JP2695946B2 - Goods delivery device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article delivery device for delivering an article at a predetermined position to an article placement section that moves continuously, and more particularly to a cap aligning machine. The present invention relates to an article delivery device capable of reliably and quickly delivering a cap supplied to a predetermined position via a cap chute to a cap chuck head of a capper that moves continuously.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional technique related to an article delivery apparatus, those described in JP-A-60-172691 and JP-A-63-258793 are known.

The prior art described in the above publication will be described. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-172691 discloses that a picker (article placement section) is provided with a cap holding mechanism (cap chuck head).
A cap supply device provided with a follow-up mechanism for performing a follow-up operation of the picker and the cap holding mechanism over a predetermined range in a cap transfer section for transferring a cap.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-258793 discloses that the position of a cap picker (article mounting portion) that supports a cap is moved correspondingly when supplying a cap and when capping a container in a container storage / transport box. A capping machine with a cap removal device is described.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the above conventional technique has the following problems.

That is, the cap supply device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 60-172691 is provided with a follow-up mechanism for performing a follow-up operation of a picker (article mounting portion) and a cap holding mechanism (cap chuck head). The cap is stopped at a single point or a short distance because the picker and the cap holding mechanism follow the cap that is stopped at a single point, and the picker and the cap holding mechanism follow each other at a small angle. If the speed is increased, the cap cannot be reliably delivered.

Further, the capping machine described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-258793 discloses a cap picker (article mounting portion) using a chain.
Is moved, but the movement is not continuous and intermittent, so that the capping speed cannot be increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to supply an article at a predetermined position to a predetermined position via a cap chute from an article delivery device capable of transferring an article at a predetermined position to a continuously moving article mounting portion, particularly a cap aligner or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide an article transfer device that can transfer a removed cap to a cap chuck head of a capper that moves continuously and quickly and reliably.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention relates to an article delivery device for delivering an article at a predetermined position to an article placement unit that continuously moves, an endless rotating body that is continuously rotated, and an article carrier attached to the endless rotating body. And has two rotating bodies that support the endless rotating body, and reciprocates the two rotating bodies integrally in a direction along the rotating direction of the endless rotating body at the predetermined position. A rotating body moving device that moves, and wherein the article is transferred to the article carrier on a path of an endless rotating body between the two rotating bodies.

[Action]

A rotating body moving device that reciprocates in a direction along a rotation direction of the endless rotating body, wherein the article is received by an article carrier attached to the endless rotating body at a position along a movement path of the two rotating bodies; Since the articles are transferred, the articles at the predetermined positions can be quickly and reliably transferred to the article moving section that moves continuously.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an article delivery apparatus, for example, a cap (article) 3 that seals a mouth 2a having a screw portion on the outer periphery of a container (other article) 2 filled with liquid in a liquid filling line. This is used for the capper 4. The article delivery apparatus 1 is rotated below the cap chute 10 for continuously supplying the cap 3 and around the rotating part 5 of the capper 4 while holding the cap 3 to open the mouth of the container 2. A substantially rectangular base plate 12 is arranged between a lower portion of a plurality of cap chuck heads 11 for mounting and sealing the cap 3 on the portion 2a. Above the base plate 12, an annular endless chain (endless rotating body) 13 is provided along its peripheral edge, and a driving sprocket wheel 14 as a rotating body, three driven sprocket wheels 15, 16, 17 and a tension sprocket wheel. It is provided rotatably via 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cap chute 10 is inclined at a predetermined angle with its tip opening 10a side down, and the drive sprocket wheel 14 and the driven sprocket wheel
It is arranged on the rotation path of the endless tune 13 between 17. Then, the cap 3 is carried in from a cap aligning machine or the like (not shown) connected to the base end of the cap chute 10, and the screw 3a (see FIG. ) Is supplied continuously in a row so as to slide in an erect state with the diagonal downward. A pair of stoppers 20 and 20 for stopping the sliding of the cap 3 located at the foremost end are provided at the lower portions on both sides of the tip opening 10a of the cap chute 10 on each shaft 22.
It is provided so that it can be opened and closed freely via. This pair of stoppers
20 and 20 are formed in a flat rectangular shape, and projecting portions 21 are respectively provided at the lower portions thereof. This pair of projections 21, 21
A tension coil spring 23 is interposed therebetween, and the pair of stoppers 20, 20 always closes the distal end opening 10a and stops the cap 3 located at the most distal end by the tensile force of the tension coil spring 23. It is made to let.

