JP2009007146A - Pneumatic conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress wear by reducing the friction of a neck guide on a resin bottle. <P>SOLUTION: The resin bottle 2 comprises an upper small-diameter neck part 2b, a lower large-diameter body part 2a, and a shoulder part 2c connecting them to each other. A flange 2d is formed at the neck part 2b. The neck guide 22 on which the flange 2d is supported has a horizontal upper surface and a sloped lower surface with a gradient gradually lowering from the end toward the base. A portion having a lower surface parallel (horizontal) to the upper surface with a specified thickness is formed on the sloped lower surface at the end. The end surface in contact with the resin bottle 2 has the generally same width (vertical height) as the portion with a specified thickness, and is brought into contact with the neck part through a wide area, the frictional force is distributed, and the durability is enhanced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conveyance conveyor that conveys resin bottles in a suspended state, and more particularly to a neck guide that supports a lower surface of a flange formed on a neck portion of a resin bottle.

  FIG. 4 is a view showing a main part of a conventional air transfer conveyor 101. The resin bottle 2 conveyed by the air conveyor 101 includes a lower body portion 2a, an upper small-diameter neck portion 2b, and an inclined shoulder portion 2c that connects the body portion 2a and the neck portion 2b. The lower surface of the flange 2d formed on the neck portion 2b is supported by a pair of rail-shaped neck guides 122, 122 arranged in parallel, and is conveyed in a suspended state.

  The air conveying conveyor 101 has a propulsion air duct 110 surrounded by a wall surface (not shown) above a horizontal partition plate 116 to which the pair of neck guides 122 and 122 are attached. Pressurized air is supplied from air supply means (not shown). An air passage 118 surrounded by both side surfaces 118a, 118b and the top surface 118c is formed above the neck guides 122, 122 on both sides, and a blowout port formed in each of the side surfaces 118a, 118b and the top surface 118c. From 120, the pressurized air in the propulsion air duct 110 is blown out in the conveying direction in the air passage 118.

  A pair of neck guides 122, 122 that support the resin bottle 2 is fixed to the lower surface of the horizontal partition plate 116 and constitutes the lower surface side of the air passage 118. Each neck guide 122, 122 has a long rail shape, and an upper surface 122a that supports the flange 2d of the resin bottle 2 is horizontal. The lower surface 122b has an inclination that gradually decreases from the front end side (side that supports the resin bottle 2) toward the rear end side, and the wall thickness is gradually increased. The rear end portion is a mounting base portion 122f to which the neck guide 122 is fixed to the horizontal partition plate 116, and has a thickness that can ensure necessary rigidity. A vertical groove is cut on the lower surface side of the mounting base 112f, and the tip of the clamp 124 is inserted into the groove, and is fixed to the horizontal partition plate 116 by a bolt 126. The air conveyance conveyor 101 provided with the neck guide 122 having such a configuration has been widely known conventionally (see, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, and the like).

In the air conveyance conveyor 101 having the above-described configuration, the neck guides 122 and 122 are fixed with their front end surfaces 122e and 122e facing each other, and the resin bottle 2 is attached to the upper surfaces 122a and 122a of the neck guides 122 and 122, respectively. 122a supports the lower surface of the flange 2d formed in the neck portion 2b, and the air blown into the air passage 118 from the propulsion air duct 110 through the outlet 120 is above the flange 2d of the neck portion 2b. Be blown forward.
Japanese translation of PCT publication No. 2000-513688 (page 11, FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-514141 (page 10-11, FIG. 1) JP 2004-189363 A (page 2-3, FIG. 1)

