JP2902308B2 - Article filling equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article filling apparatus installed in an automatic packaging facility such as a boxing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus for gripping an article using a robot hand and transporting the article to a predetermined location is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-2637.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-74545 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-74545 (second conventional example) have been proposed. In these first and second conventional examples, a plurality of gripping mechanisms (chucks) for gripping an article are installed in the width shifting mechanism. The width shifting mechanism enables the gripping mechanism to move linearly in one direction ( The first conventional example), and can be moved linearly in two orthogonal directions (second conventional example).

A device for expanding a flap of a box such as a cardboard box moving on a transfer device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
The invention described in Japanese Patent No. 17904 (third conventional example) has been proposed. In this apparatus, a stored article is pressed against an opening plate (flap expanding portion) for expanding the flap, and the opening plate is operated to expand the flap.

[0004]

However, in the above-described first or second conventional example, the width-shifting mechanism only moves the gripping mechanism linearly, and realizes an inverted C-shape movement in which the tip of the gripped article approaches. Since it is not possible, when carrying the gripped article into the box and filling it, the article may be caught in the box.

In the case of the third conventional example, since the stored article is operated by pushing and expanding the opening plate, especially when the stored article is soft and easily deformed, the stored article may be deformed or damaged. There is a risk of doing this.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an article filling apparatus capable of easily filling an article into a box without damaging the article.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an article loading device having a gripping mechanism for gripping an article via a width shifting mechanism at the end of a robot arm, and a flap for expanding a flap of a box with an opening plate. Having an opening device, wherein the width shifting mechanism comprises:
It comprises a plurality of linearly movable slide members, and a plurality of link members rotatably supported by the respective slide members and arranged side by side, and the gripping mechanism is installed at the tip of each link member. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the opening plate of the flap opening device according to the first aspect is capable of abutting on both flaps at a boundary between adjacent two flaps, and is rotated from inside to outside. , The two flaps are pushed open.

[0009]

According to the article filling apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the width moving mechanism of the article loading apparatus has a plurality of slidable slide members, and a plurality of slide members rotatably supported by the respective slide members. Since a gripping mechanism is provided at the tip of the link member, after gripping the article by the gripping mechanism, a plurality of slide members are linearly moved so as to approach each other, and gripping is performed. For example, the gripped article can be made to approach in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, the link member can be rotated and moved in an inverted C-shape to make the tip of the gripped article approach. As a result, a plurality of articles gripped by the article carrying-in device can be easily carried into the opening of the box from their ends, and the filling of the box with the articles can be facilitated.

In addition, since the flap of the box is not opened by the opening plate of the flap opening device and the flap is opened by the article filled (stored) in the box, deformation or damage of the filled article is prevented. it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the opening plate of the flap opening device abuts the two flaps at the boundary between the adjacent two flaps of the box, and opens both the flaps. Both flaps can be opened by one opening plate. Furthermore, since the opening plate is disposed between the adjacent flaps at the time of opening, the opening plate serves as a guide when articles are carried into the box by the article carry-in device, and the articles do not enter both flaps, and therefore the articles are moved to the box. It can be easily brought in.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an automatic packaging facility provided with a filling device to which an embodiment of an article filling device according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a side view of the automatic packaging equipment of FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the container loading device of the filling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the container loading device of FIG. FIG. 5 is a view on arrow V in FIG. FIG. 6 is a view on arrow VI in FIG. FIG. 7 shows the VI of FIG.
FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. 9A and 9B are operation diagrams showing the operation of the link member shown in FIG. 7, wherein FIG. 9A is a diagram when the container is taken out, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the flap opening device of the filling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 11 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow XI in FIG. FIG. 12 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow XII in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automatic packaging apparatus 10 for automatically packing a container 1 such as a shampoo into a box 3 such as a cardboard box is provided with a transfer device 1 for holding and transferring the box 3.
1, a box supply device 12 for supplying a box 3 to the box transport device 11 and supplying the same, and a container 1 as an article fitted to the hakama 2
Transport device 13 that transports the containers 2 in two rows, and an article filling device that opens and holds the flap of the box 3 on the box transport device 11, takes out a predetermined number of containers 1 from the container transport device 13, and packs the inside of the box 3. Filling device 14 and the filling device 1
A packaging device 15 for folding and pressing and packing the flap of the box 3 filled with the container 1 at 4 and a packaging box (pair case) by bonding two boxes 3 packed by the packaging device 15
And a collective box manufacturing apparatus 16 that manufactures the group 4.

