JP5365905B2 - Article processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article processing apparatus, and more particularly to an article processing apparatus including a conveying unit that conveys an article and a moving unit that reciprocates a processing head between a processing start position and a processing end position.

Conventionally, a conveying means for conveying an article, a processing head for performing a required process on the article conveyed by the conveying means, and the processing head reciprocating between a processing start position and a processing end position along the conveying means. 2. Description of the Related Art An article processing apparatus including a moving unit that moves is known (Patent Document 1).
In Patent Document 1, a first drive source for driving the transport unit and a servo motor as the moving unit are controlled, and a container transported by the transport unit and a filling nozzle moved by the servo motor are provided. The drinks are filled while the processing head is moved.
Moreover, what conveys the some carrier holding an article | item with a linear motor as a conveyance means is known (patent document 2).
No. 5-9359 JP-A-5-51087

However, in the case of Patent Document 1, the operations of the first drive source and the servo motor must be synchronized. When the moving speed of the filling nozzle is changed, the first drive source is set according to the servo motor. There was a problem that the setting had to be changed and the setting was complicated.
Further, the filling line described in Patent Document 2 includes a linear motor as well as a star wheel provided in a filling machine or the like as a conveying means, and it is necessary to adjust the exchange of containers between a plurality of adjacent conveying means. did not become.
In view of such a problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an article processing apparatus that is easy to configure and that can easily synchronize the movement of an article by a conveying means and the movement of a processing head.

That is, the article processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveying unit that conveys an article, a processing head that performs a required process on the article conveyed by the conveying unit, and a processing start position along the conveying unit. And an article processing apparatus comprising: a moving unit that reciprocates between the processing end position; and a control unit that controls the conveying unit and the moving unit.
The transport means includes a carrier for holding an article and a linear motor composed of a plurality of electromagnets that move or stop the carrier by magnetic force, and the linear motor includes an electromagnet at least at the processing start position.
An engagement means for engaging the processing head and the carrier is provided,
The control means stops the carrier at the processing start position by the electromagnet, engages the processing head and the carrier by the engagement means at the processing start position, and engages the processing head and the carrier by the moving means. It is characterized in that it is moved to the processing end position while maintaining the combined state, and the engagement state is released by the engaging means at the processing end position.

According to the above invention, since the processing means including the linear motor can transport the carrier to the processing start position by the processing head and can continue to transport the carrier from the processing end position, only the linear motor is used as the transport means. It is possible to simplify the conveying means.
Further, since the processing head and the carrier are engaged by the engaging means and the carrier is conveyed while maintaining the engaged state, it is not necessary to synchronize the movement of the processing head by the moving means with the movement of the carrier.

The illustrated embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a side view of a filling device 2 as an article processing device for filling a cup-shaped container 1 with food such as yogurt.
The filling device 2 includes a conveying means 3 for conveying the container 1, a supply means 4 for supplying the container 1, a filler 5 for filling the container 1 with food, a sealer 6 for attaching a lid to the container 1, and the container 1. The discharging means 7 for discharging the gas is controlled by control means (not shown).
The conveying means 3 is a conveying means using a so-called linear drive, and includes a plurality of carriers 11 that hold the container 1, a linear motor 12 that includes a plurality of electromagnets 12a, and a carrier 11 that moves from the conveying path on the upper surface side to the lower surface. The first rotary wheel 13 on the left side in the figure that moves to the conveyance path on the side, the second rotation wheel 14 on the right side in the figure that moves the carrier 11 from the conveyance path on the lower surface side to the conveyance path on the upper surface side, and these linear motors 12 And a slide rail 15 indicated by a one-dot chain line provided so as to surround the first and second rotating wheels 13 and 14.
The carrier 11 includes a cam follower (not shown) that moves along a cam groove formed in the slide rail 15. The carrier 11 circulates in the counterclockwise direction along the slide rail 15. Even if it is located on the side, it will not fall.
A first standby station A, a supply station B provided with the supply means 4, a second standby station C, and a filling station provided with a filler 5 are arranged on the upper surface side of the conveying means 3 from the upstream side on the right side of the figure. D, a third standby station E, a seal station F provided with a sealer 6, a discharge station G provided with a discharge means 7, and a fourth standby station H are set. On the other hand, on the lower surface side of the transport means 3, a fifth standby station I is set at the downstream end on the left side in the figure.
In this embodiment, the carrier 11 is transported while being stopped at the stations A to I, so that the container 1 is supplied, the food is filled, the lid is attached, and the container 1 is discharged. .

