JP2006038826A - Internal pressure inspecting device and internal pressure inspection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To precisely perform internal pressure inspection for a can with the content charged. <P>SOLUTION: The internal pressure inspection device 1 is provided with a conveyance means 2 for conveying a carton case 23, in which the plurality of cans 25 in which the contents are charged and tightly enclosed are packed; and a sounding tester 13 provided along the conveyance means 2 and having a constitution for forcibly exciting the can 25 in the carton case 23 and for catching the echo sound from the can 25, wherein a separation means 8 is provided at approximately the same position as the sounding tester 13 in the conveyance direction, for forcibly exciting the can 25 by the sounding tester 13 and for separating the upper lid part 23a of the carton case 23 from the can 25, when the echo sound at that moment from the can 25 is caught, in a state in which the carton case 23 is conveyed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an internal pressure inspection device and an internal pressure inspection method suitable for inspecting the internal pressure of a can packed in a case.

  Traditionally, low-acid beverages such as coffee with milk are filled in aluminum positive pressure cans (filled with liquid nitrogen) or steel negative pressure cans, sealed and sterilized by retort, and then put into a carton case made of corrugated paper. Packed and loaded on pallet. The case-packed cans are allowed to stand for about 7 days, and then a can internal pressure test is performed for each carton case by a so-called percussion test to check for leaks. This is because if there is a fine pinhole in the can, it will cause a slow leak, so even if the internal pressure of the can is measured immediately after filling, the internal pressure of the can will not change much before filling, and there will be no problem with the presence or absence of leakage. Because there is. In addition, when the content is a low-acid beverage, in general, after filling the can with the content, nitrogen gas is filled to prevent oxidation of the content.

  By the way, as a means for inspecting the internal pressure of the can by the above-mentioned percussion, the can filled with the contents and sealed, in a state of being in an upright posture so that a space is formed on the bottom side of the inside of the can, For example, the peak frequency and the preset can internal pressure calculated by capturing the reverberation sound from the can at this time by forcibly exciting the radial central portion of the bottom of the can by the electromagnetic induction action. A method for inspecting the internal pressure of the can based on the correlation between the value and the peak frequency is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In carrying out this inspection method, a plurality of cans are packed in a carton case in the inverted posture, and the bottom of the can is forcibly excited from the outside of the carton case. The method of catching and checking the internal pressure is adopted.

By the way, since the percussion is generally carried out after being left for several days (about 7 days) in a state where a plurality of carton cases packed as described above are stacked, the direction of the can axis formed at the bottom of the can In some cases, the upper cover portion of the carton case is fitted into the grounding portion protruding downward, and the inner surface of the carton case comes into contact with the surface of the bottom portion of the can. In this case, since the free vibration of the bottom of the can is hindered by the upper lid portion of the carton case, it may be difficult to perform a highly accurate internal pressure test.
As a means to solve this problem, when performing the percussion, the can bottom and the inner surface of the carton case are brought into a non-contact state by lifting the upper lid of the carton case in advance and releasing the indented state. After that, a method of performing the percussion test is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).
JP 49-34376 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-246681 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-94685

  However, in the conventional art, since the percussion is performed after the squeezed state is released, the case is conveyed after the squeezed state is released until the case is delivered to reach the placement position of the percussion instrument. In some cases, the grounding portion of the can again enters the groove portion of the upper lid portion of the carton case formed by the above-described indentation due to vibration on the road, and the inner surface of the carton case contacts the surface of the bottom portion of the can. That is, there is a problem that it is difficult to reliably realize separation between the inner surface of the carton case and the bottom of the can at the time of hitting.

  Such a problem is formed by so-called three-piece cans, squeezing and ironing processes, in which the bottom lid is wound around one opening of the cylindrical body and the can lid is wound around the other opening. A so-called two-piece can having a configuration in which a can lid is wound around the opening of the bottomed cylindrical body, and a bottom lid is wound around one opening of the cylindrical body and a cap is placed on the other opening A cap with a cap, a bottle can and a bottom lid, and a cap and bottle can with a cap screwed into an opening of a bottomed cylindrical body. This can occur regardless of the difference between the two-piece bottle can with cap.

  Further, in place of the inspection form, when a method of inspecting the internal pressure by forcibly exciting the cap top surface portion of the so-called bottle can with cap, the cap top surface portion is positioned at the highest position in the can axis direction. However, since it is a flat surface, contact with the upper cover of the carton case is particularly likely to occur. For this reason, in the conventional apparatus and method, when the internal pressure is inspected by forcibly exciting the cap top surface portion, it is particularly difficult to realize a non-contact state with the upper cover portion of the carton case. there were.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an internal pressure inspection device and an internal pressure inspection method capable of inspecting internal pressures of various cans with high accuracy.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve such an object, the present invention proposes the following means.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveying means for conveying a carton case in which a plurality of cans filled and sealed with contents are packed, and the can in the carton case is forcibly excited along the conveying means. In addition, an internal pressure inspection apparatus including a percussion instrument configured to capture reverberation sound from the can at this time, wherein the percussion instrument is disposed at substantially the same position as the percussion instrument in the transport direction. When the can is forcibly excited by the detector and the reverberation sound from the can at this time is captured, the upper lid of the carton case is pulled away from the can while the carton case is transported. Means are provided.

  In this internal pressure inspection device, since the separating means is provided, the can is forcibly excited by a percussion instrument with the upper lid portion of the carton case being separated from the can, and the reverberation sound at this time is captured. Is possible. Therefore, when the can is forcibly excited, the can can surely freely vibrate, and a highly accurate internal pressure test can be realized. Furthermore, since the upper lid portion of the carton case can be pulled away from the can to be inspected while the carton case is conveyed, a highly accurate internal pressure inspection can be performed with high efficiency.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to the first aspect, the separating means includes a suction portion that sucks an upper lid portion of the carton case, and the suction portion is provided with the percussion instrument. It is characterized by being arranged separately on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction with respect to the position.

In this internal pressure inspection device, when the can targeted for the test is opposed to the tester, both the front side and the rear side in the transport direction are sucked with reference to the portion facing the can of the upper cover of the carton case. Thus, a non-contact state between the can and the upper cover of the carton case can be reliably realized.
In particular, among the cans packed in the carton case by appropriately setting the distances and dimensions of the suction portions arranged separately, the cans positioned at the front end and the rear end in the transport direction are also described above. Similarly, it is possible to suck both the front side and the rear side in the transport direction with reference to the portion facing the can in the upper lid portion of the carton case. Therefore, the non-contact state can be reliably realized for all the cans packed in the carton case.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to the second aspect, among the cans in the carton case, the suction unit includes a plurality of cans arranged continuously in a direction intersecting the transport direction. It is characterized by being arranged in a plurality in a direction crossing the transport direction so as to face each other.

  In this internal pressure inspection device, even when the outer surface of the carton case upper lid part is not a flat surface due to undulation or unevenness, at least the peripheral part of the carton case upper cover part facing the can to be inspected Since the suction part can be brought into contact with each other, a non-contact state between the can and the upper cover part of the carton case can be reliably realized.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to the second or third aspect, the separating means includes the suction unit and a vacuum exhaust unit communicating with the suction unit, and the suction unit Includes a cylindrical body having a cylindrical body, a hollow columnar cylinder body provided with a first end face plate and a second end face plate for closing both end openings of the cylindrical body, and the cylinder body within the first cylinder body. A first hollow part on the side of the end face plate and a second hollow part on the side of the second end face plate, the piston being movable in the axial direction of the cylindrical body, and the piston in the axial direction A piston rod which is fixed so as to protrude toward the outside and protrudes to the outside through a through-hole formed in the first end face plate, and is fixed to the piston rod and has a suction port at its tip surface, and the tip Surface holds the top lid of the carton case And a suction passage portion that communicates the inside of the second hollow portion with the suction port, and the cylinder body has a through hole for introducing outside air that communicates with the first hollow portion. The vacuum evacuation means is configured to suck the negative pressure inside the second hollow portion.

