JP5172631B2 - Barrel printing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a barrel printing apparatus that prints on the side of a barrel filled with a beverage or the like.

Barrels used for transporting beverages and the like are collected and repeatedly used when the filled contents are consumed at a store or the like. Predetermined information about the contents is printed on the outer surface of the barrel, but after collection, the printed information is also removed when washing the outer surface of the barrel, and information about the newly filled contents is printed (for example, patents) Reference 1).
JP 2001-034670 A

  Since printing on the barrel outer surface is performed after washing, if the drying after washing is insufficient, chipping or bleeding may occur during printing. The drying temperature of the cleaning liquid is related to the set temperature of the cleaning tank for cleaning the barrel, and it is required to lower the set temperature while maintaining the cleaning performance from the viewpoint of energy saving. However, when the set temperature is lowered, drying becomes insufficient. Particularly, since the barrel is provided with a drain hole for draining, there is a possibility that print deficiency or bleeding may occur due to dripping from the drain hole. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a barrel printing apparatus that can prevent printing chipping and bleeding even if drying after washing is insufficient.

  The barrel printer of the present invention cleans the outer surface of the barrel (100) having a plurality of drain holes (105), and then sequentially transports the barrel along the transport path of the transport means (2) on the side of the barrel. A barrel printing apparatus (1) for printing predetermined information, wherein a printing area (A) on which the predetermined information is printed is not aligned with the drain hole in the barrel conveyed by the conveying means. Positioning means (4) for rotating the barrel about its axial direction (AX2) on the transport path and directing the printing area in a predetermined direction, and printing means (6) for printing in the printing area And the above-mentioned problems are solved.

  According to the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, the barrels after the outer surface cleaning are sequentially transported by the transport unit, and the direction of the barrel is aligned in one direction by the positioning unit on the transport path. The barrel is provided with a printing area at a predetermined position, and this printing area is aligned in one direction, so that printing is performed on the printing area by the printing means. Since the print area is provided so as to avoid being aligned with the drain hole in the vertical direction, drying after cleaning is insufficient, and even if the cleaning liquid may leak from the drain hole during transport, the print area will not be liquidated. There will be no dripping, and it is possible to prevent chipping or blurring due to dripping.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, the positioning means is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the barrel and rotates around its axial direction, and the upper skirt portion of the barrel ( And a positioning member (12) for stopping the rotation by hooking the claw (12a) to the handle part (104) provided in 102). According to this aspect, the rotating barrel is stopped by the rotation mechanism by hooking the handle provided on the upper skirt portion of the barrel sequentially conveyed by the conveying means with the claw of the positioning member. Thereby, it can align so that a barrel may face one direction on a conveyance path | route.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus provided with the rotation mechanism, the rotation mechanism rotates the rotation direction (P1) in the axial direction of the barrel while stopping the movement of the barrel in the conveyance direction, and conveyance of the barrel. It may be provided so as to be movable between the sending position (P2) enabling movement in the direction. According to this aspect, since the rotation mechanism is movably provided between the rotation position and the delivery position, the barrel can be reliably rotated on the transport means, and the barrel can be moved in the transport direction. I do not disturb.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus provided with the handle portion, the positioning member is stopped at the stop position (P3) for stopping the barrel rotation by hooking the handle portion with the claw, and avoiding sunk from the conveyance path. It may be provided so as to be movable between the position (P4). According to this aspect, since the positioning member is movably provided between the stop position and the avoidance position, the conveyed barrels can be reliably aligned in one direction and the barrels aligned in one direction. The movement in the transport direction is not hindered.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus provided with a handle portion, the barrel has the drain hole and the handle portion arranged so as to avoid the drain hole and the handle portion being aligned in the axial direction thereof, The print area may be positioned below the handle portion with the skirt portion upright. According to this embodiment, since the printing area is provided below the handle portion, printing is performed at the same place in each barrel. Thereby, the print position can be easily found, and the print confirmation can be easily performed as compared with the case where the print position is printed at an arbitrary position in the circumferential direction of the barrel.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, the barrel may be transported by the transport means in a state where the barrel is erected with the upper skirt portion facing down. According to this form, the barrel to be transported is transported with the handle portion on the lower side. Even if there is a difference in size between the sizes of the barrels to be conveyed, the upper skirt portion provided with the handle portion is on the lower side, so that the height of the handle portion is substantially the same. Thereby, even a barrel with a different size can be easily handled.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, an air blow device (5) for blowing air in a direction perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface with respect to the printing area when the barrel is rotated by the positioning means may be provided. According to this aspect, the cleaning liquid remaining in the printing area can be reliably removed by blowing air from the vertical direction of the barrel outer peripheral surface. By locally removing the cleaning liquid remaining in the print area, it is possible to prevent print defects and bleeding.

