JP4268058B2 - Measuring device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a measuring device used for specifying an arbitrary position in a guide member.

  There are filling machines that fill containers such as cans with liquids such as beer and soft drinks. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a filling machine. FIG. 2 shows a state where the container is removed from FIG. The filling machine mainly includes a filling unit 10 that fills each container 1 with a liquid such as beer using the revolution time while revolving the plurality of containers 1, and a plurality of containers arranged on a turntable of the filling unit 10. The star wheel 20 that sequentially supplies the container 1 to the receiving portion and the container 1 that is fed through the conveying path 50 are engaged with the engaging portion 21 that is recessed in a semicircular shape of the star wheel 20 to be passed to the star wheel 20. A timing screw 40.

  An arc-shaped outer guide member 31 that guides the container 1 revolved by the star wheel 20 is disposed outside the star wheel 20, and an inner guide is provided inside the outer guide member 31 along the outer guide 31. A member 32 is disposed. That is, the container 1 is revolved on the circular arc path by the star wheel 20 while being guided on both sides by the outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32.

  A guide member 33 for preventing the container 1 passed from the star wheel 20 to the filling unit 10 from dropping off is disposed near the portion where the filling unit 10 and the star wheel 20 face each other (on the downstream side in the rotation direction). Has been. The container 1 filled with the liquid in the filling unit 10 is sent out to the conveyance path 60 and sent to a device for the next process, for example, a seamer that attaches a lid to the container 1.

  The present applicant does not recognize prior art documents related to the present invention at this time.

  The outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32 can be removed at the time of mold changing to change the size of the container or regular or irregular inspection, and then reattached. When the outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32 are remounted on the filling machine, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the distance (width) D (see FIG. 2).

  Conventionally, an operator inserts a calibration tool called a body gauge between the outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32 and moves it slightly between the outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32 depending on the sense. The interval of was adjusted.

  However, the adjustment method that relies on the operator's sense as described above inevitably causes variations among operators, and there is a problem in the accuracy of the adjustment. If the filling machine is operated in a state where the distance between the guide members 31 and 32 is adjusted inaccurately, the container 1 passing therethrough is damaged, or the container is transferred between the timing screw 40 or the filling unit 10. A timing shift may occur and the container 1 may be damaged.

  Further, in the method of adjusting only the distance between the guide members 31 and 32, the positions of the guide members 31 and 32 themselves are not adjusted.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the above problem recognition, and an object thereof is to make it possible to adjust a guide member according to objective data without depending on, for example, a worker's sense.

  The measuring device according to the present invention relates to a measuring device used for specifying the position of an arbitrary position in the guide member of a processing device including a guide member that guides a container along an arc. A base attached to the processing apparatus; a rotating part mounted on the base so as to be rotatable about a center of a circle including the arc; and a light mounted on the rotating part to emit light toward the guide member. And a measuring instrument that receives light returning from the guide member side and calculates and displays data for specifying the position of an arbitrary portion of the guide member using the received light.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the processing apparatus includes, for example, a filling unit that fills a container with a liquid, and a star wheel that continuously supplies the container to the filling unit while being guided by the guide member. It is configured as a filling machine. In this case, it is preferable that the base supports the rotating portion so that the rotating portion rotates around the same position as the center position of the star wheel.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the measurement device further includes an adjustment mechanism that adjusts a position in the height direction of the measuring instrument.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the measuring instrument has a display that displays the calculated data, and the display surface of the display is oriented in the light emission direction.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the measuring device further includes a reflecting member that can be attached to the guide member and reflects light from the measuring instrument toward the measuring instrument. Here, the reflection member includes a contact surface that contacts the guide surface of the guide member, and a fixing mechanism that fixes the reflection member so that the contact surface is pressed against the guide surface. It is preferable to have a curvature adapted to the curvature of the guide surface.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the measuring instrument may include a laser length measuring instrument, for example.

  According to the measurement device of the present invention, for example, the guide member can be adjusted according to objective data without depending on the operator's sense.

  The measuring device of the present invention fills containers such as cans and bottles with various products such as beverages typified by beer and soft drinks, and foods such as liquids, solids, viscous bodies or mixtures thereof. The present invention is applicable to adjustment of guide members for various processing devices such as filling machines, seamers for covering containers filled with such products, and labelers for labeling containers. However, the measuring apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful for adjusting the guide member of a processing apparatus that handles cans that are small in weight and weak against external forces, among such processing apparatuses. This is because such a can is sensitive to a problem such as a displacement of the guide member, and easily causes a conveyance defect or deformation due to the displacement of the guide member.

