JP2019151477A - Article transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an article transfer device capable of restricting a length of a conduit that makes a pressure at suction head negative, to minimize a conduit deflection, thereby not limiting a size of an article processing system, and improving a degree of freedom in arranging various parts.SOLUTION: An article transfer device includes: a plurality of moving bodies 33 capable of moving along an endless moving path; a suction head 21 attached to each moving body 33; negative pressure supply means for supplying negative pressure to the suction head 21; and a guide rail 31 for moving the moving body 33. While the moving body 33 moves, the suction head 21 sucks an article at a first position, releases the suction at a second position, to release the article. The negative pressure supply means includes a perforated plate 22 in which a number of negative pressure supply holes 24 are formed from the first position to the second position, and each moving body 33 has a cup-like member 43 formed with an opening that is in sliding contact with a surface of the perforated plate 22 and communicates with each negative pressure supply hole 24; and a flexible conduit 53 and a hollow shaft 55 that connect the cup-like member 43 and the suction head 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an article transfer apparatus that adsorbs articles by an adsorption head and delivers the articles between, for example, two conveyors.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an article transfer device that adsorbs and lifts an article conveyed on one conveyor and transfers it to the other conveyor (Patent Document 1). The suction head that sucks the article in the article transfer apparatus is connected to a negative pressure source through a rotary joint and a conduit. The conduit is an elongated tubular member having flexibility, and one end is connected to the suction head and the other end is connected to the rotary joint. The conduit bends as the suction head moves, and the length of the conduit is set based on the position where the suction head is farthest from the rotary joint.

JP, 2006-56002, A

  The length of the conduit cannot be increased without limitation due to the limitation due to the negative pressure supply capability, and the size of the article processing system provided with the article transfer device is limited by the length of the conduit. In addition, the conduit is most bent at the position where the suction head is closest to the rotary joint, so that there is a problem that the arrangement of other parts (frames and the like) must be determined in consideration of this.

  The present invention reduces the length of the conduit for directing negative pressure to the suction head and minimizes the deflection of the conduit so that the size of the article processing system is not limited, and in the article processing system, An object of the present invention is to provide an article transfer device that can increase the degree of freedom of arrangement of various components.

  The present invention includes a plurality of moving bodies provided to be movable along an endless moving path, suction heads attached to each moving body, negative pressure supply means for supplying negative pressure to the suction heads, and movement Moving means for moving the body along the moving path, and while the moving body moves, the suction head sucks the article at the first position and releases the article by releasing the suction at the second position. An apparatus, wherein the negative pressure supply means includes a perforated plate in which a number of negative pressure supply holes are formed from the first position to the second position along the movement path, and is attached to each movable body. And a negative pressure introducing member having an opening communicating with each negative pressure supply hole and a connecting conduit connecting the negative pressure introducing member and the suction head.

  For example, the negative pressure supply hole is formed on the inner peripheral side of the moving path and provided downward, and the negative pressure introducing member is attached to the moving body via the arm-shaped member, and moves as the moving body moves. It is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the perforated plate on the inner peripheral side of the path.

  According to the present invention, the length of the conduit for introducing a negative pressure to the suction head is suppressed and the deflection of the conduit is minimized, so that the size of the article processing system is not limited, and the article processing system is reduced. The degree of freedom of arrangement of various parts can be increased.

1 is a plan view schematically showing an article processing system including an article transfer apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of an article | item transfer apparatus, and follows the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is a top view which shows a cup-shaped member. It is a figure which shows the communication state of the vertical hole of a cup-shaped member, and the negative pressure supply hole of a perforated plate. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of the articles | goods transfer apparatus of 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 schematically shows an article processing system including an article transfer apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and includes a first conveyor 11 and a second conveyor 12 that extend linearly in directions orthogonal to each other. The first conveyor 11 conveys the articles M placed at regular intervals in the direction of arrow A, and the articles M are boxed by a cartoning machine provided on the downstream side of the first conveyor 11. The second conveyor 12 continuously conveys a plurality of articles M along the direction of arrow B, and its downstream end (lower end in FIG. 1) is close to the upstream end (right end in FIG. 1) of the first conveyor 11. Although the interval between the articles M on the second conveyor 12 is non-uniform, the article transfer device 20 adjusts the interval of the articles M uniformly based on the detection of the article M by the article detection sensor 13 as will be described later. Transfer to the first conveyor 11.

