JP4144092B2 - Decapper - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a decapper for removing a cap attached to the mouth of a container such as a milk bottle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, milk bottle caps have been widely used for the past, but resin-made caps have been developed and used from the viewpoints of hygiene and recycling. It is thought that it will go. In order to recycle the resin cap, it is attached to the milk bottle again and collected together with the bottle.
[0003]
The milk bottle stored and collected in the case is equipped with a resin cap as described above, so first remove this cap, and then wash it and reuse it again. Yes. Therefore, a decapper that automatically removes the cap from the milk bottle was required.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a decapper that has a simple structure and is compact and can be reduced in cost. It is another object of the present invention to provide a decapper that can shorten the stroke of the opening head to increase the speed.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A decapper according to the present invention removes a cap attached to the mouths of a plurality of containers accommodated in a case, and has a pointed end portion and a shoulder portion engageable with a lower surface of the cap. A plurality of opening members arranged corresponding to the respective containers in the case, elevating means for raising and lowering the opening members all at once, and arranged and fixed above the case when removing the cap A container holding member that holds the container, a stripper that is disposed and fixed above the container holding member, and that removes the cap from the opening member when the opening member rises, and moves forward and backward to move the container holding member and the stripper And a case lift means for moving the case up and down.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an overall configuration of a decapper according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG. The containers (milk bottles) 2 collected with the resin caps attached are accommodated in the case 4 in a predetermined arrangement (in this example, 40 in 5 rows and 8 in each row). Then, it is transported by the case transporting conveyor 6 and introduced into this decapper.
[0007]
A case lifter 8 is provided below the decapper for moving the case 4 up and down. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the case lifter 8 includes a case mounting table 10 on which the case 4 is placed. Cam followers 12 are attached to the lower four corners of the case mounting table 10, and these cam followers 12 are eccentrically fixed to the two rotating shafts 16 that are rotated by the drive of the servo motor 14. 18 is engaged. The case mounting table 10 is moved up and down by the rotation of the disc cam 18. When the case mounting table 10 is lowered, the upper surface 10a is substantially the same height or slightly below the transfer surface 6a of the conveyor 6, and the case 4 conveyed by the conveyor 6 is located above the case mounting table 10. When stopped, the eccentric disc cam is rotated by the motor 14 to rise and push up the case 4. Note that. FIG. 3 shows a state where the case 4 is raised.
[0008]
Above the case lifter 8, a container pressing member 20 for preventing the container 2 from floating when the cap is removed is disposed. The container holding member 20 is fixed to the machine frame 22 of the decapper, and corresponds to each container 2 arranged in the case 4 so that each container 2 in the case 4 can be pressed. A plurality of cylindrical portions are arranged. Each of these cylindrical portions has an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the container 2 and larger than the outer diameter of the mouth portion of the container 2, and can be brought into contact with the inclined surface of the outer periphery of the container 2 at the lower end thereof. With multiple nails. When removing the cap, these claws are prevented from coming into contact with the container 4 and floating. At the same time, the container 2 can be centered.
[0009]
Above the container pressing member 20, a stripper 28 for removing a cap removed from the container 2 by the opening member 26, which will be described later, from the opening member 26 is disposed with a gap therebetween. The machine frame 22 is fixed. Although the shape of the stripper 28 is not shown, a plurality of openings having a size smaller than the size of the cap mounted on the container 2 are formed in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of the container 2 accommodated in the case 4. .
[0010]
In the decapper, the side where the case lifter 8 and the container pressing member 20 are provided (to the right in FIG. 2) moves forward and backward toward the middle between the container pressing member 20 and the stripper 28. A tray 30 is arranged. The tray 30 receives a cap that moves forward and drops below the opening member 26 when the cap is removed by the stripper 28 from the opening member 26 from which the cap attached to the container 2 is removed.
[0011]
The tray 30 is attached to a rack that is supported on both sides of the machine frame 22 so as to be able to move forward and backward. By rotating a pinion 34 that meshes with these racks, an advance position between the container pressing member 20 and the stripper 28 is achieved. And a retreat position above the hopper 36 disposed on the right side of FIG.
[0012]
A scraper 38 is provided between the hopper 36 and the stripper 28 to scrape the cap on the tray 30 into the hopper 36. The scraper 38 can be moved up and down by a cylinder 40. When the tray 30 receives a cap below the stripper 28 and moves backward to the hopper 36 side, the scraper 38 moves up and then advances from the hopper 36 side to the stripper 28 side. When moving, the cap on the tray 30 is scraped off into the hopper 36.
[0013]
Above the container holding member 20 and the stripper 28, an opening provided with a plurality of opening members 26 arranged corresponding to the arrangement of the containers 2 in the case 4 (5 rows and 8 in each row). A head 42 is provided, and the head 42 is moved up and down by lifting means described later.
