JP4526328B2 - Conveyor drive control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a container conveyor device in a liquid filling line, and in particular, after filling and sealing a liquid into a container, a group of containers once loaded randomly on an accumulation conveyor is aligned in a single row and supplied to a processing apparatus such as a downstream labeler. It relates to conveyor drive control equipment which combined the various conveyors to.

  The liquid filling line is forced to stop or decelerate for a short time due to problems such as variations in container shape, container tipping during container handling, insufficient filling, etc. and adjustments in the upstream functional devices such as fillers and cappers. In order to reduce the influence on the operation of the downstream labeler, etc., the container filled with liquid with a filler capper and sealed is once accumulated on a multi-row accumulation conveyor with a low speed. The supply capacity can be adjusted, and continuous operation is performed without stopping the labeler as much as possible.

  From the stacking conveyor to the single-line supply conveyor, gradually increase the container transport speed so that the container does not deform (particularly plastic containers) due to the large transport pressure acting between the containers transported in multiple rows. Because it is necessary to transfer to a single-line conveyor, a container sensor that monitors and detects the presence / absence and speed of the container is installed at a critical point. The container sensor counts the container, calculates the container speed, and Compared to the supply speed required by the labeler, the transport speed of the upstream conveyor is controlled.

  As a conventional example, the speed of a multi-row-single-row conveyor is determined by a multi-row-single-row conveyor that singularizes containers conveyed by such a multi-row conveyor and a container detection sensor installed on the single-row conveyor. A single-line conveyor device that controls the above is disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1).

Further, a conventional example in which a container speed regulating rotary wheel is provided on the supply conveyor in order to match the container speed on the single-line conveyor with the supply speed to the labeler is also disclosed (for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent No. 2794618 JP 2000-7134 A

  In the conventional container single row conveyor, the container supply speed of the final single row conveyor can be set to the container supply speed to the labeler, but the single row conveyor is aligned in a state where the containers are pressed and pressed. Since the container counting sensor also counts the containers when the containers are pressed and pressed, when handling a large number of containers in multiple rows, the conveyance pressure becomes large, especially when the plastic square containers that are easily deformed are pressed. It can be deformed in the pressed state, which can cause overturning, jamming and blocking.

The present invention provides an integrated conveyor for absorbing defects in container handling between a filling machine, a sealing machine, and a labeler to ensure that the container supply is matched, and at the same time, even if it is a square plastic container , so as not to apply excessive transport pressure, accumulation conveyor, a single row of conveyor, until the supply conveyor single row, and aims to provide a conveyor drive control equipment which is adapted never cause jamming or blocking To do.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to solve the problems by the following means.
The conveyor drive control device of the present invention receives a variable speed motor-driven wide conveyor that transports containers in a random distribution and accumulates an appropriate number of containers when a downstream conveyor is temporarily stopped, and receives a plurality of wide conveyor containers in multiple rows. The container alignment conveyor means driven by a variable speed motor, which is accelerated in stages and aligned in a single row, and the containers aligned in a single row by the container alignment conveyor means are received so that a certain gap is provided between the containers. In a conveyor apparatus composed of a single-line conveyor driven by a variable speed motor and a supply conveyor that receives containers conveyed by the single-line conveyor and is driven in conjunction with a downstream container processing apparatus, the conveyor apparatus is installed on a wide conveyor and fixed on the conveyor. Provided in each conveyor other than the wide conveyor and a container counting means for photographing the range of containers from above and counting the imaged containers to calculate the container conveyance capacity. A container detection sensor that detects the number of containers that have passed through and a calculation circuit that calculates the container conveyance capacity of each conveyor from the number of containers detected by the container detection sensor is built in. And a control device having a control circuit for controlling the speed of each conveyor by comparing the container carrying capacity, and the wide conveyor, the first wide conveyor having a large carrying capacity on the upstream side and a variable speed motor drive, and the downstream side The container is transported in close proximity, the container is transported closely, and the above-mentioned container counting means is installed and divided into a second wide conveyor driven by a unique variable speed motor. The wide conveyor is a conveyor for controlling the conveyance speed, and is a conveyor device provided in the liquid filling line, and receives the containers of the conveyor devices of the first means and the second means. The flow-side container processing device is a filling and sealing machine, the downstream-side container processing device that receives the containers from the supply conveyor is a labeler, and the container counting means installed above the second wide conveyor of the conveyor device is An imaging camera that captures a certain range of containers on the conveyor without any stagnation of containers, and the container transport capacity (number of containers / hour) from the product of the number of containers scanned by the captured figure and the conveyor speed And a container counting circuit for calculating.

