JP2003327323A - Article automatic aligning method and its device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article automatic aligning method of accurately performing automatic alignment of quadrangular articles conveyed from a manufacturing process in a row. <P>SOLUTION: Especially quadrangular articles W conveyed by a conveyer 2 in a row are supplied onto a belt conveyer 9 that has a width allowing placement of a suitable number of rows of articles W and has a speed higher than that of the conveyer 2, are separated from the following articles W, and are simultaneously divided in the suitable number of rows and conveyed on the belt conveyer 9. <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 a method and apparatus for automatically arranging a plurality of products and then automatically packing the products in a corrugated cardboard case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the applicant of the present invention has proposed an automatic alignment method and device for tapered products (for example, cup noodles).
There is provided a method and apparatus for sequentially arranging and arranging commodities conveyed in a single line from the manufacturing process by using compressed air (JP-A-11-106031 and the like).

[0003]

Applying the automatic aligning method and device for tapered products as described above to the aligning method and device for square products (for example, instant yakisoba, etc.) means that the products to be aligned are It was difficult because it had directionality (corner). The invention is particularly
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for accurately performing automatic alignment of rectangular products and an inexpensive device for carrying out the method.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of the method of the present invention as set forth in claim 1 has a width for placing an appropriate number of rows of goods conveyed in a row by a conveyor, It is characterized in that it is supplied onto a belt conveyor which is faster than the conveyor to separate it from a succeeding product, and at the same time, it is sorted and conveyed in an appropriate number of rows on the belt conveyor. The conveyor that conveys the products in a line does not have to be a belt conveyor.

According to the method of claim 1, when the leading products conveyed in the one row are supplied onto a belt conveyor having a width for placing the goods in an appropriate number of rows, the belt conveyor is Is faster than the speed of the conveyor that conveys the products in a line, so that the products are fed onto the belt conveyor and simultaneously separated from the succeeding products.

Therefore, on the belt conveyor, it is possible to sequentially sort into an appropriate number of rows by the sorting device. Then, the products supplied on the belt conveyor are conveyed forward together with the sorting, so that contact with subsequent products can be avoided.

The invention of the apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 2 is a conveyor that conveys products in a row, and is provided continuously with the conveyor, and has a width for placing the articles in an appropriate number of rows, and is faster than the conveyor. And a belt conveyor that is accelerated, and a sorting mechanism that is supported above the belt conveyor and that sorts the products supplied on the belt conveyor into alternating rows.

According to the apparatus described in claim 2, the method described in claim 1 can be effectively implemented.

According to an embodiment of the invention of the present application as set forth in claim 3, the sorting mechanism sorts the products supplied on the belt conveyor into left and right rows and passes through the central row. It is the described product automatic alignment device.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to accurately and promptly distribute the products on the belt conveyor, particularly to distribute the products into three rows.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the distribution mechanism has a reversing bar which is driven at a right angle, and a slider which is connected to the reversing bar by a link and reciprocates along a guide rail. And a sorting bar provided on the slider, and the commodity automatic alignment device according to claim 2 or 3.

According to the embodiment described in claim 4, the air that has to be projected outside the machine body in order to obtain a necessary stroke length for the reciprocating movement of the slider and the sorting bar. Since it is not necessary to use a cylinder or the like, it is possible to save space in the device.

According to an embodiment of the invention of the present application as set forth in claim 5, the slider provided with the sorting bar is driven alternately to the left and right end points, and one of them accelerates the initial start of the slider. The other is the apparatus for automatically arranging products according to claim 4, further comprising an air cylinder for absorbing the impact of the stationary end of the slider.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the slowness of the initial speed of the slider due to the arc movement of the reversing bar is provided at the end position of the lateral movement of the slider and is driven alternately. Since it can be covered by one of the cylinders, it is possible to increase the speed of product distribution (speed up), and the other air cylinder can absorb the impact of the stationary end of the slider and protect the device.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of an automatic product aligning device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of essential parts.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a conveyor 1 and a conveyor 2 that convey the products W manufactured in the manufacturing process in a line are continuously provided, and a small interval is provided between the products W conveyed on the conveyor 2. It is configured to be emptied.

That is, the one conveyor 1 is provided with the motor 3
From the motor 3 through the V-belt 4 and the pulley 5, and the other conveyor 2 is driven by the same motor 3 as the conveyor 1 through the V-belt 6 and the pulley 7. It is designed to be accelerated.

Therefore, the articles W that have been continuously conveyed on the conveyor 1 in the adjacent state are moved to the conveyor 2 and, at the same time, are conveyed at a small interval from the succeeding articles W.

The small spacing between the products W on the conveyor 2 is to facilitate automatic distribution of the products W into an appropriate number of rows on the belt conveyor 9 which will be described later. Above, it is not necessary to leave a small gap between the products W.

That is, the speed can be adjusted between the conveyor 2 and the belt conveyor 9 which will be described later, so that a small space can be provided between the products W as described above. Therefore, the conveyor 1 and the conveyor 2 have the same speed. Alternatively, it may have an integral form.

In the figure, 8 is a cushion belt provided above the conveyor 2, which is driven at the same speed and in the same direction as the conveyor 2 and determines the product W to be conveyed on the conveyor 2. It has a function to keep the gaps and prevent the positional deviation.

In the present invention, the articles W conveyed in a line by the conveyor 1 and the conveyor 2 are continuously provided on the conveyor 2, and have a width for placing the articles W in an appropriate number of rows. The product W is supplied onto the belt conveyor 9 at a speed higher than that of the product W to separate it from the succeeding product W on the conveyor 2, and at the same time, the product W is sorted and conveyed in an appropriate number of rows on the belt conveyor 9.

