JP2005350124A - Container feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a container feeding device which can stably feed containers to a container housing section of a container carrying means while rolling the containers even when the carrying speed for the containers become faster, and at the same time, can suppress damages received by the containers as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: This container feeding device is equipped with a rotary type container carrying-feeding unit 13 which receives a bottle container B under a standing state which has been carried to a container delivering position ζ(η) at a specified pitch by a screw 12, and carries the bottle container B to a container feeding position α(β), and feeds the bottle container B under a horizontally toppled state to a bucket 30 of a bucket conveyor 3. The container carrying-feeding unit 13 is equipped with a pusher 22 which performs a pushing-tilting motion for the bottle container B to the container housing section 31 side while moving together with the bucket 30 under a state facing a container receiving port of the container housing section 31 in the bucket 30. The pusher 22 moves away from the bottle container B at a point when the bottle container B is pushed out to a position where the bottle container B naturally starts falling down. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention, for example, a container supply device mounted on a cartoner or the like for packing a container, in particular, the container is laid sideways on the container accommodating portion of the container conveying means by pushing down the standing container at the container supply position. It is related with the container supply apparatus supplied in a state.

  An example of this type of container supply apparatus is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the container supply device 50 is configured to convey a bottle conveyor B in a standing state and a belt conveyor 51 that conveys the bottle container B in a standing state. The bucket conveyor 60 that passes through the container supply position α by pushing down the standing-up bottle containers B that have been transferred to the supply position α and the standing bottle containers B that have been transferred to the container supply position α. Each of the buckets 61 is provided with a pusher 55 that sequentially supplies the bucket 61 in a sideways state.

  As shown in the figure, the pusher 55 is installed at the container supply position α such that the head 55a that contacts the bottle container B faces the container supply port side of the bucket 61 that passes through the container supply position. As the specific portion of the arm 55b supporting the head 55a moves on a predetermined circular orbit, the head 55a that abuts the bottle container B is attached to the bottle container B as shown by the one-dot chain line and the solid line in FIG. While moving from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction, the bottle moves forward to the bucket conveyor 60 side and pushes the bottle container B into the bucket 61.

JP-A-5-32227

  By the way, in the container supply apparatus 50 as described above, since the pusher 55 for pushing down the bottle container B is installed at the container supply position α, the bottle container B passing through the container supply position α is securely attached to the bucket 61 of the bucket conveyor 60. In order to supply the bottle container B, when the bottle container B passes the container supply position α, the pusher 55 must momentarily push down the bottle container B in a timely manner.

  Therefore, when the conveyance speed of the bottle container B by the bucket conveyor 60 increases, it becomes difficult to stably supply the bottle container B to the bucket 61, and the impact applied to the bottle container B when pushing down increases. There is a problem in that the bottle container B is easily damaged, for example, the label stuck to the outer peripheral surface of the body part of the container B is damaged or wrinkled, or the cap of the bottle container B is dented. .

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to stably supply a container while overturning the container to the container accommodating portion of the container conveying means even when the container conveying speed is increased, and to suppress damage to the container as much as possible. An object of the present invention is to provide a container supply device that can be used.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is configured to convey a container to a container supply position in an upright state, and push down the container in the upright state at the container supply position, thereby In the container supply device for supplying the container in a state of being laid down horizontally, a pusher for performing a pushing-down operation of the container while moving together with the container container in a state facing the container receiving port of the container container. The pusher provides a container supply device that releases contact with the container when the container is pushed out to a position where the container starts to fall naturally.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the container supply device according to claim 1, wherein the pusher is provided with a side guide that projects to the side of the container.

  As described above, in the container supply device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pusher is moved down together with the container housing portion while the pusher is opposed to the container receiving port of the container housing portion, and the container is pushed down. Therefore, even when the container conveyance speed is increased, a sufficient time can be taken for the pushing operation of the container by the pusher, and the container can be stably supplied to the container accommodating portion of the container conveying means.