Furthermore, conveyor drive control equipment of the present invention, when the container transport with upper logger conveyer drive controller, the controller, falling container downstream conveyor temporarily stopped due to a problem such as jamming The second wide conveyor stops at the same time as the downstream conveyor, and the first wide conveyor continues to convey and accumulates containers, and when the number of stacks exceeds a specified number, or the second wide conveyor It is characterized by controlling so as to stop at a slow speed when a certain time is exceeded after the conveyor stops.

Furthermore, conveyor drive control equipment of the present invention, in the above Kiko conveyer drive controller, the controller, and tuning control to container carrying capacity of the container carrying capacity and the container alignment conveyor means single-row conveyor are matched The container conveyance capacity calculated from the detection value of the container counting means installed on the second wide conveyor is compared with the container speed detected from the container sensor installed on the single row conveyor, and the container conveyance of the second wide conveyor Control is performed so that the capacity matches the container supply speed (capacity) of the single-line conveyor.

The present invention provides a conveyor device that connects the main functional devices (filling plugging machine and labeler) of the filling line with an integrated conveyor for absorbing temporary stagnation in the functional device of the filling line. By comparing the container speed detected and calculated by the container sensor installed in the container and controlling the speed of the conveyor on the upstream side, the container supply is prevented from stagnation, and jamming and blocking of the container group (especially for rectangular plastic containers) It is possible to prevent an excessive conveyance pressure from being applied between containers to be conveyed.

In addition, the present invention uses the container counting means to control the container conveyance capacity of the second wide conveyor, so that excessive container pressure is not sent to the downstream container alignment conveyor and excessive conveyance pressure between the containers is avoided. be able to.

In addition, since the present invention can detect the conveyance capacity of the container on-line, it is easy to compare with the conveyance speed (capacity) with the downstream conveyor, and the container can be sent out properly.

Moreover, this invention can control the direct container delivery between conveyors by comparing the conveyance capability of a conveyor, and the conveyance capability of the last conveyor, and can prevent the malfunction between conveyors.

The embodiment of the present invention absorbs temporary transport stoppage due to container handling failure in a container transport conveyor device installed between a filling machine, a plugging machine and a labeler in a liquid filling line for beverages and the like. A container sensor is installed on each conveyor, such as a collective conveyor, a single-line conveyor, or a supply conveyor, downstream of the stacking conveyor, and the container transport capacity of each conveyor is compared and controlled. Thus, the container can be handled smoothly, and the configuration and operation will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)

  1 is an overall layout diagram of the conveyor device, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged plan view of the wide conveyor of the conveyor device of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of the wide conveyor portion of FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the container sensor installed on the supply conveyor shown in FIG. 1 (part 1), and FIG. 6 is a container installed on the supply conveyor shown in FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing (the 2) of a sensor.

In the figure, containers 10 are conveyed in a random distribution on a first wide conveyor 2 coupled to a filler capper 1.
The first wide conveyor 2 on the upstream side has a large carrying capacity, and can appropriately accumulate a number of containers when the downstream conveyor is temporarily stopped. The second wide conveyor 3 on the downstream side has a smaller carrying capacity than the first wide conveyor 2 and has the same width to convey the container 10 received from the first wide conveyor 2 in close contact with the width and length of the conveyor. It is. The first wide conveyor 2 is driven by a variable speed motor MS, and the second wide conveyor 3 is also driven by a unique variable speed motor M1. A camera CC serving as a container counting means is installed above the second wide conveyor 3. The first wide conveyor 2 is an accumulation conveyor, and the second wide conveyor 3 is a conveyor for controlling the conveyance speed.

