JP2005088994A - Alignment device and alignment method for objects to be packaged - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alignment device and alignment method for objects to be packaged, for aligning the objects so such that the thick-walled portions and thin-walled portions of the objects are alternately disposed. <P>SOLUTION: Diapers P carried in from a processing machine are distributed either to a transporting means 1 or 2 by means of distributing means 3, 3a, 3b. In the transporting means 1, the diapers P carried therein are transported with their postures being kept as they are, and in the transporting means 2, the diapers P carried therein are transported while they are turned around in the direction orthogonal to the transporting direction, thereby the diapers P carried out from the transporting means 1 and 2 are aligned in such a way that their thick-walled portions and thin-walled portions are alternately disposed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a packaged article in which each packaged article is aligned in a predetermined direction in a pre-process for stacking and packaging a packaged article having a thick portion unevenly distributed on one side, such as diapers. The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus and an alignment method.

In general, diapers and the like are packaged and distributed in a state of being stacked in units of a plurality of sheets. Therefore, in order to make the packaging state compact, diapers are compressed and packaged in a state where a plurality of diapers are stacked.
However, a diaper or the like may have a thick portion that is unevenly distributed on one side, and when the thick portion is overlapped and compressed in the same direction, the compression force is not transmitted evenly to each stacked diaper, and when compressing There is a risk that inconvenience such as diaper bounce may occur, and further, when thick portions are stacked in the same direction and compressed and packaged, the packaging state does not become a clean rectangular shape. However, there has never been a suitable means to solve this problem.

  As described above, when the article to be packaged such as a diaper having a thick part unevenly distributed on one side is compressed by overlapping the thick part in the same direction, the compressive force is not evenly transmitted to each article to be packaged, which is inconvenient. In addition, there is a problem that when the thick portions are stacked in the same direction and compressed and packaged, the packaged state does not become a clean rectangular shape.

  Adhesive tape is attached to the back of the diaper so that the diaper can be rolled and fixed with filth in the diaper. If the adhesive tape is exposed to the outside, the adhesive tape may peel off from the diaper when compressed. In addition, there is a similar problem when a plurality of articles to be packaged with an adhesive tape attached on one side are stacked and packaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and the objects to be packaged positioned at both ends in a stacked state are arranged on the same surface without the thick portions of the objects to be packaged arranged in the same direction. An object of the present invention is to provide an alignment apparatus and an alignment method for packages to be arranged so as to appear on the outside.

According to the present invention, as a means for solving the above-described problems, the invention of the apparatus for aligning packaged objects according to claim 1 wraps the packaged articles in which the thick portions are unevenly distributed on one side and stacks them in units of a plurality of sheets. In the preceding step, a device for aligning the objects to be packaged for aligning the objects to be packaged in a predetermined direction, and a first transport means for transporting while maintaining the posture of each of the objects to be packaged Each of the articles to be packaged is inverted, and is carried in from the processing machine and second conveying means for conveying the article to be packaged so that the thin direction is directed in the thick direction of the article to be packaged conveyed by the first conveying means. And a distribution unit that conveys each packaged item and distributes the packaged items to either the first or second conveyance unit.
By configuring in this way, each item to be packaged carried in from the processing machine is distributed to the first or second conveying unit by the distributing unit, and the item to be packaged conveyed to the first conveying unit is On the other hand, the article to be packaged conveyed while maintaining its posture, while being conveyed to the second conveying means, is oriented in the thin direction in the thick direction of the article to be packaged conveyed by the first conveying means. Since each of the articles to be packaged carried out from each of the first and second conveying means is reversed and conveyed, the thick portions and the thin portions are alternately arranged without the thick portions being directed in the same direction. To be aligned.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for aligning packaged items according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the allocating unit includes a conveying unit configured to convey each packaged item carried from a processing machine; It is characterized by comprising a pair of guide plates for guiding each article to be package carried out from the means to either the carry-in side of the first or second conveying means.
By comprising in this way, each to-be-packaged object carried out from the conveyance means is guided to the carrying-in port of either the corresponding 1st or 2nd conveyance means along a pair of guide plate. .