The transport means 3 will be described. FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the filling station D. The carrier 11 can accommodate three containers 1 in the transport direction, and the N pole and the S pole on the lower surface. A plurality of magnets 11a are fixed so as to alternately face the linear motor 12 side.
As shown in FIG. 1, the linear motor 12 is composed of a plurality of electromagnets 12a provided on the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the conveying means 3, and each electromagnet 12a generates a magnetic force under the control of the control means. Or can be extinguished.
The electromagnet 12a is normally installed as a set of two electromagnets 12a as shown on the left side of FIG. 2, and the carrier 11 is stopped at the position of the upstream electromagnet 12a by the control of the control means. It has become.
In order to move the carrier 11 stopped by the upstream electromagnet 12a, the magnetic pole of the electromagnet 12a is switched to move the carrier 11 from the upstream electromagnet 12a to the downstream electromagnet 12a, thereby propelling force in the transport direction. Is supposed to be granted.
2, only two electromagnets 12a are installed at a predetermined interval, and these electromagnets 12a are installed to stop the carrier as will be described later.
Magnets are provided at equal intervals on the outer circumferences of the first and second rotating wheels 13, 14. For example, a magnet having an N pole facing the outer circumference is provided as an S pole in the magnet 11 a of the carrier 11. It is designed to be fixed at regular intervals.
With such a configuration, for example, when the carrier 11 reaches the first rotating wheel 13, the magnet 11 a of the carrier 11 and the magnet of the first rotating wheel 13 are attracted to each other, and the carrier 11 is connected to the first rotating wheel 13. It moves along the slide rail 15 with rotation.
In addition, if the outer periphery of the said 1st, 2nd rotating wheels 13 and 14 is manufactured with magnetic bodies, such as iron, it is not necessarily necessary to provide a magnet in the outer periphery. In this case, since the carrier 11 is attracted to the outer circumferences of the first and second rotating wheels 13 and 14 by the magnetic force of the magnet 11a, the carrier 11 moves along the slide rail as the first and second rotating wheels 13 and 14 rotate. 15 will move along.
A sensor (not shown) for detecting the carrier 11 is provided between each electromagnet 12a and the electromagnet 12a, and the control means uses the signal from this sensor to position all the carriers 11 in the transport means 3. Can be recognized.

As shown in FIG. 1, the supply means 4 includes a processing head 4a having six grippers (not shown) and a lifting means (not shown) for raising and lowering the processing head 4a. The electromagnet 12a is provided.
When the filling device 2 is operated, the two carriers 11 are stopped at the supply station B. By moving the processing head 4a downward from above the stopped carrier 11, the six containers 1 Can be supplied simultaneously.
Next, the sealer 6 includes a processing head 6a having three seal heads (not shown) and lifting / lowering means (not shown) for moving the processing head 6a up and down. The seal station F has a set of electromagnets 12a. Is provided.
When the filling apparatus 2 is operated, one carrier 11 is stopped at the sealing station F, and the processing head 6a is lowered with respect to the stopped carrier 11 from above, so that three containers can be simultaneously used. 1 can be fitted with a lid.
Further, the discharge means 7 includes a processing head 7a having six grippers (not shown) and a lifting means (not shown) for moving the processing head 7a up and down. The discharge station G is provided with two sets of electromagnets 12a. It has been.
When the filling device 2 is operated, the two carriers 11 are stopped at the discharge station G. By moving the processing head 7a downward from above the stopped carrier 11, the six containers 1 Can be taken out from the carrier 11 at the same time.

As shown in FIG. 2, the filler 5 includes a processing head 5b provided with a filling nozzle 5a and a moving means (not shown) for moving the processing head 5b, and a carrier 11 is formed at the upstream end of the filling station D. It moves from the start position D1 to the filling end position D2 formed at the downstream end.
Two electromagnets 12 a are installed at the filling start position D <b> 1 according to the interval between the two carriers 11. These two electromagnets 12 a are provided to stop the carrier 11, and no electromagnet 12 a for applying a propulsive force to the carrier 11 is installed.
On the other hand, a total of four electromagnets 12a are installed at the filling end position D2 in accordance with the interval between the two carriers 11. The carrier 11 stops at the position of the electromagnet 12a located on the upstream side of each set, and propulsive force is applied by the electromagnet 12a located on the downstream side.
Note that it is not necessary to provide the electromagnet 12a between the filling start position D1 and the filling end position D2.
The processing head 5b is provided with a total of six filling nozzles 5a, three by three, according to the interval between the containers 1 held by the two carriers 11, and the lower end of the food supplied from a hopper (not shown). It comes to discharge from the part.
The moving means reciprocates the processing head 5b between the filling start position D1 and the filling end position D2, and lowers the processing head 5b from the ascending position to the descending position at the filling start position D1. In D2, the position is raised from the lowered position to the raised position.
As a result, the moving means moves the processing head 5b from the upper side to the lower side of the filling start position D1, moves the processing head 5b horizontally to the filling end position D2, and then fills the filling end position D2. The processing head 5b is circulated and moved by moving it upward.

