JP3485283B2 - Lifting equipment for packaging machines - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lifting device for a packaging machine that pushes up an article to be packaged toward a film held in tension.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A packaging machine for packaging products such as fresh foods stored in a tray together with the film in a tray is a packaging unit in which both side edges of the film cut into a predetermined size are sandwiched by a pair of left and right conveyor belts. The film is held in a tensioned state in that state, and the tray containing the product is pushed up by a lift device from below the film,
In this state, the front, rear, left, and right side edges of the film are folded and packaged on the bottom side of the tray by a plurality of folding plates. In this case, the lift device has a configuration in which a plurality of lift posts are erected on a base member that moves up and down, and a tray is loaded and supported on these posts.

[0003]

By the way, generally, since trays of various sizes are used according to the size of the product, it is desirable to change the interval between the posts according to the size of the tray. That is, in the case of a large tray, in order to stably support the tray, it is necessary to spread the posts widely by making the intervals of the lift posts coarse, and in the case of a small tray, the size of the tray is changed. Accordingly, the size of the film is reduced, and thus the distance between the pair of conveyor belts that holds the film in tension is narrowed, so that the distance between the lift posts is increased to avoid the interference between the conveyor belt and the post in the peripheral portion. It is necessary to closely move the peripheral posts to the center.

In order to change the distance between the lift posts in this manner, the posts may be erected on the base member so as to be movable, and from the viewpoint of workability, a member for moving the movable post is provided. By sliding this,
It is conceivable to automatically change the spacing between the posts to be fine.

However, the member for moving the movable post must be capable of moving the movable post in opposite directions, and for that purpose,
Since it is necessary to make the shape of this member fit into the movable post, it becomes difficult to align and fit the movable post.

In addition, it is expected that the movable posts are erected in a disorderly manner after being displaced from a predetermined position after, for example, regular cleaning or an abnormality. Therefore, how to efficiently arrange them in the predetermined position. Is a problem.

The present invention addresses the above problems in the lift device of a packaging machine that supports and pushes up the article to be packaged with a plurality of lift posts. When the lift posts are movable, the movable posts are efficiently moved. An object is to provide a lift device that can be moved easily and easily.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration.

First, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application (hereinafter referred to as the "first invention") receives a packaged item on a plurality of post members which are erected on a base member which moves up and down, A lifting device for a packaging machine that pushes this toward a film that is held under tension, wherein the post member is movable in a direction in which the distance between the fixed post member fixed to a base member and the fixed post member is changed. And a movable post member that is arranged orthogonal to the moving direction of the movable post member and that slides in the same direction as the moving direction of the post member beyond both ends of the moving range of the movable post member. The member, the bar member is stopped at two or more positions set within the moving range of the movable post member, and both end positions set within the sliding range of the bar member outside the moving range, and Wherein the at al stop position and a control means for closer or away from the said bar member and the movable post member is provided.

The invention according to claim 2 (hereinafter referred to as "second invention") is, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, a detection signal when the slide bar member is detected or a non-detection signal when the slide bar member is not detected. A plurality of bar detecting means for emitting any one of the signals to the control means are provided along the sliding direction of the bar member, and the signal pattern obtained by the combination of the above two kinds of signals is the stop of each bar member. In position,
All the signals are switched to a signal pattern that is a non-detection signal, or the detection means is arranged so that only one of the signals switches to a signal pattern that is a detection signal, and the control means controls these signals. It is characterized in that the bar member is stopped by determining the switching.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the slide bar member and the movable post member are brought close to each other, and in this state, the bar member is slid to press all the movable post members with this one bar member. Can be moved. In that case, since the bar member only presses the movable post member from the lateral direction, the moving operation can be smoothly performed without aligning or fitting the bar member to the movable post member. Then, by stopping the bar member at the stop position set within the moving range of the movable post member, the standing position of the movable post member can be changed to two or more, and as a result, the interval between the post members is changed. As a result, trays of various sizes can be accommodated.

