JP2015003782A - Inversion device and packing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To vertically invert and transport an article with certainty.SOLUTION: An inversion device 1 comprises: plural storage parts 38 for storing and transporting body warmers XA1; and inversion means 40 for performing inversion processing of returning the body warmers XA1, to the original storage parts 38 that are moved to a second position PO2 which is the downstream of the first position PO1, while the body warmers XA1 stored in the storage parts 38 and being transported are lifted up at a first position PO1 and then turned toward downstream for inverting them so as to invert the body warmers XA1. The plural storage parts 38 respectively have a pair of fingers 32, 33 traveling on the front and rear parts of the stored body warmer XA1.

Description

  The present invention relates to a reversing device for reversing an article being conveyed, and a container filling device including the reversing device.

  Disposable warmers (hereinafter abbreviated as warmers) individually wrapped in a film are stacked in a stacked state and packed in containers such as boxes and bags. Some types of warmers have different heights (thicknesses) on the surface of the warmers, and when they are stacked in this state, they are inclined from one side to the other, and the balance is poor. In addition, after filling the container, a gap is generated inside the container, and the space efficiency is poor (see FIG. 9B).

  In order to solve these problems, the inventor according to the present application considered that it is necessary to alternate the direction in which the warmers are biased. In order to realize such container packing, it was assumed that the PTP sheet reversing device described in Patent Document 1 was applied. In the reversing device, in the process of accommodating a plurality of PTP sheets one by one in the accommodating portion and sequentially intermittently conveying them, while the conveyance is stopped, the succeeding PTP sheet is adsorbed and reversed to the preceding PTP sheet. They are piled up so as to hold each other (see FIG. 12A → FIG. 12B). By applying such a reversing device, when a plurality of warmers are stacked, the directions in which the warmers are biased can be alternated.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 01-013045

  However, when the reversing device described in Patent Document 1 is applied, the subsequent body warmer is overlapped with the preceding body warmer and transported two by two. For this reason, when performing intermittent conveyance at high speed, the warmers cannot be stacked well, and as a result, the warmers may jump out from the inside of the accommodating portion and cannot be reliably reversed and transported. In addition, when a plurality of warmers are received in a stacked state in one housing part, only the uppermost body warmer can be adsorbed, and therefore all the warmers in the housing part cannot be reversed. In addition, if the processing capability is high, there is a risk of mistakes in adsorption.

  Such a problem is not limited to the case of packaging a body warmer individually wrapped with a film, but may be common in the case of similarly inverting other household goods or various articles such as food and daily necessities.

  And in the case of the article | part with which the part to adsorb | suck is not flat or the article | item with a through-hole (for example, the thing of a mesh material), since there exists a possibility of an adsorption | suction mistake, it is unsuitable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a reversing device for reliably reversing and transporting an article, and a container filling device including the reversing device.

  (1) The present invention is reversed by lifting a plurality of storage units that store and transport articles and the articles that are stored and transported in the storage units and swivel downstream at a first position. A plurality of reversing means for performing reversal processing for returning the article to the original storage section that has moved to the second position downstream from the first position while the article is reversed. Each of the storage portions includes a pair of fingers that run before and after the article to be stored.

  According to the present invention, since the inverted article is returned to the original housing portion, the article can be reliably inverted. That is, the inverted article can be reliably accommodated in the accommodating portion. As a result, even when intermittent conveyance is performed at a high speed, the article is prevented from jumping out of the storage unit, and the article can be reliably conveyed.

  (2) The present invention is also characterized in that the reversing means includes a holding mechanism having both ends of the article sandwiched therein, and a turning mechanism for turning the holding mechanism around a horizontal axis. The reversing device according to (1).

  According to the said invention, since it has both ends of an article | item, the said article | item can be reversed reliably.

  (3) The present invention is also the reversing device according to (1) or (2), wherein each of the pair of fingers has irregularities on a surface of the surface facing the article.

  According to the above invention, since the pair of uneven fingers are arranged on the surface of the surface facing the article before and after the article, even when intermittent conveyance is performed at high speed, the unevenness becomes resistance and accommodates. The article is prevented from jumping out from the section, and the article can be reliably conveyed.

  Specifically, when the container is stopped, the article moves forward in the container due to inertia, but is caught on the unevenness of the finger surface, so that the article is prevented from jumping out of the container. Further, when the traveling of the container is resumed, the article moves back in the container due to inertia, but the article is prevented from jumping out of the container for the same reason. As a result, the article can be reliably conveyed.