The invention of the method for aligning packaged items described in claim 3 is a pre-process for stacking and packaging the packaged items in which the thick portions are unevenly distributed on one side in units of a plurality of pieces, and each packaged item is arranged in a predetermined direction. A method of aligning the articles to be packaged, wherein in the first step, the posture of each carried article is held and conveyed, and in the second process, each delivered article is reversed. And when carrying out from each of the first and second steps, each packaged object has its thick portions and thin portions alternately arranged and stacked on a plurality of sheets. The items to be packaged are arranged so that the same surface appears outside.
By comprising in this way, each to-be-packaged object carried out from each of the first and second steps has its thick portions and thin portions alternately arranged and stacked in units of a plurality of sheets. The packages to be packaged on both sides are arranged so that the same surface appears outside.

  According to the apparatus for aligning packages to be described in claim 1 of the present invention, each package to be transported from the processing machine is distributed to the first or second transport means by the sorting means, and the first The article to be packaged conveyed to the other conveying means is conveyed while maintaining its posture, while the object to be packaged conveyed to the second conveying means is the same as the article to be packaged conveyed to the first conveying means. Each article to be packaged is transported by being reversed so that the thin direction is oriented in the thick direction, and the thick parts are not oriented in the same direction. The portions and the thin portions are aligned and alternately conveyed so as to be arranged alternately. As a result, when packaging, the thick parts of the packages are stacked without overlapping, and when compressing, the compressive force is uniformly transmitted to each package to prevent warping and the packaging state is It becomes a beautiful rectangular shape.

  In addition, according to the apparatus for aligning packages to be described in claim 2 of the present invention, the corresponding first or second transport is performed so that each package to be transported from the transport means follows the pair of guide plates. As the control means for guiding either of the means to the carry-in side, a control means for bending or tilting the pair of guide plates so as to be alternately directed to the carry-in port of the first or second transfer means is necessary. However, the other components do not require complicated control means, the entire apparatus is simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

  Further, according to the method for aligning packages to be described in claim 3 of the present invention, in the first step, the postures of the respective packages to be carried are maintained and conveyed, and in the second step, the packages are loaded. Each packaged product is reversed and conveyed, and when being unloaded from the first and second steps, each packaged product has its thick and thin portions alternately arranged. When being packaged, the thick parts of the articles to be packaged are stacked without overlapping, and the packaging state becomes a beautiful rectangular shape. In addition, the objects to be packaged on both sides in a state of being laminated in units of a plurality of sheets are arranged so that the same surface, for example, the surface to which the adhesive tape is not attached appears on the outside, so that the step of compressing when packaging is performed Sometimes the adhesive tape is not peeled off.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for aligning articles to be packaged (for example, diapers) according to the embodiment of the present invention conveys the first diaper P that is conveyed while maintaining the posture of each loaded diaper P (first conveying means). 1 and the diaper P that is positioned above the transporting means 1 and is turned 180 ° in a direction perpendicular to the transporting direction so that the thin direction is in the thick direction of the diaper P transported by the transporting means 1. Conveying means (second conveying means) 2 that conveys the diapers in the direction and upstream of the conveying means 1 and 2, each diaper P carried from a processing machine (not shown) is conveyed, and conveying means It consists of distribution means 3, 3a, 3b that distribute to either 1 or 2.

The conveyance means 1 is comprised from the upper conveyance means 1a which clamps each diaper P carried in, and the lower conveyance means 1b.
The upper conveying means 1a is configured by winding an endless conveying belt 5 around a plurality of guide rollers 6 to 9 (four in FIG. 1) disposed at a predetermined position and a driving roller 10 of a driving motor.
The lower conveying unit 1b is configured by winding an endless conveying belt 12 around a plurality of guide rollers 13 to 18 (six in FIG. 1) and a driving roller 20 of a driving motor.

  Further, the carry-in port 21 of the transport means 1 is a position between the guide roller 6 and the guide roller 16, and the carry-out port 22 is a position between the guide roller 13 and the guide roller 9, and the thick portion and the thin portion are Each diaper P carried in from the carry-in entrance 21 in a direction arranged along the direction orthogonal to the carrying direction is rotated when the drive rollers 10 and 20 of the respective drive motors are rotated in the direction of the arrows. While maintaining the posture, the belt is sandwiched between the conveyor belts 5 and 12 and conveyed to the carry-out port 22.

  Further, on the downstream side of the carry-out port 22, a conveyance unit 30 is arranged for carrying each diaper P carried out from the carry-out port 22 to a packaging machine (not shown). The conveying means 30 is constituted by an endless conveying belt 31 wound around a driving roller 35 of a driving motor and a plurality of (three in FIG. 1) guide rollers 32 to 34. The guide roller 32 and the guide roller A suction device 36 for preventing slipping of the diaper P transported on the transport belt 31 is disposed between the transport device 31 and the transport belt 31. And each diaper P carried out from the carrying-out port 22 of the conveyance means 1 is conveyed along this conveyance means 30, and is guide | induced to the packaging machine from the carrying-out port 67. FIG.

