JP2007176606A - Conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute a conveying device capable of efficiently performing molding change. <P>SOLUTION: The conveying device 100 is provided with a conveyor 10 (12, 14, 16) supporting an article from below and conveying it; and a guide structure 20 for guiding the article from a side. The guide structure 20 includes a plurality of superposedly arranged guide members 22 (22a, 22b), 24 (24a, 24b) and fixing parts 26a, 26b for fixing the plurality of guide members 22, 24 and is constituted such that respective positions of the plurality of guide members 22, 24 can be adjusted by releasing the fixing by the fixing parts 26a, 26b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport device that transports articles.

  Various articles may be handled in one production line. Adjusting each device on the production line according to the type of article to be produced is called remodeling. For example, when the shape of an article to be manufactured is changed, it is possible to request a mold change for a transport apparatus that transports the article.

In changing the type of the conveying device, in particular, the width of the conveying path at the corner portion of the conveying path (the distance between the pair of guides that guide the side of the article) is important. For example, in a beverage container transport apparatus, the width of the transport path in the corner portion may be required to be adjusted in the millimeter order. For example, if the width is too narrow, the container is caught by the guide, and conversely if it is too wide, the container falls down. Containers other than circular in cross section have directionality (a wide direction and a narrow direction). Therefore, if the container has a wide conveyance path halfway, such a container will be caught in the conveyance path when the width of the container and the width of the conveyance path are aligned in the conveyance path.
JP-A-10-109730

  Changing the type of the conveying device typically involves replacing the guide member that guides the side of the article to be conveyed. The guide member is made of, for example, resin or metal and has a considerable weight. Therefore, it is a considerable labor to remove the guide member that has been used and carry it to the storage location, and to carry the guide member to be used next from the storage location to the transport device and to place it in place. In addition, in order to store various guide members, it is necessary to secure a space for that purpose.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the above problem recognition, and an object thereof is, for example, to improve the efficiency of mold change in a transport device.

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus that transports an article, and the apparatus includes a conveyor that supports and transports an article from below, and a guide structure that guides the article from the side. The guide structure includes a plurality of overlapping guide members and a fixing portion that fixes the plurality of guide members, and each position of the plurality of guide members is adjusted by releasing the fixing by the fixing portion. It is configured to be able to.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus includes a first device for positioning the plurality of guide members such that the plurality of guide members are in a first arrangement suitable for conveying a first type of article. It is preferable to include positioning means and second positioning means for positioning the plurality of guide members such that the plurality of guide members are in a second arrangement suitable for conveyance of the second type of article.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of guide members have first and second positioning holes, respectively, and the support that supports the plurality of guide members has first and second reference holes. The positioning members are inserted into the first positioning holes and the first reference holes of the plurality of guide members, respectively, so that the plurality of guide members are in a first arrangement suitable for conveying the first type of article. The positioning members are inserted into the second positioning holes and the second reference holes of the plurality of guide members, respectively, so that the plurality of guide members have a second arrangement suitable for transporting the second type of article. It is preferable.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of guide members include a guide member having a first shape and a guide member having a second shape different from the first shape.

  According to the transport apparatus of the present invention, for example, the mold can be changed efficiently.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 are a perspective view and a plan view, respectively, showing a configuration of a transport apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIGS. 1 and 2. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B ′ of FIGS. 1 and 2 when the mold is changed from the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The conveyance device 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is suitable for conveying an article such as a container filled with liquid or an empty container. The transport apparatus 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 is configured to be capable of transporting two types of articles that have different shapes depending on the mold change. However, this is merely an example, and the transport apparatus 100 is capable of changing the mold. Therefore, it can be configured to be capable of handling three or more types of articles.

  The conveying apparatus 100 includes a conveyor 10 (12, 14, 16) that supports and conveys an article from below, and a guide structure 20 that guides the article from the side. The conveyor 10 may be configured to include, for example, a first endless conveyor 12, a second endless conveyor 14, and a turntable 16 disposed on the inside (corner portion of the conveyance path) near the intersection thereof. As the endless conveyors 12 and 14, for example, a table top chain conveyor, a belt conveyor and the like are suitable. The turntable 16 is arranged so as to send the article from the first endless conveyor 12 to the second endless conveyor 14.