  In this internal pressure inspection device, when the upper lid portion of the carton case comes into contact with the distal end surface of the vacuum pad, the suction port provided on the distal end surface sucks up the upper lid portion by the vacuum exhaust means. At that time, since the outer surface of the upper lid portion closes the suction port, the suction passage portion and the inside of the second hollow portion communicating with the suction passage portion become negative pressure. Due to the differential pressure between the second hollow part that has become negative pressure and the first hollow part that is held at atmospheric pressure by the through-hole for introducing outside air, the piston that partitions these two hollow parts moves upward. To do. At the same time, the upper lid portion adsorbed on the front end surface of the vacuum pad connected to the piston via the piston rod is lifted.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the vacuum pad is tiltable with respect to its axis and supported by the piston rod.
In this internal pressure inspection device, the vacuum pad is tiltable with respect to its axis and is supported by the piston rod, so even if the outer surface of the upper cover of the carton case is not flat due to undulations, irregularities, etc. The front end surface of the vacuum pad can be inclined along the outer surface of the upper lid portion of the carton case, and the front end surface of the vacuum pad can be brought into uniform contact with the outer surface of the upper cover portion. Therefore, the suction port of the vacuum pad can be reliably closed by the outer surface of the upper lid portion of the carton case.

  By the way, in the case where the carton case is divided at the central portion in the width direction of the upper lid portion, the central portion in the width direction is the largest among the upper lid portions when the upper lid portion is sucked by the separating means. It is lifted to form an inverted V shape when viewed from the side, and a gap is particularly likely to occur between the tip surface of the vacuum pad and the outer surface of the upper cover of the carton case. However, since the vacuum pad can be tilted with respect to its axis as in the present invention, even when the carton case upper lid portion is deformed into the inverted V shape, the tip end surface of the vacuum pad is attached to the upper lid portion. The tip of the vacuum pad can be brought into uniform contact with the outer surface of the upper lid, and the suction port of the vacuum pad can be connected to the upper lid of the carton case. It is possible to reliably close the outer surface.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separating means is disposed at both ends of the conveying means in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and A pair of air supply units extending over a predetermined length region extending from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the arrangement position, and an air supply source for supplying air to the air supply unit, Among the outer surfaces of the first and second outer surfaces, air injection holes that communicate with the air supply source and inject air toward the conveying means are formed on the surfaces facing each other. It is the structure which supplied the air to.

  In this internal pressure inspection device, when air is supplied into the carton case, the upper cover of the carton case bulges and deforms, and the can is forced by a percussion instrument with the upper cover of the carton case being pulled away from the can. While exciting, it is possible to capture the reverberation at this time. Therefore, when the can is forcibly excited, the can can surely freely vibrate, and a highly accurate internal pressure inspection can be realized.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the internal pressure inspection device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the pair of air supply portions is supported by an elastic member so as to be capable of moving forward and backward toward the conveying means. To do.

  In this internal pressure inspection device, when the distance between the pair of air supply units is set smaller than the size of the carton case in the direction intersecting the conveyance direction in the direction along the conveyance direction, or when the air supply unit is directed toward the conveyance unit When the structure supported so as to be able to advance and retreat is adopted, it is possible to alleviate the collision between the air supply unit and the carton case being conveyed, and to bring the air supply unit into close contact with the carton case. Therefore, the carton case upper lid can be bulged and deformed satisfactorily without obstructing the conveyance of the carton case or damaging the case.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the internal pressure inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the carton is disposed at substantially the same position as the placement position of the percussion instrument and the separating means in the transport direction. With the case transported, the upper side surface of the carton case located on the upper lid side is pressed toward the inner side of the carton case in the direction along the surface of the upper lid portion to correct the deformation. A carton case correcting means is provided.

  Since this internal pressure inspection apparatus includes the carton case correcting means, it is possible to carry out the internal pressure inspection of the can by so-called punching with high accuracy and reliability. In other words, as described above, the internal pressure inspection is performed by leaving the carton cases packed with a plurality of cans for several days in a stacked state, and then forcibly exciting the cans in the carton case to capture the echo sound at that time. However, the carton case is crushed in the thickness direction by leaving it in the stacked state, and the inner surface of the upper lid of the carton case and the can are brought into close contact during the internal pressure inspection. There is a risk. In this case, even if an attempt is made to make the upper lid portion of the carton case and the can out of contact with each other by the pulling means, the upper lid portion cannot be sufficiently separated from the can, and the upper lid portion and the can are in contact with each other during an internal pressure test. However, there is a possibility that the can cannot be vibrated freely. However, when the carton case correcting means is provided as in the present invention, the crushed deformation of the carton case at the time of internal pressure inspection, that is, the direction in which the upper side surface of the carton case is along the outer surface of the upper lid portion. The deformation that spreads outward in the carton case is corrected, and it becomes possible to release the close contact between the inner surface of the upper lid part and the can, and the non-contact between the upper lid part of the carton case and the can by the separating means The state can be realized reliably.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the internal pressure inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tester protector prevents contact between the tester and the upper cover of the carton case on the transport path. A member is provided.

In this internal pressure inspection device, the percussion instrument protecting member is provided, so that by pulling the carton case top lid away from the can by the separating means, the outer surface of the top lid and the tip of the percussion instrument It becomes possible to avoid contact with the surface, and the internal pressure inspection can be performed with high accuracy.
Here, the internal pressure inspection of the can using the percussion instrument is generally performed as follows. First, when the can is forcibly excited by the percussion instrument, the air located between the inner surface of the carton case upper lid and the can is vibrated by the vibration generated in the can, and the carton case upper lid vibrates due to this air vibration. To do. Furthermore, the vibration between the outer surface of the upper lid part and the tip surface of the percussion instrument vibrates due to the vibration of the upper lid part, and the air percussion is detected by the percussion instrument. The internal pressure is measured.
Therefore, when the tip of the percussion instrument comes into contact with the outer surface of the upper lid portion of the carton case by the separation of the separating means, the vibration of the upper lid portion is inhibited, and the outer lid portion There is a possibility that it is difficult to carry out the internal pressure inspection with high accuracy because the air vibration between the surface and the tip surface of the percussion instrument becomes small.
However, in the present invention, since the percussion instrument protecting member is provided, at the time of internal pressure inspection, the carton case upper lid part can vibrate at least without being obstructed by the percussion instrument, and the upper lid part It is possible to vibrate the air between the outer surface and the tip surface of the tester sufficiently and sufficiently.

  In the invention according to claim 10, in a state where a plurality of cans filled with contents and sealed in a carton case are packed, the can is forcibly excited, and the internal pressure of the can is detected by capturing the reverberation sound from the can at this time. An internal pressure inspection method for inspecting, wherein when the can is forcibly excited and the echo sound from the can at this time is captured, the top cover of the carton case is pulled from the can while the carton case is transported. It is characterized by releasing.

  In this internal pressure inspection method, when the can is forcibly excited and the reverberation sound from the can is captured, the can and the upper cover of the carton case can be reliably brought into a non-contact state. It is possible to vibrate, and a highly accurate internal pressure inspection can be realized. Furthermore, since the upper lid portion of the carton case can be pulled away from the can to be inspected while the carton case is conveyed, a highly accurate internal pressure inspection can be performed with high efficiency.

  According to the internal pressure inspection apparatus and the internal pressure inspection method according to the present invention, the internal pressure inspection of the can can be performed with high accuracy and high efficiency.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an internal pressure inspection device and an internal pressure inspection method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an internal pressure inspection apparatus according to the present invention.
This internal pressure inspection apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as “inspection apparatus”) 1 includes a carry-in path (conveying means) 2, an internal pressure inspection means 3, a discharge section 4, a carry-out path 5, a discharge path 6, and a control means 7. And a separating means 8.

  The carry-in path 2, the carry-out path 5, and the discharge path 6 are each formed by, for example, a conveyor that circulates an endless belt 21 by a drive motor (not shown). In the illustrated example, the carry-in path 2 and the carry-out path 5 have the upper surface of the endless belt 21 moved from the left side to the right side in the figure, and the discharge path 6 has the upper surface of the endless belt 21 from the upper side to the lower side in the figure. Moved to.

  The evacuation unit 4 has a schematic configuration including a conveyance path in which the carton case 23 is arranged and conveyed, and an unillustrated evacuation drive unit, and the evacuation drive unit is configured by, for example, an air cylinder, with respect to the conveyance path. It is a structure that is supported so that it can move forward and backward. Then, in the process in which the carton case 23 is transported on the transport path, when it is determined that the internal pressure value in the carton case 23 is outside the proper range as will be described later, the waste drive unit is driven forward. As a result, the carton case 23 is moved to the discharge path 6.

  A carton case 23 made of, for example, corrugated cardboard is placed on the upstream side of the carry-in path 2 in the transport direction. The carton case 23 is filled with a product (contents) of a low-acid beverage such as coffee with milk and sealed, and in the illustrated example, in the illustrated example, six cans with caps intersect the transport direction, and intersect this direction. A total of 24 are accommodated in the direction, that is, 4 rows and 6 columns. In general, when these cans are positive pressure cans, they are filled with liquid nitrogen, and when the contents are low acid beverages, they are filled with nitrogen gas to prevent oxidation of the contents.

