JP2017154805A - Capper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable changing a timing of guiding a long member at a low cost in a capper to attach to a container a cap including the long member inserted into the container.SOLUTION: In a capper which holds a cap having a long member T inserted into a container, and attaches the cap to the container, the periphery of the long member T is surrounded and guided to a container mouth by guide parts 30A, 30B attached to the tips of tube gripper pieces 32A, 32B. The guide parts 30A, 30B are movable in a prescribed range in a direction in which the tube gripper pieces 32A, 32B move by engaging pin members 76 of the tube gripper pieces 32A, 32B with arc-shaped openings 74 provided in the guide parts 30A, 30B. The guide parts 30A, 30B are energized in a closing direction of the tube gripper pieces 32A, 32B by springs 78S.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a capper that attaches a cap having a long member inserted into the container to the container.

  For example, in capping for attaching a cap with a dispenser to a container, capping is performed by inserting a long member such as a tube or pipe hanging from the pump of the dispenser into the container. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a capper for attaching a cap with a dispenser using a soft tube having a thin diameter to a container, and Patent Document 2 includes a dispenser using a long tube having a relatively large diameter. A capper for attaching a cap to a container is disclosed. In such a capper, in order to cope with a warp or the like generated in the tube, the tube tip is held by the tube gripper and guided to the mouth of the container until the tip of the tube is inserted into the container (see Patent Document 1). .

Japanese Patent No. 3563598 JP-A-63-067291

  By the way, there is also a request to use a capper for a cap that employs tubes having different thicknesses and lengths. In the capper disclosed in Patent Document 1, a configuration is provided in which a mechanism for adjusting the height of the tube gripper is provided in accordance with tubes having different lengths so as to cope with mold change. However, the opening and closing of the tube gripper is controlled using a cam mechanism. With the configuration of Patent Document 1, the timing for opening the tube gripper cannot be changed. For this reason, it is not possible to deal with varieties whose opening / closing timing needs to be changed. For example, when considering the combined use of a capper with a type having a thin soft tube having a short diameter as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and a type having a long diameter tube with a large diameter as disclosed in Patent Document 2. In the tube of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to guide the tube with a tube gripper for a longer time. However, in the tube of Patent Document 2, the time required for the guide is relatively short. It is necessary to open the tube gripper at an earlier stage in order to prevent interference between the step portion constituting the connecting portion with the tube and the tube gripper. In order to be able to change the timing of opening and closing depending on the product type, it is conceivable to use drive means such as a motor in place of the cam mechanism. Increases significantly.

  This invention makes it a subject to make it possible to change the timing which guides a long member at low cost in the capper which attaches a cap provided with the long member inserted in a container to a container.

  The capper of the present invention includes a capping head that holds a cap having a long member inserted into the container and is attached to the container, a pair of grippers for guiding the long member, and the gripper in the opening direction and the closing direction. A gripper opening and closing means that opens and closes, guides the long member to be inserted into the mouth of the container, and attaches a cap to the container. The gripper includes a gripper member that is opened and closed by the gripper opening and closing means, A gripper opening / closing means having a guide portion that is attached to the gripper member so as to be movable in the opening / closing movement direction and guides the long member; and a biasing member that biases the guide portion in the closing direction of the gripper member. After moving the gripper member in the closing direction and bringing the guide parts into contact with each other, the gripper member is further moved in the closing direction. It is a symptom.

  Either the first gripper attached to the gripper member in a state where the guide part is movable or the second gripper fixed to the gripper member can be selectively attached to the gripper opening / closing means. The means is preferably constituted by a cam mechanism, and the first gripper and the second gripper are opened and closed by a common cam curve.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the capper which attaches the cap provided with the elongate member inserted in a container to a container, the timing which guides an elongate member can be changed at low cost.