The conveying means 2 is a guide in which a plurality of (8 in FIG. 1) endless conveying belts 40 are arranged at predetermined positions so as to invert each diaper P that is carried in by 180 ° in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The rollers 41 to 48 and the driving roller 49 of the driving motor are wound around.
The conveyor belt 40 is wound in the order of the driving roller 49 of the driving motor to the guide rollers 41 to 48, and is twisted in the direction of the arrow A when it is passed from the guide roller 42 to the guide roller 43. A twisted portion 50 (shaded portion) is formed, and when twisted from the guide roller 47 to the guide roller 48, the twisted portion 51 is formed by being twisted in the direction of arrow A. And the conveyance path which reverses the diaper P conveyed 180 degrees in the direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction between these twist parts 50 and 51 is formed.

  Further, the carry-in port 52 of the conveying means 2 is located between the guide roller 42 and the guide roller 47, and the carry-out port 53 is located between the guide roller 48 and the guide roller 43. The thick portion and the thin portion are carried. Each diaper P carried in from the carry-in port 52 in a direction arranged along the direction orthogonal to the direction rotates the drive roller 49 of the drive motor in the direction of the arrow, thereby turning between the torsion parts 50, 51. This conveyance path is conveyed to the carry-out port 53 while being turned 180 ° in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction as indicated by an arrow A.

  Further, on the downstream side of the carry-out port 53, a transport means 60 for transporting each diaper P carried out from the carry-out port 53 to the packaging machine is disposed. The conveying means 60 is constituted by an endless conveying belt 61 wound around a driving roller 65 of a driving motor and a plurality of (three in FIG. 1) guide rollers 62 to 64. The guide roller 63 and the guide roller Between 64, a suction device 66 is provided for preventing the diaper P transported on the transport belt 61 from dropping off. And each diaper P carried out from the carrying-out port 53 of the conveying means 2 is conveyed along this conveying means 60, and is guided to the packaging machine from the carrying-out port 67.

Next, the distribution means 3 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
The distribution unit 3 includes a conveyance unit 70 that forms a conveyance path for conveying each diaper P carried from the processing machine at intervals to the conveyance unit 1 or the conveyance unit 2, and the conveyance unit 70 in a top view shown in FIG. The diaper P that is disposed on both sides of the conveyance means 70 and that is guided by either one of the diapers P that is carried out from the conveyance means 70 to the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 of the conveyance means 1 or 2 can be elastically deformed. And a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91.

The conveying means 70 is arranged on the upstream side of the conveying means 1 and 2, and is composed of an upper conveying means 70a that conveys each diaper P that is carried in, and a lower conveying means 70b.
The upper conveying means 70a is configured by winding an endless conveying belt 71 around a plurality of guide rollers 72 to 76 (five in FIG. 1) arranged at predetermined positions and a driving roller 77 of a driving motor. . Further, a suction device 78 for preventing the diaper P from falling off is disposed inside the conveyance belt 71 between the guide roller 75 and the guide roller 76.
The lower conveying means 70b is configured by winding an endless conveying belt 81 around a plurality of guide rollers 82 to 86 (five in FIG. 1) and a driving roller 87 of a driving motor arranged at predetermined positions. . Further, a suction device 88 for preventing the diaper P from falling off is disposed inside the conveyance belt 81 between the guide roller 85 and the guide roller 86.

Therefore, the conveying belt 71 of the upper conveying means 70 a extends in the horizontal direction between the guide roller 74 and the guide roller 75, and enters the carry-in entrance 52 of the conveying means 2 between the guide roller 75 and the guide roller 76. It is inclined slightly upward so as to be oriented. Further, the conveyance belt 81 of the lower conveyance means 70b extends in the horizontal direction between the guide roller 84 and the guide roller 85, and between the guide roller 85 and the guide roller 86, the conveyance belt 81 is connected to the carry-in entrance 21 of the conveyance means 1. It is inclined slightly downward so as to be oriented.
And each diaper P carried in from a processing machine is the horizontal between the conveyance belt 71 in the horizontal section between the guide rollers 74 and 75 of the upper conveyance means 70a, and the guide rollers 84 and 85 of the lower conveyance means 70b. It is nipped and conveyed by the conveyance belt 81 in the section.

