JP4983308B2 - Container transfer device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a container transport device that holds and transports a container. For example, the present invention is used in an electron beam sterilization device that sterilizes a container to be transported by irradiating an electron beam, and transports the container in the sterilization chamber. The present invention relates to a container transport device.

  2. Description of the Related Art An electron beam sterilization apparatus that sterilizes by irradiating an electron beam from an electron beam irradiation apparatus onto a container that is held in a container holding unit provided in the container transport apparatus and is transported in a sterilization chamber has been conventionally known ( For example, JP-A-11-1212 and JP-A-11-19190.

  The “electron beam sterilization apparatus” described in Patent Document 1 includes a sterilization chamber 3 including an electron beam irradiation window 2 of an electron beam generator 1 and an inlet 4 at one end of the sterilization chamber 3. Over the outlet 5 at the other end, the container transport means 10 for transporting the container 11 to be processed in a standing posture, and the container finishes passing through this window from the position immediately before reaching the electron beam irradiation window 2 of the electron beam generator 1. In the meantime, a rotation imparting means 20 for rotating the container is provided. In this sterilization apparatus, the container 11 passes while rotating in front of the electron beam irradiation window 2, and at this time, the container 11 rotates at least once, preferably about two times while passing through the electron beam irradiation window 2. The rotation speed of the rotation applying means 20 is set in advance.

In addition, in the electron beam sterilization apparatus described in Patent Document 2, the transport unit 50 transports the container 2 using the two wires 51 and 51, and the mouth 2 </ b> B of the container 2 is connected to the two wires 51 and 51. Then, the container 2 is suspended in a standing state, and then the conveying means 50 is operated to convey the container 2 into the irradiation chamber 31. When the container 2 passes through the irradiation space 36 of the irradiation chamber 31, the electron beam irradiation means 21 irradiates an electron beam from the side surface of the container 2. Further, the rotating means 60 operates the two wires 51 and 51 to irradiate the container 2 at least about 25 degrees around its central axis when the electron beam is irradiated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1212 (page 3-5, FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-19190 (page 3-5, FIG. 1)

  In the configuration of the invention described in each of the above patent documents, when the container transported by the container transport device passes through the front of the electron beam irradiation device and is irradiated with the electron beam, the containers are rotated. Yes. In such a configuration, in order to increase the processing capacity of the electron beam sterilizer, it is necessary to increase the transport speed of the container transport apparatus and at the same time increase the speed of rotating the container, and there is a limit to the improvement of the processing capacity. there were.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container transport device capable of improving the processing capability of an electron beam sterilizer.

  The present invention includes a container holding means provided on a main shaft member, a fixed connection member fixed to the main shaft member in a direction orthogonal to the axis thereof, and a rotary connection that is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the main shaft member. A rotation connecting member and a fixed connecting member of the adjacent main shaft member are sequentially connected so as to be relatively rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the main shaft member, and an endless transport body is configured, and Each main shaft member is provided with a pair of upper and lower rollers and a pair of rollers on both sides in the advancing direction, a plurality of sprockets that can be engaged with the upper and lower rollers, and an arcuate guide disposed on the outer periphery of each sprocket. A circulating movement path that is disposed between the sprockets and includes a linear guide and a reversing guide that engage with the upper and lower rollers and the rollers on both sides, and the endless carrier between the sprockets. The main shaft member is configured to be able to circulate in the circulation movement path, and the reversing guide is arranged in a linear path between the two sprockets so that each main shaft member can be reversed during the circulation movement. It is characterized by this.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that container holding means are provided at both ends of the main shaft member.

  The container transport device of the present invention is configured such that the main shaft members provided with the container holding means are sequentially connected to form an endless transport body, and these main shaft members are configured to be rotatable around an axis orthogonal to the axis. Thus, the container held by the container holding means can be directed in different directions while being continuously conveyed. For example, even when used in an electron beam irradiation apparatus, an electron beam is applied to the entire circumferential surface of the container. Therefore, it is not necessary to rotate the container in order to irradiate, and the processing capacity can be improved only by increasing the conveyance speed of the container conveyance device.