Further, since the bar member slides out of the moving range of the movable post member, the bar member is made to stand by at the above position, and the sliding is started from here, so that the bar member is surely moved to all movable posts. It is possible to move these movable post members at once by pressing the members laterally, and even if the movable post members are erected randomly, their positions can be easily aligned.

According to the second aspect of the invention, it is determined whether or not the bar member has come to the stop position by using the detection means which emits either the bar detection signal or the non-detection signal.

Usually, when using this type of detection means,
One detector is arranged for each stop position so that the object to be detected is stopped when each detection means issues a detection signal, but this requires as many detection means as there are stop positions.

On the other hand, in the second aspect of the invention, the determination is made by switching the signal patterns obtained by combining the signals from the respective detecting means, and all the signals at each stop position are not detected. All stop positions can be determined with one less number of detection means than the total number of stop positions by associating with one pattern and any one of the same number of detection means that only one signal becomes a detection signal. Becomes

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the packaging machine 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a weighing-in / carrying-in device 10 provided at the center of the front surface of the main body 2 and also at both sides of the main body 2. The film accommodating portions 20a and 20b and the wide film F or the narrow film F '(hereinafter referred to as the narrow film F fed from one of the film rolls R and R'accommodated in the film accommodating portions 20a and 20b, respectively) , The wide film F will be described.) And the film supply device 30 that captures and conveys the film to the packaging unit 3 in the main body, and the product to be packaged (the product G is stored in the tray T stored in the tray T. Lifting device 50 that pushes up the film F held from the lower side of the film F held in the packaging unit 3, and the product G pushed up by the lifting device 50 together with the tray T in the film F. Having a folding device 60, and a sealing device 70 of the film folded into the bottom side of the upper portion is disposed is in the tray T of the metering loading device 10 in front of the packaging unit 3 to heat seal.

A display section 80 is provided above the main body 2.
A console 80 having a and an operating section 80b is installed, and the operation of each of the devices 10, 30, 50, 60 is controlled by a built-in main control unit (not shown), and the weighing and loading device 10 is also provided. The price of the product G is calculated based on the signal indicating the weight of the product G measured by. Further, the folding device 60
An auto-labeler 81 is installed above the label, prints the weight and price of the product G on a label based on the output signal from the console 80 and issues the label, and the issued label is positioned on the folding device 60. It is designed to be automatically affixed to a packaged item that has already been packaged.

Now, the structure of the film supply device 30 will be described. The supply device 30 includes the film rolls R, R'accommodated in the film accommodating portions 20a, 20b.
A pair of left and right film feeding mechanisms 31 and 32 that feeds the films F and F ′ from the film, and a film feeding mechanism 33 that feeds the film F to the packaging unit 3 located in the central portion.
And a pair of film introduction mechanisms 34 and 35 for selectively introducing the films F and F ′ delivered from the delivery mechanisms 31 and 32 into the film transport mechanism 33.

As shown in FIG. 2, the film transport mechanism 33 transports while holding one side edge (the right side edge in FIG. 2) of the film F fed from the film feeding mechanism 31, 32. Movable side transport unit 36
And a fixed-side transport unit 37 that transports while sandwiching the other side edge (the left side edge in FIG. 2) of the film F.

Then, these transport units 36, 37
As shown in FIG. 3, two guide rods 38, 38, both ends of which are supported by the main body 2, are provided below the frame 3, and the frame 3 of the movable-side transport unit 36 among them is arranged.
Support blocks 39, 39 fixed to the lower surface of 6a are slidably fitted on the guide rods 38, 38.
Further, below the movable side transport unit 36, a timing belt 40c stretched between the pair of timing pulleys 40a and 40b along the guide rods 38 and 38.
And a sprocket 41a that rotates integrally with one of the timing pulleys 40a and a sprocket 41b that is fixed to the rotary shaft of a drive motor 42 fixed to the main body 2 are interlocked via a chain 41c. Has been done. The support blocks 39, 39 fixed to the lower surface of the frame 36a of the movable transport unit 36 are fixed to the upper surface of the timing belt 40c. Therefore, by rotating the drive motor 42 in a predetermined direction, the pair of support blocks 39, 39
Slides along the guide rods 38, 38, whereby the entire movable side transport unit 36 is moved in the axial direction of the guide rods 38, 38, and the movable side transport unit 36 and the above The distance between the fixed side transport unit 37 and the fixed side transport unit 37 can be adjusted appropriately. On the other hand, the fixed-side transport unit 37 includes the guide rods 3
It is fixed to the main body 2 side while being supported by the end portions of 8, 38.

