JP2015040077A - Fixing state determination device and container assembly facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fixing state determination device which allows a user to determine that a lid body is fixed to a closing position properly.SOLUTION: The fixing state determination device comprises: a lid opening device 2 for performing opening operation to a lid body 7 from a closing position to an opening position; and a control part for controlling actuation of the lid opening device 2. The control part determines that the lid body 7 is fixed to the closing position in a condition that the actuation state of the lid opening device 2 is a set actuation state after starting of the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2.

Description

  The present invention is provided with a discriminating section for discriminating that an openable / closable lid provided in a storage container for storing articles is fixed at a closed position. A fixed state comprising: a container body formed on the lid; and the lid body movable to the closed position for closing the opening and the open position for opening the opening, and fixed to the closed position by a fixed body. The present invention relates to a discrimination device and a container assembly facility provided with the fixed state discrimination device.

Such a fixed state discriminating device is used for discriminating that the openable / closable lid provided in the storage container is fixed at the closed position. For example, the lid is a lid opening device. This is used when it is possible to determine whether the lid can be opened, or whether the lid is appropriately fixed at the closed position after the lid is fixed at the closed position by the fixed body.
And as a conventional example of such a fixed state discriminating apparatus, a lashing detection sensor for detecting that the lid is fixed by the fixed body is provided, and the discrimination unit is configured to detect the lid based on the detection information of the lashing detection sensor. Some are configured to determine that they are fixed at the closed position (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In addition, the storage container has a thin plate-like fixed body that is slidably movable between a fixed position for fixing the lid body to the closed position and a fixed release position for releasing the lid body from the closed position. Some are provided (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).

JP 2002-326701 A JP 2006-199321 A

In the above-described fixed state discriminating apparatus of Patent Document 1, it is not specified how to detect that the lid is fixed by the fixed body in the lash detection sensor. Thus, it is conceivable to detect indirectly that the lid is fixed by the fixed body by detecting that the fixed body is located at a fixed position for fixing the lid to the closed position. In this case, the determination unit determines, based on the detection information of the lashing detection sensor, that the lid is fixed at the closed position when the fixed body is positioned at a fixed position that fixes the lid at the closed position. To do.
However, if it is configured to discriminate that the lid is fixed at the closed position in this manner, the lid is moved to the closed position after the fixed body is moved to the fixed position. In addition, although the fixed body is positioned at the fixed position, the lid body is only placed on the fixed body and is not fixed at the closed position, but the lid body is not fixed at the closed position. Therefore, it is determined that the lid is fixed at the closed position. Thus, there is a possibility that the determination unit cannot appropriately determine that the lid is fixed at the closed position.

Further, when the fixed state discriminating device detects whether or not the lid body of the storage container of Patent Document 2 is fixed at the closed position, as described above, the position of the fixed body is detected by the lashing detection sensor. Sometimes, for example, using the fact that the height of the location where the fixed body is provided on the upper surface of the lid changes by the thickness of the fixed body depending on the operation position of the stationary body, the height of the location on the upper surface of the lid It is conceivable to detect the position of the fixed body by detecting the length.
However, the fixed body is often provided in a state of being embedded in the lid, and the thickness of the fixed body is formed thinner than the thickness of the lid. Therefore, if there is a difference in the height of the lid depending on the storage container due to deformation of the storage container due to secular change or individual differences in the storage container, a difference in height similar to the thickness of the fixed body may occur. . In such a case, the determination unit determines that the lid is fixed at the closed position even though the fixed body is positioned at the fixing release position and the lid is not fixed at the closed position. There is a possibility that, even though the fixed body is positioned at the fixed position and the lid is appropriately fixed at the closed position, the determination unit may not determine that the lid is not fixed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fixed state discriminating device that can easily discriminate that the lid is fixed at the closed position.

A characteristic configuration of the fixed state determination device according to the present invention is provided with a determination unit for determining whether an openable / closable lid provided in a storage container for storing articles is fixed at a closed position, and the storage container The container body having an opening for taking in and out the article formed in the upper surface portion, and the lid movable to the closed position for closing the opening and the open position for opening the opening, and fixed to the closed position by a fixed body A fixed state discriminating device comprising a body,
A lid opening device that opens the lid body from the closed position toward the opening position; and a control unit that controls the operation of the lid opening device. After starting the opening operation of the lid by the opening device, it is determined that the lid is fixed at the closed position on the condition that the operating state of the lid opening device is a set operating state. is there.

  According to this characteristic configuration, the control unit controls the operation of the lid opening device to open the lid body from the closed position toward the open position. Then, after the control unit starts the opening operation of the lid body by the lid opening device in this way, the lid body is set to the closed position on condition that the operation state of the lid opening device is the set operation state. It is determined that it is fixed.

The setting operation state is an operation state in which the operation state of the lid opening device is an operation state in which the lid body is not properly opened by the lid opening device. When the lid is opened, the suction part is detached from the lid, or the suction part does not move from the position where the lid is closed and held Can be considered.
When the lid opening operation is started by the lid opening device, the lid does not move from the closed position to the open position when the lid is fixed at the closed position by the fixed body. The operation state of the apparatus is a set operation state in which the suction part is detached from the lid or the suction part does not move. The determination unit is configured to determine that the lid is fixed at the closed position on condition that the operation state of the lid opening device is such a set operation state.

