JP2007238121A - Filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simply structured and inexpensively offerable container holding device which requires no open/close timing adjustment as to a filling machine having a finger with a characteristic finger open/close means for holding a container such as a bottle, a can or a plastic bottle when a liquid content is filled into the container. <P>SOLUTION: This filling machine, provided on a table with a hoisting rod supported able to go up and down freely, a receptacle which goes up and down with the up/down movement of the rod and a filling nozzle positioned at the upper part of the table for filling a content in a container by the upward movement of the hoisting rod, is provided connectively on a container receptacle with a hoisting rod relatively rotatable and not relatively movable in the axial direction, a finger energized in the close direction being fixed on the rod and a cam device for reciprocally rotating with the up-down movement of the rod mounted between the rod and the table. The cam device rotates the rod in the finger open direction by its downward movement. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling a container such as a bottle, a can, or a plastic bottle with liquid or liquid contents, and relates to the above-described apparatus characterized by a finger opening / closing means for holding the container being filled.

  The filling device is a device that fills a container that is continuously fed with the mouth up, by using gravity or pressure from a filling nozzle provided above the container. Many filling devices intended to efficiently fill a large number of containers are equipped with a rotary table in which container holders (hereinafter simply referred to as “receivers”) are arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery. A conveyor for carrying the containers in and out of the filling device is arranged so as to be in contact with the rotary table.

  Above the pedestal of the rotary table, a filling nozzle corresponding to each cradle is attached to a column that rotates integrally with the rotary table. Containers sent by the carry-in conveyor with the mouth up are loaded one by one on the cradle by a delivery device called a star wheel, and the cradle turns as the rotary table rotates. In the meantime, the contents are filled from the upper filling nozzle, and the filled containers are transferred to the carry-out conveyor.

  Usually, the cradle is attached to the rotary table via an elevating device, and the container mounted on the cradle from the carry-in conveyor rises by the ascending operation of the cradle, and the filling nozzle is inserted into the mouth. The container mouth collides with the push-up member adjacent to the filling nozzle and pushes it up, whereby the passage of the filling nozzle is opened and filling of the contents is started. When a predetermined amount of contents is injected into the container, the injection operation is stopped by the operation of the measuring device or by the rise of the liquid level of the contents in the container. And when a container approaches a discharge position, a receiving stand descends and a container is delivered to a carry-out conveyor.

  The container mounted on the cradle is designed to prevent the container's mouth from colliding with the filling nozzle in order to prevent the container's mouth from colliding with the filling nozzle or dropping the container from the cradle during filling. It is necessary to position and hold at a position that is directly below. In particular, when a container with a thin mouth is filled, or in an apparatus that performs high-speed filling by speeding up the rotation of the table, it is indispensable to hold the container.

The container is held by gripping the body of the container with fingers, and is opened and closed by the movement of a cam follower that engages with a finger that is opened and closed by a cylinder or a cam that is provided on a base that supports a rotary table, for example. A device that grips the body of the container with a finger is employed. This gripping device closes and holds the container when the container is mounted on the receiving table from the carry-in conveyor, and opens to open the container when the container is transferred from the receiving table to the carry-out conveyor. Further, this gripping device must be structured so that it can be lifted and lowered together with the cradle when the cradle is lifted and lowered.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-101193

  In the conventional filling device, in order to perform the opening and closing operation of the gripping device provided for each cradle, it is necessary to install piping and opening / closing valves for a large number of cylinders, or to support the rotary table In addition, there is a problem that a large cam along the track of the outer periphery of the table must be fixed, and due to its structure, the filling device becomes expensive and the adjustment of the opening / closing timing of the gripping device is troublesome. there were.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems of the conventional apparatus, and provides a container holding device for a filling apparatus that can be provided with a simple structure at low cost and that does not require adjustment of the opening / closing timing. It is an issue.