  The main shaft member provided with the container holding means is attached with a rotation connecting member that can freely rotate around the main shaft member, and the fixed connection member is attached in a direction orthogonal to the axis, and is adjacent to the rotation connecting member attached to the main shaft member. A fixed connecting member of the main shaft member is connected so as to be rotatable around a direction orthogonal to the axis of the main shaft member, and a number of main shaft members are sequentially connected to constitute an endless transport body. Provided with upper and lower rollers and rollers on both sides in the traveling direction, and the endless transport body includes a plurality of sprockets, an arcuate guide disposed on the outer peripheral side thereof, a linear guide disposed on a linear portion between the sprockets, and It was applied to an electron beam irradiation apparatus, for example, by wrapping around a circulation movement path composed of a reversing guide and reversing when each main shaft member passes through the reversing guide. In case, it eliminates the need for rotating the container at the portion irradiated with the electron beam, to achieve the purpose of improving the throughput.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall arrangement of a container transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The container transport apparatus of this embodiment is provided in an electron beam sterilization apparatus that sterilizes the container 2 by irradiating the electron beam. When the container 2 is sterilized by irradiation of the electron beam, X-rays (braking X-rays) And a sterilization chamber (not shown) made of a lead wall that shields the electron beam from leaking outside.

  This container transport apparatus includes an endless transport body 6 (described later with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4) having a neck gripper 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) as a number of container holding means, and the endless transport body. 6 is spun around and rotated by driving means such as a motor (not shown) to guide the travel of the endless transport body 6 (first sprocket 8 and second sprocket 10), arc guide (first arc guide 12 and A second circular arc guide 14), a circular movement path 20 having a linear guide 16, a reversing guide 18 and the like. The circular movement path 20 is composed of an arc path around the sprocket and a linear path moving between the sprockets. It is configured. In FIG. 1, only the circulation movement path 20 constituting the container transfer device is shown, and the endless transfer body 6 is not shown.

  In the sterilization chamber in which the container 2 is irradiated with the electron beam, the container 2 is supplied from an introduction chamber (clean room) disposed adjacent to the upstream side of the sterilization chamber. The supplied container 2 is installed in the sterilization chamber, and is delivered to the container transport device via a supply wheel 24 in which container grippers 22 are provided at equal intervals on the outer periphery. A symbol D in FIG. 1 is a container supply position from the supply wheel 24 to the container transport device. Further, an electron beam irradiation device (not shown) is installed adjacent to the sterilization chamber, and the electron beam irradiation window is attached toward the linear guide 16 located on the upper side of FIG. While the container 2 is being conveyed along the linear guide 16, it is sterilized by being irradiated with an electron beam (irradiated in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 1). The container 2 that has been sterilized by being irradiated with an electron beam while being held and transported by the neck gripper 4 of the container transport device 6 is delivered to the container gripper 28 of the discharge wheel 26, and then discharged from the sterilization chamber. To the next chamber. A symbol F in FIG. 1 is a container discharge position from the container transport device to the discharge wheel 26.

  Next, the endless transfer body 6 constituting the container transfer apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. A fixed connecting member 32 is fixed to the central portion of the main shaft member 30 to which the neck gripper 4 is attached at both ends, with the direction orthogonal to the axis of the main shaft member 30 being directed. In the fixed connecting member 32, a fixing portion 32a to the main shaft member 30 is formed in a plate shape of two upper and lower plates, and a space is formed between these two plate-shaped fixing portions 32a. Further, a cylindrical connecting portion 32 b is formed on the other end side of the fixed connecting member 32. The fixed connecting member 32 extends in the horizontal direction when the main shaft member 30 is upright, and the cylindrical connecting portion 32b is horizontal.

  A cylindrical portion 36 a at one end of the rotational connecting member 36 is connected via a ball bearing 34 in a space between the plate-like fixing portions 32 a fixed to the main shaft member 30 of the fixed connecting member 32. The cylindrical portion 36 a connected to the main shaft member 30 of the rotation connecting member 36 has a cylindrical shape having an axis that matches the axis of the main shaft member 30. Therefore, the rotation connecting member 36 connected via the ball bearing 34 fitted to the outer periphery of the main shaft member 30 is in a plane orthogonal to the axis of the main shaft member 30, that is, the main shaft member 30 faces the vertical direction. When it exists, it can rotate relatively with the main shaft member 30 in a horizontal plane. The other end 36 b side of the rotation connecting member 36 has a thin columnar shape having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical portion 36 a, and is inside the cylindrical portion 32 b of the fixed connecting member 32 fixed to the adjacent main shaft member 30. Are connected to each other through a ball bearing 38. Therefore, the fixed connecting member 32 and the rotating connecting member 36 that are connected can be relatively rotated around the connecting portion (the connecting portion between 32b and 36b).

