JP3112130B2 - Container alignment device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container aligning apparatus, and more particularly, to a container aligning apparatus using a robot.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a container aligning apparatus for sequentially aligning randomly supplied containers in a predetermined direction is known (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-57004). The aligning device disclosed in the above publication includes a discharge conveyor and a cylindrical chute provided on the discharge conveyor, and containers are sequentially and randomly supplied from an upper end supply port of the chute.
The container is configured to fall while engaging with the engaging pin provided in the chute, and the container engaged with the engaging pin is erected or inverted by a sensor provided in the middle of the chute. To detect When the sensor detects that the container is upright, the container is allowed to pass as it is and falls onto the lower discharge conveyor. On the other hand, when the sensor detects that the container is in an inverted state, the container is turned around the pin at the bulging portion provided below the position where the sensor is provided, and then the container is discharged. It falls on a conveyor. With this configuration, the randomly supplied containers pass through the chute and, when placed on the discharge conveyor, are arranged in an upright state with the upper end thereof facing upward.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional aligning apparatus, when the size of the container to be processed is changed, it is necessary to change each of the above-mentioned constituent members in accordance with the changed size of the container. Therefore, the type change work has been complicated.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In view of such circumstances,
The present invention relates to a first transport conveyor for transporting a container in an overturned state, a second transport conveyor disposed at a position adjacent to the first transport conveyor for transporting a container in an overturned state, and the first transport conveyor being a container. A camera that is provided on a transport path for transporting the container and captures the mounting state of the container, and a container on the first transport conveyor that is captured by the camera is moved from the first transport conveyor onto the second transport conveyor in a predetermined direction. A robot that transfers the first transfer conveyor to a horizontal position and a tilt position with one side as a rotation center, and the horizontal position and the tilt position according to the cross-sectional shape of the container. , And is arranged so as to be able to circulate along one side of the first conveyor which is the center of rotation, and is disposed on the first conveyor at the inclined position. Engage with It is to provide a container aligning device provided with engagement belt to align the orientation of the container in the same direction as the transporting direction of the first carrying conveyor Te.

According to such a configuration, even if the size of the container to be processed is changed, it is not necessary to change the type of each component described above. Versatility can be improved. Moreover, when the first conveyor is positioned at an inclined position and, for example, the cylindrical containers are conveyed, each cylindrical container moves to one side of the first conveyor and engages with the engagement belt, whereby The directions on one conveyor can be aligned. Therefore, the cylindrical container on the first conveyor is not displaced after being photographed by the camera and before being transferred to the second conveyor by the robot, and is thus securely held by the robot. It is delivered to the second conveyor. Further, for example, in the case of a deformed container having a rectangular or elliptical cross section, the position of the deformed container is not shifted on the first conveyor after being photographed by the camera. What is necessary is just to convey a conveyor with a horizontal position. in this way,
Even if the size of the container is changed, a type change operation is not required, and even containers having different cross-sectional shapes can be reliably processed, so that the versatility of the container alignment device can be improved as compared with the related art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiment.
Are sequentially held by the robot 4 and aligned in a predetermined direction, and then transferred onto the second conveyor 5. As will be described later, the container alignment device 1 of the present embodiment is not limited to the flat container 3 having an elliptical cross section shown in FIG.
