JP2010070245A - Packaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the posture of a product 2 from being unstable when the product 2 is transferred on a sheet 20 on a sheet conveyer 16 from a product conveyer 12. <P>SOLUTION: A packaging apparatus comprises: the product conveyer 12 in which many conveyance plates 14 are fixed to an endless chain 13; the sheet conveyer 16 which is arranged in parallel with the product conveyer 12 and conveys the sheet 20; and a pusher 32 which advances synchronizing with both conveyers 12, 16 and moves in an direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, wherein the product 2 being conveyed on the product conveyer 12 is pressed with the pusher 32 to be transferred onto the sheet 20 being conveyed on the sheet conveyer 16. The apparatus also has a guide part 36a which engages in a flap 20a on the sheet 20 to guide the flap 20a in a downward direction of the conveyance plate 14 and a guide 36 having a supporting part 36b to support the bottom face of the product 2 transferred onto the sheet 20 from the conveyance plate 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a packaging device for extruding a product conveyed on a product conveyor by a pusher, transferring the product onto a sheet conveyed by a sheet conveyor arranged in parallel, and sealing the product.

  The product conveyor and the sheet conveyor are arranged in parallel, and advance in the transport direction in synchronization with both conveyors. The pusher moves on the product conveyor in a direction perpendicular to the product transport direction. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus for extruding a product being transferred and transferring it onto a sheet being conveyed on a sheet conveyor is known. FIG. 4 shows an example of such a conventional apparatus. A sheet conveyor 116 for loading and conveying sheets 120 having flaps 120a and 120c on both sides, and a sheet conveyor 116 for loading a product 102 in the same direction ( The product conveyor 112 travels at a constant speed in the front-rear direction of the paper surface in FIG. And a pusher 132 that moves in the left-right direction).

  As described above, the sheet 120 to which the product 102 is transferred has the flaps 120a and 120c at both ends, and the flap 120a located on the product conveyor 112 side is placed on the transport surface of the product conveyor 112. Since the product 102 that is moved by being pushed by the pusher 132 is caught, the flap holding guide 150 presses the product conveying conveyor 112 downward (FIG. 4 shows the flap 120a on the product conveyor 112 side). The state where the conveyor 112 is pressed down is shown). With such a configuration, there is no possibility that the product 102 pushed out onto the sheet 120 from the product conveyor 112 side will be caught by the flap 120a, but the end 112a of the product conveyor 112 on the sheet conveyor 116 side and the sheet 120 A gap is formed between the fold 120d of the flap 120a pressed down.

  The reason why a gap is necessary between the product conveyor 112 and the sheet 120 conveyed to the sheet conveyor 116 will be described. The product conveyor 112 is wound around an endless chain 113. Further, the sheet conveyor 116 disposed adjacent to the sheet conveyor 116 is subjected to sealing work such as flap folding and gluing on the downstream side after the product 102 is transferred onto the sheet 120. It is shorter than the conveyor 116. Accordingly, the product conveyor 112 is reversed halfway and moved to the lower return side. However, there is a possibility that the product conveyor 112 and the flap 120a of the sheet 120 may interfere with each other, and the distance between the product conveyor 112 and the sheet 120 is reversed. If it is narrow, the sheet 120 will be damaged, and it is necessary to leave a certain distance.

As described above, the problem in the apparatus for packaging the product after pushing the product onto the sheet having the flap with the pusher is also apparent in the invention described in Patent Document 1.
JP 2001-146210 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

  In the configuration of the invention described in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, the article supply base 61 and the bottom surface of the carton 54 sucked by the suction plates 23 and 24 are connected to the bottom. There is a large gap between the connection portion with the bent flap (lower flap) 52a. When the gap is large in this way, there is a problem in that the posture of the article becomes unstable and falls when the article is pushed and moved by the pusher and transferred to the carton.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. A product conveyor that carries products on a number of conveying plates attached to an endless chain, and a product conveyor that is arranged in parallel with the conveying conveyor, A sheet conveyor that conveys the sheet having the same, and a pusher that moves in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor and moves the product on the product conveyor to the sheet on the sheet conveyor while moving forward in synchronization with the two conveyors. A flap guide unit that engages with a flap on the product conveyor side and guides the flap to the lower side of the transport plate, and a product support unit that supports the bottom surface of the product transferred from the transport plate onto the sheet. The guide member which has these is arrange | positioned.

  In the packaging apparatus of the present invention, the guide member having the support portion that supports the bottom surface of the product transferred by the pusher is disposed between the transport plate of the product conveyor and the sheet having the flap. There is an advantage that the posture becomes unstable and there is no risk of falling.

