JP5321053B2 - Can manufacturing apparatus and can manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is, for example, metal bottle cans for beverages (hereinafter, simply referred to as bottle cans) relates can manufacturing device and a manufacturing method of a can using a transport wheel which is used to carry the cylindrical cans and the like.

  In bottle cans such as aluminum cans for beverages, the shoulder is formed in a smooth taper, the mouth is narrowed from the body, and the outer periphery of the squeezed mouth is threaded to fill the contents. In some cases, the mouth is sealed with a cap made of a material such as aluminum.

  As an apparatus for manufacturing such a bottle can, for example, an apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is known. This is a disk-shaped index table that supports a plurality of chuck units that hold a bottomed cylindrical workpiece in an annular shape and can rotate intermittently around the rotation axis, and supports a plurality of machining tools for workpiece machining, and an index table A disk-shaped die table arranged opposite to the rotation axis, and the die table is moved close to and away from the index table by a driving device using a crank mechanism so as to process a workpiece arranged between the tables. It is composed.

  Multiple machining tools are arranged in the order of machining to the workpiece. The workpiece supplied to the index table is the next machining tool for each stroke in which the index table and die table (hereinafter abbreviated as “each table”) are closely spaced. Is intermittently rotated to the machining position. Then, the workpieces are sequentially processed by repeating the approach and separation of each table and the intermittent rotational movement of the workpiece, and when a series of processing is completed, a bottle can having a predetermined shape is completed and discharged from the index table. It has become so.

  The supply and discharge of the work to and from the index table is performed by a so-called star wheel (conveying wheel) that holds the work in a storage recess formed in a disk shape and formed on the outer peripheral surface. The star wheel is rotated in synchronization with the intermittent rotation of the index table, and is configured so that the workpiece can be supplied to or discharged from the index table.

As a general star wheel, for example, as shown in Patent Document 2, a workpiece holding portion formed on the rear side in the rotation direction of the star wheel of each storage recess is known. Also, as a method of synchronizing the intermittent rotation of the index table and the star wheel, in addition to a method of mechanically synchronizing the respective rotation shafts by, for example, gears, etc., a separate drive source is provided to electrically A method of synchronizing by simple control is adopted. The latter has the advantage that the device itself can be made compact because it is not necessary to use components such as gears.
JP 2005-329423 A JP 2000-657576 A

By the way, when the intermittent rotation of the index table and the star wheel is electrically controlled synchronously as described above, depending on the load of each rotating shaft, depending on the case, the respective rotation speeds are completely at the workpiece supply and discharge positions. In some cases, the start acceleration and timing of intermittent rotation may be shifted without being synchronized.
In particular, the starting acceleration of the index table, which is heavily loaded compared to the star wheel, may be smaller than the starting acceleration of the star wheel, so the workpiece holding part of the star wheel pushes the workpiece from the rear side when supplying and discharging the workpiece. As a result, the workpiece may be sandwiched between the star wheel and the index table and receive pressure.
As a result, the operations of the star wheel and the index table interfere with each other through the workpiece, making it difficult to perform the molding process smoothly, and further, there are problems that the surface of the workpiece is scratched or dented.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and even if there is a deviation in the starting acceleration or timing of intermittent rotation between the index table and the star wheel, the workpiece can be smoothly moved without interfering with each other. It is an object of the present invention to provide a can manufacturing apparatus and a can manufacturing method capable of transporting a workpiece and maintaining the quality of the workpiece without causing scratches or dents on the workpiece.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
That is, the can manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention supports a workpiece support base including an index table that supports a plurality of cylindrical workpieces in an annular shape and can be intermittently rotated about a rotation axis, and a plurality of machining tools for workpiece machining. and a tool support base which is opposed to the direction of the workpiece support and said axis of rotation, can manufacturing for machining of the workpiece to the index table of the machining tool while intermittent rotation is toward and away from the index table in the apparatus, the transport wheel is used from the index table as the discharge star wheel for discharging the workpiece, the controller for intermittently rotated as starting acceleration of the discharge star wheel increases is provided than the index table, the The transport wheel is rotated around the axis It has a disk shape and is configured to suck and hold the workpiece in a plurality of storage recesses formed on the outer peripheral surface, and the transfer wheel is used to transfer the storage recess in a cross section orthogonal to the axis. The wall surface on the front side in the wheel rotation direction is a work holding portion that forms a concave curved surface toward the front side in the rotation direction, and the wall surface on the rear side in the rotation direction of the wheel for conveyance of the storage recess is on the rear side in the rotation direction. It is set as the workpiece | work introduction part extended to radial direction outer side as it goes to.

