JP2009012818A - Automatic collecting and boxing method for tubular soft body goods, and equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic collecting and boxing method for tubular soft body goods, and equipment therefor, the tubular goods being such as those without spouts, filled with intravenous drip, enteral alimentation medicine, or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The method and equipment include the following: a conveyor whereon the tubular soft goods G are transported with their bottom parts directed forward; a raising and collecting conveyor 2, provided in continuation with the first conveyor at its front end part, which receives, in sequence on its outside face, a set number of the transported goods G from their bottom parts, thereafter holding both the side faces of the goods and raising them; a pressing/transferring body 8 which is designed to become engaged with the lateral edge parts of the set number of the goods held and raised, and transfer the goods to upon the shutter 7 provided laterally to the goods while the goods are kept upright; an integration apparatus 17 which causes the set number of the tubular soft goods supplied on the shutter to stick to one another; a feeding apparatus of packaging receptacles D, which supplies the packaging receptacles with their lid flaps opened onto the designated positions downward of the shutter; and the process of releasing the shutter so as for the set number of the goods to be dropped in a lot into within the packaging receptacle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic assembly boxing method and apparatus for tube-shaped soft goods filled with infusion solutions, enteral nutrients, and the like.

  The applicant of the present application has already proposed an invention relating to an automatic assembly boxing method and apparatus for tubular soft products (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-292002). The tube-shaped soft product to which the invention provided by the present applicant is applied is limited to a product having a mouth portion (cap portion).

That is, the mouth of the tubular soft product is held upright, the held up mouth is held at a fixed position, each held mouth is gripped from above and transferred to the packaging device, A method and apparatus for releasing the gripping at a position to perform boxing.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-292002.

  However, recently, many tube-shaped soft products that do not have the mouth portion (cap portion) filled with drip solution, enteral nutrients, and the like have been provided. These commodities do not have a portion suitable for gripping, and are soft, so that they are troublesome to handle and the packaging (exterior) relies on human hands.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic assembly boxing method and apparatus for a tubular soft product that does not have a mouth filled with the drip solution, enteral nutrient, or the like.

  In order to achieve the object, the method invention includes a step of transporting a tubular soft product with the bottom facing forward, a predetermined number of transported tubular soft products are sequentially received from the bottom, and both sides of the product are held. A step of standing, a step of transferring a predetermined number of tube-shaped soft products held and erected on a shutter provided in a lateral direction of the product while maintaining a standing state, and the predetermined number of tubes supplied on the shutter A stacking step for bringing the soft goods into close contact with each other; a step of supplying a packaging container having a lid flap opened to a fixed position below the shutter prior to opening the shutter; and opening the shutter to the predetermined number of tubes And a step of filling the packaged soft goods by dropping them into the packaging container.

  In addition, the invention of the apparatus comprises a conveyor that conveys a tubular soft product with the bottom facing forward, and a predetermined number of the tubular soft products that are provided continuously to the front end of the conveyor and are conveyed on the outer surface. An upright assembly conveyor that sequentially receives from the bottom and holds and stands both sides of the product, and engages with a side end of a predetermined number of tube-shaped soft products held and upright to bring the product into the lateral direction of the product. A pressure transfer body that is transported while maintaining an upright state on a shutter provided on the shutter, a stacking device that closely contacts a predetermined number of tube-shaped soft goods supplied on the shutter, and prior to opening the shutter, It is characterized by comprising: a packaging container supply device for supplying a packaging container having a lid flap opened at a lower fixed position; and the shutter opening / closing device.

  Preferably, the standing assembly conveyors are provided in parallel to be able to continuously receive a predetermined number of the tubular soft products conveyed from the conveyor, and are supplied to a fixed position by the packaging container supply device. The packaged container is configured to be movable in correspondence with the product filling row.

  Note that the “predetermined number” in the present invention is the number of one row filled in the packaging container.

  According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to automatically collect and box a tubular soft product that does not have a mouth portion (cap portion) filled with an infusion solution, an enteral nutrient, or the like.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows a commercially available enteral nutrient as an example of the tube-shaped soft product G (hereinafter simply referred to as “product G”).