  In order to stably transport the resin bottle 2 without clogging with the air conveyor 101, the resin bottle 2 needs to be able to swing right and left appropriately, and a neck guide that contacts the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2 The 122e 122e needs to be thin enough that the upper and lower thicknesses allow the resin bottle 2 to swing. Further, during transportation, in addition to the left and right swing, the pressurized bottle is blown forward to the neck portion 2b at the upper end to move forward, so the resin bottle 2 is slightly tilted forward, so it is necessary to allow forward and backward swing. The height of the inclined lower surface 122b facing the shoulder portion 2c also needs to be set so as to avoid interference with the resin bottle 2. In addition, since the rigidity of the neck guide 122 is reduced and the upper and lower sides of the neck guide 122 are shaken up and down, the cross-sectional shape between the upper surface and the inclined lower surface 122b is that of the front end surface contacting the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2. The upper and lower thicknesses are thin, the inclined lower surface 122b and the shoulder 2c maintain an appropriate distance, and the attachment base 122f is formed to be thicker to ensure strength.

  The conventional neck guide 122 having the above-described configuration has a slight clearance between the opposite sides 122e at an interval slightly larger than the outer diameter of the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2. The outer peripheral surface of the portion 2b comes into contact with 122e and wears together with the upper surface 122a supporting the flange 2d. In such a worn part, the clearance is increased and the distance between the opposing neck guides 122 and 122 is widened, and the lateral movement with respect to the conveying direction of the resin bottle 2 is increased. There is a problem in that it progresses at an accelerated rate and cannot be stably conveyed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to improve the durability of the neck guide and enable stable conveyance of a resin bottle over a long period of time. An air conveyor that supports the flange formed on the neck of the bottle from the lower surface side by a pair of parallel neck guides and suspends the flange by blowing pressurized gas from the rear side in the conveying direction to the neck. In each of the neck guides, an upper surface that supports the lower surface of the flange of the resin bottle, a tip surface that guides a lower side than the flange of the neck portion, and an attachment base provided on the opposite side of the tip surface, An inclined lower surface that gradually decreases in thickness from the distal surface side toward the mounting base, and further, on the distal surface side of the lower surface, a parallel lower surface substantially parallel to the upper surface Forming a, the distal end surface side of the inclined bottom surface and is characterized in that a portion having substantially the same thickness as the vertical width of the tip surface.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that the thickness of a portion of the neck guide having a thickness substantially equal to the vertical width of the front end face is set in a range of 2 mm to 4 mm.

  Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that the width from the tip surface of the portion of the neck guide having a thickness substantially the same as the vertical width of the tip surface is set in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm. Is.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the inclination angle of the inclined lower surface with respect to the upper surface of the neck guide is set in the range of 20 degrees to 30 degrees.

  Durability of the neck guide by increasing the vertical width (thickness) of the tip surface of the neck guide that contacts the neck of the plastic bottle, dispersing the frictional force acting on the tip surface, and suppressing the progress of wear. Improves the performance and enables stable transport of resin bottles.

  The neck guide has an upper surface that supports the lower surface of the flange of the plastic bottle, a lower surface than the flange of the neck portion of the resin bottle, and a front end surface that guides the neck portion during transportation, and a rear end portion from the front surface side. And a mounting base portion formed on the rear end side. Further, a surface parallel to the upper surface is formed on the lower surface on the front end surface side. The lower surface portion is formed to have a substantially uniform thickness, and the pair of neck guides having the above-mentioned shape are arranged in parallel, and the lower surface of the flange of the resin bottle is supported on the upper surface of these neck guides. Since it is in a suspended state, it is configured so that pressurized gas is blown from the rear side in the transport direction to the part above the flange of the neck part, so that the plastic bottle is transported. It won to achieve the purpose of improving the durability.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an air transport conveyor (indicated by reference numeral 1 as a whole) for transporting resin bottles provided with a neck guide according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part thereof. The container 2 conveyed by the air conveyor 1 is a resin bottle, and has a large-diameter barrel portion 2a, an upper small-diameter neck portion 2b, and a neck that gradually decreases in diameter from the trunk portion 2a upward. And a shoulder 2c connected to the portion 2b, and a flange 2d is formed on the outer periphery of the neck 2b (indicated by 2ba above the flange 2d of the neck 2b and 2bb below). . In this air conveyor 1, a conveying path for the resin bottle 2 is formed between the side walls 6 and 8 on both sides, and the upper side is a propulsion air duct 10 and the lower side is a moving path 12 for the trunk 2a.

