JP2009234670A - Device of collecting battery conveying containers and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple and inexpensive device of collecting a battery conveying containers can collecting the battery conveying containers flowing in 2 lines from the upstream step into one line and allows it to flow to the downstream step, and to provide a method thereof. <P>SOLUTION: The collecting device has a first supply conveyor 6a, a second supply conveyor 6b, a discharge conveyor 6c which is arranged at the downstream side rather than the first and second supply conveyors, and a pair of container feeding dials 51, 52 which is provided between the end of the first and second supply conveyors and the start of the discharge conveyor, is oppositely displaced separately so that the battery conveying container is inserted between the relative distance, is supported so as to be rotationally driven to the reverse direction, is each provided with an arm claw to hold the battery conveying container between the mutual arm claws by alternately taking out the battery conveying container from the first and second conveyors one by one, and feeds the battery conveying container to the discharge conveyor one by one in such a state as being held by one side arm claw and the other side arm claw when driven to rotate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery transport container collecting device and a method for collecting battery transport containers that flow in two rows from an upstream process and then flow to downstream processes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the conventional battery transport container assembly method 100, the battery transport container A flowing in two rows along the guides 101, 102, 103 on the conveyor from the upstream process is moved by a pair of left and right grooved screws 104, 105. The flow is regulated to a predetermined flow pitch, the battery transfer containers A are supplied alternately one by one on the left and right sides, gathered into one guide 107, 108, and aligned in one row. Such a screw assembly system is described in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

In another conventional assembly method 200, as shown in FIG. 5, after the battery transporting containers A flowing in two rows along the guides 201 and 202 on the conveyor from the upstream process are once stored in the turntable 204, By rotating the turntable 204, the battery transport containers A are gathered in the gathering guide 203, and the gathered containers A are aligned in one row in the gathering guide 203. Such a turntable assembly method is described in, for example, Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4.
JP 2000-53240 A JP 2000-72239 A JP 2005-96916 A JP 2005-132777 A

  However, in the conventional screw assembly system, it is necessary to make the pair of left and right screws 104 and 105 for handling the battery carrying container highly accurate, so that it is very difficult to manufacture and the drive mechanism is complicated. There is a problem that the apparatus cost increases.

  Also, in the conventional turntable assembly method, when the turntable rotates slowly and the supply of battery transport containers becomes excessive (overflowing), a large number of battery transport containers overflow at the assembly guide 203. There is a problem in that a so-called bridge is formed that gets stuck. If rotation of the turntable is accelerated in order to prevent the occurrence of a bridge, there is a problem in that the battery transport container easily falls on the turntable. Furthermore, in this collective system, there is a problem that it is difficult to put in the container for battery transportation in advance or to put out the container in advance.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem, and is a simple and low-cost battery that can collect battery transport containers flowing in two rows from an upstream process and flow them to a downstream process. It is an object of the present invention to provide a collection device and a collection method for a transport container.

  The battery transport container assembly device according to the present invention includes a guide for aligning a group of battery transport containers flowing from the upstream side in a row, and supplies the group of battery transport containers to the first. A supply conveyor is provided in parallel with the first supply conveyor, and includes a guide for aligning another group of battery transport containers flowing from the upstream side in a row, for transporting the other group of batteries. A second supply conveyor for supplying the containers, and a downstream of the first and second supply conveyors, and the group of battery transport containers and the other group of battery transport containers are gathered And a discharge conveyor for feeding the assembled battery transfer containers downstream, and from the end of the first and second supply conveyors to the beginning of the discharge conveyor. Until The battery transport containers are alternately disposed opposite to each other so that the battery transport container is sandwiched between them, and are supported so as to be rotationally driven in directions opposite to each other, and are transported alternately from the first and second supply conveyors. Each of which has arm claws for picking up one container at a time and sandwiching the battery transport container between them, and when rotated, the arm claws are sandwiched between one arm claw and the other arm claw. And a pair of container feeding dials for feeding one battery container at a time to the discharge conveyor.

  The battery transport container assembly method according to the present invention is a battery transport container that collects battery transport containers flowing in two rows from the upstream side, arranges them in a single row, and sends the single row battery transport containers downstream. In the container assembling method, (a) one battery transport container is taken out from the first supply conveyor by a pair of container feeding dials having a predetermined arm claw, and (b) the above-mentioned arm claw With the battery transporting container sandwiched, the battery transporting container is transported toward the discharge conveyor by the rotation of the container feeding dial, and (c) the container pawl is rotated by the arm claw. The sandwiching is released, and the container is sent to the discharge conveyor.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a simple and low-cost battery transport container assembling apparatus and method capable of collecting battery transport containers flowing in two rows from an upstream process into one row and flowing them to a downstream process. Is done.

