JP2003312833A - Cup carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly cut and deliver a cup from a cup line. <P>SOLUTION: Separately from a drive motor 33 for a rotary plate 31 in a carrying mechanism (carrying part) 3, a servo motor (drive part) 8 to drive rotation of carrying rotors 221-224 in a delivery mechanism 2 is provided. A controller 4 synchronizes the changing cycle (T, t) of rotation speed of the servo motor 8 with rotation speed of the drive motor 33. The controller 4 cuts off a cup 1 from the cup line to be fed when the servo motor 8 is rotated at high speed (at rotation speed R). Even when the delivery cycle to the cup 1 is changed, the cup 1 is fed with constant pressing force (rotation speed R), so that the attitude of the cup 1 is constantly stable when it is delivered, and that the receiving side can properly and securely catch the cup 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a cup conveying device in which cups are separated one by one from a stack of cups and sequentially conveyed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Paper cups are widely used in daily life as containers for various kinds of drinking water. Even in vending machines for juice, coffee or soft drinks,
In addition to bottled and canned juice, coffee and juice are automatically injected into paper cups that are carried out one by one in vending machines and sold.

The paper cup is manufactured by fitting and bonding the bottom plate to the bottom of the body that has been bent into a taper shape. In the paper cup manufacturing process, whether the bonding at the time of manufacturing is sufficient,
Product inspection is performed one by one such as whether or not there is a pinhole that causes leakage and whether or not there is dirt or the like on the outer appearance of the body or bottom.

In the product inspection, one cup is separated from a plurality of cups (hereinafter referred to as a cup row) which are stacked in advance, and the cups are carried out.
This is performed in the process of intermittently transferring and moving the cup.

In the product inspection, an image recognition method is often adopted, and by comparing an image pickup pattern photographed by a camera with a preset reference pattern, it is possible to determine the curl shape of the body, the bottom and the body tip. The quality of the edge portion (lip) and the like are determined, and the good product and the defective product are automatically sorted and carried out.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the essential parts of a conventional cup transporting device used for the product inspection, and FIG. 4 is shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view taken along the line AA of FIG.

In FIG. 3, the carry-out mechanism 2 for sequentially separating and carrying out the cups 1 from the row of cups supplied in the direction of the arrow X has the same structure as the carry-out mechanism for the cups mounted in the vending machine. The supplied row of cups is housed in the cylindrical housing portion 21. Around the opening at the right end of the housing portion 21, a plurality of (in the configuration shown, 9
4 unloading rotors 221, 222, ...
224 is installed side by side.

The carry-out rotors 221 to 224 are also referred to as spirals, and a groove 22a is formed in a spiral shape on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and the right front end and the left rear end of the groove 22a are of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224. It is provided so as to penetrate toward the right and left end surfaces.

Therefore, since the groove 22a is threaded by the rotation of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224, the cup 1 located at the rightmost end (outer side) of the row cup moves while its curled edge is captured by the groove 22a. Then, one by one is sequentially separated from the cup row and extruded and carried out. The configuration shown in FIG. 3 is a configuration in which the cup 1 is carried out laterally, and is different from the configuration in a general vending machine configured to drop the cup downward.

Therefore, in the structure shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of air pipes (not shown) are aligned in the horizontal direction so that the cup 1 does not drop downward and is carried out straight in a horizontal direction with a good posture. It is also configured so that the air directed toward the discharged cup 1 is directed from the air tube. Further, in FIG. 3, the carry-out rotors 221-2
24 is attached to the mounting plate 23, but the intervals between the rotation shafts of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 are equal to those of the cup 1
It is configured so that it can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the shape and size of the, especially the size of the caliber.

By the rotation of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224,
The cup 1 carried out from the carry-out mechanism 2 is supplied to the carrying mechanism 3.

The transport mechanism 3 includes a spider.
Also referred to as a rotary plate 31, and a rotary shaft 3 of the rotary plate 31.
Geneva gear (geneva) with its follower connected to 1p
drive) and an intermediary gear 32, and a motor 33 for driving the original vehicle of the intermediary gear 32. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary plate 31 has hole positions 311, 312, 31 arranged on the circumference at intervals of 45 degrees.
Corresponding to 3, ..., 318, through holes 31a for receiving and carrying the cup are provided.