Each of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 is made of an elastically deformable hard synthetic resin and is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape when viewed from above, and protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the pedestal 93. It is supported by the support portion 94 and the support rod 95.
Supports 94, 94 that are orthogonal to the upstream side surface of each pedestal 93 disposed on both sides of the transport means 70 are vertically connected to a transport path of the diaper P between the transport belt 71 and the transport belt 81. Support rods 95 and 95 are provided on the conveying means 70 side with slightly larger intervals, and support rods 95 and 95 are provided in the same direction as the support portions 94 and 94 at positions downstream of the support portions 94 and 94 by a predetermined distance. Each is protruding. The pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are supported by support portions 94, 94 provided on the upstream end thereof on the upstream side of the gantry 93, and the vertical distance is extended while slightly expanding in the transport direction. As described above, the support members 95 are supported by support rods 95 and 95 that are separated from the support portions 94 and 94 by a predetermined distance downstream.

The servo motors 92 and 92 have guide rollers 75 and 85 whose output shafts 98 and 98 are vertically positioned on the upper and lower sides and the downstream side of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 in the side view shown in FIG. The support plate 100 is fixed to the upper and lower sides of the support plate 100 via mounting flanges and is fixed to the gantry 93 so as to be arranged on the upper and lower sides of the support plate 100. The support plate 100 is formed with a plurality of vertically long holes 99 (four in FIG. 1) so that the vertical installation positions of the upper and lower servo motors 92, 92 can be finely adjusted. The support plate 100 on which 92 is fixed up and down is fixed to the mount 93 by finely adjusting the installation position in the vertical direction through a vertically long hole 99. Polygonal blocks 96 and 96 are fixed to the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92, respectively. Cylindrical pressure rollers 97 and 97 ′ made of synthetic resin that respectively press the outer surfaces slightly downstream of the support rods 95 of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are provided at predetermined one end portions of the blocks 96 and 96, respectively. It is pivotally attached.
The upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are installed in the conveyance path (inclined portions 79 and 89) of the diaper P on the conveyance belts 71 and 81 in the vicinity of the suction devices 78 and 88, and pass through the diaper P. Based on the detection signals of the optical sensors 101 and 101 to be detected, the output shafts 98 and 98 are controlled to rotate in the forward and reverse directions, and the pressing rollers 97 connected to the output shafts 98 and 98, 97 'swings like a pendulum.

2 and 3, when the diaper P passes through the upper optical sensor 101, the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are both rotated clockwise, By disposing the pressing roller 97 and the lower pressing roller 97 ′ at the position of the shaded portion, a portion downstream of the support rod 95 of the upper guide plate 90 is pressed by the upper pressing roller 97, and the upper The guide plate 90 is bent downward with the support rod 95 as a fulcrum, and the downstream end thereof is substantially parallel to the inclined portion 89. At the same time, the lower guide plate 91 is restored to its original shape, and a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 are provided. 91 are directed toward the carry-in entrance 21 side of the transport means 1. On the other hand, when the diaper P passes through the lower optical sensor 101, the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are rotated counterclockwise, and the upper pressing roller 97 and the lower pressing roller 97 are rotated. By arranging 'at the position of the two-dot chain line, the downstream portion of the lower guide plate 91 from the support rod 95 is pressed by the lower pressing roller 97', and the lower guide plate 91 is supported by the support rod 95. 95 is bent upward with the fulcrum 95 as a fulcrum, and its downstream end is substantially parallel to the inclined portion 79. At the same time, the upper guide plate 90 is restored to its original shape, and the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are both transport means. 2 toward the carry-in entrance 52 side.
With this configuration, the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are rotated based on the detection signals of the optical sensors 101 and 101, and the upper and lower pressing rollers 97 and 97 ′ are respectively opposed to each other. And the upper and lower pressing rollers 97 and 97 ′ press and bend the corresponding guide plate 90 or 91 so that the upper and lower pair of guide plates 90 and 91 are either of the corresponding conveying means 1 or 2. Since each of the diapers P is transported from the conveyance means 70, that is, the section sandwiched between the upper conveyance means 70a and the lower conveyance means 70b, both end portions (thick portions and thin portions). ) Is conveyed along the guide plate 90 or 91 on the bent side, passes through the optical sensors 101 and 101 on the inclined portion 89 or 79, and is conveyed by the conveying means 1 or 2 It is guided to one of the carry-in port 21,52.