Can be processed, and each of the containers 3 is provided with an opening 3a at the upper end for filling with a filling liquid. The operation of the first conveyor 2 is controlled by the control device 6 so that the first conveyor 2 is circulated at a traveling speed V1 in a direction indicated by an arrow. A hopper 7 in which a large number of containers 3 are stored is provided. An inclined feeder 8 is provided between the hopper 7 and the upstream end 2a of the first conveyor 2, and the container 3 is taken out of the hopper 7 by the inclined feeder 8, and the upstream end 2a of the first conveyor 2 is provided. To supply it. Each container 3 supplied from the inside of the hopper 7 to the upstream end 2a of the first transport conveyor 2 by the inclined feeder 8 is turned sideways and in an unspecified direction. It is conveyed to the downstream side. At a position slightly downstream of the upstream end 2a to which the container 3 is supplied, an engaging brush 9 is arranged to be orthogonal to the first conveyor 2 and directed downward. This engagement brush 9
Is positioned above the mounting surface of the first transport conveyor 2 by a predetermined dimension. For example, the upper portion overlaps with the upper container 3 in a two-tiered state or the adjacent container 3. The container 3 is in contact with the inclined container 3 so as to prevent the polymerization state of the container 3. Therefore, the container 3 on the first transport conveyor 2 that has passed the position of the engagement brush 9 is laid down in one layer without overlapping. In this embodiment, if the containers 3 are in a superimposed state even if they pass the position of the engagement brush 9, the robot 4 does not transfer the containers to the containers. The polymerized container 3 is dropped from the downstream end 2b of the first conveyor 2 to be collected. A CCD camera 10 for photographing the mounted state of the container 3 is disposed at an upper position near the downstream end 2 b of the first conveyor 2, and an image photographed by the CCD camera 10 is transmitted to the controller 6. Is to be entered. In addition, the above CCD
At the downstream end 2b adjacent to the camera 10, a sensor 11 composed of a pair of left and right members is disposed.
1 allows the detection of whether or not the container 3 exists on the downstream end 2b of the first conveyor 2. When the presence of the container 3 is detected by the sensor 11, the fact is input to the control device 6. At the downstream end 2b of the first conveyor 2, the second conveyor 5 is disposed orthogonal to the first conveyor 2, and the robot 4 is brought close to both conveyors 2, 5. Have been placed. The operation of the second conveyor 5 is controlled by the control device 6, and the second conveyor 5 is circulated in the direction of the arrow at the transport speed V2. A bucket 5a for storing the container 3 is formed by the adjacent plate members. Then, each container 3 is moved by the robot 4 to the first position.
The bucket 5 of the second conveyor 5 from above the conveyor 2
a. The size of each of the buckets 5a is set to be large enough to accommodate the container 3 having the maximum size to be processed. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the robot 4 includes a large-diameter first drive shaft 14 oriented in the vertical direction, and
The base of the first arm 15 oriented in the horizontal direction is connected to the upper end of the drive shaft 14. A small-diameter second drive shaft 16 oriented in the vertical direction is rotatably provided at the tip of the first arm 15, and the base of the second arm 17 oriented in the horizontal direction is connected to the second drive shaft 16. doing. A third drive shaft 18 is rotatably and vertically movable at the end of the second arm 17. The vacuum pad 19 is vertically directed to the lower end of the third drive shaft 18. Attached. The control device 6 controls the rotation of the drive shafts 14, 16, 18 and the raising and lowering operation of the third drive shaft 18 and the supply / stop operation of the negative pressure to the vacuum pad 19. The robot 4 whose operation is controlled by the control device 6 is reciprocated between a container holding position A shown by a solid line in FIG. 1 and a container release position B shown by an imaginary line in FIG. In A and B, it moves following the respective conveyors 2 and 5 over a required range. That is, when the vacuum pad 19 of the robot 4 is located at the holding position A, the controller 6 lowers the third drive shaft 18 by a required amount and simultaneously supplies the vacuum pad 19 with a negative pressure.
