JP5555559B2 - Counting machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a counter for aligning products manufactured sequentially by a manufacturing apparatus in units of a predetermined number and supplying them to the next process.

  A counter for supplying products such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, pet sheets, and the like manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus to a packaging machine that packs the products into a packaging bag in a predetermined number of units. Traditionally provided.

  For example, Patent Document 1 below includes a rotary conveyor in which a number of blade members are attached at predetermined intervals to a chain that rotates endlessly in a horizontal plane, and stores products one by one between adjacent blade members. A counter is disclosed that is configured to be conveyed to a discharge position while counting the number of sheets.

  Further, Patent Document 2 below discloses a counter configured to supply a product to a pocket partitioned by blades arranged at a predetermined interval on a rotating belt and to convey the product to a discharge position while counting a predetermined number of sheets. Has been.

JP 2006-225121 A Utility Model Registration No. 2550453

  By the way, in the conventional counting machine, when supplying products by sequentially dropping them from above into a housing space partitioned by blade members (partition members) installed at predetermined intervals on the rotary conveyor, the upper end of the partition member is the product If the height is much lower than the height, the product that has fallen into the accommodation space due to an increase in inertia due to high speed may be shaken back and forth in the transport direction, and the upper side of the product may be bent.

  If the accommodated product is bent to the rear side in the transport direction and covers the subsequent accommodating space, the product falling next is caught by the bent product and cannot be accommodated in the accommodating space. Thus, once a product is clogged, subsequent products cannot be accepted, and the entire system must be stopped.

  Here, if the height of the partition member is increased, bending of the product can be prevented. However, if the height of the partition member increases, it interferes with the pusher member that is driven when a predetermined number of products are discharged from the rotary conveyor all at once, so it is necessary to regulate the height of the rotary conveyor. May be an obstacle to high-speed operation of the counter.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a subject, and it aims at providing the counter which can accommodate a product reliably in the accommodation space of a rotary conveyor, ensuring high-speed driving | operation. .

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a counter according to the present invention is a counter that aligns products in units of a predetermined number of sheets and discharges them to the next process. A rotating member that circulates on a predetermined circular path, and the rotating member And a plurality of partition members installed at predetermined intervals, and the products falling on the product supply unit on the circulation path are accommodated one by one in a storage space between adjacent partition members and conveyed. A rotating conveyor device, an extrusion member for extruding and discharging a product conveyed and aligned by the rotating conveyor device from the circulation path in a predetermined number of units in a product discharge unit, and on the upper side in the circulation path and the product supply unit Auxiliary circulatory members that overlap and circulate on a predetermined auxiliary circulatory path that separates at the product discharge portion, and a large number of auxiliary partition members installed on the auxiliary circulatory members at the same interval as the partition members And the auxiliary partition member passes through the upper side of the partition member synchronously in the product supply unit, and assists the product falling to be accommodated in the accommodation space. It is characterized by that.

  According to the counter according to the present invention, the product can be reliably stored in the storage space of the rotary conveyor while ensuring high speed operation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically showing the configuration of the counter according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the track rail according to the present embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a counter according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically showing the configuration of the counter according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. In the present embodiment, a counter that sequentially arranges products such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, pet sheets and the like in units of a predetermined number of sheets and discharges them to the next process will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the counter 1 has a rotating conveyor device 10 for conveying products and aligning them in units of a predetermined number, and the upper portion of each product supplied to the accommodation space of the rotating conveyor device 10 is bent and falls down. The rotation auxiliary paddle device 30 for preventing the rotation, the transfer device 50 for reciprocatingly sliding the portion of the second section 28B of the rotary conveyor device 10 in the product conveyance direction, and the products aligned on the rotary conveyor device 10 are predetermined. The extrusion member 60 for discharging in units of the number of sheets is provided.