In the rotating plate 31 shown in FIG. 4, the cup 1 carried out from the carry-out mechanism 2 is received at the first hole position 311.

The cup 1 received and held at the first hole position 311 moves to the second hole position 312 by the rotation of the rotary plate 31 about the rotary shaft 31p by 45 degrees, and is not shown here. The pushing mechanism is surely pushed and held in the through hole 31a. After that, the rotary plate 31 is intermittently rotated by 45 degrees step by step, and at the third hole position 313, the inner and outer surfaces of the cup 1 are photographed by a camera, and the shape and stains are inspected by an image recognition method. , Fourth hole position 31
4, the inspection of the presence or absence of a pinhole is performed, and the fifth hole position 315 is a quality inspection of the curled edge portion. The next sixth hole position 316 is a preliminary inspection position, and the seventh hole position 316 is a preliminary inspection position. At the hole position 317, the cup 1 determined as a defective product in each of the inspection steps is extruded and carried out, and the final eighth
At the hole position 318, the non-defective product (passed product) is pushed out. It should be noted that FIGS. 3 and 4 show a state in which the non-defective cup 1 is held only at the eighth hole position 318.

As shown in the rotation speed characteristic of FIG. 5, the rotary plate 31 is intermittently rotated at a predetermined constant cycle T. The length of the cycle T is the hole position 31.
It is set to match the longest time required for the operations required in the steps 1 to 318.

Therefore, when the step of the inspection process is changed depending on the type of the cup 1 or the like, the controller 4 controls the motor 3
The rotation speed for 3, that is, the cycle T is controlled to be switched,
Control new inspections to be performed efficiently.

The motor 33 drives the rotary plate 31 as described above, and at the same time, the rotation shaft of the motor 33 has the rotation shafts 221 to 224 of the discharge mechanism 1 via the transmission mechanism 5 as shown in FIG.
It is also connected to.

The transmission mechanism 5 includes the first timing belt 5
1, the relay rotary shaft 52, and the second timing belt 53
The rotational force of the motor 33 is such that the four unloading rotors 221 to 22 sequentially pass through the first timing belt 51, the relay rotation shaft 52, and the second timing belt 53.
4, the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 rotate at a constant speed in synchronization with the rotation speed of the motor 33.

Therefore, the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 driven by the motor 33 are sequentially separated from the cup row in synchronization with the rotating plate 31 rotating intermittently, and the through holes 31a at the hole positions 311 shown in FIG. Carry out to.

FIG. 3 also shows the pushing mechanism 6 for surely separating the cup 1 held in the eighth hole position 318 of the rotary plate 31 from the through hole 31a.

The push-out mechanism 6 is connected to the relay rotary shaft 52 of the transmission mechanism 5, is attached to the right end of the relay rotary shaft 52, and has a pair of interlocking bevel gears 61a and 61b which interlock with each other.
A cam 62 that rotates in association with the rotation of the bevel gear 61b, a link 63 that is driven by the cam 62 and is supported by a fulcrum 63a to reciprocate, and a push plate 64 attached to the tip of the link 63. Has been done. Although not shown, the roller at the tip of the link 63 is constantly urged to rotate while contacting the cam 62 by a spring mechanism or the like.

Therefore, the push-out mechanism 6 includes a motor 33.
By the intermittent reciprocating movement of the push plate 64 synchronized with the rotation of
The non-defective cup 1 located at the eighth hole position 318 is pushed out from the through hole 31a and carried out.

[0023]

As described above, in the conventional cup transfer device, the motor 33 rotates at a constant speed to intermittently rotate the rotary plate 31 and drives the carry-out mechanism 2 to drive the cup. 1 is pushed out toward the rotary plate 31 and carried out.

Therefore, the unloading rotors 221 to 221 of the unloading mechanism 2 are
When the cup 1 is extruded by the 224, the extruding speed of the cup 1 toward the supply destination changes in association with the change in the rotation speed of the motor 33. Therefore, in association with the decrease in the rotation speed due to the switching of the motor 33, the extrusion speed of the cup 1 from the cup row also decreases.

