JP3706402B2 - Long vegetable boxing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention is preferably used in a fruit selection field for sorting and packing long vegetables such as pepper, carrots, and eggplants. More specifically, long vegetables sorted and discharged from a sorting conveyor are automatically boxed. The present invention relates to a boxing device for long vegetables.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, boxing of long vegetables sorted and discharged from a sorting conveyor is carried out by pulling out the long vegetables discharged from the sorting conveyor to the outside of the machine by a conveyor, so that the long vegetables do not cross each other manually. Larger sizes such as 2L, L, etc. are packed in an array (one row) as shown in FIG. 16 (a), and smaller sizes such as M, S, etc. are shown in FIG. 16 (b). Are packed in an array (two rows) as shown in Further, although not shown, it is also possible to pack in a plurality of different columns.
[0003]
Also, as a boxing device for relatively small vegetables such as broad beans, green beans, peas, etc., a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-3808 is known. This boxing device packs long vegetables supplied from a belt conveyor into a hopper into a box that waits under the hopper by aligning the longitudinal direction of the long vegetables in a certain direction by an oscillating alignment partition in the hopper. It is about to try.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the boxing of the above-mentioned human hand is busy when it is exhausted in a concentrated manner, because the amount of long vegetables sorted out from the sorting conveyor is not always constant depending on the distribution ratio of the class and class of long vegetables, There is a problem that when it is discharged sparsely, it becomes empty and the work efficiency is low. Moreover, due to manual work, the quality (orientation, arrangement, quantity) of the packaging is not sure, and the worker's fatigue level is high.
[0005]
In addition, the above-mentioned manual packaging work must be carried out by mobilizing the largest number of human resources at the peak of the boxed shipment at the fruit selection site. There is a strong demand for labor saving.
[0006]
On the other hand, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-3808 is a so-called rose packing by aligning the longitudinal direction of a long vegetable in a substantially constant direction, as shown in FIG. 16 (a) or FIG. 16 (b). It is not possible to pack a row of vegetables and one end of a long vegetable in a box, and because the long vegetable is dropped into the box from the top of the hopper, it can be used to pack long vegetables that are easily damaged, such as pepper. Has the disadvantage that it cannot be used.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems and demands, and is capable of reliably packing long vegetables sorted and discharged from a sorting conveyor without damaging them, and automatically packaging them without manpower. An object of the present invention is to provide a boxing device for long vegetables that can be used.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the long vegetable box of claim 1 Packing The container is made up of a container in which a plurality of mounting parts composed of grooves in the front-rear direction are formed in parallel and the edges of the front and rear ends are formed higher than the bottom of the groove, and a long vegetable discharged from the sorting conveyor. Of the container waiting in a substantially horizontal state A container that is carried on each of the plurality of loading parts Of the container To front end or rear end From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state Tilt to lock one side end of the long vegetable on the container to the inner surface of the edge of the container After the container is tilted to the predetermined tilted state, the container is returned to a substantially horizontal state and sent out. An end aligning device, and a picking and transporting device that holds and picks up a plurality of long vegetables from a container sent from the end aligning device and transfers them to a predetermined boxing unit and packs them in a box in a predetermined arrangement , It is characterized by comprising.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a boxing apparatus for a long vegetable, a container having a plurality of parallel mounting portions formed of front and rear grooves, and a front edge and a rear edge formed higher than the bottom of the groove. The long vegetables discharged from the conveyor Of the container waiting in a substantially horizontal state The preceding parts that are carried on the plurality of loading parts. Said Container Of the container To the front end From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state As you tilt , Subsequent Said Container Of the container To rear end From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state Tilt Said On the leading container and Said One side end of the long vegetable placed on the subsequent container is locked to the inner surface of the edge of the respective container. , After the preceding and succeeding containers are tilted to the predetermined tilted state, they are returned to a substantially horizontal state and sent out. The edge aligner and the plurality of long vegetables are picked up from the preceding container and the succeeding container sent from the edge aligner and transferred to a predetermined boxing unit to be stored in a predetermined array. Pick up and transfer device , It is characterized by comprising.
[0010]
[Action]
According to the long vegetable boxing apparatus of claim 1 configured as described above, the long vegetable discharged from the sorting conveyor is Of the container waiting in a substantially horizontal state Containers that are transported by being placed on a plurality of mounting parts are transferred to the front end side of the container by the edge aligning device. Or rear end What From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state Tilted. Due to the tilting of the container, the long vegetable on the container slides along the groove and the one end thereof is locked to the inner surface of the edge of the container. Thereby, the one side end of the long vegetable put on each mounting part is arranged in the fixed position. And when the container is returned to a substantially horizontal state and sent out, A plurality of long vegetables on a container with one side end aligned are held and picked up by a pick-up transfer device, transferred to a predetermined boxing unit, and packed into a box in a predetermined arrangement.
