JP4014235B2 - Container alignment device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a container alignment apparatus, and more particularly to a container alignment apparatus using a robot.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a container aligning device, a first transport conveyor that transports containers in a rollover state, a second transport conveyor that is disposed adjacent to the first transport conveyor and transports containers, and transports the first transport conveyor. A detecting means for detecting a placement state of a container conveyed by the first conveying conveyor, and a robot for delivering the container from the first conveying conveyor to the second conveying conveyor based on a detection result of the detecting means; Are known (for example, JP-A-6-32935).
The 1st conveyance conveyor in the above-mentioned gazette is provided with an engagement belt on one side thereof, and is configured to be tiltable so that one side of the first conveyance conveyor is higher than the other side. When transporting a container having a non-circular cross section, the first transport conveyor is transported in a horizontal state. On the other hand, when transporting a container having a circular cross section, one side of the first transport conveyor is raised as described above. Inclined and conveyed. In this way, by tilting the first transport conveyor, the container having a circular cross section on the first transport conveyor is brought close to one side having a low height and engages with the engagement belt. For this reason, the containers on the first conveyor are engaged with the engagement belt and conveyed downstream in the vertical rollover state parallel to the conveying direction, and are held by the robot in that state before the second conveyance. Delivered on the conveyor.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, conventionally, when a container having a circular cross section is transported, the first transport conveyor is inclined in the width direction so that the containers are transported in a vertical rollover state. There is a disadvantage that the number of containers delivered per container is small, and therefore the processing capacity of the container alignment device is low.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a first transport conveyor that transports containers in a rollover state, a second transport conveyor that is disposed adjacent to the first transport conveyor and transports containers, and the first A detection unit that is provided in a transfer path of the transfer conveyor and detects a loading state of a container transferred by the first transfer conveyor, and a container from the first transfer conveyor to the second transfer conveyor based on the detection result of the detection unit In a container alignment device equipped with a robot that delivers
The first transport conveyor is constituted by a bucket conveyor having a large number of partition members orthogonal to the transport direction at every predetermined interval in the transport direction on the mounting surface, and the first transport conveyor is arranged on the downstream side or the upstream side in the transport direction. When the container is placed in a slanted manner so that it gradually becomes higher, a pocket for storing the container is formed between the adjacent partition members , and a container in a rollover state is stored in each pocket, the container in each pocket Is configured to be in contact with the partition member and orthogonal to the transport direction of the first transport conveyor, and the adjacent containers are maintained at a predetermined interval.
The robot includes a plurality of vacuum pads for sucking and holding containers, and the distance between the adjacent vacuum pads is set to the same distance as the distance between the containers stored in the adjacent pockets. And
In the robot, the containers in the pockets that follow each other at the holding position in the middle of the transfer path of the first transfer conveyor are held by the vacuum pads and then delivered to the second transfer conveyor.
[0005]
[Action]
According to such a configuration, the containers in the respective pockets of the first transport conveyor are transported in a state that is orthogonal to the transport direction of the first transport conveyor and the adjacent ones are maintained at predetermined intervals. In this state, the container is held by the robot in the middle of the transfer path of the first transfer conveyor and then transferred to the second transfer conveyor.
Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of deliveries per unit time when the containers are transferred from the first transfer conveyor to the second transfer conveyor by the robot, and therefore, the processing capacity is improved as compared with the conventional apparatus. Can do.
[0006]
【Example】
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, a container alignment apparatus 1 includes a robot 2 and a first transport conveyor 3 and a second transport conveyor 4 provided in parallel to each other at adjacent positions. Yes. The robot 2 reciprocates between the holding position A on the first transfer conveyor 3 and the release position B on the second transfer conveyor 4 to receive the containers 5 on the first transfer conveyor 3 on the second transfer conveyor 4. It is supposed to pass. In addition, the container aligning apparatus 1 is provided with a correction means 6 at a position above the second conveyor 4, and the container 5 released by the robot 2 at the release position B is raised from the rollover state to the upright state by the correction means 6. And placed on the second conveyor 4. As a result, the containers 5 are arranged in a vertical row in an upright state on the second transport conveyor 4.
The container 5 in the present embodiment is a plastic container having a circular cross section, and has a mouth portion 5a protruding at the center of the upper end, and the bottom portion 5b serving as the lower end is a flat surface. After a large number of containers 5 (not shown) stored in the hopper 7 are sequentially taken out in a single row in a rollover state by an inclined feeder 8 provided between the hopper 7 and the upstream end of the first conveyor 3. The first conveyor 3 is sequentially supplied.