While the difference in starting acceleration between the discharge table and the index table due to the difference in load is unstable, by controlling the starting acceleration of the discharging star wheel to be larger than the starting acceleration of the index table, the discharging star wheel Can be reliably moved before the index table.
As a result, the workpiece discharged to the discharge star wheel can always escape before the index table, so it is possible to reliably prevent interference between the discharge star wheel and the index table, and smoother intermittent operation. Rotation is possible and it is possible to prevent the workpiece from being scratched or dented.

A method of manufacturing a can according to the present invention uses a can manufacturing apparatus described above, disposed between them the machining tool close is separated in the axial direction of the workpiece relative to the workpiece support and Further, it is characterized in that the workpiece is processed.

According to the can manufacturing apparatus and the can manufacturing method according to the present invention, the index table and the star wheel can be smoothly supplied and discharged without interfering with each other, and the work can be scratched or dented. It is possible to prevent workpieces and maintain work quality.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a can manufacturing apparatus and a can manufacturing method using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a bottle can manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along line AA of the tool support shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the work support. 4 is a front view of the work support, FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the discharge star wheel in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a side view of the discharge star wheel.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle can manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment rotates a workpiece W in the circumferential direction around a support frame 11 and a rotation axis that is substantially horizontal on one side of the support frame 11. The workpiece support 10 and a tool support 20 that is arranged to face the workpiece support 10 with a predetermined interval and perform an approaching / separating operation in the axial direction with respect to the workpiece W.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tool support 20 supports a plurality of processing tools 3 for processing the workpiece W and is divided into a plurality of processing tool units in the circumferential direction in which the processing tools 3 are arranged. 30 (30A, 30B, 30C). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the processing tool units 30 </ b> A, 30 </ b> B, and 30 </ b> C is located at a position corresponding to the work support 2 provided on the index table 13 on the outer periphery of the index table 13 described later. A large number (three in one embodiment) of the machining tools 3 is fixed.

  These processing tool units 30A, 30B, and 30C are connected and supported by the outer support frame 21 via a linear drive mechanism 40 including a linear motor, and can be reciprocated in the axial direction of the workpiece W held by the index table 13. It is in a state. That is, the processing tool unit 30 is configured to be able to perform processing on the workpiece W while being close to and away from the workpiece W.

  The outer support frame 21 is framed in a portal shape in front view from the upper frame member 21 a and the side frame members 21 b and 21 c, and is fixed on the bottom plate 23. The upper tool unit 30A is supported by the upper frame member 21a, and the side tool units 30B and 30C are supported by the side frame members 21b and 21c, respectively. Therefore, a space S is formed in the inner region surrounded by the processing tool units 30A, 30B, 30C.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the processing tool unit 30 includes a base 31 and a tool holding portion 32 that is erected at one end on the index table 13 side and fixes a plurality of processing tools 3. The tool holding unit 32 can hold the processing tool 3 in a state of protruding so as to face the index table 13. The processing tools 3 held by the processing tool units 30 are arranged in the rotation direction of the index table 13, that is, in the processing order on the workpiece W.

  Each processing tool unit 30 is provided with a linear drive mechanism 40 that can reciprocate. The linear drive mechanism 40 employs a well-known linear motor, and as shown in FIG. 2, a base plate 41, a guide portion 42 fixed to the base plate 41 and arranged along the axial direction of the workpiece W. The electromagnetic coil 43 fixed to the base plate 41, a pair of sliding rails 44 fixed to the base 31 of the processing tool unit 30 and slidable along the guide portion 42, and a base so as to face the electromagnetic coil 43. A magnet plate 45 that is fixed to the base 31 and generates a thrust to the guide portion 42 between the electromagnetic coil 43 and the base plate 31 is schematically configured. The electromagnetic coil 43 and the magnet plate 45 constitute a linear motor.

  The base plate 41 has a flat plate shape and is fixed to the outer support frame 21. The guide part 42 is provided along the axial direction of the workpiece W on both sides of the center axis of the base plate 41. The guide portion 42 is a block body having a predetermined length dimension, has a concave shape in cross section in which the slide rail 44 is slidably engaged, and a plurality of guide portions 42 are arranged on the same axis at appropriate intervals.

