JP2010215335A - Grouping device, conveying line, aseptic filling system and conveying method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably convey containers without damaging the containers when conveying the containers by use of gas jetting. <P>SOLUTION: The conveying line 20 includes: a conveying device conveying containers 90 by use of gas jetting; and a grouping device 50 provided along a conveying route 25 of the containers by the conveying device. The grouping device 50 forms a group including two or more containers being close to each other, by controlling the conveying interval of the containers being conveyed one by one. The conveying device conveys containers group by group which has been formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for conveying a container by a gas jet, and more particularly, to a technique that enables a container to be stably conveyed without damaging the container.

  Conventionally, a technique for continuously conveying a plurality of containers by a gas jet is known. In this transport method, the object to be transported is typically a container that is not suitable for high-speed transport in a loaded state because of its light weight and poor stability, specifically, an empty PET bottle for beverages, etc. is there. As an example, this transport method can be suitably used to transport an empty container in a filling system that fills a container with a liquid content such as a beverage (for example, Patent Document 1).

  A resin container for liquid usually has a collar portion (also called a neck ring) made of a circumferential projection formed in the vicinity of the opening. In Patent Document 1, the container is supported from below by a neck guide rail extending along the transport path, receives a gas jet while standing up along the vertical direction, and is transported by sliding on the neck guide rail. Go. In general, the purpose is to maintain the attitude of the container, and during transportation, the gas jet is blown to a position above the collar part of the container and abuts against the container at a position below the collar part. The side guide rail to be obtained regulates the shake (tilt) of the container.

In general, a transport line that connects between some processing steps is required to constantly and stably supply containers to subsequent processes. In particular, in an aseptic filling system, when the use of the filling device is started, aseptic start-up processing of the filling device is required. And this aseptic start-up process is very complicated and requires cost and time. Accordingly, there is a strong demand to constantly and stably supply containers to the filling device so that the filling device can be continuously operated at a high operating rate. Under such circumstances, the entire length of the transfer line is designed to be meandering, for example, by meandering the transfer path for the purpose of giving the transfer line itself a function of stocking containers.
Japanese Patent No. 3328337

  By the way, in the transport line designed to be long, the transport path usually includes a bent portion as well as a straight portion. In addition, the transport path includes a portion with an upward gradient or a downward gradient. Therefore, there are a portion where the moving speed of the container is accelerated and the container passes at a high speed and a portion where the moving speed of the container is decelerated and the container passes at a low speed. Further, as described above, when containers are stocked on the transport line itself, containers with extremely slow moving speeds, and even containers that are stopped may exist at unspecified positions within the transport line. For this reason, two continuous containers being transported may collide with each other in the transport line.

  When the containers collide with each other, the collided containers are swung toward the traveling direction side which is not regulated by the side guide rail described above. In some cases, the container is held between the neck guide rail or the side guide rails and inclined. In this case, unless the posture of the container is corrected, the container cannot be transported using the transport line. That is, there is a problem that the container cannot be stably conveyed.

  In addition, when the containers collide at high speed, or when the subsequent container collides with the container that is inclined between the neck guide rail or the side guide rails, the container is damaged (for example, crushed). Problems also arise. In recent years, not only from the viewpoint of cost reduction but also from the viewpoint of consideration of environmental problems, the container has been strongly reduced in thickness, and as a result, the container is easily damaged. Further, not only the contents filled in the container but also the designability of the container is emphasized in order to stimulate the purchase will. For this reason, it is impossible to design the container with the highest priority on rigidity. In particular, in an aseptic filling system, it is not necessary to heat sterilize the contents together with the container. Therefore, the shape of the container filled with the contents by the aseptic filling system is designed without giving rigidity against pressure reduction deformation caused by the temperature of the contents being lowered after the heat sterilization. Under such a recent trend, the breakage of containers during transportation has become an increasing problem.

  The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research under such circumstances, and formed a group (container group) composed of two or more containers close to each other by adjusting the transport interval of the containers being sequentially transported. And it discovered that a container can be conveyed more stably, suppressing that a container will be damaged by conveying a container by the formed group unit. In addition, the inventors of the present invention adjust the conveyance intervals of these containers without damaging a plurality of containers flowing through the conveyance line at specific or unspecified conveyance intervals, and regardless of the shape of the containers. An apparatus and method for obtaining were invented. That is, the present invention is based on such knowledge of the present inventors, and can stably transport a container without damaging the container when the container is transported by a gas jet. The purpose is to be.

  The grouping device according to the present invention forms a group of two or more containers close to each other by adjusting the transport interval of the containers that are sequentially transported in the transport line that transports the containers by the gas jet.

  In addition, the grouping device according to the present invention forms the group of containers so that the transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to the same group is shorter than the transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to different groups.

  The grouping device according to the present invention is a stopper member extending along a part of the transport path of the container, and includes a pair of stopper members disposed opposite to each other with the transport path interposed therebetween, and the pair of stopper members. And a support mechanism that supports the first and second stopper members so as to approach each other and to be separated from each other, and the pair of stopper members sandwich the container when approaching each other, thereby restricting the progress of the container. , May be configured.

  Further, in the grouping device according to the present invention, the container is transported in a state where a collar portion formed as a circumferential projection is supported from below, and the stopper member is disposed on the side of the container that supports the collar portion. You may arrange | position so that it may contact | abut from the direction.

  Furthermore, the grouping device according to the present invention further comprises detection means for detecting whether a predetermined number of containers are accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member, and the support mechanism is based on the detection result of the detection means. The pair of stopper members may be configured to move.

  Further, in the grouping device according to the present invention, the detection means includes a detection sensor arranged on the upstream side of the stopper member along the transport path of the container, a controller connected to the detection sensor and the support mechanism, The detection sensor is a sensor that can determine whether or not a container is present at a facing position, and the controller controls the support mechanism based on a signal from the detection sensor. It may be configured as follows. In such a grouping device according to the present invention, the detection sensor may be movable along the transport path. Alternatively, in such a grouping device according to the present invention, the detection means may include a plurality of detection sensors respectively arranged at different positions along the transport path.

  Furthermore, in the grouping device according to the present invention, each stopper member may have a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the transport path, and the plurality of protrusions may be arranged along the transport path.

  Furthermore, in the grouping device according to the present invention, each of the plurality of protrusions may extend linearly in a direction perpendicular to the transport path.

  Furthermore, in the grouping device according to the present invention, each protrusion may be made of rubber.