Thus, in this embodiment, unlike the conventional one, the first transport conveyor 3 is constituted by a bucket conveyor. That is, the partition surface of the first transport conveyor 3 is provided with a large number of partition members 11 at equal intervals in the transport direction and orthogonal to the transport direction, and the adjacent partition members 11 and the mount surfaces between them. A pocket P for storing the container 5 is formed. As shown in FIG. 2, the height from the mounting surface of the partition member 11 is set to be lower than the height of the upper outer peripheral portion of the container 5 in the rollover state. Further, the partition member 11 is set to a material and a color that can be easily identified as the partition member 11 when the container 5 in the pocket P is photographed by a CCD camera 13 to be described later. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the first transport conveyor 3 composed of the bucket conveyor as described above is configured such that the end on the downstream side in the transport direction is higher than the end on the upstream side. In addition, they are inclined as a whole.
Since the 1st conveyance conveyor 3 of a present Example is comprised as mentioned above, if the container 5 is sequentially supplied to the upstream edge part of the 1st conveyance conveyor 3 with the inclination feeder 8, each container 5 will be 1st. 1 is accommodated in each pocket P in the conveyor 3. At the same time, since the first transfer conveyor 3 is inclined as a whole, the containers 5 in each pocket P come into contact with the partition member 11 on the upstream side in the transfer direction. Thus, in this embodiment, the containers 5 in a rollover state perpendicular to the transport direction of the first transport conveyor 3 are stored in the respective pockets P of the first transport conveyor 3, and in this state, the containers 5 are placed downstream. It is supposed to be transported toward the end.
Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rubber plate-like member 12 is provided slightly above the position where the inclined feeder 8 supplies the containers 5 to the first conveyor 3. ing. The lower end portion of the plate-like member 12 is engaged with the containers 5 in the pockets P, so that only one container 5 is surely stored in each pocket P.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the robot 2 is disposed on one side of the downstream end portion of the first transport conveyor 3, and on the transport path of the first transport conveyor 3 on the upstream side of the robot 2. Is provided with a CCD camera 13 as detection means. The CCD camera 13 takes an image of the placement state of each container 5 transported by the first transport conveyor 3, that is, the placement position of the container 5 in the width direction of the first transport conveyor 3 in each pocket P, and the image thereof. Is input to the control device 14. A rotary encoder 15 is connected to the downstream end of the first transport conveyor 3, and a rotary encoder 16 is also connected to the drive source of the correction means 6. Pulse signals detected by the rotary encoders 15, 16 are connected. Is input to the control device 14.
The operation of the robot 2 is controlled by the control device 14. The control device 14 is based on the image of the container 5 input from the CCD camera 13 and the pulse signals input from the rotary encoders 15 and 16. Thus, the robot 2 is reciprocated between the holding position A and the release position B.
As shown in FIG. 3, the robot 2 of the present embodiment includes a first drive shaft 17 having a large diameter directed in the vertical direction, and a first arm 18 directed horizontally at the upper end of the first drive shaft 17. The base of A second drive shaft 21 oriented in the vertical direction is rotatably provided at the tip of the first arm 18, and a base portion of the second arm 22 oriented in the horizontal direction is connected to the second drive shaft 21. Yes. A small-diameter third drive shaft 23 is rotatably provided at the distal end portion of the second arm 22, and a processing head 24 is attached to the lower end portion of the third drive shaft 23.
As shown in FIG. 4, the processing head 24 includes a rectangular plate-like support member 25, and this support member 25 connects the central portion in the longitudinal direction to the lower end portion of the third drive shaft 23. Has been supported horizontally. Therefore, when the third drive shaft 23 rotates, the support member 25 can rotate in the forward and reverse directions on the horizontal plane. On the bottom surface of the support member 25, at a position on the center line C in the longitudinal direction, the center part of the center line C, that is, two locations separated by an equal distance from the connection position of the third drive shaft 23, respectively. Air cylinders 26 and 27 are attached. A vacuum pad 28 as a holding member is attached to the lower end of each air cylinder 26, 27 facing vertically downward. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the vacuum pad 28 sucks and holds the position slightly shifted to the bottom side from the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the container 5. Further, the distance between the vacuum pads 28 of the air cylinders 26 and 27 is the same as the distance between the containers 5 in the adjacent pockets P on the first transport conveyor 3.