  As described above, the fixed connecting member 32 is fixed to each main shaft member 30, the rotary connecting member 36 is rotatably connected, and the fixed connecting member 32 fixed to one main shaft member 30 is also provided. The rotation connecting members 36 of the adjacent main shaft members 32 are sequentially connected so as to be relatively rotatable on a line orthogonal to the axis of the main shaft member 30, and a large number of main shaft members 30 having neck grippers 4 at both ends are endless. A sheet-like transport body 6 is configured. As described above, the cylindrical portion 36 a of the rotation connecting member 36 is rotatably connected to the main shaft member 30, and the columnar portion 36 b at the other end of the rotation connecting member 36 is sequentially connected to the fixed connection member 32. When the endless carrier 6 moves around the sprockets 8 and 10 described later, the endless carrier 6 can rotate along the circumference of the circular sprockets 8 or 10 as shown in FIG. Further, since the fixed connecting member 32 and the rotating connecting member 36 can rotate relative to each other on a line orthogonal to the axis of each main shaft member 30, the main shaft member 30 can be moved in a plane orthogonal to the traveling direction of the endless transport body 6. The two neck grippers 4 attached to both ends of the two neck grippers 4 can be reversed and their top and bottom can be exchanged.

  A pair of rollers 44 and 46 are rotatably mounted via ball bearings 40 and 42, respectively, above and below the outer periphery of each main shaft member 30 where the fixed connecting member 32 is fixed. The pair of upper and lower rollers 44 and 46 rotate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the main shaft member 30. In addition, a pair of rollers 52, 54 are freely rotatable via ball bearings 48, 50 on both sides in the direction of travel of the endless transport body 6 of the cylindrical portion 36 a connected to the main shaft member 30 of the rotation connecting member 36. Is attached. The pair of side rollers 52 and 54 rotate in a plane parallel to the axis of the main shaft member 30. The pair of upper and lower rollers 44, 46 and the pair of side rollers 52, 54 engage with the sprockets 8, 10, the arcuate guides 12, 14, the linear guide 16, and the reverse guide 18 that constitute the circulation movement path 20. To be guided.

  FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are cross-sectional views taken along lines AA, BB, and CC in FIG. 1, respectively. Each of the sprockets 8 and 10 is attached to the upper ends of upright rotating shafts 56 and 58 (see FIG. 1), and is rotated by two upper and lower disks 8A and 8B (see FIG. 5B). Each disk is not shown). These two disks 8A and 8B are arranged at substantially the same distance as the distance between the upper and lower rollers 44 and 46 of the main shaft member 30. Concave portions 8a (8Aa, 8Ba) are formed at equal intervals on the outer peripheral portions of the respective discs 8A, 8B, and the upper and lower rollers 44, 46 of the main shaft member 30 are respectively provided with the concave portions 8Aa, 8Ba and the second. Engage in the recess 10 a of the sprocket 10, the endless transport body 6 travels by the rotation of the sprockets 8, 10, and circulates in the circulation movement path 20.

  Arc-shaped guides 12 and 14 are arranged on the outer sides of the two sprockets 8 and 10, respectively, over approximately half a circumference. The arcuate guides 12 and 14 are composed of two plates 12A and 12B mounted on a column 60 (the column of the second arcuate guide 14 is not shown). It arrange | positions at the substantially same height as disk 8A, 8B. The upper and lower rollers 44 and 46 of the main shaft member 30 engage in the recesses 8a (8Aa and 8Ba) and 10a formed in the two disks 8A and 8B of the sprockets 8 and 10, respectively, The arcuate guides 12 and 14 are guided in contact with the plates 12A and 12B.

