JP3333587B2 - Staggered cylinder aligner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for arranging a large number of cylinders such as can bodies in a dense staggered manner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, when a large number of cylindrical bodies such as can bodies are assembled in a dense state without any restriction, a honeycomb-like so-called staggered arrangement having the smallest space is obtained.

However, when a large number of cylinders are randomly assembled, the cylinders are not always moved and densely arranged, and are often arranged with a space for one cylinder.

[0004] In order not to create such a useless space,
Conventionally, various devices have been proposed for densely arranging cylindrical bodies in order and arranging them in a staggered manner. As an example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-39673 discloses a rotating tool provided with suction means in every other concave portion at the tip of a plurality of guides for aligning irregularly arranged cylinders in a line. There is described an apparatus in which a removing tool for attaching and further separating a cylindrical body sucked by a suction means is disposed in front of the apparatus. According to this device, the position at which the cylindrical body is separated from the concave portion where the cylindrical body is sucked by the remover is shifted laterally with respect to the feed direction.
The positions of the cylinders sent from one guide are shifted laterally with respect to the other in the feed direction, so that the cylinders sent from one guide can be staggered.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-275911 discloses that two cylindrical bodies can be held at the distal end of an alignment guide for arranging irregularly arranged cylinders in a line, and the distal end can be opened and closed. A gate arm provided with a portion corresponding to a member is provided so as to rotate between a position inclined with respect to the feed direction of the cylindrical body and a position extended in the extension direction of the alignment guide. In this device, after holding two cylinders in a state where the gate arm is inclined, the gate arm is rotated in the extension direction of the alignment guide, and the two cylinders are sent forward while being arranged diagonally. . Therefore, also in this device, the cylinders fed from one alignment guide can be arranged in a staggered manner.

Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-45575 discloses that a feed plunger group projecting downward at a predetermined interval is inserted from above into a corresponding can opening of an empty can group to move a group of empty cans at once. An apparatus is described in which the belt is driven in a zigzag manner while the feed plunger is raised, and then the belt conveyor is driven in a zigzag manner.

[0007]

In the invention described in the above-mentioned first Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-39673, the cylindrical member fed out of the concave portion without the suction means of the rotating tool is provided with an alignment guide on the conveyor. The cylindrical bodies sucked by the suction means are arranged in a zigzag manner at positions shifted sideways by being separated by the removing tool.

However, the device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-39673 is a considerably complicated device provided with a rotating tool for each alignment guide. In addition, steel cans that can use magnetism as the suction means cannot use magnetism in aluminum cans, etc., but use means such as vacuum suction. Maintenance costs are high and not economical. Further, in the case of an aluminum can or the like having a small wall thickness, an adsorption mark is formed on the outer surface of the body of the can, which may impair the quality.

In the apparatus described in the second Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-275911, when the gate arm comes to the closed position, the cylinder on the conveyor in the gate, which has been restricted from moving forward by the stopper, until then. The body advances continuously, and after the leading cylindrical body collides with the gate arm, it advances obliquely along the gate arm, and stops between the inclined step portion of the alignment guide and the tip of the gate arm.

[0010] However, since the subsequent number of the cylinder for pressing the head of the cylinder in a tight state, the cylindrical body is thin aluminum cans or the like having a wall thickness, the alignment guide of the inclined step portion and Gate Ah <br / > There was a risk of being strongly sandwiched between the cans, causing scratches or dents on the body of the can, and deforming the can.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-275911
In the device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-260, the cylindrical body repeatedly intermittently advances and stops two by two, and the cylindrical body strongly sandwiched between the inclined guide of the alignment guide and the gate arm is one in two. It cannot be used with a cylindrical body such as an aluminum can which is easily deformed and easily damaged.

Further, in the device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-45575, a large number of actuators are required because the empty cans are moved collectively by the feed plungers which can be moved up and down. However, there is a problem that the control is complicated and the control becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cylindrical staggered arrangement apparatus which has a simple structure, is easy to operate, and can reduce the cost of the apparatus. It is.