  Furthermore, in the grouping device according to the present invention, each projecting portion may be formed with a hollow portion.

  Further, in the grouping device according to the present invention, each of the stopper members is a holding portion that extends along the conveyance path, and further includes a holding portion in which the plurality of protrusions are provided on the side facing the conveyance path. And each of the projecting portions may be formed of a cylindrical member attached to the holding portion. In such a grouping device according to the present invention, the cylindrical member forming each of the protruding portions is a cylinder having an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm before being attached to the holding portion. You may make it have a shape.

  The transport line according to the present invention includes a transport device that transports containers along a predetermined transport path by a gas jet, and any of the grouping devices described above, wherein the grouping is provided along the transport path of the transport device. And a device.

  In the transport line according to the present invention, the transport device is configured to transport a container having a collar portion formed as a circumferential projection by a gas jet, and supports the collar portion of the container from below. A gas injection mechanism that blows a gas jet to the container supported by the guide rail.

  Further, in the transport line according to the present invention, the most upstream side of the transport path is connected to a container forming device for forming a container, and the grouping device is disposed in the vicinity of the container forming device. Also good.

  Furthermore, in the transport line according to the present invention, an inspection device for inspecting the container is provided in the middle of the transport path, and the grouping device is disposed in the vicinity of the inspection device and downstream of the inspection device. You may make it.

  An aseptic filling system according to the present invention includes any one of the above-described conveyance lines and an aseptic filling line, and the aseptic filling line includes a device for sterilizing a container conveyed by the conveyance line, and a sterilized container. A device for filling the contents and a device for sealing the container filled with the contents.

  The transport method according to the present invention is a transport method for transporting a container by a gas jet, a process of sequentially supplying the container to a transport line configured to transport the container by a gas jet, and a container that is transported sequentially. And a step of forming a group of two or more containers and a step of transporting the containers for each formed group, and the step of forming the group of containers belongs to the same group The group of the containers is formed such that the transport interval of the continuous containers is shorter than the transport interval of the continuous containers belonging to different groups.

  In the transport method according to the present invention, the step of forming the container group may be performed by directing a pair of stopper members extending along a part of the transport path of the container and facing each other with the transport path therebetween. You may make it have the process made to approach, and the process which clamps a container between the said stopper members and controls the progress of the said container by this.

  Further, in the transport method according to the present invention, the container is transported in a state where a collar portion formed as a circumferential protrusion is supported from below, and the stopper member is disposed on the side of the container that supports the collar portion. You may make it contact | abut from the direction.

  Furthermore, in the transport method according to the present invention, the step of forming the group of containers further includes the step of separating the pair of stopper members from each other after a predetermined number of containers have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member. You may make it have. In such a transport method according to the present invention, detection means having a detection sensor arranged to be movable along the transport path is used to detect that a predetermined number of containers have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member. You may do it. Alternatively, in such a transport method according to the present invention, a detection unit having a plurality of detection sensors respectively arranged at different positions along the transport path is used, and a predetermined number of containers are accumulated upstream of the stopper member. May be detected.

  Furthermore, in the transport method according to the present invention, each stopper member may have a plurality of protrusions that protrude toward the transport path, and the plurality of protrusions may be arranged along the transport path.

  Furthermore, in the transport method according to the present invention, each of the plurality of protrusions may extend linearly in a direction orthogonal to the transport path.

  Furthermore, in the conveying method according to the present invention, each protrusion may be made of rubber.

  Furthermore, in the conveying method according to the present invention, each protruding portion may be formed with a hollow portion.

  Further, in the transport method according to the present invention, each of the stopper members is a holding portion that extends along the transport path, and the holding portion in which the plurality of protrusions are provided on the side facing the transport path. Furthermore, you may make it each said protrusion part be comprised from the cylindrical member attached to the said holding | maintenance part. In such a transport method according to the present invention, the cylindrical member constituting each protrusion has an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm before being attached to the holding part. You may make it have a cylindrical shape.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the conveyance of the container using a gas jet, it becomes possible to convey a container stably, avoiding damage to a container effectively.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following embodiments, an example will be described in which the present invention is applied to a system in which a sterilized content (beverage) is filled in a container as a beverage PET bottle in an aseptic state. However, the present invention is not limited to such a system, and the present invention can be applied to the conveyance of various containers.

  1 to 7D are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the aseptic filling system, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view showing a transfer line, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. In the drawings attached to the present specification, for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the scale and vertical / horizontal dimension ratios are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual ones.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7D, the aseptic filling system 10 includes a conveyance line 20 that conveys the container 90 and an aseptic filling line 70 connected to the conveyance line 20. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the aseptic filling line 70 includes a sterilization device 72 for sterilizing the container 90 conveyed by the conveyance line 20, a filling device 74 for filling the sterilized container 90 with contents, And a sealing device 76 for sealing the filled container 90.

  The sterilizer 72 sterilizes the inner and outer surfaces of the container 90 with a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide mist. In the filling device 74, the sterilized container 90 is filled with the sterilized contents. In the sealing device 76, the container 90 filled with the contents is sealed. Specifically, a sterilized cap (lid) is attached to the container 90. In the aseptic filling line 70, the path through which the sterilized container 90 is conveyed is maintained in a sterile state. Various known configurations can be adopted for the aseptic filling line 70 itself connected to the transfer line 20. Accordingly, further detailed description of the aseptic filling line 70 is omitted herein and reference is made to various prior documents (eg, US Pat. No. 3,342,577).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the transport line 20 includes a transport device 30 that transports the container 90, and a grouping device (group forming device) 50 provided along the transport path 25 of the container 90 by the transport device 30. is doing. The transfer device 30 is configured to transfer the container 90 along a predetermined transfer path 25 by a gas jet. On the other hand, the grouping device 50 is configured to adjust the transport interval of the containers 90 sequentially transported by the transport device 30 to form a group 90g composed of two or more containers 90 that are close to each other. This grouping device 50 is a device provided to enable the transport device 30 to stably transport the container 90 without damaging it.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost stream side of the transport path 25 of the container 90 by the transport device 30 is connected to a container forming device 22 that forms the container 90. The container forming apparatus 22 is an apparatus for forming a container 90 having a desired shape from a resin preform (so-called preform) by a blow molding method. The containers 90 formed by the forming device 22 are sequentially supplied to the transport line 20. Further, an inspection device 23 for inspecting the container 90 is provided in the middle of the transport path 25. The inspection device 23 performs various inspections on the container 90. Specific examples of the inspection item include the shape of the container 90. For these container forming device 22 and inspection device 23, various known configurations can be adopted. Accordingly, further detailed description of the container forming device 22 and the inspection device 23 will be omitted in this specification, and various prior documents (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 52-78265 and 54-93062) will be omitted. And JP-A-58-21146).