  The linear guide 16 (16A) arranged in a linear path from the first sprocket 8 to the second sprocket 10 is composed of four cam rails 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d (see FIG. 5A). . The two inner cam rails 16a and 16b are attached to an attachment member 64 on an upright support column 62, and the upper and lower positions coincide with each other. The two inner cam rails 16 a and 16 b are arranged such that the contact surface with the side roller 52 is a distance that substantially matches the outer diameter of the side roller 52. The two outer cam rails 16c and 16d are attached to an attachment member 68 on a vertical support plate 66 fixed to the support column 62, and the upper and lower positions thereof coincide with each other. These two cam rails 16 c and 16 d are also arranged such that the contact surface with the side roller 54 is at a distance that substantially matches the outer diameter of the side roller 54. The two inner cam rails 16a and 16b and the two outer cam rails 16c and 16d have the same height in the vertical direction, and are arranged so as to face each other. In addition, the opposing surfaces of the inner upper cam rail 16a and the outer upper cam rail 16c and the opposing surfaces of the inner lower cam rail 16b and the outer lower cam rail 16d are the outer diameters of the upper and lower rollers 44 and 46 attached to the main shaft member 30. It is arranged so that the distance is almost the same. Accordingly, the four rollers 44, 46, 52, 54 provided on the main shaft member 30 are respectively engaged with the four cam rails 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d on the upper and lower sides or on the inner side and the outer side. Guided together.

  A reversing guide 18 is disposed in a straight path from the second sprocket 10 to the first sprocket 8, and a straight guide 16 (16B, 16C) is connected to the upstream side and the downstream side thereof. The reverse guide 18 includes four rollers 44, 46, 52, 54 provided on the main shaft member 30 in the same manner as the linear guide 16 at the four cam rails 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d at the upstream end 18 </ b> A. It is arranged to engage and guide it. The intermediate reversing portion 18B has four cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c, so that the two cam rails 18a, 18c above the upstream end portion 18A and the two lower cam rails 18b, 18d are vertically reversed. 18d is twisted 180 degrees while keeping the same distance from each other. In the downstream end portion 18C, as shown in FIG. 5C, the two cam rails 18b and 18d are located above, and the two cam rails 18a and 18c are located below. Accordingly, the four rollers 44, 46, 52, 54 engaged with the four cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d are moved from the upstream end 18A to the downstream end 18C via the reversing portion 18B. The main shaft member 30 in an upright state introduced from the upstream linear guide 16B is reversed by the reversing guide 18, and two necks provided on the upper and lower sides thereof. In a state where the upper and lower sides of the gripper 4 are switched, the gripper 4 is discharged to the linear guide 16C on the downstream side. The four cam rails 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, and 18 d are attached via attachment members 69 on the pillars 67.

  Next, the configuration of the neck gripper 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. The same neck gripper 4 is attached to both ends of the main shaft member 30 in opposite directions, and the neck gripper 4 fixed to the lower side of the main shaft member 30 in an upright state is connected to the neck portion of the container 2. The neck gripper 4 that is transported in an upright state while holding 2a (a small-diameter portion having substantially the same diameter above the inclined shoulder) and fixed to the upper side of the main shaft member 30 is a neck of the container 2 The part 2a is held and transported in an inverted state. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, these two upper and lower neck grippers 4, 4 are directed to the opposite side in the direction of travel when viewed from the front side (or rear side) of the endless transport body 6. As described above, when the main shaft member 30 is rotated 180 degrees, the upper and lower neck grippers 4 are switched in the upper and lower positions, and are respectively directed to the side opposite to that before the rotation. Further, the two containers 2 held by the upper and lower neck grippers 4 are located on the same axis as the axis of the main shaft member 30.

  In each neck gripper 4, two leaf springs 72 are fixed in parallel to both end surfaces of the attachment body 70 fixed at right angles to the respective front end surfaces of the main shaft member 30. Support members 74 are fixed to the attachment body 70 in parallel to the outsides of the two leaf springs 72, respectively. A coil spring 76 is interposed between the leaf spring 72 and the tip of the support member 74, and the leaf springs 72 are always urged in a direction approaching each other. Keep. Further, when the front end portion of the leaf spring 72 is pushed from the inner surface side, the leaf spring 72 can move in the direction of expanding against the urging force of the coil spring 76. Both the leaf springs 72 and the support member 74 are arranged so as to be shifted to the side in the traveling direction with respect to the axial position of the main shaft member 30, and the lower end portion of each plate spring 72 is an extension of the main shaft member 30. Grip portions 78 are provided so as to protrude from each other so as to hold the container 2 on a line and are opposed to each other, and the concave surfaces facing each other have an arc shape that substantially matches the outer diameter of the neck portion 2a of the container 2. Yes. The neck portion 2a of the container 2 is pushed into and held by these grip portions 78 from the front end side of the endless transport body 6 facing the traveling direction side.