One container 3 placed on the downstream end of the conveyor 2 is suction-held by the vacuum pad 19. Until the vacuum pad 19 grips the container 3, the vacuum pad 19 is controlled to move following the container 3 transported by the first transport conveyor 2. When the container 3 is gripped by the vacuum pad 19 at the gripping position A, the control device 6 controls the operation of the robot 4 based on the input from the CCD camera 10 and the sensor 11 described above. That is, when the image of the container 3 is first input from the CCD camera 10, the control device 6 moves the input container 3 in a certain direction (in the drawing,
In order to align the mouth 3 with the second conveyor 5 in the direction perpendicular to the left side, the calculation is performed to determine how much the container 3 taken by the CCD camera 10 needs to be rotated. After the calculation of the rotation angle, when the sensor 11 inputs to the control device 6 that the container 3 is actually transported to the position of the sensor 11, the vacuum pad 19 previously positioned at the gripping position A is input. At the same time, a negative pressure is introduced into the vacuum pad 19. As a result, at the gripping position A, the container 3 is
Then, the vacuum pad 19 holding the container 3 is lifted by a required amount and moved to the release position B on the second conveyor 5 side. Then, while the vacuum pad 19 moves from the holding position A to the release position B, the vacuum pad 19 (the third drive shaft 18) is rotated by the rotation angle calculated by the control device 6. Therefore, when the vacuum pad 19 holding the container 3 is located at the release position B, the vacuum pad 1
The direction of the container 3 gripped by 9 is aligned in a direction orthogonal to the second conveyor 5 with its mouth facing the left side. As described above, when the container 3 is located at the release position B of the second conveyor 5, the control device 6 causes the vacuum pad 19 to move.
(Third drive shaft 18) is lowered by a required amount,
The introduction of the negative pressure to the vacuum pad 19 is stopped. Therefore, the holding state of the container 3 by the vacuum pad 19 is released, and the released container 3 is stored in the bucket 5 a of the second transport conveyor 5 in a state where the container 3 is directed in the above-described predetermined direction. As described above, the vacuum pad 19 at the gripping position A and the release position B performs the above-described elevating operation and the gripping and releasing operation of the container 3 while moving following the movement of each of the conveyors 2 and 5. As described above, the operation of the robot 4 is controlled by the control device 6, and the robot 4 reciprocates between the gripping position A and the release position B, and accordingly, the container 3 on the first transport conveyor 2 is moved to each bucket of the second transport conveyor 5. 5a are sequentially delivered in a predetermined direction. Further, in the present embodiment, the first encoder 20 is linked to the first conveyor 2 and the second encoder 21 is linked to the second conveyor 5. The number of pulses detected by the encoders 20 and 21 is input to the control device 6. The control device 6 causes the vacuum cup 19 of the robot 4 to follow the operation of the two conveyors 2 and 5 at the two positions A and B based on the pulses input from the encoders 20 and 21. Like that. Also,
By providing both encoders 20 and 21, the control device 6 allows the transport speeds V1, V2
Is controlled, and when the transport speed of one transport conveyor is changed, the transport speed of the other transport conveyor can be easily adjusted to correspond to the transport speed. Further, in the present embodiment, on the downstream side of the transport path of the second transport conveyor 5, the second transport conveyor 5 is obliquely crossed with the second transport conveyor 5,
A rod-shaped guide member 24 is arranged. Each container 3 sequentially conveyed downstream by the second conveyor 5
The mouth 3a located on the left side in the drawing comes into contact with the guide member 24, and is eventually pushed rightward along a plate-like member that is a boundary between the buckets 5a. On one side of the second conveyor 5 provided with the guide member 24, a discharge conveyor 25 having a lower mounting surface than the second conveyor 5 is provided.
Further, a chute 26 composed of a pair of left and right plate-like members is disposed on both sides of the upstream end of the discharge conveyor 25. The chute 26 is supported above the discharge conveyor 25, and the portion on the outer side is horizontally supported, and is supported at the same height as the mounting surface of the second transport conveyor 5. On the other hand, the shoot 26
Are inclined in a valley shape and are separated by a predetermined size above a central portion of the discharge conveyor 25. Since the chute 26 is configured as described above, each of the containers 3 pushed out from the second conveyor 5 toward the right side by the guide member 24.
Is placed on the horizontal portion of the chute 26, then slides on the inclined portion, and then passes through the central gap to discharge the conveyor 25.