[0014]

Means for Solving the Problems As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, a first invention is to provide a large number of cylindrical bodies which are irregularly placed on a belt conveyor and conveyed in a certain direction.
A cylinder in which the cylinders are arranged in a plurality of rows by passing through a passage between a plurality of alignment guide members provided in parallel with the transport direction of the cylinders, and the cylinders delivered from the passages are arranged in a dense staggered manner. In the staggered body alignment device, an opening / closing member disposed on the exit side of each of the passages and reciprocating in a direction orthogonal to each passage to open and close the outlet, and a base end connected to the opening / closing member, When the opening / closing member opened the outlet, the forward and backward movement of the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side of the cylindrical bodies in each passage was regulated and sent out two at a time, and the outlet was closed. Sometimes, a stopper member that allows advancement of the cylindrical body in the passage to the outlet, and formed integrally with the opening and closing member, when the opening and closing member moves in the closing direction of the outlet, is sent out two by two. Perpendicular to the transport direction That direction and a pressing portion for a predetermined distance pushed, all of the opening and closing member having these pressing portion is characterized by being provided connected to operate together.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of cylindrical guides, which are irregularly placed on a belt conveyor and conveyed in a certain direction, are provided with a plurality of alignment guide members provided in parallel with the conveying direction of the cylindrical bodies. In a cylindrical staggered alignment device in which the cylinders are arranged in a plurality of rows by passing through the passages therebetween and the cylinders delivered from the passages are arranged in a dense staggered manner, the cylinders are arranged on the outlet side of each of the passages. An opening and closing member that reciprocates in a direction orthogonal to each passage to open and close the outlet, and a base end connected to the opening and closing member, and when the opening and closing member opens the outlet, the passage at one end is closed. Except for the cylinders in the other passages, the third and subsequent cylinders from the outlet side are restricted from advancing and are sent out two at a time, and when the outlet is closed, the cylinders in the passages are closed. A stopper member allowing forward movement to the outlet, Synchronized with the opening and closing operation of the closing member, when the opening and closing member opens the outlet, regulates the advancement of the second and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side among the cylindrical bodies in the one end passage. One at a time, and when the outlet is closed, a sub-stop member that allows advancement of the cylindrical body in the passage to the outlet, and is integrally formed with the opening and closing member, wherein the opening and closing member is When moving in the direction to close the outlet, a pushing portion for pushing a second one of the cylindrical bodies, which are sent out two by two from another passage except one end, by a predetermined distance in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. And all the opening / closing members having these pushing portions are connected so as to operate integrally.

[0016]

[0017]

As described above, the staggered cylinder aligning device according to the first invention is provided at the outlet side of each passage to open and close the outlet of each passage, and has a base end attached to the opening and closing member. When the opening and closing member opens the outlet, the opening and closing member regulates the forward movement of the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side of the cylindrical bodies in each passage and sends out two at a time, When the outlet is closed, a stopper member that allows advancement of the cylindrical body in the passage to the outlet is formed integrally with the opening / closing member, and when the opening / closing member moves in a direction to close the outlet,
A pusher for pushing a second one of the two cylinders that are sent out in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by a predetermined distance, and provided so that all the opening and closing members having these pushers are integrally operated. Transported in this state, the cylinders are arranged in a dense staggered even row on the front conveyor.