  The operation of the container transport device according to the above configuration will be described. The container 2 is introduced from an external chamber adjacent to the upstream side into the sterilization chamber in which the container transport apparatus is installed, and is held by the container gripper 22 of the supply wheel 24 to be rotated and transported. 2 It is handed over to the neck gripper 4 of the container transport device that has been rotated around the sprocket 10. In this embodiment, the container 2 is delivered to the neck gripper 4 located below the main shaft member 30 moving in the vertical state. When the neck portion 2a of the container 2 is pressed between the grip portions 78 of the lower neck gripper 4, the leaf springs 72 and the grip portions 78 on both sides are temporarily expanded against the coil spring 76, and then the container When 2 enters between the grip portions 78, the grip portion 78 is returned by the force of the leaf spring 72 and the coil spring 76 to hold the neck portion 2 a of the container 2.

  The endless transport body 6 provided with the neck gripper 4 is attached to the main shaft member 30 while moving on the arc path around the second sprocket 10 where the container supply position D and the like are set. A pair of upper and lower rollers 44, 46 that engage with each other are engaged in a recess 10 a formed on the outer periphery of the two discs of the sprocket 10, and the outer peripheral side has two plates of the second arcuate guide 14. Be guided to. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a transport state by the first sprocket 8 and the first arcuate guide 12, but the second sprocket 10 is transported in the same state.

  When the upright main shaft member 30 holding the container 2 on the neck gripper 4 located on the lower side is transferred from the second sprocket 10 to the straight guide 16B on the upstream side of the reversing guide 18 and enters the straight path, the main shaft member As shown in FIG. 5 (a), a pair of upper and lower rollers 44 and 46 attached to 30 and a pair of side rollers 52 and 54 provided on the left and right in the conveying direction are provided as four cam rails 16a and 16b. , 16c and 16d are moved. When the main shaft member 30 enters the reversing guide 18, the four cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d are twisted while maintaining an equal distance from each other. At the end of the reversing portion 18B, the main shaft member 30 is fixed. The container 2 that has been positioned below is rotated 180 degrees around the axis of the columnar portion 36b facing the traveling direction by the relative rotation of the cylindrical portion 32b of the connecting member 32 and the columnar portion 36b of the rotating connecting member 36. The neck gripper 4 that holds the head moves upward and becomes an inverted state, and the neck gripper 4 located above moves downward. FIG. 5C shows a state at the downstream end 18C after the main shaft member 30 and the neck grippers 4 at both ends thereof are reversed. In this way, the four cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d hold the rollers 44, 46, 52, 54 provided on the top, bottom, left, and right of the main shaft member 30, and these cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d are twisted 180 degrees. By rotating the head upside down, the main shaft member 30 to which the two neck grippers 4 are attached is rotated, so that it can be quickly reversed in a short section. Thereafter, the main shaft member 30 moves the downstream linear guide 16C in the same state as the upstream linear guide 16B, and is delivered to the first sprocket 8.

  In the arc path around the first sprocket 8, as shown in FIG. 5B, a pair of upper and lower rollers 44, 46 provided on the main shaft member 30 are connected to two upper and lower plate bodies 8 </ b> A of the first sprocket 8, Engage with the recesses 8 </ b> Aa and 8 </ b> Ba formed in 8 </ b> B, and convey the outer peripheral sides of the rollers 44 and 46 while being guided by the first arcuate guide 12.

  In the straight path from the first sprocket 8 to the second sprocket 10, as shown in FIG. 5A, the four cam rails 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d of the linear guide 16A are provided on the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the main shaft member 30. The four rollers 44, 46, 52, and 54 are guided to convey the main shaft member 30 while maintaining the upright state. In this embodiment, although not shown, an electron beam irradiation device is provided outside the sterilization chamber, and an irradiation window of the electron beam irradiation device is attached to an opening formed in the sterilization chamber. The electron beam irradiated from the irradiation window of this electron beam irradiation apparatus is irradiated from the upper side of FIG. 1 to the container 2 being guided and conveyed by the linear guide 16A (the irradiation direction of the electron beam is indicated by an arrow E). ). The container 2 delivered to the lower neck gripper 4 at the container supply position D is reversed by the reversing portion 18B of the reversing guide 18 and moved upward, and is held in an inverted state by the neck gripper 4 to be electronic. Receives radiation.