Here, the movable side transport unit 36 and the fixed side transport unit 37 have the same structure. Therefore, the structure of the movable side transport unit 36 will be described, and the structure of the fixed side transport unit 37 will be described. Will not be described.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable side transport unit 36 has a pair of pulleys 43a, 43 rotatably supported at both ends of the upper portion of its frame 36a.
An upper conveyance belt 43c, which is a flat belt, is stretched between b and along the conveyance direction of the film F, and the pair of timing pulleys 44a and 44b are rotatably supported at both ends of the frame 36a. A lower conveyor belt 44c, which is a timing belt, is provided under the upper conveyor belt 43c in parallel with the belt 43c. The timing pulley 44a located on the left side in FIG. 3 is a belt drive motor 4 such as a pulse motor.
5a, and by operating this belt drive motor 45a counterclockwise, for example, the lower conveyor belt 44c and the upper conveyor belt 43.
The film F sandwiched between c and C is conveyed toward the packaging unit 3. In that case, the lower transport belt 44c and the upper transport belt 43c are arranged in close contact with each other, so that one side edge of the film F is reliably sandwiched between the two transport belts 44c, 43c. Becomes

The lower conveyor belt 44c in the fixed conveyor unit 37 having the same structure as the movable conveyor unit 36 is also the other belt drive motor 4.
While being driven by 5b, the other side edge of the film F is held by the conveyor belt 44c and the upper conveyor belt 43c.

The film feeding mechanisms 31, 32 and the film introducing mechanisms 34, 35 are arranged at both ends of the film transport mechanism 33, respectively. In addition,
Since the film feeding mechanisms 31 and 32 and the film introducing mechanisms 34 and 35 have the same configuration, only one will be described and the other will be omitted.

That is, for example, one film feeding mechanism 31 located on the right side of the film transport mechanism 33 in FIG.
Has a feeding roller 47 that is driven by a drive motor 46 to feed the film F from the film roll R while capturing the film F, and a pressing roller 48 that holds the film F between the feeding roller 47 and the feeding mechanism. 31
The film introduction mechanism 34 is disposed above the above so as to be vertically swingable. In that case, the film introducing mechanism 34 includes lower conveying belts 44c, 4 constituting the conveying units 36, 37 of the film conveying mechanism 33.
A pair of introducing belts 49, 49 for sandwiching both side edges of the film F with the 4c are provided.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the film introducing mechanism 34 is set to the introducing position where the introducing belts 49, 49 are in contact with the lower conveying belts 44c, 44c, and in this state, the feeding roller 47 is set. When actuated, the end portion of the film F delivered from the delivery roller 47 is delivered to both the transport units 36 and 37, and is transported to the packaging unit 3 with both side edges in the width direction being clamped. To be done.

A perforation forming device 90 for forming perforations in the width direction of the film F is provided near the film feeding mechanism 31 and the film introducing mechanism 34. The perforation forming device 90 is provided between the delivery roller 47 and the introduction belt 49 of the film introduction mechanism 34, and moves up and down in association with the delivery operation of the film F by the delivery roller 47. A cutter 91 that forms perforations in the width direction of the film F is provided.

Below the wrapping portion 3 where the film is conveyed and supplied by the movable side conveying unit 36 and the fixed side conveying unit 37, as shown in FIG. 2, the goods G stored in the tray T are weighed in and carried out. Packing department 3 received from 10
The above-mentioned lift device 50 that pushes up to the above is disposed, and the front and rear, right and left side edge portions of the film F are folded to the bottom surface side of the tray T just above the film F, and the product G is transferred together with the tray T. The folding device 60 for packaging is provided.