  The product G has a bottom, and when it stands up, the enteral nutrient filled therein flows to the bottom side to be in a substantially triangular state, and when placed horizontally, the bottom is deformed to have a substantially uniform thickness. It is a soft body that becomes a flat body.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the product G in a boxed state. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the interior of a cardboard case D, which is a packaging container, is divided into three sections by a partition plate S, each of which is filled with 8 products G, and a total of 24 boxes.

  In the following, an embodiment of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method of the present invention will be described. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyor that conveys the product G with the bottom facing forward from the manufacturing process or the like. In addition, in order to synchronize with the drive of the standing assembly conveyor 2 mentioned later, the said goods G are conveyed on the said conveyor 1 at predetermined intervals.

  Adjustment of the conveyance interval of the goods G on the conveyor 1 is, for example, dividing the conveyor 1 into conveyors 1a, 1b, and 1c, increasing the speed of the conveyor 1b more than the conveyor 1c, and further than the conveyor 1b. This can be done by increasing the speed of the conveyor 1a. But the adjustment of the conveyance interval of the said goods G may be another method.

  A standing assembly conveyor 2 is provided in a continuous state at the front end of the conveyor 1. The standing assembly conveyor 2 holds the products G conveyed by the conveyor 1 from the bottom sequentially on the outside of the chain 4 suspended between the sprockets 3 and 3 and holds and stands the respective side surfaces of the products G. The front and rear holding plates 5 are provided at a predetermined interval. In the embodiment of the drawings, the front and rear holding plates 5 are provided in correspondence with the number of products G for one row filled in the cardboard case D, that is, eight.

  Further, the front and rear holding plates 5 are raised from below at the front end of the conveyor 1 in accordance with the rotation of the upright assembly conveyor 2, and the products G supplied from the conveyor 1 in the rising process are sequentially bottomed. It is configured to accept from.

  Furthermore, the standing conveyor 2 is configured to detect that a predetermined number of the products G are received between the respective front and rear holding plates 5 and to be temporarily stopped at a predetermined position where the products G are horizontally supported. Has been. The standstill assembly conveyor is temporarily stopped by controlling the drive motor 6 of the sprocket 3.

  The temporary stop of the upright assembly conveyor 2 is a step for removing a predetermined number of products G held and raised between the front and rear holding plates 5 from the front and rear holding plates 5 and supplying them to the next step. To that end, means such as temporarily stopping the continuous supply of the commodity G from the conveyor 1 to the standing assembly conveyor 2 is necessary.

  However, in the embodiment of the present invention, the standing assembly conveyors are provided in two in parallel, and a predetermined number of products G conveyed from the conveyor 1 are alternately received so that continuous reception is possible.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an upright collective conveyor 2 a having the same configuration is provided in parallel with the upright collective conveyor 2. The standing assembly conveyor 2a includes a chain 4a suspended between the sprockets 3a and 3a and a front and rear holding plate 5a provided on the outside thereof, and is rotated independently of the standing assembly conveyor 2.

  Further, the front and rear holding plates 5a provided on the standing assembly conveyor 2a are provided in advance so as to rotate along the same locus as the front and rear holding plates 5 provided on the standing assembly conveyor 2.

  Therefore, when the standing assembly conveyor 2 receives a predetermined number of products G between the front and rear holding plates 5 and temporarily stops at a predetermined position, the front and rear holding plates 5a of the standing assembly conveyor 2a that is rotating independently are The product is raised from below at the front end of the conveyor 1, and the succeeding product G supplied from the conveyor 1 is taken over from the bottom in the ascending process.

  When the product G held and raised on the standing assembly conveyor 2 is supplied to the next process, the standing assembly conveyor 2 is rotated at a high speed, and the standing assembly conveyor 2 is provided with the The front / rear holding plate 5 is provided on the standing assembly conveyor 2a to hold and stand the product G, and is further rotated to the rear of the front / rear holding plate 5a of the standing assembly conveyor 2a, which is temporarily stopped at a predetermined position. The product G is continuously received by the standing assembly conveyors 2 and 2a.

  Next, a predetermined number of products G held and raised between the front and rear holding plates 5 (same as 5a..., The same below) of the standing assembly conveyor 2 (same as 2a. Thus, the product G is supplied onto the shutter 7 provided in the lateral direction. In the embodiment of the drawing, the transfer of the product G onto the shutter 7 is lowered and engaged with a side end portion (rear end portion) of a predetermined number of products G between the front and rear holding plates 5 to move the product G. This is performed by a press transfer body 8 that is slid and returned in the direction of the shutter 7 provided in the lateral direction.