That is, when the lid opening device attempts to open the lid, and the lid is fixed at the closed position, and the operating state of the lid opening device is set to the set operating state, the determination unit causes the lid to close. Is determined to be fixed. In this way, when the fixed body is actually fixed at the closed position, the determination unit can determine that the lid is fixed at the closed position regardless of the shape of the fixed body. Can be properly determined by the determination unit.
Accordingly, it is possible to provide a fixed state discriminating device that can easily discriminate that the lid is fixed at the closed position.

  Here, the lid opening device includes an adsorption unit that adsorbs and holds the lid body with vacuum pressure, and moves the adsorption unit that adsorbs and holds the lid body in the closed position to move the lid body It is configured to open from the closed position toward the open position, and when the suction force of the suction portion is not fixed to the closed position, the suction portion sucks the lid body. When the opening operation is performed by the lid opening device in the maintained state and the lid body is fixed at the closed position, the lid by the suction portion is used when the opening operation is performed by the lid opening device. The suction force is set so that the suction to the body is released, and the determination unit determines that the operating state of the lid opening device is the set operating state when the vacuum pressure of the suction unit is equal to or lower than a set pressure. Body closed position It is preferable to determine that the fixed.

According to this configuration, the lid opening device sucks and holds the lid body in the closed position in the suction portion in a state where the vacuum pressure of the suction portion exceeds the set pressure, and moves the suction portion to move the lid body. It can be opened from the closed position to the open position.
When the lid is opened by the lid opening device in this way, when the lid is not fixed at the closed position, the lid moves from the closed position toward the open position as the suction part moves. During this time, the suction to the lid by the suction part is maintained, and the vacuum pressure of the suction part is maintained in a state exceeding the set pressure.
On the other hand, when opening the lid with the lid opening device, when the lid is fixed at the closed position, the lid moves from the closed position toward the open position even if the suction part moves. Since it does not move substantially, the suction to the lid by the suction part is removed and only the suction part moves. Thus, when an adsorption | suction part remove | deviates from a cover body, the vacuum pressure of an adsorption | suction part falls and it becomes below setting pressure. Then, when the vacuum pressure of the suction unit is reduced to be equal to or lower than the set pressure, the determination unit determines that the lid is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operating state of the lid opening device is set to the set operating state. can do.

  Moreover, when the lid is fixed at the closed position when the lid is opened by the lid opening device, the suction part is detached from the lid as the suction part moves, so that the lid is fixed at the closed position. The lid is not operated toward the opening position with a strong operating force, so that the load on the suction portion and the fixed body can be reduced, and the suction portion and the fixed body can be prevented from being damaged.

  In addition, the lid opening device includes a holding unit that holds the lid, and the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position by moving the holding unit that holds the lid in the closed position. The discriminating unit is configured to move from the closed position to the open position side even if a set period elapses after the control unit starts the lid opening operation by the lid opening device. When the lid does not move to the set open position for determination, it is preferable to determine that the lid is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operating state of the lid opening device is the set operating state. is there.

According to this configuration, the lid opening device can open the lid from the closed position toward the open position by holding the lid in the closed position by the holding unit and moving the holding unit.
When opening the lid with the lid opening device in this way, if the lid is not fixed at the closed position, the lid moves from the closed position to the open position as the holding part moves. Can be moved.
On the other hand, when opening the lid with the lid opening device, the lid does not move from the closed position toward the open position when the lid is fixed at the closed position. Even if the set period elapses after the operation is started, the lid does not move to the open position for determination. If the lid does not move to the open position for discrimination as described above, the holding portion is held on the lid and the holding portion does not move with the lid, or the holding portion is not held on the lid. In this state, only the holding part moves with the lid remaining in the closed position. If the lid does not move to the discrimination position even after the set period has elapsed since the lid opening operation was started in this way, the operating state of the lid opening device is set to the set operating state. It can be determined that the lid is fixed at the closed position.

  In addition, the determination unit is set to a determination opening position set on the opening position side from the closing position until a set period elapses after the control unit starts the opening operation of the lid by the lid opening device. When the lid is moved, it is preferable to determine that the lid is not fixed at the closed position.

When the lid is not fixed at the closed position, when the lid is opened by the lid opening device, the lid moves from the closed position toward the open position. Therefore, when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position with the lid opening device, and the lid moves to the open position for determination from the start of the opening operation until the set period elapses, The determination unit can determine that the lid is not fixed at the closed position.
Therefore, according to this configuration, in addition to the lid being fixed at the closed position, the determination unit can determine that the lid is not fixed at the closed position. Usability can be improved.

  Further, the container body forms a top surface of the storage container with a bottom surface part forming the bottom surface of the storage container, a side surface part forming the side surface of the storage container, and the opening and the lid. An upper frame portion, and the storage container has a box state in which the side surface portion is erected on a peripheral portion of the bottom surface portion, and a folded state in which the side surface portion is folded on the bottom surface portion from the box state. The fixed body is movable between a fixed position for fixing the lid body to the closed position and a fixed release position for releasing the fixation of the lid body to the closed position. In addition, it is preferable that the lid body is provided on the lid body so as to be operable from the outside of the storage container in a state where the lid body is located at the closed position.