  As shown in the enlarged views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the first wide conveyor 2 and the second wide conveyor 3 are driven by sprocket wheels 24 and 28 in which a plurality of endless top plate chains 22 and 23 are attached to a drive shaft. The feeding surface on which the container 10 is placed is guided by the back surface by a guide plate 29 attached to the conveyor frame, and the horizontal surface is maintained. The return bent portions of the chains 22 and 23 are turned so as to be bent downward by the V-shaped guides 26 and 26 having a small radius of curvature, so that the container 10 can be transferred without falling even if there is no transfer plate. It can be done.

  The top plate chains 22 and 23 are kept in chain tension by a chain tension roll 25 and an idle roll 27 provided for each strip. In addition, the portion that is transferred from the second wide conveyor 3 to the double-row conveyor 5 has a structure in which the top plate of the conveyor 31 at the delivery position of the double-row conveyor 5 is slightly extended toward the second wide conveyor 3 to receive the container 10. Is smooth.

  The container alignment conveyor means 4 includes a double-row conveyor 5 comprising a conveyor chain 31 having a top plate that receives the containers 10 of the second wide conveyor 3 and a plurality of normal top-plate chains 32, a double-row conveyor 6, and a double-row conveyor. 7. It is a composite conveyor composed of a double-row conveyor 8 and a single-row conveyor 12, and each time it moves from the double-row conveyor 5 to the double-row conveyor 6, the double-row conveyor 7, and the double-row conveyor 8, it is accelerated step by step. It has the effect of aligning the conveyors 12 in a row. The conveyors 5 to 12 are all driven by variable speed motors M2 to M6, but the conveyance speed between the conveyors is maintained at a constant ratio.

Single-row conveyer 13 receives the container 10 with the container aligning conveyor means 4 are aligned in a single row, a single row conveyor driven by a variable speed motor M ₇ which is adapted to have a certain gap between the container. The containers 10 conveyed by the single-line conveyor 13 are transferred to the supply conveyor 14, and the supply conveyor 14 supplies the containers 10 (container processing apparatus) to the downstream labeler 16 through the indexing screw 15. The supply conveyor 14 and the indexing screw 15 are interlocked and driven by the same drive source as the labeler 16.

  The calculation method of the conveyance capability of the container 10 in the 2nd wide conveyor 3 is demonstrated. The CCD camera CC installed above the second wide conveyor 3 is a container 10 in the range of a certain length (Am shown in FIG. 1) in the feeding direction of the full width of the second wide conveyor 3 (width Bm shown in FIG. 1). Can be taken from above. The image (Am × Bm) photographed by the CCD camera CC is scanned, the number of containers N is counted, and converted into the number of containers per unit length (for example, 1 m) (N / A). If the transport speed of the second wide conveyor 3 is V3 m / min, the transport capability Q / min of the second wide conveyor 3 is Q = N / A × V3.

  The container 10 that is made into a single row in the container alignment conveyor means 4 connected and installed downstream of the second wide conveyor 3 and delivered to the single row conveyor 12 is braked by the transfer plate 19 and once pushed into a pressed state. When it is passed to the single-line conveyor 12, it is conveyed with a substantially constant gap between the containers 10, and the container detection sensor S3 detects the gap between the containers 10 and counts the number of containers. . The container conveyance capacity (speed) is calculated based on the number of containers per hour (the relationship between the container 10, the light source 35, the optical sensor 36, and the detection signal is the same as the container detection sensor S2 in FIG. 4 or the container detection sensor S1 in FIG. 5). Is). In addition, the number of containers 10 removed from a container trap (not shown) provided in the container guide 9 of the container alignment conveyor means 4 is equal to the number N of containers counted and counted by the CCD camera CC. Added.