  The guide structure 20 includes a plurality of guide members 22 (22a, 22b) and 24 (24a and 24b) arranged in an overlapping manner, and a fixing portion 26 (26a and 26b) for fixing the plurality of guide members 22 and 24. . The guide structure 20 is configured such that each position of the plurality of guide members 22 and 24 can be adjusted by releasing the fixation by the fixing portion 26. Hereinafter, the guide member 22 (22a, 22b) is also referred to as a first guide member, and the guide member 24 (24a, 24b) is also referred to as a second guide member.

  The first guide member 22 is composed of a pair (one set) of guide members 22a and 22b so as to guide both sides of the article, and the second guide member 24 is similarly paired so as to guide both sides of the article. It is composed of (one set) of guide members 24a and 24b. Note that both the pair of guide members 22a and 22b may be configured to be position-adjustable, or only one of them may be configured to be position-adjustable. Further, both the pair of guide members 24a and 24b may be configured to be position-adjustable, or only one of them may be configured to be position-adjustable.

  The first guide member 22 (22a, 22b) is fixed to the support body 20 (20a, 20b) by a fixing portion (for example, a screw) 26 (26a, 26b). The first guide member 22 (22a, 22b) has position adjusting holes 22ah, 22bh having play (degree of freedom), and is fixed in the horizontal direction by being fixed by the fixing portions 26 (26a, 26b). The position becomes free. Therefore, after the fixing by the fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b) is released, and the position of the first guide member 22 (22a, 22b) is adjusted so as to match the shape of the first type article to be guided by them, they are Is fixed by the fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b), the mold change for the first type of article is completed.

  Similarly, the 2nd guide member 24 (24a, 24b) is fixed to the support body 20 (20a, 20b) by the fixing | fixed part (for example, screw) 26 (26a, 26b). The second guide member 24 (24a, 24b) has a position adjusting hole (not shown) having play (degree of freedom), and is released in the horizontal direction by being fixed by the fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b). The position of becomes free. Therefore, after the fixing by the fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b) is released and the position of the second guide member 24 (24a, 24b) is adjusted so as to match the shape of the second type of article to be guided by them, Is fixed by the fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b), the mold change for the second type of article is completed.

  Here, in order to facilitate the work of changing the type of the guide structure 20 so as to be adapted to the first type or second type of article, it is preferable to provide positioning means for the guide members 22 and 24. More specifically, a first positioning means for positioning the plurality of guide members 22, 24 so that the plurality of guide members 22, 24 are in a first arrangement suitable for conveying the first type of article a, It is preferable to include a second positioning means for positioning the plurality of guide members 22, 24 so that the plurality of guide members 22, 24 are in a second arrangement suitable for the conveyance of the second type of article b.

  The first positioning means is provided in the first positioning holes 22a1 and 22b1 provided in the first guide members 22a and 22b and the second guide members 24a and 24b, as exemplified in FIGS. The first positioning holes 24a1 and 24b1, the first reference holes 20a1 and 20b1 provided in the supports 20a and 20b, and the positioning pins 32a and 32b. The first positioning holes 22a1 and 22b1, the second positioning holes 24a1 and 24b1, and the first reference holes 20a1 and 20b1 are the first ones that are suitable for conveying the first type of article a by inserting the positioning pins 32a and 32b. It is formed at a position where the arrangement can be obtained.

  The second positioning means includes, for example, second positioning holes 22a2, 22b2 provided in the first guide members 22a, 22b, a second guide member 24a, as illustrated in FIGS. The second positioning holes 24a2 and 24b2 provided in the 24b, the second reference holes 20a2 and 20b2 provided in the supports 20a and 20b, and the positioning pins 32a ′ and 32b ′. The second positioning holes 22a2, 22b2, the second positioning holes 24a2, 24b2, and the second reference holes 20a2, 20b2 are adapted to transport the second type of article b by inserting the positioning pins 32a ′, 32b ′. It is formed at a position where the second arrangement is obtained.