  The container 2 held in an inverted state by the neck gripper 4 and irradiated with the electron beam is guided to the straight guide 16A and delivered to the second sprocket 10 as it is. In the arc path around the second sprocket 10, the pair of upper and lower rollers 44, 46 of the main shaft member 30 attached to the neck gripper 4 holding the container 2 are provided on the first sprocket 8 shown in FIG. Similarly to the position, it engages with a recess 10a formed on the outer periphery of two upper and lower disks, is guided by a second arcuate guide 14 arranged on the outer periphery side, and is conveyed by the rotation of the second sprocket 10. Is done. It is conveyed to the second sprocket 10 and reaches the container discharge position F to the discharge wheel 26. At this container discharge position F, the container holding means 28 of the discharge wheel 26 takes out the container 2 from the neck gripper 4 positioned on the lower side of the upper and lower neck grippers 4, and the upper neck The container 2 held by the gripper 4 and irradiated with the electron beam passes through the container discharge position F as it is, and the container 2 held by the lower neck gripper 4 is held by the container gripper 28 of the discharge wheel 26. Extracted.

  When the main shaft member 30 to which the neck gripper 4 holding the container 2 is attached again reaches the container supply position D, the container holding of the supply wheel 24 is held in the empty neck gripper 4 below as in the previous time. The container 2 is delivered from the means 22. The upper neck gripper 4 holds the container 2 in an inverted state, and the lower neck gripper 4 holds the container 2 in an upright state. The container 2 held by the upper neck gripper 4 has the surface on the side that has been previously irradiated with the electron beam directed outward in the transport direction.

  While the container 2 that has been irradiated with the electron beam once is held by the upper neck gripper 4, the main shaft member 30 that holds the container 2 that has been newly delivered to the lower neck gripper 4 is in the state as it is, Four rollers 44, 46, 52, 54 that enter the linear guide 16 </ b> B on the upstream side of the reversing guide 18 from the second sprocket 10 and are attached to the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the main shaft member 30 include four cam rails 16 a, 16 b, When guided straight by 16c and 16d and further enters the reversing guide 18, the four rollers 44, 46, 52 and 54 of the main shaft member 30 are moved to the four cam rails 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d as in the previous time. Guided and rotated 180 degrees. The two neck grippers 4 are inverted and switched upside down, and the container 2 held by the upper neck gripper 4 is in an upright state on the lower side, and the container 2 held by the lower neck gripper 4 is Inverted above. At this time, the container 2 held by the upper neck gripper 4 has the surface irradiated with the previous electron beam directed inward in the transport direction.

  After the upper and lower neck grippers 4 are reversed, they pass through the linear guide 16C on the downstream side of the reversing guide 18 and enter the circular arc path by the first sprocket 8, and are conveyed by rotating substantially half a circle, and then delivered to the linear guide 16A in the linear path. It is. While being guided and conveyed by the linear guide 16A, it receives an electron beam from an electron beam irradiation device (not shown). The container 2 that has been irradiated with the electron beam at the previous time has moved downward, and is irradiated with the electron beam on the surface opposite to the surface that has been received at the previous time. Thus, the whole surface is completely sterilized by one container 2 being irradiated with the electron beam twice. The container 2 newly supplied this time is irradiated with an electron beam from one surface while being held upside down. Thereafter, the linear guide 16 is transferred to the second sprocket 10 and conveyed along the circular arc path. When the main shaft member 30 conveyed to the second sprocket 10 reaches the container discharge position F, the container 2 that has been irradiated with the electron beam twice at the upper position and the lower position is discharged from the lower neck gripper 4. It is delivered to the container holding means 28 of the wheel 26 and discharged. Thereafter, such an operation is repeated, and the container 2 is sterilized by electron beam irradiation and sent to the next step. In this embodiment, the main shaft member 30 to which the two neck grippers 4 are attached in this manner is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the traveling direction of the endless transport body 6 so that the neck gripper 4 is reversed. When applied to an electron beam sterilizer, the entire surface can be sterilized by irradiating the electron beam without rotating the container 2 at the electron beam irradiation unit. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the transport speed of the container transport device and improve the processing capacity. Further, since the container 2 is located on the same axis as the axis of the main shaft member 30, even when the container 2 is switched between the upper position and the lower position, the distance from the irradiation unit (irradiation window) irradiated with the electron beam, etc. Irradiation can be performed uniformly without changing the irradiation conditions.