[0011]
Also, the long vegetable box of claim 2 Packing According to the installation, the long vegetables discharged from the sorting conveyor Of the container waiting in a substantially horizontal state The containers that are respectively carried on the plurality of placement units are sequentially fed to the edge aligning device. This edge aligner will move the preceding container when the preceding and succeeding containers are fed. Of the container To the front end From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state As it tilts , The subsequent container Of the container To rear end From a substantially horizontal state to a predetermined inclined state Tilt. this each By the tilting, the long vegetables placed on the preceding container and the succeeding container are slid along the groove and one end thereof is locked to the inner surface of the edge of each container. Thereby, the one side end of the long vegetable put on each mounting part of each container is arranged in the fixed position. And when each container is returned to a substantially horizontal state and sent out, A long vegetable placed on the preceding container and the succeeding container with one side end aligned is picked up by a pick-up transfer device. Hold It is picked up and transferred to a predetermined boxing unit and packed into a box in a predetermined arrangement.
[0012]
【Example】
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the long vegetable S in this Example uses pepper.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a long vegetable boxing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the sorting and packaging facility showing a state in which a plurality of long vegetable boxing apparatuses according to the present embodiment are arranged along the transport path of the sorting conveyor.
[0014]
First, the outline of the configuration of each unit will be described with reference to FIGS.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a sorting conveyor that conveys the long vegetables S and sorts the long vegetables S by class based on a predetermined class division during the conveyance. In the embodiment, the sorting conveyor 1 is arranged in parallel in a two-row shape, but may be a plurality of different strips. And in the sorting discharge position for every class of this sorter conveyor 1, 12 discharge devices 10 are provided according to the number of loading parts of containers 2, which will be described later. Note that the number of the discharge devices 10 is not limited to the number (12) of the drawings.
[0015]
Reference numeral 2 denotes a container on which a predetermined plurality (12) of long vegetables S are placed. Reference numeral 3 denotes a container transfer device that supplies empty containers 2 to the lower side of each sorting and discharging position of the sorting conveyor 1, and when the long vegetables S are placed on the containers 2, the containers 2 containing the long vegetables S are placed first. To be sent out. A guide device 4 is provided between the sorting conveyor 1 and the container transfer device 3, and guides the long vegetable S discharged from the sorting conveyor 1 onto the container 2. A storage device 5 conveys the container 2 on which the long vegetable S is placed and waits at a predetermined pick-up position. Reference numeral 6 denotes an end aligning device that tilts the container 2 conveyed on the storage device 5 to align one end of the long vegetable S on the container 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pick-up transfer device which picks up the long vegetable S from the container 2 waiting on the storage device 5 and packs it in the box.
[0016]
Next, the configuration of each unit will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
The sorting conveyor 1 has a horizontally long bucket 11 on which a long vegetable S is placed in a horizontal direction, and is fixed in a conveying direction by an attachment member 13 such as a pipe or a round bar between left and right conveyor chains 12 and 12 that endlessly rotate. A large number of pivots are attached at intervals. When the bucket 11 is engaged with a pin (not shown) protruding to the side of the bucket 11 by a catch mechanism (not shown) attached to the conveyor chain 12 and held horizontally, and the engagement is released. It is designed to rotate downward.
[0017]
The horizontal posture of the bucket 11 is released when the engagement of a catch mechanism (not shown) is released by the discharge device 10 including an electromagnetic solenoid and a cylinder provided at a predetermined sorting discharge position. The bucket 11 acts so as to rotate downward by the release of this engagement.
[0018]
As the sorting conveyor 1, for example, a sorting machine conveyor device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-49848 can be used.
[0019]
The sorting conveyor 1 is provided with a measuring device (not shown) such as a camera for measuring a predetermined sorting item of the long vegetable S on the bucket 11 in the middle of the conveying path. ) Is determined by an arithmetic processing unit (not shown) based on the measurement result. Then, the 12 discharge devices 10 are sequentially operated by a sorting signal output in synchronization with the conveyance of the bucket 11 from a sorting control device (not shown) based on this sorting category. Moreover, the said predetermined classification division is a class in an Example, and the selection conveyor 1 sorts the long vegetable S according to a class.