[0014]
The plurality of opening members 26 provided on the opening head 42 are attached via holders 46, respectively. The configuration of the opening member 26, the holder 46, and the opening head 42 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, the opening member 26 is composed of a pair of plate-like parts 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B. , 26Bb, and a wide mounting portion 26Bc (one not shown) is formed at the other end. Each of these plate-like components 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B is held by a holder 46.
[0015]
As shown in part in FIG. 5, the holder 46 has a shape in which a cylindrical member is divided in half, and the opening member 26 is provided on the contact surface of each of the half portions 46A and 46B. Substantially T-shaped grooves 46 </ b> Aa and 46 </ b> Ba that match the shape of the upper side of each of the plate-like components 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B are formed. Magnets 48B (the other not shown) are embedded in the T-shaped grooves 46Aa and 46Ba, and the plate-like parts 26A and 26B are formed in the halves 46A and 46B of the holder 46, respectively. When fitted in the grooves 46Aa and 46Ba, the plate-like components 26A and 26B of the opening / closing member 26 are held by the magnets 48B and the like so as not to fall off.
[0016]
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the opening head 42 to which the holder 46 to which each opening member 26 is attached is fixed to a long axis 59A, 59B in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central fixing block 50C. The short shaft 59C is fixed. On both sides of the fixed block 50C, movable blocks 50A and 50B are alternately arranged so as to be slidable on the shafts 59A, 59B and 59C. One set 50A of movable blocks is united by a mounting plate 54A, and the other group 50B is united by a mounting plate 54B. A cylinder 52A is attached to the outside of the right movable block 50A, and a cylinder 52B is attached to the outside of the left movable block 50B. Further, the cylinder rod 56A (the other is not shown) of the cylinder is attached to both ends of the short shaft 59C.
[0017]
The holder 46 composed of the pair of halves 46A and 46B has one end 46A fixed to one attachment plate 54A and the other end 46B fixed to the other attachment plate 54B. Therefore, when both cylinders 52A and 52B are operated, both attachment plates 54A and 54B move relative to each other through the respective blocks 50A and 50B, and one holder 46A and one plate attached to each attachment plate 54A and 54B. 26A, the other holder 46B and the other plate-like part 26B move relatively.
[0018]
The levers 60A and 60B are rotatably attached to the ends of the rods 56 of the cylinders 52A and 52B by pins 58A and 58B, respectively (see FIGS. 6 to 8). The positions at which the pins 58A and 58B of the levers 60A and 60B are attached are the distance L1 from the end surface when the levers 60A and 60B are placed on a straight line of the cylinder rod 56, and the end surface when the levers 60A and 60B are tilted 90 degrees. The distance L2 is different from the distance L2, and the distance is larger in the collapsed state. Accordingly, when the levers 60A and 60B are raised along the straight line of the cylinder rod 56, both the half portions 46A and 46B of the holder 46 and the two plate-like members 26A, The relative movement amount of 26B is large. During normal operation, the levers 60A and 60B are kept in a tilted state as shown by a solid line in FIG. 6 to expand and contract both plate members 26A and 26B within a narrow range. Further, when replacing the opening member 26, by raising the levers 60A and 60B, both the halves 46A and 46B of the holder 46 can be opened large enough to prevent the opening member 26 from being hidden as shown in FIG. It has become.
[0019]
The opening head 42 to which the opening member 26 is attached in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of the container 2 accommodated in the case 4 is moved up and down by an elevating means 62. As shown in FIG. 9, the opening head 42 is fixed to the lower end of an upright lifting plate 64 and moves up and down together with the lifting plate 64.
[0020]
A rotating shaft is rotatably supported at a substantially central portion of the box disposed behind the elevating plate 64 and fixed to the machine frame 22, and the rotating plate is fixed to an end portion of the rotating shaft to rotate integrally. It is supposed to be. A roller follower 72 is attached near the outer periphery of the rotating plate, and this roller follower 72 is fitted in a horizontal elongated hole 64 a formed across the middle portion of the elevating plate 64. Accordingly, when the rotating shaft and the rotating plate rotate, the roller follower 72 rotates while moving left and right in the horizontal long hole 64a, and moves the lifting plate 64 and the opening head 42 up and down. The rotating shaft rotates when a drive of a servo motor 74 is transmitted through a worm and a worm gear (not shown) in the box. The elevating plate 64 is guided so as not to incline back and forth and right and left.
[0021]
The operation of the decapper according to the above configuration will be described. A case 4 in which containers 2 such as milk bottles are arranged and accommodated in a predetermined arrangement is conveyed by a case conveying conveyor 6 and introduced into the decapper. The case lifter 8 in the decapper is in a lowered position, and when the case 4 stops on the case lifter 8, the lifter 8 operates to raise the case 4. When the case 4 rises, the mouth portion to which the cap of the container 2 accommodated in the case 4 is attached is inserted into each cylindrical portion of the container pressing member 20 fixed upward, and the upper slope of the container 2 is The container holding member 20 contacts or approaches the claw at the lower end.
