JP2897007B2 - High-speed tray unloading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-speed tray unloading apparatus, and more particularly to a high-speed tray for efficiently and stably unloading an object from a tray on which the object is placed and conveyed. The present invention relates to an unloading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a large number of fragile confectionery or other relatively small articles are conveyed and stored in various production lines, such conveyed objects are carefully and efficiently handled so as not to be damaged. There is a need. For such a need, it is conceivable that a predetermined number of objects to be conveyed are placed on a tray, conveyed, and packed.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart schematically showing such a transport / packaging system.
The product (transported object) manufactured in step (2) is placed on a tray and transported (step S2), and the transported object is taken out of the tray at a predetermined station (unloading step of step S3), and finally packed (step S4). .

[0004] However, in general, since there is a difference in the processing capacity of the packaging equipment with respect to mass production in the manufacturing equipment, the packaging equipment requires (I), (II), and (III) and a plurality thereof. However, there is a problem that the number of packaging facilities cannot be increased without limitation because the installation area and cost are limited.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another transport / packaging system for addressing such a problem. A plurality of trays are loaded in a magazine (step S13).
By transporting this magazine (step S14)
Mass transfer is enabled, and in step S15, unloading of the tray from the magazine and unloading of the article to be transferred from the tray are performed, and packaging is performed (step S16).

Further, if the packaging process in step S16 is not in time, the magazine is temporarily stored in a three-dimensional warehouse or the like as in step S17, and replenished as needed.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a tray 1 and a magazine 2 suitable for use in the above-described transport / packaging system. The transported objects 4 such as confectionery are placed side by side on the loading surface 3 of the tray 1. And can be conveyed on a predetermined conveying path such as a conveyor (not shown), and a pair of reinforcing bent portions 5 and a storage side edge 6 are formed at opposing side ends, respectively. .

The magazine 2 has a plurality of storage shelves 8 formed on opposing inner wall surfaces in a storage space 7 therein, and the tray 1 is pushed into the storage shelves 8 by pushing the tray 1 through the front opening 9. The trays 1 are stored in multiple stages in the storage shelf 8 by engaging the storage side edges 6 (loading).
In addition to this, it is possible to discharge (unload) by extruding from the rear opening 10 using a tray pusher (not shown) or the like.

In addition, the front of the storage shelf 8 is provided with an inclined portion 11 which is inclined upward and outward to prevent the tray from popping out.
Is formed, the X direction, the Y direction,
Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the tray 1 from jumping out during the transportation such as rotation. The depth of the inclined portion 11 for preventing the tray from jumping out is represented by L.

As an unloading device for pushing out the tray 1 from the magazine 2, conventionally, a method of unloading the tray 1 step by step onto a carry-out conveyor has been adopted. However, since the processing capacity is low, the speed is increased. Had been requested.

Further, as an unloading device for unloading the transported objects 4 from the mounting surface 3 of the tray 1 onto the unloading conveyor, a method in which the transported objects 4 are scraped out by a sweeper (not shown), or vacuum suction is performed on each of them. However, the transported object 4 is easily damaged, and it is difficult to stably unload the transported object 4 on the unloading conveyor, and the processing capacity is also low. There is a problem of low.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and efficiently and stably unloads an object from a tray without damaging the object. It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-speed tray unloading device capable of performing the above-mentioned operations.

In the present invention, "unloading" refers to the case where the tray 1 is pushed out of the magazine 2 and the case where the transported object 4 is taken out of the tray 1.

[0014]

That is, the present invention focuses on making it possible to form an air bearing on a tray, and unloads an object from a tray on which the object can be placed and transported. A high-speed tray unloading device for loading, wherein a plurality of unloading through-holes are formed in the mounting surface of the tray, a loading conveyor for loading the tray to an unloading position, and a loading conveyor. A high-speed tray, comprising: a tray tilting mechanism for tilting the tray, and an air pressure supply mechanism for supplying air at a predetermined pressure from below the mounting surface of the tray through the unloading through hole. Unloading device.

[0015] The tray tilting mechanism can shift the tray from the state of transporting the article to the state of unloading.

The tray tilting mechanism may be capable of raising one end of the tray and tilting the tray.

The tray tilt mechanism can tilt the tray together with the air pressure supply mechanism.