[0020]
The sorting control device (not shown) first operates the most downstream discharge device 10A (the left end in FIG. 8) among the 12 discharge devices 10, and then sequentially discharges the discharge devices 10 along the upstream side from there. The output destination of the sorting signal is set in advance so as to be activated. When the discharge device 10 is sequentially operated by a sorting signal output from this sorting control device (not shown), the corresponding bucket 11 is rotated downward to discharge the long vegetable S on the bucket 11 downward.
[0021]
The container 2 is constructed as shown well in FIGS. That is, the container 2 is formed of a material such as a synthetic resin, and a plurality of long vegetables S for boxing are placed side by side in the longitudinal direction (conveying direction) of the container 2 and a plurality (12 in the drawing) in the lateral direction. Further, the upper surface is formed into a wave shape by the valley portion 21 and the mountain portion 22. The front edge 2 a and the rear edge 2 b of the container 2 are formed higher than the bottom of the valley 21. The outer shape of the container 2 is formed in the same size for each class, but the number of valleys 21 is small in the large class (2L, L) depending on the packing form, and in the small class (2S, S). Many have been formed. In this embodiment, the mounting portion in the claims corresponds to the trough portion 21.
[0022]
The shape of the upper surface of the container 2 is preferably appropriately formed according to the type of the object to be selected. For example, the upper surface of the main body of the container 2 is partitioned by protrusions or partition members (not shown) to form a plurality of mounting portions. You can also
[0023]
Furthermore, the upper surface of the container 2 in the embodiment is configured to support only the middle part of the long vegetable S when the long vegetable S is placed on the valley portion 21 as shown in FIG. The part corresponding to the both ends of the long vegetable S is formed slightly lower than the corrugated valley 21. Thereby, even if the long vegetable S is slightly bent, it is not supported at both ends, so that it can be stably placed on the container 2.
[0024]
The container transfer device 3 supplies an empty container 2 below the sorting and discharging position of the sorting conveyor 1, and when this container 2 is loaded with a predetermined number of long vegetables S discharged from the sorting conveyor 1, this container 2 is held horizontally and transferred to the side of the sorting conveyor 1. The same container transfer device 3 is provided symmetrically for each class according to the two sorting conveyors 1. Therefore, the description will be made using one unit.
[0025]
That is, 30 is a frame of the container transfer device 3. A start end sprocket 31, an end sprocket 32, and lower sprockets 33 and 33 are mounted on the frame 30 at a predetermined distance on the left and right in the conveying direction. The left and right sprockets 31, 32, 33, 33 are pivoted on the frame 30 with a predetermined length position shifted in the transport direction. Reference numerals 34 and 34 denote conveyor chains, which are stretched over the left and right sprockets 31, 32, 33, and 33, so that when an intermittent drive device (not shown) is operated, it moves by a predetermined distance in the direction of the arrow and stops. It has become.
[0026]
Reference numeral 35 denotes a container mounting table having a plan view shape for mounting the containers 2, and six are equally mounted on the conveying path of the conveyor chain 34 as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 7, the container platform 35 is supported on the two conveyor chains 34, 34 at two points by attachment portions 35a, 35a provided in the diagonal direction of the pallet platform 35. Yes. Therefore, even if the conveyor chains 34 and 34 continuously run and rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, the container mounting table 35 can be circulated and transferred from the upper stage to the lower stage or from the lower stage to the upper stage in the horizontal state. In addition, this container mounting base 35 has an opening 35b that is large enough to prevent the container 2 from falling, and an unloading conveyor 36 (loading conveyor 38), which will be described later, passes through the opening 35b from below. And then comes up and down.
[0027]
36 is a carry-out conveyor, and the container 2 containing the long vegetable S on the container platform 35 is carried out onto a transfer conveyor 50 of the storage device 5 described later. As shown well in FIGS. 7 and 9, the carry-out conveyor 36 is provided across the forward path side (upper part) of the conveyor chain 34 and the upper transfer conveyor 50 surface of the storage device 5, and is lifted and lowered by a lifting device 37. It is like that. The carry-out conveyor 36 can be a drive belt conveyor or a roller conveyor.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 9, a carry-in conveyor 38 has the same configuration as the carry-out conveyor 36, and is provided with the conveyance direction reversed between the return path side (lower part) of the conveyor chain 34 and the lower return conveyor 51. An empty container 2 on the conveyor 51 is carried onto a container platform 35 of the container transfer device 3. The carry-in conveyor 38 has the same configuration as the carry-out conveyor 36 and will not be described.
