JP2889135B2 - Device for detecting the number of small boxes in carton - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention detects the shortage of small boxes in a carton-packed carton package of 10 tobacco product boxes in which metal foil is used as a packaging material. The present invention relates to a device for detecting the number of small boxes of cartons to be packed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a packaging process in a tobacco manufacturing factory has been automated by a carton packing machine, and tobacco products as small boxes of cigarettes are supplied to a carton packing machine. 10 pieces of 2 layers each of 5 pieces are put together in a carton fold at the carton folding section. Carton-packed products formed by this carton-packing machine are sequentially fed out to a transport guide and supplied to an outer wrapping film machine, and the outer wrapping such as cellophane is applied to the carton-packed products by the outer wrapping film machine.

[0003] Incidentally, the quality inspection of tobacco products is carried out on products packaged in cartons and packaged. At this time, the package film is removed from the package and the carton is opened and the carton is opened. ) Is taken out. Then, the tobacco product whose inspection has been completed is packed again in a carton and commercialized again.

[0004]

However, the product once taken out in the inspection as described above is manually packed in cartons, so that the number of small boxes in the carton packing may be insufficient. We need to sense the shortage.

[0005] By the way, such a carton-packed product packed again in a carton has conventionally been subjected to an external film-hanging operation using another dedicated machine. If it can be performed, the work efficiency of remanufacturing can be improved. Therefore, in such a case, if the shortage of the small boxes in the carton packing can be detected, the quality of the product as the carton packing can be further ensured.

A sensor for detecting the shortage of the number of small boxes in a carton package has conventionally been used. Conventionally, a carton package is arranged in a direction in which five rows of small boxes are vertically arranged in two stages. The container is conveyed horizontally, and a total of 10 proximity sensors, 5 each, are arranged at positions facing the top and bottom of the carton packing in this conveyance path, and the proximity sensor is used to capacitance the metal foil of the packaging material in the small box. Is detected from the change of the data. But,
If there is a misalignment of small boxes in a carton package in which the number of small boxes is insufficient, it may not be detected in some cases, and there is a problem in detection accuracy.

An object of the present invention is to accurately detect a shortage of the number of small boxes in a carton-packed carton package of 10 tobacco products in which a metal foil is used as a packaging material. As an issue.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to a device for detecting the number of small boxes of carton-packed products. A carton-packing number sensing device for detecting the shortage of the number of small boxes in the carton-packing for the carton-packing in which the small boxes are packed in a carton, wherein the carton-packing is the small box. A transport path for transporting in the laminating direction, and five proximity sensors disposed facing the transport path and sensing whether or not the small boxes are adjacent to each other, wherein the five proximity sensors are For cartons packed in the transport path, two proximity sensors facing the two ends in the two rows at both ends of the five rows of small boxes, and the center of the five rows of small boxes. That it is composed of three proximity sensors facing each other And butterflies.

[0009]

In the device for detecting the number of small boxes of cartons according to the present invention, the cartons are conveyed in the stacking direction of the small boxes, and the five proximity sensors disposed facing the conveyance path are, for example, electrostatic sensors. Whether or not the small boxes are adjacent is sensed based on a change in capacity or the like. In addition, since the cartons are transported in the stacking direction of the small boxes by the transport path, the proximity sensor is a five-row
It can be detected at the timing when each of the layers passes.

At this time, if there is a shortage of one piece in the layer, which is originally a row of five carton-packed products, and any one of the two small boxes at both ends is misaligned, two pieces at both ends are used. The small box is no longer detected by any of the proximity sensors, and the shortage can be detected. Further, if two small boxes at both ends are in the correct position and the small box is displaced in the middle between them, any of the three middle proximity sensors cannot detect the small box, and the shortage can be detected.

[0011]

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a processing step in a carton packing apparatus equipped with a device for detecting the number of small boxes of carton packing according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a part of the carton packing apparatus. FIG. 5 is a side view of the crushing machine, and FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line XX of FIG. 4. In FIG.
A carton filling machine B for packing 10 pieces in a carton in two layers at a time, and B is an outer film machine as an outer wrapping machine for wrapping carton stuffed products with cellophane.

C is a carton-packing supply section for supplying a carton-packed product from which the outer film has been removed by quality inspection or the like, D is an exclusion section for removing a carton-packed product having an insufficient number, and E is a carton-packed product. This is a pre-feeding unit that feeds the carton-packed product supplied from the supply unit C to the outer film machine B side.