Here, the cap-equipped bottle can 25 as an internal pressure inspection target in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the bottle can 25 with a cap has a schematic configuration including a bottle can 26 and a cap 27, and these 26 and 27 are made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or steel.
In the present embodiment, the bottle can 26 is formed with a bottomed cylindrical body by drawing and ironing the plate-like body made of the metal, and then necked at the opening of the bottomed cylindrical body. It is formed by performing in machining, thread cutting, and curl forming.

  The bottle can 26 is continuously connected to a large-diameter barrel portion 26a and a can-shaped connecting portion 26b that protrudes radially outward at the upper end of the barrel portion 26a in the can axis direction. The shoulder portion 26c is gradually reduced in diameter as it goes upward in the axial direction, and has a schematic configuration including a cap portion 26d that is connected to the upper end portion in the can axis direction of the shoulder portion 26c and extends upward in the can axis direction. ing. The base portion 26d is formed with a male screw portion 26e, and a curl portion 26f is formed at the upper end portion in the can axis direction and is turned back radially outward.

The cap 27 includes a flat top surface portion 27a (forced excitation portion), a side surface portion 27b substantially hanging from the outer peripheral edge of the top surface portion 27a, and a liner 27c disposed inside the top surface portion 27a. It is set as the schematic structure which has these. In addition, the outer diameter of the side part 27b of the cap 27 is set to 28 mm or more and 42 mm or less, for example.
The cap 27 is screwed to the male thread portion 26e of the bottle can base portion 26d so that the liner 27c of the cap 27 is in close contact with the upper end portion of the curled portion 26f of the bottle can base portion 26d.

  All the bottle cans 25 with caps configured as described above are accommodated in an upright posture in the carton case 23 so that a space 25a is formed inside the bottle can cap portion 26d. In this upright posture, in the inside of the bottle can with cap 25, in the present embodiment, the above-described contents reach the position in the can axis direction above the connecting portion 26b of the bottle can in the can axis direction of the shoulder portion 26c. Filled up to the top.

Next, the carton case 23 will be described.
FIG. 3 shows a developed view of the carton case 23, that is, a can storage carton 40.
In this figure, a can storage carton 40 includes an upper lid 41, a first side surface portion 42 provided continuously with the upper lid 41, a bottom lid 43 provided continuously with the first side surface portion 42, The second side surface portion 44 provided continuously and the folded portion 45 provided continuously with the second side surface portion 44, and the end surface portion 46 provided separately from each portion 41 to 44 excluding the folded portion 45. It is set as the schematic structure provided with. Each of these parts 41 to 46 has a configuration in which the parts 41 to 46 are connected via the folding line 47 as described above.
The can storage carton 40 configured as described above is such that the folded portion 45 is positioned inside the upper lid 41 in a state where the bottle can with cap 25 is placed on the bottom lid 43 so as to be in the upright posture. The upper lid 41, the first side surface portion 42, the second side surface portion 44, the folded portion 45, and the end surface portion 46 are bent with the folding line 47 as a corner portion, and the folded portion 45 and the upper lid 41 are bonded. Thus, the carton case 23 is formed.

Then, in the state where the bottle can 25 with a cap is accommodated in the carton case 23, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper lid 41 and the folded-back portion 45 are opposed to the cap top surface portion 27a (for convenience of explanation below). Therefore, the upper lid 41 and the folded-back portion 45 are referred to as “carton case upper lid portion 23a”), and the bottom lid 43 is opposed to the bottom surface of the bottle can 25 with a cap, although not shown. Further, on the end surface of the carton case 23 formed by the end surface portion 46, as shown in FIG. 5, a direction that intersects the can axis direction at the center position in the can axis direction of the packed bottle can 23 with cap. A gap 23b is formed so that the inside and outside of the carton case 23 are in communication with each other.
Here, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a semicircular cutout in a plan view is formed in a portion of the surface of the folded portion 45 facing the cap top surface portion 27 a that covers the cap top surface portion 27 a. A portion 45a is formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the notched portion 45a can easily realize the non-contact state between the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the cap top surface portion 27a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the internal pressure inspection means 3 is disposed on the downstream side of the carry-in path 2, and all the bottle cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23 are in a state where the carton case 23 is being transported. The internal pressure of each can be inspected sequentially.
As shown in FIG. 6, the internal pressure inspecting means 3 includes a vibration unit 11 that forcibly excites the central portion in the radial direction of the cap top surface portion 27 a and a microphone that captures reverberation sound from the cap top surface portion 27 a by the vibration unit 11. 12 is provided with a percussion instrument 13. Four percussion instruments 13 are continuously arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction. In FIG. 1, the percussion devices 13 are sequentially arranged from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction from the upper side to the lower side of the paper surface. The position is shifted. That is, the connecting direction of the percussion instruments 13 (the direction in which the plurality of percussion instruments 13 are arranged) and the direction orthogonal to the transport direction have a predetermined angle, and the microphone 12 For example, it is determined by the conveyance speed of the carton case 23, the material and size of the cap 27, and the like so as not to pick up the reverberation from the cap top surface portion 27a of the adjacent can 25.

  The echo sound of the cap top surface portion 27a obtained by the microphone 12 of the internal pressure inspection means 3 is transmitted to the control means 7 shown in FIG. 1, and the internal pressure value of the bottle can with cap 25 is calculated by the calculation part 7a of this control means 7. Then, the internal pressure value is transmitted to the pass / fail determination unit 7b, and the determination unit 7b determines whether or not the internal pressure value of the bottle can 25 with the cap is appropriate. Then, the determination result is transmitted to the control unit 7c, and here, a rejection driving unit (not shown) disposed in the rejection unit 4 is controlled. That is, when the pass / fail determination unit 7b determines that the internal pressure values of all of the bottled cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23 are appropriate, the evacuation driving unit is not driven and the carton case 23 is conveyed by the carry-in path 2. If the internal pressure value is determined to be inappropriate for any one of the bottled cans 25 with a cap in the carton case 23, the evacuation drive unit is Driven, the carton case 23 is moved onto the discharge path 6 and discharged.

The computing unit 7a calculates, for example, a peak frequency from the reverberation sound obtained by the microphone 12, and the bottled can with cap 25 based on the peak frequency and a correlation between a preset can internal pressure value and the peak frequency. The internal pressure value is calculated.
The pass / fail determination unit 7b compares the internal pressure value calculated by the calculation unit 7a with a preset appropriate internal pressure value, and fails if the calculated internal pressure value is not within the range of the appropriate internal pressure value. If it is within this range, it is determined that it is acceptable.

As shown in FIG. 1, the separating means 8 is disposed above the surface of the carry-in path 2 at substantially the same position as the placement position of the percussion instrument 13 in the transport direction. It is disposed over a predetermined length region from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction with reference to the installation position.
Specifically, the separating means 8 includes eight suction portions 8a each communicating with an evacuation means (not shown). These suction portions 8a are arranged as shown in FIG. With respect to the installation position, they are respectively arranged on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction. In addition, a plurality of these suction portions 8a are continuously arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction (in the present embodiment, a direction orthogonal to the transport direction) among the bottled cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23. And a plurality of continuous arrangements, that is, a plurality of continuous arrangements in the direction intersecting the transport direction so as to face each other via the carton case upper lid portion 23a.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the suction portion 8 a includes a cylindrical body 51 and a hollow cylindrical cylinder body including a first end face plate 52 and a second end face plate 53 that close both end openings of the cylindrical body 51. 50, and in the cylinder body 50, the cylinder body 50 is partitioned into a first hollow portion 54 on the first end face plate 52 side and a second hollow portion 55 on the second end face plate 53 side, A piston 56 that is movable in the axial direction of the cylindrical body 51, and a piston rod 57 that is fixed to the piston 56 so as to protrude in the axial direction and protrudes to the outside through a through hole 52a formed in the first end face plate 52. A vacuum pad 58 that is fixed to the piston rod 57, has a suction port 58b on its front end surface 58a, and whose front end surface 58a is a holding surface of the upper lid portion 23a of the carton case 23, and a second hollow portion 55 Inside and It is a schematic configuration and a suction passage portion 59 for communicating the 引口 58b. Note that a rod through hole communicating in the axial direction is formed in the piston rod 57, and this through hole constitutes a part of the suction passage portion 59. The cylinder body 50 is formed with an outside air introduction through hole 60 communicating with the first hollow portion 54, and the vacuum exhaust means is configured to suck the negative pressure inside the second hollow portion 55. ing.