  Below, the example which adjusts the guide members 31 and 32 of the filling machine demonstrated with reference to FIG.1 and FIG.2 is demonstrated as the best form for implementing this invention.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a measurement apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The measuring device 100 shown in FIG. 3 is arranged on the star wheel 20 of the filling machine exemplarily shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or on a table 28 that supports the star wheel 20.

  The measuring device 100 includes a protrusion 110 provided in the center of the star wheel 20 or a base 110 for attaching the measuring device 100 to a protrusion (not shown) on a base 28 that supports the star wheel 20, and a base 110. It has the rotation part 120 mounted with respect to rotation. The base 110 has a shape that engages with the central protrusion 25 of the star wheel 20 and the protrusion (not shown) of the base 28, for example, a cylindrical shape, and can be fixed to them by fixing means such as a bolt 115. However, the base 110 can take various structures depending on the structure of the processing apparatus to which the base 110 is attached.

  The rotation center 20 a of the star wheel 20 coincides with the center of a circle including each arc of the arcuate outer guide member 31 and the inner guide member 32. The base 110 rotatably supports the rotating unit 120 such that the rotation center of the rotating unit 120 coincides with the rotation center 20a of the star wheel 20 (or the center of the circle). The rotating unit 120 includes a ring 121 that is rotatably engaged with the base 110, and an upper plate 122 that is coupled to the upper portion of the ring 121. The upper plate 122 may have a disk shape, for example, but may have other shapes.

  A support mechanism 130 that supports the measuring instrument 140 is mounted on the upper plate 122 of the rotating unit 120. The support unit 130 includes a first support unit 131 fixed to the upper plate 122, an elevating mechanism 133 supported by the first support unit 131, and a second elevating / lowering unit supported by the elevating mechanism 133. And a support portion 138. The elevating mechanism 133 has an operation unit 135, and the second support unit 138 is moved up and down when the operation unit 135 is rotated by an operator, thereby moving the measuring instrument 140 up and down. The elevating mechanism 133 can be configured by, for example, a pinion gear that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the operation unit 135 and a rack that moves in the vertical direction as the pinion gear rotates. The raising / lowering mechanism 133 that raises and lowers the measuring instrument 140 improves the degree of freedom in changing the height of the measuring axis (for example, the path of light for measurement) of the measuring instrument 140. Thereby, it becomes easy to avoid an obstacle that may exist between the measuring instrument 140 and the guide members 31 and 32, and it is possible to give a degree of freedom to the design of the reflection portion installed on the guide members 31 and 32. it can.

  The measuring instrument 140 emits light in a substantially radial direction when viewed from the center of rotation of the rotating unit 120, receives light that is reflected and returned by a reflecting unit (described later) attached to the guide members 31 and 32, and reflects the reflecting unit. , And as a result, data for specifying the position of an arbitrary portion of the guide members 31 and 32 (adjustment target portion where the reflecting portion is installed) is calculated and displayed on the display 141. Here, the data for specifying the positions of the guide members 31 and 32 are from a predetermined reference position (for example, a reference position for measurement in the measuring instrument 140) to the reflection surface of the reflection portion attached to the guide members 31 and 32. Distance, or data obtained by adding or subtracting an offset value thereto. An operator who adjusts the guide members 31 and 32 can accept data (typically, a numerical value indicating a distance or the like) displayed on the display 141 over the entire arc-shaped adjustment target portion of the guide members 31 and 32. What is necessary is just to adjust the guide members 31 and 32 so that it may fit in. That is, the data measured and displayed by the measuring instrument 140 does not necessarily need to be data indicating the radius of curvature of the arcuate guide members 31 and 32, and covers the entire adjustment target portion of the guide members 31 and 32. Data that can be used as an index for adjustment is sufficient.

  As the measuring instrument 140, for example, a laser measuring instrument using laser light can be adopted. For example, the laser measuring instrument can measure the optical path length of the laser light by utilizing interference of the laser light.

  Adjustment of the guide members 31, 32 can typically be done separately. That is, typically, one of the guide members 31 and 32 is adjusted first, and then the other is adjusted. Further, when the inner guide member 32 is adjusted, the star wheel 20 is generally in the way, so the inner guide member 32 can be adjusted with the star wheel 20 removed.