  A product conveyor for transporting products on a large number of transport plates attached to an endless chain and a sheet conveyor for transporting sheets having flaps are arranged in parallel, and further advance in synchronization with both conveyors. And a pusher that moves in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor, the product conveyed on the product conveyor is pressed by the pusher and transferred to the sheet on the sheet conveyor, and in particular, By providing a guide member having a flap guide portion for holding the flap on the product conveyor to the lower side of the product conveyor and a product support portion for supporting the bottom surface of the product when the product is moved from the product conveyor onto the sheet. The pusher prevents the product from tipping over when it is moved from the product conveyor onto the sheet. To achieve.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a simplified overall configuration of a packaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of the packaging apparatus, and FIG. It is sectional drawing of the direction orthogonal to it. Products (resin bottles 2 filled with liquid and capped in this embodiment) are grouped into 8 pieces (4 pieces each in the front and back) on the upstream side, and are supplied by the supply conveyor 4 with a predetermined interval. Is done. In the supply conveyor 4, product extrusion bars 10 are attached to a pair of chains 8, 8 wound around sprockets 6, 6 on both sides (the upstream side is not shown) at regular intervals. One group of products 2 is pushed and conveyed at regular intervals.

  A product conveyor 12 is continuously arranged at the downstream end of the supply conveyor 4, and each group of products 2 is transferred from the supply conveyor 4 while being maintained at the predetermined interval. In the product conveyor 12, a large number of transport plates 14 are attached to an endless chain 13 (see FIG. 3) wound around a sprocket (not shown), and the product 2 of the one group is placed on each of the transport plates 14. To be transported.

  A sheet conveyor 16 is arranged on the side of the product conveyor 12 in parallel with the product conveyor 12. The sheet conveyor 16 travels in the same direction and at the same speed as the product conveyor 12, and the sheets 20 taken from the upstream sheet magazine 18 are loaded and conveyed at the same intervals as the products 2 on the product conveyor 12. Is done. The sheets 20 are accommodated in a stacked state in the sheet magazine 18 and are taken out one by one from the bottom by take-out means (not shown) and delivered onto the sheet conveyor 16. In this embodiment, the sheet 20 conveyed by the sheet conveyor 16 may be in the form of a single sheet, a case that is raised in a rectangular tube shape, or the opposite side of the product conveyor ( The lower side flap in FIG. 2 may be bent in an upright state (see the flap indicated by reference numeral 20c in FIG. 3). In any case, the flap 20a on the product conveyor 12 side is horizontal. As a case in which the product 2 is placed on the sheet 20 or in the central part inside the case and then stored in the downstream sealing device 22. Anything that can be assembled is acceptable. Therefore, the sheet of claim 1 includes a flap, and includes a case in the middle of assembly if the product can be inserted by pressing with a pusher.

  The sheet conveyor 16 has a number of support plates 26 attached to an endless chain 24 that is wound around a sprocket (not shown). The upper surface of the support plate 26 is substantially lower than the height of the upper surface of the transport plate 14 of the product conveyor 12 by the thickness of the sheet 20. Two fingers 28 for holding the front and rear of the sheet 20 to be conveyed are attached to the sheet conveyor 16, and the fingers 28 convey the sheet 20 across the front and rear. A gap of a necessary size is formed between the end surface on the sheet conveyor 16 side of the conveying plate 14 provided on the product conveyor 12 and the end surface on the product conveyor 12 side of the support plate 26 provided on the sheet conveyor 16. is there.

  On the product conveyor 12, a pushing device (transfer) for extruding the product 2 being conveyed on the product conveyor 12 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and placing the product 2 on the sheet 20 being conveyed on the sheet conveyor 16. Device) 30 is provided. The pushing device 30 is driven in synchronism with the product conveyor 12, pushers 32 are arranged at the same intervals as the products 2 being conveyed on the product conveyor 12, and at the same speed as the traveling speed of the product conveyor 12. While moving forward in the same direction, it moves in the direction of the adjacent sheet conveyor 16, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by the product conveyor 12. In this embodiment, on the most upstream side of the transfer conveyor 12, the pusher 32 is in the most retracted position (see the pusher 32 indicated by reference numeral 32A in FIG. 2), and one group supplied from the supply conveyor 4 to the product conveyor 12 The product 2 is located on the opposite side of the sheet conveyor 16. The pusher 32 moves forward in that position (see the pusher 32 indicated by reference numeral 32B in FIG. 2), and then starts to move in the lateral direction (direction perpendicular to the transport direction).