  Moreover, when the pusher is pushed out to the position where the container begins to fall naturally, the pusher is released from contact with the container, so that the container is forcibly pushed down by the pusher as in a conventional container supply device. Instead, the container will naturally fall into the container accommodating portion, and damage to the container can be minimized.

  In the container supply device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the pusher includes a side guide that protrudes to the side of the container, so that the container that is about to fall into the container housing portion is unlikely to be displaced laterally. The container can be reliably supplied to a predetermined position of the container accommodating portion in the container conveying means.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a car toner for packing two types of bottle containers having different liquid contents into one box, and the car toner 1 includes two types of bottle containers as shown in FIG. Two sets of container supply devices 2 and 2 for supplying containers to the respective container supply positions α and β, and two kinds of bottle containers received from the container supply devices 2 and 2 at the container supply positions α and β A bucket conveyor 3 that conveys up to γ, and a carton spacer conveyor 5 that receives a carton folded in a sheet shape supplied by a carton supply device 4 at a carton supply position δ, and conveys it with the barrel portion opened in a cylindrical shape. And a container for inserting the bottle container conveyed by the bucket conveyor 3 into the trunk of the carton conveyed by the carton spacer conveyor 5 at the boxing position γ. The input device 6, the sealing position epsilon, conveyed by the carton spacers conveyor 5, and a sealing device 7 for sealing the carton bottle container is inserted into the barrel.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container supply device 2 is configured to convey a bottle container B in an upright state and a container delivery position at a predetermined pitch between the bottle container B conveyed by the belt conveyor 11. At the screw 12 to be transported to ζ (η) and the container delivery position ζ (η), the bottle container B in an upright state that has been transported by the screw 12 is received and transported to the container supply position α (β). α (β) is provided with a rotary type container transport and supply unit 13 for supplying the bottle container B to the bucket 30 of the bucket conveyor 3 in a state where the bottle container B is tilted sideways, and the bucket 30 of the bucket conveyor 3 is shown in FIG. As shown in c), the container accommodating portions 31 and 31 each having an arcuate cross section into which the body portion of the bottle container B is fitted so that the two kinds of bottle containers B can be accommodated in a stable state. Is formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the container transport and supply unit 13 is attached to the endless timing belt 15 spanned by three wheels 14 a, 14 b, and 14 c and to the timing belt 15 at regular intervals. A large number of support plates 16, a large number of container holders 20 supported at the lower ends of the respective support plates 16, pushers 22 supported so as to be able to advance and retreat by the respective container holders 20, and a cam mechanism 24 that moves the pushers 22 back and forth. The container holder 20 and the pusher 22 together with the timing belt 15 circulate and move on a predetermined movement path.

  Three guide rollers 17 a, 18 a, 19 a are supported on the inner surface side of the support plate 16, and these guide rollers 17 a, 18 a, 19 a are fixedly installed inside the timing belt 15. By fitting the guide rails 17b, 18b, and 19b, the support plates 16 that move together with the timing belt 15 are held vertically and held at a fixed height position.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 (a), (b), the container holder 20 has a neck portion and a body portion of the bottle container B supplied from the screw 12 at the container delivery position ζ (η). The bottle container B is received by being fitted into the recesses 20a and 20b formed at the tip, and the bottle container B is conveyed to the container supply position α (β) along the conveyance guide 21. The container supply position In α (β), the bucket 30 moves at the same speed as the movement speed of the bucket 30 while facing the container receiving port in the bucket 30 of the bucket conveyor 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4C, the pusher 22 is a shoulder portion of the bottle container B that is transported in a state where the neck portion and the body portion are fitted to the recess portions 20 a and 20 b of the container holder 20. A push-down portion 22a that abuts against the bottle container B, pushes the bottom portion of the bottle container B pushed down into the container accommodating portion 31 of the bucket 30 to a predetermined position, and advances and retreats at the side of the push-down portion 22a. 2 in a state where the push-down portion 22a pushes down the bottle container B and a state where the push-in portion 22b pushes in the bottle container B, as shown in FIG. 23 enters the upper side of the slightly raised boundary portion of the adjacent container accommodating portion 31 in the bucket 30, so that the bottle container B to be pushed down is not accommodated in the adjacent container accommodating portion 31. .