Fall on. As described above, in the present embodiment, the guide member 24 and the chute 26 constitute a substantial correcting means for erecting the container 3. As mentioned above,
The lateral movement by the guide member 24 and the chute 2
6. The flat container 3 having an elliptical cross section which has been turned sideways due to the drop of the container 3 onto the discharge conveyor 25 by the container 6.
Are erected in an upright state with the opening 3a facing upward, and are arranged in a line in the transport direction and delivered to the discharge conveyor 25, and in that state, are transferred to the next processing device (not shown) by the discharge conveyor 25. It is discharged toward. In this embodiment, by improving the first conveyor 2 and the like, not only the above-mentioned non-circular container 3 having an elliptical cross section or the like, but also a cylindrical container having a circular cross section as shown in FIG. No. 3 can be processed. That is, FIG.
As shown in (1), the first conveyor 2 is movable about one side to a horizontal position indicated by an imaginary line and an inclined position indicated by a solid line. 1st conveyor 2
Is usually located at a horizontal position indicated by an imaginary line, and in this state, the container 3 having a non-circular cross section as described above is transported. On the other hand, when transporting a cylindrical container having a circular cross section, the hydraulic cylinder 27 interlocked with one side of the frame of the first transport conveyor 2, which is on the opposite side to the rotation center side, is operated, Since one side of the first transport conveyor 2 is raised by a predetermined amount, the first transport conveyor 2 is located at an inclined position indicated by a solid line. The container 3 on the first conveyor 2 located at the inclined position as described above is conveyed by its own weight while being brought to one side which is the center of rotation. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a pair of upper and lower engaging belts 28 and 29 are disposed along one side of the first conveyor 2 serving as the rotation center. The engagement belts 28 and 29 are engaged with the containers 3 on the first conveyor 2 located at the inclined positions, so that the cylindrical containers 3 do not fall off the first conveyor 2. The engagement belts 28 and 29 are circulated and run at the transport speed V3 in the same direction as the transport direction of the first transport conveyor 2, and the transport speed V3 is the transport speed V1 of the first transport conveyor 2. Slightly faster than Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the rotating brush 30 that rotates clockwise above one side of the first conveyor 2 that is located immediately downstream of the engaging brush 9 and opposite to the engaging belts 28 and 29. Is provided. When the first conveyor 2 is located at the inclined position, the rotating brush 30 is rotated. In this case, the tip of the rotating brush 30 is a cylindrical container on the first conveyor 2. 3, and each contacted container 3 is quickly moved toward the engagement belts 28 and 29. As described above, in the present embodiment, when processing the cylindrical container 3, first, the first transport conveyor 2 is positioned at the inclined position, and in this state, the cylindrical container 3 is placed on the first transport conveyor 2. Supply. The cylindrical container 3 conveyed by the first conveyor 2 has an engaging brush 9
Then, by being engaged with the rotating brush 30, it is quickly moved to the engagement belts 28, 29 and engaged with the engagement belts 28, 29. Then, in this state, the sheet is conveyed by the first conveyor 2. Thus, the container 3 on the first conveyor 2
Are engaged with the engagement belts 28 and 29, and the engagement belt 2
8 and 29, the traveling speed V3 of the first conveyor 2 is set slightly higher than the traveling speed V1.