A cylindrical staggered alignment device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a device for arranging a staggered array of cylinders in an odd-numbered row, which is disposed on the exit side of each passage to open and close the exit of each passage. An opening / closing member and a base end connected to the opening / closing member,
When the opening / closing member opens the outlet, the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side among the cylindrical bodies in each of the other paths are restricted from moving forward by two at a time except for the path at one end. Send out,
Further, when the outlet is closed, a stopper member that allows advancement of the cylindrical body in the passage to the outlet is synchronized with the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member, and when the opening and closing member opens the outlet, Of the cylindrical bodies in the passage at one end, the second and subsequent cylindrical bodies on the outlet side are regulated and advanced one at a time, and when the outlet is closed, the cylindrical body in the passage is closed. And a sub-stopper member that allows advancement to the outlet, and is integrally formed with the opening / closing member, and when the opening / closing member moves in a direction to close the outlet, two are sent out from the other passages except for one end. A pusher for pushing a second one of the cylindrical bodies being fixed in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and all opening and closing members having these pushers are provided so as to operate integrally. Are transported in this state, and each cylinder is They are aligned in staggered odd rows dense above.

[0019]

[0020]

1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention.
This staggering device arranges a large number of cylindrical bodies 2 placed on a belt 1a of a belt conveyor 1 and conveyed in one direction (left direction in FIG. 1) in a dense staggered manner. Belt 1a that conveys cylindrical body 2 with the device
At the close position above the upper surface, ten alignment guide members 3 are parallel to the transport direction of the cylindrical body 2 at intervals that allow the cylindrical body 2 to pass between the adjacent alignment guide members 3. The passages 3a are disposed substantially horizontally and have a passage 3a between them.
Are formed, and the upper ends thereof are fixed to the lower surface of a bridging member 5 which is supported on the frames 4 and 4 on both sides of the belt conveyor 1 and spans over the belt 1a, and is provided in a suspended state. Have been.

In the vicinity of the entrance side (near the right side in FIG. 1) of the plurality of alignment guide members 3 of the belt conveyor 1 for transporting a large number of cylindrical bodies 2, the transported cylindrical bodies 2 are orthogonal to the transport direction. The side guide members 6 and 6 that are pushed in the direction in which the cylinder 2 moves are provided so as to be swingably driven by the cylinders 7 and 7 with one end on the rear side in the traveling direction of the cylinder 2 as a fulcrum.

Out of the ten alignment guide members 3 provided in a suspended state from the bridging member 5, every other five alignment guide members 3 are provided with swing guide members at their respective entrance-side ends (the right end in FIG. 1). 8 is pivotally connected to a pin,
These five swing guide members 8 are connected to a connecting plate 9 near their respective base ends, and are provided with one end (the lower end in FIG. 1) of the connecting plate 9 supported by the frame 4. In connection with the side guide members 10, the five swing guide members 8 can be integrally driven to swing together with the side guide members 6, 6.

Further, an opening / closing member 11 is provided on the outlet side (left side in FIG. 1) of each of the ten alignment guide members 3. Each of these opening and closing members 11
A slide bar 12 which is parallel to the bridging member 5 and slidably attached to the bridging member 5 in the width direction of the belt conveyor 1 is vertically suspended at substantially the same interval as the alignment guide member 3. A pushing portion 13 formed integrally with the opening / closing member 11, and a base end side attached to a side surface of the pushing portion 13 to extend a tip side substantially horizontally in a direction parallel to the alignment guide member 3. At the length between the second and third cylindrical bodies 2, an L-shaped stopper member 14 is formed, the tip of which is bent at a right angle in a horizontal plane.

Further, when the cylinder rows after the staggered arrangement are odd rows, a sub-stopper located between the first and second cylinders 2 in the passage 3a at the left end (the lower end in FIG. 1) in the transport direction. A member 15 is provided.