  In the embodiment of the drawings, a free roller conveyor 9 is provided from the standing conveyor 2 toward the shutter 7, and the pressure transfer body 8 is slid in the shutter 7 direction above the roller conveyor 9 to hold the front and back. The product G between the plates 5 is configured to be transferred onto the shutter 7.

  That is, an air cylinder 11 is supported on a guide rail 10 provided above the roller conveyor 9 so as to be downward and slidable along the guide rail 10, and the pressure transfer body is attached to the tip of a piston rod 12 of the air cylinder 11. 8 is attached. The air cylinder 11 is slid along the guide rail 10 by an endless chain 13 that is rotated forward and backward.

  According to the said structure, the said press transfer body 8 is slid to the said shutter 7 direction along the said guide rail 10 from the position lowered | hung back between the said front-and-rear holding plates 5 of the said standing conveyor 2. The product G is transferred onto the shutter 7.

  Then, after the commodity G is transferred onto the shutter 7, it is raised by the air cylinder 11, further returned along the guide rail 10, and further between the front and rear holding plates 5 of the standing assembly conveyor 2. The process of lowering and returning to the rear is repeated.

  In addition, each said press transfer body 8 is formed in the width | variety which passes between the front-and-rear holding plates 5 provided in the said standing assembly conveyor 2, and is further formed in the cross-sectional substantially U shape, The product G is configured to engage with the side end (rear end) of the product G held and raised between the holding plates 5 to prevent the product G from being tilted during the transfer process. A guide rail 14 is provided on the roller conveyor 9 according to the number of products G to be transferred.

  Next, a description will be given of the shutter 7 unit and the stacking device in the shutter 7 unit. The shutter 7 is configured to be freely opened and closed by an air cylinder 15 as an opening / closing device, and a stopper 16 is provided on the opposite side of the shutter 5 from the roller conveyor 9.

  An accumulation device 17 is provided on the shutter 7. The accumulating device 17 accumulates eight products G supplied on the shutter 7 by the press transfer body 8 in a box capacity.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2, an appropriate number of upright holding plates 18 for receiving the products G are provided above the shutter 7 so as to correspond to the transfer width of a predetermined number of products G. Among them, the upright holding plates 18a on both the outer sides are configured to be movable in the center direction, so that eight products G are brought into close contact with each other and accumulated in a packing capacity.

  In the embodiment of the drawings, the upright holding plate 18 is also provided between the upright holding plates 18a on both outer sides in order to prevent the product G located at the intermediate portion from tilting. Of course, in the case of the product G in a good standing state, only the two standing outer holding plates 18a are required, and the intermediate holding plate 18 is unnecessary.

  The movement of the upright holding plates 18 and 18a toward the center is performed by air cylinders 19 and 19a in which piston rods 20 and 20a are connected to the upright holding plates 18 and 18a, respectively. Specifically, the outer standing holding plates 18a and 18a are moved in the center direction by the air cylinders 19a (one not shown) provided in parallel to face each other. Similarly, the upright holding plates 18 and 18 in the middle part are also configured to be moved in the central direction by air cylinders 19 and 19 provided in parallel and facing each other.

  In FIG. 2, the product G (four pieces) on the left half of the stacking device 17 shows a state in which the products G are brought into close contact with each other by the upright holding plates 18 and 18a and stacked on the shutter 7. The right half product G (4 pieces) indicates a state before the product G is closely adhered and accumulated.

  Below the shutter 7 is provided a packaging container supply device 21 for supplying a cardboard case D as a packaging container with the lid flap 31 opened. In the embodiment of the drawings, the packaging container supply device 21 is configured so that the cardboard case D sent from the supply conveyor 39 of the cardboard case D can move in accordance with the lift-up and the filling row of products G. Yes. This configuration is for enabling the products G shown in FIG. 5 to be packed in three rows in a packing box.

  The cardboard case D sent from the supply conveyor 39 of the cardboard case D is supplied onto the roller conveyor 23 constituting the roller conveyor unit 22. Next, centering claws 25, 25 are projected from between the rollers constituting the roller conveyor 23 to both sides of the upper surface of the cardboard case D by the air cylinders 24, 24 supported by the roller conveyor unit 23.