The filling device 14 transfers the container 1 to the container transfer device 1
3, a container carrying-in device 20 as an article carrying-in device taken out of the box 3 on the box carrying device 11, and a long flap 5 and a short flap 5 of the box 3 on the box carrying device 11. 6 and the flap opening device 21 (FIG. 10,
11 and 12).

A, Container Loading Device The container loading device 20 is, as shown in FIG.
3, a width shifting mechanism 24 is provided, and a chuck 25 as a gripping mechanism is disposed in the width shifting mechanism 24. The plurality of containers 1 are individually gripped by the plurality of chucks 25.

That is, the robot mechanism 23 includes the first arm 26, the second arm 27, the first rod 28, the third arm 2
9, comprising a second rod 30 and a third rod 31;
A tip of a second arm 27 as a robot arm;
A base 32 of the width shifting mechanism 24 is pivotally supported at the tip of the rod 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the width shifting mechanism 24 includes a base 32
A plurality of (six) sliders 33 as linearly movable slide members with respect to the base 32; and a plurality of (for example, two) sliders rotatably supported by the respective sliders 33 and arranged side by side. And a main link 34 and a sub link 35 as link members. The chuck 2 is attached to the distal ends of the main link 34 and the sub link 35.
5 are provided respectively.

In the robot mechanism 23 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tip of the first arm 26 is pivotally supported by the second arm 27 in the pivot a, and the base end of the first arm 26 is the rotating shaft of the motor 36 for lateral movement. b. The tip of the second arm 27 can be moved in the horizontal direction (X direction) via the first arm 26 by driving the motor 36 for lateral movement. The third arm 29 has a base end connected to the rotating shaft c of the vertical movement motor 37 and a front end pivotally supported by a pivot d at one end of the first rod 28. The other end of the first rod 28 is connected to the second arm 27 in the pivot e.
Is pivotally supported at the base end. By driving the motor 37 for vertical movement, the second arm 29 and the first rod 28
The arm 27 is rotatably provided around the pivot a, and the tip of the second arm 27 is vertically movable in the vertical direction (Y direction).

A lever 38 is pivotally supported on the pivot a, and this lever 38 is pivotally supported on one end of the second rod 30 in the pivot f. The other end of the second rod 30 is a pivot g
At a stationary base 39. Also, lever 38
Is pivotally supported on the base end of the third rod 31 in the pivot h. The tip of the second arm 27 and the tip of the third rod 31 are connected to the pivoting mechanism 24 at pivots i and j, respectively.
Is supported by a support plate 40 fixed to the base 32 of the first embodiment. When the first arm 26 is rotated by the horizontal movement motor 36 and the third arm 29 is rotated by the vertical movement motor 37, the tip of the second arm 27 is moved horizontally (X direction) and vertically (Y direction). When moving to the second rod 30,
The support plate 40 is provided by the lever 38 and the third rod 31.
Are always held in the vertical direction (Y direction).

As described above, the robot mechanism 23
By driving the horizontal movement motor 36 and the vertical movement motor 37, the support plate 40, that is, the width shifting mechanism 24 and the chuck 25 are always held in the vertical direction, and the width shifting mechanism 24 and the chuck 25 are It can be moved up and down above the transport device 13 and can be raised and lowered above the box transport device 11.