  The invention of this application includes an elevating rod 8 supported by a table so as to be movable up and down, a receiving base 3 that moves up and down as the elevating rod moves up and down, and a filling nozzle 23 arranged above the receiving base, In the filling device for filling the container 10 placed on the cradle with contents by the raising and lowering operation of the lift rod, the lift rod is connected to the cradle so as to be relatively rotatable and not to be relatively movable in the axial direction. A finger 16 fixed to the lifting rod and biased in the closing direction; and a cam device 7 interposed between the lifting rod and the table to reciprocately rotate the lifting rod in accordance with the lifting operation. , 22, and this cam device solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a filling device that rotates the lifting rod in the opening direction of the fingers by its lowering operation.

  The invention of claim 2 of the present application is the filling device having the above-described configuration and in which the filling nozzle 23 is opened at the end of the raising of the container 10 and the contents are filled at the raised position. 7 and the cam follower 22 are engaged with each other at the descending end side of the lifting rod 8 to open the fingers.

  The table is generally a rotating circular table, but may be a reciprocating table or a fixed table. This table supports the cradle 3 so as to be movable up and down, and the table itself does not move up and down. The lifting rod 8 generally penetrates the table so as to be movable up and down, and its lifting device (for example, a cylinder or a cam device) is provided between the lower surface of the table and the lower end of the lifting rod 8.

  Since the cradle 3 is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the lifting rod 8, a means for preventing the cradle side from rotating is necessary. As described in the following embodiments, this means supports the cradle 3 with a lifting rod 8 and an auxiliary rod 11 which are parallel to each other, and guides the cradle 3 with a fixed guide rail standing on a table. Thus, a structure that prevents the cradle 3 from rotating is possible.

  The fingers 16 are preferably fixed so that they can be removed and replaced with bolts or the like so that they can be replaced when the container shape changes. The cam device includes a cam 7 and a cam follower 22 that moves along the cam surface. In the following embodiment, a structure in which the cam 7 is fixed to the table side is shown. However, since the movement of the cam and the cam follower is relative, a structure in which the cam is provided on the lifting rod side is also possible.

  The filling operation of a general filling device is started by opening the valve 27 of the filling nozzle 23 at the end of the raising operation of the container 10, and the liquid level in the container 10 is raised while the container 10 holds the raised position. Or when the amount of filling liquid is detected. In such a general filling device, the holding device 3 is closed when the cradle 3 is raised, and a cam device is provided so as to open when the cradle 3 is lowered, so that the container 10 can be stably held even when the cradle 3 is raised and lowered. .

  The apparatus of the present invention has a structure in which the opening and closing of the finger holding the container mounted on the cradle is interlocked with the lifting and lowering operation of the cradle 3 on which the container is mounted. That is, the finger 16 is preferably closed immediately after the container is mounted on the cradle 3 and opened immediately before being discharged from the cradle 3. For this purpose, a structure in which the cam 7 and the cam follower 22 engage with each other on the lower end side of the lifting stroke of the cradle 3 to open and close the finger 16 is preferable.

  In the upper part of the up-and-down stroke, the finger 16 that is separated from the cam 7 and the cam follower 22 and is urged in the closing direction by the spring 20 or the like maintains the closed state, that is, the state in which the container is held.

  In the apparatus according to the present invention, since the finger 16 is opened and closed in synchronization with the raising / lowering operation of the cradle 3, it is not necessary to adjust the raising / lowering timing of the finger 16. If the raising / lowering timing of the cradle 3 is adjusted in accordance with the loading and discharging timing of the container on the cradle 3, the opening / closing timing of the finger 16 is automatically set.

  In the apparatus of the present invention, the container is moved on the cradle 3 by using the lifting / lowering operation of the cradle 3 performed to insert the filling nozzle 23 into the mouth of the container 10 or to open the flow path 32 of the filling nozzle. The finger 16 is opened and closed in order to stably hold the finger. Therefore, in order to open and close the fingers 16, a structure that complicates the machine, such as fixing a large cam to the base supporting the table or providing an opening / closing cylinder for each gripping device, becomes unnecessary.