In a state where the cup 1 is extruded at a high speed, there is a deviation (phase difference) between the catching timing and the sending timing of the curled edge portions of the four carry-out rotors 221 to 224. Even so, since the deviation time is short, the cup 1 is vigorously sent out in the lateral direction without disturbing the posture.

However, when the rotation speed of the motor 33 decreases, the rotation speeds of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 also decrease. Therefore, in addition to the cup 1 being slowly sent out at a low speed, the space between the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 is also reduced. Cup 1
The time length of the timing deviation of the acquisition and the sending out for is long.

As a result, the amount of displacement between the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 with respect to the edge of the cup 1 becomes large, the attitude of the cut-out cup 1 is disturbed, and the carry-out direction is set to the rotary plate 3.
There is a case in which the hole is displaced from the first hole position 311 and is not accurately captured in the through hole 31a.

If the cup 1 is caught in the through hole 31a or dropped in the middle without being properly carried out toward the hole position 311 of the supply destination, the operating rate of the apparatus is lowered, so improvement is required. It had been.

Therefore, the present invention provides a cup transporting device configured such that the unloading / feeding of the cup from the unloading mechanism is always properly performed even if the transporting speed of the cup at the supply destination changes. To aim.

[0030]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is a cylindrical accommodating portion for accommodating stacked cup rows and an end opening of the accommodating portion. A plurality of unloading rotors that are arranged along the outer periphery of the cup row and that capture the outermost cup of the cup row while rotating and sequentially push out and unload it; and a drive unit that rotationally drives the plurality of unloading rotors. A transport unit that receives and sequentially transports the cup that has been pushed out by the transport rotor, and a control unit that individually controls the transport movement cycle of the cup in this transport unit and the rotation speed of the transport rotor. Characterize.

As described above, the cup transporting apparatus of the present invention has the driving unit for rotationally driving the plurality of unloading rotors, and the control unit carries the transporting movement cycle of the transporting unit for sequentially receiving and transporting the cups and the rotation speed of the unloading rotor. And are individually controlled.

Therefore, according to the device of the present invention, the rotation speed of the carry-out rotor can be changed while synchronizing with the carrying movement cycle of the carrying section by the control of the driving section by the control section. Can always be set to a high speed, and a proper cup feeding attitude can be always ensured.

[0033]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a cup carrier according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG.
1 to 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. 1 and 2, the same configurations as the conventional configurations shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a cup carrying device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the cups 1 of the row of cups are supplied and housed in the housing portion 21 of the carry-out mechanism 2. Accommodation part 21
A plurality of (four in this embodiment) carry-out rotors 221 and 22 are provided around the opening at the right end of the unit at intervals of 90 degrees along the outer circumference.
2, ... 224 are installed side by side.

The carry-out rotors 221 to 224 each having a spiral groove 22a formed on the outer peripheral surface rotate to capture and screw the cup 1 located at the rightmost end of the row cup. In this embodiment, as described above, although not shown, the mounting positions of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 are configured so that they can be appropriately adjusted according to the size of the cup 1, that is, the diameter or the like.

The cup 1 carried out by the rotation of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 is supplied toward the rotary plate 31 of the carrying mechanism 3 which is a carrying section. As in the conventional case, the rotary plate 31 has hole positions 311, 312, 3 on the circumference at intervals of 45 degrees.
.., 318 are provided and rotate intermittently, so that the through holes 31a sequentially located at the hole positions 311 for receiving the cup among these hole positions receive and hold the cup 1 carried out and supplied from the carry-out mechanism 2. .

The rotary plate 31 is connected to a motor 33 via an intermittent gear 32, and the motor 33 rotates under the control of the controller 4. The motor 33 of this embodiment is
Intermittently rotationally drives only the rotary plate 31 of the transport mechanism 3 to transport and move the cup 1 of the rotary plate 31.

On the other hand, as corresponding to the second timing belt 53 shown in FIG. 3, one of the timing belts 7 is common to the pulleys of the rotary shafts of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224, and the other is the drive unit. Is wound around the rotary shaft 8a of the servo motor 8 and is passed between the rotary shaft 8a and each of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224.

As is well known, the servo motor 8 is a motor capable of controlling the rotation angle and the rotation speed by the number of pulses of the input control signal, and positions each unloading rotor 221 to 224 with high accuracy by so-called closed loop control. And the rotation speed can be controlled.