  2 and 3, the cam mechanism 24 includes a cam follower 25 supported at the rear end portion of the pusher 22, and a ring-shaped cam plate 26 formed with a cam groove 26a into which the cam follower 25 is fitted. The pusher 22 advances and retreats as the cam follower 25 moves along the cam groove 26a.

  Hereinafter, the supply operation | movement to the bucket 30 of the bottle container B by the pusher 22 is demonstrated in detail. First, when the bottle container B held in the container holder 20 reaches the container supply position α (β), the pusher 22 is retracted as shown in FIG. When the pusher 22 starts to move forward and the shoulder of the bottle container B starts to be pushed by the push-down part 22a, the bottle container B is not brought into contact with the shoulder of the container B, as shown in FIG. The upper part of is inclined toward the bucket 30 side.

  When the bottle container B tilts to a state where it naturally begins to fall, the pusher 22 temporarily stops its forward movement, as shown in FIGS. It waits until it falls in the part 31. At this time, as described above, the side guide 23 enters the upper side of the slightly raised boundary portion of the adjacent container housing portion 31 in the bucket 30, and serves as a partition wall that partitions the adjacent container housing portions 31, 31. Therefore, the bottle container B is reliably accommodated in the predetermined container accommodating part 31.

  Thus, when the bottle container B is accommodated in the predetermined container accommodating part 31 in the bucket 30, the pusher 22 starts to move forward again, and as shown in FIG. After pushing the bottom of the bottle container B to a predetermined position, the pusher 22 is retracted to the initial position shown in FIG. 1A, and the supply operation of the bottle container B by the pusher 22 is completed.

  As described above, in the container supply device 2, the pusher 22 performs the pushing operation of the bottle container B while moving with the bucket 30 in a state where the pusher 22 faces the container receiving port of the container accommodating portion 31 in the bucket 30. Therefore, even if the conveyance speed of the bottle container B is increased, a sufficient time can be taken for the push-down operation of the bottle container B by the pusher 22, and the bottle accommodating portion 31 of the bucket 30 in the bucket conveyor 3 is bottled. The container B can be supplied stably.

  Moreover, the pusher 22 stops its forward movement when the bottle container B tilts to a state where it begins to fall naturally, and releases the contact with the bottle container B. Therefore, unlike the conventional container supply device in which the bottle container or the like is forcibly pushed down by the pusher, damage to the bottle container B can be minimized.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the bottle container B tilts to a state where it begins to fall naturally, the forward movement of the pusher 22 is stopped, thereby releasing the contact of the pusher 22 with the bottle container B. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the bottle container B tilts to a state where it begins to fall naturally, the forward movement of the pusher 22 is not stopped, but the forward movement speed of the pusher 22 is reduced. It is also possible to release the contact of the pusher 22 with the bottle container B.

