JP2014051342A - Tray transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tray transfer device capable of easily and quickly changing the vertical position of a stopper member for positioning locking claws 9a-9d for holding a tray T.SOLUTION: A tray transfer device comprises: two pairs of right and left movable members 5a-5d installed on a frame 3 to be swingable in the vertical direction; holding arms 7a-7d swingably installed on the respective movable members and provided with locking claws 9a-9d at the tips thereof; and stopper members 23 installed on the respective movable members. The respective stopper members are L-shaped, rotatably journaled to the movable members, and provided with two abut surfaces 25, 26 in the periphery different in vertical distance from a rotation axis O. A ball plunger 27 is installed on each stopper member, and the stopper members are positioned at two portions with respect to the movable members with the rotation. At that time, one abut surface is turned downward to be horizontal at the lower end.

Description

  The present invention relates to a tray transfer device that is used to take out the uppermost trays one by one from a plurality of stacked trays one by one, transfer them to positions separated in the horizontal direction, and place them at predetermined positions. The present invention relates to an improvement of the tray transfer device described in Document 1.

  Patent Document 1 includes a tray holding device that holds a tray, and a moving device that moves the tray holding device between a start point position and an end point position that are separated in the horizontal direction, and moves up and down at the start point position. The apparatus includes a frame attached to the moving device, a pair of left and right movable members arranged on the left and right of the frame and connected to the frame so as to be movable up and down, and a plurality of movable members. A first spring member that biases, a locking means that regulates a lower end position of each movable member with respect to the frame, a tray holding member that is movably disposed in the left-right direction with respect to each movable member disposed on the left and right, A holding member retracting means for moving each tray holding member installed in the head toward a retracted position for releasing the tray, and attaching each tray holding member in the advancing direction for holding the tray. A second spring member that is mounted on each movable member at a position above the tray holding member by a predetermined distance, abuts against the upper end of the tray, stops the lowering of the movable member as the frame descends, and A tray transfer device including a stopper member for positioning the holding member in the vertical direction is described.

  Further, in Patent Document 1, as a specific embodiment of the tray transfer device, (1) the movable member is swingably connected to the frame, thereby being movable up and down ( 2) The tray transfer device includes, for example, a holding arm whose upper part is pivotally supported by each movable member and can swing left and right within a vertical plane, and a tray holding member is installed at the lower end of the holding arm, whereby the tray The holding member is movable in the left-right direction, and the holding member retracting means, the second spring member, and the positioning means all act on the holding arm, and (3) the tip of the tray holding member comes into contact with the side wall of the tray. And the upper surface is a locking claw for locking the flange of the tray, and all are arranged outward or inward. (4) The moving device can raise and lower the tray holding device even at the end point position, ( ) To the tray holding member holding the tray urging force of the second spring member comprises a positioning means for positioning a position in a balanced, etc. are mentioned.

Next, the tray transfer apparatus described in Patent Document 1 will be described more specifically with reference to FIGS.
First, the tray T has a rectangular shape in plan view, and includes a side wall T1, a flange T2 and a bottom wall T3 that are formed inwardly on the entire upper end of the side wall, and an angle T4 is fixed to the outer peripheral side of each corner portion. The angle T4 is used to facilitate stacking by preventing horizontal displacement when stacking the trays T.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the tray transfer device moves the tray holding device 1 between the tray holding device 1 that holds the tray T and the tray holding device 1 between the start position and the end position that are separated in the horizontal direction, and the start position. And a moving device (only the frame mounting portion 2 is shown) that moves up and down at the end point position. The tray holding device 1 includes a frame 3 fixed to the frame mounting portion 2, and four movable members 5 a to 5 that are connected to the left and right ends of the frame 3 through fulcrum shafts 4 a to 4 d so as to be swingable up and down in a vertical plane. 5d (a pair of left and right movable members are arranged at the front and rear, and there are a total of two pairs) and the movable members 5a to 5d are connected to the movable members 5a to 5d through fulcrum shafts 6a to 6d parallel to the fulcrum shafts 4a to 4d L-shaped holding arms 7a to 7d and stopper members 8a to 8d attached to the outer ends of the movable members 5a to 5d. At the lower ends of the holding arms 7a to 7d, plate-like tray holding members (locking claws) 9a to 9d whose tips are in contact with the side wall T1 of the tray T and whose upper surface locks the flange T2 of the tray T are outside. The direction is fixed. The positions of the stopper members 8a to 8d can be adjusted. When the locking claws 9a to 9d swing outward, the locking claws 9a to 9d are below the lower surfaces of the stopper members 8a to 8d by a predetermined distance. The position is adjusted so that it is in position.