  When the pusher 32 moves in the lateral direction and engages with the product 2 (see the pusher 32 indicated by reference numeral 32C in FIG. 2), the pusher 32 moves laterally while moving forward with the product conveyor 12 (reference numerals 32D and 32E in FIG. 2). The product 2 is moved toward the sheet 20 on the sheet conveyor 16. When the pusher 32 moves most toward the sheet conveyor 16 (see the pusher 32 indicated by reference numeral 32F in FIG. 2), the product 2 that has been pressed and moved may be placed at a predetermined position on the sheet 20. it can. Thereafter, the pusher 32 moves backward (refer to the pusher 32 indicated by reference numeral 32G in FIG. 2) and returns to the upstream side to transfer the next product 2.

  A flap folding guide 34 is provided on the side of the sheet conveyor 16 upstream of the product conveyor 12. The flap folding guide 34 folds the flap 20a on the product conveyor 12 side of the sheet 20 placed on the support plate 26 of the sheet conveyor 16 to the lower side of the product conveyor 12, and the upstream end is on the support plate 26. The flap 20a is slightly higher than the flap 20a in the horizontal state at the same height as the sheet 20 placed on the sheet 20, and descends toward the downstream side so that the flap 20a is folded below the product conveyor 12. ing.

  A guide member 36 for holding down the flap 20a folded by the flap folding guide 34 is provided on the downstream side of the flap folding guide 34. The guide member 36 is disposed below the end of the product conveyor 12 on the sheet conveyor 16 side. As shown in FIG. 3, the guide member 36 has a guide part (flap guide part) 36 a for pressing the flap 20 a on the product conveyor 12 side of the sheet 20 placed on the support plate 26 of the sheet conveyor 16. ing. The guide portion 36a has an inclined surface, and the flap 20a bent with respect to the bottom surface 20b of the seat 20 is pressed to substantially the same inclination as that of the guide portion 36a. The upper end 36b of the guide portion 36a of the guide member 36 is located at substantially the same height as the upper surface of the transport plate 14 of the product conveyor 12 and the upper surface of the sheet 20 placed on the support plate 26 of the sheet conveyor 16. The bottom surface of the product 2 that is pushed by the pusher 32 and is transferred from the conveying plate 14 onto the sheet 20 is supported. The upper end 36b of the guide member 36 supports the bottom of the product 2 when the product 2 is transferred from the product conveyor 12 onto the sheet 20, so that the upper surface 36b of the product conveyor 12 If the product 20 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the sheet 20, the moving product 2 may be caught. Therefore, it is preferable that these surfaces be the same or slightly lower. Hereinafter, the upper end 36b of the guide member 36 is referred to as a support portion (product support portion).

  Below the guide portion 36a of the guide member 36, there is provided a sandwiching guide 38 for sandwiching the flap 20a, the upper surface of which is held by the guide portion 36a, with the guide portion 36a. The sandwiching guide 38 prevents the sheet 20 from shifting when the product 2 on the product conveyor 12 is pushed onto the sheet 20 by the pusher 32. As shown in FIG. It is provided between the vicinity of the position where the movement starts and the vicinity of the position where the movement ends.

  A height adjustment guide 40 is provided near the sheet conveyor 16 near the position where the pinching guide 38 is provided. The height adjustment guide 40 is attached to the side wall 42 (see FIG. 3) of the frame of the sheet conveyor 16. The mounting plate 44 to which the height adjusting guide 40 is attached is fixed to the side wall 42 of the frame by a clamp lever 46. The clamp lever 46 is loosened to move the mounting plate 44 up and down along the long hole 44a. Thus, the height of the height adjustment guide 40 can be adjusted. The height adjustment guide 40 is arranged so that the height of the upper surface of the sheet 20 substantially coincides with the upper surface of the conveying plate 14 of the product conveyor 12 when the packaging apparatus is also used for the sheets 20 having different thicknesses. Adjust the height according to the thickness.

  A sealing device 22 (see FIG. 1) is provided on the downstream side of the sheet conveyor 16, and after the product 2 is placed on the center of the bottom surface 20 b of the sheet 20, the sheet 20 and the product 2 are placed on the sealing device 22. Is carried in, the flap 20a and the like are folded and bonded, and the sheet 20 is sealed as a case.

  The operation of the packaging device according to the above configuration will be described. The products (resin bottles 2 filled with liquid and capped) are grouped by 8 and supplied by the supply conveyor 4. The supply conveyor 4 is provided with product extrusion bars 10 at regular intervals, and one group of products 2 is pushed onto each extrusion bar 10 and is conveyed at a constant interval. This interval coincides with the interval between the products 2 conveyed by the product conveyor 12, the interval between the sheets 20 conveyed by the sheet conveyor 16, and the interval between the pushers 32 of the product pushing device 30.

