JP2008087939A - Sweeper device and container conveying device using same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sweeper device enabling the quick replacement of a container holding member without relying on the manual operation of a worker and having an enhanced production efficiency and a container conveying device. <P>SOLUTION: This sweeper device 3 for conveying a predetermined quantity of containers Ca to be conveyed with an aligned state comprises the container holding member 5 brought into contact with the containers Ca aligned in order from the downstream side in the conveying direction, side guide members 9 brought into contact with the containers from the sides in the conveying direction, and a pressing member brought into contact with the containers from the upstream side in the conveying direction. The container holding member 5 has at least two different container holding parts 5a, 5a. An aligned state maintaining member for maintaining the aligned state of the containers Ca is fitted to at least one of the container holding parts 5a, 5b. The container holding parts are changeable according to the dimensions of the containers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sweeper device and a container transport device using the same, and more particularly to a sweeper device used when a predetermined number of containers are stored in a basket or the like that moves in the container transport device and a container transport device using the same. .

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are various examples of container transport devices, for example, a device having a mechanism for transporting a large number of can containers and feeding them to a sterilization process or the like. The sterilization process is performed by accommodating a can container that is already filled with contents such as a liquid beverage in a high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization pot. At that time, it is necessary to efficiently accommodate the can container in the size and shape of the internal space of the sterilization pot. For this reason, a predetermined number of can containers are stored in a predetermined basket or the like, and the basket is stored in a sterilization pot.

  Here, as described above, it is necessary to always fill the basket with a fixed number of can containers. For this reason, a device for storing a predetermined number of can containers in a basket (hereinafter referred to as “sweeper device”) is required. In order to store a predetermined number of can containers conveyed in an aligned state in a basket, the sweeper device needs to be provided with members that come into contact with the can containers on the downstream side and the upstream side in the conveyance direction and on both the left and right sides. A can container is held by each of these members and moved into a basket for storage. At this time, the container holding member on the downstream side in the transport direction may be provided with an alignment state maintaining member corresponding to the arrangement of the can containers. This is, for example, unevenness provided at predetermined intervals according to the arrangement of cans. As an example of such an alignment state maintaining member, there is a corrugated plate (see Patent Document 1) of a container locking plate disposed on the downstream side of the endless belt.

By the way, currently available can containers have various sizes. In particular, there are can containers having different diameters. When the diameters of the can containers are different, the spacing between the adjacent can containers also changes when aligned. In this case, in order to maintain the aligned state of the can containers, the interval between the irregularities of the above-described aligned state maintaining member must also be changed. In order to meet such demands, the conventional sweeper device is provided with at least two sets of container holding members having the alignment state maintaining members at different intervals, and the workers are manually replaced according to the size of the can. I was trying to do it.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-99833 (see in particular FIG. 1)

  However, the above-described container holding member itself is heavy and requires a lot of labor to replace it manually. In addition, since the basket accommodates the can containers stacked in a plurality of stages, the sweeper device may be installed at a high place for structural reasons. Also in that case, exchanging gravitational objects by manual work is complicated. Furthermore, in order to manually replace the container holding member, the entire container transport device must be stopped for a long time, resulting in a reduction in production efficiency.

  The present invention solves each of the above-mentioned problems, and is a sweeper device that transfers a predetermined number of containers being conveyed in an aligned state from the downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the aligned containers. A container holding member that contacts, a side guide member that contacts from a side in the transport direction, and a pushing member that contacts from an upstream side in the transport direction, and the container holding member includes at least two different container holding portions. And at least one of the container holding portions includes an alignment state maintaining member for maintaining the alignment state of the containers, and the container holding portions can be switched according to the dimensions of the containers. The measures are taken.

  Further, the container holding member employs a means that a drive mechanism for switching each container holding portion is engaged.

  Further, the drive mechanism employs means for moving at least one of the container holding portions so as to approach and separate from the aligned containers.

  Further, a means is adopted in which the interval between the irregularities formed on the side facing the container by the alignment state maintaining member is set according to the dimensions of the container.

  Further, the means for maintaining the alignment state maintaining member is a triangle.

  Furthermore, in a container transport device comprising a conveyor for transporting can containers, a sweeper device for storing the can containers in a predetermined basket, a basket drive mechanism for driving the basket, and a transport line for transporting the basket The sweeper device is the above sweeper device.