Brackets 11a to 11d are installed on the left and right ends of the frame 3 corresponding to the movable members 5a to 5d, and first spring members 12a to 12d are stretched between the brackets 11a to 11d and the movable members 5a to 5d, The movable members 5a to 5d are urged downward. Stoppers 13a to 13d are attached to the brackets 11a to 11d, and stopper contact members 14a to 14d are fixed to the movable members 5a to 5d corresponding to the stoppers 13a to 13d. The stoppers 13a to 13d and the stopper contact members 14a to 14d correspond to the locking means described above, and restrict the lower end positions of the movable members 5a to 5d with respect to the frame 3. Proximity sensors 15a to 15d are further installed in the brackets 11a to 11d, and signals are transmitted by detecting the approach and separation of the stopper contact members 14a to 14d.
Second spring members 16a to 16d are stretched between the traversing portions of the movable members 5a to 5d and the holding arms 7a to 7d. The second spring members 16a to 16d urge the transverse portions of the holding arms 7a to 7d downward, thereby urging the locking claws 9a to 9d in the direction of the forward position where the tray T is locked (outward). doing.

  Air cylinders 17a to 17d and air cylinders 18a to 18d (only 18d is not shown) are further installed on the movable members 5a to 5d. The air cylinders 17a to 17d correspond to the holding member retracting means described above, and when the rod portion is extended by being actuated, the pressing members 19a to 19d attached to the tips of the air cylinders abut against the transverse portions of the holding arms 7a to 7d. Then, the locking claws 9a to 9d are moved (inwardly) toward the retracted position where the tray T is released. The air cylinders 18a to 18d correspond to the positioning means described above, and when the rod portion is extended by operating, the pressing members 21a to 21d (only 21d not shown) are attached to the tip of the holding arms 7a to 7d. Abutting on the longitudinal portion, the tray T holding the latching claws 9a to 9d is moved to a positioning position for left-right centering.

In this tray transfer device, as shown in FIG. 10, the tray holding device 1 has a bilaterally symmetric structure with respect to a plane passing through the vertical center line C1 (a plane perpendicular to the paper), and the second spring members 16a to 16d. When the air cylinders 17a to 17d and the air cylinders 18a to 18d act on the holding arms 7a to 7d, the left and right engaging claws (the left engaging claws 9a and 9c and the right engaging claws 9b and 9d) are opposite to each other. Move in the direction.
The urging forces of the second spring members 16a to 16d are set so that the position of the center line C1 becomes the reference position for the left and right centering, and the positioning by the air cylinders 18a to 18d is performed by the locking claws 9a to 9d. It is set so that the center of the tray T locked to is at the reference position. In addition, as shown in FIG.

  As the moving device that moves the tray holding device between the starting point position and the ending point position and moves it up and down at the starting point position and the ending point position, a robot arm or a moving mechanism described in Japanese Patent No. 2853339 can be used as appropriate.