The width shifting mechanism 24 is shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.
5, rails 41 </ b> A are formed on upper and lower portions of the base 32 in FIG. 5, and the six sliders 33 can be moved in the horizontal direction via the rollers 41. Two slider cylinders 42 are arranged on the base 32 to face each other, and levers 43 are rotatably supported at both ends, and these levers 43 are operated by the respective slider cylinders 42. You. The three sliders 33 are respectively connected to one lever 43 via three connection bars 44.

Accordingly, by operating the slider cylinder 42, the slider 33 moves on the base 32 in the horizontal direction. When extending the slider cylinder device 42, the slider 33 moves horizontally in a direction away from the slider device, and when the slider cylinder device 42 is contracted,
The slider 33 moves horizontally in a direction in which the slider 33 approaches. The two slider cylinder devices 42 simultaneously perform the extension or contraction operation.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a link support plate 45 is fixed to each slider 33, and the main link 34 and the sub-link 3 are attached to the link support plate 45.
5 is pivotally supported via pivots A and B, respectively. These main link 34 and sub link 35
Are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal movement direction of the slider 33.

The main link 34 and the sub link 35 are
It is configured to rotate in the directions of arrows M and N around the pivots A and B, respectively, by the urging force of the spring 46. The main link 34 extends upward in FIG. 7, and a locking roller 47 is supported at the upper end. A link cylinder device 48 is installed on the base 32. A locking plate 50 extending in the arrangement direction of the six sliders 33 is fixed to the piston rod 49 of the link cylinder device 48. The locking plate 50 supports the locking roller 47 during the extension operation of the link cylinder device 48,
The main link 34 is positioned in the vertical direction in FIG. 7, and when the link cylinder device 48 contracts in the P direction, the main link 34 rotates in the M direction by the urging force of the spring 46.

The main link 34 and the sub link 35 are
They are connected via a synchronous operation mechanism 51 shown in FIG. The synchronous operating mechanism 51 is driven by a drive plate 53 fixed to the main link 34 and having a long hole 52 formed thereon, and fixed to the sub-link 35 so as to sandwich the drive plate 53 from both sides. Plate 55
The driving piece 54 is slidably disposed in the elongated hole 52. Therefore, when the main link 34 rotates in the M direction, the drive piece 54 slides in the long hole 52 of the drive plate 53 and rotates the sub link 35 in the N direction by the same angle as the main link 34. By rotating the main link 34 and the sub link 35 in the M and N directions, as shown in FIG.
The tip of the container 1 grasped by the user approaches.

With the above-described width adjusting mechanism 24, the robot mechanism 23 controls the width adjusting mechanism 24 and the chuck 25.
When the container 1 is moved onto the container transporting device 13 and the container 1 is gripped by the chuck 25, the slider cylinder device 42 is extended to operate the slider 33 as shown in the left half of FIG.
The main link 34 and the sub-link 35 are installed in the vertical direction by extending the link cylinder device 48 as shown in FIG. 9 (A). After the container 1 is gripped by the chuck 25, the width shifting mechanism 24 and the chuck 25 are moved by the robot mechanism 23 to the box transport device 1.
When the container 1 is moved upward and the container 1 is carried into the box 3 on the box transport device 11, the slider cylinder device 42 is contracted to move the slider 33 to the approach position as shown in the right half of FIG. As shown in FIG. 9B, the link cylinder device 48 is contracted and moved in the P direction to rotate the main link 34 in the arrow M direction, and the sub-link is operated by the operation of the synchronous operation mechanism 51. 35 are simultaneously rotated in the direction of arrow N,
The tip of the container 1 gripped by the chuck 25 is brought closer.

B, Flap Opening Device The flap opening device 21 has a frame 56, an elevating unit 57, a longitudinal moving unit 58, and a short moving unit 59, as shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. Be composed. On the frame 56, two frame posts 61 are erected from a frame base 60, and an elevating motor 63 is installed on the frame posts 61 via a support plate 62. An elevating screw 66 is connected to the elevating motor 63 via gears 64 and 65.