  A space 10 having a square cross section surrounded by the upper portions 6A, 8A of the side walls 6, 8 and the top wall 14 and the lower horizontal partition plate 16 is a propulsion air duct, and external pressurized air supply means (not shown). Pressurized air is supplied from An air passage 18 including both side surfaces 18a and 18b and a top surface 18c is formed at the center of the lower surface (partition plate 16) of the propulsion air duct 10. The air passage 18 is configured such that the flange 2d of the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2 and the portion 2ba above it pass through. The size of the flange 2d and the portion 2ba above it can pass through. Have. A large number of pressurized air blowing ports 20 are formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction on both side surfaces 18a, 18b and the top surface 18c of the air passage 18, and the pressurized air in the air duct 10 passes through these blowing ports 20. Through the air passage 18. The air from these outlets 20 is blown from the rear side in the conveying direction of the resin bottle 2 toward the front side, and this air is blown to the upper part 2ba of the flange 2d of the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2. The resin bottle 2 is advanced.

  A pair of neck guides 22 and 22 are fixed to the lower surface side of the air passage 18. These neck guides 22 and 22 have a long rail shape, and have the same cross-sectional shape over the entire length. The cross-sectional shape will be described with reference to FIG. Although the neck guides 22 and 22 on both sides are opposite but have the same shape, only one of them (the neck guide 22 on the right side in FIG. 1) will be described.

  The neck guide 22 has a flat upper surface 22a and supports the bottom surface of the flange 2d of the resin bottle 2 on the tip (the left portion in FIG. 2). . On the lower surface side, an inclined surface (hereinafter referred to as an inclined lower surface) 22b is formed so as to gradually increase in thickness from the distal end side toward the base end portion (right side in FIG. 2). A horizontal lower surface 22c (a lower surface parallel to the upper surface 22a, hereinafter referred to as a parallel lower surface) is formed continuously from the tip of the inclined lower surface 22b, and between the upper surface 22a and the parallel lower surface 22c. The thickness is almost uniform. In the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 4, the inclined lower surface 122b extends to the tip surface 122e with the same gradient, and the thickness of the tip surface 122e is very thin. The thickness (vertical height) of the tip surface 22e that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the portion 2bb below the flange 2d of the neck portion 2b is made as thick as possible to disperse the frictional force. Further, the attachment base portion 22f on the base end side (right side in FIG. 3) is substantially horizontal on the lower surface side, and has a thickness necessary to ensure the rigidity of the rail-shaped neck guide 22 as a whole. A clamp 22g groove is formed in the mounting base 22f.

  The vertical width of the front end surface 22e of the neck guide 22, that is, the thickness of the portion having the substantially same thickness on which the parallel lower surface 22c is formed is set in the range of 2 mm to 4 mm. The width of the parts having the same thickness, that is, the width of the parallel lower surface 22c is set in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm. The inclination angle of the inclined lower surface 22b with respect to the horizontal upper surface 22a is set in the range of 20 degrees to 30 degrees. These dimensions and angles are set based on the length below the flange of the neck portion of the PET bottle mainly used for beverages, the inclination angle of the shoulder portion, and the like. Needless to say, the upper and lower ends of the tip surface 22e are chamfered.

  The two neck guides 22 and 22 having the above-described configuration are attached to the lower surface side of the air passage 18 so that the front end surfaces 22e and 22e face each other. At the time of attachment, the upper end engaging portion 24a of the clamp 24 is inserted into the clamp groove 22g of each neck guide 22, and the other end 24b side of the clamp 24 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the horizontal partition plate 16, The neck guide 22 is fixed to the lower surface of the partition plate 16 by inserting and fastening bolts 26 penetrating the horizontal portion 24 c of the clamp 24 and the partition plate 16. The distance between the tip surfaces 22e and 22e of the neck guides 22 and 22 arranged on both sides is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2, and the front, rear, right and left of the resin bottle 2 being conveyed And swing in other directions. Further, the distance between the tip surfaces 22e and 22e is smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 2d, and the resin bottle 2 does not fall.