In the high-speed tray unloading device according to the present invention, a so-called air bearing is formed on the tray mounting surface by pneumatic pressure, and then, by inclining the tray, the object is unloaded by the action of gravity. In addition, the degree of breakage is smaller than that of the conventional one, and the objects to be conveyed can be arranged neatly on the unloading conveyor, so that highly efficient and stable unloading of the objects to be conveyed is possible.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing a high-speed tray unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, a high-speed tray unloading device 20 for extruding a tray 1 from a magazine 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. explain. However, the same parts as those in FIGS. 8 to 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic side view of the high-speed tray unloading apparatus 20. The high-speed tray unloading apparatus 20 includes a magazine loading / unloading conveyor 2
1, a conveyor elevating mechanism 22 for elevating and lowering the magazine carry-in / carry-out conveyor 21, a tray pushing mechanism 23,
It has a take-out conveyor 24 and an intermittent lowering mechanism 25.
In addition, in each of the following drawings, the reference numeral “M” is assigned to the driving motor.

The magazine loading / unloading conveyor 21 loads the magazine 2 into the unloading position AP and also unloads the magazine 2 from which the tray 1 has been unloaded.
Is carried out.

The conveyor lifting / lowering mechanism 22 has a lifting / lowering table 26 for supporting the magazine loading / unloading conveyor 21 and a lifting / lowering cylinder 27.

The tray push-out mechanism 23 includes a drive chain 28 that can be reciprocated, and a tray pusher 31 that is attached to the drive chain 28 by an attachment member 29 and that can be reciprocated horizontally by a guide member 30.
And

The tray pusher 31 moves the magazine 2 at the unloading position AP to the storage shelf 8.
, Two trays 1 can be simultaneously extruded.

The unloading conveyor 24 unloads the tray 1 at the lower stage of the two trays 1 thus extruded and transfers the tray 1 to the tray unloading conveyor 32. The take-out conveyor 24 is provided with a tray sensor 33 for detecting the transfer of the tray 1 to the tray carry-out conveyor 32.

The intermittent lowering mechanism 25 supports the tray 1 in the upper stage of the pushed-out trays 1 horizontally, and, after the unloading of the tray 1 on the take-out conveyor 24 is completed, the tray 1 in the upper stage. Is intermittently lowered to the take-out conveyor 24, and details thereof are shown in a side view of FIG. 2 and a plan view of FIG.

The intermittent lowering mechanism 25 has a pair of left and right airfoil guides 34, an intermittent rotation mechanism 35 for intermittently rotating the airfoil guides 34, and a pair of right and left vertical guides 36.

The airfoil guide 34 comprises six blades 37 spaced at an angle of 60 degrees from each other, and the pair of left and right airfoil guides 34 are arranged in opposite directions and the blades 37 are spaced at an angle of 60 degrees. And a pair of blades 37 can horizontally support the storage side edge 6 of the upper tray 1 of the two trays 1 extruded from the magazine 2 by the tray pusher 31. In addition, the tray 1 in the upper part is taken out while intermittently rotating by an angle of 60 degrees while maintaining its horizontal posture.
Lower to 4.

That is, the intermittent rotation mechanism 35 has a Geneva mechanism 38, a gear mechanism 39, and a pair of belts 40 that engage with the airfoil guide 34, and the gear ratio of the gear mechanism 39 is 2:
3, 90 times at a time by the Geneva mechanism 38
Each blade 37 of the airfoil guide 34 is rotated at a predetermined constant angular interval, that is, 60 degrees by the rotation of the degree.

The vertical guide 36 is provided with the above-mentioned airfoil guide 34.
By supporting the tray 1 horizontally with the assistance of the wing plate 37, the transferred object 4 on the mounting surface 3 can be held safely.

In the high-speed tray unloading device 20 having such a configuration, the magazine loading / unloading conveyor 21
For example, the magazine 2 conveyed from the back side to the front side of the sheet of paper is set by the conveyor elevating mechanism 22 at two unloading positions AP of the two storage shelves 8.

In this state, by rotating the drive chain 28 in the forward direction, the tray pusher 31 takes out the two trays 1 and pushes out the tray 1 to the conveyor 24 and the intermittent lowering mechanism 25. As the tray 28 rotates in the reverse direction, the tray pusher 31 moves back out of the magazine 2.

