part.

According to the present invention, by pressing the container against the suction part of the star wheel device by the above-mentioned container guide part, the container can be securely sucked by the suction part without separately providing a container pressing device.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a screw device and a container carrying device equipped with the screw device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the basic configuration of a container carrying device equipped with a screw device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a container 1 such as a bottle is conveyed upright by a conveyor 2. A screw device 3 extending along the transfer surface of the transfer conveyor 2 is installed above the transfer conveyor 2. The screw device 3 has a spiral concave portion 4 that engages with side surfaces of a plurality of containers 1 conveyed by a conveyor 2, and has a constant interval forming part 5 that forms a constant interval between adjacent containers, and the constant interval forming part 5. As the container advances, the screw device 3 is engaged with the side surface of the container 1 located on the downstream side of the portion 5 and having a constant interval.
And a container guide portion 6 for guiding the container 1 so as to be separated from the axis x of the container in the radial direction.

The container guide portion 6 has a moving direction A of the container 1 from the diameter d of the valley of the spiral concave portion 4 in the constant interval forming portion 5.
It is provided with a guide surface 6a having an outer diameter D that gradually increases toward. That is, the container guide portion 6 has a substantially conical guide surface 6a in which the outer diameter D gradually increases toward the advancing direction of the container 1 in a divergent manner. The guide surface 6a of the container guide portion 6 engages with the side surface of the container 1 conveyed by the conveyor 2 after the constant interval is formed, so that the container 1 is radially outward from the valley bottom 4a of the constant interval forming portion 5. It will guide you to the position. When the container 1 is moved to the downstream end of the container guide portion 6 by the conveyor 2, the distance L is radially outward than when the container 1 is moving in the constant interval forming portion 5.
Will be guided only.

As shown in FIG. 1, a star wheel device 10 is installed beside the screw device 3. Figure 2
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the star wheel device 10 and the screw device 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the star wheel device 10 includes a spindle 1 connected to a motor (not shown).
1, a star wheel 12 having a plurality of pockets 12a on which the container 1 fits, a suction cup 13 provided in each pocket 12a for sucking the side surface of the container 1, each suction cup 13 and a vacuum source (not shown). And a rotary valve 14 for vacuum suction for connecting the same.

The rotary valve 14 is connected to the star wheel 12 by a connecting plate 21.
It is composed of an annular rotating body 15 that rotates together with 2, and a fixed body 16 fixed to a substantially cylindrical fixing portion 22. As shown in FIG. 2, a ring-shaped circumferential surface on which the rotating body 15 and the fixed body 16 are in sliding contact is a sealing surface 17. A bearing 23 is provided between the rotating body 15 and the fixed body 16. Each suction cup 13 is connected to each rotation port 15a of the rotary body 15 by a pipe 18, and the fixed port 16a of the fixed body 16 is connected to a vacuum source (not shown) via a pipe 19. The rotating body 15 and the fixed body 16 are formed with communication passages 15b and 16b which communicate with the rotating port 15a and the fixed port 16a, respectively. With the above configuration, each suction cup 13 is connected to a vacuum source via the rotary valve 14, and the container 1 can be vacuum-sucked.