The weighing-in / carrying-in device 10 comprises a weighing machine 11 for weighing the products G stored in the tray T, and a pair of carrying-in belts 12, 12 arranged on both sides of the weighing machine 11.
By loading the articles to be packaged on the weighing device 11, the weight of the product G is weighed together with the tray T by the weighing device, and the tray T is driven by the carry-in belts 12, 12. The lift device 50 with the product G stored therein
It is designed to be delivered to.

The tray T carried into the lift device 50 is
As shown by the chain line in FIG. 2, the film F is pushed up from below, so that the film F is brought into close contact with the upper surface of the product G, and both side edges of the film F in the width direction are conveyed on the movable side. The film F is held between the conveying belts 43c and 44c in the unit 36 and the fixed side conveying unit 37, and the film F is held in a stretched state in the width direction.

The product G together with the tray T is wrapped by the folding device 60 by the film F stretched in this way. That is, the folding device 60
As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of folding plates 61 and 62 arranged to face each other in the transverse direction of the film F and the folding plates 6 are
1, a rear folding plate 63 arranged in the orientation direction of the film F above 1, 62, and a discharge pusher 64 arranged above the rear folding plate 63. When the pair of folding plates 61 and 62 are driven by the drive motor 65, the pair of folding plates 61 and 62 move in the direction in which they separate from and contact each other along the longitudinal direction of the film F, and the rear folding plate 63 is driven by the drive motor 67. As a result, the film F is moved back and forth in the transverse direction. Further, the discharge pusher 64 is also driven by the drive motor 66,
It moves back and forth in the transverse direction of the film F. After the folding plates 61 to 63, the front, rear, left and right side edges of the film F stretched as shown by the chain line in FIG. 2 are folded to the bottom surface side of the tray T, and then the rear folding plate 63. The product G packaged together with the tray T is extruded toward the sealing device 70 arranged in front of the packaging unit 3 by the ejection pusher 64 that advances at a later timing, and then is extruded onto the sealing device 70. The film F folded on the bottom side of the tray T is heat-sealed.

As described above, the tray T transferred from the weighing-in / carrying-in device 10 to the lift device 50 has the upper packaging unit 3
In this embodiment, the lift device 50 has the following structure.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front surface of the support frame 100, which is horizontally fixed to the frames 2a of the main body 2 of the packaging machine 1, is spaced apart from each other by 2 at an appropriate interval. Book guide cylinders 101, 101 are erected upright, and two lift rods 102, 102 constituting the lift means in the present embodiment are vertically movably inserted into each guide cylinder. A drive motor 103 including a servo motor is provided on the upper surface of the rear portion of the support frame 100.
Is installed, and the rotation of the
Is transmitted to the left and right output shafts 105, 105 via. Then, these output shafts 105, 10
The pinions 106 and 106 fixed to the gear 5 are meshed with rack portions 102a and 102a formed on the side surfaces of the elevating rods 102 and 102, respectively.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the elevating rods 102, 102 penetrate the guide cylinders 101, 101 and project upward, and an elevating frame 108 is horizontally arranged at the upper end thereof. Has been done. A base mounting base connecting bracket 109 having a substantially inverted L-shaped cross section is fixed to the upper surface of the elevating frame 108, and
Inside the both ends of the connecting bracket 109, a pair of left and right connecting blocks 111, 111 to which pin members 110 projecting rearward are respectively attached are attached.

The upper ends of the elevating rods 102, 102 extend through the elevating frame 108 to the inside of the connecting blocks 111, 111, and the upper ends are fixed to the blocks 111 by bolts 112.

