JP3393681B2 - Flat tube opening device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible tube made of, for example, a synthetic resin and folded flat.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for opening a flat tube which is smoothly opened to be attached to a bottle container or the like as a cap seal for a bottle container or a cylindrical label for the container. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a flat tube wound in a roll shape is cut into a predetermined length, opened, and externally fitted to a container such as a bottle. 5227
There is one described in No. 6. The device described in the publication is
In a state where a flat tube cut to a predetermined size is adsorbed by a pair of adsorbents, by moving the adsorbents relative to each other so that the opening of the tube becomes good,
The flat tube is opened by sliding the two pieces of the flat tube together and separating the two adsorbents. [0003] However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, the mechanism for relatively moving the pair of adsorbents and the mechanism for separating them are separate. That is, a dedicated cam mechanism for moving the adsorbents relative to each other to perform the sliding of the flat tubes and a dedicated cam mechanism for moving the adsorbers toward and away from the flat tubes are provided. As a result, the structure of the entire apparatus becomes complicated, which causes an increase in the size of the apparatus. [0004] Incidentally, it is conceivable to increase the suction force of the adsorber by eliminating the mechanism for performing the sliding of the flat tubes, but in particular, when the long flat tubes are nipped and cut by a pair of cutters. When the cut edge is fused (pseudo-adhesion) or when the tube is made of a self-stretchable polyethylene film or the like, since the adhesive force is strong, it may not be possible to reliably open only by the suction force. There is a practical disadvantage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has a simple structure and can be reduced in size even if the flat tube can be reliably opened. It is an object to provide a tube opening device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is capable of swinging so as to adsorb both pieces 1a and 1b of a tube 1 folded flat. A pair of openers 8, 8a provided, and a cam mechanism 18 for swinging the openers 8, 8a to open the flat tube 1
In the flat tube opening device provided with the above, the opposing openers 8, 8a slide the two pieces 1a, 1b of the flat tube 1 from each other from a position where the opener 8, 8a is closed and sucks the tube 1.
The cam mechanism 18
Swings to either side and further expands
That is, it is configured to swing . In the flat tube opening device according to the present invention, when the cam mechanism 18 closes the opposing openers 8 and 8a and swings the tube 1 further to one side from the suction position, the two openers 8 and 8a are rotated. Since the suction surface 8a moves relatively, the two pieces of the flat tube 1 slide in different directions from each other, and a gap is formed between the two to allow the inflow of air. Further, the cam mechanism 18 allows the opener
8 and 8a are swung in the expanding direction. At this time, since the adhesive force between the two pieces of the flat tube 1 is reduced as described above, the suction force of the openers 8, 8a is compared. Even if the size is small, the flat tube 1 can be opened smoothly and reliably. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is, for example, a synthetic resin film made of a heat-shrinkable film or a stretch film is formed into a cylindrical shape, and then wound up in a roll shape. This is a long and flat tube that is fed out. Reference numeral 3 denotes a pair of cutters for cutting the tube 1 to a predetermined length, which is located below the flat tube 1 and is provided so as to be able to freely contact and separate from each other. Reference numeral 5 denotes an opening device for opening the flat tube 1 cut to the predetermined size. The opening device 5 includes a ring-shaped cam body 6 fixed horizontally to the body side as shown in FIG. A pair of openers 8, 8a are provided radially at equal intervals with respect to the cam body 6. That is, the pair of openers 8, 8a are located on the left and right sides with respect to the radial center line L, and the distal ends thereof are in contact with the rotating body 10 rotatable in the circumferential direction via the pivot shaft 11. It is pivotally supported so as to be detachable. At the tip of each opener 8, 8a, a suction section 9, 9a is provided.
On the inner surfaces of 9, 9a, both pieces 1a, 1b of the flat tube 1 are provided.
Is formed. On the base side of one of the openers 8, a projection 14 having a guide roller 13 attached to the tip thereof is provided inwardly. In addition, the other opener 8a is provided with a projection 15 that engages with the guide roller 13 so as to protrude inward.
When the other opener 8a swings in the expanding direction,
Since the projection 15 pushes the projection 14 via the guide roller 13, one of the openers 8 also swings in the expanding direction. Also, at the base of the other opener 8a,
A support portion 17 is protrudingly provided on the cam body 6 side, and a cam follower 16 for rolling on an outer peripheral surface 7 serving as a cam surface of the cam body 6 is rotatably provided at a tip end of the support portion 17. In addition, the cam body 6, the cam follower 16, and the projections of the openers 8, 8a.
