JP3211500B2 - Clamp type container transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clamp-type container transport device having a pair of clamp arms for gripping a container.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a clamp-type container transfer device configured to transfer a container held by the clamp arm with rotation of a rotating body.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a clamp type container conveying device,
A rotating body rotatably provided on the frame, a pair of clamp shafts which are pivotally supported at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotating body and are rotated in opposite directions to each other; A pair of clamp arms to be opened and closed, a swing lever interlocked with the clamp shaft, a cam follower provided on the swing lever, and a cam follower provided on the frame to engage with the cam follower, There is known a device provided with a cam member for rotating a clamp shaft via a moving lever (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-147516). In order to securely grip the container, two sets of a pair of clamp arms are provided above and below the pair of clamp shafts, and one container may be gripped by a total of four clamp arms.

However, in such a configuration, if the upper and lower body parts have the same thickness like a round bottle or a square bottle, one container is gripped by two sets of clamp arms. However, when the upper and lower body parts have different thicknesses, such as a tapered bottle, only one set of clamp arms can grip the container, resulting in unstable gripping. Was. In view of such circumstances, the present invention is a container in which the upper and lower thicknesses of the body are the same, such as a round bottle and a square bottle, and a container in which the upper and lower thicknesses of the body are different, such as a tapered bottle. The object of the present invention is to provide a clamp-type container transfer device that can stably hold the container.

That is, the present invention relates to the above-described conventional clamp-type container conveying apparatus, that is, a rotating body rotatably provided on a frame, and a rotatably supported rotatable member at circumferentially equidistant positions. A pair of first clamp shafts that are rotated in opposite directions to each other, a pair of first clamp arms that are provided on each first clamp shaft and that are opened and closed by the rotation operation, and are linked to the first clamp shaft. A first swing lever, a first cam follower provided on the first swing lever, and a first cam follower provided on the frame and engaged with the first cam follower, via the first cam follower and the first swing lever. First
A first cam member for rotating a clamp shaft, wherein the first clamp shaft is a hollow shaft, and the second clamp shaft is rotatably inserted into each hollow shaft. The second clamp shafts are interlocked so as to rotate in opposite directions to each other, and each pair of second clamp shafts is provided with a pair of second clamp arms at different positions in the vertical direction from the first clamp arm. The second swing lever is interlocked with the second clamp shaft, and the second cam follower provided on the second swing lever is engaged with the second cam member provided on the frame,
The second cam member opens and closes the second clamp arm independently of the first clamp arm.