Next, the operation of the tray transfer device will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 (refer to Patent Document 1 for details).
(1) FIG. 10 shows a state when the tray holding device 1 is stopped at the start position (a position immediately above the place where the stacking tray is placed). The center line C1 of the tray holding device 1 coincides with the center line D1 of the stacking tray. Note that the uppermost tray T illustrated in FIG. 10 is slightly shifted to the right from the center lines C1 and D1, and is also shifted in the height direction when viewed from the horizontal plane (the left side is higher than the right side).
At this time, in the movable members 5a to 5d, the stopper abutting members 14a to 14d abut against the stoppers 13a to 13d, respectively, and stop at the lower end positions, and the pressing members 19a to 19d of the air cylinders 17a to 17d are the holding arms 7a to 7d. The holding arms 7a to 7d are swung in contact with the transverse portion of 7d, and the locking claws 9a to 9d are moved to the inner retreat positions.

(2) When the tray holding device 1 is lowered, the locking claws 9a to 9d sequentially enter the inside of the tray T, and when the tray member T is lowered by a predetermined distance from the height of the flange T2 of the tray T, the stopper members 8a to 8d are successively moved to the flange T2. Since the lowering of the corresponding movable members 5a to 5d and the locking claws 9a to 9d is stopped, and the tray holding device 1 is lowered during that time, the proximity sensor corresponding to the stopper contact members 14a to 14d. When the distance from 15a to 15d gradually increases and the distance becomes a certain distance or more, proximity sensors 15a to 15d transmit signals one after another. When signals are transmitted from all the proximity sensors 15a to 15d, the lowering of the tray holding device 1 stops. The state is shown in FIG.
(3) In this state, the air cylinders 17a to 17d are operated reversely, the pressing members 19a to 19d are retracted, and the holding arms 7a to 7d are swung by the urging force of the corresponding second spring members 16a to 16d. , The locking claws 9a to 9d move forward and come into contact with the inner surface of the side wall T1 of the tray T. The state is shown in FIG.

(4) Next, when the tray holding device 1 is raised, the stoppers 13a to 13d are successively brought into contact with the corresponding stopper contact members 14a to 14d, and the movable members 5a to 5d are engaged with the locking claws 9a to 9d and the stopper member. The stopper members 8a to 8d are separated from the upper surface of the flange T2 of the tray T, and the locking claws 9a to 9d are engaged with the flange T2 of the tray T to raise it. Separated from the second and lower trays of the stacking tray. At this time, only the urging force of the corresponding second spring members 16a to 16d restricts the positions of the holding arms 7a to 7d, and the holding arms 7a to 7d are trays as shown by white arrows in FIG. While T is locked, it swings left and right about the fulcrum shafts 6a to 6d, and the locked tray T swings left and right about the center line C1, but eventually the swing converges, The two spring members 16a to 16d stop at a position where the biasing forces of the spring members 16a to 16d are balanced. At this time, the left and right centers of the tray T coincide with the center line C1.

(5) Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 14, the air cylinders 18a to 18d are operated, and the pressing members 21a to 21d are projected by a predetermined distance. The pressing members 21a to 21d are in contact with the longitudinal portions of the holding arms 7a to 7d, and position the holding arms 7a to 7d and the locking claws 9a to 9d at predetermined positions. The predetermined position corresponds to the positions of the locking claws 9a to 9d when the urging forces of the second spring members 16a to 16d are balanced, and the left and right centers of the tray T are aligned with the center line C1.
(6) Next, the tray holding device 1 is moved horizontally toward the end point position and stopped at the end point position. During this horizontal movement, the tray T is positioned by the locking claws 9a to 9d, so that the centering state is maintained. At this end point position, the stop position of the tray holding device 1 is set so that the center axis C1 of the tray holding device 1 and the center of the second placement location where the tray T is to be placed coincide.
(7) Subsequently, at the end point position, a process substantially opposite to the processes (1) to (5) in which the tray T is locked and then raised by the tray holding device 1 is performed.