Next, the distribution means 3a according to the second embodiment will be described based on FIG. 4 with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. Here, the allocating means 3a according to the second embodiment is different from the allocating means 3 according to the first embodiment in that the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are either the conveying means 1 or 2. Since the control means directed toward the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 is different, this point will be described below.
The distribution means 3a includes a conveyance means 70 that forms a conveyance path for conveying each diaper P carried from the processing machine at intervals to the conveyance means 1 or the conveyance means 2, and the conveyance means in a top view shown in FIG. A pair of upper and lower diapers P that are respectively disposed on both sides of 70 and that guides the diaper P unloaded from the transfer means 70 to the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 of the transfer means 1 or 2 by inclining one of them. It consists of guide plates 90 and 91.

Supporting rods 102 and 102 that support the upstream side of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are provided on each pedestal 93 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and project from the conveying means 70 side with an interval in the vertical direction. . On the upstream side of each of the support rods 102, 102, the upstream end portions of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are urged toward the conveyance path side of the diaper P between the conveyance belt 71 and the conveyance belt 81. Springs 103 and 103 ′ are disposed.
When the diaper P passes through the upper optical sensor 101, the output shafts 98, 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92, 92 are both rotated in the clockwise direction, and the upper pressing roller 97 and the lower pressing roller 97 ′. Is disposed at the position of the hatched portion, the downstream portion of the upper guide plate 90 is pressed by the upper pressing roller 97 and the upper spring 103 is compressed, so that the upper guide plate 90 is inclined. At the same time, the lower guide plate 91 is restored to its original shape, and a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are both directed toward the carry-in entrance 21 side of the transport means 1. On the other hand, when the diaper P passes through the lower optical sensor 101, the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are rotated counterclockwise, and the upper pressing roller 97 and the lower pressing roller 97 are rotated. By arranging 'at the position of the two-dot chain line, the downstream portion of the lower guide plate 91 is pressed by the lower pressing roller 97' and the lower spring 103 'is compressed, so that the lower guide The plate 91 becomes substantially parallel to the inclined portion 79, and at the same time, the upper guide plate 90 is restored to its original shape, and the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are both directed toward the carry-in entrance 52 side of the transfer means 2.
With this configuration, the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are made to swing by the pressing rollers 97, 97 ′ connected to the output shafts 98, 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92, 92, and the spring 103, Since the supporting rods 102 and 102 are swung around by the urging force of 103 ′, the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are directed to the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 side of the corresponding conveying means 1 or 2, Each diaper P carried out from the means 70 is conveyed so that both end portions (thick portion and thin portion) are along the inclined guide plate 90 or 91, and the optical sensor 101 on the inclined portion 89 or 79, After passing through 101, it is guided to the carry-in port 21, 52 of either the transport means 1 or 2.

  Next, a distribution unit 3b according to a third embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 5 to 7 and with reference to FIG. Here, the allocating means 3b according to the third embodiment is different from the allocating means 3, 3a according to the first and second embodiments in that the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 are conveyed to the conveying means 1 or Since the control means to be directed to either of the two inlets 21 and 52 is different, this point will be described below. In the distribution means 3b according to the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a guide roller 6a is added upstream from the carry-in port 21 of the conveying means 1 (see FIG. 1). The conveyor belt 5 is wound around the roller 6a. Further, a guide roller 46a is added at a position close to the movable range of the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90, 91 on the upstream side of the carry-in port 52 of the transport means 2 (see FIG. 1), and the transport belt 40 is attached to the guide roller 46a. It is wound.

  The distribution means 3b is disposed on both sides of the conveyance means 70 that forms a conveyance path for each diaper P that is loaded at intervals from the processing machine, and on the both sides of the conveyance means 70 in a top view shown in FIG. The diaper P transported from the transport means 70 is composed of a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 for guiding the diaper P to either the transport inlet 21 or 52 of the transport means 1 or 2.