  The container holding member can be quickly replaced without depending on the manual work of the worker, and the production efficiency can be improved.

  Next, a sweeper device and a container transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Overview]
In order to help understanding of the container transport device 1 and the sweeper device 3 according to the present embodiment, based on FIG. 1, an overview of the position of the featured sweeper device 3 in the container transport device 1 will be outlined. .

  First, there is a container receiving portion 51 on the most upstream side of the container transfer device 1, and receives a substantially cylindrical container (for example, can container) C transferred from the previous process. A sweeper device 3, which is a characteristic part of the present invention, is provided on the downstream side of the container receiving portion 51. A transport line 71 a for transporting the basket 61 is provided in the vicinity of the sweeper device 3. The transport line 71a transports the basket 61 toward the downstream side (upward and rearward in the upper direction in FIG. 1). The conveyed basket 61 is accommodated in the sterilization pot 81, and a sterilization process is performed.

  The basket 61 in which the container C that has been subjected to the sterilization process is stored is discharged from the sterilization pot 81 and returned to the transport line 71b on the downstream side again. And the basket 61 returned on the conveyance line 71b is conveyed (after the left in a figure, upwards), and is conveyed by the post process via the discharge device 91 and the container discharge part 101. FIG.

  Hereinafter, the structure and operation of each part will be described in detail.

[Container receiving part]
There is a container receiving portion 51 on the most upstream side of the container transfer device 1. The container receiving portion 51 has a role of receiving the container C already filled with the contents in the previous step and transporting it toward the sweeper device 3. For this reason, it becomes the conveyor mechanism 55 for mounting and conveying the container C. In this embodiment, the mesh conveyor 55 is a combination of many fine frames.

  The container receiving portion 51 is provided with a container alignment member 53. This container alignment member 53 is for making the foremost row of the containers C transported from the previous process into a desired arrangement state in the first stage of the transporting operation of the containers C. Specifically, it is a member having triangular protrusions arranged at predetermined intervals in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction so as to cross the mesh conveyor 55. With the triangular protrusions, the containers C that have been conveyed are aligned in the correct positional relationship, and the subsequent containers C are arranged one after another following the already aligned containers C. When a certain number of containers C are aligned, the container alignment member 53 is retracted (retracted above the mesh conveyor 55 in this embodiment), and the aligned containers C are directed toward the sweeper device 3. It will be transported.

[Sweeper device]
The sweeper device includes a container holding member, a side guide member, a pushing member, and a frame member that supports them.

[Container holding member]
FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the sweeper device 3 and shows a state in which containers having different diameters are arranged. Here, FIG. 2A shows a state in which containers Ca having a large diameter are aligned, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which containers Cb having a small diameter are arranged. As shown in each figure, the sweeper device 3 is provided with a container holding member 5, and the container holding member 5 is equipped with two container holding portions 5a and 5b. This is to accommodate containers Ca and Cb having different diameters. Among these, the container holding part (first container holding part) 5a for the container Ca having a large diameter will be described first. The first container holding portion 5a is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction, and is disposed at right angles to the transport direction of the container Ca, that is, across the mesh conveyor 55. The first container holding portion 5a includes a plate-like holding member main body 5a1 and an alignment state maintaining member 5a2 provided on the surface of the holding member main body.

  The holding member main body 5a1 has a width approximately equal to the width of the mesh conveyor 55, and has a function of stopping the container Ca being conveyed at a predetermined position. For this reason, the holding member main body 5a1 has a substantially plate-like structure. Further, on the surface of the holding member main body 5a1 and facing the upstream side of the mesh conveyor 55, a plurality of alignment state maintaining members 5a2 having a substantially triangular planar shape are provided. The aligned state maintaining members 5a2 are arranged at predetermined intervals corresponding to the aligned state of the containers Ca. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the containers Ca are arranged without gaps, they are arranged so as to correspond to the irregularities in the front row of the container group. For this reason, when the container Ca contacts the first container holding part 5a, the aligned state is maintained by the action of the aligned state maintaining member 5a2.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, when handling a container Cb having a small diameter, a second container holding portion 5b is used. When using the second container holding part 5b, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 3, the first container holding part 5a is rotated upward by the driving force of the servo motor 7a as a driving mechanism, Retreat from the transport path of the container Ca. At the same time, the second container holding portion 5b moves forward and stops at a predetermined position by the driving force of the servo motor 7b as a driving mechanism. The predetermined position here is a place where the first container holding portion 5a has been positioned. The structure of the second container holding part 5b is substantially the same as that of the first container holding part 5a, but the interval between the adjacent alignment state maintaining members 5b2 is different. That is, since the second container holding part 5b is for the small diameter container Cb, the interval between the alignment state maintaining members 5b2 is narrower than that of the first container holding part 5a. Thereby, the container Cb having a small diameter can be reliably held while maintaining the aligned state. By the way, although the servomotor was mentioned as an example as a drive mechanism for moving each container holding | maintenance part 5a, 5b, this invention is not limited to this, For example, an electric motor, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc. Other types of drive mechanisms can also be used.