Thus, by driving the servo motor 103, the elevating frame 108, the base mounting base connecting bracket 109, and the connecting blocks 111, 111 are moved up and down together with the elevating rods 102, 102. In that case, an encoder (not shown) is provided so that the ascending / descending distance can be determined.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the above-mentioned pin members 110, 11 are provided on the base mounting base connecting bracket 109.
A base mount 113 through which 0 is inserted is attached, and a plurality of (five in the illustrated example) base rods 115 to 115 each having a rectangular cross section are fixed to the base mount 113 at appropriate intervals. Along with each base rod 115, two lift posts 120, 120 are provided upright in the front-rear direction. Of these, the base rods 115-11
Five lift posts 120-1 arranged at the tip of No. 5
20 and two lift posts 12 arranged near the mounting base 113 of the left and right second base rods 117, 117.
Although 0 and 120 are fixed respectively (fixed posts 120f ... 120f), as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 6, the three are arranged near the mounting base 113 of the left and right ends and the central base rods 115 to 115. Base lift post 120
˜120 are movable along the rods 115 to 115, respectively (movable posts 120m ... 120m).

Next, the lift post 120 mounted on the two right base rods 115, 115 in FIG.
Taking as an example, the configuration of the lift posts 120 ... 120 will be described.

That is, the lift post 120 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10, a base block (hereinafter, referred to as a base block 121) as a post body 121 having an engaging hole 121a having a rectangular cross section corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the base rod 115, and the base block 121. And an intermediate block 122 connected to the upper part of the intermediate block 122, and a connecting member 12 formed in a U-shaped cross section at a protruding portion 122a of the intermediate block 122 that protrudes upward.
3 are connected via screws 123a and 123a.
The support shaft 124 is attached to the upper end of the connecting member 123.
A lift head 125 having a rectangular top surface 125a for supporting the article to be packaged is rotatably mounted. In that case, the lift head 125 is urged by a return spring 126 having a coiled shape fitted on the support shaft 124 so that its top surface 125a is always directed upward, and as shown in FIG. When an external force acts in the direction,
The support shaft 126 is used as a fulcrum and tilted in the direction c.

On the other hand, each of the base block 121 and the intermediate block 122 has two side walls 121b,
121b; 122b, 122b are formed, and a pair of front and rear connecting pins 127, 127; 128, 128 are formed on these two side walls 121b, 121b; 122b, 122b, respectively.
128 is provided penetrating the left and right side walls, and a connecting pin 127 protruding from the base block 121,
A pair of connecting pieces 129 ... 129 arranged in parallel with each other are connected between the projecting end of 127 and the projecting ends of the connecting pins 127, 127 projecting from the intermediate block 122 to form the parallel four-bar link mechanism 130. It is configured. Then, at one end of each side wall 121b of the base block 121, abutting portions 121d each protruding only upward and having an inclined surface 121c are formed.
connecting pin 1 provided at the portion where d and 121d are formed
27 and a connecting pin 128 provided on a diagonal line with respect to the pin 127, side wall 121b, 121b;
Both blocks 121 and 122 surrounded by 22b and 122b
A return spring 131 is provided inside the space.

Furthermore, the lower corners of the side walls 122b of the intermediate block 122 are inclined surfaces 122c,
When the block 122 is erected by the urging force of the return spring 131 and the connecting pieces 129 to 129 are upright, the inclined surfaces 122c and 122c of the intermediate block 122 and the abutting portion of the base block 121. The inclined surfaces 121c and 121c of 121d are in contact with each other.

Therefore, when the intermediate block 122 or the lift head 125 is erected in the vertical direction by receiving the biasing force of the return spring 131, and when an external force acts on the lift head 125 in the direction D as shown in FIG. Further, the connecting pins 127 and 127 are moved in parallel in the E direction as shown by a chain line.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, each of the base rods 115 ... 115 is provided with a plurality of fixing holes 115a and detent holes 115b. There is. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the base block 121 in the fixed post 120f.
In the engaging hole 12 through the base block 121.
1a is provided with a screw hole 121e, and the screw hole 1e is provided.
Tightening bolt 133 is screwed into 21e. Thus,
By fitting the end of the bolt 133 into the hole 115a provided at the end of the lower surface of the base rod 115,
The fixed post 120f is fixed to the end of the base rod 115.