The filling device 2 of this embodiment is provided with an engaging means 21 for engaging the processing head 5b of the filler 5 and the carrier 11, and the engaging means 21 is provided in the processing head 5b. The engaging member 21 a and the engaged member 21 b provided on the carrier 11 are configured.
The engagement member 21a is a plate-like member, and is provided on the upstream side and the downstream side for each of the three filling nozzles 5a. A wedge-shaped convex shape is formed at the lower end of each engagement member 21a. Yes. The engaged portion is a plate-like member, provided at the upstream end and the downstream end of each carrier 11, and a wedge-shaped concave shape is formed at the upper end of each engaged member 21b.
The engaging member 21a and the engaged member 21b are provided at the same interval, and when the processing head 5b is lowered by the moving means, the distal end portions of the engaging member 21a and the engaged member 21b are engaged with each other. It comes to match.
When the processing head 5b and the carrier 11 are brought into the engaged state by the engaging means 21, the moving means moves the processing head 5b from the filling start position D1 to the filling end position D2, so that the carrier 11 follows this. It moves together.

The first, second, and fourth standby stations A, C, and H have two sets of electromagnets 12a, the third standby station E has four sets of electromagnets 12a, and the fifth standby station I has 5 sets. A set of electromagnets 12a is provided.
In these first to fifth standby stations A, C, E, H, and I, the carrier 11 is stopped while the processing to the other carrier 11 is performed in the supply station B and the filling station D on the downstream side. It is supposed to let you.
Further, on the lower surface side of the conveying means 3, electromagnets 12 a are provided at predetermined intervals between the first rotating wheel 13 and the fifth standby station I, and the lower surface of the conveying means 3 is provided by the first rotating wheel 13. The carrier 11 that has moved to the side is given propulsive force by these electromagnets 12a and is transported to the fifth standby station I by inertia.

Hereinafter, operation | movement of the filling apparatus 2 which has the said structure is demonstrated. Here, the control means moves the carrier 11 while recognizing the position of each carrier 11 so that the carriers 11 in the transport means 3 do not collide with each other.
First, when the carrier 11 is located at the first standby station A of the transport means 3, the control means confirms whether another carrier 11 is located at the supply station B or not.
When the other carrier 11 moves from the supply station B, the control means controls the electromagnet 12a to move the carrier 11 from the first standby station A to the supply station B, and stops the two carriers 11 in the supply station B. .
The supply means 4 takes out six containers from a container supply means (not shown), lowers the processing head 4a, and supplies the six containers 1 gripped by the gripper to the two carriers 11.
Subsequently, the control means confirms whether or not the carrier 11 is located at the second standby station C. If the carrier 11 is not located at the second standby station C, the control means starts from the supply station B to the second standby station C. The carrier 11 is moved to.
Here, if no other carrier 11 is located at the filling station D, the control means does not stop the carrier 11 at the second standby station C, but directly moves the carrier 11 to the filling start position D1 of the filling station D. Move.

The filler 5 stands by with the moving means positioning the processing head 5b above the filling start position D1, and when the carrier 11 stops at the filling start position D1, the processing head 5b is lowered.
Thereby, the filling nozzle 5a approaches the container 1 held by the carrier 11, and at the same time, the engaging member 21a in the engaging means 21 and the engaged member 21b provided in the carrier 11 are mutually engaged, The processing head 5b and the carrier 11 are engaged.
Then, the control means deenergizes the magnetic force from the four sets of electromagnets 12 a provided in the filling station D, so that the carrier 11 can move freely along the slide rail 15.
From this state, when the moving means moves the processing head 5b from the filling start position D1 to the filling end position D2, the carrier 11 and the processing head 5b are engaged by the engaging means 21, so The carrier 11 moves integrally with the processing head 5b, and the container 1 is filled with food from the filling nozzle 5a.
When the processing head 5b reaches the filling end position D2, the control means again generates the magnetic force of the electromagnet 12a located at the filling station D, and the carrier 11 stops at the filling end position D2 by the magnetic force of the electromagnet 12a.
When the moving means raises the processing head 5b from this state, the engaging member 21a and the engaged member 21b are separated from each other, and the engaged state between the processing head 5b and the carrier 11 is released.

