JP2007137459A - Method and apparatus for supplying pack - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for supplying packs by dropping one pack at a time out of stacked packs certainly at high speed. <P>SOLUTION: Lower nails 5 receive and support the edge of the lowest pack of the stacked packs 2 from below. Upper nails 4 are inserted between the edge of the lowest pack and that of the second lowest pack to receive and support the edge of the second lowest pack from below to cause the lower nails 5 to release support of the edge of the lowest pack. Then, a helical feed screw 11, which is disposed with an erected rotary shaft 12 at an engaging position to the edge of the lowest pack, is rotated around the rotary shaft 12 to feed the edge of the lowest pack along a helical groove 13 of the helical feed screw 11 to drop the lowest pack. The dropping pack is received by an engaging member 21, which is rotated around a pivot 22 to supply the pack below. The above operation is repeated to supply one pack at a time from the lowest pack of the stacked packs 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a stacking device that packs an article using a pack, and the like. A stack pack (referred to as a stack pack in the present invention) is dropped from the lowest pack one by one and supplied. The present invention relates to a pack supply method and a pack supply apparatus.

Many packages using packs are provided, and various apparatuses for supplying packs one by one are used in packaging apparatuses for manufacturing such packages.
The most common method of supplying packs one by one is to receive and support the edge of the bottom pack in the stacking pack, and then the edge of the bottom pack. It was of the type which was made to fall one by one from the lowest pack by peeling off with a nail and scraping it downward.

  In this type of pack supply device, the edge of the lowermost pack that is supported by receiving the edge below is deformed by a peeling operation and removed from the support and scraped off. There is also a drawback that the packaged product with such a poorly supplied pack becomes a defective product. In addition, the conventional pack supply device described above has a problem in that when the pack is peeled off with a nail, the pack is bent due to the force received from the nail, and a powdery floating substance is generated from the forcibly peeled pack. It was.

The present applicant previously provided the invention of Patent Document 1 as a pack supply method and apparatus free from such drawbacks. This is done by inserting a second pack receiver between the lowest pack edge and the second pack edge from the bottom in the stacking pack where the edge of the lowest pack is supported by the first pack receiver. The second pack is received and supported at the bottom, and the support of the lowermost pack edge by the first pack receiver is removed, and the lowermost pack is dropped by the pack dropping means. .
Although this pack supply system can supply the pack smoothly and accurately without the above-mentioned drawbacks, it is necessary to cause the pack dropping means to perform box movement each time one pack is dropped. There was a limit to speeding up.
JP 2004-338769 A

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a pack supply method and a pack supply device from a deposition pack that can be supplied at a high speed one by one from the deposition pack at a high speed.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem in the pack supply method of supplying packs one by one from the lowest pack in the stacking pack in which a plurality of packs are stacked vertically, the present invention If the rotary shaft is arranged upright at the engagement position with the edge, the spiral feed screw is rotated around the rotary shaft, and the edge of the lowest pack is fed along the spiral groove of the spiral feed screw. Provided is a pack supply method from a stack pack in which a pack is dropped.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem in the pack supply apparatus that supplies the packs one by one from the lowest pack in the stacked pack in which a plurality of packs are stacked vertically, the present invention provides an edge of the lowest pack. A pack dropping device having a spiral feed screw arranged at an engagement position with the rotary shaft, and receiving the edge of the lowermost pack on the spiral feed screw of the pack dropping device and receiving the helical feed screw on the rotary shaft There is provided a pack supply device from a deposition pack configured to rotate around and drop the lowest pack.

  According to the pack supply method of the present invention, the lowermost pack in the stacking pack is dropped when its edge is fed downward by the rotation of the helical feed screw, so that the rotational speed of the helical feed screw is increased. At a desired speed, it is possible to smoothly and reliably drop the edge without applying a force to the edge.

  In the pack supply method of the present invention, before the step of dropping the lowermost pack by the spiral feed screw, the edge of the lowermost pack is received and supported by the first pack receiver, and the lowermost pack. A second pack receiver is inserted between the edge of the second pack and the edge of the second pack from the bottom to receive and support the edge of the second pack from the bottom, and the first pack receiver By removing the support of the edge of the lower pack and placing the lowermost pack on the spiral feed screw, even if the pack to be handled is thin and soft material, the pack supply from the stack pack is ensured It becomes a pack supply method from the accumulation pack which can be performed.