Next, the conveyor lifting mechanism 22 sets the next two storage shelves 8 of the magazine 2 to the unloading position AP, and repeats the above-described pushing operation.

Of the two trays 1 extruded from the magazine 2, the lower tray 1 is transferred to the take-out conveyor 24 and is carried out to the tray carry-out conveyor 32 by its rotation.

Of the two trays 1 extruded from the magazine 2, the upper tray 1 is held horizontally by the intermittent lowering mechanism 25 until the tray 1 on the take-out conveyor 24 moves to the tray carry-out conveyor 32. It waits in this holding state.

After the tray sensor 33 detects the transfer of the tray 1 to the tray unloading conveyor 32, the Geneva mechanism 38 is driven, and the wing-shaped guide 34 takes out the tray 1 from the intermittent lowering mechanism 25 and lowers it to the conveyor 24.

During the lowering operation from the airfoil guide 34 to the take-out conveyor 24, the driving chain 28 rotates in the reverse direction as described above, so that the tray pusher 31 is ready for the next extrusion operation. Become.

By repeating such an operation, the trays 1 in the magazine 2 are sequentially taken out by two stages,
4 will be unloaded at high speed.

Next, a high-speed tray unloading device 50 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic perspective view of the high-speed tray unloading device 50. In the high-speed tray unloading device 50, as shown in FIGS. An unloading tray 51 having a loading through hole 51A is used, and the conveyed object 4 is unloaded from the tray 51 in an orderly manner.

The size of the unloading through-hole 51A is, for example, 2 mm in diameter and 10 mm in pitch.
And the like, and designed to a predetermined value according to the size of the tray 51 and the type of the transported object 4.

The high-speed tray unloading device 50 comprises:
The tray carrying-in conveyor 52 connected to the tray carrying-out conveyor 32 (FIG. 1), a tray tilting mechanism 53, a pneumatic supply mechanism 54, and an unloading conveyor 55.
And a tray return conveyor 56.

At the unloading position AP stopped on the tray carrying conveyor 52, the unloading of the transported object 4 from the tray 51 is performed.

That is, the tray tilting mechanism 53 includes a tray tilting belt 57, a tray engaging piece 58 attached to the tray tilting belt 57 and engageable with the storage side edge 6 of the tray 51, A tilting motor 59 for rotating the belt 57 forward and backward.

The air pressure supply mechanism 54 includes a tray tilt mechanism 5
The pressure housing 60 includes a pressure housing 60 positioned below the tray 51 and capable of sealing the space below the tray 51, and a compressor 61 capable of supplying air at a predetermined pressure into the pressure housing 60.

In the high-speed tray unloading device 50 having such a configuration, the tray 51 is supplied to the tray carrying conveyor 52 through the take-out conveyor 24 and the intermittent lowering mechanism 25, and is supplied to the tray carrying conveyor 52.
Stop on.

Next, the air pressure supply mechanism 54 is
1 from below the mounting surface 3
Predetermined pressure through A, for example 0.01 to 0.001 kg
By supplying air of / cm ^2, an air bearing is formed on the lower surface of the transferred object 4, and the tray engaging piece 58 of the tray tilting mechanism 53 engages with the storage side edge portion 6 of the tray 51, The tray inclining belt 57 rotates forward (solid line) in FIG.
Incline about 15 degrees.

That is, the tray tilting mechanism 53 shifts the tray 51 from the state of transporting the article 4 to the state of unloading.

Therefore, the transported object 4 which has been easily moved by the air pressure is sequentially taken out onto the unloading conveyor 55 by the action of gravity due to the inclination of the tray 51, and the transported object 4 is orderly without being damaged. The unloading of the transported object 4 can be performed smoothly while maintaining the alignment state.

After the end of the unloading,
The tray 51 is returned to a horizontal state by the reverse rotation (dashed line) of the tray tilting belt 57 in FIG. 4, and the tray 51 is transferred to the tray return conveyor 56.

The structure of the tray tilting mechanism 53 can be simplified since only the tray 51 needs to be tilted.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a high-speed tray unloading device 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The high-speed tray unloading device 70 includes the loading conveyor 52 and a tray tilting mechanism. A tray tilting mechanism 71 corresponding to 53; an air pressure supply mechanism 72 corresponding to the air pressure supply mechanism 54;
And 5.