JP 2005-343614 A

In the retort pouch packaging facility, a plurality of packaged product bags (retort pouches) are arranged on a tray T, stacked and loaded into a retort kettle, and retort processing is performed. The tray T is a tray for a shallow bag having a shallow depth. When the packaged product bag is a flat bag, the packaged product bags B1 can be arranged and stacked as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, when the packaged product bag is a self-supporting bag, the thickness is larger than that of the flat bag. Therefore, when the packaged product bags are arranged on the same flat bag tray T, the height of the packaged product bag B2 is the depth of the tray T. It is larger than that (see FIG. 7B) and may protrude above the flange T2. In such a case, the trays T containing the packaged product bags B2 cannot be stacked as they are.

  Therefore, when the packaged product bag B2 is accommodated in the flat bag tray T, as shown in FIG. 7B, a height H raising base P is stacked on each tray T to accommodate the packaged product bag B2. The tray is as deep as possible (tray TP for free standing bags). The raising platform P includes a frame body P1 having the same contour as the tray T in plan view, and a stacking angle P2 (the same shape as the angle T4 of the tray T) fixed to the outer peripheral side of each corner portion. The body P1 enters the angle T4 of the tray T and is disposed on the flange T2.

  When using the tray T (retorting a flat bag), when the tray holding device 1 holds the tray T, the stopper members 8a to 8d abut against the upper surface of the flange T2 of the tray T, and the locking claws 9a to 9d are The stopper members 8a to 8d are engaged below the flange T2 at a slightly lower position. On the other hand, when using the tray TP (retorting the self-supporting bag), the locking claws 9a to 9d need to be engaged under the flange T2 of the tray T as in the case of using the tray T, but the stopper member 8a. ˜8d is in contact with the upper surface of the raising base P. That is, in the case of using the tray T and the case of using the tray TP, it is necessary to change the vertical distance between the stopper members 8a to 8d and the locking claws 9a to 9d (the vertical position of the stopper members 8a to 8d).

  When the vertical position of the stopper members 8a to 8d is changed, in actual operation, the lock nut for the movable members 5a to 5d is loosened for each of the stopper members 8a to 8d, the vertical position is changed, and then the lock nut is tightened. We are doing the work. In addition, since all the vertical positions (heights) of the stopper members 8a to 8d need to be the same, this changing operation is extremely complicated, so that the packaged product bag is changed from a flat bag to a self-supporting bag or from a self-supporting bag. When changing to a flat bag, a decrease in productivity is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the tray transfer device described in Patent Document 1, and makes it possible to easily and quickly change the vertical position of the stopper member. The purpose is to improve productivity.

  A tray transfer device according to the present invention relates to an improvement of the tray transfer device described in Patent Document 1, and includes a tray holding device that holds a tray and a start point position and an end point position that are separated from the tray holding device in a horizontal direction. The tray holding device is connected to a frame attached to the moving device and to the left and right of the frame so as to be vertically movable with respect to the frame. A pair of left and right movable members, a first spring member for urging each movable member downward, a locking means for restricting a lower end position of each movable member with respect to the frame, and an upper portion pivoting on each movable member A holding arm that is supported and swingable left and right within a vertical plane; a tray holding member that is installed at the lower end of each holding arm and swings left and right together with the holding arm; A holding member retracting means for moving each installed tray holding member toward a retracted position for releasing the tray, a second spring member for urging each tray holding member in the advancing direction for holding the tray, and the tray holding member A stopper member that is installed at each movable member at a position above a predetermined distance, contacts the upper end of the tray, stops the downward movement of the movable member as the frame descends, and positions the tray holding member in the vertical direction with respect to the tray The stopper member is rotatably supported by each movable member, and has a plurality of contact surfaces with different vertical distances from the rotation shaft around the stopper member, and the stopper member is engaged with the movable member. A mating engagement member is installed, and the engagement member engages the movable member at a plurality of positions as the stopper member rotates, and the engagement member is the movable member. When engaged, one of said abutment surfaces is characterized in that the downward horizontal at the lower end.