Next, the operation of the container carrying device equipped with the screw device configured as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. A container 1 such as a bottle is conveyed by a conveyor 2 in an upright state. When the plurality of containers 1 reach the screw device 3, the side surfaces of the containers 1 are engaged with the spiral recesses 4 of the constant interval forming part 5, and the plurality of containers 1 are conveyed by the conveyor 2 while being conveyed by the constant interval forming part 5. A constant space is formed between the containers 1. After a constant interval is formed between the containers 1, the container 1 conveyed by the conveyor 2 has a guide surface 6 of the container guide portion 6.
engage a. As the container 1 advances to the downstream side of the container guide portion 6 by the conveyor 2, the container 1 is guided to the position radially outward from the valley bottom 4a in the constant interval forming portion 5, and the container 1 is conveyed by the conveyor 2 to the container guide portion 6. When traveling to the downstream end of the container 1, the container 1 is guided outwardly by the distance L in the radial direction as compared with when traveling through the constant interval forming portion 5. As a result, the container 1 is pressed against the suction cup 13, and the container 1 is reliably vacuum-sucked by the suction cup 13.
Then, the container 1 sucked by the suction cup 13 is transported by the star wheel device 10 along a circumferential transport path.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a container carrying device equipped with a screw device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure equivalent to FIG. 1 of 1st Embodiment. In the first embodiment, the screw device 3 includes a container guide portion having an outer diameter that gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container from the diameter of the valley in the constant gap forming portion 5 on the downstream side of the constant gap forming portion 5. However, in the second embodiment, the screw device has a container guide portion having a spiral concave portion having a valley diameter that gradually increases from the diameter of the valley in the constant interval forming portion in the traveling direction of the container. I have it. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the container guide portion 6 has a diameter d2 of the valley that gradually increases in the traveling direction A of the container 1 from the diameter d1 of the valley of the spiral concave portion 4 in the constant interval forming portion 5. It has a spiral recess 7. That is, the container guide portion 6 has the spiral concave portion 7 in which the diameter d2 of the valley gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container 1. Then, the container guide portion 6 engages with the side surface of the container 1 conveyed by the conveyor 2 after the constant interval is formed, and guides the container 1 from the valley bottom 4a in the constant interval forming portion 5 to a position radially outward. It has become. When the container 1 advances to the downstream end of the container guide portion 6 by the conveyor 2, it is more than when the container 1 advances in the constant interval forming portion 5.
It is guided outwardly by a distance L in the radial direction. As a result, the container 1 is pressed against the suction cup 13, and the container 1 is reliably vacuum-sucked by the suction cup 13. Then, the container 1 sucked by the suction cup 13 is transported by the star wheel device 10 along a circumferential transport path.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a screw device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view having a partial cross section. In the screw device according to the third embodiment, the container guide portion 6 having the container guide surface 6a is formed by a member different from the constant interval forming portion 5. That is, after forming the container guide portion 6 having a hollow portion, the hollow portion of the container guide portion 6 is fitted into the shaft portion 5a of the constant interval forming portion 5 to form the container guide portion 6.
Is fixed to the constant interval forming portion 5. The operation and effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In addition to a constant interval forming portion that has a spiral recess that engages the side surface of the container in the screw device and forms a constant interval between adjacent containers, a container that engages the side surface of the container in which the constant interval is formed By providing the container guide part for guiding the container to a position radially outward from the valley bottom in the constant interval forming part, it is not necessary to separately provide a device for pushing the container to a predetermined position. Therefore, according to the present invention, the container can be pressed against the adsorbing portion of the adjacent star wheel device at a high speed, and it is possible to cope with the speeding up of the container transportation. Further, according to the present invention, since it is not necessary to separately provide a container pressing device, the device structure is simplified, the device cost can be reduced, and the noise during operation can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a basic configuration of a container carrying device equipped with a screw device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a relationship between a star wheel device and a screw device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a container transporting device including a screw device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a screw device according to a third embodiment of the present invention and is a plan view having a partial cross section.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 container 2 Conveyor 3 screw device 4,7 recess 4a valley bottom 5 Fixed interval forming part 5a Shaft 6 Container guide 10 Star wheel device 11 spindle 12 star wheels 13 Suction cup 14 Rotary valve 15 rotating body 16 Fixed body 17 Sealing surface 18, 19 piping 21 Connecting plate 22 Fixed part

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A screw device for forming a constant space between a plurality of containers conveyed by a conveyor, which has a spiral concave portion that engages with a side surface of the container and forms a constant space between adjacent containers. The interval forming part and the constant interval forming part have an outer diameter that gradually increases from the diameter of the valley of the spiral recess in the constant interval forming part toward the advancing direction of the container, and the constant interval is formed. And a container guide portion that engages with a side surface of the container and guides the container to a position radially outward from a valley bottom in the constant interval forming portion. 2. A screw device for forming a constant space between a plurality of containers conveyed by a conveyor, which has a spiral concave portion that engages with a side surface of the container and forms a constant space between adjacent containers. An interval forming portion and a spiral recess having a valley diameter that gradually increases in the traveling direction of the container from the diameter of the spiral recess portion of the constant interval forming portion are provided on the downstream side of the constant interval forming portion. And a container guide part that engages with the side surface of the container in which the constant interval is formed and guides the container to a position radially outward from the valley bottom in the constant interval forming part. apparatus. 3. A star wheel device having a suction portion for sucking a side surface of the container in a plurality of pockets into which the container is fitted is provided adjacent to the screw device according to claim 1, wherein the screw device is A container transporting device, characterized in that the container is pressed against the suction part of the star wheel device by a container guide part.