F1 is a first transport guide for guiding the carton filling from the carton filling machine A to the lower part of the carton filling supply section C, and F2 is a carton filling from the lower part of the carton filling supply C to the outer film machine B. This is a second transport guide to guide.

G is a drive unit for driving the apparatus, H is an operation panel provided with a display unit and operation switches, etc., J is a control panel composed of a microcomputer and the like, and operation panel H is a control panel J
, And the control panel J controls the entire apparatus according to the contents operated on the operation panel H.

The carton-packing packaging apparatus in this embodiment is an improvement of the conventional carton-packing packaging apparatus. The carton-packing machine A and the outer film machine B, which have been connected in the past, are replaced by a width of one carton-packing. Are separated from each other, and a carton filling supply section C and a rejection section D are provided therebetween, and a forward feed section E is provided on the outer film machine B side.

The carton filling machine A includes a carton supply section A1,
It has a tobacco product supply section A2 and a carton insertion section A3, and as shown in FIG.
Takes out one carton a from a carton bundle filled and stacked on a holding table (not shown) and feeds it vertically to a carton folding section A3. The tobacco product supply section A2 uses a pusher 10 to push ten tobacco products b Is supplied to the carton insertion part A3.

A pusher 20 is provided in the vicinity of the carton fold A3. The pusher 20 reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the supply direction of each of the carton a and the tobacco product b supplied to the carton fold A3. Then, the ten tobacco products b in the carton folding part A3 are pressed against the carton a and inserted into the folding guide 30 (FIG. 4) to bend the upper and lower surfaces of the carton a.

Then, the carton insertion portion A as described above
3 and the operation of the pusher 20, the carton a and the tobacco product b in the insertion guide 30 are sequentially pushed forward, and the carton a is folded and the like is subjected to a process such as folding. It becomes the filling c and is transported on the first transport guide F1.

The envelope film machine B comprises an elevator section B1,
An outer film supply unit B2 and a packaging unit B3 are provided.
As will be described later, the carton filling c of the carton filling supply C or the carton filling c of the carton filling machine A is supplied to the elevator section B1 via the second transport guide F2. Further, the outer film supply unit B2 cuts the roll-shaped cellophane d (FIG. 3) with the cutter 40 and supplies the cut cellophane d to the packaging unit B3.

The elevator section B1 includes a pusher 5
0 (FIG. 4) to the packing part B3 side, and
Is pushed up together with the cellophane d, and the packing section B3 performs processing such as folding of the bottom and side surfaces of the cellophane d to complete the cellophane packing of the carton-packed product and discharge the same.

In the embodiment, the carton filling supply section C is disposed above the end of the second transport guide F2 on the first transport guide F1 side and perpendicular to the first and second transport guides F1 and F2. A hopper 1 as a transport path constituting the apparatus, and a carton table 2 attached to the upper part of the hopper 1 are provided. Carton-packed products from which an outer film is removed by quality inspection or the like are stored in the carton table 2, This carton filling is supplied to the second transport guide F2 via the hopper 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the hopper C1, the elimination section D, the forward section E, and the waist of the first and second transport guides F1 and F2, and FIG. It is a partial crush front view which shows the 2nd conveyance guide F2.

The hopper C1 is provided with an opening / closing device 3 for supplying the cartons c in the hopper 1 to the second transport guide F2;
A holding device 4 for holding the packed carton c in the hopper 1;
In addition, as described later, five proximity sensors 5 constituting the number sensing device of the embodiment are provided.

The hopper 1 has a tubular shape whose horizontal cross section is a rectangle slightly larger than the shape of the largest surface of the carton-packed product c. , And the carton filling c descends in the hopper 1 and is stacked in the hopper 1 and temporarily held therein.

The opening / closing devices 3 are disposed on both side surfaces of the lower end of the hopper 1, and each has a nail 31 having an L-shaped vertical cross section. The nail 31 has its upper side pivotally supported. One end of a link 32 is pivotally supported by the bent portion of the nail 31, and the other end of the link 32 is pivotally supported by a drive shaft of an air cylinder 33. Further, a stopper 31a for pressing an upper lid of the carton-packed product c supplied from the carton-packing machine A is attached to the lower surface of the nail 31.

Then, the opening / closing device 3 rotates the nail 31 as shown by the arrow in FIG.
With the tip of the nail 31 closed inside the lower end of the hopper 1, the carton packing c is received, the nail 31 is opened outward, and the carton packing c is dropped onto the second transport guide F2.