  The electromagnetic coil 43 has a flat plate shape, is arranged with a predetermined length dimension between the guide portions 42 arranged in the two axial directions, and is fixed to the base plate 41. A pair of slide rails 44 fixed to the processing tool unit 30 extends over the longitudinal direction of the base 31 of the processing tool unit 30 and is engaged with the guide portion 42.

  Further, the magnet plate 45 is a flat magnet, and is disposed between the pair of slide rails 44 with a predetermined length dimension and is fixed to the base 31. That is, the electromagnetic coil 43 and the magnet plate 45 are arranged in a state of facing each other with a predetermined interval in a state in which the slide rail 44 is engaged with the guide portion 42.

  In the linear drive mechanism 40 configured as described above, when electricity is passed through the electromagnetic coil 43, a magnetic field is generated between the electromagnetic coil 43 and the magnet plate 45, and the electromagnetic coil 43 and the magnet plate 45 are changed by the change of the magnetic field. Moves linearly in the axial direction of the slide rail 44. At this time, since the electromagnetic coil 43 is fixed to the outer support frame 21 via the base plate 41, the processing tool unit 30 is configured to reciprocate so as to approach and separate from the index table 13.

  In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion of the processing tool unit 30 </ b> C is an indentation that is disposed on the same circumference where the processing tool 3 is disposed so that its axis is parallel to the processing tool. A portion 33 is provided. The pushing portion 33 is arranged on the outer peripheral portion on the index table 13 side so as to correspond to a position where the infeed star wheel 60 delivers the workpiece W to the workpiece support 2 on the index table 13. And it is comprised so that it may approach and separate with respect to the index table 13 with the reciprocation of the processing tool 30C, and the work W on the infeed star wheel 60 is pushed into the index table side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the work support 10 includes a rotary shaft portion 12 that is rotatably provided on the frame 11, and an index that is supported by the rotary shaft portion 12 so as to be rotatable about the axis. And a table 13. The index table 13 is configured to move the workpiece support 2 capable of holding the bottom side of the bottomed cylindrical workpiece W in the circumferential direction for each processing operation. That is, a large number of workpiece supports 2 are annularly arranged at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral portion of the index table 13 on the tool support base 20 side.

  The workpieces W held by these workpiece supports 2 are arranged so that the axis thereof is parallel to the rotation axis of the index table 13. The index table 13, together with the work support 2 and the work W held thereon, is intermittently rotated at a predetermined angle counterclockwise in FIG. 3 and FIG. It can be rotated. The workpiece support 2 is provided with an air cylinder (not shown) that can project in the axial direction. When the workpiece table 2 is moved to a position where the workpiece W is discharged by the intermittent rotation of the index table 13, the air cylinder is It is configured to drive and push the workpiece to the discharge wheel 60 side described later.

  The workpiece support 10 is provided with an infeed star wheel 60 for supplying the workpiece W to the index table 13 and a discharge star wheel 50 for discharging the molded workpiece W. In FIG. 1, only the infeed star wheel 60 is shown. In the present embodiment, only the discharge star wheel 50 among the infeed star wheel 60 and the discharge star wheel 50 employs the transfer wheel according to the present invention.

  The infeed star wheel 60 has a disk shape that is rotated around an axis parallel to the rotary shaft portion 12 of the index table 13, and is arranged in a row of work support tools 2 of the index table 13 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It arrange | positions in the upstream of a process process so that a part of outer periphery may overlap. The infeed star wheel 60 stores the work W transported by the transport device 66 in a plurality of storage recesses 61 provided on the outer peripheral surface, and intermittently rotates in the direction E in the figure in synchronization with the index table 13. However, the workpiece W is transported along the guide 65 and can be sequentially supplied to the workpiece support 2 of the index table 13. In the embodiment, the storage recess 61 of the infeed star wheel 60 has a work holding portion 62 formed on the rear side in the rotation direction E of the storage recess 61 in a cross section orthogonal to the axis of the infeed star wheel 60. The workpiece W is sucked and held by the vacuum hole 63 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the discharge star wheel 50 has a disk shape rotated in the G direction in the drawing around an axis parallel to the rotation shaft portion 12 of the index table 13, and is similar to the infeed star wheel 60. Are arranged on the downstream side of the machining process so that a part of the outer periphery thereof overlaps with the row of the work support 2 of the index table 13.