  Next, according to the pack supply device of the present invention, the lowermost pack is placed on the spiral feed screw of the pack dropping device, and is dropped by rotating the spiral feed screw about the rotation axis. By increasing the number of rotations of the feed screw, it is possible to smoothly and surely drop the supply at the desired speed without applying a force to the edge, and the above-described pack supply method of the present invention can be easily performed. And it can be implemented reliably.

In the pack supply apparatus of the present invention, a first pack receiver provided so as to be able to enter and exit toward the deposition pack so as to receive and support an edge of the lowermost pack below, and a second pack from the bottom in the deposition pack. A second pack receiver that is removably provided toward the stacking pack so as to receive and support the pack edge underneath, and the edge of the lowermost pack supported by the first pack receiver The second pack receiver is displaced and inserted between the first pack receiver and the edge of the second pack from the bottom, and the pack is retracted from under the edge of the lowest pack, Handle with the first and second pack receivers and a controller for operating the pack dropping device so that the lowermost pack is dropped by the rotation of the spiral feed screw of the dropping device. Click is pack feeder from thin it is possible to reliably perform the pack supply from also deposited pack when the soft material deposited pack.
In addition, the pack supply device according to the present invention is simple in configuration because it only needs to have a control device that sequentially controls the insertion / retraction of the first and second pack receivers and the rotation of the spiral feed screw of the pack dropping device. It is compact, has few failures, and is easy to maintain.

In the pack supply device according to the present invention, the spiral feed screw has a structure having horizontal thread portions at the upper and lower portions, respectively, so that the pack has an upper inlet mounted on the spiral groove of the spiral feed screw and a spiral. Since each of the lower outlets that are dropped out of the groove is leveled, the pack is placed in the spiral groove of the spiral feed screw in a stable state, and the pack that is dropped from the spiral feed screw is packaged in a horizontal state. Accurately supplied in a stable state to the pack receiver in the machine.
Further, in the pack supply device according to the present invention, the supply speed of the pack can be arbitrarily set by the rotation of the spiral feed screw by selecting the size of the pitch of the spiral feed screw.

Hereinafter, a pack supply method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a frame for accommodating and holding a stacking pack 2 in which packing packs P are stacked in a stacked state. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the stacking pack 2 is accommodated and held in the frame 1 in a state in which two stacking packs 2 are arranged side by side at a distance from each other. A stacking pack holding device 3 is disposed on both sides of the stack 1 at the lower end of the frame 1. Below the accumulation pack holding device 3, a total of four pack dropping devices 10 for sending and dropping the lowermost pack P of the accumulation pack 2 one by one are disposed on both sides of the accumulation pack 2. Each pack dropping device 10 has a helical feed screw 11.

Also, below the pack dropping device 10, there are drop gates 20 that engage and receive and hold the pack P dropped from the stacking pack 2 by the pack dropping device 10 on both sides of the stacking pack 2. It is arranged.
The accumulation pack holding device 3, the pack dropping device 10 and the dropping gate 20 are respectively provided for the two accumulation packs 2.

  Next, the structure of the accumulation pack holding device 3 will be described. Each of the two accumulation pack holding devices 3 has two claws 4 and nails 5 that are moved forward and backward, and each of the two claws 4 and the claws. 5 are provided with a gap in the vertical direction. The gap in the vertical direction between the claw 4 and the claw 5 is a size corresponding to the size of the gap formed between the edges of the upper and lower packs P in the stacking pack 2. The lower claw 5 constitutes a first pack receiver according to the present invention, and the upper claw 4 constitutes a second pack receiver according to the present invention.

The upper claw 4 is configured to be moved forward and backward by a common air cylinder 6 with respect to the two stacking packs arranged side by side, and the lower claw 5 is moved to the upper claw by another common air cylinder 7. 4 is configured to be able to move forward and backward relatively.
The two deposition pack holding devices 3 disposed on both sides of each of the two deposition packs 2 are disposed symmetrically on both sides with respect to the deposition pack 2.

  Next, the pack dropping device 10 will be described. Each of the two pack dropping devices 10 provided for each of the two stacking packs 2 includes a helical feed screw 11. A helical feed screw 11 provided in the pack dropping device 10 is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotary shaft 12. As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the spiral feed screw 11 in the pack dropping device 10 has a spiral groove 13 cut around the rotating shaft 12, and the beginning and end of the groove 13 are respectively horizontal. Planes 14 (shaded portions in FIG. 4b) and 15 (marked with x in FIG. 4b) are formed. The spiral groove 13 has one pitch per rotation of the spiral feed screw 11.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a motor for driving the helical feed screw 11. The rotational force of the motor 16 is transmitted to each helical feed screw 11 through the sprocket 17 and the chain 18 and the right and left helical feed screws 11 are synchronized in opposite directions. And is configured to be driven and rotated. FIG. 4 shows a positional relationship in which the grooves of the spiral feed screw 11 disposed on both sides of one pack P are engaged and the pack P is fed by the rotation of the spiral feed screw 11.