According to this configuration, the fixed body is provided on the lid body so as to be movable between a fixing position and a fixing release position and to be operable from the outside of the storage container in a state where the lid body is located at the closed position. Since the lid opens and closes the opening formed in the upper surface portion of the storage container, the detection device for detecting the fixed body provided on the lid generally has a configuration for detecting the operation position of the fixed body from above. There are many cases to do. However, since the fixed body provided on the lid of the container is often configured in a thin plate shape or the like, the position of the fixed body is detected by a detection device that detects a change in height that is different in the operation position of the fixed body. It is hard to do. Therefore, if the determination unit determines that the lid is fixed at the closed position based on the detection information of the detection device, there is a possibility that it cannot be appropriately determined that the lid is fixed at the closed position.
Therefore, the lid body is actually opened by the lid opening device, and the determination unit detects whether the lid body is fixed at the closed position based on the operating state of the lid opening device, thereby determining the shape of the stationary body. Regardless of this, it can be determined that the lid is fixed at the closed position, and a fixed state determination device suitable for the container can be provided.

  Further, in the container assembly facility provided with the fixed state determination device, the lid opening device is configured to open the lid of the container in the folded state from the closed position to the open position, It is preferable that an assembly device is provided in which the lid is positioned closer to the open position than the closed position and the folded container is assembled into the box state.

According to this configuration, the container before being assembled in the container assembling facility is in a folded state and the lid is positioned at the closed position. In the container assembly facility, the lid is opened from the closed position to the open position by the lid opening device, and then the container is assembled from the folded state to the box state by the assembling device.
And since the opening operation of the container in the container assembly device is performed by the lid opening device of the fixed state discriminating device, the lid opening device of the container assembly facility is also used as the lid opening device of the fixed state discriminating device. Simplification of the configuration of the assembly facility can be achieved.

Side view of container assembly equipment Top view of container assembly equipment The perspective view which shows the closed position and open position of the cover body in a container The perspective view which shows the box state and folding state of a container Front view showing the lid opening device Front view showing the lid opening device Control block diagram flowchart

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a container assembly facility provided with a fixed state determination device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembly equipment for assembling a folding container C as a storage container is provided with the lowest container C among the containers C in which a plurality of folded containers C are stacked ( A separating device 1 that is separated and transported downstream, a lid opening device 2 that opens the lid 7 of the folded container C, and an assembly device 3 that assembles the container C with the lid 7 open into a box state. And a fixed state discriminating device 4 for discriminating that the openable / closable lid 7 in the container C is fixed at the closed position.

In the container assembly facility, a plurality of containers C are supplied in a stacked state from the upstream side. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 4A, each of the stacked containers C has the lid 7 in the closed position and in the folded state, and the lid 7 is not fixed in the closed position. .
Then, the plurality of containers C in a stacked state are separated by the separation device 1, and the separated containers C are conveyed one by one to the downstream lid opening device 2 by the conveyor 14, and the lid opening device 2, the lid 7 of the container C is opened, and the opened container C is conveyed to the downstream assembly apparatus 3 by the conveyor 14, and the container C is assembled in the box state by the assembly apparatus 3. It has become.

〔container〕
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the container C is movable to a container body 6 in which an opening 5 for taking in and out articles is formed in the upper frame portion 12, a closed position for closing the opening 5, and an opening 5 for opening. And a lid body 7 which is fixed at a closed position by a fixed body 8. The container C has a box state (see FIG. 4C) in which the side surface portion 11 is erected on the periphery of the bottom surface portion 10, and a folded state in which the side surface portion 11 is folded on the bottom surface portion 10 from the box state. (See FIG. 4A), and a foldable container C that can be switched to.

[Container body]
The container main body 6 includes an upper frame that forms a top surface portion of the container C with a bottom surface portion 10 that forms the bottom surface of the container C, a side surface portion 11 that forms the side surface of the container C, and a lid body 7 that is formed with the opening 5. And a portion 12.
The bottom surface portion 10 is formed in a rectangular plate shape in plan view, and the upper frame portion 12 is formed in a rectangular frame shape in plan view. Further, the side surface portion 11 is viewed in plan view by a pair of plate-like long side surface portions 11a forming a rectangular long side portion and a pair of plate-like short side surface portions 11b forming a rectangular short side portion. It is formed in a rectangular shape.

The long side surface portion 11 a has a lower end portion pivotally connected to the bottom surface portion 10 and an upper end portion pivotally connected to the upper frame portion 12. Further, the long side surface portion 11a is divided into two parts in the vertical direction, and the divided members are pivotally connected at the upper and lower intermediate portions of the long side surface portion 11a and can be folded inside the container C. (See FIG. 4B). The long side surface portion 11a can be switched between a standing posture raised vertically from the bottom surface portion 10 and a folding posture folded inside the container C and folded on the bottom surface portion 10.
The short side surface portion 11b has an upper end portion pivotally connected to the upper frame portion 12, and is in a vertical posture with respect to the upper frame portion 12 and is in a vertical posture from the bottom surface portion 10, and a container. It can be switched to a folded posture that is swung inward.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, the container C can be switched to the folded state by setting the pair of long side surface portions 11a and the pair of short side surface portions 11b to the folded posture. ), The pair of long side surface portions 11a and the pair of short side surface portions 11b are set in a standing posture to be switched to a box state.