[0029]
The guide device 4 is provided between the sorting conveyor 1 and the container 2 of the container transfer device 3, and centers the long vegetables S sorted and discharged from the sorting conveyor 1 on each valley portion 21 of the container 2. It comes to supply.
[0030]
That is, 40 and 40 are a pair of support members, which are opposed to the left and right between the sorting conveyor 1 and the container transfer device 3 at intervals slightly wider than the width of the bucket 11 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, reference numerals 41 and 41 denote fixed guide plates obliquely provided at predetermined upper positions corresponding to the crests 22 of the left end and the right end of the container 2, respectively. As shown in FIG. It is built in.
[0031]
Reference numeral 42 denotes a swing guide plate, which is provided at a predetermined position above the crest portion 22 of the container 2. The swing guide plate 42 is configured such that a support shaft 43 provided at a lower end portion thereof is supported by a bearing 44 between the support members 40 and 40 so that the upper end portion can swing at a predetermined angle.
[0032]
45 is a rotary solenoid, and its output shaft is connected to each support shaft 43 of each swing guide plate 42. When the rotary solenoid 45 is actuated by an operation command (not shown), the swing guide plate 42 is rotated by a predetermined angle. It is supposed to be. Therefore, the swing guide plate 42 can be inclined in an inverted C shape above the discharged valley portion 21 by operating the rotary solenoid 45 before the long vegetable S is discharged. Thereby, the long vegetable S discharged | emitted from the selection conveyor 1 is centered by the reverse-shaped guide plate, and is stuffed on the trough part 21. FIG.
[0033]
The rotary solenoid 45 is driven by a control circuit (not shown) set in advance so as to operate after a predetermined time after the discharge device 10 is operated. As another method of driving the rotary solenoid 45, when the long vegetables S sorted from the sorting conveyor 1 pass through the swing guide plate 42, the rotary solenoid 45 is driven by a signal from a sensor (not shown) that detects this. Can do.
[0034]
The storage device 5 is configured to cause the containers 2 containing the long vegetables S sent out from the sorting conveyors 1 for each class to join and carry out for each class and to wait at a predetermined pick-up position. An upper transport conveyor 50 for transporting the containers 2, a return conveyor 51 for transporting empty containers 2 provided at a predetermined position below the transport conveyor 50, and a lift provided at the end portion 50 b of the transport conveyor 50. The apparatus 52 is schematically configured.
[0035]
The conveyor 50 is provided across the sorting conveyor 1 as shown in FIG. This conveyance conveyor 50 is an accumulable roller conveyor including a number of rollers 53 that are driven to rotate, and conveys the container 2 on which the long vegetable S is placed in the direction of the arrow in the figure. In addition, this conveyance conveyor 50 is not limited to the roller conveyor system of drawing, Various conveyance means, such as a chain conveyor and a belt conveyor, can be used.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 12, the return conveyor 51 is provided in the same configuration as the transport conveyor 50 with the transport direction reversed at a predetermined position below the transport conveyor 50. The return conveyor 51 is an empty space lowered by the lift device 52. The container 2 is conveyed to above the carry-in conveyor 38.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 12, the lift device 52 is provided adjacent to the end portion 50b of the transport conveyor 50, and a conveyor 54 configured to be able to forward and reverse the transport direction is moved up and down by a cylinder (not shown). It is configured to be possible. The conveyor 54 is configured to run and rotate in the same direction as the conveying direction of the conveying conveyor 50 in order to receive the container 2 containing the long vegetable S from the upper conveying conveyor 50 when it rises.
[0038]
On the other hand, since this conveyor 54 sends out the empty container 2 onto the lower return conveyor 51 when it is lowered, it controls the conveying direction to be opposite to that of the upper stage. The length of the conveyor 54 is configured such that two containers 2 are placed side by side in the transport direction. The size (machine length) of the conveyor 54 can be arbitrarily configured according to the size of the container 2 and the boxing method.
[0039]
55 is a stopper device, so that the container 2 containing the long vegetable S fed on the transport conveyor 50 by the carry-out conveyor 36 and the container 2 containing the long vegetable S transported from the upstream side of the transport conveyor 50 do not collide. When the carry-out conveyor 36 operates, the container 2 on the upper side of the carry-out conveyor 36 is temporarily stopped on the carry conveyor 50.
[0040]
Reference numeral 56 denotes a stopper device, which has the same configuration as that provided on the transfer conveyor 50, and is provided so as to protrude above the return conveyor 51. During the operation of the carry-in conveyor 38, the subsequent empty container 2 is temporarily placed. It comes to stop.