It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of the capper which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sectional side view of the capper star wheel of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the attachment structure to the arm of a tube gripper. It is an enlarged plan view of a center gripper. It is the enlarged plan view and enlarged front view of the tube gripper of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of the tube gripper and guide part of this embodiment. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the open / close state of a tube gripper, and the tube gripper opening / closing cam. It is an enlarged plan view of a tube gripper used for capping a cap having a relatively long length. It is a figure explaining the difference in the capping operation | movement of the cap with a comparatively short length of a long member, and a long cap.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a capper according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A cap C (see FIG. 3) and a container V (see FIG. 3) to which the cap is attached are sequentially supplied from the inlet star wheel 12 to the capper star wheel 10. The container V is sequentially supplied from the container supply conveyor 14 to the inlet star wheel 12. A cap disk 12C (see FIG. 3) is provided on the upper stage of the inlet star wheel 12, and a cap C from which a long member T (see FIG. 3) hangs down is supplied from the cap chute 16 to the inside. The cap C may be a screw type or a stopper type, and as the long member T, for example, a dispenser tube or pipe used for cosmetics or shampoo, or a dropper of a cap with a dropper, a mascara brush or a touch paint brush Etc.

  The cap C and the container V are transferred from the inlet star wheel 12 to the capper star wheel 10 at the supply position P1. The capper star wheel 10 is transferred to the outlet star wheel 18 at the discharge position P2 after capping described later. The container V with the cap C delivered to the outlet star wheel 18 is further delivered to the discharge conveyor 20 and conveyed to a downstream process. In addition, the arrow shown by FIG. 1 shows the conveyance direction of the container V and / or the cap C in each apparatus.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the capper star wheel 10 of the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, the configurations around the first to third axes constituting the gripper opening / closing mechanism of the cap holding mechanism described later are shown in the right side of FIG. 2A, the left side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. FIG. 2 (b) shows a configuration around the third axis at a position corresponding to the right side of FIG. 2 (a).

  The capper star wheel 10 includes a plurality of capping heads 22 arranged in the circumferential direction, a bottle 24 arranged below each capping head 22 and holding each delivered container V, and each delivered cap. Each includes a cap holding mechanism 26 that holds C between the capping head 22 and the bottle table 24. The capping head 22, the bottle table 24, and the cap holding mechanism 26 are rotated around the wheel rotation shaft 10R in a synchronized state.

  The cap holding mechanism 26 grips the base of the long member of the cap, receives the cap from the cap disk of the inlet star wheel 12, and holds the cap at least until it is held by the cap head 22. A tube gripper 32 that surrounds the long member and is attached with a guide portion 30 that guides the tip of the long member to the container mouth. The center gripper 28 includes a right center gripper piece 28A and a left center gripper piece 28B, and the tube gripper 32 includes a right tube gripper piece (gripper member) 32A and a left tube gripper piece (gripper member) 32B.

  As described above, the cap holding mechanism 26 includes the first shaft 34A (right side in FIG. 2A), the second shaft 34B (left side in FIG. 2A), and the third shaft 34C (FIG. b)), and the first to third shafts 34 </ b> A to 34 </ b> C are arranged in this order with respect to the rotation direction of the capper star wheel 10. The first shaft 34A functions as a camshaft for opening and closing the tube gripper, and a gear 36A for rotating the right tube gripper piece 32A is attached, and a gear 38A for rotating the right center gripper piece 28A is rotatably supported. To do. The second shaft 34B rotatably supports a gear 38B that rotates the left center gripper piece 28B, and rotatably supports a gear 36B that rotates the left tube gripper piece 32B. The third shaft 34C functions as a camshaft for opening and closing the center gripper, and a gear 40C engaged with the gear 38B is attached to the upper end thereof.