  The lower side of the air duct 10 is a moving path 12 through which the body 2a of the resin bottle 2 passes, and a body guide 28 for guiding the body 2a is attached to the inner surface side of the lower side walls 6B and 8B. 30 is fixed. The interval between the body guides 28 on both sides is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the body 2 a of the resin bottle 2 in order to allow the resin bottle 2 to be shaken during conveyance.

  In the air conveyance conveyor 1 having the above-described configuration, the resin bottle 2 is supplied from the air passage 18 having the two rail-shaped neck guides 22 and 22 arranged in parallel and the end of the propulsion air duct 10. The flange 2d is supported on the neck guides 22 and 22 and suspended. The pressurized air fed into the propulsion air duct 10 is blown out from the blowout ports 20 formed on both side surfaces 18a and 18b and the top surface 18c of the air passage 18, and the flange of the neck portion 2b of the resin bottle 2 is formed. It is sprayed from the back side to the portion 2ba above 2d. The resin bottle 2 in which air is blown onto the portion 2ba above the neck portion 2b is conveyed downstream with the flange 2d sliding on the upper surfaces of the neck guides 22 and 22. At this time, the resin bottle 2 basically moves forward in a forward inclined posture with the neck portion 2b side slightly forward, but the friction between the flange 2d and the neck guides 22 and 22 and the influence of the blown air. Then, move forward while swinging left and right or back and forth. As the resin bottle 2 swings, the portion 2bb below the flange 2d of the neck portion 2b comes into contact with the front end surfaces 22e and 22e of the neck guides 22 and 22. In this embodiment, parallel lower surfaces 22c and 22c are formed near the tips of the neck guides 22 and 22, and a portion having a constant thickness is provided. The tip surfaces 22e and 22e are also formed with the portions having the constant thickness. Since they have substantially the same vertical width, it is possible to disperse the frictional force and suppress wear and improve durability.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the air conveyance conveyor which concerns on one Example of this invention. Example 1 It is an enlarged view of the principal part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of a neck guide. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the conventional air conveyance conveyor.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conveyance conveyor 2 Resin bottle 2b Neck part 2d Flange 22 Neck guide 22a Neck guide upper surface 22b Neck guide inclined lower surface 22c Neck guide parallel lower surface 22e Neck guide front end surface 22f Neck guide attachment base

Claims (4)

Air transport that supports the flange formed on the neck part of the resin bottle from the lower surface side by a pair of parallel neck guides and hangs it, and blows pressurized gas from the rear side in the transport direction to the neck part. In the conveyor,
Each neck guide includes an upper surface that supports the lower surface of the flange of the resin bottle, a tip surface that guides the lower side than the flange of the neck portion, a mounting base that is provided on the opposite side of the tip surface, and a tip surface An inclined lower surface that descends so that the thickness gradually increases from the side toward the mounting base,
Furthermore, a parallel lower surface substantially parallel to the upper surface is formed on the tip surface side of the lower surface, and a portion having a thickness substantially equal to the vertical width of the tip surface is provided on the tip surface side of the inclined lower surface. Air conveyor.   2. The air conveying conveyor according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of a portion of the neck guide having a thickness substantially equal to a vertical width of the tip end face is set in a range of 2 mm to 4 mm.   2. The air conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the width of the neck guide having a thickness substantially the same as the vertical width of the front end surface is set in a range of 2 mm to 5 mm from the front end surface.   The air conveyance conveyor according to claim 3, wherein an inclination angle of the inclined lower surface with respect to the upper surface of the neck guide is set in a range of 20 degrees to 30 degrees.

Images