  The product 2 conveyed by the supply conveyor 4 is pushed from behind by the product extrusion bar 10 and is transferred at the same interval onto the product conveyor 12 continuously arranged on the downstream side of the supply conveyor 4. 12 is conveyed. On the other hand, the sheets 20 on which the products 2 are placed are stacked in the sheet magazine 18 and are taken out one by one from the bottom of the sheet magazine 18 by a take-out means (not shown) provided with a sucker or the like. 16 is handed over. The sheet conveyor 16 is provided with fingers 28 at regular intervals, and the sheet 20 is sandwiched between the fingers 28 and is accurately positioned and conveyed at the same interval as the product 2 on the product conveyor 12. Is done.

  The flap 20a (the upper flap in FIG. 2) of the sheet 20 taken out from the sheet magazine 18 and delivered to the sheet conveyor 16 is a flap folding disposed on the upstream side of the product conveyor 12. When the sheet 20 reaches the position of the product conveyor 12 by being engaged with the guide 34 and gradually bent downward, the flap 20 a enters the lower side of the conveying plate 14 of the product conveyor 12. A guide member 36 is installed below the transport plate 12, and the flap 20a is pressed by the flap guide portion 36a of the guide member 36 to be in the state shown in FIG. 3, which is substantially the same as the inclination of the guide portion 36a. It is transported in an inclined state.

  The product 2 transferred from the supply conveyor 4 to the product conveyor 12 and being conveyed by the product conveyor 12 is orthogonal to the conveyance direction (see arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2) by the pusher 32 of the product pushing device 30. And is placed on the sheet 20. The pusher 32 is driven in synchronism with the product conveyor 12 that conveys the product 2 and the sheet conveyor 16 that conveys the sheet 20, and advances at the same speed in the same direction as these conveyors 12 and 16. It moves in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction from the product conveyor 12 toward the sheet conveyor 16. Each pusher 32 starts moving in the direction of the sheet conveyor 16 from the position (32A, 32B) of the product 2 on the product conveyor 12 retracted to the side opposite to the sheet conveyor 16 (upper side in FIG. 2). When engaged (32C), the product 2 is moved toward the sheet conveyor 16 (32D). When the product 2 moved to the pusher 32 is slid and moved on the sheet 20 (32E), the sheet 20 may be displaced from the normal position on the sheet conveyor 16. Before being placed, the flap 20a bent downward of the sheet 20 is sandwiched between the guide portion 36a of the guide member 36 and the sandwiching guide 38 so as not to be displaced.

  After the flap 20a bent downward of the sheet 20 is sandwiched from above and below by the guide portion 36a of the guide member 36 and the sandwiching guide 38, the product pushed by the pusher 32 is transferred to the transport plate 14 of the product conveyor 12. It is pushed onto the sheet 20 being conveyed by the sheet conveyor 16 from above. At this time, the upper end of the guide member 36 is supported between the end 14a of the conveying plate 14 on the sheet conveyor 16 side and the fold 20d between the bottom surface 20b of the sheet 20 and the flap 20a folded downward. Since the part 36b is located, the product 2 that is transferred from the transport plate 14 to the sheet 20 can be stably delivered without falling down or becoming unstable in posture.

  Further, when the product 2 is placed on the sheets 20 having different thicknesses, the height of the upper surface of the transport plate 14 of the product conveyor 12 and the upper surface of the bottom portion 20b of the sheet 20 may be different. In such a case, the clamp lever 46 is loosened, and the mounting plate 44 to which the height adjustment guide 40 is mounted is moved up and down within the range of the elongated hole 44a to adjust the height of the sheet 20. By providing the height adjustment guide 40 in this way, it is possible to cope with various shapes of sheets 20 having different thicknesses.

It is a top view which simplifies and shows the whole structure of a packaging apparatus. (Example 1) It is a top view which expands and shows the principal part of the said packaging apparatus. It is sectional drawing orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the said packaging apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the part similar to FIG. 3 of the conventional packaging apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

2 Products 12 Product conveyor 13 Endless chain 14 Transport plate 16 Case conveyor 20 Sheet 20a Flap 32 Pusher 36 Guide 36a Guide guide 36b Guide support

Claims (1)

A product conveyor that transports products on a number of transport plates attached to an endless chain, a sheet conveyor that is arranged in parallel with the transport conveyor and transports sheets with flaps, and synchronizes with both conveyors In a packaging apparatus comprising a pusher that moves forward and moves in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor to transfer the product on the product conveyor to the sheet on the sheet conveyor,
A guide member having a flap guide portion that engages with a flap on the product conveyor side and guides the flap to the lower side of the transport plate, and a product support portion that supports the bottom surface of the product transferred from the transport plate onto the sheet. A packaging device characterized by being arranged.

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