The distance in the conveyance direction between the suction part 8a and the percussion instrument 13 and the dimensions such as the outer diameter of the bottle can with cap 25 accommodated in the carton case 23 are the frontmost part and the rearmost part in the conveyance direction. When inspecting the internal pressure of all bottled cans 25 with caps in the case 23 including those stored therein, the size is such that a non-contact state between the cap top surface portion 27a and the inner surface of the case upper lid portion 23a can be realized. Is set to That is, with respect to the bottle can with cap 25 positioned at the most distal end in the transport direction and the rearmost end in the carton case 23, the suction portions respectively disposed on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction with respect to the percussion instrument 13. The outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a can be sucked by both of 8a.
In addition, in the process in which the carton case 23 is transported, each of the percussion instruments 13 and the suction unit 8a are sequentially positioned separately above the cap canisters 25 with caps in the case 23 in the can axis direction. The vacuum pads 58 arranged adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the transport direction are arranged so that their outer peripheral surfaces have a predetermined gap.

  These vacuum pads 58 are supported so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the surface of the carry-in path 2, and the front end surface 58 a of each vacuum pad 58 when being positioned at the forward end with respect to the surface of the carry-in path 2, and the carry-in path The distance from the surface of the road 2 is slightly smaller than the height of the carton case 23. Each vacuum pad 58 is formed in a disk shape from a synthetic resin obtained by polymerizing polytetrafluoroethylene, for example, as a resin material having a relatively high hardness and a small friction coefficient. A large-diameter hole 58c is formed in the distal end surface 58a, and a suction port 58b is disposed at the radial center of the bottom surface of the hole 58c. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the vacuum pad 58 has a tapered shape that is gradually reduced in diameter toward the distal end surface 58a.

A method for inspecting the internal pressure of the can by the internal pressure inspection apparatus configured as described above will be described.
First, the carton case 23 is transported by the carry-in path 2, and the carton case 23 is brought to the position where the internal pressure inspection means 3 disposed along the carry-in path 2. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, all the bottled cans 25 with caps accommodated in the carton case 23 are properly aligned so that a space 25a is formed inside the cap part 26d side of these bottled cans 25 with caps. Standing posture.

  In addition, the leading edge of the carton case 23 in the conveying direction collides with the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the vacuum pad 58, and the carton case 23 continues to be conveyed. When the tip portion follows the tapered shape of the vacuum pad 58, the vacuum pad 58 is gradually moved away from the surface of the carry-in path 2 and reaches the outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a. When the entire surface of the vacuum pad front end surface 58a comes into contact with the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a, the vacuum air is already supplied to the vacuum pad 58 at this time. By sucking air from the suction port 58b through the suction port 55 and the suction passage portion 59, the case upper lid portion 23a is sucked up together with the air sucked up from the suction port 58b, and is adsorbed by the distal end surface 58a of the vacuum pad 58.

At this time, since the suction port 58b is closed by the upper lid portion 23a of the carton case 23 and is evacuated by the vacuum evacuation means, the suction passage portion 59 has a negative pressure and communicates with the second hollow portion 55. The inside also becomes negative pressure.
On the other hand, the inside of the first hollow portion 54 is kept at atmospheric pressure because it communicates with the outside air through the outside air introduction through hole 60 communicating with the inside of the first hollow portion 54.
Accordingly, a pressure difference is generated between the second hollow portion 55 on the upper surface side of the piston 56 and the first hollow portion 54 on the lower surface side, whereby the piston 56 moves toward the second hollow portion 55 on the negative pressure side. Along with this, the piston rod 57 and the vacuum pad 58 fixed to the piston 56 also move upward, so that the case upper lid portion 23a adsorbed to the tip surface 58a of the vacuum pad 58 also moves upward. Thus, the carton case upper lid portion 23a can be pulled away from the cap top surface portion 27a.

  Next, by transporting the carton case 23 in a state in which the non-contact state is maintained, the case is placed at the disposition position of the percussion instrument 13 located most upstream in the transport direction among the four percussion instruments 13. When one of the four cap-equipped bottle cans 25 arranged in the front row in the conveyance direction in 23 arrives, the top surface portion 27a of the cap is forcibly excited by the electromagnetic induction action by the vibration unit 11. And the reverberation sound from the cap top | upper surface part 27a in this case is caught with the microphone 12. FIG. Then, this reverberation sound is transmitted to the calculation part 7a of the control means 7, and a peak frequency is calculated by this calculation part 7a, for example. And based on this peak frequency and the correlation between the preset can internal pressure value and the peak frequency, the internal pressure value of the bottle can with cap 25 is calculated, and then this internal pressure value is transmitted to the pass / fail judgment unit 7b. The determination unit 7b compares the transmitted can internal pressure value with a preset proper internal pressure value, and determines whether the can internal pressure value is within the range of the proper internal pressure value.

While carrying the carton case 23 while maintaining the non-contact state from the forced excitation to the determination of the can internal pressure value, not only the remaining cans in the bottle cans 25 with caps in the front row, The same is applied to the bottled cans 25 with caps positioned on the upstream side in the transport direction from the row, so that all bottled cans 25 with caps accommodated in the carton case 23 are performed.
Here, when the carton case 23 is transported while maintaining the non-contact state, the suction portion 8a remains fixed at a fixed position, and the carton case 23 has the front end surfaces 58a of these pads 58 placed on the case upper lid portion. The outer surface of 23a is conveyed while sliding. Thereby, the non-contact state of this case upper cover part 23a and the cap top surface part 27a is implement | achieved in the state which conveyed the carton case 23. FIG.

When it is determined that at least one of the bottled cans 25 with a cap is outside the range of the appropriate internal pressure value, the evacuation drive unit of the evacuation unit 4 is driven, and the carton case 23 is connected to the discharge path 6. The carton case 23 is discharged from the discharge path 6.
When it is determined that the internal pressure values of all the bottled cans 25 with caps accommodated in the carton case 23 are within the appropriate range, the carton case 23 is not driven, and the carton case 23 is not driven. To the next process.

  As described above, according to the internal pressure inspection apparatus and the inspection method according to the present embodiment, since the separating means 8 is provided, the percussion instrument with the carton case upper lid portion 23a being separated from the cap top surface portion 27a. Thus, the top surface 27a is forcibly excited from 13 and the reverberation sound at this time can be captured. Therefore, when the cap top surface portion 27a is forcibly excited, the top surface portion 27a can be surely freely vibrated, and a highly accurate internal pressure test can be realized.

Further, since the suction portions 8a of the separating means 8 are disposed on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction of each percussion instrument 13, they are positioned at the leading end and the rearmost end in the transport direction in the carton case 23. Also for the bottled can 25 with cap, the outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a can be sucked by both the front and rear suction portions 8a, so the inner surface of the case upper lid portion 23a and the carton case 23 It is possible to reliably realize a non-contact state with all the cap top surface portions 27a.
Further, the suction part 8a intersects the transport direction so as to face each of the cans 25 that are continuously arranged in the direction intersecting the transport direction among the bottle cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23. In the case where the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a is not a flat surface due to undulation or unevenness, at least the cap top surface portion to be inspected of the carton case upper lid portion 23a. The peripheral portion of the portion facing 27a can be brought into contact with the suction portion 8a, and a non-contact state between the top surface portion 27a and the carton case upper lid portion 23a can be realized.
In particular, the above-described internal pressure inspection is carried out after packing the bottle can 25 with the cap in the carton case 23 and then standing for about 7 days in a state where the case 23 is stacked. Of the outer surface, the portion covering the cap top surface portion 27a is easily recessed, but even in such a case, the non-contact state can be reliably realized.

Moreover, since the notch part 45a is formed in the part which covers the cap top surface part 27a among the bending parts 45 of the carton 40, it is combined with the internal pressure test | inspection apparatus 1 being provided with the separating means 8. FIG. Thus, it is possible to reliably realize a non-contact state between all the cap top surface portions 27a in the carton case 23 and the carton case upper lid portion 23a, and the internal pressure inspection can be performed with high accuracy.
Furthermore, since the carton case upper lid portion 23a can be pulled away from the cap top surface portion 27a while the carton case 23 is being transported, a highly accurate internal pressure test can be performed with high efficiency.