On the lower surface of the base block 121 of the movable post 120m, downwardly extending projections 134 are attached by bolts 135, 135 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and the bases are extended from the projections 134. A screw hole 136 that penetrates through the block 121 and opens into the engagement hole 121a is formed, and a detent ball 137 and a spring 138 that biases the ball 137 outward are screwed on the outer peripheral surface of the screw hole 136. Detent unit 140 housed inside a casing 139 provided with a section
However, the detent ball 137 is screwed into the engagement hole 121a so as to protrude by a predetermined amount.

The movable post 120m moves along the base rod 115 when the protrusion 134 is pressed in the lengthwise direction of the base rod 115 by the space adjusting mechanism described later. In that case, the detent is moved. The ball 137 is fitted into one of the detent holes 115b, 115b provided at two locations on the lower surface of the base rod 115, so that the lift post 120 on the movable side is moved.
Will be held at either the position of the base rod 115 on the mount 113 side or the intermediate position.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, on both side surfaces of the base mounting base 113 having the five base rods 115 to 115 on which the lift posts 120 to 120 are erected, as shown in FIG.
Connecting ring 142 and operation lever portion 1 of the ring 142
43 is attached, and the hook body 145 with which the connecting ring 142 of the connecting lock 144 is engaged is attached to the left and right side surfaces of the connecting bracket 109 described above.
Are installed respectively. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the base mount 113 is connected to the connecting blocks 111, 1
11, the pin members 110 and 110 of the connecting blocks 111 and 111 are respectively engaged with the two engaging holes 113a and 113a formed in the mounting base 113 in this case, and in this state, the connecting lock The base mount 113 is detachably connected to the elevating frame 108 by locking 144.

In the structure of such a lift device 50, if the drive motor 103 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions, the rotation thereof is converted into vertical movement through the pinions 106 and 106 and transmitted to the lifting rods 102 and 102. Next to
By this vertical movement, the elevating frame 108 integrated with the elevating rods 102, 102 is vertically moved up and down, and accordingly, the base rod 11 supported by the elevating frame 108.
5 ... 115 or the lift posts 120 ... 120 also move up and down. In that case, the lifting frame 108
Or, the lift posts 120 ... 120 are normally in the state shown in FIG. 2, that is, the space adjusting mechanism 1 described later.
It is reciprocated up and down with a position slightly above the adjustment mechanism 150 where 50 does not act as a home position.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lift device 50 is provided with a space adjusting mechanism 150 for adjusting the space between the lift posts 120.
The structure of the mechanism 150 will be described below.

First, a pair of side frames 15 are provided on both left and right sides of the upper surface of the rear portion of the support frame 100.
1, 151 are erected, and these side frames 151,
A cover bracket 15 having an upper opening on the upper part of 151
1a is a base rod 115 ... 1 in the lift device 50.
It is installed so as to be located below 15. Inside the cover bracket 151a, a pair of guide rods 152, 152 arranged on both left and right sides, and a screw shaft 153 arranged at the center are supported by vertical walls in front of and behind the bracket 151a to support the base rod 115a. … Each is installed in parallel with 115.

Further, the side frames 151, 151
During the period, the motor 15 is provided below the cover bracket 151a.
5 is provided, and a driven pulley 157 is fixedly mounted on the front protruding end of the screw shaft 153, so that the driven pulley 1
A belt 158 for power transmission is wound around 57 and a drive pulley 156 fixed to the drive shaft of the motor 155.

A slide block 154 extending in the width direction of the bracket 151a is provided inside the cover bracket 151a, and each of the guide rods 152, 1 has a slide block 154.
It is externally slidably fitted to 52 and is stored in a state of being screwed to the screw shaft 153.