The holding device 4 is disposed above the opening / closing device 3 on both sides of the hopper 1, and each of the holding devices 4 has a rectangular brake 41 inserted into a rectangular hole 1a formed on the side surface of the hopper 1. The moving plate 4 is attached to the moving plate 42.
2 is slidably held in the horizontal direction by pins 43 erected on the side surface of the hopper 1, and the holding plate 42 is fixed to a drive shaft of an air cylinder 44.

The holding device 4 drives the air cylinder 44 to move the brake 41 as shown by the arrow in FIG.
Is closed inside the hopper 1 to hold and hold the carton packing c in the hopper 1, and the brake 41 is opened to release the carton packing c. Note that the holding device 4 is set at a position where the brake 41 holds the second and third stages of the carton fillings c from the bottom among the carton fillings c in the hopper 1.

With the above configuration, the hopper C1 holds the second- and third-stage carton-packed products c with the brake 41 closed when supplying the carton-packed products c to the second transport guide F2. Open the nail 31 while hopper 1
Only the lowermost one of the carton fillings c is dropped.
Then, after the nail 31 is closed, the brake 41 is once opened, and the carton filling c in the hopper 1 is lowered onto the nail 31 by one carton, and the brake 41 is closed to hold the carton filling c in the hopper 1. I do. By repeating the above operation, the carton fillings c are intermittently supplied one by one from the hopper 1 onto the second transport guide F2.

The proximity sensor 5 is a capacitance-type proximity sensor. Five sensors, one on each side surface of the hopper 1 and three on the front surface, have the same height at the fourth step from the lower end of the hopper 1. Mounted in position.

Here, when the carton filling c is supplied by the hopper 1 as described above, the carton filling c is conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. That is, the five small boxes b are transported in the direction of the arrow B and the arrow C, respectively, in the laminating direction of the two layers of the five rows.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the carton filling c is held in the hopper 1 by the holding device 4 (when the carton filling c is stopped), the proximity sensor 5 detects the lower layer of the carton filling c. It is set so as to be in the position of five rows.
When the carton-packed product c is held in the hopper 1 by the proximity sensor 5, the shortage of the number of the lower five rows is detected. Insufficient number of five columns is detected.

That is, it is possible to inspect the presence or absence of 10 small boxes in a carton with five proximity sensors, and by providing two of the five proximity sensors on one side of the carton. In addition, even when a small box is displaced or tilted in a carton due to a shortage of pieces, it can be detected.

The proximity sensor 5 of this embodiment is a known sensor of the capacitance type which can detect the proximity of any metal or non-metal without contact from the change in capacitance using an electric field. The tobacco product (small box) inside uses aluminum foil packaging, so it can be detected with high accuracy.
In this embodiment, when the distance from the head of the proximity sensor 5 to the aluminum foil in the small box b is detected to be 3 mm or more, it is determined that the number is insufficient.

As shown in FIG. 6, the elimination section D includes an exclusion plate 6 disposed between the first conveyance guide F1 and the second conveyance guide F2, and an air cylinder 7 for rotating the exclusion plate 6. 6, and an air cylinder 9 for moving the pusher 8 up and down as shown by the arrow in FIG.

The exclusion plate 6 is fixed to a support plate 6a whose one end is pivotally supported at the lower part of the first transport guide F1.
a is connected to the drive shaft of the air cylinder 7 via a rotation arm 6b and a link 6c fixed to the end of the rotation shaft. The drive of the air cylinder 7 causes the exclusion plate 6 to move as shown by the arrow in FIG. Is rotated.

With the above configuration, when the feeding operation of the carton-packed product c from the carton-packing machine A to the first transport guide F1 is stopped when the carton-packed product c is supplied from the hopper 1, the rejection unit D 6 and lowering the removal pusher 8 to remove the carton filling c on the removal plate 6 downward. Thereby, the supply position of the carton filling c supplied from the hopper 1 is secured.

When the proximity sensor 5 detects that the number of cartons c supplied from the hopper 1 is insufficient, the rejecting section D operates the pre-feeding section E, which will be described later, to remove the cartons. When the filling c reaches the exclusion plate 6, the exclusion operation is performed in the same manner as described above.

The forward feed section E includes a forward pusher 11 for sending out the carton filling c supplied from the hopper 1 to the outer film machine B, a forward pusher cylinder 12 for driving the forward pusher 11, and a forward pusher. An up-and-down cylinder 13 for vertically moving the cylinder 11 is provided.

The forward feed pusher 11 is provided with a bifurcated plate vertically protruding from two rows of notches g formed in the elimination plate 6 and the second transport guide F2. It is fixed to the drive shaft of the forward feed pusher cylinder 12. Further, the forward feed pusher cylinder 12 has an end on the opposite side to the drive shaft supported on the back surface of the terminal end of the second transport guide F2, and an end on the forward feed pusher 11 side supported on the link 12a. The link 12 a is supported by a drive shaft of the lifting cylinder 13.