[Lid]
As shown in FIG. 3, the lid body 7 is composed of a pair of lid portions 7a including a first lid portion 7a and a second lid portion 7a arranged in the short direction of the container C. Each of the portions 7 a has a base end portion pivotally connected to the upper frame portion 12. Then, by swinging the pair of lid portions 7a around the base end portion to obtain a horizontal posture, the lid body 7 is moved to the closed position (see FIG. 3A), and the pair of lid portions 7a is horizontally moved. The lid body 7 is configured to move to the open position (see FIG. 3B) by swinging upward from a proper posture.
Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 3, the lid 7 is moved to the open position by swinging 270 ° from the closed position in the horizontal posture toward the open position. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the lid body 7 is moved to the open position for determination by being swung by 90 ° from the closed position toward the open position. For this reason, the lid body 7 is swung from the closed position to the open side so as to swing to the open position via the determination open position.

  As shown in FIG.4 (b), each of the free end part of a pair of cover part 7a is equipped with the mounting part 7b and the to-be-mounted part 7c. In the state in which the lid 7 is moved to the closed position, the placement portion 7b and the placement portion 7c are placed on the placement portion 7b of the second lid portion 7a. The mounting portion 7b of the second lid portion 7a is mounted on the mounting portion 7c of the first lid portion 7a. Therefore, when opening the lid body 7 from the closed position toward the open position, it is necessary to swing the pair of lid portions 7a upward simultaneously from the horizontal posture and open the lid portion 7a. The other lid portion 7a cannot be swung upward while keeping the horizontal posture.

[Fixed body]
The fixed body 8 is provided on the lid body 7 so as to be movable between a fixing position for fixing the lid body 7 to the closed position and a fixing release position for releasing the fixation of the lid body 7 to the closed position. The fixed body 8 is provided on the lid body 7 so as to be operable from the outside of the container C in a state where the lid body 7 is located at the closed position. Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A, the fixed body 8 is not only when the container C is switched to the box state, but also when the container C is switched to the folded state, It is comprised so that the cover body 7 can be fixed to a closed position.

  The fixed body 8 is provided at each of the free end portion of the first lid portion 7a and the free end portion of the second lid portion 7a. Then, the fixing body 8 provided in the first lid portion 7 a is fitted into the fitting recess 12 a formed in the upper frame portion 12, and the first lid portion 7 a is placed in a horizontal posture by the fixing body 8. Then, the fixing body 8 fixed to the upper frame portion 12 is fitted into the fitting recess 12a formed in the upper frame portion 12 and the second fixing portion 8 is used to The lid portion 7a is fixed to the upper frame portion 12 in a horizontal posture. Then, the lid body 7 is fixed in the closed position by fixing the pair of lid portions 7a in a horizontal posture by the pair of fixing bodies 8.

  Even when only one lid portion 7a of the pair of lid portions 7a is fixed in a horizontal posture by the fixed body 8, the lid body 7 is fixed in the closed position. Incidentally, in such a state, both of the pair of lid portions 7a are in a horizontal posture, and only one lid portion 7a of the pair of lid portions 7a is fixed by the fixed body 8. It is conceivable that only one lid portion 7a is fixed by the fixing body 8 in a horizontal posture and the other lid portion 7a is placed on one lid portion 7a. In the former state, since the unfixed lid portion 7a is pressed by the fixed lid portion 7a, the unfixed lid portion 7a cannot be swung upward from a horizontal posture. In this state, since the unfixed lid portion 7a rests on the fixed lid portion 7a and is not pressed, the unfixed lid portion 7a can be swung upward.

The fixed body 8 will be described. The fixed body 8 includes a fixed position for fixing the lid body 7 in the closed position (see FIG. 3A) and a fixing release position for releasing the lid body 7 from the closed position. (See FIG. 4), an operation unit 8a for moving the fixed body 8 is provided.
The fixed body 8 is provided on the lid body 7 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction along the longitudinal direction of the container C. In addition, an operation recess 7 d that is recessed downward is formed on the upper surface of the lid body 7, and the operation portion 8 a of the fixed body 8 is located in the operation recess 7 d. Therefore, the operation unit 8a (fixed body 8) can be moved in the horizontal direction from the outside of the container C in a state where the lid body 7 is positioned at the closed position and the opening 5 is closed. In addition, the upper surface of the lid body 7 is a surface that faces upward when the lid body 7 is moved to the closed position.

[Container assembly equipment]
Next, the container assembly facility will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container assembly facility is provided with a plurality of conveyors 14 for placing and transporting containers C along the transport direction indicated by arrow X, and the container assembly facility includes a plurality of conveyors. 14, the container C is transported along the transport direction, and the container C is transported sequentially in the order of the separating device 1, the lid opening device 2, and the assembly device 3. The conveyor 14 is provided in each of the spreading device 1, the lid opening device 2, and the assembly device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the container assembly facility is provided with a control device H that controls the operation of the spreading device 1, the lid opening device 2, and the assembly device 3. In the container assembly facility, a plurality of stacked containers C are separated by the destacking device 1, and the containers C are conveyed one by one to the downstream lid opening device 2, and the lid of the container C is opened by the lid opening device 2. The body 7 is opened and the container C is conveyed to the downstream assembly device 3, and the assembly device 3 assembles the container C into a box state by the control device H, the spreading device 1, the lid opening device 2. And the operation of the assembling apparatus 3 is controlled.