First, the opening / closing mechanism of the center gripper 28 will be described with reference to FIG.
A right center gripper piece 28A is attached to a gear 38A rotatably supported by the first shaft 34A via an arm 42A. A gear 38B rotatably supported by the second shaft 34B is engaged with the gear 38A, and the left center gripper piece 28B is attached via the arm 42B. That is, when the third shaft 34C is rotated, the gear 38B is rotated via the gear 40C, and the gear 38A is rotated in the opposite direction to the gear 38B. As a result, the center gripper 28 attached to the arms 42A and 42B is opened and closed.

  The rotation of the third shaft 34C is performed by a spring 44 attached to the gear 40C at the upper end of the third shaft 34C and a center gripper opening / closing cam follower 46 provided at the lower end of the third shaft 34C. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, the center gripper opening / closing cam follower 46 is moved around the wheel rotation shaft 10R by the rotation biasing force (counterclockwise in plan view) applied to the third shaft 34C by the spring 44. The third shaft 34C is rotated in accordance with the cam shape by being pressed against the center gripper opening / closing cam 48 which is fixedly arranged.

Next, the opening / closing mechanism of the tube gripper 32 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown on the right side of FIG. 2A, a tube gripper opening / closing cam follower 50 is provided at the lower end of the first shaft 34A, and an arm 51 is attached to the upper end of the first shaft 34A. A biasing force (counterclockwise in plan view) is applied. The tube gripper opening / closing cam follower 50 is pressed against a tube gripper opening / closing cam 54 fixedly disposed around the wheel rotation shaft 10R by the rotational biasing force of the spring 52, and the first shaft 34A rotates according to the cam shape. Is done.

  The first lifting / lowering unit 56 and the second lifting / lowering unit 58 are inserted through the first shaft 34A, and the first and second lifting / lowering units 56 and 58 are movable up and down with respect to the first shaft 34A. The gear 36A and the gear 36B are meshed with each other and are rotatably held by the second elevating unit 58, and the gear 36A is attached to the first shaft 34A via a spline mechanism so as to be raised and lowered. Further, the right tube gripper piece 32A is attached to the gear 36A via an arm 60A, and the left tube gripper piece 32B is attached to the gear 36B via an arm 60B.

  That is, when the first shaft 34A is rotated along the shape of the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54, the gear 36A is rotated through the spline mechanism, the gear 36B meshing with the gear 36A is rotated in the reverse direction, and the tube gripper 32 is opened / closed. The

Next, the lifting mechanism of the tube gripper 32 will be described with reference to FIG.
The tube gripper 32 is lifted and lowered by gears 36 </ b> A and 36 </ b> B rotatably held by the second lifting / lowering unit 58 moving together with the second lifting / lowering unit 58. The raising / lowering of the second elevating / lowering unit 58 can be restricted with respect to the first elevating / lowering unit 56 through the adjusting shaft 66 provided in the second elevating / lowering unit 58.

  The first elevating unit 56 is moved up and down by the first elevating cam follower 56C provided in the first elevating unit 56 traveling on the first elevating cam 62 fixedly disposed around the wheel rotation shaft 10R. The second lifting / lowering unit 58 is lifted / lowered when a second lifting / lowering cam follower 58C provided in the second lifting / lowering unit 58 travels on a second lifting / lowering cam 64 fixedly disposed around the wheel rotation shaft 10R.

  The second lifting / lowering unit 58 is connected to the first lifting / lowering unit 56 via the adjustment shaft 66, and the distance that can be separated from the first lifting / lowering unit 56 can be adjusted within a predetermined distance. The adjustment shaft 66 extends vertically upward from the second lifting / lowering unit 58 through the first lifting / lowering unit 56, and a stopper 68 is provided at the tip thereof. Around the adjustment shaft 66, a sleeve 66S is disposed on the first lifting unit 56 side, and a collar 66C is disposed on the stopper 68 side. That is, the downward movement of the adjustment shaft 66 is restricted by the contact between the collar 66C and the sleeve 66S, and a stroke that allows the second lifting / lowering unit 58 to descend with respect to the first lifting / lowering unit 56 by changing the length of the collar 66C. It can be adjusted.