Therefore, the screw shaft 153 is rotated by the drive of the motor 155 via the two pulleys 156, 157 and the belt 158, and the slide block 154 is guided in the cover bracket 151a along the guide rods 152, 152. It will slide back and forth.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a pressing plate 154a protruding upward is fixed to the rear surface of the slide block 154 along the longitudinal direction of the block 154, and the lower surface thereof. Detection plates 154b, 154 projecting to the front and side, respectively, on both sides.
b is attached.

On the other hand, the left and right vertical walls of the cover bracket 151a have slits formed in the horizontal direction, and light is vertically projected onto the slits to detect when the light is blocked. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, three photocoupler sensors 200a, 200b, 200c configured to emit a signal are juxtaposed along the sliding direction of the block 154, and these sensor 20
The slits 0a, 200b, and 200c are attached to the detection plate 15
4b passes through. The detection signals (O) from these sensors 200a, 200b, 200c
N) or a non-detection signal (OFF) based on the above-mentioned lift device 50 lifting servo motor 103 and block 1
A control unit (not shown) is provided for adjusting the distance between the lift posts 120 ... 120 by operating the drive motor 155 for 54 slides and changing the standing positions of the movable posts 120m ... 120m back and forth. .

That is, the lift device 50 is lowered to
When the base rod 115 is lowered from its home position of position A to position C and the block 154 is slid back and forth in this state, the pressing plate 154 of the block 154 is pushed.
a comes into contact with the protrusion 134 of the movable post 120m, and the movable post 120m can be moved along the base rod 115. That is, the distance between the fixed post 120f and the fixed post 120f is changed finely.

When the slide block 154 moves from the frontmost position W to the rearward position Y, the movable post 120m standing upright moves rearward,
On the contrary, when the rearmost position Z moves to the front position X, the movable post 120m standing upright moves to the front.

In this case, the slide block stop positions W, X, Y and Z at these four locations are the three sensors 200.
It is determined by a, 200b, and 200c as follows. That is, the block 154 is located at the front position W.
When it is slid to the position Y behind, only the sensor 200b arranged at the center detects the detection plate 154b, and the combination pattern of the signals of the three sensors 200a, 200b, 200c is OFF, ON, OFF. When the block 154 slides from the position Y to the rearmost position Z, only the sensor 200c detects the detection plate 154b and the signal pattern becomes OFF, OFF, ON.
Further, when the block 154 slides from the position Z to the position X in the front, only the sensor 200a detects the detection plate 15.
4b is detected and the signal pattern is ON, OFF, OFF
Then, when sliding from the position X to the frontmost position W, all the sensors 200a, 200b, 200
c does not detect the detection plate 154b and the signal pattern is OF
Since these are F, OFF, and OFF, it is sufficient to stop the slide of the block 154 when switching to each of these patterns.

The post interval adjustment control performed by the control unit will be described below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, the control unit performs initial control at the time of starting shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. That is, at the same time as the lifting of the lift device 50 is started in step S1, the timer is reset (step S2) and counting is started (step S3). After confirming with () (steps S4 and S5), this is stored as the origin position (step S6), and the zero point of the encoder is corrected.

On the other hand, if the descent to the position D is not confirmed even after the lapse of a predetermined time, the lift device 50 is temporarily turned on.
To position B between positions A and C (step S
37) and slide the block 154 to the position Z (steps S38 to S42). In other words, in this case, the block 154 blocks the lowering of the lift device 50, so that the block 154 is made to stand by at the rearmost portion. When the movement of the block 154 to the position Z at the end is not completed within the predetermined time, an error message is displayed in step S41 (the same applies to the movement of the lift device 50 or the block 154 below).

Next, the lift device 50 is moved to the position A (steps S7 to S11), and the block 154 is moved to the position Z.
(Steps S12 to S16), the lift position is set to C (steps S17 to S21), and the block 154 is slid to the position X (steps S22 to S21).
26). As a result, the three movable posts 120m ... 12
0 m is pressed by the pressing plate 154a and moves in line with the front position.

