JP2012176816A - Container delivery method, and container delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold a container 4 such as a syringe in an erected state in the spiral groove of a screw 2 and conveyed.SOLUTION: In a container delivery device including a screw 2 in which a spiral groove is formed at an equal pitch and which holds and conveys a syringe 4 in the groove, upper and lower elevating and lowering guides 30 and 32 guiding the side surface of the syringe 4 held in the groove of the screw 2, a container holding means (robot 8) holding the syringe 4 and supplying the syringe 4 into the groove of the screw 2 and a following guide 52 guiding the syringe 4 while following and moving the syringe 4 conveyed by the screw 2, the upper and lower elevating and lowering guides 30 and 32 are moved to a retreat position where the syringe 4 is not guided, the syringe 4 held by the container holding means 8 is supplied to the screw 2 and the upper and lower elevating and lowering guides 30 and 32 are moved to a position where the syringe 4 is guided while keeping the held state.

Description

  The present invention relates to a container delivery method and a container delivery apparatus for supplying or taking out a container to and from a container transport apparatus that receives a container such as a syringe in a groove portion of a screw and transports the container in a standing posture.

  Since containers such as syringes and ampoules are difficult to transport in a self-supporting state, conventionally, they have been accommodated in a carrier that holds the container and transported together with the carrier (for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document). 2).

  In the “syringe manufacturing apparatus” described in Patent Document 1, the syringe barrel supported by a tray or the like and carried into the apparatus is taken out by a taking-out means such as a robot and is transported by a carrier carrying conveyor. Into the carrier in an inverted state (in which the injection needle attachment port faces upward). This syringe is carried into a dry sterilizer together with the carrier and dried and sterilized, then sent to the reverse extractor, extracted from the carrier by the reverse extractor, and introduced into the filling and plugging machine. A process is performed. On the other hand, the carrier that has been emptied after the syringe barrel is pulled out is sent to the reverse insertion machine via the bypass path, and the completed syringe after filling and stoppering is inverted and inserted in an inverted state. The syringe inserted into the carrier is transported by the transport conveyor, taken out from the carrier at the syringe discharge section, and sent to the next step.

  Further, Patent Document 2 describes “an apparatus for attaching and detaching an article to a holding body” that continuously supplies an article in an upright state to a holding portion of a holding body (carrier) or removes the article from the holding body. This device arranges in parallel a transfer means composed of a horizontal conveyor such as a belt and a screw conveyor that keeps a holding body supporting a container at a constant interval and transfers it to one side, and a conveying means that uses a horizontal conveyor such as a belt. Or the container is removed from the holding body into which the container has been inserted and placed on the horizontal conveyor of the transfer means while moving the article attaching / detaching means following the transfer means and the transfer means. It is like that.

Japanese Patent No. 3876329 JP-A-8-143145

  In a configuration in which a container such as a syringe is accommodated in a carrier and transported as in the invention described in Patent Document 1, when changing to a container of a different size and shape, the carrier must be replaced. There was a problem that it took time to work. Further, there is a problem that a carrier transport route or the like is necessary, and the entire apparatus becomes large and expensive.

  In the invention described in Patent Document 2, since the article is accommodated in the carrier and transported, the same problem as in Patent Document 1 occurs.

  The present invention enables a container to be conveyed in an upright state without being accommodated in a carrier or the like, and a container for supplying a container held by a container holding means to a groove portion of a screw that conveys the container In the delivery method, a step of retracting a guide member for guiding a side of the container conveyed by the screw from a guide position for guiding the container, and the container holding means for holding the container is disposed in the groove portion of the screw. A step of returning the guide member to the guide position when the container holding means is supplying the container to the groove of the screw, and a step of releasing the holding of the container by the container holding means. It is characterized by having.

  In a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, in the step of supplying the container to the groove portion of the screw, the container holding means is moved while following the movement of the groove of the screw that accommodates the container. It is characterized by supplying.