  (4) In the present invention, the reversing device according to any one of the above (1) to (3) and the plurality of articles conveyed to the plurality of accommodating units downstream of the reversing unit are sequentially provided. Container stuffing means that packs in a container so as to be stacked in a stacked state, and the inverting means performs the inverting process for every other storage section. Stuffing device.

  According to the said invention, since it is reversed every other, when the thickness of each article is biased in the same direction, the biased directions can be alternated. For this reason, when a plurality of articles are sequentially stacked and packed in a container so as to be stacked, the same number of articles are packed in a small container as compared to the case where the articles are biased in the same direction. be able to. That is, no space is generated inside the container, and space efficiency is good.

  According to the reversing device described in the above (1) to (3) and the container filling device described in (4) of the present invention, the article can be reliably reversed and transported.

It is a front view of the inversion apparatus concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a reversing device. (A) is a top view explaining operation | movement of an inversion apparatus, (B) is a front view. (A) is a top view explaining operation | movement of an inversion apparatus, (B) is a front view, and shows the continuation of the state shown in FIG. (A) is a top view for explaining the operation of the reversing device, (B) is a front view, and shows the continuation of the state shown in FIG. (A) is a top view explaining operation | movement of an inversion apparatus, (B) is a front view, and shows the continuation of the state shown in FIG. (A) is a top view explaining operation | movement of an inversion apparatus, (B) is a front view, and shows the continuation of the state shown in FIG. (A) is a top view explaining operation | movement of an inversion apparatus, (B) is a front view, and shows the continuation of the state shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows the boxed body warmer, (A) shows the case of the present Example reversed alternately, (B) shows the case of the comparative example which is not reversed. (A) is a top view which shows the state before hold | maintaining the warmer of an inversion means about the inversion apparatus which concerns on another embodiment, (B) is a front view. (A) is a top view which shows the state after hold | maintaining the warmer of an inversion means about the inversion apparatus which concerns on another embodiment, (B) is a front view. It is a front view explaining operation | movement of the conventional inversion apparatus.

  Hereinafter, a reversing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of the reversing device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a front view of the reversing device 1. FIG. 2 is a top view of the reversing device 1. Note that in each drawing, a part of the configuration is omitted as appropriate to simplify the drawing. In each drawing, the size, shape, thickness, etc. of the members are exaggerated.

  The reversing device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 sets a plurality of disposable warmers (hereinafter abbreviated as warmers) XA1 individually packaged in a film, and sets them in a container YA1 (see FIG. 9) such as a box or a bag. Used in stuffing line. The reversing device 1 performs reversal processing on every other body XA1 in the step of intermittently transporting the plurality of body warmers XA1 one by one in order.

  Each of the plurality of warmers XA1 in this embodiment is a three-side sealed package that is three-side sealed with a film, and is biased in the same direction (the left direction in FIGS. 1 and 2) inside the film. In the present specification, the case where the body warmer XA1 is inverted will be described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to the case where other household goods or various articles such as food and daily necessities are inverted.

  Specifically, the reversing device 1 includes a delivery mechanism 10, a shutter mechanism 20, a finger conveyor 30, a reversing means 40, a control unit (not shown), and the like.

  Each part of the reversing device 1 is comprehensively controlled by the control unit based on the detection results of the warmer XA1 by a plurality of sensors provided in places. That is, each part of the reversing device 1 operates under the control of the control unit, and the operation state is managed by the control unit.

  The control unit includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and executes various controls. The CPU is a so-called central processing unit, and various programs are executed to realize various functions. The RAM is used as a work area for the CPU. The ROM stores a basic OS and programs executed by the CPU.

  The delivery mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a transport mechanism such as a belt conveyor. This sending mechanism 10 takes over the body warmer XA1 lying down one by one from the previous process equipment (not shown) upstream and sequentially sends it onto the shutter mechanism 20.

  The shutter mechanism 20 is disposed above the finger conveyor 30 so as to be continuous downstream of the delivery mechanism 10. The shutter mechanism 20 receives the warmers XA1 sent out from the sending mechanism 10 one by one when the shutter is closed. Further, the shutter mechanism 20 opens the shutter and drops the received single warmer XA1 toward the finger conveyor 30.