[0041]
When the two containers 2 conveyed on the storage device 5 are arranged side by side, the end aligning device 6 tilts the two containers 2 simultaneously on the front end side and the rear end side, respectively.
[0042]
That is, 60 and 60 are frame frames, which are mounted on the left and right frames 501 and 501 of the conveyor 50. Reference numerals 61 and 61 denote support shafts which are rotatably supported by bearings 62 and 62 between the left and right frame frames 60 and 60. Tilt arms 63 and 63 are attached to the support shafts 61 and 61 symmetrically outward from the outer shape of the container 2.
[0043]
64 and 64 are contact plates, and are attached to the tilt arms 63 and 63 by slide bearings 65 and 65 and slide shafts 66 and 66, respectively, so as to be slidable inward. Reference numerals 67 and 67 denote clamp cylinders for projecting and retracting the contact plates 64 and 64.
[0044]
Reference numerals 68 and 68 denote stopper members provided on the tilt arms 63 and 63, and the stopper members 68 and 68 are configured to be able to advance and retract in combination with the cylinders 69 and 69. The stopper members 68 and 68 are attached to the tilt arms 63 and 63 on the front side in the transport direction in order to stop the preceding container 2. Accordingly, when the stopper member 68 advances, the stopper member 68 comes into contact with the front end of the preceding container 2 conveyed on the conveyor 50.
[0045]
Reference numerals 70 and 70 denote rotating levers, which are attached to one end of the support shafts 61 and 61. Reference numeral 71 denotes an interlocking shaft, and drive levers 72 and 72 are attached to both ends thereof. The drive lever 72 and the turning lever 70 are connected by connecting links 73 and 73, respectively. Reference numeral 74 denotes a drive motor, and a sprocket 75 of the drive shaft is connected to a sprocket 76 attached to the interlocking shaft 71 by a chain (not shown).
[0046]
Reference numeral 77 denotes a stopper plate which appears and disappears on the transport conveyor 50 before the end aligning device 6, and is combined with the lifting cylinder 78.
[0047]
According to this edge aligning device 6, the preceding container 2 transported on the transport conveyor 50 is moved on the transport conveyor 50 by the stopper members 68, 68 provided on the tilting arms 63, 63 waiting on the transport conveyor 50. Paused. When the leading end of the container 2 subsequent to the preceding container 2 is connected to the rear end of the preceding container 2, the stopper plate 77 protrudes on the transport conveyor 50 and stops the transport of the container 2 transported from the rear. . The two containers 2 temporarily stopped on the transport conveyor 50 by the stopper members 68 and 68 are clamped by the left and right contact plates 64 and 64 by operating the clamp cylinders 67 and 67. When the container 2 is clamped, the drive motor 74 is activated and the rotational force is transmitted to the front and rear support shafts 61 and 61 via the interlocking shaft 71. As a result, the tilt arms 63 and 63 that clamp the container 2 tilt by a predetermined angle.
[0048]
As shown in FIG. 1, the pick-up transfer device 8 picks up a plurality of long vegetables S on two containers 2 waiting on a conveyor 54 of the lift device 52 by sucking them by a vacuum suction-type suction means 81. After that, this long vegetable S is transferred to the upper side of the box support device 85 and packed in the cardboard box 100 waiting on the box support device 85.
[0049]
As shown in FIG. 15, the take-up transfer device 8 uses a slide mechanism 84 that combines a cylinder 82 and a link 83 when the front and rear suction means 81 are transferred from the container 2 onto the cardboard box 100. The space between the front and rear of the suction means 81 is narrowed so that it can be placed in the cardboard box 100. Thereby, the front end of the long vegetable S on the preceding container 2 and the rear end of the long vegetable S on the succeeding container 2 can be boxed along the inner surface of the cardboard box 100.
[0050]
In the embodiment, as a means for holding the long vegetable S, the long vegetable S is sucked and held by using a vacuum suction-type suction pad, but is not limited and may be other gripping means. .
[0051]
The box support device 85 raises and waits for an empty cardboard box 100 for boxing to a predetermined height in a predetermined boxing section, and lowers the boxed cardboard box 100 below the return conveyor 51. It is sent out onto a product conveyor 9 provided at a predetermined position.
[0052]
Reference numeral 91 denotes a product merging conveyor disposed in parallel with the sorting conveyor 1, and the cardboard boxes 100 sent out for each class by the respective product conveying conveyors 9 are merged and conveyed.