That is, an encoder (not shown) is attached to the counter output shaft of the servo motor 8, and the controller 4 receiving the feedback of the rotation angle signal from the encoder,
Since the control is performed so that there is no difference compared with the rotation command reference signal, the speed command signal synchronized with the driving of the rotary plate 31 is supplied to the servo motor 8. Instead of the servo motor 8, a stepping motor may be used as a motor capable of controlling the rotation angle and the rotation speed.

In this embodiment, the timing belt 7
As a result, one servo motor 8 causes four carry-out rotors 22
1 to 224 are driven at the same time, the timing belt 7 is omitted, and the individual servomotors 8 are directly connected to the respective carry-out rotors 221 to 224.
The servo motors 8 can be configured to be synchronously controlled at the same time.

By omitting the timing belt 7, it is possible to eliminate the frequent tooth jumping phenomenon of the belt and to avoid the problem that the metal powder generated by the mechanical abrasion of the belt enters the cup.

Next, in the structure shown in FIG. 1, the servomotor 8 rotates under the control of the controller 4 so that the rotation speed thereof changes periodically, and the cycle T thereof is the rotating plate 31.
It is configured to match the cycle of intermittent rotation. That is, the servo motor 8 changes the rotation speed change cycle T in synchronization with the rotation speed of the motor 33.

FIG. 2A shows a rotary plate 31 corresponding to FIG.
2 is a rotation speed characteristic diagram of the servo motor 8 under the control of the controller 4, as shown in FIG.
Cycle T between the lowest speed rotation r1 and the highest speed rotation R
Rotate to make a round trip.

Further, the servo motor 8 shown in FIG.
The cycle T of the rotation speed change at the time is deviated from the cycle of the rotation cycle of the rotary plate 31 shown in FIG. 2A by (T / 2) time as shown in the figure, and the rotary plate 3 rotating intermittently.
While 1 is stopped, the servo motor 8 rotates at high speed R. That is, when the cup 1 is sent out, the carry-out rotors 211 to 224 are driven by the servo motor 8, but the cup 1 is rotated at the high speed rotation R.
1 to 224, and is vigorously carried out toward the through hole 31 a of the rotary plate 31.

Therefore, the motor 33 is controlled by the control of the controller 4.
Rotates at a low speed and the rotary plate 31 is switched to intermittently rotate at a cycle t (t> T) as shown in FIG. 2C,
The controller 4 controls the servo motor 8, and as shown in FIG. 2D, the rotation speed of the servo motor 8 is synchronized with the intermittent rotation of the rotating plate 31 during the period t, and is higher than the rotation r1. It is controlled so as to cyclically change between a low rotation r2 (r1> r2) and a predetermined high speed rotation R. That is, even if the rotation speed of the motor 33 is low and the switching control is performed, the cup 1
Since the rotation of the servo motor 8 at the timing of sending out is not changed at the maximum speed (rotational speed R), as can be understood from FIG.
While being stopped at each rotation angle position of 45 degrees, 90 degrees, ..., the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 rotate at a high speed (rotation speed R), and the cup 1 has the through hole 31 at the hole position 311.
It is extruded and carried out vigorously toward a.

As described above, according to the cup carrying apparatus of this embodiment, even if the rotation speed of the rotary plate 31 is lowered,
The transport speed of the cup 1 is reduced, and as a result, the unloading mechanism 2
Even when the unloading cycle of the cup 1 due to the change of the cup 1 is changed by the unloading mechanism 2, the unloading rotors 221 to 224 push out the cup 1 from the row of cups and push the cup 1 toward the transporting mechanism 3. R), the cup 1 does not disturb the posture and the rotating plate 31
Is always properly supplied to the predetermined through hole 31a.

In the above description, the cycle in which the rotation speed of the servo motor 8 changes changes in accordance with the speed change of the motor 33, but the minimum speeds r1 and r2 of the servo motor 8 also change correspondingly. Therefore, when the stacking interval (pitch) of the stacked cups 1 in the cup row is constant, even if the rotation speed of the motor 33 changes, the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 stroke the cups 1 out from the cup row and feed them out. Since the length can be kept constant, stable unloading can be performed.