  The finger conveyor 30 receives the warmers XA1 dropped from the shutter mechanism 20 one by one upstream of itself. The finger conveyor 30 intermittently transports the received warmers XA1 one by one intermittently. Specifically, the finger conveyor 30 includes a pair of travel plates 31a and 31b, a leading finger 32, a trailing finger 33, a servo motor (not shown), sprockets 34, 35, and 36, a chain 37, and the like. I have.

  The travel plates 31a and 31b are continuously arranged from the upstream (left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) to the downstream (right side in FIGS. 1 and 2) so as to form two rows in the width direction. The travel plates 31 a and 31 b are attached to the chain 37 and travel intermittently with the chain 37. Specifically, one traveling plate 31 a is attached to a chain 37 to which the preceding finger 32 is attached and travels intermittently integrally with the preceding finger 32. The other traveling plate 31 b is attached to a chain 37 to which the subsequent finger 33 is attached, and travels intermittently together with the subsequent finger 33. And the warmer XA1 is placed between the leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33 on the upper surface of the traveling plates 31a and 31b. Thereby, the traveling plates 31a and 31b intermittently transport the warmer XA1 by themselves traveling intermittently. That is, the concave space formed by the traveling plates 31a and 31b, the leading finger 32, and the trailing finger 33 functions as a housing portion 38 that houses and transports the warmer XA1.

  The leading finger 32 supports the warmer XA1 from the downstream side at a position preceding the warmer XA1 placed on the upper surfaces of the traveling plates 31a and 31b. The leading finger 32 is provided with a rubber 32a having an uneven surface on the upstream side (left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) facing the warmer XA1. The leading finger 32 is attached to the chain 37 and travels intermittently with the chain 37.

  The succeeding finger 33 supports the warmer XA1 from the upstream side at a position subsequent to the warmer XA1 placed on the upper surfaces of the traveling plates 31a and 31b. The succeeding finger 33 is provided with a rubber 33a having an uneven surface on the downstream side (the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2) facing the warmer XA1. Further, the subsequent finger 33 is attached to the chain 37 and travels intermittently with the chain 37.

  The preceding finger 32 and the subsequent finger 33 constitute a pair of fingers, and travel while maintaining a mutual distance before and after the warmer XA1. The leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33 have independent power sources, and the phase difference between them can be changed. This phase difference is changed by operating a handle (not shown). By changing the phase difference, the distance between the leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33 is adjusted. That is, according to the size of the warmer XA1, that is, according to the length of the warmer XA1 in the flow direction (conveyance direction), the distance between the preceding finger 32 and the subsequent finger 33 is adjusted. Specifically, the interval between the leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33 that become the accommodating portion 38 is set to be the same as or slightly wider than the length of the warmer XA1 in the transport direction.

  Two servo motors (not shown) are arranged so as to correspond to the leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33, respectively. The servo motor corresponding to the leading finger 32 serves as a power source for one traveling plate 31 a and the leading finger 32. The servo motor corresponding to the subsequent finger 33 is a power source for the other traveling plate 31 b and the subsequent finger 33. A sprocket 34 is connected to the servo motor. Each servo motor rotates intermittently and rotates the sprocket 34 intermittently.

  The sprockets 34, 35, and 36 function as a mechanism that transmits the power of the servo motor to the chain 37. The sprockets 34, 35, and 36 are arranged in two rows in the width direction.

  The chain 37 functions as a mechanism for transmitting the power of the servo motor to the traveling plates 31 a and 31 b, the leading finger 32 and the trailing finger 33. The chain 37 is hooked on the sprockets 34, 35, and 36 so as to be in two rows in the width direction, and is arranged so as to circulate. The chain 37 travels intermittently as the sprocket 34 rotates intermittently. A plurality of traveling plates 31a are continuously attached to one chain 37, and a plurality of leading fingers 32 are attached at equal intervals. A plurality of travel plates 31b are continuously attached to the other chain 37, and a plurality of subsequent fingers 33 are attached at equal intervals.

  As for the conveyance surface of such a finger conveyor 30, the accommodating part 38 has the length for 3 pitches. That is, the conveyance surface of the finger conveyor 30 has a length that can sequentially convey the three warmers XA1. And the conveyance surface of the finger conveyor 30 is divided into the upstream part which receives Cairo XA1, and the middle stream and downstream part which reverses Cairo XA1. The midstream portion of the finger conveyor 30 functions as a first position PO1 where the warmer XA1 is lifted by the reversing means 40. The downstream portion of the finger conveyor 30 functions as a second position PO2 where the warmer XA1 is returned by the reversing means 40.