Then, after returning the lift position to A (steps S27 to S31), the block 154 is moved to the foremost position W (steps S32 to S36), and this initial control is terminated. In other words, since the post interval is now tight, the block 154 is kept waiting at the position W for the next change to sparse.

Next, when changing the post interval from dense to sparse, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, after moving the lift device 50 to the position C (steps S51 to S55), the block 154 is moved to the position Y. Slide to (Step S5
6 to S60). As a result, the movable posts 120m ... 12
0m moves to the rear position and the post spacing is changed from dense to sparse.

Then, after returning the lift position to A (steps S61 to S65), the block 154 is moved to the rearmost position Z (steps S66 to S70) and is made to stand by for the next change to the dense state. .

When changing the post interval from sparse to dense, after moving the lift device 50 to the position C (steps S81 to S85), the block 154 is moved to the position X, as shown in FIGS. Slide it (step S8)
6 to S90). As a result, the movable posts 120m ... 12
0m moves to the front position and the post spacing is changed from sparse to dense.

Then, after the lift position is returned to A (steps S91 to S95), the block 154 is moved to the foremost position W (steps S96 to S100) and made to stand by for the next change to the dense state. .

In the above embodiment, in order to change the post interval, the lift device 50 is lowered to the position C and the movable posts 120m ... 120m are slid on the slide block 154.
However, on the contrary, the space adjusting mechanism 150 side including the slide block 154 and the like is moved up when the space is changed by, for example, a rack and a pinion so as to be close to the movable posts 120m ... 120m. You may comprise.

[0069]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With only one slide member, multiple lift posts can be moved efficiently at one time, and the spacing between posts can be easily changed to accommodate trays of various sizes, and the work is also easy Simple operation.

Further, since the slide member can be made to stand by outside the moving range of the movable post, by starting the slide from this standby position, it is possible to easily arrange the movable post members which are randomly arranged upright.

Further, the stop determination of the slide member normally requires the same number of sensors as the stop position, whereas it can be determined by the number of sensors one less than the stop position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a configuration around a packaging unit.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the film supply device.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration of a lift device.

FIG. 5 is also a front view of the lift device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view in which the drive portion of the lift device is omitted as well.

7 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the base mount is assembled to the lifting frame.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a lift post.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the lift post of the same.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of the same operation.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of post interval adjustment control.

FIG. 14 is likewise a flow chart of the above control.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the above control.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the above control.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the above control.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the above control.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the above control.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 packaging machine 50 lift device 120 lift post 150 interval adjustment mechanism 154 slide block 154a Pressing plate 154b Detection plate 200a-200c Photocoupler sensor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-6-72406 (JP, A) JP-A-62-78017 (JP, A) JP-A-8-58707 (JP, A) 54206 (JP, U) Actual development Sho 55-7767 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65B 11/00-11/58 B65B 35/00-35/58

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lift device for a packaging machine, which receives an article to be packaged on a plurality of post members erected on a vertically moving base member and pushes the article to be pushed toward a tension-held film. The post member includes a fixed post member fixed to a base member and a movable post member movable in a direction in which a distance between the fixed post member and the fixed post member is changed, and a moving direction of these movable post members. A slide bar member that is disposed orthogonally and that slides in the same direction as the moving direction of the post member beyond both ends of the moving range of the movable post member, and two or more slide bar members that are set within the moving range of the movable post member. And the positions of both ends set outside the moving range within the sliding range of the bar member, and at the stopping positions, the bar member and the movable post member are moved close to or apart from each other. A lifting device for a packaging machine, comprising: 2. A plurality of bar detection means for emitting to the control means either a detection signal when the slide bar member is detected or a non-detection signal when the slide bar member is not detected are provided along the sliding direction of the bar member. In addition, the signal pattern obtained by the combination of the above two types of signals is switched to a signal pattern in which all the signals are non-detection signals at each stop position of the bar member, or only one of the signals is detected. 2. The packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is arranged so as to switch to a signal pattern which is a signal, and the control means determines the switching and stops the bar member. Lift device.