  The battery transport container assembling apparatus of the present invention is provided between the first supply conveyor, the second supply conveyor, the discharge conveyor, and the end of the first and second supply conveyors to the start of the discharge conveyor. The battery transport containers are spaced apart from each other so that the battery transport container is sandwiched between them, and are supported so as to be rotationally driven in opposite directions, and are alternately transported from the first and second supply conveyors. Each of the containers has an arm claw for picking up one container at a time and holding the battery carrying container between them, and when rotated, the battery is held between the one arm claw and the other arm claw. A pair of container feeding dials for feeding one container at a time to the discharge conveyor.

  In the present invention, the arm claw of one side dial of the pair of container feeding dials is located where the phase is shifted by a half pitch from the arm claw of the other side dial, and the pair of container feeding dials are synchronized. Thus, when rotated, the battery carrying container can be sandwiched between the arm claw of the one-side dial and the arm claw of the other-side dial. In this case, a pair of dials alternately take out the container from the supply conveyor using the arm claw, and in cooperation with the other dial, the container is sandwiched between the other arm claw and one's own arm claw, and the discharge conveyor Can be sent out toward

  In the present invention, the container feed dial preferably has 2 or more and 4 or less arm claws. Even with a single arm claw, it is possible to feed the container, but with a single arm claw, the speed at which the container is delivered is slow, inefficient, and low in productivity, so at least two arms Claws (180 ° rotation pitch) are preferably provided on the dial. On the other hand, if the number of arm claws is five or more, the rotational pitch for taking out the container becomes too small, and the preceding container and the subsequent container are pressed against each other and become congested and easily clogged. It is desirable to limit the number to 4 (90 ° rotation pitch). However, the number of arm claws of the dial is not limited to this depending on the size and shape of the battery carrying container, and five or six arm claws may be used.

  The device of the present invention can also be used as a battery assembly device in the case of a battery that is self-supporting and does not require a transport container.

  In this invention, it is preferable that an arm nail | claw has a concave surface of a shape suitable for the outer peripheral surface of a battery conveyance container. This concave surface is formed on the front side in the rotational direction of the dial. Such a concave surface has a curvature that matches the outer peripheral surface of the container (in the case of a cylindrical battery container, the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder). The container can be pulled out, and the container can be securely held without the arm claw being detached from the container.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a battery transport container assembly device, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the device. A battery transfer container A (hereinafter simply referred to as a container) sent out from two upstream container processing apparatuses (not shown) is transferred to the collecting apparatus 1 by the first supply conveyor 6a and the second supply conveyor 6b. After being sequentially supplied and rearranged from two rows to one row, they are sent out by the downstream discharge conveyor 6c. Each container A contains one battery B. The first and second supply conveyors 6a and 6b are provided adjacent to each other and extend in the X-axis direction. Guides 61, 62, 63 are installed on both sides of the first and second supply conveyors 6a, 6b, respectively, and the movement is restricted to only one direction so that the containers A are arranged in a row on the conveyors 6a, 6b. . The container A is in an upright posture on the conveyors 6a and 6b, and is transported in a dense state so that the preceding container and the succeeding container are in contact with each other. The discharge conveyor 6c extends in the X-axis direction along the normal lines of the circumscribed circles of the dials 51 and 52, and sends out the battery B holding container A to a filling machine (not shown).

  The assembling apparatus 1 includes a pair of container feeding dials 51 and 52 (hereinafter simply referred to as dials) for collecting containers A flowing in two rows and arranging them in a single row. These dials 51 and 52 are arranged to face each other with a predetermined distance so as to sandwich the conveyance line of the container A from both sides. The dials 51 and 52 are rotationally driven in opposite directions by the drive mechanism 4.