  As a specific embodiment of the tray transfer device, (1) the stopper member is substantially L-shaped when viewed in parallel with the rotation axis, and has two contact surfaces that form an angle of 90 °. ) Positioning means for positioning the tray holding member holding the tray at a position where the urging force of the second spring member balances, and the holding member retracting means, the second spring member, and the positioning means are all provided on the holding arm. Further, the positioning means includes an air cylinder installed on the movable member and a pressing member provided at a tip of the rod of the air cylinder, and the pressing member is operated by operating the air cylinder. It can be mentioned that the tray holding member is positioned in contact with the holding arm.

  According to the present invention, in the tray transfer device described in Patent Document 1, the vertical position of the stopper member can be easily and quickly changed, and productivity can be improved as compared with the conventional art. Can do.

It is a top view of a tray transfer device (flat bag correspondence) according to the present invention. It is the side view. It is the front view. It is a rear view of the stopper member vicinity of the tray transfer apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a front view (corresponding to a self-supporting bag) of the tray transfer device according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the tray (a) corresponding to a flat bag, and the tray (b) corresponding to a self-supporting bag. It is a top view of the conventional tray transfer apparatus. It is the side view. It is the front view. It is the front view which described the transfer process by the conventional tray transfer apparatus in order of the process. It is the front view similarly described in process order. It is the front view similarly described in process order. It is the front view similarly described in process order.

Hereinafter, a tray transfer device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the tray transfer device described in FIGS. 1 to 6, the same numbers as those of the tray transfer device described in Patent Document 1 are assigned to portions other than the stopper member.
The tray transfer device according to the present invention has the same structure and operation as the tray transfer device described in Patent Document 1 (see FIGS. 8 to 14) except for a part of the stopper member and the movable member. Accordingly, the description of the stopper member and a part of the movable member is omitted.

  A support shaft 22 is fixed to each of the movable members 5a to 5d with the shaft oriented horizontally, and a stopper member 23 is rotatably supported on each support shaft 22 via a mounting portion 24, respectively. The stopper member 23 rotates in a vertical plane around the rotation axis O (see FIG. 5), has a substantially L shape when viewed from the front (as viewed in parallel to the rotation axis O), and forms two abutments at an angle of 90 °. It has surfaces 25 and 26. The vertical distances d1 and d2 from the rotation axis O to the contact surfaces 25 and 26 are different and d1−d2 = h (> 0).

  A ball plunger 27 is installed at the end of the mounting portion 24 of each stopper member 23 with the ball 28 facing the movable members 5a to 5d. On the other hand, the engaging members 29 and 30 into which the balls 28 are respectively inserted are formed in the movable members 5 a to 5 d as receiving portions of the ball plunger 27. The engagement recesses 29 and 30 are formed on an arc Ac (see FIG. 4) centering on the rotation axis O, and the angle between the engagement recesses 29 and 30 is set to 90 ° on the arc Ac. When the stopper member 23 is rotated and the ball 28 of the ball plunger 27 is engaged with the engaging recess 29, the stopper member 23 is positioned at that position, and the contact surface 25 is then leveled downward at the lower end (see FIG. (See solid line 4). Further, when the ball 28 is engaged with the engaging recess 30, the stopper member 23 is positioned at that position, and the contact surface 26 is then leveled downward at the lower end (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4).

  When the tray transfer device is used for transferring the tray T shown in FIG. 7A, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the balls 28 of the ball plungers 27 are engaged with the engagement recesses 29 in the respective stopper members 23, The stopper member 23 is positioned so that the abutment surface 25 is horizontal downward. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the contact surface 25 of each stopper member 23 contacts the upper surface of the flange T2 of the tray T, the locking claws 9a to 9d are positioned slightly below the flange T2. In this way, the size of the vertical distance d1 (see FIG. 4) from the rotation axis O to the contact surface 25 may be set.