[0022]
As described above, when the case lifter 8 raises the case 4, the opening head 42 is in the raised position, and at the same time as the case 4 rises or immediately after the rise, it drops. When the opening head 42 is lowered, the tip of the opening member 26 attached to the lower surface of the opening head 42 through the holder 46 pierces the cap through the opening of the stripper 28 and the container pressing member 20. When the opening member 26 descends and pierces the cap, the pair of plate-like parts 26A and 26B constituting the opening member 26 are in a substantially opposed state, that is, in a closed state (see FIG. 6). Can be pierced.
[0023]
After the opening member 26 descends and pierces the cap, both the cylinders 52A and 52B of the opening head 42 are operated, and both the plate-like members 26A and 26B of each opening member 26 are shifted and expanded (see FIG. 10 state). Thus, after the expansion member 26 is expanded, the plug opening head 42 is raised again. Since the opening member 26 is expanded, the overall size of the shoulder portions 26Aa and 26Ba is larger than when pierced, and a wide range is provided on the lower surface of the cap 84 (see the opening member 26 at the right end in FIG. 10). And can be reliably removed from the container 2. The opening member 26 pulled up by the opening of the opening head 42 is pulled out above the container holding member 20 while passing through the cap 84, and the cap 84 is positioned below the stripper 28. Stop at.
[0024]
The tray 30 advances from above the hopper 36 and the stripper 28 and the container while the opening head 42 is stopped at the first raised position (a state where the cap 84 is positioned below the stripper 28). It enters between the pressing member 20. Thereafter, the cylinders 52A and 52B of the opening head 42 are operated to bring the opening member 26 into the original closed state. Then, the opening head 42 is raised again. Since the opening formed in the stripper 28 is smaller than the diameter of the cap 84, the cap 84 is extracted from the opening member 26 when the opening member 26 rises. The removed cap 84 falls onto the tray 30 that is moving forward below the stripper 28.
[0025]
The tray 30 on which the cap 84 extracted from the opening member 26 is placed slides rearward and moves onto the hopper 36. When the tray 30 moves backward, the scraper 38 is raised, and the cap 84 returns to the hopper 36 while being on the tray 30. Further, the case 4 containing the container 2 from which the cap 84 has been removed by the raising of the opening member 26 is lowered by the case lifter 8 and is carried out downstream by the transport conveyor 6. The cap 84 placed on the tray 30 is scraped into the hopper 36 by lowering the scraper 38 when the tray 30 is advanced in the next cycle, and is discharged outside the apparatus.
[0026]
Since the decapper is provided with the case lifter 8 so that the case 4 can be moved up and down, the lifting stroke of the opening head 42 when the cap 84 is removed can be shortened, so that the speed can be increased. Further, since the container holding member 20 and the stripper 28 are fixed to the machine frame 22, the number of movable parts is reduced, the speed can be increased, the structure can be simplified, the entire apparatus can be made compact, and the cost can be reduced. .
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the decapper that removes the caps attached to the mouths of the plurality of containers accommodated in the case, the pointed portion and the shoulder portion engageable with the lower surface of the cap A plurality of opening members arranged corresponding to the respective containers in the case, elevating means for raising and lowering the opening members all at once, and being arranged and fixed above the case, and removing the cap A container holding member for holding the container at the time, a stripper which is disposed and fixed above the container holding member and removes the cap from the opening member when the opening member rises, and moves forward and backward to move the container holding member. With a tray that can be moved in and out between the stripper and a case lift means that raises and lowers the case, the structure is simplified and the cost is reduced by making it compact. Rukoto can. In addition, the number of movable parts can be reduced, and the lifting / lowering stroke of the heaviest opening head can be shortened, so that the speed can be increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an overall configuration of a decapper according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a right side view of the decapper.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a configuration of a case lifter.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a drive unit of the case lifter.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a holder and an opening member.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the opening head, showing a state in which an opening member is closed.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the opening head.
8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a driving unit of the opening head.
10 is a front view of the opening head similar to FIG. 6, showing a state in which the opening member is opened. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 container (milk bottle)
4 Case 8 Case lift means 20 Container pressing member 26 Opening member 26Aa Pointed end portion 26Ba Pointed end portion 26Ab Shoulder portion 26Bb Shoulder portion 28 Stripper 30 Tray 62 Lifting means 84 Cap

Claims (2)

In the decapper that removes the caps attached to the mouths of a plurality of containers housed in alignment in the case,
A plurality of opening members arranged corresponding to the respective containers in the case, and lifting means for raising and lowering the opening members all at once. A container holding member arranged and fixed above the case and holding the container when removing the cap; and a container holding member arranged and fixed above the container holding member, and the cap from the opening member when the opening member rises. A decapper comprising: a stripper to be removed; a tray that can be moved back and forth between the container pressing member and the stripper; and a case lift means for moving the case up and down. The decapper according to claim 1, wherein the container pressing member performs centering of each container in the case.

Images