  The drive mechanism 4 that rotationally drives the dials 51 and 52 will be described with reference to FIG. A shaft 41 of one dial 51 is rotatably supported on the fixed frame 2 by a bearing 42 fitted in the mounting hole 22 of the fixed frame. Similarly, the shaft 45 of the other dial 52 is also rotatably supported by the fixed frame 2 by a bearing 46 fitted in the mounting hole 23. The shaft 41 of one dial 51 is connected to the rotational drive shaft 31 of the motor 3 by a shaft coupling 32. The shaft coupling 32 is a staggered shaft coupling such as an Oldham coupling. Reference numeral 21 denotes a support for supporting and fixing the motor 3 to the fixed frame 2.

  A gear 43 is attached to the rotating shaft 41 of one dial 51, and a gear 47 is also attached to the rotating shaft 45 of the other dial 52, and these gears 43 and 47 mesh with each other. The gears 43 and 47 have the same number of teeth. Therefore, when the motor 3 is driven, one dial 51 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, and the other dial 52 is rotated clockwise. As described above, the rotation directions of the dials 51 and 52 are opposite, but the rotation speeds of the both dials 51 and 52 are the same.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the dial 51 includes four arm claws 53a, 53b, 53c, and 53d that are evenly allocated at intervals of 90 ° rotation pitch. The arm claws 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d are shaped to fit the outer peripheral surface (cylindrical surface) of the container A in order to improve the catching and holding properties of the container A so that the container A does not fall off the dial 51 by rotation. Having a concave surface. The concave surface of the arm claw is formed on the front side in the rotation direction (counterclockwise) of the dial 51. Similarly, four arm claws 54a, 54b, 54c, 54d are formed on the other dial 52, and concave surfaces are also formed on these. However, since the rotation direction (clockwise) of the dial 52 is opposite to that of the dial 51, the concave surface of the arm claw of the dial 52 is formed on the surface opposite to that of the dial 51. The surface without the concave surface of the arm claw, that is, the surface on the back side of the arm claw is flat.

  The relative positional relationship between the arm claws 53a to 53d and the arm claws 54a to 54d in the dials 51 and 52 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, both dials are configured such that the arm claw 53a to 53d of the one-side dial 51 has a rotational phase shifted by a half pitch (45 ° rotation pitch) with respect to the arm claw 54a to 54d of the other-side dial 52. 51 and 52 are attached to the frame 2. Thus, when both dials 51 and 52 are rotated synchronously by shifting the rotation phase of the arm claws of both dials 51 and 52, the first supply conveyor 6a and the second supply conveyor 6b The container A is taken out alternately. The container A taken out from the conveyor is sandwiched between the arm claws 53a to 53d of the one-side dial and the arm claws 54a to 54d of the other-side dial, so that the containers A are securely removed without dropping from the dials 51 and 52. It is held and conveyed toward the discharge conveyor 6c.

  Next, the operation of collecting the containers A using the collecting device 1 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the collecting operation of the container A by the dials 51 and 52, wherein the dials 51 and 52 are sequentially rotated by 15 ° from (a) to (d). As shown in FIG. 3A, the container A1 is about to be sent out to the discharge conveyor 6c just by the rotational drive of the dial 51. At the same time, the next container A2 is being taken out from the first supply conveyor 6a by the rotational drive of the dial 52. The preceding container A1 is sent out while being sandwiched between the arm claw 53a of the dial 51 and the arm claw 54a of the dial 52. On the other hand, the subsequent container A2 is positioned on the normal line of the dial 52 at the end of the first supply conveyor 6a, and the arm claw 54b of the dial 52 is caught on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and is taken out from the first supply conveyor 6a. .

  FIG. 3B shows a state rotated by 15 ° from FIG. The preceding container A1 is pushed out to the discharge conveyor 6c on the downstream side by one dial 51, and at the same time, the subsequent container A2 is taken out from the supply conveyor 6a on the upstream side by the other dial 52. Is about to contact the outer peripheral surface of the subsequent container A2. That is, the supply of the subsequent container A2 following the preceding container A1 to the discharge conveyor 6c located on the normal line of the dials 51 and 52 is started.

  FIG. 3C shows a state further rotated by 15 ° from FIG. 3B (30 ° rotation). The preceding container A1 is almost pushed out to the discharge conveyor 6c on the downstream side, while the succeeding container A2 is sent out while being sandwiched between the arm claw 53a (back surface) of the dial 51 and the arm claw 54b (concave surface) of the dial 52. It is.