In addition, an L-shaped bracket 24 and a cap holding plate are provided on the upper portion on both sides of the tip opening 10a of the cap chute 10.
25 is attached. A compression coil spring 26 is interposed between the tip of these brackets 24 and the center of the cap pressing plate 25, and is used to receive the cap 3 positioned at the forefront by a holder 30 as an article carrier described later. The vertical vibration of the cap 3 can be suppressed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, eight cap chuck heads 11 are provided at equal intervals of 45 degrees around the rotating part 5 of the capper 4 and have the same rotational speed as the endless chain 13. The rotation of the rotating part 5 rotating at a high speed causes the container supply horizontal rotary disk (star wheel) 6 of the capper 4 to discharge the container horizontal rotary disk (star wheel).
7 is rotated clockwise in FIG.
Each of the cap chuck heads 11 has a chuck portion 11a for holding the cap 3 at a lower portion and a cam follower 11b for elevating and lowering at an intermediate portion. Each of the cam followers 11b has a predetermined clearance around the rotary section 5 and is fixedly attached to the cylindrical cam 8a.
The cap chuck heads 11 are placed on the cam surface 8a curved in a wave shape of
As shown in FIG. 4, it moves up and down while rotating on the rotation path of the endless chain 13 between the driven sprocket wheels 15 and 16 arranged on the side.

The endless chain 13 has a cap chute 10
The holders (article transfer tools) 30 which sequentially receive the caps 3 one by one and deliver the caps 3 to each cap chuck head 11 are spaced apart from the eight cap chuck heads 11 by an equal pitch distance (for example, a pitch of 0.15 m). Each is fixedly attached. Each holder 30 is, as shown in FIG.
Base 31 attached and fixed to endless chain 13
And a pair of holder bodies 33, 33 that slide a predetermined stroke on the bottom 31b along a pair of slider shafts 32, 32 horizontally protruding on both sides of a partition wall 31a protruding from the center of the base 31. Between the partition wall portion 31a of the base 31 and each holder main body 33, and urges each holder main body 33 outward (opposite to the partition wall portion 31a) to form a threaded portion 3 inside the cap 3.
a compression coil springs 34, 34 pressed by a to securely hold the cap 3, and screwed to a lower portion of the base 31;
Each of the stroke adjusting bolts 35, 35 for regulating the stroke amount of the pair of holder bodies 33, 33, and each shaft screwed vertically to the lower notch 33a, 33a of each of the pair of holder bodies 33, 33. Roller-like cam followers 37, 37 rotatably supported by 36, 36.

A flat rectangular recess 12a is formed in the front part of the base plate 12 below the tip opening 10a side of the cap chute 10 (part of the rotation path of the endless chain 13). A pair of guide rails 40, 40 are arranged in the recess 12a in parallel with the longitudinal direction. On the pair of guide rails 40, a plate-shaped slider (rotary body moving device) 41 is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating sliding (reciprocating movement).
More specifically, as shown in FIGS.
The drive sprocket wheel 14 and the driven sprocket wheel 17 are rotatably supported at the upper ends via respective rotating shafts 14a, 17a. One end of a crankshaft 42 is pivotally supported at a lower portion of the slider 41 on the side of the driven sprocket wheel 17. The other end of the crankshaft 42 is supported by a pin at one end of a rotating disk 46 fixed to the tip of a rotating shaft 45 of a servomotor 44 disposed via a mounting plate 43 below the base plate 12. A bevel gear 47 is fixed in the middle of the rotation shaft 45 of the servomotor 44. This bevel gear 47
Bevel gear fixed to one end of a ball spline 49 bridged between the mounting plate 43 and another mounting plate 48
50 mesh. In the middle of this ball spline 49,
Another bevel gear 51 which rotates while reciprocatingly sliding on the ball spline 49 is provided. The other bevel gear 51 is
The drive sprocket wheel 14 meshes with a bevel gear 52 fixed to the lower end of the rotating shaft 14a. When the rotary shaft 45 of the servomotor 44 is rotated by an electric signal output from the capper 4, the slider 41 is moved by the rotary disk 46 of the rotary shaft 45 via the crankshaft 42 which reciprocates. The drive sprocket wheel 14 rotates in synchronism with the reciprocating sliding of a predetermined stroke on 40, 40, and the endless chain 13
It turns in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