The lifting section 57 has a nut section 68 and a lifting guide section 69 fixed to a lifting base section 67 extending in the horizontal direction.
The nut 68 is fitted to the lifting screw 66, the lifting guide 69 is fitted to the frame support 61, and the rotation of the lifting screw 66 allows the lifting base 67 to move up and down along the frame support 61. is there. The elevating base 67 is provided with a longitudinal movement motor 70, and the longitudinal movement motor 70 is provided with gears 71 and 7.
2, the longitudinal movement screw 73 is connected.

The two longitudinal moving parts 58 are arranged to face each other. Each of the longitudinal moving parts 58 has a base part 75 fixed to a nut part 74 screwed to the longitudinal moving screw 73.
, The nut portion 74 and the base portion 75 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the box 3. As a result, the two longitudinal moving parts 58 can move in the approaching or separating directions. A short direction moving motor 76 is installed on the base 75,
A short direction moving screw 79 is connected to the short direction moving motor 76 via gears 77 and 78.

A pair of short direction moving parts 59 are provided at predetermined intervals on each of the one long direction moving parts 58. The short direction moving portion 59 is configured such that a nut portion 80 and a rotary actuator 81 are integrally formed, and a jaw 82 as an opening plate is connected to the rotary actuator 81. The pair of short direction moving parts 59
The nuts 80 are screwed into the short-direction moving screws 79 of the one longitudinal-direction moving portion 58, and the rotation of the short-direction moving screws 79 enables the box 3 to move in the short direction. It is moved in the approaching or separating direction.

The jaw 82 is moved from inside to outside by the operation of the rotary actuator 81 as shown in FIG.
Can be turned in the direction of arrow Q of FIG.
Then, the short flap 6 is pushed out of the box 3 and opened. Jogo 8
2 is disposed at the boundary between the adjacent long flaps 5 and short flaps 6 in the box 3, and comes into contact with these adjacent long flaps 5 and short flaps 6 and pushes both flaps 5 and 6. open.

With the flap opening device 21 as described above, the elevating motor 63 is operated in accordance with the type of the box 3, and the elevating part 57 is moved up and down to adjust the jaw 82 to the height of the box 3 so that the jaw 82 can be moved longitudinally. The motor 70 is operated to move the longitudinal moving part 58 to adjust the jaw 82 to the longitudinal dimension of the box 3, and then the short direction moving motor 76 is operated to move the short direction moving part 59 to move the jog Adjust 82 to the short dimension of the box 3. In this state, the rotary actuators 81 of the four short-direction moving parts 59 are operated to rotate the four jaws 82 in the direction of arrow Q, thereby expanding the long flap 5 and the short flap 6 of the box 3. I do.

C, Function and Effect The container loading device 20 of the filling device 14 has a robot mechanism 23
To move the width shifting mechanism 24 and the chuck 25 onto the container transporting device 13 and move a plurality of (6 × 2 rows = 12) containers 1 on the container transporting device 13 (6 × 2 rows = 12).
12), and the robot mechanism 23 causes the width shift mechanism 24 and the chuck 25
Is moved onto the box transporting device 11, and during this time, the plurality of containers are approached in the horizontal direction by the slider 33 of the width shifting mechanism 24, and the two containers gripped by the main link 34 and the sub-link 35 of the width shifting mechanism 24. Of the container 1 is approached. The flap opening device 21 of the filling device 14 is provided with the elevating unit 57, the longitudinal moving unit 58, and the short moving unit 5 when the box 3 is changed.
9, the jaw 82 is positioned at the optimum position with respect to the box 3, so that the long flap 5 and the short flap 6 of the box 3 are expanded by the jaw 82 during the operation by the above-described container loading device 20. The box 3 is opened. The container loading device 20 operates the robot mechanism 23 to load a plurality of (6 × 2 rows = 12) containers 1 into the box 3 opened by the flap opening device 21 and open the chuck 25. Then, the container 1 is filled in the box 3.