  In one form of the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, the barrel is moved in the transport direction in the transport direction upstream of the transport unit so as to be movable in and out of the transport path. Blocking means (3) for blocking the above may be provided. According to this aspect, the blocking means can provide a gap between the barrel being conveyed and the barrel rotating by the positioning means. Thereby, a barrel can be favorably rotated by a positioning means, without the barrel conveyed with respect to the barrel which is rotating pressing.

  In addition, in the above description, in order to make an understanding of this invention easy, the reference sign of the accompanying drawing was attached in parenthesis, but this invention is not limited to the form of illustration by it.

  As described above, in the barrel printing apparatus of the present invention, the barrels after the outer surface cleaning are sequentially conveyed by the conveying means, and the direction of the barrel is aligned in one direction by the positioning means on the conveyance path. The barrel is provided with a printing area at a predetermined position, and this printing area is aligned in one direction, so that printing is performed on the printing area by the printing means. Since the print area is provided so as to avoid being aligned with the drain hole in the vertical direction, drying after cleaning is insufficient, and even if the cleaning liquid may leak from the drain hole during transport, the print area will not be liquidated. There will be no dripping, and it is possible to prevent chipping or blurring due to dripping.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a barrel printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The barrel printing apparatus 1 is a device that prints characters, numbers, symbols, and the like on the outer peripheral surface of the barrel 100. The barrel 100 to be printed is filled with contents such as beverages and distributed to the market, the contents are consumed, and then collected. After collection, the contents are filled with new contents through processes such as washing and inspection, and distributed again. Every time the contents are filled, information about the contents is printed on the barrel 100 by the barrel printing apparatus 1, but information about the consumed contents is printed on the recovered barrel 100. The printing is also performed after the printing is removed in the outer surface cleaning process of the barrel 100.

  FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the barrel 100. The barrel 100 has various sizes depending on the capacity of the contents. A general barrel shape will be described below. The barrel 100 has a trunk portion 101 filled with contents, and an upper skirt portion 102 and a lower skirt portion 103 positioned above and below the trunk portion 101. A base part 101 a is provided at the upper end of the body part 101. The contents are filled through the base 101a. The upper and lower skirt portions 102 and 103 are provided so as to extend the outer periphery of the trunk portion 101 vertically. The upper skirt portion 102 is provided with a handle portion 104. The handle portion 104 is provided at a position facing the upper skirt portion 102 across the base portion 101a, and is used by an operator when the barrel 100 is transported. The upper and lower skirt portions 102 and 103 are provided with a plurality of drain holes 105. The drain hole 105 is a hole for discharging water accumulated between the body portion 101 and the upper and lower skirt portions 102 and 103, and has an appropriate interval in the circumferential direction so as to avoid the vertical space of the handle portion 104. Provided.