  By the way, when the carton cases 23 are stacked as described above, an adhesive is applied to the central portion of the outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a, and the carton case 23 can be stacked thereon in order to prevent the occurrence of load collapse. Has been made. Therefore, when inspecting the internal pressure, the adhesive may adhere to the central portion of the outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a. When the vacuum pad front end surface 58a comes into contact with this portion, the front end surface 58a The suction port 58b is not closed by the upper lid portion 23a of the carton case 23 due to inclination or the like, and the non-contact state may not be realized. However, the vacuum pad 58 of the separating means 8 of the above-described embodiment is disposed so as to be located immediately above the cap canister 25 in the carton case 23 in the can axis direction, and each of the adjacent vacuum pads 58 is arranged. Since the outer peripheral surfaces are arranged with a predetermined gap, the tip surface 58a of the vacuum pad 58 can be brought into contact with the outer surface of the case upper lid portion 23a while avoiding the adhesive fixing portion. It becomes possible.

  Next, a second embodiment of the internal pressure inspection method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, but the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

  This embodiment is different from the previous embodiment in the arrangement direction of the carton case 23 with respect to the transport direction and the method and means for making the cap top surface portion 27a and the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a non-contact by the separating means 8. .

  First, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the arrangement direction of the carton case 23 with respect to the transport direction is an array of four in the transport direction and six in the direction crossing this direction, that is, six rows and four columns. Thus, the carton case 23 is arranged on the carry-in path 2 and is conveyed. That is, in this embodiment, the carton case 23 is rotated and moved in the direction along the surface of the carry-in path 2 by about 90 ° from the arrangement direction of the carton case 23 with respect to the conveying direction in the above embodiment. Accordingly, the carton case 23 is arranged on the carry-in path 2 so that the gap 23b of the carton case 23 shown in FIG. 5 faces both sides of the carry-in path 2 in the direction intersecting the transport direction.

Next, the separating means 8 according to this embodiment will be described.
As shown in the figure, the separating means 8 is provided at substantially the same position as the placement position of the percussion instrument 13 in the transport direction, at both ends in the direction crossing the transport direction of the carry-in path 2. A pair of air supply units 9 arranged over a predetermined length region from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the arrangement position, and the air supply unit 9 communicates with the air supply unit 9 to supply air to the supply unit 9. It is set as the schematic structure provided with the air supply source which does not.

The air supply unit 9 is configured to extend in the conveyance direction, and this length is slightly more than twice the length in the conveyance direction of the carton case 23 to be conveyed. The carton case 23 is configured to extend slightly longer than the length in the transport direction of the carton case 23 on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction, respectively. In addition, among the surfaces where the pair of air supply units 9 face each other (hereinafter simply referred to as “the surface of the air supply unit 9”), the front and rear end portions in the transport direction gradually increase in width toward the respective ends. The air supply hole (not shown) that communicates with the air supply source is formed in a portion excluding these end portions. The height position of the air supply hole from the surface of the carry-in path 2 is substantially the same as the height position from the surface of the carry-in path 2 of the gap 23b of the carton case 23 to be transported. The air supply unit 9 is formed of a non-magnetic material such as a resin material having a relatively high hardness and a small friction coefficient, such as a synthetic resin obtained by polymerizing polytetrafluoroethylene, or a ceramic material. ing. Furthermore, one of the pair of air supply units 9 is disposed in a state of being fixed to the carry-in path 2, and the other is disposed in a state of being supported by the elastic member 9a so as to be movable forward and backward toward the carton case 23 to be conveyed. It is installed.
Note that the distance between the surfaces of the pair of air supply units 9 is slightly smaller than the width of the carton case 23 (the size in the direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction in the direction along the transport direction).

A method for inspecting the internal pressure of the bottle can 25 with the cap using the internal pressure inspection apparatus configured as described above will be described.
First, in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, the carton case 23 is transported by the carry-in path 2, and when the most distal portion in the transport direction of the carton case 23 reaches the arrangement position of the air supply unit 9, the carton case 23 is The end surface of the leading edge collides with the rear end portion in the transport direction of the air supply unit 9 having a gradient shape, and the carton case 23 continues to be transported. By following the gradient shape, the other air supply unit 9 moves in a direction away from the carry-in path 2 as the elastic member 9a gradually shrinks and deforms. When six cans 25 arranged in the front row in the transport direction among the bottle cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23 reach the arrangement position of the percussion instrument 13, as shown in FIG. The end face of 23 is formed over the entire length by the other air supply part 9 urged toward the carry-in path 2 by the elastic member 9a and the one air supply part 9 arranged in a state fixed to the carry-in path 2. It will be pinched. At this time, the air supply hole formed in the air supply portion 9 and the gap 23b of the carton case 23 are in communication with each other, and the inside of the carton case 23 is sealed with respect to the outside excluding the air supply hole. Become.

Here, by driving the air supply source in advance and injecting air from all the air supply holes, when the end surface of the carton case 23 is held by the air supply unit 9 over the entire length, the carton Air is supplied in a sealed state into the carton case 23 through the gap 23 b of the case 23. Thereby, the carton case upper lid portion 23a swells, and the cap top surface portion 27a in the carton case 23 and the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a are in a non-contact state.
The carton case 23 is transported while maintaining the non-contact state, that is, with the end surface of the carton case 23 held between the surfaces of the air supply unit 9 and the air supplied from the air supply hole. Each time the bottled can with cap 25 faces the tester 13, the inner pressure of the can is inspected by forcibly exciting the cap top surface portion 27a by the tester 13. As a result, for all the bottled cans 25 with caps in the carton case 23, the internal pressure of the cans is inspected in the conveying state, and if the internal pressure value is out of the proper range, the exhaust drive unit of the exhaust unit 4 is When the carton case 23 is discharged through the discharge path 6 and the internal pressure values of all bottled cans 25 with caps are appropriate, the discharge drive unit of the discharge unit 4 is not driven. Then, it reaches the carry-out path 5 and is carried out to the next process.

  As described above, according to the internal pressure inspection device and the internal pressure inspection method according to the present embodiment, when air is supplied into the carton case 23, the carton case upper lid portion 23a is bulged and deformed, and the carton case upper lid portion 23a. In a state where the top surface portion 27a is separated from the cap top surface portion 27a, the top surface portion 27a is forcibly excited by the percussion instrument 13, and the reverberation sound at this time can be captured. Therefore, when the cap top surface portion 27a is forcibly excited, the top surface portion 27a can be surely freely vibrated, and a highly accurate internal pressure test can be realized.

Further, the other of the pair of air supply units 9 is supported by the elastic member 9a so as to be able to advance and retract toward the case 23 to be conveyed, so that the conveyance of the carton case 23 is obstructed or the case 23 is damaged. The air supply unit can be brought into close contact with the carton case 23 while the case 23 is being conveyed. Therefore, in a state where the carton case 23 is being transported, air can be reliably supplied to the inside of the case 23 to realize a non-contact state between the case upper lid portion 23a and the cap top surface portion 27a.
Furthermore, since the carton case upper lid portion 23a can be pulled away from the cap top surface portion 27a while the carton case 23 is being transported, a highly accurate internal pressure test can be performed with high efficiency.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, although a can having a bottom formed integrally with the trunk portion is shown as the bottle can 25 with a cap to be measured, a can having a configuration in which a bottom lid is wound is applicable.
The internal pressure inspection device 1 is not limited to the case where the cap top surface portion 27a is forcibly excited to inspect the internal pressure, but is also applicable to the case where the so-called bottom of the can is forcibly excited to inspect the internal pressure.
However, since the cap top surface portion 27a is a flat surface and is located at the highest position in the can axis direction, the cap top surface portion 27a is particularly easily in contact with the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a. In particular, since the possibility of inhibiting the free vibration of the top surface portion 27a is extremely high, a particularly remarkable effect is achieved.

Furthermore, in the said 2nd Embodiment, although the structure which supplies air in the carton case 23 from each of a pair of air supply part 9 was shown, not only this but the carton case 23 is sealed by each air supply part 9 In this state, air may be supplied from only one side.
Further, the number of cans to be measured and the number of percussion instruments 13 are not limited to the above embodiment.
Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the bottle can 25 with cap is forcibly excited by electromagnetic induction, and the peak frequency calculated by capturing the reverberation from the cap top surface portion 27a at this time, and the preset can internal pressure Based on the correlation between the value and the peak frequency, the internal pressure value of the can was calculated, and the method of inspecting the internal pressure of the can was shown from this value. However, the present invention is not limited to this, by forcibly exciting the bottle can 25 with a cap. The present invention can be applied to any method for inspecting the can internal pressure based on the obtained reverberation sound. For example, instead of calculating the peak frequency from the reverberant sound, the area value of the digit value with respect to the frequency may be calculated, and the can internal pressure may be inspected based on the area value, and the can internal pressure value may not be calculated. In addition, it may be determined directly from the peak frequency or the area value whether or not the internal pressure of the can is appropriate.