Each opening / closing member 11 attached to the slide bar 12 is connected to one end (the lower end in FIG. 1) of the slide bar 12, and the end of a connecting rod 12a having a cam follower at one end is connected to a motor M. Is transmitted through the timing belt 16 and fitted into the cam groove of the rotating cylindrical cam 17a to be converted into a horizontal reciprocating motion. The slide bar 12 reciprocates once in the horizontal direction while the cylindrical cam 17a makes one rotation, and the opening / closing members 11 interfere with the cylindrical body 2 to restrict the delivery from the passage 3a. Member 14
Of the two cylinders 2 in the passage 3a are sent out from the outlet side by engaging the third cylinder 2 from the outlet side with the third cylinder 2 from the outlet side. A series of operations is performed until the pushing portion 13 is pushed and shifted in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

In the case of an odd-numbered staggered arrangement, the sub-stopper member 15 is connected to the connecting rod 15a, and a cam follower provided at the center of the connecting rod 15a is fitted into the cam groove of the cylindrical cam 17b, and the cylindrical cam 17b , The sub-stopper member 15 reciprocates horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

The plurality of alignment guide members 3 and the slide bars 12 suspended on the bridging member 5 are configured to be lifted by lifting cylinders 18 provided vertically on both sides of the belt conveyor 1. This is for facilitating manual repair in the event of trouble. When the bridging member 5 is raised by the elevating cylinder 18, the alignment guide member 3, the swinging guide member 8 and the opening / closing member are opened together with the bridging member 5. The member 11 is raised integrally (2 in FIG. 3).
(A state shown by a dotted chain line). In FIG. 3, reference numeral 18a denotes a linear guide bar for vertically guiding the lifting / lowering operation of the bridging member 5, and in FIG. 1, reference numeral 19 denotes a full detection sensor provided at the entrance end of each alignment guide member 3. Reference numeral 20 denotes a guide plate provided on both sides of the belt 1a, and in FIG.
Is a stop plate installed at a stacking position.

Next, the operation of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described. The cylindrical body 2 is transported as the belt 1a of the belt conveyor 1 advances in the direction of the arrow (to the left in FIG. 1). Then, they are fed into the plurality of passages 3a formed between the alignment guide members 3 so as to be aligned in a line.

At this time, a large number of cylindrical bodies 2 placed on the belt 1a gather at the inlet side of the alignment guide member 3, and it becomes difficult for them to flow into the respective passages 3a due to interference with each other and the like, and the stagnation is likely to occur. However, the side guide members 6, 6 provided on both sides of the frame 4 of the belt conveyor 1 swing to push a large number of the cylindrical bodies 2 in the width direction of the belt 1a. The position is shifted in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction and is directed to the entrance of any one of the passages 3a, so that it is easy to flow into each passage 3a. Further, at the ends of the alignment guide members 3 on the entrance side of each passage 3a, swing guide members 8 provided alternately at these ends are provided.
The cylinder 2 which swings by being reciprocally driven by the cylinder 10 via the connection plate 9 and is caught near the entrance of each passage 3a and has an inflow failure,
Pushed in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction,
a (see FIG. 4).

Therefore, the cylindrical bodies 2 conveyed by the belt conveyor 1 are smoothly fed into the passages 3a without blocking, and are aligned one by one between the alignment guide members 3, 3 adjacent to each other. At the same time, the path is closed by an opening / closing member 11 provided on the outlet side (the left side in FIG. 1) of each passage 3a, and the movement of the belt 1a in the traveling direction is hindered. (See FIG. 5A).

Then, the cylindrical bodies 2 are successively fed into the respective passages 3 and a predetermined amount is set in all the passages 3a up to a position where a full detection sensor 19 attached to the entrance end of each alignment guide member 3 reacts. When a number of cylindrical bodies 2 accumulate, the cylindrical cam 17a is driven to rotate by the motor M, so that the slide bar 12 slides in the horizontal direction, and each opening / closing member 11 attached to the slide bar 12 is reciprocated. As a result, first, when the opening / closing member 11 moves horizontally in a direction to open the outlet of the passage 3a, the end of the stopper member 14 connected to each opening / closing member 11 is moved to the second and third cylinders in each passage 3a. Projecting between the bodies 2 and 2
At the same time as allowing the sending of only the cylindrical bodies 2a and 2b,
The delivery of the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies 2 is regulated. As a result, two cylindrical bodies 2a and 2b are respectively sent out from each passage 3a as the belt 1a advances (see FIG. 5B).