  The containers 10 on the single row conveyor 12 of the container alignment conveyor means 4 are transferred to the next single row conveyor 13. Since the single-line conveyor 13 is set at a slightly higher speed than the conveyor 12, the gap b between the containers 10 is increased as shown in FIG. 4 to ensure individual detection of the containers. As shown in FIG. 4, the single row conveyor 13 is provided with a container detection sensor S2 including a light source 35 and an optical sensor 36. As shown in the lower part of the figure, a container signal S2 is detected from a time signal detected by the container sensor S2. The conveyance capacity and the pitch a and the gap b between the containers 10 can be calculated (container diameter = ab).

  The container 10 conveyed by the single row conveyor 13 is delivered to the next supply conveyor 14. The supply conveyor 14 is linked by the same drive source as the labeler 16 and the indexing screw 15 that feeds the container 10 into the labeler 16. As shown in FIG. 5, the supply conveyor 14 includes a container detection sensor S <b> 1 including a light source 35 and an optical sensor 36, and a container detection sensor S <b> 0 including the same light source 35 and optical sensor 36 as illustrated in FIG. 6. is set up. The supply conveyor 14 is ideally supplied to the indexing screw 15 in a state where the container 10 is slightly in contact, but it is difficult to make such a delicate adjustment on the conveyor on the feeding side. In this state, the container 10 is smoothly supplied in a pressed state where a slight pressing pressure is applied.

  That is, when S1 detects the gap c between the containers 10 as shown in FIG. 5 and S0 detects the close contact of the containers 10 as shown in FIG. The speed can be left as it is. When there is no detection of a gap in both S1 and S0, it is determined that the supply of the container 10 is excessive, and the conveying speed is lowered by reducing the conveyor speed of the previous stage. Further, when a gap is detected in both S1 and S0, it is determined that the supply of the container 10 is insufficient, and the conveying speed is increased by increasing the preceding conveyor speed. Increase / decrease width of transfer capacity (speed) should be within ± 5%.

For the first method of controlling the container conveyance capacity (speed) between the conveyors, see FIG.
This will be described with reference to a block diagram (No. 1) of synchronization control between conveyors. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41 provided in the control device 17 performs comprehensive control of the conveyor device.
When the conveyor 10 is transported using the conveyor device, when the conveyor device is temporarily stopped due to a failure such as a container collapse or jam on the downstream side, if any of the container sensors S1, S2, S3 detects no container The signal is transmitted to the CPU 41, and the second wide conveyor 3 is stopped simultaneously with the downstream conveyor according to the instruction from the CPU 41, the first wide conveyor 2 continues to convey and accumulates the containers 10, and the CPU 41 accumulates a timer or the like. When it is confirmed that the number of integrations exceeds the specified number, the CPU 41 switches from the CPU 41 through the inverter output circuit 45 to a slow speed, and then stops after a lapse of time.

  A sensor S3 installed on the single row conveyor 12 of the container alignment conveyor means 4 is a container detection sensor for detecting the number of containers installed on the downstream side of the conveyor and the container transport speed, and the detection signal of the sensor S3 is comparatively tuned. This is sent to the control circuit 44. At the same time, the number of containers on the second wide conveyor 3 is photographed by the CCD camera CC, the number of containers in the image is counted in the image processing circuit 42, and the number of containers in the image and the second wide width are counted in the container transport capacity calculation circuit 43. From the product of the speed of the conveyor 3, the container transfer capacity (speed) is calculated, the calculated value is sent to the comparison and tuning control circuit 44, compared with the detection signal of the sensor S 3, and the inverter output so that the same transfer capacity is obtained. It outputs to the variable speed motor M1 via the circuit 45, and controls the speed of the second wide conveyor 3. Reference numeral 46 denotes a monitor for images taken by the CCD camera CC. The monitor 46 can display the images taken by the camera CC, or at the same time, or can switch the images to display the container conveyance speed of each conveyor collected by the CPU 41.

