JP4558925B2 - Preform transfer device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a preform conveying apparatus, and more particularly to a preform conveying apparatus that conveys a preform to a blow molding unit by a conveying member fixed to a conveying chain.
[0002]
[Background Art and Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
JP-A-8-132517 and JP-A-8-224775 previously proposed by the applicant of the present invention as a blow molding machine for heating a preform made of synthetic resin to blow-mold it into a predetermined container shape. There is.
[0003]
In this blow molding machine, a preform conveying path is formed in a rectangular shape, and a heating unit and a blow molding unit are arranged on the linear portion, and the preform is moved along the conveying path by the conveying device. It is conveyed to the blow molding part.
[0004]
This transport apparatus is configured by fixing a plurality of transport members that hold a preform to a transport drive transport chain disposed along a transport path at predetermined intervals.
[0005]
Then, the preform on the conveying member is intermittently conveyed to the heating unit or the blow molding unit by driving the conveying chain while guiding the conveying member by the guide rails arranged along the conveying path. Thus, the configuration is relatively simple and the operability is excellent.
[0006]
By the way, this transport device is in a state in which the transport member is fixed to the side position of the transport chain. Therefore, if the transport chain is loose, the transport member fixed to the transport chain rotates horizontally during transport. As a result, the contact portion of the conveying member with the guide rail may be damaged.
[0007]
For this reason, if an excessive tension is applied to the transport chain to prevent horizontal rotation of the transport member during transport, the transport chain is worn and the life of the transport chain is shortened.
[0008]
Further, when the transport chain is worn and extended, the position of the transport member is also shifted, and it is difficult to position the transport member.
[0009]
Therefore, management of the tension of the transport chain has become an important check item on a daily basis and has been a burden on the molding manager.
[0010]
An object of the present invention is to prevent horizontal rotation of a conveyance member during conveyance without giving a large tension to the conveyance chain, prevent damage to the conveyance member, extend the life of the conveyance chain, and convey member It is an object of the present invention to provide a preform conveying apparatus that can easily position the sheet.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the preform conveying apparatus of the present invention is a preform conveying apparatus that conveys a preform to a blow molding unit disposed in the middle of a conveying path.
A plurality of conveying members for holding preforms;
A plurality of conveying members fixed to a lateral position at a predetermined pitch, spanned along the conveying path, and having a conveying chain that conveys the plural conveying members;
Each of the conveying members has leg portions that protrude laterally and abut against the conveying chain at both side portions along the conveying path to prevent the conveying member from rotating horizontally during conveyance.
[0012]
According to the present invention, the leg portions are formed on both sides along the transport path of the transport member by contacting the transport chain with the leg portions so that the leg portions can be rotated even if the transport member attempts to rotate horizontally during transport. Since it is in contact with the chain, the horizontal rotation can be restricted, and the horizontal rotation of the transport member during the transport can be reliably prevented.
[0013]
For this reason, it can prevent reliably that it hits the other part of a conveyance member, and is damaged.
[0014]
Furthermore, it is not necessary to apply a large tension for preventing horizontal rotation to the transport chain. As a result, it is possible to extend the life of the transport chain and to easily position the transport member.
[0015]
In this invention, it is good to have a guide rail arrange | positioned along the said conveyance path and guides these conveyance members along the said conveyance path.
[0016]
By adopting such a configuration, the conveyance member can be reliably guided along the conveyance path by the guide rail, and even if the conveyance member and the guide rail are in contact with each other, the conveyance member can be rotated horizontally. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contact portion of the conveying member with the guide rail from being damaged.
[0017]
In the present invention, a roller chain in which the outer peripheral surface of the roller extends from the outer peripheral end of the link plate is used as the transport chain.
It is preferable that each leg portion of the conveying member is capable of contacting the outer peripheral surface of the roller.
[0018]
Wear of the transport chain can be prevented by bringing each leg portion of the transport member into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller of the roller chain.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
1-3 is a figure which shows the preform conveyance apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, the preform conveying apparatus 10 has a conveying path 12 arranged in a substantially square shape, and four linear portions of the conveying path 12 are used as work sections.
[0022]
Then, the four linear portions which are the working sections are respectively provided with a receiving portion 16 for receiving the preform 14 (see FIG. 3), a heating portion 18 for heating the preform 14 received by the receiving portion 16 to an appropriate temperature for blow molding, and a heating portion. A blow molding part 20 for blow-molding the preform 14 heated at 18 into a container shape and a take-out part 22 for taking out the blow-molded container to the outside of the apparatus are arranged.
[0023]
In the conveyance path 12, four sprockets 24a to 24d are arranged at the corners. For example, only the sprocket 24d is driven, and the other sprockets 24a to 24c are driven.
[0024]
An endless transport chain 26 is wound around the four sprockets 24 a to 24 d along the transport path 12.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 2, a roller chain having rollers 26b between the link plates 26a is used for the transport chain 26.
[0026]
This roller chain is in a state where the outer peripheral surface of the roller 26b is projected from the outer peripheral edge of the link plate 26a.
[0027]
In addition, a plurality of, for example, 24 conveying members 28 are fixed to the lateral position at a predetermined pitch in the conveying chain 26, and these guiding members 30 a are arranged along the conveying path 12 for guide rails 30 a. , 30b, and is intermittently circulated and conveyed to the receiving part 16, the heating part 18, the blow molding part 20, and the take-out part 22.
[0028]
For example, in the present embodiment, the receiving unit 16 receives six preforms 14 on six conveying members 28 and intermittently conveys them, and the blow molding unit 20 blow-molds two preforms 14 at a time. ing.
[0029]
The details of each conveying member 28 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The conveying member 28 has a cylindrical fixing portion 32.