  The reversing means 40 reverses the body warmer XA1 forward and backward by lifting the body warmer XA1 accommodated in the housing portion 38 of the finger conveyor 30 and lifting it at the first position PO1 and turning it downstream. A reversing process for returning the warmer XA1 is performed on the original accommodating portion 38 that has moved to the second position PO2 during the reversal. However, the reversing means 40 performs reversal processing for every other accommodating portion 38. As a result, the plurality of warmers XA1 are alternately subjected to the reversal process and those not subjected to the reversal process.

  Specifically, the reversing unit 40 includes a clamping mechanism 41, an advance / retreat mechanism 42, a turning mechanism 43, and the like.

  The clamping mechanism 41 includes a power source (not shown) such as an air cylinder. This clamping mechanism 41 has both sides of the warmer XA1. The advance / retreat mechanism 42 includes a power source (not shown) such as an air cylinder. The advance / retreat mechanism 42 advances and retracts the clamping mechanism 41 with respect to the warmer XA1. The turning mechanism 43 includes a power source (not shown) such as a servo motor. This turning mechanism 43 turns the holding mechanism 41 and the advance / retreat mechanism 42 integrally around a horizontal axis.

  The speed of turning by the turning mechanism 43 is set so that the beginning and the end are relatively slow. Thereby, it is possible to prevent large acceleration from occurring in the warmer XA1, and as a result, the warmer XA1 can be stably reversed.

  Next, the flow of the warmer XA1 will be described with reference to one indicated by a solid line with reference to FIGS.

  The warmers XA1 are sequentially supplied from the delivery mechanism 10 to the shutter mechanism 20 one by one. The finger conveyor 30 travels intermittently, and the accommodating portion 38 stops just below the shutter mechanism 20. Cairo XA1 is supplied from the shutter mechanism 20 to the accommodating portion 38 stopped just below the shutter mechanism 20 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B).

  The accommodating portion 38 that accommodates the warmer XA1 travels and stops at the first position PO1. During this time, the clamping mechanism 41 of the reversing means 40 arranged at the second position PO2 returns to the first position PO1 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B).

  The warmer XA1 at the first position PO1 is held by the holding mechanism 41 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B).

  Cairo XA1 is lifted by the pinching mechanism 41 and swiveled downstream. During this time, the accommodating portion 38 that has stopped at the first position PO1 resumes traveling (see FIGS. 6A and 6B).

  The body warmer XA1 is inverted from front to back and up and down, and reaches the second position PO2. During this time, the accommodating portion 38 that accommodates the warmer XA1 reaches the second position PO2 so as to be interlocked with the warmer XA1, and stops. As a result, the warmer XA1 is returned to the original accommodating portion 38 (see FIGS. 7A and 7B).

  Clamping of the warmer XA1 by the clamping mechanism 41 is released, and the clamping mechanism 41 is retracted from the warmer XA1 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B). Thereafter, the reversing device 1 repeats the same operation shown in FIGS.

  The above reversing device 1 constitutes a container stuffing device (not shown) that packs a plurality of warmers XA1 into a container YA1 (see FIG. 9). In addition to the reversing device 1, the container filling device includes a container filling means (not shown). The container filling means packs the plurality of warmers XA1 transported to the plurality of storage units 38 in order downstream and downstream of the reversing means 40 of the reversing device 1 so as to be stacked.

  Thus, according to the reversing device 1, since the reversed body XA1 is returned to the original accommodating part 38, the body warmer XA1 can be reliably reversed. In other words, the inverted body warmer XA1 can be reliably accommodated in the accommodating portion 38. As a result, even when intermittent conveyance is performed at high speed, the warmer XA1 is prevented from jumping out of the accommodating portion 38, and the warmer XA1 can be reliably conveyed.

  Since the clamping mechanism 41 has both ends of the warmer XA1, the warmer XA1 can be reliably reversed.

  In addition, a pair of fingers 32 and 33 having irregularities (rubbers 32a and 33a) are arranged on the surface of the surface facing the warmer XA1 before and after the warmer XA1. However, the protrusions and recesses (rubbers 32a and 33a) act as resistance, preventing the body XA1 from jumping out of the housing portion 38, and the body XA1 can be reliably conveyed.