  In the top view shown in FIG. 6, pedestals 93 and 93 are respectively arranged on both sides of the conveying means 70. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, upstream of these pedestals 93 are on the conveying means 70 side. A pair of upper and lower support plates 110 and 111 projecting from each other are fixed by a plurality of mounting bolts 120. The upper support plate 110 is fixed to the lower surface thereof with a guide plate 110 ′ arranged in parallel with the conveying means 70 in a top view on the upstream side of the upper guide plate 90. The lower surface of 71 is disposed on substantially the same plane. The lower support plate 111 also has a guide plate 111 ′ fixed to the upper surface of the lower support plate 111 on the upstream side of the guide plate 91 as viewed from above, and the upper surface of the guide plate 111 ′ and the transport belt. The upper surface of 81 is disposed on substantially the same plane. These guide plates 110 ′ and 111 ′ are arranged so that both end portions (thick portion and thin portion) of each diaper P conveyed by the conveying means 70 are moved to a position where the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are disposed. It has a function to guide from the vertical direction of the section.

  In addition, a support plate 100 is fixed to each pedestal 93 via a longitudinally long hole 99 (four in FIG. 5) at a substantially central position in the vertical direction and downstream thereof. A servo motor 92 is fixed to a substantially central portion of the support plate 100 in the vertical direction via a mounting flange, and the output shaft 98 (see FIG. 7) of the servo motor 92 in the side view shown in FIG. Between the two. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a connecting member 115 is fixed to the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92, and this connecting member 115 has an opening 117 at which the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 is fixed at the approximate center thereof. The cross section is formed in a crank shape, and the outer shape is substantially circular and a part thereof is cut out in a straight line. In addition, L-shaped members 116 and 116 are fixed to the upper and lower portions of the connecting member 115 by mounting bolts 114, respectively, and a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 extending in the horizontal direction are respectively attached to the L-shaped members 116 and 116. Are fixed by mounting bolts 113 respectively. Reference numeral 118 denotes a pressure contact member that presses the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 and the inner peripheral surface of the connecting member 115.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, when the diaper P passes the upper optical sensor 101, the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 rotates clockwise, and the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are moved. Both are inclined substantially parallel to the inclined portion 89 and are directed to the carry-in entrance 21 side of the transfer means 1 (state shown in FIG. 5). On the other hand, when the diaper P passes through the lower optical sensor 101, the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 rotates counterclockwise, and the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are both inclined substantially parallel to the inclined portion 79. Then, it is directed to the carry-in entrance 52 side of the transport means 2. As described above, the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 rotates in the forward and reverse directions based on the detection signals of the upper and lower optical sensors 101, whereby the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are alternately inclined portions 89 or inclined. Inclined to a position parallel to the portion 79.
With this configuration, by turning the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92, the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 connected to the output shaft 98 via the connecting member 115 is inclined together, and the pair of upper and lower pairs Since the guide plates 90 and 91 are directed toward the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 of the corresponding carrying means 1 or 2, the diaper P carried out from the carry-out means 70 has both end portions (thick portions and thin portions). It is transported along a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91, passes through the optical sensors 101 and 101 on the inclined portion 89 or 79, and is guided to the carry-in entrance 21 or 52 of the transport means 1 or 2. .

Next, the process in which the diaper P carried in from a processing machine is conveyed by the alignment apparatus of the to-be-packaged item which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.
Each diaper P in which the thick part and the thin part are arranged along the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction is sandwiched by the conveying means 70, that is, the upper conveying means 70a and the lower conveying means 70b at a predetermined interval from the processing machine. Then transported. Here, in the distribution means 3 according to the first embodiment or the distribution means 3a according to the second embodiment, the output shafts 98 and 98 of the upper and lower servo motors 92 and 92 are both counterclockwise. In the state where the lower guide plate 91 is bent or inclined upward and the upper guide plate 90 is restored to its original shape, or in the distribution means 3b according to the third embodiment, the servo motor 92 is rotated. The output shaft 98 is rotated counterclockwise so that the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are both tilted upward. The diaper P first transported from the transport means 70 is transported along a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 directed to the transport inlet 52 side of the transport means 2 and passes through the upper optical sensor 101 to be transported. Guided to the carry-in port 52 of the means 2.
Next, when the first diaper P passes through the upper optical sensor 101, the distribution means 3 according to the first embodiment or the distribution means 3a according to the second embodiment, the upper and lower servo motors 92, The output shafts 98 and 98 of 92 are both rotated in the clockwise direction so that the upper guide plate 90 is bent or inclined downward and the lower guide plate 91 is restored to the original state, or the third In the distribution means 3b according to the embodiment, the output shaft 98 of the servo motor 92 is rotated in the clockwise direction, and the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are operated in a state where they are inclined downward. Then, the next diaper P transported at an interval from the first diaper P is transported along a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 directed toward the carry-in entrance 21 side of the transport means 1 and passes through the lower optical sensor 101. It passes through and is guided to the carry-in entrance 21 of the transport means 1.
Further, when the next diaper P guided to the carry-in port 21 of the transport unit 1 passes through the lower optical sensor 101, the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 are again brought into the carry-in port 52 side of the transport unit 2 by the control unit described above. The above-described operation is repeated.
Thus, each diaper P carried out from the conveyance means 70 at intervals is alternately directed to the carry-in entrances 21 and 52 side of the conveyance means 1 or 2 based on the detection signals of the upper and lower optical sensors 101 and 101. It is conveyed along a pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 and is guided to the conveying means 1 or 2.