  Of the plurality of sets of guide members represented by the first and second guide members 22 and 24, at least two sets of guide members have different shapes (for example, shapes having different curvature radii). For example, the first guide member 22 may have a first shape, and the second guide member 24 may have a second shape different from the first shape.

  A plurality of sets of guide members represented by the first and second guide members 22 and 24 can be in contact with only one set of guide members with respect to one type of article (that is, as a guide, in actuality). It may be positioned (to function) or it may be positioned so that two or more sets of guide members are in contact, as exemplarily shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 5, five types of guide members 22 (22a, 22b), 24 (24a, 24b), 42 (42a, 42b), 44 (44a, 44b), and 46 (46a, 46b) are of one type. Is positioned so as to be in contact with the article c.

  As described above, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guide member 20 includes the plurality of guide members 22 (22a, 22b) and 24 (24a, 24b) arranged in an overlapping manner and the plurality of guide members 22. , 24 and a fixing portion 26 (26a, 26b) for fixing the plurality of guide members 22 and 24. By releasing the fixing by the fixing portion 26, the positions of the plurality of guide members 22, 24 can be adjusted. Therefore, the mold can be easily changed according to the type or shape of the article to be conveyed simply by releasing the fixation by the fixing portion 26 and positioning the plurality of guide members 22 and 24. In addition, it is not necessary to remove unnecessary guide members from the transport device each time the mold is changed and to attach the next guide member to be used to the transport device. Storage location problems can be reduced or eliminated.

  Furthermore, by providing positioning means for a plurality of guide members, the mold change can be performed quickly and accurately.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the conveying apparatus of suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the conveying apparatus of suitable embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the A-A 'line | wire of FIG.1 and FIG.2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B ′ of FIGS. 1 and 2 when the mold is changed from the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is a figure which shows the other structural example of a guide structure.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Conveyor 12 1st endless conveyor 14 Turntable 16 2nd endless conveyor 20 Guide structure 22 (22a, 22b) 1st guide member 22a1, 22b1 1st positioning hole 22a2, 22b2 2nd positioning hole 22ah, 22bh Position adjustment hole 24 (24a, 24b) 2nd guide member 24a1, 24b1 1st positioning hole 24a2, 24b2 2nd positioning hole 26 (26a, 26b) Fixing part 32a, 32b, 32a ', 32b' Positioning pin 42 (42a, 42b) Guide member 44 (44a, 44b) Guide member 46 (46a, 46b) Guide member 100 Conveying device a, b, c Article

Claims (4)

A conveying device for conveying an article,
A conveyor that supports and conveys articles from below;
A guide structure for guiding an article from the side,
The guide structure is
A plurality of guide members arranged in a stack;
A fixing portion for fixing the plurality of guide members,
It is configured such that each position of the plurality of guide members can be adjusted by releasing the fixing by the fixing portion.
A conveying apparatus characterized by that.   A first positioning means for positioning the plurality of guide members such that the plurality of guide members are in a first arrangement suitable for conveying the first type of article; and the plurality of guide members are a second type of article. 2. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second positioning unit that positions the plurality of guide members so that the second arrangement is adapted to the transport of the first and second guide members. Each of the plurality of guide members has first and second positioning holes,
A support body supporting the plurality of guide members has first and second reference holes;
The plurality of guide members are in a first arrangement suitable for transporting the first type of article by inserting the positioning members into the first positioning holes and the first reference holes of the plurality of guide members,
When the positioning members are inserted into the second positioning holes and the second reference holes of the plurality of guide members, the plurality of guide members have a second arrangement suitable for transporting the second type of article.
The conveying apparatus according to claim 1. The plurality of guide members include a guide member having a first shape and a guide member having a second shape different from the first shape.
The conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images