According to the above embodiment, the width shifting mechanism 24 of the container carrying-in device 20 has a plurality of slidable sliders 33.
And a main link 34 and a sub-link 35 rotatably supported by the respective sliders 33. Since the chuck 25 is installed at the distal ends of the main link 34 and the sub-link 35, After grasping the container 1 at 25, the plurality of sliders 33 are linearly moved so as to approach each other, the grasped container 1 approaches, for example, in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, the main link 34 and the sub-link 35 are rotated. The container 1 can be moved in an inverted C-shape to make the tip of the container 1 grasped approach. As a result, the tips of the plurality of articles 1 gripped by the container loading device 20 are
, The container 1 can be easily filled into the box 3, and particularly high-speed filling can be performed.

The jaw 8 of the flap opening device 21
2, the long flap 5 and short flap 6 of the box 3 are opened, and the long flap 5 is
In addition, since the short flap 6 is not opened, deformation and damage of the filled container 1 can be prevented.

Further, the jaw 8 of the flap opening device 21
2 abuts both flaps 5 and 6 at the border of the adjacent long flaps 5 and short flaps 6 of the box 3 and opens these long flaps 5 and short flaps 6, so that the adjacent long flaps 5 and 6 The short flap 6 can be opened by one jaw 82.

At the time of opening, the adjacent long flaps 5
Since the jaw 82 is disposed between the short flaps 6 and the short flaps 6, the jaw 82 serves as a guide when the container 1 is carried into the box 3 by the container carry-in device 20, and the container 1 is placed between the adjacent long flaps 5 and short flaps 6. Therefore, the container 1 can be easily carried into the box 3 and filled therein.

[0037]

As described above, according to the article filling apparatus according to the present invention, the article can be easily filled in the box without damaging the article.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an automatic packaging facility provided with a filling device to which an embodiment of an article filling device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the automatic packaging equipment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a container carrying-in device of the filling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the container loading device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view on arrow VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view on arrow VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. 7 in an enlarged manner.

9A and 9B are operation diagrams showing the operation of the link member shown in FIG. 7, in which FIG. 9A is a diagram at the time of container removal and FIG. 9B is a diagram at the time of container carry-in.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a flap opening device of the filling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 11 is a view taken in the direction of arrow XI in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view on arrow XII of FIG. 11;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 container 3 box 5 long flap 6 short flap 14 filling device 20 container loading device 21 flap opening device 23 robot mechanism 24 width shifting mechanism 25 chuck 27 second arm 33 slider 34 main link 35 sub link 51 synchronous operation mechanism 56 frame 57 lifting / lowering Part 58 Longitudinal direction moving part 59 Short side direction moving part 81 Rotary actuator 82 Jogo

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Fujibayashi 4-1121 Oriidai, Uji-shi, Kyoto (56) References JP-A-2-19218 (JP, A) JP-A-64-84806 (JP, A) JP-A-63-307029 (JP, A) JP-A-63-203515 (JP, A) JP-B-40-19078 (JP, B1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) ) B65B 5/00-5/12 B25J 15/00-15/12 B65B 35/16 B65B 35/36

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An article carrying device provided with a gripping mechanism for gripping an article via a width shifting mechanism at a tip of a robot arm, and a flap opening device for expanding a flap of a box by an opening plate, The width shifting mechanism includes a plurality of linearly movable slide members, and a plurality of link members rotatably supported by the respective slide members and arranged side by side, and the gripping mechanism is installed at the tip of each link member. An article filling apparatus characterized by being performed. 2. The flap opening device according to claim 1, wherein the opening plate of the flap opening device is capable of abutting on both flaps at a boundary between adjacent flaps, and is turned from the inside to the outside to push the flaps open. An article filling apparatus as described in the above.