  Since the cradle 3 and the gripping device 18 can be assembled as a single unit that operates in conjunction, an assembly in which the cradle and the gripping device are assembled together by mounting a cam (or cam follower) on the table side. It can be easily attached to existing devices by the work of attaching, and since the number of parts of the assembly is small and the structure is simple, cleaning after attaching to the machine or machine can also be done easily.

  Furthermore, since the finger 16 is opened and closed by the lifting and lowering operation of the cradle 3 and does not depend on the rotation direction of the table, even if the rotation direction of the rotary table is changed in the reverse direction due to the arrangement of the filling device in the factory, There is an effect that it is not necessary to change the unit or reassemble the unit.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an open state of the gripping device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a closed state of the gripping device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show the relationship between the lifting and filling operations of the cradle and the opening / closing operation of the gripping device. It is explanatory drawing.

  A cam plate 2 is fixed to a table (not shown) of the filling machine by, for example, a bolt or the like along the outer periphery of the upper surface of the rotary table. The cam plate 2 is provided with two guide holes 4, 5 corresponding to one cradle 3, and one of them 4 is a spiral cam 7 having two axially symmetric cam surfaces 6. Is provided. The cam plate 2 shown in the figure has a structure in which one cam plate 2 is attached for every two cradles, and includes two guide holes 4 and 5 and two cams 7 respectively.

  A table (not shown) is provided with a through hole coaxial with the guide holes 4 and 5, and a lowering device such as a fixed cam and a cylinder for raising and lowering the lifting rod 8 with the rotation of the table is mounted below the table. .

  On the back side of the cradle 3 on which the container 10 (see FIG. 3) is mounted (the side opposite to the side on which the container is placed and discharged), the elevating rod 8 and the auxiliary rod 11 are rotated in parallel with each other. It is mounted so that it can move and cannot move in the axial direction. The cradle 3 is integrally provided with a stopper 12 that defines the position of the inserted container.

  The elevating rod 8 is inserted into the guide hole 4 provided with the cam 7 so as to be able to rotate and elevate, and the auxiliary rod 11 is inserted into the other one guide hole 5 so as to be able to rotate and elevate.

  The elevating rod 8 and the auxiliary rod 11 pass through the cradle 3, finger brackets 14 are fixed to portions protruding upward, and a synchronous gear 15 is further fixed above the finger bracket 14. Fingers 16 are respectively attached to the pair of finger brackets 14, and the pair of synchronous gears 15 mesh so that the elevating rod 8 and the auxiliary rod 11 are rotated in the opposite directions at the same angle. Accordingly, the pair of fingers 16 fixed to the lifting rod 8 and the auxiliary rod 11 via the finger bracket 14 are opened and closed by the reciprocating rotation of the lifting rod 8.

  A spring receiving rod 19 is erected on each of the bases of the pair of fingers 16 forming the gripping device 18, and two tension coil springs showing only the center line in the figure between the pair of spring receiving rods 19. 20 is installed to urge the pair of fingers 16 in the closing direction.

  On the other hand, a cam follower 22 made of a roller that freely rotates around an axis in the diametrical direction of the lifting rod is provided in an axially symmetric manner at a portion immediately below the cradle 3 of the lifting rod 8. When the cradle 3 is lowered, the cam follower 22 contacts the cam surface 6 of the cam 7 to rotate the lifting rod 8 in the direction in which the finger 16 opens.

  The height h of the cam 7 is smaller than the stroke s (see FIG. 3) of the cradle 3 required to open the filling nozzle 23, and the cam slope 6 and the cam follower 22 are engaged at the lower end side of the stroke s. (In the cam structure in the figure, they are in contact). Accordingly, the finger 16 is closed at the initial stage when the cradle 3 is raised and opened at the final stage when it is lowered.

  3 and 4 are diagrams showing the relationship between the raising and lowering of the cradle 3 and the filling operation by the filling nozzle 23 and the opening and closing operation of the finger 16 by taking a gravity liquid filling machine as an example.