  Furthermore, the third invention includes a screw that conveys the container, container holding means that holds the container and supplies the container to the groove portion of the screw, and a guide member that guides the side of the container conveyed by the screw. In the container delivery device, the guide member is movable between a guide position for guiding the container conveyed by the screw and a retreat position where the guide member is not guided, and when the guide member is in the retreat position, the container The container is supplied to the groove portion of the screw by the holding means, and the guide member is moved to a guide position for guiding the container while the container is being supplied.

  In a fourth aspect based on the third aspect, the container holding means is movable following the conveyance of the container by the screw, and the container holding means is moved following the conveyance of the screw. The container is supplied to the groove portion of the screw.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container delivery method in which a container is held and taken out by a container holding means from a groove portion of a screw that conveys the container. A step of holding, a step of retracting a guide member that guides the side of the container being conveyed by the screw from the guide position, a step of removing the container held by the container holding means from the groove of the screw, and the guide member And a step of returning to the guide position.

  Further, a sixth invention is the process of the fifth invention, wherein the container holding means holds the container being conveyed by the screw, and the container holding means moves following the container conveyed by the screw. It is characterized by this.

  The seventh invention includes a screw for transporting the container, container holding means for holding the container and taking out the container from the groove of the screw, and a guide member for guiding the side of the container transported by the screw. In the container delivery device provided, when the guide member is movable between a guide position for guiding a container conveyed by a screw and a retracted position for not guiding, the guide member is at a guide position for guiding the container. After the container holding means holds the container being conveyed by the screw, the guide member is moved to the retracted position and the container is taken out from the screw.

  Further, in an eighth aspect based on the seventh aspect, the container holding means is movable following the conveyance of the container by the screw, and the container holding means is moved following the conveyance of the screw. The container is taken out from the groove of the screw.

  In the container delivery device of the present invention, the guide member can be moved between a guide position for guiding a container conveyed by a screw and a retreat position where the guide member is not guided, and the container is placed in the groove portion of the screw with the guide member retracted. Supply and return the guide member in that state to guide the container, so it is cheaper than using a carrier, etc., and easy to change the mold when changing to a different container In addition, the layout of the entire apparatus can be made compact.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the container delivery device. Example 1 FIG. 2 is a view for sequentially explaining the operation of the container delivery device, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state immediately before the delivery of the container. FIG. 3 is a view for sequentially explaining the operation of the container delivery device, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the delivery of the container is completed. FIG. 4 is a view for sequentially explaining the operation of the container delivery device, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the container is supported by the follow-up guide and the lifting guide on the downstream side of the container delivery part. FIG. 5 is a view for sequentially explaining the operation of the container delivery device, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the container is supported by the follower guide on the downstream side of the container delivery part and the lifting guide is opened. FIG. 6 is a front view of the container delivery device.

  A spiral groove is formed at an equal pitch, and a screw such as a syringe or ampoule is held upright and conveyed in the groove, and the container is disposed on the side of the container conveyed by the screw. The guide member that can be moved up and down between the guide position for guiding and the retracted position that does not guide (elevating guide) and the container supplied by the screw follow the container transported by the screw until it is delivered to the fixed guide on the downstream side. The container is provided with a follow-up guide for guiding the containers and a container holding means for holding the containers and transferring the containers to the grooves while moving following the screws. Since the container is supplied to the groove of the screw while being moved to the position and the lifting guide is returned in this state to guide the container, DOO reduction, simplification of mold replacement work, to achieve the purpose of the apparatus compact layout.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. The container delivery device according to this embodiment includes a syringe transport means (indicated by reference numeral 6 as a whole) for transporting a container (syringe 4 in this embodiment) in an upright state by the rotation of the screw 2, and the syringe transport means 6. And container holding means 8 for supplying the syringe 4 to the screw 2. The container holding unit 8 is supplied with the syringe 4 by a tray transport unit 12 that transports the tray 10 on which the syringe 4 is placed.