  Specifically, when the housing portion 38 is stopped, the warmer XA1 moves forward in the housing portion 38 due to inertia, but since it is caught by the irregularities (rubbers 32a and 33a) on the surfaces of the fingers 32 and 33, the warmer XA1 pops out from the housing portion 38. It is prevented. In addition, when the traveling of the housing portion 38 is resumed, the warmer XA1 moves backward in the housing portion 38 due to inertia, but the warmer XA1 is prevented from jumping out of the housing portion 38 for the same reason. As a result, the warmer XA1 can be reliably conveyed.

  Furthermore, since every other accommodating part 38 is reversed front and back, when the thickness of each warmer XA1 is biased in the same direction, the biased directions can be alternated. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9A, when a plurality of warmers XA1 are sequentially stacked and packed in the container YA1 so as to be stacked, the result is shown in FIG. 9B. Compared to such a case where they are biased in the same direction, the same number (20 in the figure) of the warmers XA1 can be packed in a small container YA1. That is, no space is generated inside the container YA1, and space efficiency is good.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and technical idea thereof.

  That is, in the above embodiment, the position, size, length, shape, material, orientation, and the like of each component can be changed as appropriate. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the number of the warmers XA1 received in one accommodating portion 38 is one, but a plurality of warmers XA1 may be received in a stacked state. In this case, the reversing process by the reversing unit 40 is also performed on the plurality of warmers XA1 in a stacked state. As a result, even if the processing capability is high, by reversing the plurality of warmers XA1 together, the operation of the turning mechanism 43 can be made slower than when the warmers XA1 are reversed alternately. The warmer XA1 can be reliably inverted.

  Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the rubber 32a having unevenness is attached to the surface of the preceding finger 32 and the rubber 33a having unevenness is attached to the surface of the succeeding finger 33. As long as irregularities are formed on the surface, there is no limitation to this. For example, a plastic member in which a plurality of grooves are formed in the width direction, or irregularities such as a goblet are formed.

  Or although the said embodiment demonstrated the case of the inversion means 40 provided with the advance / retreat mechanism 42 as an example, the inversion means of this invention should just be provided with the clamping mechanism and the turning mechanism, and is not provided with the advance / retreat mechanism. May be.

  Specifically, the configuration of the reversing means 50 that does not include the advance / retreat mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10A is a top view showing a state before the body XA1 of the reversing means 50 is held. FIG. 10B is a front view showing a state before the body XA1 of the reversing means 50 is held. FIG. 11A is a top view showing a state after the body XA1 of the inverting means 50 is held. FIG. 11B is a front view showing a state after holding the warmer XA1 of the reversing means 50. FIG. Here, only the characteristic part of the inverting means 50 will be described, and description of the same configuration, operation, and effect as those of the inverting means 40 described above will be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A, and 11B, the reversing unit 50 includes a clamping mechanism 51, a turning mechanism 52, and the like. The clamping mechanism 51 holds the warmer XA1 by an air chuck that can be opened and closed by 180 degrees.

1 Reversing device 32 Leading finger (finger)
32a Rubber 33 Subsequent finger (finger)
33a Rubber 38 Housing 40, 50 Reversing means 41, 51 Holding mechanism 43, 52 Turning mechanism XA1 Disposable body warmer (article)
YA1 container PO1 first position PO2 second position

Claims (4)

A plurality of storage units for storing and transporting articles;
The article accommodated and transported in the accommodating part is reversed by lifting the article at the first position and turning it downstream, and while the article is reversed, the article downstream from the first position is reversed. Reversing means for performing a reversing process for returning the article to the original storage section moved to the second position,
Each of the plurality of storage units includes a pair of fingers that run before and after the article to be stored.
Inversion device. The inversion means is
A sandwiching mechanism sandwiching both ends of the article;
A turning mechanism for turning the clamping mechanism around a horizontal axis,
The reversing device according to claim 1. Each of the pair of fingers has irregularities on the surface of the surface facing the article,
The reversing device according to claim 1 or 2. A reversing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Downstream of the reversing means, and a container stuffing means for stuffing the plurality of articles conveyed to the plurality of accommodating portions in order to be packed into a container so as to be stacked.
The reversing means performs the reversing process on every other storage section.
Container filling device.

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