  The container detection sensor S2 installed on the single row conveyor 13 detects the quantity of the containers 10 conveyed to the single row conveyor 13, calculates the conveyance speed of the containers, and sends the calculated value to the comparison and tuning control circuit 51. The detection signal of the container detection sensor S3 of the single-line conveyor 12 which is the outlet conveyor of the container alignment conveyor means 4 is compared, and each motor M2, M3, M4, M5 of the container alignment conveyor means 4 is connected via the inverter output circuit 52. By controlling M6, it is possible to control the container conveying capacity of each conveyor 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 of the container aligning conveyor means 4 so as to match the conveying capacity of the containers 10 of the single-line conveyor 13. it can.

  Container detection sensors S0 and S1 installed on the supply conveyor 14 are container detection sensors that detect the presence or absence of a gap between the containers 10. When the containers 10 are transported on the supply conveyor 14, when the sensors S0 and S1 both detect that there is no gap between the containers, the container transport capability of the upstream single-line conveyor 13 is too early and the labeler 16 When the sensor S0 detects that there is no gap between the containers, and the sensor S1 detects that there is a gap between the containers, the container supply to the labeler 16 is smooth. When both the sensors S0 and S1 detect that there is a gap between the containers, the supply of containers to the labeler 16 is insufficient.

  The detection signals of the container detection sensors S0 and S1 are sent to the container congestion determination circuit 55 to determine the container congestion in the supply conveyor 14, and the determination result is transmitted to the container conveyance speed adjustment circuit 48, so that the single-line conveyor 13 is compared with the container conveyance capability signal of the container detection sensor S2, and when the supply to the labeler 16 is too much, the rotational speed of the variable speed motor M7 of the single-line conveyor 13 is reduced via the inverter output circuit 49, When the supply to the labeler 16 is insufficient, the inverter output circuit 49 slightly increases the rotation speed of the motor M7 of the single-line conveyor 13 to adjust the supply of the container 10 to a normal state.

  When a large number of containers 10 are almost lined up smoothly on the conveyor as described above, the increase / decrease width of the transport speed is more stable. The control range should be ± 5% or less, and the fluctuation speed should be relatively slow. As described above, the labeler 16 having a complicated structure and requiring a skilled operation preferably has an operation speed as constant as possible. Therefore, in order to maintain the supply of the container 10 to the labeler 16 at a constant speed, The container supply speed of the single-line conveyor 13 is adjusted to match the container supply speed of the supply conveyor 14 with the container supply speed of the single-line conveyor 13, and the container transfer capacity of each conveyor 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 of the container alignment conveyor means 4. So that the speed of the second wide conveyor 3 is matched with the container conveying ability of the container aligning conveyor means 4, and the conveying speed ability of the upstream conveyor is controlled by the downstream conveyor.

(Second embodiment)
A second method for controlling the synchronization between the conveyors using the conveyor apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described. The second method of the synchronization control between the conveyors is different from the first synchronization control method described above in that the single row conveyor 13 container conveyance capacity detected by the container detection sensor S2 installed in the single row conveyor 13 is The CCD camera CC of the second wide conveyor 3 is photographed, and the speed of the second wide conveyor 3 is synchronously controlled by comparing with the conveyance capacity of the second wide conveyor 3 calculated from the number of containers counted from the imaging. The comparison and synchronization control between the other conveyors is the same as the first synchronization control method. In this control method, it is possible to eliminate the direct influence due to the container collapse and jam that can be solved immediately in the container alignment single row conveyor 4, and the control circuit is simplified.

  A second method of the tuning control will be described with reference to “a block diagram of tuning control between conveyors in FIG. 1 (part 2)” in FIG. The comparison and tuning control circuit 51 performs synchronous control driving so that the container conveyance capability of the container alignment conveyor means 4 matches the container conveyance capability of the single-line conveyor 13. The number of containers on the second wide conveyor 3 is photographed by the CCD camera CC, the number of containers in the image is counted in the image processing circuit 42, and the number of containers in the image and the width of the wide conveyor 3 are counted in the container conveying capacity calculation circuit 43. The container conveyance capacity (speed) calculated value calculated from the product of the speed and the detection signal of the sensor S2 of the single-line conveyor 13 are sent to the comparison and tuning control circuit 44 for comparison, and the containers of the second wide conveyor 3 are conveyed. The speed is output to the motor M1 via the inverter output circuit 45 so that the capacity is the same as the container supply speed (capacity) of the single-line conveyor 13, and the speed of the second wide conveyor 3 is synchronously controlled.