  The rotary conveyor device 10 includes a drive sprocket 11, a first moving sprocket 12, a second moving sprocket 13, a first fixed sprocket 14, a conveyor chain 20, a large number of paddles 21, and a conveyor table 23. As will be described later, the drive sprocket 11 and the first fixed sprocket 14 are shared with the rotation assist paddle device 30.

  The driving sprocket 11, the first moving sprocket 12, and the second moving sprocket 13 are installed so as to be positioned at the apexes of the triangle, and the first fixed sprocket 14 is a side connecting the driving sprocket 11 and the first moving sprocket 12. It is located slightly outside. The drive sprocket 11 is a rotating shaft that is rotationally driven by a servo motor, and functions as a driving means of the rotary conveyor device 10.

  Each sprocket 11-14 is provided with two conveyor gears (11A, 11B, 14A, 14B, etc.) arranged vertically. An upper conveyor chain 20A is hung on the upper conveyor gear (11A, 14A, etc.), and a lower conveyor chain 20B is hung on the lower conveyor gear (11B, 14B, etc.). In such a configuration, when the drive sprocket 11 rotates, the conveyor chains 20A and 20B slightly swell outward at the first fixed sprocket 14, but circulate in a substantially triangular shape as a rotating member.

  The plurality of paddles 21 are fixedly installed on the conveyor chain 20 at a predetermined interval, and the base side upper part of the paddle 21 is fixed to the upper conveyor chain 20A, and the base side lower side is fixed to the lower conveyor chain 20B. Therefore, by the rotation of the conveyor chain 20 as the rotating member, the paddle 21 as the partitioning member also integrally circulates on the rotating path around the sprockets 11 to 14.

  A conveyor table 23 is installed below the paddle 21 along the circulation path of the paddle 21. Each product supplied to the rotary conveyor device 10 in the product supply unit 25 is put into a storage space between the paddles 21 as partition members one by one. Each stored product is pushed by the paddle 21 on the rear side that circulates, and is conveyed to the product discharge unit 29 while sliding on the conveyor table 23.

  Here, in the circulation path 28 of the paddle 21, the first section 28A is between the drive sprocket 11 and the first moving sprocket 12, the second section 28B is between the first moving sprocket 12 and the second moving sprocket 13, and the second. A space between the moving sprocket 13 and the drive sprocket 11 is defined as a third section 28C.

  In the present embodiment, the product manufactured by the product manufacturing apparatus falls from above and is supplied to the counter 1 in the product supply unit 25. The products arranged in the counter 1 are discharged and supplied from the product discharge unit 29 to the packaging machine in the next process in a predetermined number unit.

  Subsequently, the rotation auxiliary paddle device 30 includes a drive sprocket 11, a first fixed sprocket 14, a second fixed sprocket 33, a track rail 35, an auxiliary paddle chain 40, and a large number of auxiliary paddles 41.

  The drive sprocket 11, the first fixed sprocket 14, and the second fixed sprocket 33 are installed so as to be located at the apexes of the triangle. Each sprocket 11, 14, 33 is provided with two auxiliary paddle gears (11C, 11D, 14C, 14D, etc.) arranged one above the other.

  An upper auxiliary paddle chain 40A is hung on the upper auxiliary paddle gear (11C, 14C, etc.), and a lower auxiliary paddle chain 40B is hung on the lower auxiliary paddle gear (11D, 14D, etc.). In such a configuration, when the drive sprocket 11 rotates, the auxiliary paddle chain 40 as the auxiliary rotating member rotates in a substantially triangular shape.