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the transport line 20 is provided with two grouping devices 50 along the transport path 25 of the container 90. The upstream grouping device 50 (hereinafter also referred to as a first grouping device) is disposed in the vicinity of the container forming device 22 and downstream of the container forming device 22. A downstream grouping device 50 (hereinafter also referred to as a second grouping device) is disposed in the vicinity of the inspection device 23 and downstream of the inspection device 23. Hereinafter, the conveyance device 30 and the grouping device 50 will be described in detail.

  First, the conveying device 30 will be described. The transport device 30 can employ various known configurations suitable for the shape of the container 90 to be transported. As described above, the present embodiment shows an example in which a beverage PET bottle is used as a container 90 to be transported by the transport device 30. As such a container 90, typically, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, etc., the well-known drink bottle which has a capacity | capacitance of 280 ml-2 l can be mentioned. The container 90 includes a head 91 having an opening 91a (also referred to as a mouth) 91a, an intermediate part (body part) 92 including a neck 92a that gradually increases in thickness from the head 91, and an intermediate part. A bottom portion 93 provided below the portion 92 and facing the opening 91a. The container 90 has a longitudinal direction. The opening 91 a is formed at one side end along the longitudinal direction, and has the opening surface on a surface orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the container 90. As shown in FIG. 2, a screw 91 b for fixing a cap (lid) is formed at a position adjacent to the opening 91 a of the head 91. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a collar portion (also called a neck ring) 95 that protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the container 90 is formed between the head portion 91 and the neck portion 92 a of the intermediate portion 92. ing. The collar portion 95 extends circumferentially on the intermediate portion 92. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport device 30 in the present embodiment is configured to transport the container 90 while supporting the collar portion 95 formed as a circumferential protrusion. Ideally, the container 90 at the time of conveyance is supported in a suspended state so that its longitudinal direction is along the vertical direction.

  As a specific configuration, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport device 30 includes a pair of neck guide rails (simply guide rails) 40 that abut against the collar portion 95 of the container 90 from below, and the guide rail 40. And a gas injection mechanism 45 for blowing a gas jet to the supported container 90. As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of neck guide rails 40 are arranged in parallel so that the neck portion 92a of the container 90 is sandwiched therebetween. The collar portion 95 of the container 90 is placed on the neck guide rail 40, and the collar portion 95 slides on the neck guide rail 40, whereby the container 90 moves along the neck guide rail 40. Therefore, the conveyance path 25 of the container 90 is defined by the neck guide rail 40. In other words. The neck guide rail 40 is arranged along the transport path 25 designed in advance.

  The gas injection mechanism 45 has an air duct 46 connected to a blower (not shown). The air duct 46 is held in the air separated from the floor surface by a support member 27 made of, for example, a metal channel material or an angle material. Aseptic air cleaned through an appropriate filter (for example, a HEPA filter) is blown into the air duct 46 from a blower (not shown). As a result, the inside of the air duct 46 functions as a chamber in which compressed air is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a neck guide rail 40 is fixed to the lower surface of the air duct 46. A recess 47 that accommodates the collar portion 95 and the head portion 91 of the container 90 is formed on the lower outer surface of the air duct 46. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of jet ports 48 are formed side by side along the transport path 25 of the container 90 at a position corresponding to the recess 47 of the air duct 46. The ejection port 48 extends obliquely downward, and the compressed air inside the air duct 46 is ejected into the recess 47 along the conveying direction of the container 90. The head 91 of the container 90 located in the recess 47 is pushed out in a predetermined transport direction by the gas jet flow from the inside of the air duct 46 formed in this way into the recess 47, and the container 90 is connected to the neck guide. Slide on the rail 40.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport device 30 further includes a pair of side guide rails 35 extending along the transport path 25. In the illustrated example, the side guide rail 35 is held by a holding mechanism 36 connected to the support member 27. As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of side guide rails 35 are arranged in parallel so as to sandwich the conveyance path 25 of the container 90 therebetween. In FIG. 3, the side guide rail 35, the holding mechanism 36, and the support member 27 on one side (the front side in FIG. 3) are omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the present embodiment, the side guide rail 35 is arranged so as to face the container 90 supported along the vertical direction from the side. That is, the side guide rail 35 is disposed at a position facing the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90 from the horizontal direction. According to the side guide rail 35, the container 90 to be transported can be controlled to swing in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction by contacting the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90.

  In addition, the arrangement | positioning space | interval along the horizontal direction of a pair of side guide rail 35 is the largest horizontal of the container 90 in the vertical direction position where the side guide rail 35 is arrange | positioned so that conveyance of the container 90 may not be controlled by friction. It is preferable that the width is set larger than the direction width. When the container 90 does not have a rotating body shape, as a specific example, when the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the container is a substantially polygonal shape (for example, a substantially rectangular shape), the container by the pair of neck guide rails 40 The width along the horizontal direction of the container 90 changes depending on the support state of the 90. The maximum horizontal width of the container 90 here means the maximum width of the widths of the container 90 along the horizontal direction. In addition, it is preferable that the side guide rail 35 is supported by the holding mechanism 36 so as to be movable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction so that the container 90 can have various shapes.

  Next, the grouping apparatus 50 which comprises the conveyance line 20 with the conveyance apparatus 30 is explained in full detail. As described above, the grouping device 50 is a device that forms a group 90G composed of two or more containers 90 that are close to each other by adjusting the transport interval of the containers 90 that are sequentially transported in the transport line 20. More specifically, as will be described in detail later, the grouping device 50 dams the containers 90 that are transported at specific or unspecified transport intervals, and the transport interval between two consecutive containers 90 that belong to the same group 90G. This is an apparatus for forming the group 90G of containers 90 so as to be shorter than the conveyance interval between two consecutive containers 90 belonging to different groups 90G.

  As a specific configuration, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the grouping device 50 includes a pair of stopper members 60 disposed opposite to each other with the transport path 25 of the container 90 by the transport device 30 interposed therebetween, and a pair of stopper members 60. And a support mechanism 68 for supporting the stopper member 60. In FIG. 3, the stopper member 60 and the support mechanism 68 on one side (the front side in FIG. 3) are omitted.