[0030]
Two fixing portions 32 have protrusions 34 a and 34 b that protrude up and down across the conveyance chain 26 on one side surface, and the protrusions 34 a and 34 b are connected to the conveyance chain 26 by fixing pins 44. It has become so.
[0031]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the conveying member 28 rotatably supports a cylindrical body 36 inside the cylindrical portion of the fixed portion 32.
[0032]
A conveyance support member 38 is inserted and supported in the cylindrical body 36.
[0033]
The conveyance support member 38 is placed on the mounting table 40 on which the end surface of the neck portion 14a of the preform 14 in an inverted state is mounted, and protrudes upward from the mounting table 40. It has the conveyance pin 42 which supports the reform 14 in an inverted state.
[0034]
In addition, three cam followers 46 are supported on the conveying member 28.
[0035]
The two cam followers 46 are configured to move while rotating along the trajectory of the inner guide rail 30 a when the conveying member 28 is driven by the conveying chain 26.
[0036]
The remaining one cam follower 46 moves while rotating along the locus of the outer guide rail 30b.
[0037]
The two guide rails 30a and 30b arranged on both sides of the conveying path 12 are each formed in a U-shaped cross section so that the cam follower 46 is not separated from the guide rails 30a and 30b.
[0038]
A rotating sprocket 48 is fixed to the cylindrical body 36 of the conveying member 28.
[0039]
The rotation sprocket 48 rotates the preform 14 around its longitudinal axis when the preform 14 is disposed in the heating unit 18 so that the preform 14 can be uniformly heated in the circumferential direction. ing.
[0040]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the conveying member 28 is integrally formed with leg portions 50 that protrude laterally and come into contact with the conveying chain 26 on both sides along the conveying path 12 of the fixed portion 32. .
[0041]
Specifically, both ends of these leg portions 50 come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller 26b of the transport chain 26 at a position adjacent to the portion where the fixing portion 32 is fixed by the fixing pin 44. ing.
[0042]
In this way, the leg portions 50 formed on both sides of the conveying member 28 are brought into contact with the conveying chain 26, so that the leg portion 50 does not move even if the conveying member 28 attempts to rotate horizontally during the conveying of the conveying member 28. Since it is in contact with the transport chain 26, horizontal rotation of the transport member 28 is prevented.
[0043]
In particular, horizontal rotation is likely to occur when the conveyance chain 26 starts conveyance and when conveyance stops. However, since the leg portions 50 are formed on both sides along the conveyance path 12, horizontal rotation is reliably prevented in either case. It will be.
[0044]
In addition, since the transport member 28 can be prevented from rotating horizontally by the leg portions 50 of the transport member 28, it is not necessary to apply a large tension to the transport chain 26 to prevent the transport member 28 from rotating horizontally.
[0045]
Therefore, it is sufficient that the transport chain 26 is used only for the purpose of transporting the transport member 28. As a result, the life of the transport chain 26 can be extended and the positioning of the transport member 28 can be facilitated.
[0046]
Further, since the leg portion 50 of the conveying member 28 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller 26b protruding from the outer peripheral end of the link plate 26a of the conveying chain 26, wear of the conveying chain 26 is prevented and the life of the conveying chain 26 is extended. be able to.
[0047]
Further, by preventing the conveyance member 28 from rotating horizontally, even when the cam follower 46 is in contact with the guide rails 30a and 30b, the contact portion of the conveyance member 28 with the guide rails 30a and 30b is prevented from being damaged. can do.
[0048]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
[0049]
In this embodiment, the case where four preforms are simultaneously blow-molded is shown, and the pitch between the four conveying members 28 is narrowed.
[0050]
For this reason, the two leg portions 50 adjacent to each other by making the protruding length L1 of the four conveying members 28 to the side of the adjacent leg portions 50 shorter than the protruding length L2 of the leg portions 50 at both ends. Is brought into contact with one roller 26b.
[0051]
Accordingly, even when the number of simultaneous blow molding increases and the pitch between the conveying members 28 is narrowed, the horizontal rotation of each conveying member 28 can be sufficiently prevented.
[0052]
Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the above embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.
[0053]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be modified into various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention.
[0054]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where two or four preforms are simultaneously blow-molded has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and one, three, or five or more preforms are simultaneously blow-molded. It can also be applied to cases.
[0055]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the legs of the conveying member are brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller protruding from the outer peripheral end of the link plate of the conveying chain has been described. It is also possible to abut or abut against the link plate.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a preform conveying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a state of a transport chain and a transport member in FIG.
3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state of a conveying member in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing a state of a transport chain and a transport member of a preform transport apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Preform conveyance apparatus 12 Conveyance path 14 Preform 20 Blow molding part 26 Conveyance chain 26a Link plate 26b Roller 28 Conveyance member 30a, 30b Guide rail 50 Leg part

Claims (3)

In the preform conveying apparatus that conveys the preform to the blow molding unit disposed in the middle of the conveying path,
A plurality of conveying members for holding preforms;
A plurality of conveying members fixed to a lateral position at a predetermined pitch, spanned along the conveying path, and having a conveying chain that conveys the plural conveying members;
Each of the conveying members has a leg portion that protrudes laterally on both sides along the conveying path to abut against the conveying chain and prevents the conveying member from rotating horizontally during conveyance. Conveying device. In claim 1,
A preform transport apparatus, comprising a guide rail disposed along the transport path and guiding the plurality of transport members along the transport path. In claim 1 or 2,
For the transport chain, a roller chain is used in which the outer peripheral surface of the roller extends from the outer peripheral end of the link plate.
Each preform part of the said conveyance member is contactable with the outer peripheral surface of the said roller, The preform conveyance apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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