  The barrel printing apparatus 1 is provided after the outer surface cleaning process of the barrel 100, and the cleaned barrel 100 is conveyed to the barrel printing apparatus 1 along a conveyance path by a conveyor 2 as a conveying unit. The barrels 100 on the conveyor 2 are conveyed in a state where the upper skirt portion 102 is stood down, that is, in a state where the top and bottom are reversed. Returning to FIG. 1, the barrel printing apparatus 1 includes a stopper cylinder 3 as a blocking unit that appropriately stops the barrel 100 being conveyed, a positioning mechanism 4 as a positioning unit that positions the barrel 100, and air in a printing area of the barrel 100. Are provided with an air blow device 5 for spraying and a printing device 6 as a printing means for printing at a predetermined position of the barrel 100 positioned. The stopper cylinder 3 has a blocking member 3 a that appears and disappears with respect to the conveyance path of the barrel 100. When the blocking member 3a comes into contact with the barrel 100 being conveyed, the movement of the barrel 100 on the conveyor 2 is blocked. About the mechanism in which the blocking member 3a appears and disappears, you may comprise using well-known techniques, such as various actuators.

  FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the positioning mechanism 4, and FIG. The positioning mechanism 4 includes a pair of adjustment mechanisms 11 that rotate while holding the barrel 100 on the conveyor 2, and a positioning member 12 that stops the rotating barrel 100 at a predetermined position. The adjustment mechanisms 11 are disposed on both sides of the conveyor 2. Each adjustment mechanism 11 has the same configuration and interlocks. The adjustment mechanism 11 drives the base member 13 that is rotatably held around the central axis AX1, the rotary roller 14 that is rotatably held by the base member 13 and can come into contact with the barrel 100, and the rotary roller 14. And a motor 15. The base member 13 is provided so as to be rotatable around the central axis AX1 between a rotation position P1 for rotating the barrel 100 and a delivery position P2 for sending the barrel 100 after positioning. Thus, the rotating roller 14 is supported. After the barrel 100 is positioned, an auxiliary roller 16 that assists the movement of the barrel 100 by pushing the rear of the barrel 100 when the base member 13 is rotated from the rotation position P1 to the delivery position P2 may be provided on the base member 13.

  The rotating roller 14 is formed of a rubber material having wear resistance. A motor 15 is provided above the rotating roller 14. Various known electric motors may be used for the motor 15, and a driving force is transmitted from the motor 15 to the rotating roller 14 via the driving shaft 17. The motor 15 drives the rotating roller 14 to rotate clockwise. That is, the positioning member 12 is hooked on the handle 104 of the barrel 100 and stopped by rotating the barrel 100 counterclockwise in the axial direction AX2. In addition, since the rotation direction is determined by the relationship between the positioning member 12 and the rotation direction of the barrel 100 described below, the rotation direction may be appropriately changed depending on the installation position of the positioning member 12 and the like.

  The positioning member 12 is a substantially L-shaped member, and is provided at a position where the claw 12 a can be hooked on the handle portion 104 of the barrel 100 conveyed by the conveyor 2. Since the barrel 100 is conveyed with the handle portion 104 on the conveyor 2, the handle portion 104 is located at substantially the same position even if the barrels 100 have different sizes. For reference, FIG. 3 shows handle portions 104a and 104b of barrels 100a and 100b having different sizes. The positioning member 12 is freely rotatable between a stop position P3 where the handle portion 104 of the barrel 100 is hooked and an avoidance position P4 where the barrel 100 is submerged from the transport path so as not to prevent the barrel 100 from moving in the transport direction. Is provided. The avoidance position P4 is arranged downstream of the stop position P3 in the transport direction so that the movement of the barrel 100 during transport is not hindered. In addition, it may be urged by a spring member or the like so that the positioning member 12 stands by at the stop position P3.

  The air blow devices 5 are provided at positions facing each other with the conveyor 2 interposed therebetween. Air is blown to the barrel 100 which is installed at an angle to blow air perpendicularly to the printing area A (FIG. 4) of the barrel 100 and is rotated by the adjusting mechanism 11. As a result, air is blown in the circumferential direction including the printing area A, so that the cleaning liquid is locally removed from the printing area A of the barrel 100 even if the cleaning liquid that has not been completely dried in the cleaning process is attached to the barrel 100. Is done. The air blowing device 5 may be configured using a known technique for blowing air.