  A plurality of storage recesses 51 that are recessed radially inward are formed on the outer periphery of the discharge star wheel 50 so as to be continuous in the circumferential direction. As shown in detail in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the storage recess 51 has a wall surface on the front side of the star wheel rotation direction G facing the front side in the rotation direction G in a cross section orthogonal to the discharge star wheel 50. The workpiece holding portion 52 has a concave curved surface, and a vacuum hole 53 for adsorbing the workpiece W is formed on the surface of the workpiece holding portion 52. Further, the work holding part 52 has a radius of curvature equal to the outer peripheral surface of the work W, and is formed such that a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the work W that is not less than 1/12 and not more than 1/4 is in contact. Accordingly, the central angle α with respect to the arc formed by the contact portion of the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece W is set to 30 ° or more and 90 ° or less.

  On the other hand, the wall surface on the rear side in the rotational direction G of the storage recess 51 is connected to the rear side in the rotational direction G of the work holding portion 52 and linearly or slightly curves radially outward as it goes toward the rear side in the rotational direction G. Thus, the workpiece introduction portion 54 extends in an arc shape.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, when a tangent line 1 at the boundary 51 a with the work introduction part 54 is drawn with respect to the concave curved surface of the work holding part 52, the tangent line 1 and the work introduction part The angle θ formed with 54 is set within a range of −15 ° ≦ θ <0 °, and specifically, is set to −10 °. Here, the angle θ is negative when the workpiece introduction portion 54 is formed radially inward with respect to the tangent l. That is, the work introduction part 54 is retracted radially inward from the tangent l.

  Such a discharge star wheel 50 holds the workpiece W received from the index table 13 in the workpiece holding portion 52 of the storage recess 51 and follows the guide 55 while intermittently rotating in the G direction in synchronization with the index table 13. It is configured so that the workpiece W can be conveyed and sequentially discharged to the carry-out path device 56.

  In the present embodiment, the magnitude of the starting acceleration of intermittent rotation of the index table 13, the infeed star wheel 60, and the discharge star wheel 50 is controlled by a control unit (not shown). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation speed P of the index table 13, the rotation speed Q of the discharge star wheel 50, the rotation speed R of the infeed star wheel 60, and time in one intermittent rotation. As can be seen from this figure, the acceleration (starting acceleration) that is the rise of each of the rotational speeds P, Q, and R is larger in the discharge star wheel 50 than in the index table 13, and the index table 13 The infeed star wheel 60 is controlled to be smaller than the above.

  Next, the manufacturing method for forming the workpiece W using the bottle can manufacturing apparatus 1 and the operation of the bottle can manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the bottle can manufacturing apparatus 1, each processing tool unit 30 </ b> A, 30 </ b> B, 30 </ b> C is advanced in a direction approaching the index table 13, and each processing tool 3 performs processing according to each process. Each time the machining tool units 30A, 30B, 30C reciprocate once in the advance / retreat direction, the operation of rotating the index table 13 by a predetermined angle and rotating the workpiece W by one pitch is sequentially repeated.

  First, while the infeed star wheel 60 rotates intermittently in the rotation direction E, the workpiece W held by the workpiece holding portion 62 of the storage recess 61 is sequentially supplied to the workpiece support 2 of the index table 13. Specifically, when the workpiece W moves to the position X in FIG. 6 due to the intermittent rotation of the infeed star wheel 60, the machining tool unit 30C moves forward to push the machining tool unit 30C. The part 33 pushes the work W toward the index table 13, and the work W is transferred from the work holding part 62 of the infeed star wheel 60 to the work support 2 of the index table 13.

  At this time, the starting acceleration of the intermittent rotation is controlled so that the infeed star wheel 60 is smaller than that of the index table 13, so that the work holding unit 62 disposed on the rear side in the rotation direction E is used. The workpiece W can be released first, and the infeed star wheel 60 and the index table 13 do not interfere with each other via the workpiece W.

  When the workpiece W is supplied to the index table 13 in this way, each time the machining tool unit 30 performs one machining operation, when the index table 13 is intermittently rotated by a pitch angle corresponding to one workpiece, the workpiece support 2 ( The workpiece W) moves sequentially and stops in preparation for the next machining operation. After one machining, when each machining tool unit 30A, 30B, 30C is moved backward by the linear drive mechanism 40 and separated to the extent that there is no interference with the workpiece W held by the index table 13, the index table 13 is again set to 1 By repeating the process of rotating and resting by the pitch angle corresponding to the workpiece W, and performing the machining operation again, the workpiece W arranged between them is sequentially processed, the molding proceeds, and the series of processing is completed. At this point, the workpiece W as a bottle can having a predetermined shape is completed.