  The tray conveying means 12 includes a supply conveyor 13 that conveys the tray 10 placed with the syringes 4 lying side by side, and a direction perpendicular to the supply conveyor 13 at the downstream end of the supply conveyor 13. Arranged in parallel with the carry-in conveyor 14 provided with the syringe take-out part A, the first pusher 16 for pushing the tray 10 reaching the downstream end of the supply conveyor 13 onto the carry-in conveyor 14, and in parallel with the carry-in conveyor 14 The empty tray 10A from which the syringe 4 has been taken out by the container holding means 8 is received from the carry-in conveyor 14 and carried out, and the second pusher 20 that pushes the empty tray 10A from the carry-in conveyor 14 to the carry-out conveyor 18 Are disposed perpendicular to the downstream end of the carry-out conveyor 18, and the empty tray 1 from the carry-out conveyor 18. Includes a discharge conveyor 22 for discharging receive A, and a third pusher 24 pushes the discharge conveyor 18 empty trays 10A to the discharge conveyor 22.

  The screw 2 of the syringe transport device 6 has a spiral groove formed at an equal pitch, and holds each syringe 4 in an upright state in each groove on one side surface (the lower surface side in FIG. 1). It is supposed to let you. The syringe 4 is conveyed by rotating the screw 2 holding the syringe 4 by driving the motor 28. Various guides for supporting the syringe 4 from the outside of the screw 2 are provided in order to hold and convey the syringe 4 in an upright state on the side surface of the screw 2. At the syringe supply position B of the screw 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 6), when the syringe 4 is supplied, the syringe 4 does not interfere, and after the syringe 4 is supplied, An upper guide 30 and a lower guide 32 that respectively support the upper and lower portions of the syringe 4 are arranged so as to be able to move up and down so that they can be positioned and supported on the opposite side of the sandwiched screw 2. When supplying the syringe 4, the upper lift guide 30 is raised and retracted from the position supporting the syringe 4, and the lower lift guide 32 is lowered and retracted from the position supporting the syringe 4. The side surface of the screw 2 that holds the syringe 4 is opened. When the syringe 4 is inserted into the groove of the screw 2, the upper elevating guide 30 is lowered and moved to a position for supporting the syringe 4, and the lower elevating guide 32 is raised to support the syringe 4. The upper and lower portions of the syringe 4 can be supported by the upper and lower lift guides 30 and 32. These upper and lower lifting guides 30 and 32 constitute a guide member described in the claims.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a horizontal plate 36 extending in the longitudinal direction of the screw 2 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical lifting rod 34 that is lifted and lowered by a lifting means (not shown), and one end on the side thereof. The side (the right end in FIG. 2) is bent at a substantially right angle in the direction of the lower screw 2, and this bent portion constitutes the upper lifting guide 30. The opposite end 36a of the horizontal plate 36 is also bent downward. The raising / lowering guide 30 bent downward is positioned at a height that does not interfere with the upper end portion 4a of the syringe 4 supplied by a robot hand 38, which will be described later (see FIG. 2). And is positioned at a height that does not interfere with the suction means 40 of the robot hand 38 sucking the syringe 4 (see FIG. 3).

  The lower lifting guide 32 is a plate-like member that is disposed slightly below the screw 2 and extends along the screw 2. The lower raising / lowering guide 32 is connected to a cylinder 42 fixed in an oblique direction below the screw 2 via a bracket 44. By the operation of the cylinder 42, the lower side of the screw 2 is obliquely moved downward. Move forward and backward. The tip end portion 32a of the lower side raising / lowering guide 32 is positioned at a height that does not interfere with the lower end portion 4b of the syringe 4 supplied by the robot hand 38 when the raising / lowering guide 32 is lowered. The side can be supported, and is positioned at a height that does not interfere with the suction means 40 of the robot hand 38 sucking the syringe 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). As shown in FIG. 6, the upper lifting guide 30 and the lower lifting guide 32 are within the range of the syringe 4 supplied at a time by the robot hand 38 (the range indicated by the symbol B in FIG. 6 is the container holding). It is a range extended downstream from the range in which the group of syringes 4 is supplied by one operation of the means 8.