The raising / lowering operation of the air cylinders 26 and 27 and the supply / discharge operation of negative pressure with respect to the vacuum pads 28 are controlled by the control device 14. , 27 are lowered from the ascending end position to the descending end position, and at the same time, a negative pressure is introduced into each vacuum pad 28. As a result, the container 5 is sucked and held by the vacuum pads 28 of the air cylinders 26 and 27 at the holding position A. In this way, after holding the container 5 with the vacuum pad 28, the control device 14 raises the air cylinders 26 and 27 to the rising end position again, and then moves the processing head 24 to the release position B to release it. In the position B, the introduction of the negative pressure to each vacuum pad 28 is stopped. Therefore, each container 5 in a rollover state held by each vacuum pad 28 is released from the holding state at the release position B and falls onto the second transport conveyor 4 on the lower side thereof.
When the controller 14 sucks and holds the container 5 at the holding position A by the vacuum pads 28 of the air cylinders 26 and 27, as shown in FIGS. The container 5 is held in a state orthogonal to. Further, when the container 5 is sucked and held by the vacuum pads 28 of the air cylinders 26 and 27, the control device 14 sucks and holds a portion shifted from the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the container 5 to the bottom 5 b side. I have to.
The control device 14 controls the operation of the robot 2 as follows based on signals input from the CCD camera 13 and the rotary encoders 15 and 16.
That is, when the images of the first container 5 and the second container 5 in the rollover state photographed by the CCD camera 13 are input to the control device 14, the control device 14 moves the processing head 24 to the holding position A on the first transport conveyor 2. To move. Thereby, the vacuum pad 28 of each air cylinder 26, 27 with which the processing head 24 is provided is located at a position immediately above the top container 5 and the second container 5 (FIGS. 1 and 2).
Thereafter, the control device 14 slightly moves the processing head 24 in the width direction of the first transport conveyor 2 by a required amount, and then moves the air cylinder 26 on the leading container 5 side located downstream in the transport direction to the rising end. Since the vacuum pad 28 is lowered to the lower end and a negative pressure is introduced to the vacuum pad 28, the top container 5 is sucked and held by the vacuum pad 28. Thereafter, the air cylinder 26 is immediately returned from the descending end to the ascending end. As described above, the vacuum pad 28 of the air cylinder 26 holds a position that is shifted by a predetermined amount from the longitudinal center of the top container 5 toward the bottom 5b.
Next, the control device 14 moves the processing head 24 by a required amount in the transport direction, lowers the other air cylinder 27 from the rising end to the lowering end, and introduces a negative pressure to the vacuum pad 28. The second container 5 is sucked and held by the vacuum pad 28. The second container 5 is also held by the vacuum pad 28 at a position shifted by a predetermined amount from the center in the longitudinal direction toward the bottom 5b. When the container 5 is sucked and held in this way, the air cylinder 26 is returned from the descending end to the ascending end.
As a result, the top container 5 and the second container 5 are held by the two vacuum pads 28 provided in the processing head 24 at the holding position A, and the control device 14 thereafter moves the processing head 24 to the second position. After moving to the release position B on the transport conveyor 4, the introduction of negative pressure to both vacuum pads 28 is stopped (FIG. 5). Therefore, the first container 5 and the second container 5 are released from the holding state by the vacuum pad 28 and fall onto the second conveyor 4. Then, the two containers 5 that are released and dropped in this way are engaged with the rod-shaped engaging members 31 and 31 ′ included in the correction means 6, and are inverted from the rollover state and erect. ing.
As described above, the control device 14 moves the robot 2 back and forth between the holding position A and the release position B so as to deliver the containers 5 on the first transport conveyor 3 onto the second transport conveyor 4.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 6, the correction means 6 includes the pair of engaging members 31, 31 ′ supported horizontally and horizontally by the brackets, and these engaging member engaging members. A plurality of U-shaped buckets 32 are provided that circulate and move along positions of the lower conveyors 31 and 31 ′ along the second conveyor 4 to prevent the containers 3 from falling upright.
The distance between the pair of engaging members 31, 31 ′ is set to be slightly longer than the axial length of the container 5 excluding the mouth portion 5a.
On the other hand, each bucket 32 is attached to a pair of upper and lower chains 33 that circulates in the direction of the arrow at equal intervals in the direction of travel, and below both engaging members 31 and 31 ′ and the second conveyor 4. It moves along the 2nd conveyance conveyor 4 between mounting surfaces.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, in a state where both containers 5 are supported at the release position B, both containers 5 have an outer peripheral portion on the side of the mouth 5 a on one engagement member 31 (31 ′). ) So that the bottom 5b does not intersect the other engagement member 31 (31 ′). In this state, since both the containers 5 are released from the holding state at the same time, as shown in FIG. The container 5 falls between the two engaging members 31, 31 ′ while the outer peripheral portion on the 5b side is not engaged with the other engaging member 31 (31 ′).