By the way, in the first embodiment, when the plurality of suction portions 8a are respectively communicated with one vacuum suction means, the upper lid portion 23a at the most distal portion in the transport direction of the carton case 23 has a plurality of suction portions. When the vacuum air is supplied to all of the plurality of suction portions 8a when facing the suction portion 8a arranged at the rearmost end portion in the transport direction among the 8a, the suction portion 8a facing the case upper lid portion 23a is sufficient. A negative suction force cannot be generated, and there is a possibility that the case upper lid portion 23a and the cap top surface portion 27a are not sufficiently separated from each other.
That is, if vacuum air is also supplied to the suction portion 8a that is not opposed to the case upper lid portion 23a, the suction portion 8a performs so-called idle suction, and thus the vacuum suction means and the plurality of suction portions 8a. The pressure in the pipe connecting the two cannot be reduced, and the negative pressure suction force may be reduced.

  In order to solve such a problem, it is desirable to adopt the following means. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, an open / close valve 32 is provided between the vacuum suction means 31 and the plurality of suction parts 8a to connect and block the suction parts 8a and the vacuum suction means 31, respectively. A valve control unit 33 for controlling the opening / closing operation of the on / off valve 32 is provided. Only the on / off valve 32 connected to the suction unit 8a facing the case upper lid portion 23a by the valve control unit 33 is provided. The suction part 8a is communicated with the vacuum suction means 10, while the on-off valve 32 connected to the case not facing the case upper cover part 23a is closed, and the suction part 8a is connected to the vacuum suction means 31. It is desirable to block it. In this case, when the suction portion 8a and the case upper lid portion 23a face each other, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the entire opening surface of the hole 58c formed in the vacuum pad distal end surface 58a faces the case upper lid portion 23a. State.

  Here, in order to open and close the on-off valve 32 so that the vacuum suction means 31 and the individual suction portions 8a communicate with each other separately, it is desirable to employ the following means. That is, a carton case detection means is provided in the conveyance path 2 and a timer is provided in the valve control unit 33, and when the carton case 23 being conveyed is detected by the detection means, the detection signal is valve-controlled. The timer is operated when the valve control unit 33 receives the detection signal. Then, when a preset time has elapsed for each individual suction unit 8a, a signal is output from the valve control unit 33 to the corresponding opening / closing valve 32 to open / close the signal, and the suction unit 8a and the vacuum suction unit 31 are opened / closed. Communicate with and block between As described above, it is possible to suppress the generation of the suction part 8a that performs the above-described idle suction, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in the negative pressure suction force.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the carton case 23 is conveyed while its upper lid portion 23a is in sliding contact with the vacuum pad front end surface 58a in the process in which the internal pressure inspection means 3 inspects the can internal pressure. Accordingly, in this transport process, the transport speed of the carton case 23 may be slowed down due to the frictional force between the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the front end surface 58a. In the case of adopting a configuration in which the timing for operating the vibration unit 11 is set when a preset time has elapsed, the preset time is short, and the cap top surface portion 27a and the percussion instrument 13 are still short. When the two are not opposed to each other, the vibration exciter 11 is operated, so that the cap top surface portion 27a is not forcedly excited and the internal pressure test may not be performed. This problem may also occur in the second embodiment as well, but is located on the rear side in the transport direction when the number of simultaneous bottles 25 with caps as shown in FIG. 1 is large in the transport direction. This is particularly remarkable when the internal pressure of the bottle can 25 with a cap is inspected.

  In addition, when the above-described on-off valve 32 and the valve control unit 33 are provided and a means for determining the timing for opening and closing the on-off valve 32 by a timer is employed, the case upper lid portion 23a is reduced due to the decrease in the transport speed of the carton case 23. Vacuum air is also supplied to the suction portion 8a that is not opposed to the vacuum, or conversely, the supply of vacuum air is stopped even though the suction portion 8a is still facing the case upper lid portion 23a. In addition to the above-described empty suction, there is a possibility that a non-contact state between the case upper lid portion 23a and the cap top surface portion 27a cannot be realized.

  In order to solve such a problem, it is desirable to adopt the following means. That is, a high friction material such as a rubber sheet is stuck on the conveyance path 2 or the conveyance path 2 itself is formed of the high friction material. As a result, the frictional force between the lower surface of the carton case 23 and the transport path 2 is increased, and the carton case 23 can be transported satisfactorily by the transport path 2 without so-called idling. A decrease in speed can be suppressed. In addition to the transport path 2, a means for applying a thrust toward the front side in the transport direction, such as a pusher, is provided on the carton case 23. In the process of inspecting the can internal pressure by the internal pressure inspection means 3, the pusher is moved toward the front in the transport direction at a forward speed substantially equal to the transport speed of the transport path 2, and the pusher moves the pusher to the carton case 23a. A force larger than the frictional force generated between the front end surface 58a and the case upper lid portion 23a is applied. Thereby, the fall of the conveyance speed of the carton case 23 can be reliably suppressed irrespective of the frictional force which generate | occur | produces between the said front end surface 58a and the case upper cover part 23a.

By the way, if the carton case 23 is left, for example, under high humidity before the internal pressure inspection, the size of the outer surface of the carton case upper cover portion 23a increases, such as undulations and irregularities. In this case, the vacuum pad distal end surface 58a cannot uniformly contact the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a, and it is difficult to block the suction port 58b and the hole 58c with the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a. There is a risk. That is, there is a possibility that the suction portion 8a cannot generate a sufficient negative pressure suction force that can separate the inner surface of the upper lid portion 23a and the cap top surface portion 27a.
In particular, in the case where the carton case 23 is divided at the center in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the transport direction) of the upper lid portion 23a instead of the embodiment, the upper lid by the separating means 8 is used. At the time of the suction of the portion 23a, the central portion in the width direction of the upper lid portion 23a is lifted up most and becomes a reverse V shape in a side view, so that it may be more difficult to realize the closing. is there.

For this reason, it is desirable that the vacuum pad 58 be tilted with respect to its axis and supported by the piston rod 57.
In this case, even when the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a is not flat due to undulation or unevenness, the vacuum pad tip surface 58a is caused to follow and be inclined along the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a. Thus, the vacuum pad front end surface 58a can be brought into uniform contact with the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a. Therefore, the suction port 58b and the large-diameter hole 58c can be reliably closed by the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a.

As specific examples of such a configuration, for example, the following two are conceivable.
First, as shown in FIG. 12, the vacuum pad 58 is formed in a disc-like shape made of the resin material in which the tip end surface 58a and the large-diameter hole 58c are formed, as in the first embodiment. The main body 58d is constituted by a flexible donut-shaped flexible plate 58f made of, for example, a rubber material, and the flexible plate 58f has a main body 58d so that its axis substantially coincides with the axis of the main body 58d. The rear end face 58e is disposed.

Here, a through hole 58g that opens to the bottom surface (upper surface in the illustrated example) of the large-diameter hole 58c is formed in the central portion in the radial direction of the main body 58d, and the through-hole 58g and the donut shape are formed. On the inner surface of the flexible plate 58f, the tip end portion of the piston rod 57 is inserted and arranged so that the tip end surface is located inside the hole 58c. Further, with the spring member 62 inserted between the lower surface of the sleeve 61 (see FIG. 6) fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 57 and the upper surface of the flexible plate 58f, the piston rod 57 is inserted inside thereof. Arrange. The repulsive force of the spring member 62 urges the vacuum pad 58 toward the distal end surface 58a, and between the inner end of the lower end of the spring member 62 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 57, The entire circumference of the inner diameter portion is sandwiched to realize a sealed state on the rear end side of the vacuum pad 58. Further, in the illustrated example, the outer peripheral portion of the flexible plate 58f is fixed to the rear end surface 58e of the main body portion 58d with a plurality of bolts 58h.
By the way, the inner diameter of the through hole 58g of the main body part 58d is made larger than the outer diameter of the tip end part of the piston rod 57, and the clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 58g and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 57 is increased. When the main body 58d is tilted with respect to the piston rod 57, the spring member 62 expands and contracts and the flexible plate 58f is bent. As described above, the vacuum pad 58 is tiltable with respect to the axis thereof and is supported by the piston rod 57.