[Standing device]
As shown in FIG. 1, the stacking device 1 includes a gripping mechanism that grips the lowest container C from the side of the stacked container C above the conveyor 14. 16 and a lifting platform 17 for moving the container C up and down to a height at which the container C is placed and supported on the conveyor 14 and a height at which the container C is gripped by the gripping mechanism 16.
Then, by the operation of the gripping mechanism 16 and the lifting / lowering operation of the lifting platform 17, the control device H performs the gripping mechanism 16 and the lifting platform 17 in order to drop the stacked containers C onto the conveyor 14 one by one. Is controlled.
The container C separated by the separation apparatus 1 has a lid 7 as shown in FIG. 4A in a closed position and is in a folded state. The container C is placed on the conveyor 14. Are placed and conveyed one by one on the lid opening device 2.

[Lid opening device]
When the lid opening device 2 is described, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lid opening device 2 includes a suction portion 19 that holds the lid body 7 by vacuum pressure, and a lid body 7 in the closed position. And a moving operation unit 20 for moving the suction unit 19 held by suction.
The moving operation unit 20 includes a link mechanism 21 that guides the suction unit 19 in an arc around the swing axis of the lid body 7 (lid portion 7a), and an air that operates the link mechanism 21. And an opening / closing drive mechanism 22 composed of a cylinder.
The opening / closing drive mechanism 22 operates the link mechanism 21 by an expansion / contraction operation, thereby closing the position of the suction portion 19 and holding the upper surface of the lid 7 (lid portion 7a) at the closed position (see FIG. 5). ) And an opening operation position (see FIG. 6) for sucking and holding the upper surface of the lid 7 (lid portion 7a) at the open position for determination.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the lid opening device 2 includes a switching valve 23 that can be switched between a state in which air from a supply source is supplied to the adsorbing unit 19 and a state in which the supply of air is shut off, and an air supply And a vacuum pressure sensor 24 for detecting the vacuum pressure generated in the suction portion 19. The suction portion 19 and the moving operation portion 20 are provided in a pair corresponding to each of the pair of lid portions 7 a, and each of the switching valve 23 and the vacuum pressure sensor 24 corresponds to the pair of suction portions 19. A pair is provided.
And although detailed explanation and illustration are omitted, an annular ejection hole is formed on the ejection surface of the adsorbing portion 19, and air is ejected from the ejection hole toward the outer edge side of the ejection surface. Thus, a vacuum pressure (negative pressure) is generated inside the ejection hole. In other words, the suction part 19 uses the vacuum pressure generated by the ejection of air to suck the lid body 7 and prevents the lid body 7 from contacting the suction part 19 due to the repulsive force of the ejected air. The lid 7 is sucked and held in a non-contact state. In this way, by holding the suction portion 19 in a non-contact state, the lid body 7 can be used by the suction portion 19 even when there is unevenness on the upper surface of the lid body 7 or when the lid body 7 is deformed. It is easy to adsorb and hold.

The suction force of the suction part 19 when the suction body 19 is sucked and held by the suction part 19 is the state in which the suction of the suction part 19 to the lid body 7 is maintained when the lid body 7 is not fixed at the closed position. When the lid opening device 2 can open the lid body 7 and the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position, when the lid opening device 2 performs the opening operation, the suction portion 19 sucks the lid body 7. Is set to an attractive force that removes.
That is, when the lid body 7 is not fixed at the closed position, the suction section 19 is opened together with the lid body 7 by the operating force of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 while the suction section 19 maintains the suction to the lid body 7. It moves to the operation position. However, when the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position, the suction portion 19 is peeled off from the lid body 7 by the operating force of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 so that the suction portion 19 is not attracted to the lid body 7 and the lid body. Only the suction part 19 is moved to the opening operation position with 7 being left in the closed position.

  When the lid 7 is opened by the lid opening device 2, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, first, the pair of suction portions 19 are closed while the pair of suction portions 19 are blown out. The control device H controls the operation of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 and the switching valve 23 so that the lid 7 is sucked and held by the pair of suction portions 19 as shown in FIG. . Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the lid body is operated by moving the pair of suction portions 19 to the opening operation position in a state where both the vacuum pressures detected by the pair of vacuum pressure sensors 24 exceed the set pressure. 7 is opened to the discrimination opening position, and then the operation of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 and the switching valve 23 is controlled by the control device H so as to stop the ejection of air from the pair of suction portions 19. The suction hold on the lid 7 by 19 is released. Incidentally, the set pressure is such that when the air is ejected from the suction portion 19 and the lid 7 is not sucked and held by the suction portion 19, the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 is lower than the set pressure, and the suction pressure is reduced. In a state where air is ejected from the part 19 and the lid 7 is sucked and held by the suction part 19, the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 is set to a value exceeding the set pressure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lid opening device 2 is provided with a regulating body 27 that receives and regulates the lid 7 that is located at the discrimination opening position moving toward the closing position. The restricting body 27 includes a restricting posture (posture indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1) that has entered the movement path of the lid 7 that is opened by the lid opening device 2, and a lid that is opened by the lid opening device 2. 7 is configured to be freely changeable in a retracted posture (posture indicated by a virtual line in FIG. 1) retracted from the movement path 7 to the downstream side in the transport direction. Then, when the lid opening device 2 is operated to open the lid body 7 from the closed position to the open position for determination, the lid opening device 2 is in the retracted position, and after the lid opening device 2 is operated to open the lid body 7, the regulation posture is set. The posture is changed by a driving device (not shown).
For this reason, even when the suction of the suction portion 19 is released after the lid 7 is opened, the lid 7 is received and regulated by the regulating body 27 to restrict the lid 7 from moving to the closed position. The lid 7 is held at the assembly position which is the same position as the discrimination opening position or an intermediate position between the discrimination opening position and the closing position.
Then, the container C in which the lid 7 is opened by the lid opening device 2 has the lid 7 in the open position for determination and is folded (see FIG. 4A). The container C is placed and conveyed on the conveyor 14 one by one on the conveyor 14.