On the belt conveyor 9, the product W is
It is made of a material whose surface can be smoothly moved. Further, from the motor 10 via the V belt 30 and the pulley 31,
It is configured to be driven at a speed faster than the conveyor 2. Further, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the belt conveyor 9 is configured to have an approximately triple width of the product W and the conveyor 2.

Next, the distribution mechanism 11 which is supported above the belt conveyor 9 and distributes the products W supplied on the belt conveyor 9 into alternating rows will be described.
The distribution mechanism 11 includes guide rails 14 supported between support plates 13 erected from the machine body 12 on both sides of the belt conveyor 9, sliders 15 fitted to the guide rails 14, and the sliders. And a distribution bar 16 attached to the distribution bar 16.
6 and the slider 15 are configured to reciprocate in a direction intersecting with the driving direction of the belt conveyor 9.

The sorting bar 16 attached to the slider 15 is configured to have a length approximately twice the width of the product W, and is attached in the driving direction of the belt conveyor 9.

Further, the reciprocating speed of the sorting bar 16 is the same as the preceding product W on the belt conveyor 9.
Is adjusted so as not to come into contact with the subsequent product W at the time of distribution. For that purpose, the belt conveyor 9
The drive speed is adjusted.

Next, the reciprocating mechanism of the slider 15 and the sorting bar 16 attached to the slider 15 will be described. In one embodiment of the drawings, the airframe 12
A rotor 18 having a drive shaft 17 that is driven to reversely drive at a right angle is protruded from the rotor 18, a reversing lever 19 is fixed to the drive shaft 17 of the rotor 18, and the tip of the reversing lever 19 and the slider 15 are linked. They are connected by 20. That is, the reversing lever 19 and the link 20
One end of the slider 15 is connected by a pin 21,
And the other end of the link 20 is connected by a pin 22.

In the above structure, when the drive shaft 17 of the rotor 18 is reversely driven at a right angle, the reversing lever 19 is driven at a right angle in a circular arc, and the slider 15 and the slider 15 are connected via the link 20. Slider 1
The sorting bar 16 attached to the No. 5 is reciprocated along the guide rail 14 to sort the products W sequentially supplied onto the belt conveyor 9 into left and right rows, and the central row is controlled to pass through. It

In the figure, 23 and 24 are the distribution bar 1
6 is an air cylinder provided at the left and right end position of the slider 15 to which it is attached, and is driven alternately, one of which accelerates the initial start of the slider 15 and the other of which is the impact of stationary end of the slider 15. Function to mitigate. In the figure, 25 and 26 are piston rods.

That is, when the slider 15 and the distribution bar 16 are moved to the front side in FIG. 2, the reversing lever 19 makes an arc motion, and the slider 15 and the distribution bar 16 are moved through the link 20.
Is slid along the guide rail 14. Therefore, the speed of the slider 15 is slower than in the case where the slider 15 and the distribution bar 16 are slid directly by using an air cylinder or the like, and it is difficult to deal with high-speed distribution of the products W.

Therefore, when the slider 15 and the distribution bar 16 are initially started, one air cylinder 23
Is driven, and the slider 15 is pressed by the piston rod 25 to increase the speed.

At the same time, the other air cylinder 24 is in a state in which the piston rod 26 has been advanced in the previous step, and the slider 15 and the sorting bar 16 are stopped at the end point by preliminarily setting no load. Functions to absorb shock. As described above, the air cylinders 23 and 24 are alternately driven to enable high-speed distribution of the products W. In the figure, 27 is a guide provided on both sides of the conveyor 1, and 28 is a guide provided on both sides of the belt conveyor 9.

As described above, according to the present invention, from the manufacturing process, the rectangular products conveyed in a row are supplied onto the wide belt conveyor whose driving speed is increased and separated from the succeeding products. It automatically sorts and arranges in an appropriate number of rows to enable later automatic batch packaging.

[0034]

According to the method and apparatus for automatically arranging products according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately perform the automatic alignment of square-shaped products having directionality, and to convey them to the subsequent batch automatic boxing line. Further, it can be provided mechanically at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted side view of a product automatic alignment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the commodity automatic alignment device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially cutaway main part of the automatic product alignment device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 conveyor 9 Belt conveyor 11 distribution mechanism 14 Guide rail 15 slider 16 Sorting bar 23, 24 Air cylinder

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A product, which is conveyed in a line by a conveyor, is supplied on a belt conveyor having a width for placing the product in an appropriate number of rows and having a speed faster than that of the conveyor, to separate the product from the succeeding product. At the same time, the method for automatically arranging products is characterized in that the goods are sorted and conveyed in an appropriate number of rows on the belt conveyor. 2. A conveyor that conveys products in a row, a belt conveyor that is provided continuously to the conveyor, has a width that allows the articles to be placed in an appropriate number of rows, and has a speed faster than that of the conveyor, and the belt. An automatic product alignment device, comprising: a distribution mechanism that is supported above a conveyor and that distributes the products supplied onto the belt conveyor into alternating rows. 3. The automatic product arranging device according to claim 2, wherein the distribution mechanism distributes the products supplied onto the belt conveyor into left and right rows and passes through the central row. 4. A distribution mechanism comprises a reversing lever driven at a right angle, a slider connected to the reversing lever by a link and reciprocating along a guide rail, and a distribution bar provided on the slider. The automatic product alignment device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein 5. An air which is alternately driven to a left and right end position of a slider provided with a distribution bar, one of which accelerates an initial start of the slider and the other of which alleviates an impact of stopping the end of the slider. The product automatic alignment device according to claim 4, wherein a cylinder is provided.