Next, when the rear cylindrical body 2b of the two sent out from each passage 3a comes out of the passage 3a, the pushing portion 13 of each opening / closing member 11 moves in a direction to close each passage 3a. Then, the cylinders 2b, which are moving in the transport direction near the exits of the passages 3a, are moved in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction by the respective cylinders 2b.
Is moved by a distance Y which is almost the same as the radius dimension of. As a result,
The pushed cylinder 2b is the other front cylinder 2a.
At the same time as being offset from the center line L by a distance Y, the outlet side of each passage 3a is closed by the opening / closing member 11, and the stopper member 14 is retracted, so that the cylindrical body 2 in the passage 3a is Movement to the contact position is allowed (see FIG. 5C).

The rear cylinder 2b of the two cylinders 2a and 2b delivered from each passage 3a is offset from the center line L of the other cylinder 2a.
During the lateral movement of the cylindrical body 2b, the belt 1a is conveyed in an arrangement state (state shown in FIG. 6A) shifted rearward by the advanced distance X and moves to the accumulation position of the cylindrical body 2.

In the case of odd-numbered staggered alignment, the cylinders 2a sent out one by one from the passage 3a at the left end in the transport direction are used.
And two cylindrical bodies 2a sent out by two from the other passage 3a,
The belt 3a is conveyed at the same time as the cylindrical body 2a in the front of the cylinder 2b, so that the passage 3a is independent of the movement of the pushing portion 13.
Is moved on the center line L to the accumulation position.

At the stacking position, a flat stop plate 21 is separated from the surface of the belt 1a of the belt conveyor 1 by a cylindrical body 2
At right angles to the transport direction. Therefore, the pair of cylinders 2a and 2b in each row, which are placed and conveyed on the belt 1a, first advance in each group with the preceding cylinder 2a abutting against the stop plate 21 respectively. After being positioned at a predetermined interval, the subsequent offset cylinders 2b are placed on the already positioned cylinders 2a in a predetermined direction (downward in FIG. 6) from the center line L thereof. The cylindrical body 2a
Are slidingly brought into contact with the surface of the cylindrical body 2a, and are slid between the adjacent cylindrical bodies 2a, 2a to be automatically arranged in a so-called staggered arrangement (the state of FIG. 6B).

In this manner, by arranging the cylinders 2 in a staggered arrangement, a large number of cylindrical bodies 2 are accumulated in an arrangement having the smallest gap, that is, in a densely collected array (the state shown in FIG. 6C).

FIG. 7 shows a case where, instead of the flat stop plate 21, a stop plate 22 formed in a wave shape in accordance with the staggered row interval P is used. When the cylindrical body 2a placed and conveyed on the belt 1a comes into contact with the portion of the wavy slope, the automatic wavy valley formed in accordance with the staggered row interval P is used. After being slid down and positioned at a predetermined row interval P, each of the subsequent offset cylinders 2b slides in contact with the surface of the cylinder 2a already positioned and is guided in the lateral direction, and the cylinders adjacent to each other are placed. 2a and 2a, and the next cylindrical body 2a is automatically and sequentially arranged in a so-called staggered arrangement by being guided in sliding contact with the surface of the preceding cylindrical body 2b (FIG. 7B and FIG.
(State of (C)). Therefore, when the stop plate 22 is formed in a wavy shape in accordance with the staggered row interval P, 2
One of the cylindrical bodies 2b delivered one by one is
The distance y to be offset from the center line L of a can be set shorter than when a flat stop plate is used.

When the distance y for offsetting the cylindrical body 2b is shortened, the distance x which shifts backward is naturally shortened. However, even if the distances x and y change, the staggered arrangement can be performed in the same manner as described above. .