  On the other hand, when the tray transfer device is used for transferring the tray PT shown in FIG. 7B, each stopper member 23 is rotated by 90 ° from the state shown in FIGS. 30 and the stopper member 23 is positioned so that the contact surface 26 is horizontal downward. By setting the magnitude of the difference h between the vertical distances d1 and d2 from the rotation axis O to the contact surfaces 25 and 26 to be substantially equal to the height H of the raising table P, as shown in FIG. When the TP is transferred, when the contact surface 26 of each stopper member 23 contacts the upper surface of the raising base P, the locking claws 9a to 9d are connected to the flanges of the tray T in the same manner as when only the tray T is transferred. It can be located slightly below T2.

In the above example, the engaging member provided on the stopper member 23 is the ball plunger 27, and the engaging recesses 29 and 30 are formed in the movable members 5a to 5d as the receiving portions. However, the engaging member 29 is movable by rotating the stopper member 23. The engaging member is not limited to the ball plunger 27 as long as the stopper member 23 can be positioned at a predetermined position by being engaged with the members 5a to 5d and can be removed from the engagement by rotating.
In the above example, the stopper member 23 is provided with the two contact surfaces 25 and 26 having an angle of 90 °. However, the angle may not be 90 °. In addition, for example, in the case where two raising bases P are arranged on the tray T (corresponding to a thicker packaged product bag), 3 or more as necessary so that it can be applied to a deeper self-standing bag tray. A contact surface can also be provided.

  In the above example, the tray T and the tray PT (the tray including the tray T and the raising base P) are cited as the trays to be transferred by the tray transfer device. However, the tray transfer device according to the present invention is deep in itself. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to a dedicated tray for a self-standing bag.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tray transfer device 3 Frame 5a-5d Movable member 7a-7d Holding arm 9a-9d Locking claw 12a-12d First spring member 13a-13d Stopper 14a-14d Stopper contact member 16a-16d Second spring member 17a-17d , 18a-18d Air cylinder 19a-19d, 21a-2d Pressing member
23 Stopper member

Claims (3)

A tray holding device for holding a tray; and a moving device for moving the tray holding device between a starting point position and an ending point position separated in the horizontal direction and moving up and down at the starting point position. A frame attached to the frame, a pair of left and right movable members disposed on the left and right sides of the frame and connected to the frame so as to be vertically movable, and a first spring member for biasing the movable members downward Locking means for restricting the lower end position of each movable member with respect to the frame; a holding arm whose upper part is pivotally supported by each movable member and swingable left and right within a vertical plane; and a lower end of each holding arm The tray holding member that is installed on the left and right and swings left and right together with the holding arm, and the holding member that moves each tray holding member installed on the left and right toward the retracted position for releasing the tray. A retracting means, a second spring member for urging each tray holding member in a forward direction for holding the tray, and a movable member disposed at a position a predetermined distance above the tray holding member, contacting the upper end of the tray and In a tray transfer device having a stopper member that stops the lowering of the movable member accompanying the lowering of the frame and positions the tray holding member in the vertical direction with respect to the tray, the stopper member is rotatably supported by each movable member. And an engaging member that engages with the movable member is provided on the stopper member, the engaging member engaging with the rotation of the stopper member. When the movable member is engaged with the movable member at a plurality of positions, and when the engaging member is engaged with the movable member, one of the contact surfaces becomes horizontal downward at the lower end. Apparatus. 2. The tray transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper member has a substantially L-shape when viewed in parallel with the rotation shaft and has two contact surfaces that form an angle of 90 °. Positioning means for positioning the tray holding member holding the tray at a position where the urging force of the second spring member balances, and the holding member retracting means, the second spring member, and the positioning means are all in relation to the holding arm. Further, the positioning means comprises an air cylinder installed on the movable member and a pressing member provided at a rod tip of the air cylinder, and the air cylinder is operated to hold the pressing member. The tray transfer device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tray holding member is positioned in contact with an arm.

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