  Upper and lower fixed guides 46 and 48 are disposed on the downstream side of the section where the upper and lower lifting guides 30 and 32 are provided (see FIGS. 1 and 6). The elevating guides 30 and 32 extend downstream from the position B where the syringe 4 is supplied, and are retracted to a position where they do not interfere with the syringe 4 when the syringe 4 is supplied by the robot hand 38, and the position where the syringe 4 is guided after the supply. To move up and down. On the other hand, the upper and lower fixed guides 46 and 48 are configured to always guide the syringe 4 and are continuously arranged on the downstream side of the upper and lower lifting guides. The upper fixed guide 46 supports the upper portion of the syringe 4 in the same manner as when the upper lift guide 30 is lowered, and the lower fixed guide 48 supports the lower portion 4b of the syringe 4 in the same manner as the lower lift guide 32 is lifted. It is like that. In this embodiment, the upper fixed guide 46 has a lower end 46a disposed at a height substantially matching the height of the lower end 30a when the upper elevating guide 30 is lowered, and the lower fixed guide 48 has an upper end portion 48a thereof. The lower lift guide 32 is disposed at a height substantially equal to the height of the upper end portion 32 a when the lower lift guide 32 is raised, and a space 50 is formed between the lower end 46 a of the upper fixed guide 46 and the upper end 48 a of the lower fixed guide 48. Is formed. The height of the lower end 30 a of the upper lifting guide 30, the height of the lower end 46 a of the upper fixing guide 46, the height of the upper end 32 a of the lower lifting guide 32, and the height of the upper end 48 a of the lower fixing guide 48. Are not necessarily matched. Further, when the height of the container 4 is low, the lower lifting guide 32 is not necessarily provided.

  A space between a lower end 30a of the upper elevating guide 30 and an upper end 32a of the lower elevating guide 30 when the upper and lower elevating guides 30 and 32 are respectively lowered and raised to positions (guide positions) for supporting the syringe 2; A follow-up guide 52 is provided in a space 50 between the upper fixed guide 46 and the lower fixed guide 48 to advance in the transport direction following the moving syringe 2 while guiding the syringe 2. The follow-up guide 52 is provided on a movable base 56 that reciprocates in the direction in which the syringe 4 is transported by the screw 2 by an actuator 54 disposed in parallel with the screw 2 below the screw 2. Two vertical rotating shafts 58 are rotatably supported on the movable base 56, and follow-up guides 52 are attached to the upper ends of the two rotating shafts 58 via respective arms 60. By rotating the rotating shaft 58 by the rotation mechanism 62 provided, the follow-up guide 52 is moved forward and backward between the position where the syringe 4 is guided and the retracted position away from the screw 2 through the swinging of both arms 60. Can be moved. This follow-up guide 52 follows the movement of the syringe 4 at a position (guide position) where the syringe 4 accommodated in each groove of the screw 2 is supported from the outside, and moves away from the screw 2 at the downstream end. At that position (a position away from the screw 2), retreats toward the upstream side of the screw 2 (left side in FIGS. 1 and 6), and then moves toward the screw 2 at the upstream end and again The syringe 4 conveyed by 2 is guided.

  A container holding means 8 is provided on the side of the tray conveying means 12 to hold and take out the syringe 4 from the tray 10 that has moved to the syringe takeout section A of the carry-in conveyor 14 and supply it to the screw 2. In this embodiment, the container holding means 8 is a robot, and the robot hand 38 is provided with a suction portion 40 that sucks and holds a plurality of syringes 4. The robot 8 sucks and holds the syringe 4 transported in a state where it lies horizontally on the tray 10 from the tray 10 by sucking and holding it, and after changing the posture to the upright state, Insert one by one. A support member 64 that supports the bottom surface of the syringe 4 in parallel with the screw 2 is disposed below the screw 2 (see FIG. 2), and the syringe delivered to the screw 2 in an upright posture from the robot hand 38. The bottom surface (flange-shaped part) of 4 is supported.