  2A, since the collar 66C is in contact with the sleeve 66S, the second lifting / lowering unit 58 cannot be lowered with respect to the first lifting / lowering unit 56 any more. , 58 are integrally lifted along the first lift cam 62, and the second lift cam follower 58C is lifted from the second lift cam 64. As shown in FIG. 3, when there is a gap D between the collar 66 </ b> C and the sleeve 66 </ b> S, the second lifting unit 58 can be lowered relative to the first lifting unit 56 by the gap D. That is, in the capper of this embodiment, the raising / lowering width of the tube gripper 32 can be adjusted according to the product to be handled by changing the length of the collar 66C.

  3A and 3B are views for explaining a structure for attaching the tube gripper 32 to the arms 60A and 60B. FIG. 3A is a side view, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged rear view of the attachment portion. In the capper of this embodiment, in order to change the tube gripper 32 according to the product to be handled, the right tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B are attached to the arms 60A and 60B via the attachments 70A and 70B. The arms 60A and 60B are each provided with two flat head pins 61 projecting outward, and the attachments 70A and 70B are provided with holes 71 for engaging the flat head pins 61, respectively. Each of the holes 71 is provided with an opening having a diameter larger than the diameter of the head of the flat head pin 61 below, and an opening having a diameter smaller than that of the head of the flat head pin 61 is provided above the hole 71. That is, by inserting the head of the flat head pin 61 through the lower opening and sliding the attachments 70A and 70B downward to engage the flat head pin 61 with the upper opening, the attachments 70A and 70B are moved to the arms 60A and 60B. Secure to.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the center gripper 28. In FIG. 4, the right center gripper piece 28A is shown in a closed state, and the left center gripper piece 28B is shown in an open state. As described with reference to FIG. 2, the center gripper 28 is opened / closed along the cam shape of the center gripper opening / closing cam 48.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view (FIG. 5A) and an enlarged front view (FIG. 5B) of the tube gripper 32 of the present embodiment. In FIG. 5, the right tube gripper piece 32A is shown in a closed state, and the left tube gripper piece 32B is shown in an open state. As described with reference to FIG. 2, the tube gripper 32 is opened and closed along the cam shape of the tube gripper opening and closing cam 54. The tube gripper 32 of FIG. 5 is used for capping a cap C having a relatively short length of a long member T such as a tube, as will be described later.

  Guide portions 30 (30A, 30B) are attached to the tips of the right tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B, respectively. Each guide portion 30 is provided with an arcuate opening 74 centered on the rotation axis of the tube gripper 32 (that is, the rotation axis of the first shaft 34A and the second shaft 34B). Two pin members 76 provided on the tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B are inserted. The interval between the two pin members 76 is narrower than the arc length of the arcuate opening 74, and the guide portion 30 is movable in the rotation direction with respect to the right tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B. .

  A pusher holding portion 80 through which the pusher 78 is inserted is provided at the tips of the right tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B. The pusher 78 inserted through the pusher holding portion 80 is provided with, for example, a spring 78S as an urging member between the head 78H and the pusher holding portion 80, and the head 78H of the pusher 78 moves in the closing direction of the tube gripper 32. Be energized. The guide portions 30A and 30B are provided with pusher receivers 82 to which the heads 78H of the pushers 78 are pressed. That is, the guide portions 30A and 30B are urged in the closing direction by the pusher 78 with respect to the right tube gripper piece 32A and the left tube gripper piece 32B, respectively.

  Next, the opening / closing operation of the tube gripper 32 and the guide part 30 will be described with reference to the plan view of FIG. FIG. 6A shows a state where the tube gripper 32 is completely opened. At this time, the guide portion 30 is pushed out in the closing direction by the pusher 78, and the outer pin member 76 is engaged with the outer end portion of the arcuate opening 74 in each of the tube gripper pieces 32A and 32B.