  The plurality of auxiliary paddles 41 are fixedly installed on the auxiliary paddle chain 40 at the same installation interval as the paddle 21. The upper side of the auxiliary paddle 41 is on the upper side auxiliary paddle chain 40 </ b> A, and the lower side of the base side is on the lower side auxiliary paddle chain. It is fixed to 40B. Therefore, by rotation of the auxiliary paddle chain 40 as the auxiliary circulatory member, the auxiliary paddle 41 as the auxiliary partition member integrally circulates on the auxiliary circulatory path around the sprockets 11, 14, 33.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the auxiliary paddle gears (11C, 11D, 14C, 14D, etc.) are installed above the conveyor gears (11A, 11B, 14A, 14B, etc.), and the drive sprocket 11 is connected to the conveyor. It is connected to both the chain 20 and the auxiliary paddle chain 40. Accordingly, both the paddle 21 and the auxiliary paddle 41 circulate on the respective circulation paths in synchronization with each other in the product supply unit 25 by the rotation of the drive sprocket 11.

  Here, in the auxiliary circulation path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41, the first section 48A is between the drive sprocket 11 and the first fixed sprocket 14, the second section 48B is between the first fixed sprocket 14 and the second fixed sprocket 33, and the second section 48B. A space between the fixed sprocket 33 and the drive sprocket 11 is defined as a third section 48C.

  The auxiliary paddle 41 is configured such that the tip side with respect to the root portion can be rotated between an upper retracted position and a lower auxiliary position about the rotation shaft 42, and both positions can be selectively taken. It is. The auxiliary paddle 41 in the natural state is in a lower auxiliary position due to its own weight. 2 shows a state where the auxiliary paddle 41 is in the auxiliary position, and FIG. 3 shows a state where the auxiliary paddle 41 is in the retracted position. Further, the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 2 is the retracted position of the auxiliary paddle 41, and the position of the product is indicated by the two-dot chain line.

  When the auxiliary paddle 41 is in the auxiliary position, the tip of the auxiliary paddle 41 is lower than the upper end of the product located in the accommodation space between the paddles 21 so that the auxiliary paddle 41 and the product can contact each other. In the state where the auxiliary paddle 41 is in the retracted position, the tip of the auxiliary paddle 41 is positioned higher than the product, and the auxiliary paddle 41 cannot contact the product.

  The track rail 35 is installed below the auxiliary paddle 41 along the auxiliary circumferential path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the track rail. As shown in the figure, the track rail 35 changes its height along the auxiliary circumferential path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41.

  Here, the track rail 35 comes into contact with the upper surface of the track rail 35 whose height changes at the base side of the movable portion of the auxiliary paddle 41 so that the auxiliary paddle 41 varies between the auxiliary position and the retracted position. In place. The auxiliary paddle 41 is in the auxiliary position when it is in contact with the lower track rail 35, and the auxiliary paddle 41 is in the retracted position when it is in contact with the higher track rail 35.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in the auxiliary circuit path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41, in the first section 48A, the track rail 35 gradually moves from a low position to a high position through an inclined portion, and in the second section 48B. The track rail 35 is at a high position, and in the third section 48C, the track rail 35 is gradually shifted from a high position to a low position through an inclined portion.

  Therefore, the large number of auxiliary paddles 41 orbiting on the auxiliary circulation path 48 gradually change their postures to the auxiliary position in the third section 48C, and when entering the first section 48A, completely shift to the auxiliary position. The auxiliary paddle 41 passes through the product supply unit 25 while being synchronized with the paddle 21 while remaining in the auxiliary position.

  Thereafter, the auxiliary paddle 41 comes into contact with the upward inclined portion of the track rail 35 in the middle of the first section 48A and gradually moves to the retracted position. Then, at the middle of the first section 48A, the auxiliary paddle 41 is completely in the retracted position, and the revolving path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41 also retreats at the first fixed sprocket 14 where the circulation path 48 of the paddle 21 begins to separate. It is in a state.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the auxiliary circulation path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41 is the circulation path 28 </ b> A of the paddle 21 in the first section 48 </ b> A in which the rotary conveyor device 10 and the rotation auxiliary paddle device 30 share the sprockets 11 and 14. In the second section 48B, the second section 48B is separated from the circuit path 28, and in the third section 48C, the second section 48C again overlaps with the circuit path 28 almost in parallel.