Therefore, both containers 5 are inverted as described above, erect, and stored in the bucket 32, and placed on the second conveyor 4. As a result, the containers 5 are aligned in a vertical line by the second conveyor 4.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a plate-shaped drop guide 34 extending from the substantially central portion of the second transport conveyor 4 toward the outer side of the second transport conveyor 4 is provided. In this way, by guiding the containers 5 falling into the bucket 32, each container 5 is reliably erected.
According to the present embodiment described above, the first transfer conveyor 3 is constituted by a bucket conveyor and is inclined in the transfer direction, so that each container 5 can be transferred downstream in a state orthogonal to the transfer direction. . In addition, when the processing head 24 of the robot 2 is positioned at the holding position A, the two vacuum pads 28 included in the processing head 24 are positioned immediately above the first container 5 and the second container 5, and thereafter the processing head The container 5 can be held by the vacuum pad 28 by slightly moving 24 in the width direction of the first conveyor 3.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the movement amount of the processing head 24 at the holding position A may be small, and the container 5 is transported to the holding position A in a state orthogonal to the transport direction. The number of containers 5 delivered per unit time can be increased.
Further, according to the present embodiment, not only the container 5 having a circular cross section, but also a container 5 having an elliptical cross section, a container 5 having a square cross section, and a flat container 5 can be aligned without any trouble.
Accordingly, the processing capability can be improved as compared with the conventional alignment apparatus described above.
Furthermore, the partition member 11 provided on the first conveyor 3 is set to a material and color that can be easily determined by the CCD camera 13. Therefore, when an image obtained by photographing the container 5 in the pocket P with the CCD camera 13 is input to the control device 14, the control device 14 easily determines the difference between the container 3 and the partition member 11, and holds the holding position A. The container 5 can be reliably held by the processing head 24.
Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, even if the size of the container 5 is changed, it is not necessary to change the shape of each component member.
In the above embodiment, the processing head 24 is provided with the two air cylinders 26 and 27, and the vacuum pad 28 is provided thereon. However, the processing head 24 may be provided with three or more air cylinders. In that case, the processing capability of the container alignment apparatus 1 can be further improved.
Moreover, in the said Example, although the 1st conveyance conveyor 3 was inclined as a whole so that the conveyance direction downstream side might become high, conversely to this, the 1st conveyance conveyor 3 was entirely arranged so that the conveyance direction upstream side might become high. May be tilted.
[0007]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the processing capability as compared with the conventional case.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of the main part of FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container alignment apparatus 2 Robot 3 1st conveyance conveyor 4 2nd conveyance conveyor 11 Partition member 13 CCD camera (detection means)
A Holding position B Release position

Claims (3)

A first transport conveyor that transports the containers in a rollover state; a second transport conveyor that is disposed adjacent to the first transport conveyor and transports the containers; and is provided in a transport path of the first transport conveyor. A container aligning apparatus comprising: a detecting unit that detects a loading state of a container that is transported by one transporting conveyor; and a robot that delivers the container from the first transporting conveyor to the second transporting conveyor based on a detection result of the detecting unit. In
The first transport conveyor is constituted by a bucket conveyor having a large number of partition members orthogonal to the transport direction at every predetermined interval in the transport direction on the mounting surface, and the first transport conveyor is arranged on the downstream side or the upstream side in the transport direction. When the container is placed in a slanted manner so that it gradually becomes higher, a pocket for storing the container is formed between the adjacent partition members , and a container in a rollover state is stored in each pocket, the container in each pocket Is configured to be in contact with the partition member and orthogonal to the transport direction of the first transport conveyor, and the adjacent containers are maintained at a predetermined interval.
The robot includes a plurality of vacuum pads for sucking and holding containers, and the distance between the adjacent vacuum pads is set to the same distance as the distance between the containers stored in the adjacent pockets. And
The robot aligns the containers in the pockets that follow each other at a holding position in the middle of the transport path of the first transport conveyor, and then delivers the containers to the second transport conveyor after being held by the vacuum pads. apparatus.   The first transport conveyor and the second transport conveyor are arranged in parallel to each other, and a correction means is provided on the second transport conveyor to engage the container released by the robot and erect the container. The container alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container alignment apparatus is provided. 3. The container alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is set to a color that can be easily identified by the detection means.

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