In the above construction, the first member is moved along with the rotation of the rotating body.
When the cam follower moves with respect to the first cam member provided on the frame, the first clamp shaft is rotated via the first cam follower and the first swing lever, whereby the pair of first clamp shafts provided on the pair of first clamp shafts is rotated. Is opened and closed. At the same time, the second cam follower is also moved relative to the second cam member provided on the frame with the rotation of the rotating body, and the second clamp shaft is rotated via the second cam follower and the second swing lever. Therefore, the pair of second clamp arms provided on the pair of second clamp shafts are also opened and closed. By replacing or adjusting at least one of the first cam member and the second cam member, the opening / closing operation position of the pair of first clamp arms and the pair of second clamp arms can be changed. In the case of a container having the same upper and lower thickness of the body as a square bottle, if the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm are operated substantially the same, the upper and lower sides of the container are moved to the first clamp arm. And the second clamp arm can be securely held. Further, in the case of a container having a different thickness at the top and bottom of the body, such as a tapered bottle, the operating positions of the first clamp arm and the second clamp arm are changed in consideration of the diameter of the container at the gripping position of each clamp arm. Thus, the upper and lower sides of the container can be reliably gripped by the first and second clamp arms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a clamp-type container conveying device, and when a container 2 is conveyed to the clamp-type container conveying device 1 by a conveyor 3, the container 1 2 is synchronized with the rotation of the clamp-type container transport device 1 by the timing screw 4 and the clamp mechanism 5 of the clamp-type container transport device 1
As a result, the container 2 is sequentially held at a predetermined holding position X on the conveyor 3, and the side surface of the container 2 is supported by the positioning member 6. The container 2 gripped at the gripping position X is
The rotating body 7 constituting the clamp-type container transporting device 1 is transported with the counterclockwise rotation, and then the gripping state by the clamp mechanism 5 is released at a release position Y which is a delivery position to the rotary filling device 8. Then, it is carried into the rotary filling device 8 at a position directly below a filling nozzle (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2, the clamp-type container transport device 1
A cylindrical member 10 fixed in the vertical direction is provided. A drive shaft 11 is penetrated through the cylindrical member 10 and is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown). The upper end of the drive shaft 11 is connected to the center of the lower surface of the rotating body 7, and the lower end of the drive shaft 11 is linked to a motor (not shown). The motor 7 can be driven to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. A plurality of sets of first clamp shafts 12A and 12B are provided on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 7 as two sets at equal intervals so as to be rotatable.
A, the first clamp arms 13A, 13B
B are respectively fixed (see FIG. 1). Each of the pair of first clamp shafts 12A, 12B has a gear 15,
The first gear 15 and the first clamp shafts 12A and 12B are rotated by rotating one of the first clamp shafts 12A in the forward and reverse directions by a first cam mechanism 16 described later. Through each pair of first
The clamp arms 13A and 13B can be opened and closed. The first clamp shaft 12A, 1
Reference numeral 2B denotes a hollow shaft. The second clamp shafts 17A and 17B are rotatably fitted in the hollow shafts. The upper end of each of the second clamp shafts 17A, 17B protrudes upward from the upper end of each of the first clamp shafts 12A, 12B, and the second clamp arms 18A, 18B are fixed to the upper portions thereof (FIG. 1). Therefore, the pair of second clamp arms 18A, 18B is arranged above the pair of first clamp arms 13A, 13B, and a total of two sets of two clamp arms 1
One container 2 is grasped by 3A, 13B, 18A, 18B. Further, the second clamp shaft 1
Gears 20, 20 are attached to upper ends of 7A, 17B, respectively, and a pair of gears 2 of second clamp shafts 17A, 17B are provided.
0 and 20 are mutually meshed. Then, the lower end of one second clamp shaft 17A protrudes below the lower end of the first clamp shaft 12A, and the second clamp shaft 17A is rotated in the forward and reverse directions by a second cam mechanism 21 described in detail later. Thus, the pair of second clamp arms 18A, 18B can be opened and closed via the gears 20, 20 and the second clamp shafts 17A, 17B. One end of a first swing lever 22 is fixed to the lower end of each first clamp shaft 12A, and the other end of each first swing lever 22 is engaged with the first cam mechanism 16 described above. The first cam follower 23 is attached. A first return spring 24 is mounted between each of the first swing levers 22 and the rotating body 7.
4, the first swing lever 22 is urged in one direction, that is, in a direction in which the first clamp arms 13A and 13B are closed via the first clamp shafts 12A and 12B. The first cam mechanism 16 includes two first cam mechanisms rotatably provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical member 10 fixed to the frame 9.
The first return spring 24 urges the first swing lever 22 in the above-described one direction, thereby causing the first cam follower 23 to move into two first cam members 25, 26. 26 are commonly engaged with the outer peripheral cam surface. The two first cam members 25 and 26 are
As shown in FIG. 3, large-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25a, 26a and small-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25b, 26b having the same shape are provided, and the first return spring is formed by the large-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25a, 26a. First against the resilience of 24
The first clamp arms 13A and 13B are opened by displacing the cam follower 23 in the radial direction, and the first cam follower 23 is displaced in the radial direction by the elastic force of the first return spring 24 on the small-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25b and 26b. Displaced inward, thereby causing the first clamp arm 13
A and 13B can be closed.
The two upper and lower pairs of first cam members 25 and 26 are arranged so as to differ in position by a predetermined amount in the circumferential direction, and the first cam follower 23 has at least one of the large-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25a. , 26a, the first clamp arms 13A, 13B can be kept open. And as detailed later,
The two first cam members 25 and 26 are provided with a first adjusting mechanism 27.
The two large-diameter circular cam surfaces 25 are rotationally displaced in the opposite directions by the same amount.
The open position and the closed position of the first clamp arms 13A and 13B can be adjusted by changing the overlap between the first and second clamp arms 13A and 13B, for example, between the position indicated by the solid line A and the position indicated by the imaginary line B in FIG. Like that. A second swing lever 28 is also fixed to the lower end of each of the second clamp shafts 17A, similarly to the first clamp shaft 12A described above.
The second clamp arms 18A, 18B are provided by a second return spring 30 provided between a bracket 29 that rotates integrally with the rotating body 7 and the second swing lever 28.
Are biased in the closing direction. The bracket 29 is
Each of the second clamp shafts 17A, 17B is attached to the pair of second clamp shafts 17A, 17B so as to rotate integrally with the rotating body 7, and each of the second clamp shafts 17A, 17B. , 17B is the bracket 29
It is rotatable with respect to. The second cam mechanism 21
Are two first cam members 25 of the first cam mechanism 16,