  The article transfer device 20 is provided above the first and second conveyors 11 and 12 and has a suction head 21 that sucks the articles M conveyed by the second conveyor 12. The suction head 21 is moved along an endless movement path by the linear conveyance device, and the article M on the second conveyor 12 is lifted and transferred to the first conveyor 11. The moving path of the suction head 21 is positioned above the first conveyor 11, the first straight line portion D <b> 1 located above the first conveyor 11, the second straight line portion D <b> 2 parallel to the first straight line portion D <b> 1, and the second conveyor 12. 2 has a semicircular first arc portion D3 in contact with the center line of the conveyor 12, and a semicircular second arc portion D4 located on the opposite side of the first arc portion D3. Both ends of the first straight line portion D1 are connected to the first and second arc portions D3, D4, and similarly, both ends of the second straight portion D2 are also connected to the first and second arc portions D3, D4. That is, the movement path is generally oval.

  The suction head 21 sucks and holds the article M at the pickup position P that is closest to the second conveyor 12 and moves about 90 ° clockwise around the rotation center X in FIG. To the delivery position Q. In the transfer operation from the pick-up position P to the delivery position Q, the suction head 21 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the article M, which has been oriented in the transport direction in the second conveyor 12, is orthogonal to the transport direction in the first conveyor 11. It is rotationally displaced around the axis.

  The article transfer device 20 has an oval perforated plate 22 that is slightly larger than the moving path of the suction head 21, and a space 23 in which various devices can be placed is formed in the central portion of the perforated plate 22. The A large number of negative pressure supply holes 24 for supplying negative pressure to the suction head 21 are formed in the perforated plate 22. The negative pressure supply holes 24 are arranged in a semicircular shape at a location corresponding to the first arc portion D3 of the movement path, and are arranged linearly at a location corresponding to the first straight line portion D1 of the movement route. That is, the negative pressure supply hole 24 is provided along the movement path at least from the pickup position (first position) P to the middle of the first straight line portion D1 (second position).

  With reference to FIG. 2, the structure of the goods transfer apparatus 20 is demonstrated. The perforated plate 22 is fixed to the apparatus frame 26 via a stay 25. A base 30 is provided below the perforated plate 22, and a guide rail 31 of the linear transport device is fixed on the base 30. The guide rail 31 extends endlessly along the movement path, and rollers 32 are respectively provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer peripheral edge (left side in FIG. 2) of the guide rail 31. A large number of rollers 32 are provided along the movement path, and a plurality of moving bodies 33 are attached to the outer peripheral edge of the guide rail 31 via these rollers 32 so as to be able to roll. That is, the movable body 33 is engaged so as to sandwich the upper and lower sides of the outer peripheral edge of the guide rail 31.

  In the guide rail 31, a plurality of electromagnetic coils 34 are provided at a constant pitch on the inner peripheral side (right side in FIG. 2) of the moving path in which a large number of rollers 32 are arranged. A pair of permanent magnets 35 is attached to the moving body 33 so as to face the electromagnetic coil 34. The electromagnetic coil 34 and the permanent magnet 35 constitute a drive unit of the linear conveyance device, and the moving body 33 moves along the moving path by controlling the supply and stop of the current to each electromagnetic coil 34, and stops at a predetermined position. To do. That is, the guide rail 31, the roller 32, the electromagnetic coil 34, and the permanent magnet 35 constitute a moving unit that moves the moving body 33 along the moving path.

  Sensors 36 are provided at equal intervals along the movement path on the upper surface of the guide rail 31 and on the inner peripheral side of the movement path with respect to each electromagnetic coil 34. A detection piece 38 is attached to the extension member 37 extending from each moving body 33 at a position corresponding to the sensor 36. When the detection piece 38 approaches, the sensor 36 outputs a signal indicating that the moving body 33 is at a position corresponding to the sensor 36.

  An arm-like member 40 is provided on the upper surface of the moving body 33, and a spring case 41 is attached to the upper surface of the arm-like member 40. The spring case 41 has a cylindrical main body 42 extending upward, and a lower portion of a cup-shaped member (negative pressure introducing member) 43 is slidably fitted to the outer periphery of the cylindrical main body 42 so that the cylindrical main body 42 is slidably fitted. A spring 44 is accommodated in the interior. A vertical hole (opening) 45 for supplying a negative pressure to the suction head 21 is formed in the upper part of the cup-shaped member 43. The upper surface of the cup-shaped member 43 is in sliding contact with the perforated plate 22 by the spring force of the spring 44. That is, the cup-shaped member 43 is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the perforated plate 22 on the inner peripheral side of the moving path as the moving body 33 moves, and the vertical hole 45 communicates with the negative pressure supply hole 24 in this sliding contact. The perforated plate 22 and the cup-shaped member 43 are both formed from a low-friction resin so that the sliding resistance is reduced.