  In the above-described embodiment, the pusher 22 releases the contact with the bottle container B at the time when the bottle container B tilts to a state where the bottle container B starts to fall naturally, so that the bottle container B falls directly into the container housing portion 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6E, the cap portion of the bottle container B can be supported on the bucket 30 side of the bucket conveyor 3. In addition, a support member 27 whose support position gradually decreases along the moving direction of the bottle container B is installed, and the pusher is supported while the cap member of the bottle container B is supported by the support member 27. When the bottle container B is gradually inclined by pushing the shoulder part of the bottle container B with the push-down part 22a of 22, the inclination angle of the bottle container B that starts to fall naturally is further increased. It is possible, it is possible to further reduce the damage experienced by the bottle container B.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a support member 28 that once supports the bottle container B that has started to fall naturally at a predetermined inclination angle is installed on the bucket 30 side of the bucket conveyor 3. The bottle container B can be further prevented from being damaged by stepping over the bottle container B in a stepwise manner, for example, after the bottle container has fallen into the support member 28 and then into the container accommodating portion 31 of the bucket 30. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the push-down portion 22a and the push-in portion 22b are formed in one pusher 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the push-down pusher and the push-in pusher are separated from each other. These may be configured to be driven individually.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the side guide 23 that enters the upper side of the slightly raised boundary portion of the adjacent container housing portion 31 in the bucket 30 and serves as a partition wall that partitions the adjacent container housing portions 31, 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even in the case of a bucket having a single container housing portion, when the pusher advances, the end surface of the bucket contacts and contracts. If the pair of left and right side guides are provided in the pusher, the gap between the container holder 20 and the bucket 30 is closed by the side guides, so that the bottle container can be reliably overturned to the container housing portion. can get.

  In the above-described embodiment, the side guide 23 is provided on one side of the pusher 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the case of a bucket having three or more container housing portions, the side guide 23 is located at the center. For the pusher that pushes down the bottle container or the like into the container receiving portion, it is desirable to provide side guides on both sides of the pusher so that the bottle container or the like does not fall into the adjacent container receiving portion.

  Moreover, although the case where the bottle container B is supplied to the bucket 30 in the bucket conveyor 3 has been described in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the container of the container transporting unit can be pushed down by pushing down the standing container. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to various container supply devices that supply containers in a state where they are laid down horizontally.

It is the schematic which shows the car toner in which one Embodiment of the container supply apparatus concerning this invention was mounted. It is a schematic block diagram which shows a container supply apparatus same as the above. It is sectional drawing which shows the container conveyance supply unit which comprises the container supply apparatus same as the above. (A), (b) is a top view which shows the container holder and pusher which comprise the same container conveyance supply unit, (c) is a figure which shows the state which supplied the bottle container to the bucket of the bucket conveyor by the pusher same as the above. It is. (A)-(e) is operation | movement explanatory drawing for demonstrating supply operation | movement to the bucket of a bottle container by the pusher same as the above. (A) is a figure which shows the container supply position in other embodiment of a container supply apparatus, (b) is sectional drawing along the VV line of (a), (c) is the WW line of (a). (D) is a sectional view taken along line XX in (a), and (e) is a sectional view taken along line YY in (a). (A) is a figure which shows the container supply position in other embodiment of a container supply apparatus, (b) is sectional drawing along the ZZ line of (a). It is the schematic which shows the conventional container supply apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cartner 2 Container supply apparatus 3 Bucket conveyor 11 Belt conveyor 12 Screw 13 Container conveyance supply unit 14a, 14b, 14c Wheel 15 Timing belt 16 Support plate 17a, 18a, 19a Guide roller 17b, 18b, 19b Guide rail 20 Container holder 20a, 20b Concave portion 21 Transport guide 22 Pusher 22a Push-down portion 22b Push-in portion 23 Side guide 24 Cam mechanism 25 Cam follower 26 Cam plate 26a Cam groove 27, 28 Support member 30 Bucket 31 Container housing portion B Bottle container

Claims (2)

In a container supply device that conveys a container to a container supply position in a standing state, and supplies the container in a state where the container is laid sideways to a container housing portion of a container conveying means by pushing down the container in the standing state at the container supply position. ,
A pusher that performs a pushing-down operation of the container while moving with the container receiving part in a state of facing the container receiving port of the container receiving part,
The container supply device according to claim 1, wherein the pusher releases contact with the container when the container is pushed out to a position where the container starts to fall naturally.   The container pusher according to claim 1, wherein the pusher includes a side guide that projects to a side of the container.

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