A second cam member 31 and 32 are provided rotatably on the outer periphery of the cylindrical member 10 below the second member 26, and the second return spring 30 is provided on the second rocking lever 28 by the second return spring 30. The cam follower 33 is engaged with the outer peripheral cam surfaces of the two second cam members 31 and 32 in common. As shown in FIG. 4, the two second cam members 31 and 32 have the same large-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 31a and 32a and the small-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 31b as the first cam members 25 and 26, respectively. , 32b, and the two second
The cam members 31 and 32 can be rotationally displaced by the second adjustment mechanism 34 in the opposite direction by the same amount. Next, in FIG. 2, the two first cam members 2
A first method for rotating and displacing 5, 26 in the opposite direction by the same amount.
Describing the adjusting mechanism 27, the vertically lower connecting rod 35 fixed to the upper first cam member 25 is connected to the lower cam member 26 and the second cam member 3 of the second cam mechanism 21.
Arc-shaped grooves 26c, 31 formed in each of 1, 32
c, 32c and projecting downward, and a cam follower 36 is provided at the lower end thereof. On the other hand, a connecting rod (not shown) extending vertically downward is also fixed to the lower cam member 26, and the connecting rod is the second cam member 3 of the second cam mechanism 21.
3, a cam follower 37 is mounted at the same height as the cam follower 36, as shown in FIG. Further, the first cam members 25 and 26 have the configuration shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, arcuate grooves 25d and 26d are formed at predetermined positions on a superposed surface where the two arcuate grooves 25d are overlapped with each other.
A common compression spring 38 is elastically mounted in 26d to urge the first cam members 25 and 26 in directions opposite to each other, so that the tip follower provided with the cam followers 36 and 37 therebetween has a triangular shape. In contact with the cam member 39. The cam member 39 is, as shown in FIGS.
A screw shaft 41 that is movable in the radial direction of the rotating body 7 along a guide member 40 fixed to the frame 9 and that is rotatably supported by the guide member 40 is screwed to the cam member 39. . The screw shaft 41 is a motor 42
The cam member 39 is moved in the radial direction by the rotation, and the two first members are moved in accordance with the position of the cam member 39. The cam members 25 and 26 can be rotationally displaced in directions opposite to each other. The other second adjustment mechanism 3
4 also has the same configuration as the first adjusting mechanism 27, and FIG.
As shown in the figure, a cam follower 4 attached to each of the two second cam members 31 and 32 via a connecting rod (not shown).
Reference numerals 3 and 44 denote cam members 39 'corresponding to the cam members 39.
Is in contact with At this time, the upper second cam member 31
The connecting rod connected to the second cam member 32 passes through an arc-shaped groove 31d formed in the lower second cam member 32, and the second cam members 31 and 32 are formed in an arcuate shape formed on the overlapping surface of both. The springs 38 are urged in opposite directions by a compression spring 38 which is commonly mounted in the grooves 31e and 32e. Furthermore, the cam member 39 ′ is moved in the radial direction of the rotating body 7 separately from the cam member 39 by a mechanism having the same configuration as the first adjusting mechanism 27. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the positioning member 6 described above is provided for each clamp mechanism 5. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotating body 7 is formed with a guide groove 7 a on a radial straight line passing between each pair of the second clamp shafts 17 </ b> A and 17 </ b> B. 2 clamp shaft 17A,
Guide grooves 29a are also formed on the bracket 29 provided so as to straddle between 17B on the straight line in the radial direction. The slide member 45 is slidably engaged with the guide grooves 7a and 29a, and the positioning member 6 is fixed to the outer end of each slide member 45. As shown in FIG. 2, a cup-shaped cam member 46 is attached to the center of the rotating body 7 so as to be rotatable with respect to the rotating body 7, and the same number of sliding members 45 are provided on the bottom surface of the cam member 46. Are formed, and an engaging pin 47 provided at the end of each slide member 45 is engaged with each cam groove 46a. A gear 48 is formed on the outer periphery of the upper end of the cup-shaped cam member 46, and a gear 49 connected to a drive shaft of a motor (not shown) is meshed with the gear 48. The motor is fixed to a movable frame (not shown) movably provided on the frame 9 so as to be maintained at the same height position.
The gear 48 of the cam member 46 is moved to a retreat end separated from the gear 48 of the cam member 46. When the rotating body 7 is rotating, the motor is located at the retreat end.
The motor and the gear 49 may be provided on the rotating body 7. In this case, the gear 49 may be always meshed with the gear 48 of the cam member 46. In the above configuration, for example, when the tapered bottle 2 whose upper part is narrowed is used as the container, first, the screw shaft 41 is rotated by the motor 42 of the first adjusting mechanism 27, and the cam member 39 is thereby rotated.
The first cam members 25 and 26 are rotationally displaced in directions opposite to each other by moving the first cam members 25 and 26 in the radial direction of the rotating body 7. By adjusting the amount of overlap between the two large-diameter arc-shaped cam surfaces 25a and 26a, the first clamp arms 13A and 13A are held at the gripping position X on the conveyor 3.
3B allows the tapered bottle 2 to be gripped. With this adjustment, the first clamp arms 13A and 13B automatically release the tapered bottle 2 at the release position Y. Next, two large-diameter circular arcs are formed by the second adjusting mechanism 34.
R> By adjusting the amount of overlap between the cam surfaces 31a and 32a, the second clamp arm 18A at the gripping position X on the conveyor 3;
18B allows the tapered bottle 2 to be gripped. At this time, since the upper portion of the tapered bottle 2 is narrowed, the second clamp arms 18A and 18B grip the upper portion of the tapered bottle 2 with a smaller included angle than the first clamp arms 13A and 13B. By the above adjustment, the second clamp arms 18A and 18B are also automatically moved to the release position Y.
Then, the taper bottle 2 is released. Finally, the movable frame (not shown) is advanced to engage the gear 49 of the motor with the gear 48 of the cam member 46. In this state, the motor is rotated to rotate the cam member 46 with respect to the rotating body 7. Thus, the positioning members 6 are simultaneously moved in the radial direction via the engagement pins 47 and the slide members 45 engaged with the cam grooves 46a of the cam members 46, and are brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the tapered bottle 2. Can be positioned. The positioning member 6 is particularly effective for a container having a flat portion such as a vial, and the positioning member 6 is brought into contact with the flat portion to maintain the flat portion parallel to the positioning member 6. In addition, it is possible to prevent the corner bottle from being gripped by the clamp arm in a rotated state. In other words, when handling only containers that do not require positioning in the rotation direction, such as round bottles, the positioning member 6 may be omitted. As described above, the first
Since the open / close positions of the clamp arms 13A, 13B and the second clamp arms 18A, 18B can be adjusted separately, the body of the container 2 is not only a cylindrical bottle, but also the body of the container is tapered. Even for deformed containers such as tapered bottles, the containers can be reliably held by the first clamp arms 13A and 13B and the second clamp arms 18A and 18B. Further, even in the case of a round bottle, the first clamp arms 13A and 13B and the second
It is also possible to grip the neck and the trunk of round bottles having different diameters by the clamp arms 18A and 18B.