  Engaging members 21 that hold the pack P by engaging with the edges of the pack P sent and dropped by the pack dropping device 10 are attached to the two dropping gates 20 respectively disposed below the pack dropping device 10. The engaging member 21 is configured to be rotatable around a common pivot shaft 22.

The pack supply apparatus shown in the figure has the above configuration, and the operation thereof will be described below.
Initially, as shown in the left side of FIG. 1, the stacking pack holding device 3 makes the upper claw 4 retracted by the air cylinder 6, advances the lower claw 5 by the air cylinder 7, and the lower claw 5 is the frame body. The edge of the lowest pack P of each stacking pack 2 held in 1 is supported and held from below.
When a command is input from the outside to supply the lowest pack P, the upper claw 4 is advanced by the air cylinder 6 so that the lowest pack P and the second lowest pack P of each accumulation pack 2 Inserted between the edges, the edge of the second lowest pack P is held from below.

  Next, the lower claw 5 of the stacking pack holding device 3 is retracted by the air cylinder 7, and the edge of the lowermost pack P is a spiral groove 13 of the helical feed screw 11 of the pack dropping device 10 as shown on the right side of FIG. It will be in the state mounted on the upper horizontal surface 14 in. Due to the presence of the upper horizontal surface 14 in the spiral groove 13, the pack P is placed in a horizontal state in the spiral groove 13 in the first stage. When the helical feed screw 11 is rotated by the motor 16 in this state, the edge of the lowermost pack is fed downward along the helical groove 13, so that the lowermost pack P is separated from the upper stacking pack and moved downward. Will be dropped.

After the lowest two packs P are dropped from each stacking pack 2, the lower pawl 5 of the stacking pack holding device 3 is advanced by the air cylinder 7 and the upper pawl 4 is retracted by the air cylinder 6. Each stacking pack 2 returns to the initial state supported by the lower claws 5.
Since the end portion of the lower end of the spiral groove 13 in the spiral feed screw 11 is a horizontal plane 15, the pack P falling off the spiral feed screw 11 becomes horizontal and the engagement member 21 of the drop gate 20 It will fall down in a horizontal state.

The lowest two packs P that are separated from the respective accumulation packs 2 and dropped downward are respectively placed on the engaging members 21 of the dropping gate 20, and the engaging members 21 of the dropping gate 20 are commanded from the outside. Is rotated around the pivot shaft 22, is supplied in a horizontal state to a lower conveyor, etc., and is conveyed to a downstream packaging device or the like.
The above operations are repeated, and the lowest two packs P are reliably peeled off from the two stacked packs 2 accommodated in the frame 1 and supplied separately.

The present invention has been specifically described above based on one embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention described in the claims. It goes without saying that changes may be made.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the stack pack holding device 3 including the upper and lower claws 4 and the lower claws 5 that are advanced and retracted is provided, and each pack is surely separated from the stacked pack and the pack dropping device 10 is separated. However, depending on the shape, thickness and material of the pack to be used, the lowermost pack can be removed from the piled pack at the desired speed by the helical feed screw even if the claw is not provided. Since it can feed out smoothly, in the present invention, it is not indispensable to provide the upper and lower claws 4 and 5 that move forward and backward. Also, in the case of providing a member that reliably separates the lowest pack, even if the two claws are not provided as shown in the embodiment, the edge of the lowest pack in the accumulation pack is important. If the edge of the second pack from the bottom is received alternately, for example, a member that receives the pack edge by shifting the angle around the vertical rotation axis is provided, and the rotation axis is rotated. Simpler appropriate means such as a stacked pack holding device may be employed.

In the embodiment described above, the pack dropping device 10 has two helical feed screws 11 for each pack P. The number of the helical feed screws 11 depends on the size of the pack and the material of the pack. It can be appropriately selected according to the above.
In the above-described embodiment, the dropping gate 20 is arranged below the pack dropping device 10, receives the pack P dropped by the pack dropping device 10, makes it horizontal, and then supplies it to a conveyor or the like. However, the dropping gate 20 is not indispensable, and may be configured to be supplied directly from the pack dropping device 10 to a transport conveyor or the like.
In the above-described embodiment, the frame body 1 holds the two accumulation packs 2 and drops and supplies the two lowest packs P at a time. This is an example in which two packs are supplied to a pack packaging apparatus, etc., and one or three or more stacked packs are held in a frame, respectively, A pack supply device that supplies three or more packs P may be configured.