  FIG. 3D shows a state further rotated by 15 ° from FIG. 3C (45 ° rotation). The preceding container A1 is completely sent to the downstream discharge conveyor 6c, the subsequent container A2 arrives at the front end of the discharge conveyor 6c, and the next container A3 is about to be taken out from the second supply conveyor 6b by the dial 51. It is where you are. That is, the succeeding container A3 is positioned on the normal line of the dial 51 at the end of the second supply conveyor 6b, and the arm claw 53b of the dial 51 is caught on the outer peripheral surface thereof, thereby being taken out from the second supply conveyor 6b. . At this time, since the dial 52 prevents the container A4 from entering the collecting pocket position from the first supply conveyor 6a, the container A3 is conveyed with priority over the container A4.

  As described above, since the gathering pocket positions of the arm claws of both the dials 51 and 52 are respectively shifted by one container, 2 are arranged on the normal line of the feeding dials 51 and 52 in the order of containers A1 → A2 → A3 → A4. It is supplied alternately from the conveyors 6a and 6b in the row. As a result, the containers flowing in two rows from the upstream process are collected in one row, and the containers arranged in one row are sent to the downstream process.

  The dial of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has four arm claws, but the number of divisions is not limited by the size and shape of the battery carrying container, and the carrying container has a self-supporting battery size. In the case of a battery that is not necessary, it can also be used as a battery collecting device.

The top view which shows the assembly apparatus of the container for battery conveyance which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows the assembly apparatus of the container for battery conveyance which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A), (b), (c), (d) is process drawing which shows the assembly method of the container for battery conveyance which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the conventional apparatus provided with the screw. The top view which shows the other conventional apparatus provided with the turntable.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Battery transfer container assembly device,
2 ... fixed frame, 21 ... support, 22,23 ... mounting hole,
3 ... motor, 31 ... drive shaft, 32 ... shaft coupling,
4 ... Drive mechanism, 41, 45 ... Rotating shaft, 42, 46 ... Bearing, 43, 47 ... Gear,
51, 52 ... Container feeding dial,
53a-53d, 54a-54d ... arm claws,
6a, 6b ... supply conveyor, 6c ... discharge conveyor,
61, 62, 63, 64, 65 ... guide,
A, A1 to A4: container for battery transfer, B: battery.

Claims (6)

A first supply conveyor comprising a guide for aligning the group of battery transport containers flowing from the upstream side in a row, and supplying the group of battery transport containers;
Provided in parallel with the first supply conveyor, is provided with a guide for aligning another group of battery transport containers flowing from the upstream side in a row, and supplies the other group of battery transport containers. A second supply conveyor;
The battery transport containers provided downstream of the first and second supply conveyors and after the group of battery transport containers and the other group of battery transport containers are assembled are aligned in a row. A discharge conveyor for delivering the assembled battery transport containers downstream,
It is provided between the end of the first and second supply conveyors and the start of the discharge conveyor, and is disposed so as to face each other so that the battery transport container is sandwiched between them, and rotates in the opposite directions. Each of which is supported so as to be driven, and has arm claws for alternately taking out the battery transport containers one by one from the first and second supply conveyors and sandwiching the battery transport containers therebetween, A pair of container feeding dials for feeding the battery transport containers one by one to the discharge conveyor in a state of being sandwiched between the arm claws on one side and the arm claws on the other side when rotationally driven;
An assembly device for a battery carrying container. Of the pair of container feeding dials, the arm claw of the one side dial is located where the phase is shifted by a half pitch with respect to the arm claw of the other side dial, and the pair of container feeding dials are synchronized. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a battery transport container is sandwiched between the arm claw of the one-side dial and the arm claw of the other-side dial when rotated. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of container feeding dials has two or more and four or less of the arm claws. 4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arm claw has a concave surface having a shape adapted to an outer peripheral surface of the battery carrying container. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the concave surface of the arm claw is formed on the front side in the rotation direction of the container feeding dial. In the battery transport container assembly method, the battery transport containers flowing in two rows from the upstream side are assembled and arranged in a single row, and the single row battery transport containers are sent to the downstream side.
(A) Take out one battery transport container from the first supply conveyor by a pair of container feed dials having predetermined arm claws;
(B) In a state where the battery transport container is sandwiched between the arm claws, the battery transport container is transported toward the discharge conveyor by rotation of the container feeding dial,
(C) releasing the sandwiching of the container by the arm claw by rotating the container feeding dial, and sending the container to the discharge conveyor;
A method for assembling a battery carrying container.

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