Next, each diaper P carried into the transport means 1 is sandwiched between the transport belts 5 and 12 while being held in its posture and transported to the transport outlet 22 (first step). On the other hand, each diaper P carried into the transport means 2 is sandwiched between the twisted portions 50 and 51 of the transport belt 40 and, as indicated by an arrow A, reverses 180 ° in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction while being carried out at the carry-out port. 53 (second process).
And each diaper P carried out at intervals from each of the carry-out ports 22 and 53 is collected at the carry-out port 66 by the carrying means 30 and 60, and in the carrying path to the packaging machine, the thick part and the thin part are collected. The parts are alternately arranged, and when packaging, the diapers P positioned at both ends are aligned so as to face the same surface (for example, the surface) and conveyed to the packaging machine.

  As described above, according to the packaged article alignment apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, each diaper P carried from the processing machine at a predetermined interval is provided with the distributing means 3, 3a, 3b. By the pair of upper and lower guide plates 90 and 91 that are configured, it is distributed to either the transport means 1 or 2, and the transport means 1 transports the diapers P that are loaded while maintaining the posture, and the transport means 2 Since each loaded diaper P is transported by being inverted by 180 ° in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, each diaper P transported from each of the transport means 1 and 2 has its thick portion and thin portion alternately. Arranged and aligned with the transport path to the packaging machine. Moreover, in the alignment apparatus of the to-be-packaged goods which concerns on embodiment of this invention, the direction (either front or back direction) of each diaper P carried out from the conveyance means 1 and 2 by the distribution means 3, 3a, 3b is set. It is also possible to adjust and arrange the diapers P positioned at both ends in a state of being stacked in a unit of a plurality of sheets in a packaging form so that the surface to which the adhesive tape is attached is not exposed to the outside.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a package alignment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of the sorting means according to the first embodiment of the apparatus for aligning articles to be packaged according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part extracted from the distribution means shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a main part of the allocating means according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the distribution means according to the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. (A) is a front view with which a pair of guide plate which is a component of the distribution means which concerns on 3rd Embodiment was attached to the servomotor, (b) is a side view of (a).

Explanation of symbols

1 Conveying means (first conveying means)
2 Conveying means (second conveying means)
21, 52 Carry-in port 3, 3a, 3b Distributing means 70 Conveying means 90, 91 Guide plate P Diaper (package)

Claims (3)

In the pre-process for stacking and packaging a plurality of objects to be packaged with a thick portion unevenly distributed on one side, the objects to be packaged are aligned in a predetermined direction, respectively.
A first transporting means for transporting while maintaining the posture of each packaged article carried in, and a thick direction of the packaged goods conveyed by the first transporting means by reversing each packaged article carried in A second conveying means for conveying so that the thin direction is directed, and a distribution means for conveying each article to be packaged carried in from the processing machine and distributing it to either the first or the second conveying means. An apparatus for aligning packages to be packaged. The allocating means is configured to carry in each of the first or second conveying means the conveying means that conveys each packaged article carried in from the processing machine, and each packaged article carried out from the conveying means. 2. An apparatus for aligning articles to be packaged according to claim 1, comprising a pair of guide plates for guiding to the mouth side. In the pre-process for stacking and packaging a plurality of objects to be packaged with thick parts unevenly distributed on one side, each packaging object is aligned in a predetermined direction,
In the first step, the posture of each packaged article carried in is held and conveyed, and in the second step, each packaged article carried in is reversed and conveyed, and the first and second objects are conveyed. When unpacking from each process, each packaged object has its thick portions and thin portions alternately arranged, and the packages to be packaged on both sides in a state of being stacked in units of multiple sheets have the same surface outside. A method of aligning packages to be arranged.

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