As described above, when the filling of the food into the container 1 is completed at the filling station D, the control means moves the carrier 11 to the third standby station E. At this time, another carrier 11 is placed downstream of the third standby station E. If it is located, the carrier 11 is stopped by the electromagnet 12a located on the upstream side.
When the other carrier 11 moves from the sealing station F, the control means moves the carrier 11 located on the most downstream side among the carriers 11 stopped at the third standby station E to the sealing station F and is located on the upstream side. The carrier 11 that has been moved is sequentially moved to the electromagnet 12a on the downstream side.
At the sealing station F, the sealer 6 attaches lids to the three containers 1 held by one carrier 11, and the control means confirms whether the carrier 11 is located at the discharge station G or not.
When the carrier 11 is not located at the discharge station G, the control means moves the carrier 11 from the sealing station F to the electromagnet 12a on the downstream side in the discharge station G, and further to the electromagnet 12a on the upstream side in the discharge station G. The discharge means 7 is put on standby until is supplied.
When the two carriers 11 are stopped at the discharge station G, the discharge means 7 takes out the six containers 1 from the two carriers 11 and supplies them to a subsequent process (not shown). The empty carrier 11 is sent to the fourth standby station H. Moving.

The carrier 11 located at the fourth standby station H is moved to the first rotating wheel 13 by the propulsive force of the electromagnet 12a, and the magnet provided on the first rotating wheel 13 and the magnet 11a provided on the carrier 11. Are attracted to each other, and the carrier 11 moves to the lower surface side of the conveying means 3 as the first rotating wheel 13 rotates.
Then, the carrier 11 reaches the electromagnet 12a provided on the lower surface side provided adjacent to the first rotating wheel 13, and the control means applies a propulsive force to the carrier 11, so that the carrier 11 has a plurality of electromagnets 12a. To the fifth standby station I.
When the carrier 11 is located at the fifth standby station I, the control means checks whether or not another carrier 11 is located at the first standby station A, and the other carrier 11 moves from the first standby station A. Then, the carrier 11 is moved to the first standby station A by the rotation of the second rotating wheel 14.

As described above, according to the filling device 2 of the present embodiment, only one type of conveying means 3 using the linear motor 12 as a driving source may be used as means for conveying the container 1, and the filler such as a star wheel may be used. There is no need to provide a separate conveying means 3.
Further, in the filler 5, since the processing head 5b and the carrier 11 are moved to the engaged state by the engaging means 21, the movement of the processing head 5b and the movement of the carrier 11 are moved by the moving means and the conveying means 3. The movement speed of the processing head 5b by the moving means can be easily set.
Here, when the linear motor 12 is used for the conveying means 3, the carrier 11 moves while moving on the adjacent electromagnet 12 a, so it is difficult to precisely control the movement of the carrier 11. It was difficult to synchronize the movement of the processing head 5b by the moving means.
Further, when the linear motor 12 is used for the conveying unit 3, the plurality of carriers 11 can be individually moved. Therefore, even if the article processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing units having different processing capacities, the processing of the processing unit is performed. Since the carriers 11 can be appropriately supplied according to the number and can be stopped according to the processing time of each processing means, it is not necessary to adjust the transport speed of the transport means 3 to the processing means with the lowest processing capacity. , Production efficiency can be improved.

In addition, although the said Example demonstrated the filling apparatus 2 to the example, if it is an article processing apparatus which synchronizes the movement of the processing head 5b and conveyance of an article | item, it can apply to this.
In the filling station D, it is not always necessary to provide the electromagnet 12a at the filling end position D2. For example, when the engagement state by the engagement means 21 is released by inclining the slide guide at the filling end position D2, the carrier 11 moves downstream by its own weight.

The block diagram of the filling apparatus which concerns on a present Example. The side view about a filling station.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Filling device 3 Conveyance means 5 Filler 5b Processing head 11 Carrier 12 Linear motor 12a Electromagnet 21 Engagement means 21a Engagement member 21b Engagement member

Claims (4)

A transporting means for transporting an article, a processing head for performing a required process on the article transported by the transporting means, and the processing head is reciprocated between a processing start position and a processing end position along the transporting means. In an article processing apparatus comprising a moving means and a control means for controlling the conveying means and the moving means,
The transport means includes a carrier for holding an article and a linear motor composed of a plurality of electromagnets that move or stop the carrier by magnetic force, and the linear motor includes an electromagnet at least at the processing start position.
An engagement means for engaging the processing head and the carrier is provided,
The control means stops the carrier at the processing start position by the electromagnet, engages the processing head and the carrier by the engagement means at the processing start position, and engages the processing head and the carrier by the moving means. An article processing apparatus, wherein the article processing apparatus is moved to the processing end position while maintaining the combined state, and the engagement state is released by the engaging means at the processing end position. An electromagnet of the linear motor is provided at the processing end position,
2. The article processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engaging means releases the engaged state when the processing head and the carrier stop at the processing end position. The control means, when the processing head and the carrier is located at the process end position, the generating the magnetic force of the electromagnet de-energized by the said processing end position of the magnetic force, to release the engagement by the engagement means The article processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is an article processing apparatus. The article processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the article is a container, and the processing head includes a filling nozzle for filling the container with a liquid .

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