The tray tilt mechanism 71 is provided with the air pressure supply mechanism 7.
It has a tilting cylinder 74 that can tilt the tray 51 together with the second pressure housing 73.

The operation of the high-speed tray unloading device 70 having such a configuration is basically the same as that of the high-speed tray unloading device 50 of FIG.
1 is stopped at the upper part of the pressure housing 73, compressed air is supplied from the compressor 61 to the pressure housing 73, and the conveyed object 4 is floated through the unloading through hole 51A. The tray 51 is tilted by
The upper transported object 4 can be unloaded onto the unloading conveyor 55.

The tray tilt mechanism 71 is provided with the air pressure supply mechanism 7.
Since the tray 51 is inclined together with the second pressure housing 73, it is possible to reliably supply a predetermined air pressure, and it is easy to control the function of the air bearing.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an object is unloaded from the tray, an air bearing is formed, so that the object can be safely and orderly taken out of the tray. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic side view of a high-speed tray unloading device 20 when a tray 1 is pushed out of a magazine 2.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the intermittent lowering mechanism 25;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the intermittent lowering mechanism 25;

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic perspective view of a high-speed tray unloading device 50 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tray 51.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the tray 51.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional side view of a high-speed tray unloading device 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically showing a transport / packaging system in a conventional production line.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another transport / packaging system.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the tray 1 and the magazine 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tray 2 magazine 3 mounting surface of tray 1 4 conveyed object such as confectionery on tray 1 5 pair of reinforcing bent portions of tray 1 6 pair of storage side edges of tray 1 7 storage space of magazine 2 8 A pair of storage shelves of the magazine 2 9 A front opening of the magazine 2 10 A back opening of the magazine 2 11 An inclined portion for preventing the tray from jumping out of the magazine 2 20 A high-speed tray unloading device 21 A conveyor for loading / unloading a magazine 22 Conveyor Elevating mechanism 23 Tray pushing mechanism 24 Take-out conveyor 25 Intermittent descent mechanism 26 Elevating platform 27 Elevating cylinder 28 Drive chain 29 Mounting member 30 Guide member 31 Tray pusher 32 Tray unloading conveyor 33 Tray sensor 34 One pair of left and right winged guides 35 Intermittent Rotating mechanism 36 A pair of left and right vertical guides 37 Airfoil guide 4 blade plate 38 Geneva mechanism 39 Gear mechanism 40 A pair of belts 50 High-speed tray unloading device (first embodiment, FIG. 4) 51 Unloading tray 51A Unloading through hole of tray 51 52 Tray loading Conveyor 53 Tray tilt mechanism 54 Air pressure supply mechanism 55 Unloading conveyor 56 Tray return conveyor 57 Tray tilt belt 58 Tray engaging piece 59 Tilt motor 60 Pressure housing 61 Compressor 70 High speed tray unloading device (second embodiment, FIG. 7) 71 Tray tilting mechanism 72 Air pressure supply mechanism 73 Pressure housing 74 Cylinder for tilting L Depth length of tilting portion 11 for preventing tray from jumping out AP Unloading position

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Sadao Mikami 1-10-8 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Higobashi branch office, Osaka branch office (56) References JP-A-2-2055537 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65G 47/34

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A high-speed tray unloading device for unloading a conveyed object from a tray on which the conveyed object can be mounted and conveyed, wherein a plurality of through holes are formed in a mounting surface of the tray. with a loading conveyor for loading the tray unloading position, the tray has been carried by the carrying-in conveyor the
A tray tilting mechanism for tilting at an unloading position; and a position below the tray, which can be sealed under the tray.
A pressure housing for supplying air at a predetermined pressure into the pressure housing, and a front end through the through hole.
The tray is supplied to the mounting surface of the tray and air bearing
Pneumatic supply having a compressor capable of forming
Fast tray unloading device, characterized in that it comprises a mechanism. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray tilting mechanism shifts the tray from a state of transporting the object to an unloading state for unloading the object from the tray. High speed tray unloading device. 3. The high-speed tray unloading device according to claim 1, wherein the tray tilting mechanism can raise one side end of the tray to tilt the tray. 4. The high-speed tray unloading device according to claim 1, wherein the tray tilting mechanism tilts the tray together with the air pressure supply mechanism.