  The support mechanism 68 supports the pair of stopper members 60 so that the pair of stopper members 60 can approach each other and the pair of stopper members 60 can be separated from each other. In the present embodiment, the support mechanism 68 is composed of two fluid pressure cylinders (air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, etc.) provided corresponding to the respective stopper members. The support mechanism 68 is fixed to the support member 27 and holds the stopper member 60 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the stopper member 60 extends along a part of the transport path 25 of the container 90 by the transport device 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of stopper members 60 are supported in parallel so as to sandwich the conveyance path 25 of the container 90 therebetween. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stopper member 60 is disposed so as to face the container 90 supported from the side with the longitudinal direction of the stopper member 60 being along the vertical direction. That is, the stopper member 60 is disposed at a position facing the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90 from the horizontal direction. More specifically, the stopper member 60 is disposed so as to face the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90 from the side below the side guide rail 35 along the vertical direction. The pair of stopper members 60 can contact the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90 from the horizontal direction when approached by the support mechanism 68. At this time, the container 90 is sandwiched between the pair of stopper members 60, and the progress in the transport direction is restricted.

  In addition, the arrangement | positioning space | interval along the horizontal direction when a pair of stopper member 60 spaces apart from each other does not disturb the conveyance of the container 90, and the maximum of the container 90 in the vertical direction position where the stopper member 60 is disposed. It is preferable that the width is set larger than the horizontal width. On the other hand, when the pair of stopper members 60 approach each other, the arrangement interval along the horizontal direction of the pair of stopper members 60 can prevent the container 90 from being conveyed vertically. It is preferably set smaller than the minimum horizontal width of the container 90 at the directional position. As described above, the maximum horizontal width W1 of the container 90 here means the maximum width (see FIG. 5) of the widths of the container 90 along the horizontal direction. Moreover, the minimum horizontal direction width W2 of the container 90 here means the minimum width (see FIG. 6) of the widths of the container 90 along the horizontal direction.

  Further, it is preferable that the spacing distance in the horizontal direction when the pair of stopper members 60 supported by the support mechanism 35 approach or separate from each other can be adjusted so that the container 90 can have various shapes. . The stopper member 60 is preferably supported by the support mechanism 35 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the present embodiment, each stopper member 60 is provided with a plurality of deformable protrusions 65 that protrude toward the transport path and a protrusion 65 provided on the transport path. Part 61. In the illustrated example, the holding unit 61 is configured by a plate-like member that extends along the transport path 25 of the container 90 by the transport device 30 and is parallel to the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of protrusions 65 are arranged side by side along the conveyance path 25 on the surface on the conveyance path side of the holding portion 61 made of a plate-like member. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, each of the plurality of projecting portions 65 is linear on the surface of the holding portion 61 made of the plate-like member along the direction orthogonal to the transport path 25, more strictly linear. It extends to.

  To prevent the container 90 from being crushed or broken when the pair of stopper members 60 come close to each other and the protrusion 65 comes into contact with the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90, the protrusion 65 is It is preferably made of a material that easily deforms. For the same purpose, it is preferable that the shape of the protruding portion 65 has a shape that is easily deformed. Further, when the pair of stopper members 60 approach each other, the protruding portion 65 is made of a material having a high coefficient of friction with the container 90, so that the container 90 can be stably held between the pair of stopper members 60, It is preferably made of a material having high resilience. For the same purpose, it is preferable that the shape of the protrusion 65 itself has a shape that can be easily deformed and restored.

  From such a viewpoint, the material forming the protrusion 65 is preferably rubber, particularly silicon rubber. Silicon rubber exhibits a high friction coefficient with respect to the container 90 made of resin, and has a high degree of deformation because of its low Young's modulus. Furthermore, silicon rubber is very excellent in terms of durability. Similarly, the protruding portion 65 is preferably configured to have a hollow portion 66. The protruding portion 65 formed with the hollow portion 66 tends to be easily deformed and restored.

  In the illustrated example, each projecting portion 65 is configured by a cylindrical member 65a made of silicon rubber attached to the holding portion 61 via a fixture 63 (see, in particular, FIGS. 5 and 6). As a result of extensive research by the present inventors, the protruding portion 65 uses a cylindrical elastic member having an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm before being attached to the holding portion 61. Preferably, it is configured using a cylindrical elastic member having an outer diameter of 15 mm to 25 mm and a wall thickness of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm before being attached to the holding portion 61. Has been found to be more preferable. When the protrusion 65 is formed from such a cylindrical elastic member, beverage bottles having various shapes having a capacity of 280 ml to 2 l can be stably formed between the pair of stopper members 60 without damaging them. I was able to pinch.

The protrusion amount L of each stopper member 60 in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the elastically deformable protrusion 65 is between the maximum horizontal width W1 of the container 90 and the minimum horizontal width W2 of the container 90 described above. Therefore, it is preferably set so as to satisfy the following expression (1).
L> (W1-W2) / 2 Formula (1)

  In this case, the separation distance D of the stopper member 60 (projecting portion 65) along the horizontal direction when the pair of stopper members 60 approach can be made smaller than the minimum horizontal width W2 of the container 90, and at the same time, When the pair of stopper members 60 approach, the separation interval Da of the holding portion 61 can be made larger than the maximum horizontal width W1 of the container 90. As shown in FIG. 6, when the distance D between the stopper members 60 (projecting portions 65) when the pair of stopper members 60 approach is smaller than the minimum horizontal width W <b> 2 of the container 90 (D <W <b> 2), the stopper member 60. The projecting portion 65 of the container 90 abuts against the intermediate portion 92 of the container 90 and deforms, and the container 90 is sandwiched between the pair of stopper members 60 by the restoring force of the projecting portion 65 and the frictional force between the projecting portion 65 and the container 90. It becomes possible. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, when the separation interval Da of the holding portion 61 when the pair of stopper members 60 approaches is larger than the maximum horizontal width W1 of the container 90 (Da = D + 2 × L> W1), the stopper member It is possible to prevent the 60 holding portions 61 from coming into contact with the container 90. That is, when Expression (1) is satisfied, the restoring force of the protruding portion 65 and the protruding portion 65 are not pressed between the pair of stopper members 60 without pressing the container 90 with the holding portion 61, regardless of the support state of the container 90. The container 90 can be held between the pair of stopper members 60 by the friction force between the container 90 and the container 90. In other words, the container 90 is sandwiched between the pair of stopper members 60 without using the force by which the support mechanism (fluid pressure cylinder) 68 presses the container 90 via the stopper member 60 regardless of the support state of the container 90. Therefore, it is possible to greatly reduce the possibility of the container 90 being broken by being crushed.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the grouping device 50 includes detection means 55 that detects whether or not a predetermined number of containers 90 are accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member 50. It has more. The support mechanism 68 is configured to move the pair of stopper members 60 based on the detection result of the detection means 55. As a specific configuration, the detection means 55 includes a detection sensor 56 disposed on the upstream side of the stopper member 60 along the conveyance path 25 of the container 90, a controller 58 connected to the detection sensor 56 and the support mechanism 68, have. The detection sensor 56 is a sensor that can determine whether or not the container 90 exists at the facing position. The controller 58 is configured to control the support mechanism 68 based on a signal from the detection sensor 56.