  The container 10 is supplied from the transfer conveyor onto the cradle 3 by a delivery device such as a star wheel (not shown) in a position where the cradle 3 is at the lower end, and thus the finger 16 is opened (FIG. 3A). . As soon as the container 10 is mounted on the cradle 3, the cradle 3 starts to rise, and when the cradle 3 rises by the height h of the cam, the finger 16 grips the trunk of the container 10 and receives it. The container 10 is positioned and held on the table 3 ((b) in the figure).

  When the cradle 3 further rises and reaches the rising end, the mouth of the container 10 pushes up the lower end 27 of the piston pipe 26 pressed against the valve seat 25 by the spring 33, and the liquid in the liquid container 28 is separated from the piston pipe 26. It flows into the container 10 through an annular flow path 32 between the air pipe 30 (FIG. 3C). Reference numeral 34 denotes a seal packing for sealing the container 10.

  When the liquid level 29 in the container reaches a position where the opening 31 at the lower end of the air pipe 30 is closed, there is no escape space for the air in the container 10, so no more liquid can flow into the container 10. The inflow of the liquid into the container 10 is stopped (FIG. 4 (a)).

  The container 10 is transferred to the position immediately before the container discharge position from the filling machine while maintaining this state. When the container discharge position approaches, the cradle 3 starts to descend. Immediately after the descent starts, the liquid slightly flows into the container 10, but the inflow stops when the liquid level 29 reaches the lower end 27 of the piston pipe 26, and the container 10 further descends, whereby the lower end 27. Contacts the valve seat 25 and closes the flow path 32 of the filling nozzle.

  Thereafter, the container 10 continues to descend further, and the cam follower 22 comes into contact with the cam surface 6 at a position immediately before reaching the descending end, and the lifting rod 8 is rotated by the cam action to open the finger 16 and open the container 10. (FIG. 4B). After the fingers 16 are opened, the container 10 is quickly discharged onto the transport conveyor.

  As described above, in the filling device of the present invention, the opening and closing of the gripping device 18 that holds the posture and position of the container 10 on the cradle 3 is performed in conjunction with the lifting operation of the cradle 3. There is no need to adjust the opening and closing timing. In addition, since the cam device 7 and 22 interlocks the raising and lowering of the cradle 3 and the opening / closing operation of the gripping device 18, a driving source for opening and closing the gripping device 18 becomes unnecessary, and the number of parts is reduced. There is an advantage that the structure becomes simple.

The perspective view which shows the open state of a holding | gripping apparatus The perspective view which shows the closed state of a holding device 1 of explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between raising / lowering and filling operation | movement of a receiving stand, and opening / closing operation | movement of a holding | gripping apparatus. 2 of the explanatory diagram

Explanation of symbols

3 cradle
5,6 Guide hole 7 Cam 8 Lifting rod
10 containers
11 Auxiliary rod
15 Synchronous gear
16 fingers
22 Cam Follower
23 Filling nozzle

Claims (2)

A lifting rod (8) supported by the table so as to be movable up and down, a container receiving base (3) that moves up and down as the lifting rod is lifted, and a filling nozzle (23) arranged above the container receiving base. In the filling device for filling the contents in the container (10) placed on the container cradle by the lifting operation of the lifting rod,
A finger (16) fixed to the lifting rod and biased in a closing direction, the lifting rod connected to the container cradle so as to be relatively rotatable and axially immovable; and the lifting rod; And a cam device (7, 22) interposed between the table and reciprocatingly rotating the lifting rod in accordance with the lifting and lowering operation. A filling device that rotates in the opening direction.   In the filling device in which the filling nozzle (23) is opened at the end of the raising of the container (10) and the contents are filled at the raised position, the cam 7 and the cam follower (22) of the cam device include a lifting rod (8 The filling device according to claim 1, wherein the finger is opened by engaging on a descending end side of the).

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