The cam mechanism 18 is constituted by 14, 15 and the like. Reference numeral 20 denotes a spring as an elastic body for urging the suction portions 9, 9a of the both openers 8, 8a in a direction approaching each other, and is spanned between the openers 8, 8a. Reference numeral 21 denotes a spring for urging the other opener 8a toward the one opener 8, which is located on the distal end side of the opener 8a with respect to the spring 20, one end of which is connected to the opener 8a, and the other end of which rotates. It is connected to the body 10. Next, a case where the flat tube 3 is mounted on the container 23 using the above-described apparatus will be described. First,
When the long tube 1 is fed by the feeding roll, the cutter 3 operates to cut the tube 1 to a predetermined size in conjunction with the feeding operation of the flat tube 1. On the other hand, in the two openers 8, 8a at the receiving position A of the opening device 5, the cam follower 16 is located on the peak 6a of the cam body 6, and both the openers 8, 8a are
The flat tube 1 which has been swung in the direction of expanding against the opening 0, 21 is opened, and the cut flat tube 1 is opened.
Are located on the center line L. Further, when the cam follower 16 rolls the cam body 6 with the rotation of the rotating body 10, the cam follower 16 gradually moves to the valley 6b. The movement of the cam follower 16 allows the other opener 8a to swing in the closing direction, so that the springs 20, 21 swing both the openers 8, 8a in the closing direction, so that the openers 8, 8a face each other. The suction portions 9, 9a hold the flat tube 1 from both sides (B
position). When the cam follower 16 moves to the valley 6b at the minimum position of the cam body 10 (position C), the spring 21 further swings the other opener 8a. No. 9 pushes one opener 8 and crosses the center line L to reach one opener 8 side. For this reason, the suction portions 9, 9a of the openers 8, 8a facing each other are relatively displaced in the longitudinal direction of the openers 8, 8a, and the flat tubes 1 adsorbed by the respective suction portions 9, 9a.
The two pieces 1a and 1b have relative slippage. Accordingly, even if the flat tube 1 is cut by the cutter 3, even if the cut edge is fused or both sides are in close contact, a gap is formed between the two pieces 1a and 1b. The flat tube 1 can be easily separated. Further, when the cam follower 16 shifts from the valley 6b to the peak 6c, the openers 8, 8a are gradually expanded (D position), and when the cam follower 16 reaches the peak 6c, the opener is opened. 8, 8a are fully opened again (position E). Due to the expansion of the openers 8, 8a, the flat tube 1 is opened in a substantially circular shape, and the opened tube 1 is fitted to the body of the container 23 conveyed downward. When the tube 1 has heat shrinkability, the tube 1 is heated and shrunk by a shrink device in the next step. Alternatively, when the tube 1 is made of a stretch film, the opened tube 1 is attached to the container 23 via an opening jig. FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a single spring 30 is connected between openers 8, 8a. That is, the spring in one opener 8
An interval α between the connecting portion of the spring 30 and the pivot shaft 11 is set smaller than an interval β between the connecting portion of the spring 30 in the other opener 8a and the pivot shaft 11. Therefore, the spring 30 has an action of closing the openers 8, 8a and an action of relatively moving the suction parts 9, 9a. FIG. 4 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. As means for connecting both openers 8, 8a, gears 25, 26 having extremely large backlash are engaged, respectively.
The openers 8, 8a are connected by a single spring 30. The suction parts 9, 9a are pivotally connected to both openers 8, 8a,
A link 28 is connected to the suction units 9, 9a,
The suction surface 9a always faces inward regardless of the open / close position of the openers 8, 8a. A cam groove 6e is formed in the cam body 6, and the cam follower 16 moves in the cam groove 6e. The flat tube opening device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but the cam body 6 and the like are arranged in the vertical direction, and the openers 8, 8a rotate about the horizontal axis. The configuration may be adopted, and the design of other members may be freely changed. As described above, in the tube opening device according to the present invention, the two pieces of the flat tube slide from each other from the position where the opposing opener closes and sucks the tube.
The cam mechanism swings to any one side and further swings in the expanding direction so that the flat tube is opened in the single cam mechanism. It is possible to provide a function and a function of relatively sliding both pieces of the tube. Compared to the conventional case where the above function is performed by a separate cam mechanism, a flat tube is used. There is an advantage that the structure can be simplified and the size of the device can be reduced despite the fact that the opening can be surely made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the same. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 ... Flat tube, 8, 8a ... Opener, 18 ... Cam mechanism

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65B 53/00 B65B 9/00 B65C 3 / 06,9 / 08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] A flat folded tube (1)
And a pair of openers (8) and (8a) that are swingably provided to adsorb the two pieces (1a) and (1b) of the pair, and swing the openers (8) and (8a) into a flat shape. In the flat tube opening device provided with a cam mechanism (18) for opening the tube (1), the opposed openers (8), (8)
a) from the position for sucking the tube (1) closed, polarized
Slide both pieces (1a) and (1b) of the flat tube (1 ) to each other
The cam mechanism (1
8) By swinging to one side and further expanding
An opening device for a flat tube, wherein the opening device is configured to swing in a direction .