[Assembly equipment]
The assembly apparatus 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembly apparatus 3 includes a gripping portion 25a that grips the upper frame portion 12 of the container C in a folded state from the lateral side. And the standing mechanism 26 that presses the short side surface portion 11b from the inside of the container C by the pressing portion 26a in a state where the upper frame portion 12 is lifted by the standing mechanism 26.

When the container C is switched to the box state by the assembling apparatus 3, first, the upper frame portion 12 in the folded state is gripped by the gripping portion 25 a by the lifting mechanism 25, and then the gripping portion 25 a is moved upward. Then, the control device H controls the operation of the standing mechanism 26 to change the posture of the long side surface portion 11a from the folded posture to the standing posture. Thereafter, the operation of the standing mechanism 26 is controlled by the control device H to cause the pressing portion 26a to enter the container C through the opening 5 and press the short side surface portion 11b from the inside of the container C. The part 11b is switched to a standing posture.
In this way, the container C is configured to be switched from the folded state to the box state by the assembling apparatus 3, and then a guide body (not shown) that acts on the lid body 7 of the container C that is conveyed by the conveyor 14. The lid 7 is swung from the assembly position to the open position.

[Fixed state determination device]
The fixed state determination device 4 includes a lid opening device 2 that opens the lid body 7 from the closed position toward the opening position, a control unit h1 that controls the operation of the lid opening device 2, and a container C that stores articles. And a discriminator h2 for discriminating that the openable / closable lid 7 is fixed at the closed position. Then, after the controller h1 starts the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2, the determination unit h2 sets the operation state of the lid opening device 2 based on the operation information of the lid opening device 2. On the condition that it is, it is configured to determine that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position.
The control unit h1 and the determination unit h2 are provided in the control device H in a program format, and the control device H also functions as the control unit h1 and the determination unit h2. That is, the fixed state discriminating device 4 is composed of the lid opening device 2 and the control device H.

Next, a description will be given of the determination that the control device H (the determination unit h2) determines that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position based on the operation information of the lid opening device 2.
As described above, the lid opening device 2 includes the suction portion 19 that sucks and holds the lid body 7 with vacuum pressure, and moves the suction portion 19 that sucks and holds the lid body 7 in the closed position to move the lid body 7. An opening operation is performed from the closed position toward the open position.
Then, the control device H (discriminating unit h2) opens the lid 7 after the lid opening device 2 starts the opening operation based on the detection information of the vacuum pressure sensor 24, which is the operation information of the lid opening device 2. In the case where the vacuum pressure of the suction part 19 is equal to or lower than the set pressure before the completion of the operation, the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operating state of the lid opening device 2 is the set operating state. It is configured to discriminate.

  Further, the control device H (discriminating unit h2) opens the opening operation after the control device H (control unit h1) starts the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 based on the detection information of the vacuum pressure sensor 24. When the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 remains in a state exceeding the set pressure until the process is completed, the lid 7 is determined to be not fixed in the closed position. Yes.

When the description is added, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the control device H starts from the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 until the opening operation is completed (closed by the suction unit 19). (From the time when the lid 7 at the position is held by suction until the suction unit 19 moves to the opening operation position), the vacuum pressure detected by the pair of vacuum pressure sensors 24 is maintained in a state where both exceed the set pressure. In such a case, the lid 7 is determined to be not fixed in the closed position.
In addition, the control device H detects whether or not both or one of the vacuum pressures detected by the pair of vacuum pressure sensors 24 from the start of the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 to the completion of the opening operation. When the state exceeding the set pressure is not maintained, it is determined that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position.

Then, the control device H determines that both of the vacuum pressures detected by the pair of vacuum pressure sensors 24 from the start of the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 to the completion of the opening operation are set pressures. When the state exceeding the pressure is maintained, and when both the vacuum pressures detected by the pair of vacuum pressure sensors 24 do not maintain the state exceeding the set pressure, the pair of suction portions 19 are moved to the opening operation position. The operation of the switching valve 23 is controlled so as to stop the ejection of air from both the adsorbing portions 19 in the positioned state.
In addition, the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 in only one of the suction portions 19 exceeds the set pressure after the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 is started until the opening operation is completed. When the state is maintained, only the lid portion 7 a that is sucked and held by the suction portion 19 that maintains the set pressure swings upward as the suction portion 19 moves. In order to return such a lid portion 7a to the closed position, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the control device H moves the suction portion 19 that maintains the set pressure to the closed position operating position, and sets it. The suction unit 19 that has maintained the pressure is located at the closing operation position, and the suction unit 19 that has not maintained the set pressure is located at the opening operation position, and stops the ejection of air from both adsorption units 19. Thereafter, the operation of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 and the switching valve 23 is controlled so as to move the suction portion 19 supporting the set pressure to the opening operation position.