With the above construction, the forward pusher 11 is reciprocated as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6 by driving the forward pusher cylinder 12, and the forward pusher cylinder 12 is moved by the arrow 13 in FIG. It is rotated as follows.

The forward feed pusher cylinder 12 has three position sensors 12b for detecting the position of the drive shaft.
In accordance with the detection signal of these position sensors 12b and the control state, the forward feed pusher 11 moves the forward end (the position "I" in FIG. 6), the reject position (the position "II" in FIG. 6) and the retreat end (the position "II" in FIG. 6). It stops at the position "III" in FIG. 6). In the following description, a state in which the forward feed pusher 11 moves to the outer film machine B is referred to as "forward", and a state in which the forward pusher 11 moves to the carton filling machine A is referred to as "retreat".

The driving unit G includes a motor 14 as a driving source,
A timing belt 15 for connecting the drive shaft of the motor 14 and the main shaft B4 of the outer film machine B at a predetermined rotation ratio, a single position clutch 16 attached to the main shaft B4 of the outer film machine B, and an outer film from the drive shaft of the motor 14 The encoder 17 detects the timing of the cycle operation of the machine B. The main shaft A4 of the carton filling machine A is connected to the single position clutch 16 via a universal joint 18.

With the above arrangement, when performing the normal operation of supplying the carton filling product c from the carton filling machine A to the outer packaging film machine B, the single position clutch 16 is connected and the car 14 is connected to the outer packaging film machine B by the motor 14. The film machine B operates in synchronization.

On the other hand, when the carton filling machine c is supplied from the carton filling machine C to the outer film machine B, the single position clutch 16 is disengaged and the carton filling machine A is stopped. Only, and under the control of the control panel J, the carton filling supply section C and the advance section E operate in accordance with the cycle operation timing of the outer film machine B detected by the encoder 17.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a switching operation for switching the supply source of the carton-packed product supplied to the outer film machine B from the carton-packing machine A to the carton-packing supply section C and a supply preparation process. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a supply cycle from the supply unit C, and FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an operation of removing the insufficient number of carton fillings. The control panel J performs various operations as shown in FIGS. Control.

First, as shown in FIG. 7 (A), when the carton-packed product c from the carton-packing machine A is supplied to the outer film machine B, the reject plate 6 is moved to the first transport guide F1 and the second Horizontal so as to be at the same level as the conveyance guide F2,
The forward feed pusher 11 is lowered below the second transport guide F2 at the forward end.

In this state, the operation of supplying the carton-packed product c from the carton-packing machine A is performed, and in one cycle of the supply operation, the elevator section B of the outer film machine B is operated.
One pusher 50 performs one raising / lowering operation, and the carton fillings c are sequentially supplied. The operation of the pusher 50 of the elevator section B1 of the envelope film machine B also operates when the carton-packing supply section C is switched to supply the carton-packing c.

Next, when switching the supply source of the carton packing product c from the carton packing machine A to the carton packing product supply section C,
When a predetermined operation is performed on the operation panel H, the motor of the main body (not shown) is stopped to stop the operations of the carton filling machine A and the outer film machine B, and the single position clutch 16 is disconnected. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7 (A), the cartons c are continuously arranged on the first transport guide F1, the elimination plate 6, and the second transport guide F2.

Then, when a predetermined operation is performed on the operation panel H, first, as shown in FIG. 7 (B), one carton-packed product c is removed by the removal pusher 8 and the removal plate 6, and FIG.
As shown in (C), the forward feed pusher 11 is retracted,
Further, as shown in FIG. 7D, the advance pusher 11 is raised from the notch g of the exclusion plate 6.

Next, the clutch 19 is connected and the motor 14
When the pusher 50 of the elevator section B1 of the outer film machine B is completely lowered by driving the outer film machine B, as shown in FIG. The product c is sent out by one piece, the forward feed pusher 11 is set in this state, the carton package c is dropped from the hopper 1 of the carton filler supply section C, and supplied to the retreat end side of the forward pusher 11. Next, as shown in FIGS. 7 (F) and 7 (G), the forward feed pusher 11 is lowered and moved backward as it is, and as shown in FIG.
From the notch g of the exclusion plate 6.