  The negative pressure source 50 is configured to supply negative pressure to all the negative pressure supply holes 24. An electromagnetic valve 49 is provided at the outlet of the negative pressure source 50, and a number of negative pressure supply pipes 51 corresponding to the negative pressure supply holes 24 are connected to the electromagnetic valve 40. The tip of each negative pressure supply pipe 51 is connected to the negative pressure supply hole 24. A flexible conduit (connection conduit) 53 is connected to the upper side surface of the cup-shaped member 43 via a fitting 52 communicating with the vertical hole 45, and the flexible conduit 53 is connected to a hollow shaft (connection) via a joint 54. Connected to the upper end of a conduit 55). The suction head 21 is attached to the lower end of the hollow shaft 55. Therefore, the negative pressure source 50, the negative pressure supply pipe 51, the perforated plate 22, the cup-shaped member 43, the flexible conduit 53, and the hollow shaft 55 constitute negative pressure supply means for supplying a negative pressure to the suction head 21.

  The hollow shaft 55 is supported by a shaft drive mechanism 56, and the shaft drive mechanism 56 is attached to the moving body 33. The shaft drive mechanism 56 has a known configuration in which a motor and an air cylinder are combined. The shaft drive mechanism 56 can drive the hollow shaft 55 around its axis and move it up and down along the axis. That is, the hollow shaft 55 and the suction head 21 can move up and down relatively with respect to the moving body 33 and can rotate around the axis, and descend at the pickup position P (see FIG. 1) to suck the article M, and then Ascend, descend at the delivery position Q, and release the article M onto the first conveyor 11.

  FIG. 3 shows the upper surface of the cup-shaped member 43, that is, the surface that is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the perforated plate 22. In this example, four vertical holes 45 are formed on the upper surface of the cup-shaped member 43, and horizontal holes 46 are formed inside the cup-shaped member 43. The vertical hole 45 is connected to the horizontal hole 46, and communicates with the fitting 52, that is, the flexible conduit 53 through the horizontal hole 46. The vertical holes 45 are arranged in a zigzag shape along the direction in which the negative pressure supply holes 24 are arranged. More specifically, the diameter of the vertical hole 45 is smaller than the width of the horizontal hole 46, and the odd numbered vertical holes 45 counted from the top in FIG. 3 are positioned relatively to the fitting 52 side and are even numbered. The vertical hole 45 is positioned relatively far from the fitting 52.

  FIG. 4 shows a communication state between the vertical hole 45 of the cup-shaped member 43 and the negative pressure supply hole 24 of the perforated plate 22. Reference numeral (a) indicates a communication state when the negative pressure supply holes 24 are linearly aligned along the second straight line portion D1, and reference numeral (b) indicates that the negative pressure supply holes 24 are connected to the first arc portion D3. The communication state when aligned in a circular arc shape along is shown. In FIG. 4, hatching indicates a portion where the vertical hole 45 communicates with the negative pressure supply hole 24, and in any state, at least half of the total area of the four vertical holes 45 communicates with the negative pressure supply hole 24. Is understood.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When the article detection sensor 13 detects that the article M has been conveyed on the second conveyor 12, the energization state of the predetermined electromagnetic coil 34 is controlled, the predetermined moving body 33 is driven, and the suction head 21 is moved. At the pickup position (first position) P, the article M is adsorbed and lifted. Each moving body 33 adsorbing the article M is controlled so as to be equally spaced from each other while moving from the pickup position P to the delivery position Q. When the article M is transferred from the pickup position P to the delivery position Q, the suction head 21 and the hollow shaft 55 rotate about 90 ° around the axis with respect to the moving body 33, whereby the article M However, on the second conveyor 12, the longitudinal direction is directed to the conveying direction. On the first conveyor 11, the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the conveying direction.

  Immediately after being placed on the first conveyor 11 by the suction head 21 (the end of the first arc portion D3), the interval between the two adjacent articles M is relatively wide, but the upstream end of the first straight portion D1 is It is adjusted to be relatively narrow while being conveyed. Thereafter, in the vicinity of the center (second position) of the first straight line portion D1, the suction head 21 releases suction and rises, accelerates the moving speed, and moves to the downstream side of the first conveyor 11. When the suction head 21 releases the suction, in order to release the article M smoothly, it is preferable that positive pressure can be supplied by switching the negative pressure source 50 and a pressure air source (not shown). The suction head 21 that has released the article M returns to the first arc part D3 through the second arc part D4 and the second linear part D2 of the movement path, and waits until the next article M is conveyed.