  The operation of the container delivery device according to the above configuration will be described. When the tray 10 on which the plurality of syringes 4 are arranged is conveyed by the supply conveyor 13 of the tray conveyance means 12 and reaches the downstream end thereof, it is pushed out by the first pusher 16 in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the supply conveyor 13. Transfer onto the carry-in conveyor 14. When the tray 10 on which the syringe 4 is placed moves to the syringe takeout position A on the carry-in conveyor 14, the robot 8 is activated and the group of syringes 4 placed on the tray 10 by the suction unit 40 provided in the robot hand 38. Adsorb and hold. The robot hand 38 that sucks and holds the syringe 4 moves to the front of the syringe supply position B on the side surface of the screw 2. The empty tray 10A from which the syringe 4 has been taken out moves to the downstream end of the carry-in conveyor 14, is pushed out toward the carry-out conveyor 18 by the second pusher 20, and is directed toward the discharge conveyor 22 by the carry-out conveyor 18 (in FIG. 1). It is conveyed to the left). Thereafter, the empty tray 10A is pushed out onto the discharge conveyor 22 by the third pusher 24 and discharged.

  When the syringe 4 held by the suction part 40 of the robot hand 38 faces the syringe supply position B of the screw 2 by the movement of the robot hand 38, the upper lifting guide 30 is raised and the lower lifting guide 32 is lowered. Then, the upper and lower lifting guides 30 and 32 move to the retracted position. In this state, the syringe supply position B on the side surface of the screw 2 is opened (see FIGS. 2 and 6). The robot hand 38 holding the syringe 4 moves following the movement of the syringe 4 accommodated and transported in the groove of the screw 2 and moves forward to the screw 2 side to place the syringe 4 in each groove. Deliver. Until the syringe 4 is delivered into the groove of the screw 2, the robot 4 does not actually follow the movement of the syringe 4, but the robot moves at the same speed as the moving speed when the syringe 4 is conveyed by the screw 2. The syringe 4 is delivered while the hand 38 is moved.

  After the robot hand 38 delivers the syringe 4 into the groove of the screw 2, while the suction part 40 of the robot hand 38 is holding the syringe 4, the upper lifting guide 30 is lowered and the lower The elevating guide 32 is raised and the upper and lower elevating guides 30 and 32 are moved to the guide position, whereby the syringe 4 is conveyed while being supported by the upper and lower elevating guides 30 and 32 (see FIG. 3).

  At the time when the syringe 4 held by the robot hand 38 is transferred to the groove of the screw 2, the syringe 4 supplied in the previous transfer operation is transported downstream of the syringe supply position B, and the upper and lower lift guides When the guides 30 and 32 are moved to the retracted position, guides by the lifting guides 30 and 32 are not performed. Therefore, the follow-up guide 52 that has moved to the most upstream side is moved to the screw 2 side to guide the syringe 4 supplied last time. (See FIG. 4). Thus, if it is in the state supported by the following guide 52, even if the up-and-down raising / lowering guides 30 and 32 move to a retracted position in order to supply the syringe 4, the syringe 4 will be guided by the following guide 52. In a stable state (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The follow-up guide 52 moves forward following the syringe 4 housed in the groove of the screw 2 and conveyed. The syringe 4 guided by the follow-up guide 52 is connected to the lift guides 30 and 32. It enters between the upper and lower fixed guides 46, 48 arranged on the downstream side, and is supported and conveyed by the fixed guides 46, 48. Then, these syringes 4 are sent to the next process for performing a cleaning operation or a filling operation.