As described above, according to the present invention, not only round bottles, square bottles, but also tapered bottles can be securely gripped, so that the versatility of the clamp-type container transfer device is expanded. The effect that it can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a first cam mechanism 16 shown in FIG.

4 is a schematic plan view of a second cam mechanism 21 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2;

[Description of sign]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Clamp type container conveyance apparatus 2 ... Container 7 ... Rotating body 12A, 12B, 17A, 17B ... Clamp shaft 13A, 13B, 18A, 18B ... Clamp arm 16, 21 ... Cam mechanism 22, 27 ... Swing lever 23, 33 … Cam followers 39, 46… Cam members

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A rotating body rotatably provided on a frame;
A pair of first clamp shafts which are pivotally supported at circumferentially equidistant positions of the rotator and are rotated in opposite directions to each other; and a pair of first clamp shafts which are provided on the respective first clamp shafts and are opened and closed by the rotating operation. A first clamp arm, a first swing lever interlocked with the first clamp shaft, and a first swing lever provided on the first swing lever.
A first follower provided on the frame and engaged with the first cam follower, and rotating a first clamp shaft via the first cam follower and the first swing lever;
A clamp-type container transport device having a cam member, wherein the first clamp shafts are hollow shafts, the second clamp shafts are rotatably inserted into the hollow shafts, and the pair of second clamp shafts are mutually connected. The pair of second clamp shafts are vertically linked to each other so as to rotate in the reverse direction.
A clamp arm is provided, a second swing lever is interlocked with the second clamp shaft, and a second cam follower provided on the second swing lever is engaged with a second cam member provided on the frame, A clamp-type container transfer device, wherein the second cam member is operated to open and close the second clamp arm separately from the first clamp arm.