  In the example shown in the figure, the detection sensor 56 is configured by a photoelectric sensor having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit disposed at positions facing each other across the transport path 25. According to such a detection sensor 56, it is possible to detect a state in which the container 90 is stopped at a portion located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit in the transport path 25 of the container 90. By appropriately setting the detection time of the detection sensor 56, it is possible to identify that the container 90 has passed the target position and that the container 90 has stopped at the target position.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a support rail 57 extending along the transport path 25 of the container 90 is fixed to the support member 27. Each detection sensor 56 is supported by the support rail 57 and can move on the support rail 57 along the conveyance direction of the container 90. Therefore, by appropriately adjusting the position of the container 90 along the transport path 25, the container 90 is placed at an arbitrary position on the container transport path 25 within the range facing the support rail 57 using the detection sensor 56. It is possible to detect whether or not it is stopped.

  Next, a method for transporting the container 90 using such a transport line 20 will be described. In the following, the transport method described below includes a step of sequentially supplying the containers 90 to the transport line 20, a step of adjusting the transport interval of the containers 90 that are sequentially transported, and forming a group 90G composed of two or more containers 90. And transporting the container 90 for each formed group 90G. Hereinafter, details of each process will be described.

  First, the process of sequentially supplying the containers 90 to the transfer line 20 will be described. As described above and as shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost stream side of the transport path 25 of the transport line 20 is connected to the container forming device 22. The container forming apparatus 22 is supplied with a preform as a preform for forming the container 90. In the container forming apparatus 22, the preform is heated and pressed by a blow molding method, and a container 90 having a desired shape is formed from the preform. The molded container 90 is sequentially supplied to the transport line.

  The container 90 supplied to the transfer line 20 is pushed along the neck guide rail 40 by the gas jet flowing from the inside of the air duct 46 to the concave portion 47 located outside the air duct 46 as described above. In this manner, the plurality of containers 90 are sequentially poured into the transfer line 20 at a certain fixed transfer interval. Then, the container 90 moves from the container forming apparatus 22 along the transport path 25 and first moves toward the grouping apparatus 50 disposed in the vicinity of the container forming apparatus 22.

  Next, a process of forming a group 90G composed of two or more containers 90 performed using the grouping apparatus 50 will be described.

  This process prevents the movement of the container 90 at a certain position on the conveyance path 25 of the conveyance line 20 where the container 90 is conveyed at a certain fixed conveyance interval, specifically, the position where the grouping device 50 is provided. The movement of the container 90 is resumed after the plurality of containers 90 are connected to the position. As a result, the containers 90 do not move in the transfer line 20 one by one, but move in the transfer line 20 in units of a certain number of groups 90G. That is, in this step, the group 90G of the containers 90 is set so that the conveyance interval between the two consecutive containers 90 belonging to the same group 90G is shorter than the conveyance interval between the two consecutive containers 90 belonging to the different group 90G. Is formed.

  Specifically, first, the support mechanism 68 causes a pair of stopper members 60 extending along a part of the transport path 25 of the container 90 to be opposed to each other with the transport path 25 interposed therebetween to approach each other (see FIG. FIG. 7A). As described above, in the present embodiment, the support mechanism 68 is composed of a fluid pressure cylinder. Accordingly, the pair of stopper members 60 of the support mechanism 68 approach each other to a predetermined position.

  At this time, if the container 90 is transported between the pair of stopper members 60, the container 90 is pressed from both sides in the horizontal direction by the pair of stopper members 60. On the other hand, even when the container 90 moves to the grouping device 50 after the pair of stopper members 60 approach each other, the container 90 enters between the pair of stopper members 60, and from the both sides in the horizontal direction by the pair of stopper members 60. Pressed. As described above, the protrusion 65 positioned on the conveyance path side of each stopper member 60 has a high frictional force with the container 90 and is easily elastically deformed. As a result, the container 90 progresses along the transport path 25 mainly by the frictional force between the protruding portion 65 of the stopper member 60 that contacts the container 90 and the restoring force of the deformed protruding portion 65. It is regulated and comes to stop between the pair of stopper members 60 (FIG. 7B).

  In particular, the elastically deformable protrusions 65 of the stopper member 60 are arranged side by side along the transport direction. According to the plurality of protrusions 65 of the stopper member 60 as described above, the container 90 is not damaged regardless of the shape of the container 90, as demonstrated in the embodiments described later. It becomes possible to pinch the container 90 very reliably. Although the mechanism by which such a phenomenon occurs is not clear, a mechanism that can be considered as one factor will be described below. However, the present invention is not limited to the following mechanism.

  Since the protrusions 65 are continuously provided along the transport direction, regardless of the position of the stopper member 60 extending along the transport path 25 regardless of the shape of the container 90 to be transported, As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the contact area between the container 90 and the stopper member 60 can be increased. As a result, forces directed to various directions from various positions are applied to the container 90. As a result, the distribution of stress that the container 60 receives from each direction at each position from the stopper member 60 is further averaged. Therefore, it is estimated that the container 90 can be stably and more reliably held between the pair of stopper members 60 while preventing the container 90 from being damaged more effectively.

  Further, such an action of the stopper member 60 is more prominent when the protruding portion 65 is configured to be easily elastically deformed. In this case, the protrusion 65 can change following the outer shape of the container 90 regardless of the outer diameter shape of the container 90. As a result, the contact area between the container 90 and the stopper member 60 can be further increased. Therefore, it becomes possible to hold the container 90 between the pair of stopper members 60 in a more stable and reliable manner while preventing damage to the container 90 more effectively.