1 is an overall layout diagram of a conveyor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the wide conveyor of the conveyor apparatus of FIG. It is a side view of the part of the wide conveyor of FIG. It is action | operation explanatory drawing of the container sensor installed in the single row conveyor shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram (No. 1) of a container sensor installed on the supply conveyor shown in FIG. 1. It is action | operation explanatory drawing (the 2) of the container sensor installed in the supply conveyor shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram (No. 1) of synchronization control between conveyors in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram (No. 2) of synchronization control between the conveyors of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

2 First wide conveyor 3 Second wide conveyor 4 Container alignment conveyor means 5, 6, 7, 8 Double row conveyor 10 Container 12, 13 Single row conveyor 14 Supply conveyor 17 Control device 35 Light source 36 Photodetection sensors MS, ML, M1 M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7 Variable speed motor CC CCD camera S0, S1, S1, S2, S3 Container detection sensor

Claims (3)

A variable speed motor-driven wide conveyor that transports containers in a random distribution and accumulates an appropriate number of containers when the downstream conveyor is temporarily stopped, and the containers of the wide conveyor are received in multiple rows and accelerated in stages to single rows A variable-speed motor-driven container alignment conveyor means for aligning, and a variable-speed motor-driven single-line conveyor configured to receive containers aligned in a single row by the container alignment conveyor means so as to have a certain gap between the containers; In a conveyor device configured with a supply conveyor that receives containers conveyed by a single-line conveyor and is driven in conjunction with a downstream container processing device,
A container counting unit that is installed on a wide conveyor and shoots a certain range of containers on the conveyor from above and counts the imaged containers to calculate the conveyance capacity of the containers, and passes through each conveyor other than the wide conveyor. A container detection sensor for detecting the number of containers and a calculation circuit for calculating the container transfer capacity of each conveyor from the number of containers detected by the container detection sensor, and the container transfer calculated by the container transfer capacity and the container counting means of each conveyor calculated. A control device having a control circuit that compares the capabilities and controls the speed of each conveyor ;
The above wide conveyor is equipped with a variable speed motor-driven first wide conveyor with a large conveying capacity on the upstream side and a container with the above-mentioned container counting means installed on the downstream side where the conveying speed is slow and the container is closely conveyed. Divided into a second wide conveyor driven by a motor, the first wide conveyor is an accumulation conveyor, the second wide conveyor is a conveyor for controlling the conveyance speed,
The upstream container processing apparatus that receives the container by the conveyor drive control device is a filling and sealing machine, and the downstream container processing apparatus that receives the container from the supply conveyor of the conveyor drive control apparatus is a labeler,
The container counting means installed above the second wide conveyor includes an imaging camera for capturing a group of containers in a certain range where there is no stagnation of containers on the conveyor, and the number of containers counted by scanning the captured figure. Consists of a container counting circuit that calculates the container conveyance capacity (number of containers / hour) from the product of the conveyor speed,
A conveyor drive control device characterized by that. When the container is transported using the conveyor drive control device according to claim 1 , the control device is configured such that when the conveyor is temporarily stopped due to a container collapse, jam or the like on the downstream side, the second wide conveyor is Stopped at the same time as the downstream conveyor, the first wide conveyor continues to convey and accumulates containers, and when the number of stacks exceeds the specified number, or after the second wide conveyor stops, a certain time has passed. when, conveyor drive control equipment, characterized in that control to stop the slow. 3. The conveyor drive control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device performs synchronous control so that the container conveyance capability of the single-line conveyor and the container conveyance capability of the container alignment conveyor unit coincide with each other, and the second wide conveyor The container conveyance capacity calculated from the detection value of the installed container counting means is compared with the container speed detected from the container sensor installed on the single-line conveyor, and the container conveyance capacity of the second wide conveyor is the container of the single-line conveyor. conveyor drive control equipment, characterized by controlling so as to match the feed rate (capacity).

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