In this embodiment, the side guide members 6 are provided as means for pushing the cylindrical body 2 assembled on the inlet side of the alignment guide member 3 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The cylindrical body 2 can be smoothly fed into the passage 3a without stagnation.

[0040]

As described above, the apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention sends out two cylinders aligned in a line into the passage at the outlet side of the alignment guide member, two cylinders at a time. A structure in which the operation of offsetting the body by a predetermined distance in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction is performed by an opening / closing member driven by one actuator, so that the structure is simple, easy to operate, and an inexpensive device. In addition, even a cylindrical body such as an aluminum can can be aligned without causing deformation or flaws.

In the device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the staggered arrangement of the cylinders in the odd-numbered rows becomes possible by incorporating only a few components into the drive system of the device according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0042]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted plan view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the swing guide member.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining an operation of a stopper lever.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a process of performing staggered alignment when a flat stop plate is used.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a process of performing staggered alignment when a wavy stop plate is used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Belt conveyor 2 Cylindrical body 3 Alignment guide member 3a Passage 5 Bridge member 6 Side guide member 8 Swing guide member 11 Opening / closing member 12 Slide bar 13 Pushing portion 14 Stopper 15 Substopper member 17a Cylindrical cam 21 Stop Board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-303223 (JP, A) JP-A-62-275911 (JP, A) JP-B-53-39673 (JP, B2) JP-B-59- 45575 (JP, B2) Jikken 46-176 (JP, Y1) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 47/00-47/32

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of cylindrical bodies placed irregularly on a belt conveyor and conveyed in a fixed direction pass through a passage between a plurality of alignment guide members provided in parallel with the conveying direction of the cylindrical bodies. In a cylindrical zigzag alignment device, the cylinders are arranged in a plurality of rows, and the cylinders delivered from the passages are densely arranged in a staggered manner. The cylinders are arranged on the exit side of the passages and are orthogonal to the passages. An opening and closing member that reciprocates in the direction to open and close the outlet, and a base end is connected to the opening and closing member, and when the opening and closing member opens the outlet, from the outlet side of the cylindrical body in each passage. A stopper member that regulates the advancement of the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies and sends them two at a time, and that allows the advance of the cylindrical body in the passage to the outlet when the outlet is closed; And the opening and closing member is A pusher for pushing a second one of the cylindrical bodies being delivered two by two for a fixed distance in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction when moving in the direction to close the outlet, and having all these pushers. Wherein the opening and closing members are provided so as to be integrally operated. 2. A plurality of cylinders, which are irregularly placed on a belt conveyor and conveyed in a fixed direction, pass through a passage between a plurality of alignment guide members provided in parallel with the conveyance direction of the cylinders. In a cylindrical zigzag alignment device, the cylinders are arranged in a plurality of rows, and the cylinders delivered from the passages are densely arranged in a staggered manner. The cylinders are arranged on the exit side of the passages and are orthogonal to the passages. Opening / closing member that reciprocates in the direction to open and close the outlet, and a base end connected to the opening / closing member, and when the opening / closing member opens the outlet, each of the other passages except for the passage at one end Of the cylindrical bodies inside, the third and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side are controlled to advance and are sent out two at a time, and when the outlet is closed, the cylindrical body in the passage is advanced to the outlet. Allowable stopper member and opening and closing movement of the opening and closing member When the opening / closing member opens the outlet, the advancement of the second and subsequent cylindrical bodies from the outlet side among the cylindrical bodies in the one end passage is restricted to one at a time. And a sub-stop member that allows the cylindrical body in the passage to advance to the outlet when the outlet is closed, and is integrally formed with the opening / closing member, so that the opening / closing member closes the outlet. A pusher which pushes a second one of the cylindrical bodies, which are sent out two by two from other passages except one end, by a predetermined distance in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction when moving. A staggered cylinder aligning device, wherein all the openable and closable members having a portion are connected so as to operate integrally.