  Since the sweeper device 3 is provided with side guide members 9 to be described later on both sides of the mesh conveyor 55 in the width direction, the aligned containers Cb can be sandwiched from the left and right sides of the mesh conveyor 55. For this reason, any one of the first and second container holding portions 5a and 5b may be a simple plate-like member that does not have the alignment state maintaining member. Further, the alignment state maintaining member does not need to be a triangular member as described above, and may have a corrugated shape corresponding to the circular outer peripheral surface of the container as long as the alignment state of the container can be maintained. . In addition, although the container holding member of this embodiment consists of two container holding parts 5a and 5b, you may provide three or more container holding parts according to the dimension of the can container to handle. On the contrary, it is possible to use one holding member main body in the shape of a quadrangular column and provide an alignment state maintaining member having a different interval on each side surface, and rotate this to correspond to containers of different sizes. In this case, since the holding member main body is a quadrangular prism, it can correspond to containers of four types of dimensions.

[Side guide member]
As shown in FIG. 2, the side guide members are arranged so as to sandwich the conveyor belt 55 from both sides in the width direction, and are directed parallel to the conveying direction of the container Ca. The length of the side guide member 9 substantially corresponds to the length in the transport direction of a group of containers that enter a basket described later. The distance between the side guide members 9 can be adjusted, and the side guide members 9 change in accordance with the dimensions of the container Ca held therebetween.

  Various structures for adjusting the distance between the side guide members 9 are conceivable. In this embodiment, each side guide member 9 is engaged with a servo motor 11 as a drive mechanism. The mutual distance is adjusted by the action. However, the adjustment mechanism for the side guide member 9 may be adjusted by a simple screwing mechanism or a so-called shim.

[Pushing member]
Further, on the upstream side in the transport direction of the sweeper device 3, a pushing member 13 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) for pushing the container Ca to the downstream side is provided. The pushing member 13 is used for pushing the container Ca into the basket 61 while maintaining the alignment of the container Ca when the sweeper 3 stores the container Ca in the basket 61 described later. Although the shape is a simple plate-like member, an alignment state maintaining member may be provided in the same manner as the container holding portion 5a described above.

  The pushing member 13 moves together with other members as a part of the sweeper device 3, and reciprocates between the mesh conveyor 55 and the basket 61. However, while a predetermined number of containers Ca are arranged in the sweeper device 3, they are retracted above the mesh conveyor 55 so as not to obstruct the conveyance of the containers Ca.

[Frame member]
As shown in FIG. 2, the container holding portions 5 a and 5 b, the side guide member 8, and the pushing member 13 are all engaged with the frame member 15. Each member can move with respect to the frame member 15. The frame member 15 moves toward the basket 61 when the predetermined number of containers Ca are stored in the sweeper device 3, and stores the container Ca in the basket 61.

  Various moving mechanisms for the frame member 15 are conceivable. For example, a rail (not shown) parallel to the conveying direction of the mesh conveyor 55 may be provided, and the frame member 15 may be configured to move along the rail. At that time, power such as an electric motor, an air cylinder, and a hydraulic cylinder (all not shown) can be used as a driving force for movement.

[Basket drive mechanism]
Next, the basket drive mechanism 63 will be described. The basket drive mechanism 63 is disposed on the downstream side of the sweeper device 3, and has a function of receiving the container Ca from the sweeper device 3 and storing it in the basket 61, and delivering the basket 61 toward a transfer line 71 a described later. . FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the sweeper device 3 stores the container Ca in the basket 61. This figure shows a state where the containers Ca are already stacked in three stages in the basket 61.