  The display 141 of the measuring instrument 140 is preferably arranged so that its display surface is positioned substantially in the radial direction when viewed from the measurement light path (measurement axis) 140 p, that is, from the rotation center of the rotating unit 120. . Thereby, the operator who adjusts the guide members 31 and 32 can read easily the data displayed on the indicator 141 near the part which arrange | positions a reflection part, ie, an adjustment object part.

  Next, a configuration example of the reflection portion attached to the guide member will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the reflection unit 200 suitable for adjusting the outer guide member 31. 4A is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 4B is a plan view. The reflection unit 200 presses the contact surface 225c against the guide surface, the reflection surface 225s that reflects the light emitted from the measurement device 140 toward the measurement device 140, the contact surface 225c that contacts the guide surface of the guide member 31. The pressing mechanism 220 is provided.

  The contact surface 225c preferably has a shape (for example, an arc shape along the guide surface) adapted to the surface shape of the guide surface of the guide member 31. Thereby, the reflection part 200 can be reliably fixed to the guide member 31.

  The pressing mechanism 220 includes, for example, a cylinder 222, a piston 221, a pressing portion 224 that is connected to the piston 221 and presses the guide member 31, and a spring 223 that presses the piston 221.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the reflecting portion 250 suitable for adjusting the inner guide member 32. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 5B is a plan view. The reflector 250 reflects the light emitted from the measuring instrument 140 toward the measuring instrument 140, the contact surface 275c that contacts the guide surface of the guide member 32, and the contact surface 275c against the guide surface. And a pressing mechanism 270.

  The contact surface 275c preferably has a shape (for example, an arc shape along the guide surface) that matches the surface shape of the guide surface of the guide member 32. Thereby, the reflection part 250 can be reliably fixed to the guide member 32.

  The pressing mechanism 270 includes, for example, a cylinder 272, a piston 271, a pressing portion 274 that is connected to the piston 271 and presses the guide member 32, and a spring 273 that presses the piston 271.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a filling machine. It is the figure which removed the container from the filling machine in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the measuring apparatus of suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the reflection part suitable for adjustment of an outer side guide member. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the reflection part suitable for adjustment of an inner side guide member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container 10 Filling part 20 Star wheel 20a Rotation center (rotation axis)
21 engaging portion 25 projecting portion 28 base 31 outer guide member 32 inner guide member 33 guide member 40 timing screw 50, 60 conveying path 100 measuring device 110 base 115 bolt 120 rotating portion 121 ring 122 upper plate 130 support mechanism 131 first support Part 133 Lifting mechanism 135 Operation part 138 Second support part 140 Measuring instrument 140p Light path for measurement (measurement axis)
141 Display part 200 Reflecting part 220 Pressing mechanism 221 Piston 222 Cylinder 223 Spring 224 Pressing part 225s Reflecting surface 225c Contact surface 250 Reflecting part 270 Pressing mechanism 271 Piston 272 Cylinder 273 Spring 274 Pressing part 275s Reflecting surface 275c Contact surface

Claims (7)

A measuring device used for specifying a position of an arbitrary position in the guide member of a processing apparatus including a guide member for guiding a container along an arc,
A base attached to the processing device;
A rotating part mounted on the base so as to be rotatable about the center of a circle including the arc,
It is mounted on the rotating part, emits light toward the guide member, receives light returning from the guide member side, and uses this to specify the position of an arbitrary portion of the guide member An instrument that computes and displays data;
A measuring device comprising: The processing apparatus is configured as a filling machine including a filling unit that fills a container with a liquid, and a star wheel that continuously supplies the container to the filling unit while being guided by the guide member,
The base supports the rotating part so that the rotating part rotates around the same position as the center position of the star wheel.
The measuring apparatus according to claim 1.   The measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism that adjusts a position in a height direction of the measuring instrument.   The said measuring device has a display which displays the calculated data, The display surface of the said display is suitable for the emission direction of light, The any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The measuring device described in 1.   The measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reflecting member that is attachable to the guide member and reflects light from the measuring instrument toward the measuring instrument. .   The reflective member includes a contact surface that contacts the guide surface of the guide member, and a fixing mechanism that fixes the reflective member so that the contact surface is pressed against the guide surface. The measuring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the measuring apparatus has a curvature adapted to the curvature of the surface.   The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device includes a laser length measuring device.

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