The cylindrical containers 3 engaged with 8, 29 are aligned in the same direction as the transport direction of the first transport conveyor 2 with the opening 3a positioned on either side in the drawing. And
Each container 3 is photographed by the CCD camera 10 in such a state that the orientation is aligned. After that, each container 3 is detected by the sensor 11 and then gripped by the robot 4 at the gripping position A, and is delivered to the second transport conveyor 5 with the opening 3a aligned to the left side. . The cylindrical container 3 delivered to the second conveyor 5 is then corrected from the sideways down state to the upright state by the guide member 4 and the chute 26 as in the case of the deformed container 3 described above, and the discharge conveyor 25 discharged. According to the above-described embodiment, after the containers 3 randomly supplied to the first conveyor 2 are aligned in a state in which the mouth 3a is directed leftward, the containers 3 can be erected in an upright state. And in this embodiment,
Even if the size of the container 3 to be processed is changed, it is not necessary to change the components of the container alignment device 1. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of the type change operation when the size of the container 3 is changed, and it is possible to expand the range of the function of the container 3 as compared with the related art. Further, as described above, in this embodiment, if the first transport conveyor 2 is positioned at the horizontal position, the processing of the container 3 having a non-circular cross section can be performed. In the case of such a container 3 having a non-circular cross section,
Between the time when the container 3 is photographed by the CCD camera 10 and the time when the robot 4 grips the container 3 at the gripping position A, the container 3 is not displaced on the first conveyor 2. The container 3 can be reliably held at the position A. On the other hand, when the cylindrical container 3 having a circular cross section is transported with the first transport conveyor 2 positioned at the horizontal position, the cylindrical container 3 is moved by the CCD camera 10.
And the robot 4 moves the container 3
Until the user grips the container 3, the cylindrical container 3 may be rolled and displaced.
Could not be grasped. In consideration of such disadvantages, in the present embodiment, when processing the cylindrical container 3, the first conveyor 2 is positioned at the inclined position. First conveyor 2 located at an inclined position
Since the upper container 3 is supported by being engaged with the engagement belts 28 and 29, it is possible to prevent the container 3 from rolling and being displaced during transportation. Therefore, the container 3 is a CCD camera 10
Therefore, the robot 4 can reliably grip the cylindrical container 3 at the gripping position A without being displaced between the time when the image is captured and the time when the robot 4 is gripped. Thereby, the versatility of the container alignment device 1 can be further improved as compared with the related art. In the above embodiment, the processing of the cylindrical container 3 is performed in a state where the first transport conveyor 2 is located at the inclined position. However, as shown in FIGS.
In the state where is located at the inclined position, the deformed container 3 having a triangular or trapezoidal cross section can be processed. In this case, the inclination angle of the first conveyor 2 and the arrangement of the engagement belts 28 and 29 may be adjusted so that one side surface of the container 3 held by the vacuum pad 19 is horizontal. By adjusting in this manner, the container can be reliably gripped by the vacuum pad 19, so that the deformed container as shown in FIGS. Can be processed. In the above embodiment, the vacuum pad 19 is used.
Although the container 3 is sucked and gripped by the gripper, the container 3 may be gripped by a gripper that can be opened and closed. Further, in the present embodiment, the straightening means for erecting the container 3 in the erect state by the guide member 24 and the chute 26 is configured. Any configuration may be used. Further, a belt-shaped flat belt may be used instead of the engagement belts 28 and 29.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that the versatility of the container aligning device can be improved as compared with the related art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a plan view when processing a container having an elliptical cross section.

FIG. 2 is a front view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing processing of a container having a circular cross section in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing a state when processing a container having a triangular section.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state when processing a container having a trapezoidal cross-section.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Container alignment apparatus 2 ... 1st conveyor 3
... Container 4 ... Robot 5 ... Second conveyor 1
0: CCD camera 28: engagement belt 29: engagement belt

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 47/22-47/32 B65G 47/14 B65G 47/53

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first transport conveyor for transporting a container in an overturned state, a second transport conveyor disposed adjacent to the first transport conveyor for transporting a container in an overturned state, and the first transport conveyor. A camera provided on the transport path for transporting the containers and photographing the mounting status of the containers; and a container on the first transport conveyor photographed by the camera is moved from the first transport conveyor onto the second transport conveyor in a predetermined direction. A first transfer conveyor that can be moved to a horizontal position and an inclined position about one side as a center of rotation, and the horizontal position and the inclined position according to the cross-sectional shape of the container. And is arranged so as to be able to circulate along one side of the first transport conveyor serving as the rotation center, and is disposed on the first transport conveyor positioned at the inclined position. Container and Combined with container alignment device, characterized by providing the engaging belt to align the orientation of the container in the same direction as the transporting direction of the first conveyor.