  FIG. 6B shows a state where the tube gripper 32 is moved in the closing direction and the guide portions 30A and 30B are in contact with each other. At this time, the guide portions 30A and 30B are pushed in the closing direction by the pusher 78 in the same manner as in FIG. 6A, and the outer pin members 76 of the tube gripper pieces 32A and 32B The outer end portions are respectively engaged. Further, when the guide portions 30A and 30B are brought into contact with each other, the long member T is surrounded by the guide portions 30A and 30B and the position thereof is regulated.

  FIG. 6C shows a state where the tube gripper 32 is further moved in the closing direction from the state of FIG. 6B and the tube gripper 32 is closed. At this time, the spring 78S of the pusher 78 is compressed, and the guide portions 30A and 30B are kept closed. That is, the guide portions 30A and 30B are moved along the arcuate opening 74 with respect to the tube gripper pieces 32A and 32B. In each tube gripper piece 32A and 32B, the inner pin member 76 has an arcuate opening 74. Engages with the inner end of each.

  When the tube gripper 32 is opened, the guide 30 is moved in the opposite direction. Even when the tube gripper 32 is opened, the outer pin member 76 has an arcuate opening in each of the tube gripper pieces 32A and 32B. It is kept closed until each of the outer ends of 74 is engaged.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the relationship between the opened / closed state of the tube gripper 32 and the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the tube gripper 32 is opened and closed as the tube gripper opening / closing cam follower 50 moves along the cam surface of the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54.

  FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a tube gripper 84 used for capping the cap C having a relatively long long member T such as a tube. In FIG. 8, the right tube gripper piece is shown in a closed state, and the left tube gripper piece is shown in an open state and a closed state. The tube gripper is opened / closed along the cam shape of the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54, similarly to the tube gripper 32 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the tube gripper 84 (84A, 84B) does not include a movable mechanism for relatively moving the guide portion 86 (86A, 86B). That is, the guide part 86 is attached to the tip of the tube gripper 84 with, for example, a bolt, and the opening / closing timing of the guide part 86 coincides with the opening / closing timing of the tube gripper 84.

  FIG. 9 shows the operation when capping the cap C having a relatively short length of the long member T using the tube gripper 32 (upper stage in FIG. 9) and the length of the long member T using the tube gripper 84. It is a figure for demonstrating the difference in the operation | movement (FIG. 9 lower stage) when capping the cap C with relatively long length.

  Note that the cap C having a relatively long long member T shown in the lower part of FIG. 9 has a step part S (a connection part between a small diameter part on the tip side and a large diameter part on the root side), and the tube gripper is opened and closed. The cam curve of the cam 54 is set so that the step S and the tube gripper 84 are opened without interference. Therefore, in the conventional tube gripper, if the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54 is to be shared with the relatively short long member T, the tube before the guide to the container mouth of the relatively short long member T is completed. The gripper opens and the tube gripper is closed for a short time.

  In this embodiment, by using the tube gripper 32 provided with the movable guide part 30 for the relatively short long member T, the tube gripper for opening and closing the relatively long long member T is used. Even when the cam 54 is used, as shown in FIG. 9, the timing at which the long member T is released from the guide portion 30 can be delayed, and a relatively short long member T can be placed in a container over an appropriate period. Can guide to the mouth. When capping the cap C provided with the relatively short long member T, the descending stroke of the tube gripper 32 is used for the tube gripper 84 when capping the cap C provided with the relatively long long member T. In order to make it larger than the descending stroke, the collar 66C is replaced with a relatively short one as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, the states (open / closed state and height) of the center gripper 28, the guide portion 30, and the guide portion 86 are shown in the order of (A) to (V) along the time series.