  In the embodiment, after the container 2 is supplied to the neck gripper 4 at the container supply position D, the container 2 is immediately reversed by the reversing guide 18 and then irradiated by the electron beam while being guided by the linear guide 16A. The arrangement of the reversing guide 18 and the linear guide 16A is reversed, and the supplied container is first guided by the linear guide 16A while being irradiated with the electron beam and then reversed by the reversing guide 18. You can also. Moreover, since the said Example was applied to the electron beam sterilization apparatus, the container supplied to this container conveyance apparatus was reversed twice, and it received 2 times of electron beam irradiation from a different direction. When applied to other devices, it is not always necessary to invert twice. For example, at the container supply position, the container is handed over to the lower neck gripper, inverted and moved upward, then guided and conveyed by a sprocket and a linear guide, during which the container is subjected to appropriate processing, and the container is discharged. The container may be discharged from the neck gripper located at the upper position. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the reversing guide is disposed on one of the linear paths reciprocating between the two sprockets. In this case, the container supplied to the lower neck gripper at the container supply position is inverted by the first inversion guide, passes through the arc path, and then inverted again by the second inversion guide to the original state. After returning, discharge at the container discharge position. Therefore, in this case, the neck gripper may be provided on either the upper side or the lower side. In addition, the number of sprockets can be a plurality of three or more, and a necessary number of linear guides and reversing guides are required for the linear path between the circular arc paths by the plurality of sprockets according to the required application. It is possible to construct a container transfer device by disposing the endless transfer body and forming a circulation movement path of the endless transfer body.

  The container transport apparatus can be applied to various container processing apparatuses in addition to the electron beam irradiation apparatus. For example, it is used as a transport means for an air cleaner or cleaning device that jets and cleans gas or liquid onto an inverted container that is being transported, or an inspection device that photographs the container 2 from different directions by reversing the container during transport. be able to. It can also be used as a container reversing device, or an overturning sterilizer that sterilizes the inner surface of the cap by inverting the container filled with the content liquid and capped.

It is a top view which shows the circulation movement path | route which comprises a container conveying apparatus. Example 1 It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of endless conveyance body which comprises a container conveying apparatus. It is a top view which shows a part of said endless conveyance body. FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of arrows IV in FIG. 2. (A) The figure is sectional drawing which follows the AA line of FIG. 1, (b) The figure is sectional drawing which follows the BB line of FIG. 1, (c) The figure is sectional drawing which follows the CC line of FIG. It is.

Explanation of symbols

4 Container holding means (neck gripper)
6 Endless carrier 8 Sprocket (first sprocket)
10 Sprocket (second sprocket)
12 Arc guide (first arc guide)
14 Arc guide (second arc guide)
16 Linear guide 18 Reverse guide 20 Circulating movement path 30 Main shaft member 32 Fixed connecting member 36 Rotating connecting member 44 Upper roller 46 Lower roller 52 Side roller 54 Side roller

Claims (2)

A container holding means provided on the main shaft member; a fixed connection member fixed to the main shaft member in a direction orthogonal to the axis; and a rotation connection member rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the main shaft member. The rotation connecting member and the fixed connecting member of the adjacent main shaft members are sequentially connected so as to be relatively rotatable around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the main shaft member to form an endless transport body, and each of the main shaft members In addition to providing a pair of upper and lower rollers and a pair of rollers on both sides in the traveling direction,
A plurality of sprockets that can be engaged with the upper and lower rollers, an arcuate guide disposed on the outer periphery of each sprocket, and a linear guide and a reversing guide that are disposed between the sprockets and engage with the upper and lower rollers. And set up a circular movement path with
The endless carrier is looped between the sprockets so that the main shaft member can be circulated and moved in the circulation movement path, and the reversing guide is arranged in a linear path between the two sprockets to circulate. A container transport device characterized in that each spindle member can be reversed during movement.   The container transport device according to claim 1, further comprising container holding means at both ends of the main shaft member.

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