  When a stopper member having a flat surface on the conveyance path 25 side is used, the container 90 receives almost all the force from the stopper member along the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path. This direction of force is extremely inefficient to resist the container 90 being pushed along the transport path 25. For this reason, if the container 90 is to be securely held between the pair of stopper members, the container 90 must be pressed with a strong force by the pair of stopper members. Further, the contact area between the container 90 and the stopper member may be extremely small depending on the support state of the container 90, and typically, the stopper member may even come into linear contact with the container 90. A very large force is locally applied to the container 90. From these things, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent damage to the container 90 very effectively as compared with the case where a stopper member having a flat surface on the transport path 25 side is used, and The container 90 can be held between the pair of stopper members 60 extremely stably.

  In this manner, when one container 90 is held between the pair of stopper members 60, the subsequent container is directed toward the container 90. However, since the container 90 can be firmly held between the pair of holding members 60 as described above, the container 90 held between the pair of stopper members 60 is pushed out from between the pair of stopper members 60. Can be prevented. Even if the container 90 is pushed forward between the pair of stopper members 60 due to a collision with a subsequent container, as described above, since the protrusions 65 are arranged side by side along the transport path 25, the container The amount of movement of 90 is small, and the possibility that the container 90 is pushed out between the pair of stopper members 60 is extremely low. As a result, the container 90 accumulates on the upstream side of the stopper member 60 of the grouping device 50 (FIG. 7C).

  Then, after a predetermined number of containers 90 accumulate on the upstream side of the stopper member 60, the pair of stopper members 60 are separated from each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7D, the detection sensor 56 of the detection means 55 arranged in advance along the transport path 25 detects that the container 90 has stopped at the facing position. The controller 58 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) connected to the detection sensor 56 determines that a predetermined number of containers 90 have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member 60 based on the detection result of the detection sensor 56, and the support mechanism 68. A control signal is transmitted to. Based on this control signal, the support mechanism 68 operates the position of the stopper member 60 to separate the pair of stopper members 60 from each other. In this way, one container group 90G including a predetermined number of containers 90 is formed.

  Next, the process of transporting the container 90 for each formed group 90G will be described in detail. When the pair of stopper members 60 are separated from the container 90 that has been sandwiched so far, the container 90 can be moved again at the position where the grouping device 50 is provided. As a result, the container 90 that has been blocked by the grouping device 50 is pushed again by the gas jet sprayed to the head 91 of the container 90 formed by the gas injection mechanism 45. At this time, a plurality of consecutive containers 90 belonging to one formed group 90G are transported through the subsequent transport path 25 as one unit that can be identified from other containers 90 depending on the transport interval.

  In the case where a plurality of containers 90 arranged close to each other as described above are transported as a group, the configuration of the transport path 25 (for example, a curved portion or a slope portion is compared with a case where the containers 90 are moved apart one by one. Etc.) can be largely suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to greatly suppress the container 90 from colliding at two high speeds in the transport path 25. As a result, the container 90 being transported can be greatly shaken and caught on the neck guide rail 40, the side guide rail 35, etc., and the container 90 can be remarkably prevented from being clogged in the transport line 20. In addition, it is possible to effectively avoid damage to the container 90 such as crushing, dents, deformations, and cracks caused by the containers 90 colliding with each other at high speed or by the subsequent container colliding with the corners of the inclined container 90. You can also

  In this way, the containers 90 are transported to the inspection device 23 (see FIG. 1) in units of groups 90G composed of a plurality of containers 90 arranged close to each other. The inspection device 23 sequentially inspects the container 90. The containers 90 determined to be non-defective products are sequentially re-supplied from the inspection device 23 to the transport line 20 at a certain constant transport interval.

  However, as described above, the second grouping device 50 is provided in the vicinity of the downstream side of the inspection device 23. By this grouping apparatus 50, a group 90G composed of two or more containers 90 is formed in the same manner as described above. For this reason, on the downstream side of the grouping device 50 on the downstream side, the containers 90 do not move in the transport line 20 one by one, but in the transport line 20 in units of a certain number of groups 90G. To move. Therefore, the container 90 can be stably conveyed from the downstream grouping device 50 toward the aseptic filling line 70 without damaging the container 90. In the aseptic filling line 70, the contents can be sequentially filled into the container 90 that is constantly and stably supplied. That is, since the container 90 is not stably transported from the transport line 20, the aseptic filling line 70 cannot be continuously operated, thereby avoiding the disadvantage that the operation rate of the aseptic filling line is lowered.

  According to the present embodiment as described above, a group 90G (a group of containers 90) composed of two or more containers 90 close to each other is formed, and the containers 90 are moved along the transport path 25 in units of the formed groups 90G. Can be moved. That is, a plurality of closely arranged containers 90 included in one group 90G can be moved along the transport path 25 as a group. According to such a method, fluctuations in the conveyance speed generated according to the configuration of the conveyance path 25 can be significantly reduced as compared to the case where the containers 90 are moved apart one by one. Therefore, it is possible to greatly suppress the container 90 from colliding at two high speeds in the transport path 25. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the container 90 being conveyed from shaking greatly and being caught by the neck guide rail 40, the side guide rail 35, etc., and clogging the container 90 in the conveyance line 20. Further, it is possible to effectively prevent damage to the container 90 such as crushing, dents, deformations, and cracks caused by the containers 90 colliding with each other at a high speed or when the subsequent container 90 collides with the corners of the inclined container 90. It can be avoided.

  As described above, the container 90 can be largely prevented from colliding with two consecutive high speeds regardless of the outer shape of the container 90. The embodiment described above can also be suitably used when transporting a container having a rich shape. That is, the step of heat sterilizing the contents together with the sealed container 90 is omitted, and the above-described grouping device 50, the transport line 20, and the transport method are applied to the aseptic filling system 10 that can process a variety of shaped containers 90. It can be applied very suitably.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the protruding portions 65 that come into contact with the container 90 are arranged side by side along the transport path 25. Therefore, when the container 90 is held between the pair of stopper members 60, it is effective that the held container 90 is pushed forward between the pair of stopper members 60 by the gas jet formed by the gas injection mechanism 45. Can be prevented. Furthermore, even if the subsequent container 90 protrudes with respect to the container 90, the container 90 can be effectively prevented from being pushed forward from the pair of stopper members 60 in the traveling direction.