[0053]
Reference numeral 95 denotes an empty box transport conveyor for transporting an empty cardboard box 100, which is provided outside the box support device 85 at a predetermined upper position in parallel with the sorting conveyor 1. The cardboard boxes 100 transported by the empty box transport conveyor 95 are sent one by one toward the corresponding box support device 85 by a distribution device 96 provided on the side of the empty box transport conveyor 95. .
[0054]
Reference numeral 97 denotes an empty box lowering device provided corresponding to the boxing device 96, and the cardboard box 100 sent out by the boxing device 96 is vertically lowered and sent out onto the box support device 85. The supply method of this empty cardboard box 100 is not limited to the drawings, and various methods can be used.
[0055]
The operation of the long vegetable boxing apparatus configured as described above will be described below.
First, the empty container 2 is transferred to the lower side of each sorting and discharging position by the container transfer device 3 and is waiting.
[0056]
A long vegetable S placed sideways with its side (base) or flower drop side (front) on the bucket 11 of the sorting conveyor 1 placed on one side is measured by a measuring device (not shown) during transportation. Selected items are measured. Based on the measured result, a class is determined by an arithmetic processing unit (not shown). Based on this class division, a sorting control device (not shown) first outputs a sorting signal to the most downstream discharge device 10A (the left end in FIG. 8) among the 12 discharge devices 10.
[0057]
When the corresponding discharge device 10 </ b> A is activated by this sorting signal, the long vegetable S on the bucket 11 is supplied onto the leftmost valley portion 21 of the container 2. And the long vegetable S discharged | emitted next is supplied on the trough part 21 one upstream from there. Thereafter, the same supply operation as described above is performed by sequentially moving to the upstream side.
[0058]
Further, the sorting control device (not shown) sequentially operates the twelve discharge devices 10 from the leftmost side to the right side, and operates the rightmost discharge device 10L, again to the leftmost side. The output destination of the sorting signal is controlled in advance so as to operate the discharge device 10A.
[0059]
The long vegetable S discharged from the bucket 12 by the operation of the leftmost discharge device 10 </ b> A by the above sorting signal is fixed on the leftmost valley portion 21 of the container 2 so as to incline in a reverse C-shape. The guide plate 41 and the swing guide plate 42 are brought into contact with each other and guided downward to be centered, and are placed on the valley portion 21 of the container 2 through a gap between the guide plates 41 and 42.
[0060]
As shown in FIG. 11, the left and right guide plates 41 and 42 have the leftmost swing guide plate 42 when the discharged long vegetable S is placed on the leftmost valley 21 of the container 2. The rotary solenoid 45 is actuated to swing the upper end of the swing guide plate 42 to the left (imaginary line in FIG. 11). As a result, even a slight bend that slightly catches between the guide plates 41 and 42 is smoothly packed on the valley 21.
[0061]
On the other hand, when the leftmost swing guide plate 42 swings to the left side, the swing guide plate 42 and the swing guide plate 42 on the right side of the swing guide plate 42 are inverted in a reverse C shape on the next valley portion 21. A mold is formed. Thereby, the long vegetable S discharged | emitted next can be centered, and can be mounted in the following trough part 21. FIG. Hereinafter, this operation is performed by sequentially moving to the upstream side along the operation of the discharge device 10.
[0062]
Reference numeral 46 denotes a guide bar, which is formed by a bar or a plate-like member between the lower part of each swing guide plate 42 and each mountain portion 22, and the long vegetable S placed on the valley portion 21 is adjacent by reaction. It guides so that it may not be on the trough part 21.
[0063]
In this way, the container 2 on which the long vegetable S is placed on each trough portion 21 of the container 2 is moved to the next station (unloading conveyor) while the intermittent drive device (not shown) of the container transfer device 3 is activated and placed on the container platform 35. 36 top). The container 2 containing the long vegetable S sent out on the carry-out conveyor 36 is sent out from the container platform 35 to the upper transfer conveyor 50 of the storage device 5 by the carry-out conveyor 36. On the other hand, while the carry-out conveyor 36 feeds the container 2 containing the long vegetable S, the empty container 2 is placed on the container platform 35 of the container transfer device 3 from the lower return conveyor 51 by the carry-in conveyor 38. It is brought in. (See FIG. 9).
[0064]
The container transfer device 3 sends the container 2 on which the long vegetable S is placed from below the sorting discharge position to the next station (on the carry-out conveyor 36), and sends the empty container 2 below the sorting discharge position. The operation is performed synchronously.