That is, in the present embodiment, as the set time, a period from the start of the opening operation to the completion of the opening operation is set as the setting period.
When the controller H maintains the state in which the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 exceeds the set pressure as described above for a set period, the controller H continues until the set period elapses after the opening operation is started ( The lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the lid body 7 has moved to the open position for determination set from the closed position to the open position side (until the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 is completed). It is configured to determine that there is no.
Further, when the controller H does not maintain the state in which the vacuum pressure detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 exceeds the set pressure for a set period, the operating state of the lid opening device 2 is the set operating state. It is configured to determine that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position.

For the container C that is determined by the control device H that the lid 7 is not fixed at the closed position, the container C that has been opened by the lid opening device 2 is assembled into a box by the assembly device 3. The container C in a box state is transported to the downstream side of the assembling apparatus 3.
On the other hand, for the container C determined by the control device H that the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position, the container C with the lid 7 fixed at the closed position is put into a box state by the assembling device 3. The container C is transported to the downstream side of the assembling apparatus 3 in the folded state without being assembled.

  Thus, the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position in order to determine whether the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position by opening the lid 7 of the container C with the lid opening device 2. This can be accurately determined. In addition, by using the lid opening device 2 of the container assembly facility also as the lid opening device 2 of the fixed state discriminating device 4, the configuration of the container assembly facility can be simplified.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above embodiment, as a detection device that detects the operating state of the lid opening device 2, the vacuum pressure sensor 24 that detects the vacuum pressure of the adsorption unit 19 is provided, and the determination unit h <b> 2 is detected information of the vacuum pressure sensor 24. The operation state of the lid opening device 2 is set when the vacuum pressure of the suction part 19 becomes lower than the setting after the lid body 7 is opened and before the opening operation is completed. Although it is determined that the lid body 7 is fixed in the closed position as being in the operating state, it may be configured as follows.
That is, as a detection device that detects the operating state of the lid opening device 2, an adsorption unit detection device that detects the position of the adsorption unit 19 is provided, and the determination unit h2 is based on the detection information of the adsorption unit detection device. When the position of the suction portion 19 does not move from the closing operation position even though the opening operation is started, the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operating state of the lid opening device 2 is the set operating state. You may comprise so that it may discriminate | determine.

Specifically, a suction part detection device that detects the position of the suction part 19 is provided. Further, the suction force of the suction portion 19 when the lid body 7 is sucked and held by the suction portion 19 can be sucked even when the lid opening device 2 is opened when the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position. The suction force is set so as to maintain the suction of the lid 19 by the portion 19. Further, when the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position and the suction portion 19 holds the lid 7 by suction, the operation force of the moving operation portion 20 is changed from the closing operation position to the opening operation position. Set the operation force so that it cannot be opened.
Then, based on the detection information of the suction part detection device, the determination part h2 closes the suction part 19 even if a set period elapses after the control part h1 starts the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2. It may be configured to determine that the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position when the lid 7 is not moved to the discrimination opening position and is located at the operation position.
Incidentally, in the case of such a configuration, a holding portion that holds the lid body 7 by engagement or gripping with respect to the lid body 7 may be provided in place of the suction portion 19. Moreover, as a position detection apparatus, you may detect the position of the adsorption | suction part 19 directly, and may detect the position of the adsorption | suction part 19 indirectly by detecting the position of the cover body 7. FIG.

  Moreover, it replaces with the detection apparatus which detects the operation state of the lid opening apparatus 2, and is a position detection apparatus (for example, the distance sensor which detects the distance from the adsorption | suction part 19 to the cover body 7, suction, or the like) A detection switch that is turned ON in the container C when the lid 7 is sucked and held by the unit 19, or a presence / absence sensor that detects that the lid 7 swings from the closed position to the open position). Based on the detection information of the position detection device as the position information of the lid 7, the determination unit h <b> 2 starts the opening operation after the lid 7 is opened and before the opening operation is completed. On the other hand, when the lid body 7 is separated by a set distance or more on the closed position side (when the separation distance detected by the distance sensor becomes a set distance or more, or when the lid body 7 is separated from the suction portion 19 by a set distance or more. When the detection switch is turned off, When the presence / absence sensor detects the presence of the lid body 7), it is determined that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operation state of the lid opening device 2 is the set operation state. May be.

  As the setting period, a period from when the opening operation is started to when the opening operation is completed may be set as in the above embodiment, but until the set time elapses after the opening operation is started. It may be a period. The set time may be set to a time shorter than the time required for the opening operation to be completed after the opening operation is started.

(2) In the above embodiment, the fixed state discriminating device 4 is provided in the container assembly facility. However, the fixed state discriminating device 4 can be used in, for example, a picking facility that performs picking work for putting an article into the container C in addition to the container assembly facility. It may be provided. As described above, when the fixed state discriminating device 4 is provided in the picking equipment, it is determined whether or not the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position by the fixed state discriminating device 4 after performing the picking operation. It can be used to confirm that the lid 7 is fixed at the closed position by an operator or a lid closing device.

(3) In the above embodiment, the storage container is the foldable container C. However, the container C may not be switched from the box state to the folded state, and other containers such as a carton case other than the container C may be used. But you can.
Further, the lid body 7 is provided in a state of being pivotally connected to the container body 6 so as to be swingable. However, the lid body 7 is separated from the container body 6 and is put on the container body 6 from above. You may comprise so that the opening 5 may be opened and closed by moving to the closed position mounted | worn with and the open position removed from the container main body 6. FIG.
Moreover, although the lid body 7 is constituted by a pair of lid portions 7a, the lid body 7 may be constituted by a single lid portion 7a. In this case, since the adsorption | suction part 19 and the movement operation part 20 should just be provided corresponding to the single cover part 7a, the simplification of the structure of the cover opening apparatus 2 can be achieved.