[Transport line]
The conveyance line 71a is a roller conveyor equipped with a plurality of rollers, and the basket 61 is conveyed on the conveyance line. Then, the basket 61 is conveyed to a sterilization pot 81 to be described later, and then accommodated in the sterilization pot 81.

[Sterilization pot]
A sterilization pot 81 is disposed in the vicinity of the transfer line 71a. In the present embodiment, two sterilization pots 81 are arranged adjacent to each other. The sterilization pot 81 is a pressure vessel having a role of sterilizing the inside of the vessel with high-temperature and high-pressure steam. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the size is such that five baskets 61 can be stored in a row at the same time. However, the shape and size of the sterilization pot 81 are examples, and are not limited to those illustrated. In addition, the transfer of the basket 61 from the conveyance line 71a to the sterilization pot 81 is performed by a predetermined transfer mechanism (not shown). The basket 61 that has been sterilized is discharged from the outlet on the side opposite to the inlet of the sterilization pot 81, and sent out again to the transport line 71b.

[Discharge device and container discharge section]
As shown in FIG. 1, a discharge device 91 is provided further downstream of the transfer line 71b. The discharge device 91 is for discharging the container Ca from the basket 61, and may have the same structure as the sweeper device 3, or may have another structure. The downstream side of the discharge device 91 is a container discharge unit 101, which conveys the container Ca toward the subsequent process.
[Action]
Next, the operation of the container transport device 1 and the sweeper device 3 of this embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the containers Ca that have been conveyed to the container receiving portion 51 are aligned in a desired arrangement state by the alignment member 53. And it is conveyed toward the sweeper apparatus 3 on the mesh conveyor 55, maintaining an alignment state. In front of the sweeper device 3, a predetermined number of containers Ca are separated from the subsequent containers Ca by edge cutting means (not shown). When a predetermined number of containers Ca are conveyed to the sweeper device 3, the frontmost group of containers comes into contact with the first container holding portion 5a (see FIG. 2A). At this time, since the alignment state maintaining member 5a2 provided on the surface of the first container holding portion 5a is arranged corresponding to the unevenness of the front row of the container group, the alignment state is not disturbed. At the same time, the side guide members 9 are close to each other from the left and right sides in the transport direction, thereby preventing the alignment of the containers Ca from being disturbed.

  In the state as described above, the pushing member 13 descends to the vicinity of the surface of the mesh conveyor 55 and contacts from the upstream side of the can container group. As a result, the can container group is held from all sides. And the 1st container holding | maintenance part 5a, the side guide member 9, and the pushing member 13 move toward the basket 61 (right side in a figure) according to the motion of the frame member 15. FIG.

  The moving process will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the container Ca moves toward the basket 61 while being held from all sides by the first container holding portion 5 a, the side guide member 9 and the pushing member 13. (See FIGS. 4B and 4C). At this time, since the pallet 65 is arranged on the already accommodated container, the newly accommodated container Ca is arranged on the pallet 65. When all the containers Ca are accommodated in the basket 61 (see FIG. 4D), the sweeper device 3 opens the container Ca and the basket driving mechanism 63 lowers the container Ca (FIG. 4E )reference).

  When the container Ca descends, the sweeper device 3 returns to the mesh conveyor 55 side (left side in the figure). Then, the procedure for holding the next container group is resumed. On the other hand, the basket 61 in which the predetermined number of containers Ca is accommodated is sent out toward the transfer line 71a (upper side in FIG. 1). And it accommodates in the sterilization pot 81 arrange | positioned in the vicinity of the conveyance line 71a, and a sterilization operation is performed.

  The basket 61 that has been sterilized and returned to the transport line 71 b is transported to the discharge device 91 disposed in the vicinity of the sweeper device 3. Then, the container Ca in the basket 61 is transferred to the mesh conveyor 55 by the discharge device 91. Then, the container Ca transferred to the mesh conveyor 55 passes through the container discharge unit 101 and is conveyed on the mesh conveyor 55 toward the subsequent process.