  In addition, even when the container 90 has an outer shape other than the rotating body, that is, the outer contour in the cross section orthogonal to the transport direction of the container 90 held between the pair of stopper members 60 is not constant. Even in such a case, the stopper 90 provided with a plurality of protrusions 65 arranged side by side in the conveying direction effectively avoids breakage of the container such as crushing, dent, deformation, cracking, etc. Can be held.

  In particular, when the protrusion 65 is made of an elastic material having a low Young's modulus such as rubber, the protrusion 65 can be deformed following the shape of the container 90. Further, when the protruding portion 65 has a low-rigidity structure and is easily structurally elastically deformed, such as when the protruding portion 65 has a hollow portion 66, the protruding portion 65 has the shape of the container 90. It becomes easy to deform following the above. In this way, when the projecting portion 65 is deformed following the outer shape of the container 90, the contact area between the stopper member 90 and the container 90 can be increased. In this case, the container 90 is held by receiving force from more directions between the stopper members 60. As a result, the stress distribution from each direction received by the container 90 from the stopper member 60 is more averaged. Therefore, the container 90 can be more stably held between the pair of stopper members 60 while preventing the container 90 from being damaged more effectively.

  Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the distance along the conveyance path 25 of the container 90 from the stopper member 60 to the detection sensor 56 is very easily adjusted by moving the detection sensor 56 on the support rail 57. be able to. Thereby, the number of containers 90 included in one group 90G can be set as appropriate regardless of the size, shape, and the like of the containers 90 to be transported.

  Furthermore, the grouping device 50 according to the above-described embodiment can be attached to an existing conveyance line very easily.

  Note that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of modification will be described.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the collar portion 95 of the container 90 is disposed on the neck guide rail 40 and the container 90 is supported by the transport device 30 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the first place, the container 90 to be transported is not limited to a bottle for beverages, and the transport device 30 can be appropriately changed according to the container 90 to be transported.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the detection sensor 56 of the grouping device 50 is configured to be movable along the transport path 25 of the container 90 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The position of the detection sensor 56 may be fixed along the transport path 25 of the container 90. A plurality of detection sensors may be provided at different positions along the transport path 25 of the container 90.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated in detail using an Example, this invention is not limited to this Example.

[Test 1]
As an example, in the transport line described in the above embodiment, containers were transported in units of groups using the transport device described above while forming a group including a plurality of containers with the grouping device described above. The number contained in one group was about 10-20. On the other hand, as a comparative example, in the transport line described in the above-described embodiment, the above-described grouping device was stopped and the containers were transported one by one using the above-described transport device.

  The total length of the conveyance path of the conveyance device was 100 m. The number of conveyances per unit time by the conveyance device was set to 300 bpm (bottle / minute) to 600 bpm (bottle / minute). The container was sent from the container forming apparatus to the conveying apparatus at an initial speed of 3 m / min to 4 m / min.

  Three types of containers (sample 1 to sample 3) shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 were used as containers to be transported. The container sample 1 shown in FIG. 8 was a beverage bottle having a capacity of 500 ml. Sample 1 had a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape on the bottom side from the neck. And the cross-sectional shape of the sample 1 in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape part was a substantially square. The container sample 2 shown in FIG. 9 was a beverage bottle having a capacity of 2 l. Sample 2 had a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape on the bottom side from the neck. And the cross-sectional shape of the sample 2 in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape part was a substantially rectangular shape. The container sample 3 shown in FIG. 10 was a beverage bottle having a capacity of 470 ml. Sample 3 had a shape in which an upper part having a substantially regular decagonal frustum shape and a lower part having a substantially regular decagonal columnar shape were joined together.

  1000 containers of Sample 1 to Sample 3 were each conveyed. In the example in which the containers are transported together in groups, the variation in the transport speed of the containers is significantly smaller than in the comparative example in which the containers are transported one by one. Further, in the transport method of the comparative example, continuous containers frequently collided at a high speed as compared with the transport method of the example.

The 1000 containers transported by the transport method of the example and the transport method of the comparative example were checked for the presence or absence of damage such as crushing. Further, when 1000 containers were transported by the transport method of the example and the transport method of the comparative example, it was confirmed how many times clogging occurred in the transport path. Here, “clogging” means a state in which it is impossible to push the container with only the gas jet formed by the gas injection mechanism, and adjustment by human power is required. Table 1 shows the number of broken containers and the number of occurrences of clogging in each conveyance test.

[Test 2]
The configuration of the stopper member of the grouping device described above was changed to test whether the container could be held between the pair of stopper members.

  As the stopper member 1, the stopper member described in the above-described embodiment was used. That is, the stopper member 1 has a holding portion and a protruding portion that protrudes toward the conveyance path side of the holding portion. The protruding portion is formed by attaching a silicon tube having an outer diameter of 20 mm, a wall thickness of 2 mm, and a length of 30 mm side by side to the holding portion made of an MC nylon plate having a length of approximately 300 mm along the conveying path along the conveying path. Been formed. On the other hand, the stopper member 2 was formed by attaching a rubber plate having a thickness of 10 mm to a holding portion made of an MC nylon plate having a length of about 300 mm.

  A group of containers having a stopper member 1 and a stopper member 2 are transported by 1000 containers according to the same sample 1 to sample 3 (FIGS. 8 to 10) as in test 1 under the same conditions as in test 1. It was confirmed whether or not can be formed. In addition, the number contained in one group was about 10-20. The results are shown in Table 2. Moreover, about the 1000 containers conveyed, the presence or absence of damage, such as crushing, was confirmed. Table 2 also shows the number of damaged containers in each conveyance test.

  When the stopper member 1 was used, a group could be formed for any of the samples 1 to 3.