That is, since the stacking interval (pitch) of the cups 1 in the cup row is constant and does not change, but the delivery stroke length of each of the carry-out rotors 221 to 224 changes, the grooves 22a are sequentially stacked. Cannot be properly captured, but the carry-out rotor 221
The minimum speed (r1, r2) can be adjusted to change the delivery stroke length of the unloading rotors 221 to 224 for the cup 1 so that the ˜224 can accurately capture the cup 1.

In addition, in this embodiment shown in FIG.
The conventional push-out mechanism 6 is attached to the rotary shaft 8a of the servomotor 8 instead of being connected to the transmission mechanism 5 shown in FIG.

Therefore, the pushing mechanism 6 is similar to the conventional one,
The through hole 3 is synchronized with the rotation cycle (T, t) of the rotary plate 31.
The cup 1 held by 1a can be removed.
Moreover, since the push-out mechanism 6 operates in conjunction with the rotation of the servo motor 8, even if the rotation speed of the rotary plate 31 is lowered, the push-out mechanism 6 is pushed out at a high speed, and its pushing force does not drop, so that it is appropriate. The cup 1 can be removed from the through hole 31a by operating it reliably. In the pushing mechanism 6 in FIG. 1, the reference numeral 65 designates a pushing plate 64.
It shows a guide for laterally guiding and moving the arm of the link 63.

It should be noted that the servo motor 8 is used as the carry-out rotor 221.
Alternatively, the pushing mechanism 6 may be obtained from the motor 33, which is the driving source of the rotating plate 31, as in the related art.

Further, in the above description, the cup 1 is described as being made of paper, but it goes without saying that it can also be adopted as a plastic cup or the like.

[0055]

According to the cup transporting apparatus of the present invention, the cup can always be accurately delivered at a constant delivery speed even if the delivery cycle of the cup changes. Therefore, by adopting the device of the present invention in the cup manufacturing process, the manufacturing efficiency of the cup can be remarkably improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a cup carrying device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional cup transport device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 3, taken along the line AA.

5 is an operation explanatory view of a rotary plate of the apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 cup 2 carry-out mechanism 21 Housing 221-224 Carry-out rotor 22a groove 3 Transport mechanism (transport unit) 31 rotating plate 31a through hole 32 intermittent gears 33 motor 4 Controller (control unit) 5 Transmission mechanism 6 Extrusion mechanism 64a push plate 7 Timing belt 8 Servo motor (drive unit) 8a rotating shaft

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Ryuzo Tamaki             5-14-1 Higashi-Kashigaya, Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture               Shibaura Mechatronics Co., Ltd. Sagami Noji             Inside the office F term (reference) 3E054 AA20 BA10 CA10 DA10 DE10                       EA02 FA02 GA01 GB01 GB05                 3F030 AA01 AB01                 3F072 AA07 GB10 GE03 HA02 JA03                       KC01 KC05 KC17 KC18                 3F080 AA21 BA02 BC07 BD12 BF19                       CD06 CG14 DA11 DB04

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical accommodating portion for accommodating a stacked cup row, and cups which are arranged along the outer circumference of an end opening of the accommodating portion and which are located on the outermost side of the cup row while rotating. A plurality of carry-out rotors that capture and sequentially carry out the carry-out, a drive unit that rotationally drives the plurality of carry-out rotors, a carrying unit that receives and sequentially carries the cup that is carried out by the carry-out rotor and carried out, and a carrying unit. And a control unit that individually controls the transport movement cycle of the cup and the rotation speed of the carry-out rotor. 2. The cup transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a motor for controlling a rotation angle and a rotation speed is adopted as a drive unit for driving the carry-out rotor. 3. The cup conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the motor is directly connected to the carry-out rotor. 4. The control unit controls the drive unit so that the rotation speed of the carry-out rotor changes periodically, according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Cup carrier. 5. The cup carrying device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit so that the maximum speed is substantially constant even if the rotation cycle of the carry-out rotor changes. . 6. The cup received by the transport unit,
The cup transport device according to claim 1, wherein the cup transport device is configured to be separated from the transport unit by receiving the driving force of the drive unit.