  Next, the case where containers Cb having different dimensions are handled will be described. Even when handling containers Cb of different dimensions, many processes are the same as those described above. However, the operation of the sweeper device 3 is different. That is, when a container Cb having a different size has been conveyed, the container holding portions 5a and 5b are switched as shown in FIGS. That is, the first container holding part 5a is rotated by a servo motor 7a as a driving mechanism and retracts from the conveyance path of the container Cb. At the same time, the second container holding portion 5b moves forward so as to come into contact with the container group by the servo motor 7b as a drive mechanism. Since the second container holding portion 5b shown in FIG. 2B is for holding a small diameter container, the interval between the alignment state maintaining members 5b2 is narrower than that described above.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the side guide member 9 is also adjusted according to the dimensions of the container Cb, and is appropriately held from the left and right sides of the container group. These side guide members 9 are also adjusted by a drive mechanism such as a servo motor 11.

  Further, when returning to the setting of a container having a large diameter, the second container holding portion 5a is retracted by the servo motor 7b, and at the same time, the first container holding portion 5a is returned to a predetermined position by the servo motor 7a. Further, the distance between the side guide members 9 is also adjusted again.

  Control of the container holding parts 5a and 5b, the side guide member 9, and the pushing member 13 as described above is performed by the function of a control unit (not shown). That is, the control unit receives a signal notifying that the dimensions of the container have been changed, and based on this signal, servo motors 7a as drive mechanisms for moving the container holding parts 5a, 5b and the side guide member 9 are provided. 7b and 11 are controlled.

  A large number of aligned containers can be used in a sweeper apparatus and a container transport apparatus that transfer the containers in an aligned state.

It is the whole schematic diagram which looked at the container conveyance device concerning one embodiment of the present invention from the upper part. FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a sweeper device used in the container conveying device disclosed in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A is a plan view of a state in which a container having a large size (diameter) is accommodated, and FIG. It is a top view of the state which accommodated the small container. It is a figure which shows the container holding member used with the sweeper apparatus disclosed in FIG. 2, Comprising: The state which the 1st container holding member has evacuated from the conveyance path | route is shown, FIG. 3 (A) is a top view, 3 (B) is a side view. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the sweeper device disclosed in FIG. 1. FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a state where the sweeper device is positioned on the mesh conveyor, and FIG. 4 (C) shows a side view of the state in which the sweeper device has partially moved to the bucket, and FIG. 4 (D) shows a state in which the sweeper device has moved completely onto the basket. A side view is shown and FIG.4 (E) is a side view of the state which the sweeper apparatus returned to the mesh conveyor side completely.

Explanation of symbols

Ca, Cb Container 1 Container transport device 3 Sweeper device 5 Container holding member 5a First container holding portion 5a1 Holding member body 5a2 Alignment state maintaining member 5b Second container holding portion 5b1 Holding member body 5b2 Alignment state maintaining members 7a, 7b Drive mechanism (servo motor)
9 Side guide member 11 Drive mechanism (servo motor)
13 Pushing member 15 Frame member 51 Container receiving portion 53 Alignment member 55 Conveyor mechanism (mesh conveyor)
61 Basket 71a, 7ab Transport line 81 Sterilization pot 91 Discharge device 101 Container discharge unit

Claims (6)

A sweeper device for transferring a predetermined number of containers being conveyed in an aligned state,
A container holding member that contacts the aligned containers from the downstream side in the transport direction, a side guide member that contacts from the side in the transport direction, and a pushing member that contacts from the upstream side in the transport direction,
The container holding member has at least two different container holding portions, and at least one of the container holding portions includes an alignment state maintaining member for maintaining the alignment state of the containers,
Each of the container holding portions can be switched according to the dimensions of the container.   The sweeper device according to claim 1, wherein a drive mechanism for switching each of the container holding portions is engaged with the container holding member.   3. The sweeper device according to claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism moves at least one of the container holding portions so as to approach and separate from the aligned containers. 4.   The interval of the unevenness | corrugation formed in the side facing the said container by the said alignment state maintenance member is set according to the dimension of the said container, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Sweeper device.   The sweeper apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment state maintaining member has a triangular shape. In a container transport device comprising a conveyor for transporting can containers, a sweeper device for storing the can containers in a predetermined basket, a basket drive mechanism for driving the basket, and a transport line for transporting the basket,
The said sweeper apparatus is a sweeper apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-5, The container conveying apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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