[0065]
In this container transfer device 3, the long vegetable S discharged from the rightmost discharge device 10 </ b> L in FIG. 8 is supplied to the rightmost valley 21 of the container 2 and at the same time, the container 2 is replaced. It has become. For this reason, the long vegetable S scheduled to be discharged next is transferred to a position corresponding to the leftmost discharge device 10A. Therefore, the next container 2 can be supplied to the lower side of the sorting and discharging position by the container transfer device 3 utilizing the transfer of the bucket 11. For this reason, even if the long vegetables S conveyed on the sorting conveyor 1 are continuously discharged to the same sorting and discharging position, the long vegetables S can be continuously supplied without stopping the sorting conveyor 1. it can.
[0066]
The container 2 containing the long vegetable S sent out onto the upper transport conveyor 50 by the carry-out conveyor 36 is transported in the direction of the arrow by the transport conveyor 50, and the front ends thereof are stopper members 68, 68 of the end alignment device 6. It is locked to. When two containers 2 sent to the edge aligning device 6 are connected in a predetermined position and wait, the clamp cylinders 67 and 67 are operated to clamp the container 2 from both sides of the container 2 by the contact plates 64 and 64. After clamping, when the drive shaft of the drive motor 74 is rotated by a certain angle, the interlocking shaft 71 connected to the drive shaft is rotated and the rotational force is transmitted to the front and rear support shafts 61 and 61. As a result, the front and rear tilt arms 63, 63 are tilted at a predetermined angle in a C shape as shown in FIG.
[0067]
By this tilting, the clamped preceding container 2 tilts to the front end side, and the succeeding container 2 tilts to the rear end side. Accordingly, the long vegetable S placed on the preceding container 2 slides down on the valley 21 and its one end is locked to the inner surface of the front edge of the container 2. On the other hand, the long vegetable S placed on the succeeding container 2 slides down on the valley portion 21 in the same manner as described above, and its one end is locked to the inner surface of the rear edge of the container 2.
[0068]
When the container 2 tilts for a predetermined time, the drive motor 74 operates to lower the tilted container 2 to a predetermined position. When the lowered container 2 is placed on the transport conveyor 50, the stopper members 68 and 68 are retracted and the abutting plates 64 and 64 are also retracted and the one end of the container 2 containing the long vegetable S is aligned. The clamp is released. When the clamp is released, the container 2 containing the long vegetable S is sent to the conveyor 54 of the lift device 52 by the conveyor 50 and waits there. The transport conveyor 50 controls the timing of merging on the transport conveyor 50 by the stopper device 55 in order to join and transport the container 2 containing the long vegetable S sent out from the two container transport devices 3. It has become.
[0069]
When a predetermined number of containers 2 containing long vegetables S waiting on the conveyor 54 of the lift device 52 are arranged in the drawing, the long vegetables S on the containers 2 are adsorbed and held by the adsorbing means 81. Then, the adsorbing means 81 holding the long vegetable S is transferred to the upper part of the box support device 85 as shown in FIG. 15, and the interval between the adsorbing means 81 and 81 is narrowed by the slide mechanism 84 during the transfer. Then, one side end of the long vegetable S is packed in the cardboard box 100 waiting on the box support device 85.
[0070]
Thereafter, when this operation is repeated and a long vegetable S is stacked in a predetermined number of stages in the cardboard box 100, the box support device 85 lowers the cardboard box 100 and sends it out onto the product transporting conveyor 9. Then, the cardboard box 100 packed with the long vegetables S conveyed by the product conveying conveyor 9 is sent out onto the product merging conveyor 91 at the timing of merging.
[0071]
On the other hand, the container 2 on the lift device 52 in which the long vegetable S is taken up by the adsorbing means 81 and is emptied is lowered onto the return conveyor 51 and sent to the destination. The empty container 2 sent out on the return conveyor 51 is transported toward the carry-in conveyor 38 by the return conveyor 51 and circulated for use.
[0072]
In addition, although the said Example was comprised so that the two containers 2 might be tilted simultaneously to the front end side and the rear end side by the edge part alignment apparatus 6, you may comprise so that the container 2 may be tilted one by one. .
[0073]
Further, the end aligning device 6 is tilted by using a mechanism in which a motor and a link are combined. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other different means such as a cylinder can be adopted.
[0074]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the long vegetable boxing device of the present invention is configured such that one side end of the long vegetable placed on the container from the sorting conveyor is tilted toward the front end side or the rear end side of the container so that the edge of the container A long vegetable that has been requested from the prior art. Could be automated and mechanized.
[0075]
In addition, since the long vegetables are boxed with their one end aligned, the long vegetables can be packed in the box along the inner surface of the box when packing the long vegetables. As a result, the voluminous feel of the long vegetables when boxed is improved, the appearance of the aligned state and the like is improved, and the market and consumers are highly evaluated.