The workpiece W thus completed is discharged from the workpiece support 2 of the index table 13 by the discharge star wheel 50.
Specifically, when the workpiece W moves to the position Y in FIG. 6 due to the intermittent rotation of the index table 13, the workpiece W is transferred to the discharge star wheel 50 side by the air cylinder of the workpiece support 2 protruding. Is done. At this time, since the workpiece W is attracted by the suction hole 53 of the workpiece holding portion 52, the workpiece W can be reliably held by the workpiece holding portion 52.

  At this time, since the work holding part 52 is formed on the front side in the rotation direction G of each storage recess 51, the work holding part 52 does not push the work W from the rear side in the rotation direction G. Is not sandwiched between the discharge star wheel 50 and the index table 13, and no unnecessary pressure is applied.

Furthermore, since the starting acceleration of the discharge star wheel 50 is set larger than the starting acceleration of the index table 13 by the control unit, the discharge 50 is always moved ahead of the index table 13.
As a result, the workpiece W discharged to the discharge star wheel 50 can be surely released ahead of the index table 13, so that there is no interference between the discharge star wheel 50 and the index table 13, and smooth intermittent rotation is achieved. This makes it possible to prevent the workpiece W from being scratched or dented.

  In the present embodiment, the angle θ between the tangent line 1 at the boundary 51a of the work holding part 52 and the work introduction part 54 and the work introduction part 54 is within a range of −15 ° ≦ θ <0 °, Specifically, since the angle is set to −10 °, the workpiece W can be reliably released without interfering with each other, so that the index table 13 and the discharge star wheel 50 can be intermittently rotated more smoothly.

  Further, since the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the work W that is 1/12 or more and 1/4 or less contacts the work holding portion 52, the work W is discharged while the work W is securely held by suction. Can be performed smoothly.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of the can manufacturing apparatus and can manufacturing method by this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the meaning, it can change suitably. . For example, in the present embodiment, the example in which the transfer wheel of the present invention is applied only to the discharge star wheel 50 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the above-described star wheel may be applied to the infeed star wheel 60. Good.

  Even in this case, by making the starting acceleration of the infeed star wheel 60 larger than the starting acceleration of the index table 13, the infeed star wheel 60 that has delivered the workpiece W surely escapes first. Interference between the star wheel 60 and the index table 13 via the workpiece W does not occur, and it is possible to prevent the workpiece from being scratched or dented.

It is a side view which shows schematic structure of the bottle can manufacturing apparatus by embodiment of this invention. It is an AA arrow directional view of the tool support stand shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of a workpiece support stand. It is a front view of a workpiece support stand. It is a perspective view of the discharge star wheel in FIG. It is the elements on larger scale of FIG. It is a side view of a discharge star wheel. It is the figure which showed the relationship between the speed of an index table, a discharge star wheel, and an infeed star wheel in one intermittent rotation, and time.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bottle can manufacturing apparatus 3 Processing tool 10 Work support stand 13 Index table 20 Tool support stand 30 Processing tool unit 50 Discharge star wheel (wheel for conveyance)
51 Storage recess
51a Boundary part 52 Work holding part 54 Work introduction part 60 Infeed star wheel G Discharge star wheel (conveying wheel) rotation direction

Claims (2)

A workpiece support base including an index table that supports a plurality of cylindrical workpieces in an annular shape and can intermittently rotate around a rotation axis;
A tool support that supports a plurality of processing tools for workpiece processing and is arranged to face the workpiece support in the direction of the rotation axis ;
In the can manufacturing device for machining of the workpiece by the machining tool is toward and away from the index table while intermittently rotating the index table,
A transport wheel is used as a discharge star wheel for discharging the workpiece from the index table,
A control unit is provided for intermittent rotation so that the starting acceleration of the discharge star wheel is larger than the index table,
The transport wheel has a disk shape that rotates around an axis, and is configured to suck and hold the work in a plurality of storage recesses formed on the outer peripheral surface,
And, in the cross section orthogonal to the axis, the transfer wheel is a work holding portion in which a wall surface on the front side in the rotation direction of the transfer wheel of the storage recess forms a concave curved surface toward the front side in the rotation direction, Moreover, the can manufacturing apparatus characterized in that a wall surface on the rear side in the rotation direction of the transporting wheel of the storage recess is a work introduction part extending outward in the radial direction toward the rear side in the rotation direction . Using the can manufacturing device according to claim 1, to perform processing to arranged the workpiece between them the machining tool close is separated in the axial direction of the workpiece relative to the workpiece support and A method for manufacturing a can characterized by the above.

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