Next, a second specific example will be described with reference to FIG. 13, but only points different from the first specific example shown in FIG. 12 will be described.
A vacuum pad main body 58d is divided into two in the thickness direction, and a first main body 58i having the front end surface 58a and a large-diameter hole 58c and a second main body having the rear end surface 58e of the vacuum pad main body 58d. 58j. A through hole is formed in each of the radial center portions of the first and second main body portions 58i and 58j, and the through hole of the first main body portion 58i is separated from the tip surface 58a and the large diameter hole 58c. The tapered surface 58k has an inner diameter that gradually increases in the direction, and the first main body 58i side of the through hole of the second main body 58j is a curved surface 58m that is recessed outward in the radial direction. ing. Here, the tip portion 57a of the piston rod 57 located inside the vacuum pad main body 58d is formed into a spherical shape, and the spherical outer surface is in line contact with the tapered surface 58k and the curved surface 58m. The surface of the vacuum pad main body 58d is configured to be freely movable in a three-dimensional manner by a predetermined angle around the radial central portion of the spherical piston rod tip 57a. . As a result, the vacuum pad main body portion 58d is inclined with respect to the piston rod 57, and the spring member 62 expands and contracts following this inclination, and the flexible plate 58f is bent, whereby the vacuum pad 58 is moved with respect to its axis. And is supported by the piston rod 57.

  By the way, in this internal pressure inspection, as described above, after leaving the carton case 23 in a stacked state for several days, the can in the carton case 23 is forcibly excited to capture the echo sound at that time. However, when left in the stacked state, the carton case 23 is crushed in the thickness direction as shown by the chain line in FIG. 5, and the case 23 located on the upper lid portion 23a side of the case 23 is collapsed. The upper side surface 23c expands and deforms outward of the carton case 23 in the direction along the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a, whereby the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the can are in close contact during an internal pressure test. There is a fear. In this case, even if an attempt is made to bring the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the can out of contact with the separating means 8 shown in the first and second embodiments, the upper lid portion 23a cannot be sufficiently separated from the can. When the internal pressure is inspected, the upper lid portion 23a may come into contact with the can and the can may not be allowed to freely vibrate.

For this reason, in the state where the carton case 23 is transported to the internal pressure inspection apparatus 1 at the substantially same position as the placement position of the percussion instrument 13 and the separating means 8 in the transport direction, It is desirable to provide a carton case correcting means 10 that presses the upper side surface 23c located on the upper lid portion 23a side toward the inside of the carton case 23 in the direction along the surface of the upper lid portion 23a and corrects the deformation. .
In this case, the separation by the separating means 8 is carried out in a state in which the crushed deformation of the carton case 23 is corrected at the time of internal pressure inspection and the close contact between the inner surface of the upper lid portion 23a and the can is released. Thus, the non-contact state between the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the can by the separating means 8 can be realized with certainty.

  As a specific example of such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 14, the carton case correcting means 10 is disposed at substantially the same position as the placement position of the tester 13 and the separating means (not shown) in the transport direction. Arrange. For example, the correcting means 10 extends over a predetermined length region extending from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction with reference to the disposition position of the percussion instrument 13 at both ends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction of the carry-in path 2. It consists of a pair of existing pressing parts 10a. The extended length of the pair of pressing portions 10a is slightly more than twice the length in the transport direction of the carton case 23 to be transported, and the transport direction is based on the position where the tester 13 is disposed. Each of the front and rear sides is configured to extend slightly longer than the length of the carton case 23 in the transport direction.

  Of the surfaces of the pair of pressing portions 10a facing each other (hereinafter referred to as “the surface of the pressing portion 10a”), the front and rear end portions in the conveying direction gradually increase in width toward the respective ends (the conveying portion). The size of the gradient is such that the size of the direction substantially orthogonal to the direction is small. Furthermore, the pressing portion 10a is formed of a non-magnetic material such as a resin material having a relatively high hardness and a low friction coefficient, such as a synthetic resin obtained by polymerizing polytetrafluoroethylene, or a ceramic material. . In addition, one of the pair of pressing portions 10a is fixed to the carry-in path 2, and the other is supported by the elastic member 10b so as to be able to advance and retract toward the carton case 23 to be conveyed. The distance between the surfaces of the pressing portions 10a is slightly smaller than the width of the carton case 23 (the size in the direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction in the direction along the transport direction). Further, the surface of the pressing portion 10 a is disposed so as to face the upper side surface 23 c including the upper end of the carton case 23 being conveyed by the conveyance path 2.

  In the above configuration, when the carton case 23 is transported by the carry-in path 2 and the most distal portion in the transport direction of the carton case 23 reaches the arrangement position of the pressing portion 10a, the end surface of the most distal portion of the carton case 23 is By colliding with the rear end of the pressing portion 10a in the conveying direction of the gradient shape, and further continuing to convey the carton case 23, the end surface of the carton case 23 follows the gradient shape of the pressing portion 10a. The other pressing portion 10a moves in a direction away from the carry-in path 2 as the elastic member 10b gradually shrinks and deforms. Then, among the cans in the carton case 23, when the can arranged in the front row in the conveyance direction reaches the arrangement position of the percussion instrument 13, the carton extends in the conveyance direction as shown in FIG. The upper side surface 23c of the case 23 has the other pressing portion 10a urged toward the loading path 2 by the elastic member 10b and the one pressing section 10a fixed to the loading path 2 over the entire length in the transport direction. Nipped by. As a result, the upper side surface 23c is pressed toward the inside of the carton case 23 to correct the deformation, and the close contact between the inner surface of the case upper lid portion 23a and the can is released.

  In this state, in the process of inspecting the internal pressure of all the cans in the case 23 by continuing to convey the carton case 23 while the upper side surface 23c is in sliding contact with the surface of the pressing portion 10a, the pressing portion 10a The pressure over the entire length of the upper side surface 23c is maintained, and the close contact between the inner surface of the case upper lid portion 23a and the can is continued. Thereby, in the process of inspecting the internal pressure of all the cans in the case 23, the non-contact state between the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the cans is surely realized by the separating portion.

  The carton case correcting means 10 can be applied to both the separating means 8 shown in the first and second embodiments. In the second embodiment, the air supply unit 9 and the carton case correcting means 10 are provided by disposing the pressing unit 10a above the air supply unit 9 and at a position facing the upper side surface 23c of the carton case 23. It is possible to add to.

By the way, in the internal pressure inspection described above, first, when the can is forcibly excited by the percussion instrument 13, the air located between the inner surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the can is vibrated by the vibration generated in the can, The carton case upper lid 23a vibrates due to this air vibration. Further, the vibration between the upper lid portion 23a causes the air between the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a and the distal end surface of the tester 13 (the distal end surface of the vibrating portion 11 in the first and second embodiments) due to the vibration of the upper lid portion 23a. It vibrates and this percussion device 13 (microphone 12 in this embodiment) detects this air vibration, and the internal pressure of the can is measured based on this result.
For this reason, when the leading end surface of the tester 13 and the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a come into contact with each other by the separation of the separating means 8, the vibration of the upper lid portion 23a is inhibited, and the upper lid portion 23a. There is a possibility that it is difficult to carry out the internal pressure inspection with high accuracy, for example, because the air vibration between the outer surface of the inspection device 13 and the tip surface of the percussion instrument 13 becomes small.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a tester protection member for preventing contact between the tester 13 and the carton case upper lid 23a on the transport path 2.
In this case, it is possible to avoid contact between the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a and the distal end surface of the tester 13 by separating the carton case upper lid portion 23a from the can by the separating means 8. Thus, the internal pressure inspection can be performed with high accuracy. That is, during the internal pressure inspection, the carton case upper lid portion 23a can vibrate at least without being obstructed by the percussion instrument 13, and between the outer surface of the upper lid portion 23a and the front end surface of the percussion instrument 13. It is possible to vibrate air sufficiently.