[0076]
Furthermore, since one side edge of the long vegetable is aligned and packed in the box, if the gap between the end of the long vegetable and the inner surface of the box is set in advance so that the end of the long vegetable does not collide, There is no such thing as the end of a long vegetable hitting the inner surface of the box. Therefore, it is possible to prevent breakage or injury of long vegetables during packaging, and to save labor for a guard for this.
[0077]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an entire long vegetable boxing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a plan view of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sorting and packaging facility in which a plurality of the long vegetable boxing apparatuses of FIG. 1 are arranged side by side.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the container.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the container transfer device.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the container transfer device.
FIG. 8 is a front view of the guide device.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing operation states of the carry-out conveyor and the carry-in conveyor.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of the guide device.
FIG. 11 is a partial detail view of FIG. 8;
12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG.
FIG. 13 is a front view of the edge aligning device.
FIG. 14 is a plan view of the same.
FIG. 15 is a partial detail view of the take-up transfer device.
16 (a) and 16 (b) are explanatory diagrams of a boxing pattern for long vegetables.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Sorting conveyor S: Long vegetables
10: Discharge device 11: Bucket
12: Conveyor chain 13: Mounting member
2: Container 21: Tanibe
22: Yamabe
3: Container transfer device 30: Frame
31, 32, 33: Sprocket
34: Conveyor chain 35: Container platform
36: Unloading conveyor 37: Lifting device
38: Loading conveyor
4: Guide device 40: Support plate
41: Fixed guide plate 42: Swing guide plate
43: Support shaft 44: Bearing
45: Rotary solenoid
5: Storage device 50: Conveyor
51: Return conveyor 52: Lift device
53: Roller 54: Conveyor
55: Stopper device 56: Stopper device
6: Edge alignment device 60: Frame frame
61: Spindle 62: Bearing
63: Tilt frame 64: This plate
65: Slide bearing 66: Slide shaft
67: Clamp cylinder 68: Stopper member
69: Cylinder 70: Rotating lever
71: Interlocking shaft 72: Drive lever
73: Connection link 74: Drive motor
75: Sprocket 76: Sprocket
77: Stopper plate 78: Lifting cylinder
8: Pick-up transfer device 81: Adsorption means
82: Cylinder 83: Link
84: Slide mechanism 85: Box support device
9: Product conveyor 91: Product conveyor
95: Empty box conveyor 96: Boxing device
97: Empty box lowering device
100: cardboard box

Claims (2)

A container in which a plurality of mounting portions formed of grooves in the front-rear direction are formed in parallel, and the edges of the front end and the rear end are formed higher than the bottom of the groove;
A container that is transported by being loaded on a plurality of the loading parts of the container on which the long vegetables discharged from the sorting conveyor are held in a substantially horizontal state is transferred from the substantially horizontal state to the front end side or the rear end side of the container. The end of the long vegetable on the container is tilted to the inclined state of the container, the inner edge of the container is locked to the inner surface of the edge of the container, and the container is tilted to the predetermined inclined state and then returned to a substantially horizontal state and sent out. An aligning device;
A picking and transporting device that picks up and holds a plurality of long vegetables from the container sent from the edge aligning device and transports them to a predetermined boxing unit and packs them in a box in a predetermined arrangement ,
Box TsumeSo location of Chobutsu vegetables, characterized in that it comprises a. A container in which a plurality of mounting portions formed of grooves in the front-rear direction are formed in parallel, and the edges of the front end and the rear end are formed higher than the bottom of the groove;
The container prior to Chobutsu vegetable discharged from the sorting conveyor is conveyed is placed in each of a plurality of the rest portion of the stand has been said container in a substantially horizontal state vessel from a substantially horizontal state given to the front end of the with tilting the inclined state, subsequent the container vessel of the rear end Chobutsu vegetables placed on the substantially horizontal state on the container of the preceding is tilted in a predetermined inclined state and the subsequent on the container to An end alignment device for locking one side end to the inner surface of the edge of each container, and tilting the preceding and succeeding containers to the predetermined tilted state and then sending them back to a substantially horizontal state ;
A pick-up transfer device that holds and picks up a plurality of long vegetables from the preceding container and the succeeding container sent from the edge aligning device and transfers them to a predetermined boxing unit and packs them into the box in a predetermined arrangement; ,
Box TsumeSo location of Chobutsu vegetables, characterized in that it comprises a.

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