  The printing area A of the barrel 100 is provided so as not to overlap the printing area A and the drain hole 105 with respect to the vertical direction of the barrel 100, that is, the axial direction. For example, the print area A is provided below the handle portion 104 with the upper skirt portion 102 upright. As a result, even if the cleaning liquid spills from the drain hole 105, the printing area A is not positioned in the direction of the liquid spill, so that printing defects and bleeding due to the liquid spill are prevented.

  As the printing device 6, an ink jet printer is used. The printing device 6 is provided adjacent to the conveyor 2 and performs printing by spraying ink from a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the barrel 100. Since the barrel 100 is conveyed by the positioning mechanism 4 so that the printing area A faces the ink discharge position of the printing device 6, the barrel 100 is sequentially printed by the printing device 6.

  The barrel printing apparatus 1 includes a control device 20 and a barrel detection sensor 21 that detects the barrel 100 being conveyed. The control device 20 is configured as a computer unit having a microprocessor as an example. The operation of the stopper cylinder 3, the positioning mechanism 4, the air blowing device 5 and the printing device 6 is controlled in accordance with a program stored in the storage device. The barrel detection sensor 21 is configured using a known technique related to object detection such as a photoelectric sensor. Based on the detection signal from the barrel detection sensor 21, the control device 20 controls the printing timing of the printing device 6.

  The operation of the barrel printing apparatus 1 will be described. Although the outer surface of the barrel 100 is cleaned in the cleaning process that is a pre-process of the barrel printing apparatus 1, the barrel 100 is transported by the conveyor 2 without being sufficiently dried because the cleaning liquid is not sufficiently dried. May be transported. In particular, the remaining cleaning liquid may leak from the drain hole 105, and if the printing area A is positioned on the extended line in the liquid dripping direction, there is a possibility that printing lack or bleeding may occur. For this reason, printing is performed while avoiding the drain hole 105 and the printing area A from being aligned in the direction of the liquid dripping from the drain hole 105, that is, the axial direction of the barrel 100.

  After the cleaning process, the barrels 100 are sequentially conveyed by the conveyor 2. The stopper cylinder 3 is spaced from the subsequent barrels 100 so that the barrels 100 are sent to the positioning mechanism 4 one by one. The base member 13 is positioned at the rotational position P1, and the positioning mechanism 4 prevents the barrel 100 from moving in the conveying direction, while the rotating roller 14 contacts the barrel 100 and causes the barrel 100 to rotate counterclockwise with respect to the axial direction AX2. Rotate to The motor 15 that drives the rotating roller 14 is sequence-controlled by the control device 20 so that the barrel 100 rotates once. A timer may be used to control the motor 15. While the barrel 100 is rotating, the positioning member 12 continues to contact the upper skirt portion 102 of the barrel 100, and the claw 12a enters the handle portion 104 and is caught. Thereby, the rotation of the barrel 100 is stopped, and the printing area A of the barrel 100 is directed to the side of the conveyor 2. In this way, the barrel 100 is positioned on the conveyor 2. The rotating roller 14 and the motor 15 function as a rotating mechanism. Further, while the barrel 100 is rotating, the air blowing device 5 is operated, the outer peripheral surface of the upper skirt portion 102 including the printing area A is sprayed with air, and the remaining cleaning liquid is removed. Since air is blown from a direction perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the barrel 100, the remaining cleaning liquid can be reliably removed.