  Although the said Example demonstrated the structure which supplies the syringe 4 which the container holding means 8 hold | maintains to the syringe conveyance means 6 provided with the screw 2, the up-and-down raising / lowering guides 30 and 32, the following guide 52, etc., An operation of taking out a container such as the syringe 4 from the screw 2 can also be performed with the container delivery device having the configuration described above. In this case, the syringe 4 that has already been supplied and conveyed to the screw 2 is taken out, and each syringe 4 is accommodated in the spiral groove of the screw 2, and the upper elevating guide 30 is lowered, and the lower portion The raising / lowering guide 32 is raised, and the syringe 4 accommodated in an upright posture in the groove of the screw 2 is conveyed with its upper and lower side surfaces guided. When delivering the syringe 4, first, the suction means 40 attached to the robot hand 38 is placed in the space between the lower end 30 a of the upper lift guide 30 and the upper end 32 a of the lower lift guide 32. Insert and hold the central portion of the syringe 4 by suction.

  Subsequently, the upper and lower lifting guides 30 and 32 that have guided the syringe 4 conveyed by the screw 2 are raised and lowered, respectively, and moved to a retreat position where the syringe 4 is not guided. Since the front surface of the screw 2 holding the syringe 4 is in an open state, the suction means 40 of the robot hand 38 is moved by the container holding means 8 and the held syringe 4 is taken out from the groove of the screw 2. Thereafter, the upper lifting guide 30 is lowered and the lower lifting guide 32 is raised to return the upper and lower lifting guides 30 and 32 to positions where the syringe 4 is guided. In the case of taking out the container such as the syringe 4 from the screw 2 as in this embodiment, the container holding means 8 is moved following the container 4 being conveyed by the screw 2 as in the case of carrying out the supply work. By doing so, reliable delivery can be performed. In the above embodiment, the container 4 is always transported continuously. However, the container may be transported intermittently.

2 Screw 4 Container (syringe)
8 Container holding means (robot)
30 Guide member (Up and down guide)
32 Guide member (lower lift guide)

Claims (8)

In the container delivery method of supplying the container held by the container holding means to the groove portion of the screw that conveys the container,
A step of retracting a guide member for guiding a side of the container conveyed by the screw from a guide position for guiding the container, and a step of supplying the container to the groove portion of the screw by the container holding means holding the container And a step of returning the guide member to the guide position when the container holding means supplies the container to the groove of the screw, and a step of releasing the holding of the container by the container holding means. Container delivery method.   2. The container according to claim 1, wherein in the step of supplying a container to the groove portion of the screw, the container is supplied while moving the container holding means following the movement of the groove of the screw that accommodates the container. Delivery method. In a container delivery device comprising: a screw for conveying a container; a container holding means for holding the container and supplying the container to the groove of the screw; and a guide member for guiding a side of the container conveyed by the screw. ,
The guide member can be moved between a guide position for guiding a container conveyed by a screw and a retracted position not guided,
When the guide member is in the retracted position, the container is supplied to the groove portion of the screw by the container holding means, and the guide member is moved to the guide position for guiding the container while the container is being supplied. Container delivery device.   The container holding means is movable following the conveyance of the container by the screw, and supplies the container to the groove portion of the screw while moving the container holding means following the conveyance of the screw. Item 4. The container delivery device according to Item 3. In the container delivery method of holding and taking out the container by the container holding means from the groove portion of the screw that conveys the container,
A step of holding the container accommodated in the groove of the screw and transported by the container holding means, a step of retracting the guide member for guiding the side of the container transported by the screw from the guide position, and the container holding A container delivery method comprising: a step of taking out a container held by the means from a groove of a screw; and a step of returning the guide member to a guide position.   6. The container delivery method according to claim 5, wherein in the step of holding the container carried by the screw, the container holding means moves following the container carried by the screw. In a container delivery device comprising a screw for conveying a container, a container holding means for holding the container and taking out the container from the groove of the screw, and a guide member for guiding the side of the container conveyed by the screw,
The guide member can be moved between a guide position for guiding a container conveyed by a screw and a retracted position not guided,
Container delivery, characterized in that when the guide member is in the guide position for guiding the container, the container holding means holds the container being conveyed by the screw, and then moves the guide member to the retracted position to take out the container from the screw. apparatus.   The container holding means is movable following the conveyance of the container by the screw, and the container is taken out from the groove of the screw while moving the container holding means following the conveyance of the screw. 8. The container delivery device according to 7.

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