As a specific example of such a percussion instrument protecting member 14, as shown in FIG. 15A, the percussion instrument 13 is disposed on the outer side of the percussion instrument 13 in a plan view of the internal pressure inspection apparatus 1. It consists of a pair of plate-like bodies 14a provided at positions facing each other as a reference.
As shown in FIG. 15B, the lower surfaces of these plate-like bodies 14a are positioned below at least the front end surface of the percussion instrument 13 (in the illustrated example, the front end surface of the excitation unit 11). desirable. In this case, it is possible to ensure at least the distance between the lower surface of the plate-like body 14a and the front end surface of the tester 13 between the outer surface of the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the front end surface of the tester 13. Thus, the size of the vibrating air layer detected by the percussion instrument 13 can be ensured sufficiently.
Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the plate-like body 14a adopts a configuration extending in a direction along the conveying direction of the carton case 23 (the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure), and the plate-like body 14a at the time of the separation. It is desirable that the lower surface of the inner surface of the inner surface of the carton case upper cover portion 23a is in surface contact with a portion facing the sandwiching instrument 13 in plan view of the internal pressure inspection device 1. In this case, contact between the carton case upper lid portion 23a and the lower surface of the tester 13 can be reliably prevented.

In the first embodiment, the lower surface of the plate-like body 14a is preferably located above the vacuum pad front end surface 58a during the separation. In this case, the tester protection member 14 does not hinder the separation of the carton case upper lid portion 23a by the suction portion 8a of the separation means 8. In addition, the pair of plate-like bodies 14a are disposed separately at positions facing each other with reference to each tester 13 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction when the internal pressure inspection device 1 is viewed in plan. . Further, the pair of plate-like bodies 14a extend in the transport direction at positions avoiding the vacuum pad front end surface 58a and the front end surface of the tester 13 in the plan view, and the front end in the transport direction is The folded portion 14 b is folded back so as to rise in a direction away from the upper surface of the transport path 2. The tip surface of the tester 13 is separated by the lower surface of the plate-like body 14a excluding the folded portion 14b (hereinafter referred to as “the lower surface of the plate-like body 14a”) extending in parallel with the upper surface of the transport path 2. The carton case upper lid 23a is protected so as not to contact the outer surface. A pair of plate-like bodies 14 a configured as described above is provided for each percussion instrument 13.
The length of the lower surface of the plate-like body 14a in the transport direction is equal to or longer than the diameter of the tip surface of the percussion instrument 13. Further, FIG. 15 shows a configuration in which the percussion instrument protecting means 14 is applied to the first embodiment, but the invention can also be applied to the second embodiment.

  Further, the configuration of the vacuum suction means in each of the embodiments is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the compressed air supply means 31a, the compressed air supply means 31a, and the plurality of the plurality of vacuum suction means You may employ | adopt the structure provided with the several vacuum ejector 31b each provided between the suction parts 8a. The vacuum ejector 31b is configured such that the pressure in the internal space is lowered by the compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply means 31a, and the outside air is sucked by the differential pressure at that time. When such a vacuum suction means 31 is employed, the on-off valve 32 as one of the components that can solve the above-described problem of empty suction is connected to the vacuum suction means 31 and the suction portion 8a. Specifically, it may be arranged between the compressed air supply means 31a and the plurality of ejectors 31b, and the valve control unit 33 may control the opening / closing of each on-off valve 32. And you may make it control the supply of the compressed air to each vacuum ejector 31b, and control the said negative pressure suction by each suction part 8a. Even in such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the generation of the suction portion 8a that performs the above-described idle suction, and the decrease in the negative pressure suction force can be suppressed.

  The internal pressure of the can filled with the contents can be inspected with high accuracy and high efficiency.

It is the schematic block diagram shown as 1st Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the carton case and can shown in FIG. It is an expanded view of the carton case shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the carton case and can shown in FIG. It is a side view of the carton case shown in FIG. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the carton case shown in FIG. 1, the attraction | suction part of the separating means, and the percussion instrument. It is a schematic block diagram shown as 2nd Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention, Comprising: It is a 1st process drawing. It is a schematic block diagram shown as 2nd Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention, Comprising: It is a 2nd process drawing. It is a schematic block diagram shown as 2nd Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention, Comprising: It is a 3rd process drawing. It is the schematic which shows 1st Embodiment of the vacuum suction means in the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic which shows 2nd Embodiment of the vacuum suction means in the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is 2nd Embodiment which shows the front-end | tip part of the suction part of the separating means shown in FIG. It is 3rd Embodiment which shows the front-end | tip part of the suction part of the separating means shown in FIG. It is the schematic block diagram shown as 3rd Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic block diagram shown as 4th Embodiment of the inspection apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Internal pressure test | inspection apparatus 2 Conveyance means 8 Separation means 8a Suction part 9 Air supply part 9a Elastic member 10 Carton case correction means 13 Percussion instrument 14 Percussion instrument protection member 23 Carton case 23a Upper cover part 23c of carton case 23c Upper part of carton case Side 25 Bottle can with cap (can)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 Cylinder main body 51 Cylindrical body 52 1st end surface plate 52a Through-hole 53 2nd end surface plate 54 1st hollow part 55 2nd hollow part 56 Piston 57 Piston rod 58 Vacuum pad 58a Front end surface 59 Suction passage part 60 Outside air Through hole for introduction

Claims (10)

Conveying means for conveying a carton case packed with a plurality of cans filled and sealed with contents;
An internal pressure inspection apparatus provided with a percussion instrument arranged along the conveying means, forcibly exciting a can in the carton case and capturing a reverberation sound from the can at this time,
When the can is forcibly excited by the percussion device at a position substantially the same as the placement position of the percussion device in the transport direction, and when the echo sound from the can at this time is captured, the top cover of the carton case An internal pressure inspection device is provided with a separating means for separating the part from the can in a state where the carton case is conveyed. The internal pressure inspection device according to claim 1,
The separating means includes a suction part that sucks an upper lid part of the carton case,
2. The internal pressure inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction part is separately provided on the front side and the rear side in the transport direction with reference to the placement position of the percussion instrument. In the internal pressure inspection apparatus according to claim 2,
A plurality of the suction portions are continuously provided in a direction intersecting the transport direction so as to face each of the cans in the carton case which are continuously arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction. An internal pressure inspection device characterized by that. In the internal pressure test | inspection apparatus of Claim 2 or 3,
The separating means comprises the suction part and a vacuum exhaust means communicated with the suction part,
The suction portion includes a cylindrical body and a hollow columnar cylinder body including a first end face plate and a second end face plate that close both end openings of the cylindrical body,
The cylinder body is partitioned into a first hollow portion on the first end face plate side and a second hollow portion on the second end face plate side in the cylinder body, and the axial direction of the cylinder body A freely movable piston,
A piston rod fixed to the piston so as to protrude in the axial direction and protruding outside through a through-hole formed in the first end face plate;
A vacuum pad fixed to the piston rod, having a suction port at a tip surface thereof, the tip surface being a holding surface of the upper lid portion of the carton case;
A suction passage portion that communicates the inside of the second hollow portion and the suction port;
The cylinder body has a configuration in which an outside air introduction through hole communicating with the first hollow portion is formed,
2. The internal pressure inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum evacuation means is configured to suck a negative pressure inside the second hollow portion. The internal pressure inspection device according to claim 4,
2. The internal pressure inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum pad is tiltable with respect to an axis thereof and is supported by the piston rod. The internal pressure inspection device according to claim 1,
The separating means is disposed at both ends of the conveying means in a direction crossing the conveying direction, and has a predetermined length from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction based on the arrangement position of the percussion instrument. A pair of air supply units extending over the region, and an air supply source for supplying air to the air supply unit,
Of the outer surfaces of the air supply unit, air injection holes that communicate with the air supply source and inject air toward the transport unit are formed on the surfaces facing each other.
An internal pressure inspection device characterized in that air is supplied into the carton case through the air injection hole. The internal pressure inspection device according to claim 6,
At least one of the pair of air supply units is supported by an elastic member so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the conveying means. In the internal pressure test | inspection apparatus in any one of Claim 1 to 7,
The upper side surface of the carton case, which is located on the upper lid side, in the state where the carton case is transported, in a position substantially the same as the placement position of the percussion instrument and the separating means in the transport direction, An internal pressure inspection device comprising: a carton case correcting means that presses toward the inside of the carton case in a direction along the surface of the upper lid and corrects the deformation thereof. The internal pressure inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
An internal pressure inspection device, wherein an inspection device protection member for preventing contact between the inspection device and an upper lid portion of the carton case is disposed on the conveyance path. An internal pressure inspection method in which the can is forcibly excited in a state where a plurality of cans filled with contents and sealed in a carton case are packed, and the internal pressure of the can is inspected by capturing the echo sound from the can at this time. ,
An internal pressure inspection method characterized in that when the can is forcibly excited and the reverberation sound from the can at this time is captured, the upper lid of the carton case is pulled away from the can while the carton case is transported. .

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