  When the positioning mechanism 4 rotates to the delivery position P <b> 2 and the barrel 100 is sent out in the conveyance direction of the conveyor 2, it is conveyed as it is along the conveyance path of the conveyor 2. The barrel 100 to be conveyed is detected by the barrel detection sensor 21, and the control device 20 controls the printing device 6 so that predetermined information is printed in the printing area A based on the detection signal. Since the printing area A of the barrel 100 is set so as to avoid the direction of liquid dripping from the drain hole 105, it is possible to prevent chipping or bleeding of printing. In particular, since the print area A is provided below the handle portion 104 and in the trunk portion 101 of the barrel 100, it is easier to check the print than when the print area is not set at a predetermined position.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described form and can be implemented in various forms. For example, in the present embodiment, the example has been described in which the barrel 100 is conveyed on the conveyor 2 with the upper skirt portion 102 facing downward, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it may be conveyed in a state where the upper skirt portion 102 is upright. Even in this case, the rotating barrel 100 can be positioned by adjusting the position of the positioning member 12 according to the height of the handle 104. Further, in this embodiment, the positioning is performed by hooking the positioning member 12 on the handle 104, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the positioning may be performed using unevenness such as the drain hole 105. In addition to the positioning member 12, for example, various sensors such as a photoelectric sensor may be used to detect the specific portion of the barrel 100 and thereby control the driving of the motor 15 for positioning. An example in which the base member 13 of the adjustment mechanism 11 is rotatably provided between the rotation position P1 and the delivery position P2, and the positioning member 12 is rotatably provided between the stop position P3 and the avoidance position P4. However, this is not a limitation. The adjustment mechanism 11 and the positioning member 12 may be provided so as to be movable between two points. For example, the adjustment mechanism 11 and the positioning member 12 may be appropriately changed according to a configuration such as linear movement.

  In the present embodiment, the print area A is described as being set on the body 101 located below the handle 104. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the print area A extends in the direction of liquid dripping from the drain hole 105. If not, the print area A may be set at an arbitrary position. The printing area A may be printed by adjusting the position of the printing device 6 and the position of the positioning member 12 according to the set printing area A.

1 is a schematic view of a barrel printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed view of the positioning mechanism. FIG. The perspective view of a barrel.

Explanation of symbols

1 barrel printing device 2 conveyor (conveying means)
4 Positioning mechanism (positioning means)
6 Printing device (printing means)
20 Controller 100 Barrel 104 Handle 105 Drain hole A Printing area AX2 Axial direction

Claims (8)

A barrel printing apparatus that prints predetermined information on the side of the barrel while sequentially transporting the barrel along the transport path of the transport means after cleaning the outer surface of the barrel having a plurality of drain holes,
The barrel that is transported by the transport means is set to avoid the print area in which the predetermined information is printed from being aligned with the drain hole in the vertical direction,
Positioning means for rotating the barrel around its axial direction on the transport path and directing the print area in a predetermined direction;
Printing means for printing in the printing area;
A barrel printing apparatus comprising:   The positioning means comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the barrel and rotates around its axial direction, and positioning that stops the rotation by hooking a claw on a handle provided on the upper skirt portion of the barrel The barrel printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a member.   The rotation mechanism is movable between a rotation position for rotating the barrel in the axial direction while stopping the movement of the barrel in the conveyance direction, and a delivery position that enables the barrel to move in the conveyance direction. The barrel printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the barrel printing apparatus is provided.   The positioning member is provided movably between a stop position at which the handle portion is hooked by the claw and the rotation of the barrel is stopped, and an avoidance position at which the positioning member sinks from the conveyance path. The barrel printing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3.   The barrel is arranged such that the drain hole and the handle portion are arranged so as to avoid the drain hole and the handle portion being arranged in the axial direction, and the barrel portion The barrel printing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the printing area is located below.   The barrel printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the barrel is conveyed by the conveyance unit in a state where the upper skirt portion is set downward.   The barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an air blowing device that blows air in a direction perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface with respect to the printing area when the barrel is rotated by the positioning means. Printing device.   Provided on the upstream side of the conveying means in the conveying direction with respect to the positioning means is a blocking means provided so as to be capable of appearing and retracting with respect to the conveying path and preventing movement of the barrel to be conveyed in the conveying direction. The barrel printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein

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