By the above operation, the carton filling part C
Supplies the first carton filling c from the carton filling machine A, as shown in FIG. 7 (E), supplies the last carton filling c supplied from the carton filling machine A onto the second transport guide. While the forward feed pusher 11 is pushing, the carton filling c is supplied from the hopper 1.

This is because the glued portion of the carton-packed product c formed by the carton-packing machine A is not completely dried immediately after the carton a is bent. The gluing portion can be held down by the advance pusher 11 until the product c is supplied.

Next, from the state shown in FIG. 7H, as shown in FIG. 8A, the advance pusher 11 is advanced to feed out one carton-packed product c. As shown in FIG. 8), the forward feed pusher 11 is retracted, and as shown in FIG. Similarly, the operation is repeated in the order of FIG. 8 (A) → FIG. 8 (B) → FIG. 8 (C) to sequentially supply the cartons c from the hopper 1.

Further, when the proximity sensor 5 detects that the number of pieces is insufficient while the cartons c are being supplied from the hopper 1, the operation is switched under the control of the control panel J, and the operation is switched as shown in FIG.
The elimination operation is performed as shown in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9 (A), when the insufficiently packed cartons c 'arrive at the lower end of the hopper 1, the advance pusher 11 sends out the immediately preceding carton c. Then, as shown in FIG. 9 (B), the carton-filled product c 'having an insufficient number is dropped and supplied. Next, as shown in FIG. 9C, the forward feed pusher 11 is retracted to the removal position (the position "II" in FIG. 6), the removal plate 6 is rotated downward, and the removal pusher 8 is lowered. In this way, the insufficient number of carton packings c 'on the reject plate 6 is rejected downward. And when this elimination operation is completed,
The supply operation is restarted from the state shown in FIG.

As described above, in this embodiment, the carton-packed product from which the outer film has been removed in the quality inspection and the like is supplied from the carton table 2 to the hopper 1, and is automatically conveyed to the outer film machine. A conventional outer film machine is used to carry out the outer film hanging operation, and five proximity sensors are arranged on the hopper 1 for transporting the carton-packed products in the stacking direction of the small boxes to detect the shortage of the small boxes. I am trying to do it.

It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to any steps as long as the cartons are conveyed in the laminating direction of the small boxes.

In the above embodiment, a capacitance type sensor is used as the proximity sensor, but a metal body is detected in a non-contact manner from a magnetic flux of an induced current generated in an aluminum foil portion using a magnetic field. Other known sensors, such as those, can also be used.

[0060]

As described above, according to the apparatus for detecting the number of small boxes of carton-packed products according to the present invention, 10 rows of small boxes of tobacco products are carton-packed in two layers. In such a manner, the carton-packed product is transported in the stacking direction of the small boxes, and five proximity sensors are arranged facing this transport path.
For the cartons packed in the transport path, 5
Insufficient number of small boxes is determined by the two proximity sensors facing the two ends in the column direction at both ends of the individual row and the three proximity sensors respectively facing the center three of the five rows of the small box. As the detection is made, if there is a shortage of one piece in the layer which is originally a row of 5 pieces of carton packing and there is a misalignment in either of the two small boxes at both ends, two pieces at both ends will be detected. If the small boxes are no longer detected by any of the proximity sensors, the number of small boxes can be detected, and if two small boxes at both ends are in the correct position and the small box is misaligned in the middle, the middle three The small box is no longer sensed by any of the proximity sensors, and the shortage can be detected. Therefore, the shortage of the small boxes in the carton filling can be sensed with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a conveying direction of a carton-packed product and a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially crushed front view showing a hopper, a part of a forward feed portion, and a second transport guide in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a processing step in the carton-packed product packaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially crushed side view of the carton filling and packaging apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a view as viewed in the direction of arrows XX in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a hopper section, an excluding section, a forward feed section, and main parts of first and second transport guides according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a switching operation of a carton filling source and a supply preparation step in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a supply cycle from a carton filling supply unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an operation of removing a carton-filled item having an insufficient number in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 hopper, 5 proximity sensor.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65B 19/30 B65B 19/32 B65B 57/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A carton for detecting a shortage of the number of small boxes in a carton package for a carton package in which 10 small boxes are packed in a carton with five rows of tobacco product small boxes in two layers. A device for sensing the number of small boxes of packing, comprising: a transport path for transporting the carton package in the stacking direction of the small boxes; and whether or not the small boxes arranged facing the transport path are adjacent to each other. And five proximity sensors for detecting whether or not each of the small boxes is in a row direction. Characterized by two proximity sensors facing each other and three proximity sensors facing the center three of the five rows of small boxes, respectively. Number sensing device.