  Next, the centering claws 25, 25 are made to approach each other in the direction of the cardboard case D by the air cylinders 26, 26, and the cardboard case D is centered.

  As described above, after the corrugated cardboard case D is centered, the entire roller conveyor unit 22 is raised to a predetermined position by the air cylinder 27.

  Further, when the cardboard case D is raised to a predetermined position, the shutter 7 is opened by the air cylinder 15 and the predetermined number of products G on the shutter 7 are collectively dropped into the cardboard case D. Filled.

  In the figure, 28 and 28 are guides when filling the product G, and the distance can be adjusted by air cylinders 29 and 29 according to the product G to be filled. In the figure, reference numerals 30 and 30 denote release levers of the lid flaps 31 and 31 of the cardboard case D, respectively.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the predetermined number of products G (eight) is filled in the central row in the cardboard case D. Next, from the state shown in FIG. 3, when the products G are filled in the left side row in the cardboard case D, the pusher 32 provided on the left side in FIG. The case D is moved rightward on the roller conveyor 23, and the right end of the cardboard case D abuts on a stopper 34 provided in advance on the roller conveyor unit 22 for positioning. Therefore, in that state, the predetermined number of products G (eight) supplied next onto the shutter 7 may be filled by dropping the shutter 7 in a lump.

  Next, from the state shown in FIG. 3, in the case where the right side row in the cardboard case D is filled with the products G, the pusher 35 provided on the right side in FIG. The case D is moved leftward on the roller conveyor 23, and the left end of the cardboard case D abuts on a stopper 37 provided in advance on the roller conveyor unit 22 for positioning. Therefore, in that state, the predetermined number of products G (eight) supplied next onto the shutter 7 may be filled by dropping the shutter 7 in a lump.

  As described above, when the packaging is completed, the roller conveyor unit 22 is lowered by the air cylinder 27 and returned to a fixed position, and is transferred to the automatic folding and sealing step 38 of the next lid flap 31. Is done.

  As described above, according to the present invention, after holding and standing the tubular soft product G that is conveyed with the bottom portion tilted forward, the tubular soft product G is kept standing, and is further accumulated in close contact with each other. Then can be boxed

It is a front view of conveyance of goods, and a standing gathering conveyor part, showing one embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a front view of a product stacking unit. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view of a standing assembly conveyor, a product stacking device, and a boxing unit. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows one form of goods. It is a perspective view which shows one form of the packaging state of goods.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyor 2 Standing assembly conveyor 7 Shutter 8 Press transfer body 17 Stacking device 15 Shutter opening / closing device 21 Packaging container supply device 31 Cover part flap D Packaging container

Claims (4)

A step of transporting the tubular soft product with the bottom facing forward, a step of sequentially receiving a predetermined number of transported tubular soft products from the bottom, and holding and standing the both side surfaces of the product, the holding and standing predetermined A step of transferring a plurality of tube-shaped soft products while standing on a shutter provided in a lateral direction of the products, an integration step of bringing the predetermined number of tube-shaped soft products supplied onto the shutter into close contact with each other, Prior to opening the shutter, supplying a packaging container having a lid flap opened to a fixed position below the shutter; opening the shutter and dropping the predetermined number of tubular soft products into the packaging container in a lump A method for automatically collecting and packing tubular soft products comprising: A conveyor that conveys the tube-shaped soft product with the bottom facing forward, and a predetermined number of the tube-shaped soft products that are provided continuously to the front end of the conveyor and that are transported to the outer surface of the conveyor. And a side-by-side end of a predetermined number of tube-shaped soft products that are held and erected, and the product is placed on a shutter provided in the lateral direction of the product. A pressure transfer body that transfers while maintaining an upright state, a stacking device that closely contacts a predetermined number of tube-shaped soft goods supplied onto the shutter, and a fixed position below the shutter prior to opening the shutter. An automatic stacking and packaging apparatus for tube-shaped soft products, comprising: a packaging container supply device for supplying a packaging container with an open lid flap; and a shutter opening and closing device. 3. The automatic collection box for tubular soft products according to claim 2, wherein two sets of the standing assembly conveyors are provided in parallel so that a predetermined number of the tubular soft products conveyed from the conveyor can be continuously received. Filling device. The automatic packaging box for tubular soft products according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the packaging containers supplied to a fixed position by the packaging container supply device are configured to be movable in correspondence with a product filling row. Filling device.

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