In the above-described embodiment, the horizontal portions 14 and 15 are provided at the beginning and the end of the spiral groove 13 of the spiral feed screw 11 so that the pack P is placed on the spiral feed screw 11 in a horizontal state and dropped. However, the feeding pitch of the pack P by the spiral groove 13 is small, and the spiral groove 13 is placed in the spiral groove 13. When the engaged pack P is not inclined greatly, a horizontal plane portion may not be provided at the end of the spiral groove.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the spiral feed screw 11 has a groove shape for transferring and dropping one pack at one rotation, but one at an appropriate number of rotations such as one rotation or more, for example, two rotations or three rotations. It is also possible to cope with further increase in speed by dropping the next pack and holding the next dropped pack in the spiral feed screw. Thus, there is no limit to the length of the spiral groove in the spiral feed screw and the number of rotations until the pack drops.

  In the above-described embodiment, the spiral feed screw 11 has a structure in which the spiral groove 13 is dug. However, when the spiral feed screw 11 is dug and formed, a projecting helix is engaged with the edge of the pack P instead of the spiral groove. You may comprise as a thing of a structure. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the helical feed screw 11 is rotated via the sprocket 17 and the chain 18. However, it is only necessary that the helical feed screw 11 is rotated in synchronism. There is no limitation.

Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the pack supply apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional explanatory view of the pack supply device shown in FIG. 1 cut along a plurality of horizontal planes so as to show the structures of the claws 4 and 5, the spiral feed screw 11 and the engaging member 21 in the pack supply device shown in FIG. . It is drawing which shows the structure of a helical screw, (a) is a side view, (b) is a top view, (c) is a side view opposite to (a). Explanatory drawing which shows the state which the spiral screw has sent the edge of the pack.

Explanation of symbols

1 Frame 2 Stack Pack 3 Stack Pack Holding Device 4 Upper Claw 5 Lower Claw 6 Air Cylinder 7 Air Cylinder 10 Pack Drop Device 11 Helical Feed Screw 12 Rotating Shaft 13 Helical Groove 14 Horizontal Plane 15 Horizontal Plane 16 Motor 17 Sprocket 18 Chain 20 Drop gate 21 engaging member 22 pivot shaft

Claims (5)

  A pack supply method for supplying packs one by one from the lowest pack in a stacking pack in which a plurality of packs are stacked up and down, wherein the pack is rotated to an engagement position with an edge of the lowest pack in the stacking pack If the spiral feed screw is rotated around the rotation shaft when the shaft is placed upright, the edge of the lowest pack is sent along the spiral groove of the spiral feed screw to drop the lowest pack. Pack supply method from the accumulation pack to be.   2. Prior to the step of claim 1, wherein the lowermost pack is dropped by the helical lead screw, the edge of the lowermost pack is received and supported below by a first pack receiver, and the lowermost pack's The second pack receiver is inserted between the edge and the edge of the second pack from the bottom to receive and support the edge of the second pack from the bottom, and the lowermost pack by the first pack receiver. A method for supplying packs from a stacking pack, comprising the step of removing support of the edge and placing the lowermost pack on the spiral feed screw.   A pack supply device that supplies packs one by one in order from the lowest pack in a stacking pack in which a plurality of packs are stacked vertically, with a rotation axis set at an engagement position with an edge of the lowermost pack A pack dropping device having a spiral feed screw, the edge of the lowermost pack being received by the spiral feed screw of the pack dropping device, and the helical feed screw being rotated about the rotation axis A pack supply device from a stacking pack, wherein the pack is configured to drop.   A first pack receiver provided to be able to enter and exit the stacking pack so as to receive and support an edge of the lowermost pack underneath, and an edge of the second pack from the bottom in the stacking pack A second pack receiver that is removably provided toward the stacking pack and supports the edge of the lowermost pack supported by the first pack receiver and the second pack from the bottom. The second pack receiver is displaced and inserted between the edges, and the first pack receiver is retracted from below the edge of the lowest pack so that the lower pack is spirally fed by the pack dropping device. And a control device for operating the first and second pack receivers and the pack dropping device so that the lowermost pack is dropped by rotating the spiral feed screw on the screw. Pack feeder from pack deposition according to claim 3.   The pack supply device from the accumulation pack according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the spiral feed screw has a horizontal screw part at each of an upper part and a lower part.

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