On the other hand, when the stopper member 2 having a flat surface was used, the container of the sample 3 passed between the pair of stopper members without being held between the pair of stopper members. For this reason, when the separation interval between the pair of stopper members is adjusted to be short, the container of the sample 3 is crushed between the pair of stopper members. From the above, when the stopper member 2 having a flat surface was used, a group of containers of the sample 3 could not be formed. Further, when the stopper member 2 having a flat surface was used, a group could be formed for the sample 1 and sample 2 containers. However, some containers were crushed between the pair of stopper members.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an aseptic filling system. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the transport line and the grouping apparatus incorporated in FIG. 1, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining the transport line and the grouping device incorporated in FIG. 1 and showing the transport line together with the grouping device. 4 is a view for explaining the transport line and the grouping apparatus incorporated in FIG. 1, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is a partial top view for explaining the operation of the grouping device incorporated in FIG. 1 and showing a stopper member. FIG. 6 is a partial top view illustrating a stopper member for explaining the operation of the grouping device incorporated in FIG. 1. FIG. 7A is a view for explaining a transport method using the transport line incorporated in FIG. 1 and is a top view schematically showing the transport line. FIG. 7B is a diagram for explaining a transport method using the transport line incorporated in FIG. 1 and is a top view schematically showing the transport line. FIG. 7C is a diagram for explaining a transport method using the transport line incorporated in FIG. 1 and is a top view schematically showing the transport line. FIG. 7D is a diagram for explaining a transport method using the transport line incorporated in FIG. 1 and is a top view schematically showing the transport line. FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing a container as the sample 1. FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing a container as the sample 2. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a container as the sample 3.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Aseptic filling system 20 Conveyance line 22 Container forming apparatus 23 Inspection apparatus 25 Conveyance path 30 Conveyance apparatus 40 Guide rail (neck guide rail)
45 Gas injection mechanism 50 Grouping device 55 Detection means 56 Detection sensor 58 Controller 60 Stopper member 61 Holding portion 65 Projection portion 65a Tubular member 66 Hollow portion 68 Support mechanism 70 Aseptic filling line 72 Sterilization device 74 Filling device 76 Sealing device 90 Container 90G Group 95 collar

Claims (31)

  A grouping device that forms a group of two or more containers close to each other by adjusting a transport interval of containers that are sequentially transported in a transport line that transports containers by a gas jet. 2. The grouping device according to claim 1, wherein the group of the containers is formed such that a transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to the same group is shorter than a transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to different groups. . A stopper member extending along a part of the transport path of the container, and a pair of stopper members disposed opposite to each other with the transport path interposed therebetween;
A support mechanism for supporting the pair of stopper members so that they can approach each other and be separated from each other, and
3. The grouping device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of stopper members are configured to sandwich the container between them when they approach each other, thereby restricting the progress of the container. 4. . The container is transported in a state where a collar portion formed as a circumferential projection is supported from below,
4. The grouping device according to claim 3, wherein the stopper member is disposed so as to come into contact with a container that supports the collar portion from a side. 5. Detecting means for detecting whether or not a predetermined number of containers are accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member;
The grouping device according to claim 3, wherein the support mechanism is configured to move the pair of stopper members based on a detection result of the detection unit. The detection means includes a detection sensor arranged on the upstream side of the stopper member along the conveyance path of the container, and a controller connected to the detection sensor and the support mechanism,
The detection sensor is a sensor that can determine whether or not a container is present at a facing position;
The grouping device according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control the support mechanism based on a signal from the detection sensor. The grouping device according to claim 6, wherein the detection sensor is movable along the transport path. The grouping device according to claim 6, wherein the detection unit includes a plurality of detection sensors respectively arranged at different positions along the conveyance path. Each stopper member has a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the transport path side,
The grouping device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of protrusions are arranged along the transport path. 10. The grouping device according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of projecting portions extends linearly in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance path. The grouping device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein each protrusion is made of rubber. The grouping device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein each protruding portion is formed with a hollow portion. Each of the stopper members is a holding portion that extends along the conveyance path, and further includes a holding portion in which the plurality of protrusions are provided on the side facing the conveyance path,
The grouping device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein each of the projecting portions is formed of a cylindrical member attached to the holding portion. The cylindrical member forming each protrusion has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm before being attached to the holding part. The grouping device according to claim 13, wherein A transport device that transports the container along a predetermined transport path by a gas jet; and
A grouping device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising a grouping device provided along a transport path of the transport device. The transport device is configured to transport a container having a collar portion formed as a circumferential protrusion by a gas jet,
The conveyance line according to claim 15, further comprising: a guide rail that supports the flange portion of the container from below; and a gas injection mechanism that blows a gas jet to the container supported by the guide rail. The most upstream side of the transport path is connected to a container forming apparatus for forming a container,
The transport line according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the grouping device is disposed in the vicinity of the container forming device. An inspection device for inspecting the container in the middle of the conveyance path is provided,
The transport line according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the grouping device is disposed in the vicinity of the inspection device and on the downstream side of the inspection device. A conveyance line according to any one of claims 14 to 17,
A sterilization filling line including a device for sterilizing the container conveyed by the conveyance line, a device for filling the sterilized container with the contents, and a device for sealing the container filled with the contents. An aseptic filling system characterized by that. A transport method for transporting a container by a gas jet,
Sequentially supplying the containers to a conveyance line configured to convey the containers by a gas jet;
Adjusting the transport interval of the containers that are sequentially transported to form a group of two or more containers;
And a step of transporting containers for each formed group,
In the step of forming the group of containers, the group of containers is formed such that the transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to the same group is shorter than the transport interval of consecutive containers belonging to different groups. Conveying method. Forming the group of containers comprises:
A step of approaching a pair of stopper members extending along a part of the transport path of the container and facing each other with the transport path interposed therebetween;
The conveyance method according to claim 20, further comprising a step of sandwiching the container between the stopper members and thereby restricting the progress of the container. The container is transported in a state where a collar portion formed as a circumferential projection is supported from below,
The transport method according to claim 21, wherein the stopper member comes into contact with a container supporting the collar portion from the side. The step of forming the group of containers further includes the step of separating the pair of stopper members from each other after a predetermined number of containers have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member. Or the conveying method of 22. The detection unit having a detection sensor arranged to be movable along the conveyance path is used to detect that a predetermined number of containers have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member. Transport method. The detection means having a plurality of detection sensors respectively disposed at different positions along the conveyance path is used to detect that a predetermined number of containers have accumulated on the upstream side of the stopper member. 24. The conveying method according to 23. Each stopper member has a plurality of protrusions protruding toward the transport path side,
26. The transport method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of projecting portions are arranged along the transport path. 27. The transport method according to claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions extends linearly in a direction orthogonal to the transport path. 28. A conveying method according to claim 26 or 27, wherein each protrusion is made of rubber. The conveying method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein each protruding portion is formed with a hollow portion. Each of the stopper members is a holding portion that extends along the transport path, and further includes a holding portion in which the plurality of protrusions are provided on the side facing the transport path,
30. The transport method according to claim 26, wherein each of the protrusions is formed of a cylindrical member attached to the holding portion. The cylindrical member constituting each protruding portion has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter of 10 mm to 30 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm before being attached to the holding portion. The transport method according to claim 30, wherein:

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