  9A and 9B, the cap C is placed on the cap disk 12C of the inlet star wheel 12, and the capping head 22 is on the upper side. In (A), the closing operation of the center gripper 28 is started. In (B), the root portion of the long member T is gripped by the center gripper 28, and the cap C is taken out from the cap disk 12C. In (b) to (c), the guide portion 30 and the guide portion 86 are closed, and the long member T is surrounded by the left and right guide portions. At this time, as described with reference to FIG. 5, the guide portion 30 is closed earlier than the guide portion 86, but the operation of the tube grippers 32 and 84 is the same due to the movable mechanism of the guide portion 30 with respect to the tube gripper 32. There is no problem even if it is performed along the cam surface of the tube gripper opening / closing cam 54.

  In (d), the capping head 22 is lowered and the cap C is held. Further, the lower tube gripper 84, that is, the guide portion 86 starts to descend. The difference in the lowering timing of the upper and lower guide portions 30 and 86 is adjusted by the length of the collar 66C shown in FIGS.

  In (e), the center gripper 28 starts to open, and in the lower stage, the guide portion 86 moves to the tip of the long member T. The opening operation of the center gripper 28 is completed in (H), the capping head 22 is lowered, and the lowering operation of the guide portion 30 is started in the upper stage.

  In the lower stage, in (G), the tip of the long member T is inserted into the mouth of the container V, and in (H), the step of the base part of the long member T is lowered to the vicinity of the guide part 86. However, in the upper stage, the end of the long member T has not yet reached the mouth of the container V. The tube grippers 32 and 84 start to open at the stage (H), whereby the lower guide part 86 starts to open immediately and prevents contact with the step part.

  In (i), the lower guide portion 86 is opened in conjunction with the opening operation of the tube gripper 84 to prevent contact with the step portion, while the upper guide portion 30 is movable on the tube gripper 32. A state of being kept closed by the mechanism is shown, and the tip of the long member T reaches the mouth of the container V.

  In the upper stage, at (n), the opening operation of the guide unit 30 is started. Then, the tube grippers 32 and 84 are completely opened at (L) both in the upper and lower stages, and the cap C is attached to the container V in both the upper and lower stages by the capping head 22 in (W).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing the movable guide portion biased in the closing direction by the biasing means at the tip of the tube gripper, the long member can be used without changing the tube gripper opening / closing cam. It is possible to extend the period of surrounding and guiding the guide member with the guide portion, and to change the timing for guiding the long member with a very simple configuration. The period for delaying the opening operation of the guide part is adjusted by changing the length of the arcuate opening provided in the guide part or the position of the pin member.

10 Capper star wheel 22 Capping head 30 (30A, 30B), 86 (86A, 86B) Guide portion 32 (32A, 32B), 84 (84A, 84B) Tube gripper 50 Cam follower for opening and closing the tube gripper 52 Spring 54 For opening and closing the tube gripper Cam 74 Arc opening 76 Pin member 78 Pusher 78S Spring (biasing member)
80 Pusher holding part 82 Pusher receiver C Cap T Long member V Container

Claims (2)

A capping head that holds a cap having a long member inserted into the container and attaches it to the container;
A pair of grippers for guiding the elongated member;
Gripper opening and closing means for opening and closing the gripper in an opening direction and a closing direction;
In the capper that guides the elongated member to be inserted into the mouth of the container and attaches the cap to the container,
The gripper includes a gripper member that is opened / closed by the gripper opening / closing means, a guide portion that is attached to the gripper member in a state movable in the opening / closing movement direction, and guides the long member; and A biasing member biasing in the closing direction of the gripper member;
The gripper opening / closing means further moves the gripper member in the closing direction even after the gripper member is moved in the closing direction to bring the guide portions into contact with each other. The gripper opening / closing means can be selectively attached to either the first gripper attached to the gripper member in a state where the guide portion is movable or the second gripper fixed to the gripper member. And
2. The capper according to claim 1, wherein the gripper opening / closing means includes a cam mechanism, and the first gripper and the second gripper are opened and closed by a common cam curve.

Images