Thus, the slider 41 is connected to the cap chute.
The cap 3 is removed from each of the holders 30 through the front end opening 10a of the holder 10.
Move forward in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 opposite to the rotation direction of the endless chain 13 when receiving the caps, and the relative position of each holder 30 attached to the endless chain 13 to the tip opening 10a at the time of receiving the cap. The conveying speed is reduced as much as possible so that each of the holders 30 can stably and surely hold the cap 3, and after each holder 30 receives the cap 3, as shown by an arrow in FIG. The endless chain 13 is moved back in the same direction as the rotation direction, and is conveyed at a high speed. this,
The speed change relationship between the endless chain 13 and the slider 41 at the cap receiving position (indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 1) shown in FIG. 10 will be described in detail. In FIG. 10, the conveying speed of the endless chain 13, the sliding speed of the slider 41, the relative speed of the holder 30 at the cap receiving position A, and the cap receiving time are shown. Rotational speed of the endless chain 13 (conveyance speed) and V _1. On the other hand, the velocity diagram of the slider 41 is a sine curve because it is changed to a linear reciprocating rotational motion by the crankshaft 42, the moving maximum speed of the slider 41 at that time and V _S. When the endless chain 13 passes over the slider 41, i.e., the relative speed of the holder 30 at the cap receiving position A, since the synthesis of the sliding speed of the conveying speed V ₁ and the slider 41 of the endless chain 13 , The maximum speed is (V ₁ + V _S ) and the minimum speed is (V ₁ −V _S ). At this minimum speed (V ₁ −V _S ), the holders 30 are set so that each holder 30 passes directly below the tip opening 10 a of the cap chute 10 so as to receive the cap 3. Then, at this time, the speed of (V ₁ −V _S ) is
V _S so that the maximum speed at which cap 3 can be received
Is determined.

Further, a pair of cam followers 37, 37 of each holder 30 come into contact with and separate from the slider 41 at the cap receiving position A and the base plate 12 at the cap transferring position (indicated by reference numeral B in FIG. 1). A pair of trapezoidal cams 55, 55 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are fixed. Thereby, even if the caps 3 are different in size, shape, etc., their receiving and delivery can be performed easily and reliably.

The slider 41 is provided in the concave portion of the base plate 12.
The upper surface of the slider 41 and the upper surface of the base plate 12 are flush with each other. Further, an endless chain 13 between the driven sprocket wheels 15 and 16 is provided.
Each of the cap chuck heads 11 bends and rotates just below the chuck 11a by means of a curved chain guide 56 (see FIG. 4) erected on the base plate 12.

According to the article receiving apparatus 1 of the embodiment described above, as shown in FIG.
Immediately before passing just below the tip opening 10a, the slider 4
1 is a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the endless chain 13 (first
(The direction indicated by the arrow in the figure).
The pair of cam followers 37, 37 contact the pair of cams 55, 55 as shown in FIG. As a result, the pair of holder main bodies 33, 33 of the holder 30 are pressed against each other in the direction approaching each other against the compressive force of the compression coil spring 34, and have a slightly smaller diameter than the threaded portion 3a inside the cap 3. .
In this state, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), when the holder 30 enters the cap 3 so as to catch the cap 3, and as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the holder 30 is separated from the pair of stoppers 20, 20. Then, the holder 30 receives the cap 3. Immediately after the holder 30 receives the cap 3, the pair of cam followers 37, 37 of the holder 30 are released from the pair of cams 55, 55, as shown in FIG. The cap 3 is easily and reliably held by the holder 30 as shown in FIG. When the holder 30 receives the cap 3, the slider 41 is moved to the endless chain as shown in FIG.
13 moves back in the same direction as the rotation direction.

As described above, when each holder 30 receives the cap 3, the slider 41 is moved forward in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the endless chain 13, so that the transport speed of the endless tune 13 is not lowered, and the slider 41 is moved at the cap receiving position A. Since only the transfer speed of the holder 30 can be reduced, the cap 3 can be easily and reliably held in the holder 30 and the transfer speed of the cap 3 to the capper 4 can be further increased.

Further, the cap 3 held by the holder 30
As shown in FIG. 4, after passing through the driven sprocket wheel 15 on the capper 4 side, the cap chuck head 11 of the capper 4 rotating at the same speed as the rotation speed of the endless chain 13 is positioned directly above the holder 30. I do. The cap chuck head 11 is provided in front of the capper 4.
And the holder 30 come at the same time, the cap chuck head 11 descends, and the chuck portion 11a grips the cap 3 on the holder 30. Thereby, the cap 3 is transferred to the cap chuck head 11. A pair of cams 5 provided directly under the tip opening 10a of the cap chute 10 also directly under the cap chuck head 11 located at the front.
Since a pair of cams 55, 55 similar to 5, 55 are provided,
As in the case of receiving the cap 3, the delivery of the cap 3 to the cap chuck head 11 is performed easily and reliably in a stable state.