  In the transfer operation of the articles M from the second conveyor 12 to the first conveyor 11, the negative pressure supply holes 24 at all locations except for the second position of the first linear portion D1 are constantly negative from the negative pressure source 50. Pressure is supplied. As shown in FIG. 4, the four vertical holes 45 formed in the cup-shaped member 43 are smaller than the diameter of the negative pressure supply holes 24 and are zigzag with respect to the arrangement direction of the negative pressure supply holes 24. The polymerization area for each negative pressure supply hole 24 is as large as possible.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the conduit (negative pressure supply pipe 51) for guiding the negative pressure to all the suction heads 21 is always fixed and connected to the constant negative pressure supply hole 24. Therefore, the length of the negative pressure supply pipe 51 can be suppressed and the bending thereof can be minimized. Further, since the negative pressure supply pipe 51 is fixed, the degree of freedom of arrangement of various parts in the article processing system can be increased, and the article processing system can be enlarged.

  In the state where the suction head 21 holds the article M by suction, as can be understood from FIG. 2, a counterclockwise moment acts on the suction head 21, the hollow shaft 55, and the flexible conduit 53. Since the cup-shaped member 43 contacts the lower surface of the perforated plate 22, a counterweight for canceling out the moment is not necessary.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since each moving body 33 is driven by the linear transport device, the suction head 21 can be arbitrarily moved in the front-rear direction of the transport direction in the boxing section B, and the arrangement interval between the articles M and A stacked state or the like can be set as appropriate.

  A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the negative pressure supply hole 24 formed in the perforated plate 22 is formed on the inner peripheral side of the movement path and provided downward with respect to the cup-shaped member 43. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the negative pressure supply hole 24 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the moving path, and is provided upward with respect to the cup-shaped member 43.

  That is, the cup-shaped member 43 is disposed above the perforated plate 22 and is connected to the moving body 33 via the arms 70 and 71. The negative pressure supply hole 24 is formed on the outer peripheral side (the left side in FIG. 5) of the movement path, and the negative pressure supply pipe 51 for introducing the negative pressure from the negative pressure source 50 is disposed below the perforated plate 22. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  Also in the second embodiment, a counterclockwise moment acts in FIG. 5 in a state in which the suction head 21 holds and holds the article M, but the cup-shaped member 43 contacts the upper surface of the perforated plate 22. No counterweight is required to cancel the moment.

  In addition, in 1st Embodiment, although the movement path had the 1st circular arc part D3 above the 2nd conveyor 12, it may replace with this and may be a shape which extends linearly. That is, the article M may be sucked and held while the suction head 21 moves linearly above the second conveyor 12.

  Further, the moving means for driving the moving body 33 along the moving path is not limited to the linear transport device, and a mechanism such as a motor is employed as long as each moving body 33 can be driven independently of each other. It is also possible.

  Further, the configuration for introducing the negative pressure to the negative pressure supply hole 24 is not limited to the negative pressure source 50, and an ejector may be employed. In this case, a positive pressure source (pressure air source) that supplies compressed air to the ejector is provided, and the negative pressure generated by the ejector is supplied to the suction head 21.

21 Suction head 22 Perforated plate 24 Negative pressure supply hole 31 Guide rail (moving means)
32 Roller (moving means)
33 moving body 34 electromagnetic coil (moving means)
35 Permanent magnet (moving means)
43 Cup-shaped member (negative pressure introducing member)
50 Negative pressure source (negative pressure supply means)
51 Negative pressure supply pipe (negative pressure supply means)
53 Flexible conduit (connection conduit)
55 Hollow shaft (negative pressure supply means, connecting conduit)
D1 1st straight line part (movement route)
D2 Second straight line part (movement route)
D3 First arc part (movement path)
D4 Second arc part (movement path)
P 1st position Q 2nd position

Claims (2)

A plurality of moving bodies provided to be movable along an endless movement path;
A suction head attached to each moving body;
Negative pressure supply means for supplying a negative pressure to the suction head;
Moving means for moving the moving body along the moving path;
While the moving body is moving, the suction head sucks an article at a first position and releases the article by releasing the suction at the second position,
The negative pressure supply means includes
A perforated plate in which a number of negative pressure supply holes are formed from the first position to the second position along the movement path;
A negative pressure introduction member attached to each movable body, in which an opening communicating with each negative pressure supply hole is formed in sliding contact with the surface of the perforated plate;
An article transfer apparatus comprising: the negative pressure introducing member and a connection conduit connecting the suction head. The negative pressure supply hole is formed on the inner peripheral side of the moving path and provided downward,
The negative pressure introducing member is attached to the moving body via an arm-shaped member, and is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the perforated plate on the inner peripheral side of the moving path as the moving body moves. Item transporting device of item 1.

Images