(4) In the above embodiment, the fixed body 8 is provided in the lid body 7, but the fixed body 8 may be provided in the container body 6. Further, the fixing body 8 may be provided separately from the container body 6 and the lid body 7, a clamping device for holding the lid body 7 together with the container body 6, a tape for attaching the lid body 7 to the container body 6, a lid The rope body which binds the body 7 to the container main body 6 may be sufficient.

(5) In the above embodiment, the control unit h1 that controls the operation of the lid opening device 2 and the discrimination unit h2 that discriminates that the lid body 7 is fixed at the closed position are combined into one control device H. Although comprised, the control apparatus which controls the action | operation of the lid opening apparatus 2 and the control apparatus which discriminate | determines that the cover body 7 is being fixed to the closed position are provided, These control part h1 and discrimination | determination part h2 are provided. You may comprise with the separate control apparatus H. FIG.

(6) In the above embodiment, the determination opening position is set at an intermediate position between the closing position and the opening position, and the opening position and the determination opening position are set to different positions. May be set at the same position.

(7) In the above embodiment, the vacuum detected by the vacuum pressure sensor 24 only in one of the suction portions 19 from when the opening operation of the lid body 7 by the lid opening device 2 is started until the opening operation is completed. When the pressure exceeds the set pressure, only the suction part 19 that has maintained the set pressure is moved to the closing operation position and then moved to the opening operation position. Both the adsorbing part 19 that has maintained the state exceeding and the adsorbing part 19 that has not maintained the state exceeding the set pressure may be moved to the closing operation position and then moved to the opening operation position. With this configuration, it is only necessary to move the pair of adsorbing portions 19 in the same manner, so that the control of the operation of the opening / closing drive mechanism 22 by the control device H can be simplified.

2 lid opening device 3 assembling device 4 fixed state knitting device 5 opening 6 container body 7 lid body 8 fixed body 10 bottom surface portion 11 side surface portion 12 upper frame portion 19 adsorbing portion (holding portion)
C Storage container (container)
h1 control unit h2 discrimination unit

Claims (6)

A discriminating section for discriminating that the openable / closable lid provided in the storage container for storing the article is fixed at the closed position;
The storage container is movable to a container main body in which an opening for taking in and out articles is formed in an upper surface portion, the closed position for closing the opening, and the opening position for opening the opening, and is fixed to the closed position by a fixed body. A fixed state discriminating apparatus comprising the lid body,
A lid opening device that opens the lid from the closed position toward the open position;
A control unit for controlling the operation of the lid opening device,
The discriminating unit is configured such that after the control unit starts the opening operation of the lid by the lid opening device, the lid is closed on the condition that the operating state of the lid opening device is a set operating state. A fixed state discriminating device that discriminates that the position is fixed. The lid opening device includes an adsorption portion that adsorbs and holds the lid body with vacuum pressure, and moves the adsorption portion that adsorbs and holds the lid body in the closed position to move the lid body from the closed position. Configured to open to the open position,
When the suction force of the suction part is not fixed to the closed position, the opening operation is performed by the lid opening device while maintaining the suction of the suction part to the lid, and When the lid is fixed at the closed position, it is set to an adsorption force that removes the adsorption to the lid by the adsorption portion when the lid opening device performs the opening operation,
When the vacuum pressure of the adsorbing unit is equal to or lower than a set pressure, the determining unit determines that the operating state of the lid opening device is the set operating state, and the lid is fixed at the closed position. The fixed state discriminating apparatus according to claim 1 for discriminating. The lid opening device includes a holding unit that holds the lid, and moves the holding unit that holds the lid in the closed position to move the lid from the closed position toward the open position. Configured to open,
The discriminating unit has the lid at a discriminating open position set on the open position side from the closed position even after a set period has elapsed after the control unit has started opening the lid by the lid opening device. The fixed state determination device according to claim 1, wherein when the body does not move, it is determined that the lid body is fixed at the closed position, assuming that the operation state of the lid opening device is the set operation state.   The discriminating unit is configured to open the lid at a discriminating open position set on the open position side from the closed position until a set period elapses after the control unit starts the lid opening operation by the lid opening device. The fixed state discriminating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the body moves, it is discriminated that the lid body is not fixed at the closed position. An upper frame in which the container main body forms a top surface of the storage container with a bottom surface portion forming a bottom surface of the storage container, a side surface portion forming a side surface of the storage container, and the opening and the lid body A part, and
The storage container is configured by a container that can be switched between a box state in which the side surface portion is erected on a peripheral portion of the bottom surface portion and a folded state in which the side surface portion is folded on the bottom surface portion from the box state. And
The fixed body is movable between a fixed position for fixing the lid body to the closed position and a fixing release position for releasing the fixation of the lid body to the closed position, and the lid body is closed. The fixed state discriminating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fixed state discriminating device is provided on the lid so as to be operable from the outside of the storage container in a state of being positioned. A container assembly facility provided with the fixed state determination device according to claim 5,
The lid opening device is configured to open the lid of the folded container from the closed position to the open position;
A container assembling facility provided with an assembling apparatus for assembling the folded container in the box state with the lid positioned at the open position.

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