In this way, each cap 3 delivered to each cap chuck head 11 is tightened and sealed at the rear side of the capper 5 at the mouth 2a of the container 2 transported by the container supply horizontal rotating disk 6. Be attached. The container 2 whose mouth 2a is tightly sealed by the cap 3 is conveyed to the next step via the container discharge horizontal rotating disk 7.

As described above, the transfer speed before and after the reception of the cap 3 of each holder 30 is varied, and the transfer angle of the cap 3 to the cap chuck head 11 is set to about 90 °. Even if it is considerably increased, the receiving speed and the receiving time of the cap 3 can be suppressed to the conventional level, the rotation speed of the rotating part 5 of the capper 4 can be increased, and the cap 3
Can further increase the capping ability of the capper 4 for sealing (for example, 500 caps per minute).

In addition, even if the rotation speed of the endless chain 13 is increased, the cap 3 remains in the pair of holder bodies of the holder 30.
Since the cap 3 is forcibly held at 33, 33, the cap 3 does not fall off the holder 30 even by the centrifugal force or acceleration generated when the rotation speed of the endless chain 13 is increased, and the cap 3 is kept in a stable state. The cap 3 can be transported to the cap chuck head 11 side of the capper 4.

Further, the transfer angle of the cap 3 to the cap chuck head 11 is set to about 90 °, but the endless chain 13
Can be freely set by the chain guide 56, the sprocket wheels 14 to 18 and the like, so that the phase matching range between the cap chuck head 11 and the holder 30 is made as wide as possible. By setting the rotation path of the endless chain 13 by increasing the number of the endless chains 13, for example, it is possible to have a transfer angle of two to three times, and to improve the transfer capability of the cap 3. Therefore, the rotation speed of the rotating part 5 of the capper 4 can be further increased, and the capping ability of the capper 4 can be further improved.

According to the above-described embodiment, the endless chain is used as the endless body, and the sprocket is used as the wheel. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the timing belt may be used as the endless body, and the pulley may be used as the wheel. . Further, the slider and the endless chain are slid and rotated by one motor. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the design can be changed to another means that can obtain the same effect.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a rotating body moving device that integrally reciprocates two rotating bodies that support an endless rotating body in a direction along a rotating direction of the endless rotating body at a predetermined position. , The article is transferred to the article carrier on the path of the endless rotating body between the two rotating bodies, so that the article placing apparatus continuously moves the article at a predetermined position. It can be delivered quickly and reliably to the department.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an article delivery apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of the apparatus, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view showing an article receiving state of the apparatus. 4, FIG. 4 is a side view showing a delivery state of articles of the apparatus, FIG. 5 is a front view showing a part of a holder in cross section, FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a slider driving system of the apparatus, FIG. Figure (a),
(B) and (c) are side views sequentially showing the receiving state of the articles of the same device, FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the state of the holder and the cam at the time of receiving the articles, and FIG. 9 is after receiving the articles. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the state of the holder and the cam, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the transport speed of the endless chain, the moving speed of the slider, and the transport speed of the holder. 1 ... article delivery device, 3 ... cap (article), 11
... Cap chuck head, 13 ... endless chain (endless rotating body), 14-18 ... sprocket wheel (rotating body), 30 ... holder (article conveying tool), 41 ... slider (rotating body moving device).

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] An article delivery device for delivering an article at a predetermined position to an article placement section that continuously moves, wherein the endless rotating body is continuously rotated, and the article is transported attached to the endless rotating body. And two rotating bodies that support the endless rotating body, and the two rotating bodies are integrally and in a direction along the rotating direction of the endless rotating body at the predetermined position. An article comprising: a reciprocating rotating body moving device, wherein the article is transferred to the article transporting tool on a path of an endless rotating body between the two rotating bodies. Delivery equipment. 2. The article delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the article is a cap. 3. The article delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the article transporter holds the cap from the inside. 4. The article delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of a rotation path of the endless rotating body is provided along a movement trajectory of the cap chuck head. . 5. The article delivery device according to claim 4, wherein the rotation speed of the endless rotating body is the same as the moving speed of the cap chuck head.