  In addition, the substantially triangular auxiliary circulation path 48 is a small circulation path having the same apex (driving sprocket 11) and a size of about a quarter compared to the substantially triangular circulation path 28.

  The transfer device 50 includes a transfer plate 51 on which the first moving sprocket 12 and the second moving sprocket 13 are mounted, and a drive servo motor 52 for sliding the transfer plate 51.

  In the counter 1, the products supplied in the product supply unit 25 are stored one by one in the storage space between adjacent paddles 21 and conveyed on the circulation path 28. Then, the products conveyed to the second section 28B and aligned are discharged by the pushing member 60 in a predetermined number of units in the product discharge unit 29 and delivered to the packaging machine which is the next process.

  Here, if the product is being conveyed at high speed on the circumferential path 28 of the paddle 21 when being pushed out by the pushing member 60, it is difficult to push out the exact number of products in a state of being accurately aligned. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the product is discharged by the pushing member 60 when the transfer plate 51 is moved to the upstream side in the transport direction by the transfer device 50 in the second section 28B.

  Specifically, the transfer plate 51 is configured to reciprocate and slide in the transport direction during product transport. The transfer plate 51 is moving upstream in the transport direction, and the product being transported is The product is discharged by the pushing member 60 at a timing when the pushing member 60 is stopped relative to the pushing member 60. This makes it possible to accurately discharge a predetermined number of products.

  When the transfer plate 51 slides, the first section 28A is also moved by the movement of the first moving sprocket 12, but the first fixed sprocket 14 and the first moving sprocket 12 in the first section 28A are moved. Only the path between them moves, and the path between the drive sprocket 11 and the first fixed sprocket 14 does not move.

  This can be realized by installing the first fixed sprocket 14 outside the straight line connecting the position of the first moving sprocket 12 moved to the most upstream side and the drive sprocket 11. Accordingly, the first section 28A does not move in the product supply unit 25, and the product can be stably stored.

  The extruding member 60 is a member that extrudes and discharges the products aligned in the product discharge portion 29 in the second section 28B out of the conveying path in a predetermined number of units, and extends horizontally in the product conveying direction. It is a rod-shaped member having a length. The pushing member 60 is installed at a height that is substantially the same as that of the auxiliary paddle 41, that is, a height through which the upper part of the product passes, and is located at a height that does not contact the paddle 21.

  The pushing member 60 is configured to reciprocate in a horizontal plane in a direction crossing the product conveyance direction in the circulation path 28B. In the present embodiment, the paddle 21 is not in contact with the upper part of the product, and the upper part of the product is largely exposed in the second section 28B where the auxiliary paddle 41 does not exist. Therefore, by moving the extrusion member 60 from the inside to the outside of the conveyance path in a state where the products are aligned in the product discharge section 29, the extrusion member 60 comes into contact with the upper part of a predetermined number of products and is pushed out of the path as it is and discharged. can do.

  The configuration of the counter 1 has been described in detail above. Subsequently, the flow of the counting process in the counter 1 will be described. First, the products manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus and dropped onto the product supply unit 25 are sequentially stored one by one in the storage space between the paddles 21 as the partition members, and while being pushed by the rear paddles 21, the circulation path 28. Be transported.

  At this time, in the product supply unit 25, the auxiliary paddle 41 as the auxiliary partition member in the auxiliary position also passes in synchronization with the paddle 21, and even if the upper part of the product stored in the storage section tends to shake greatly back and forth. The upper part of the product is supported by the auxiliary paddle 41 so that the product does not fall back and forth. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the problem that the subsequent product is folded to the rear side to block the subsequent storage space and the subsequent product is clogged.

  The accommodated product is transported from the first section 28A to the second section 28B. In the middle of this, the circumferential path 48 of the auxiliary paddle 41 bends separately from the circumferential path 28 of the paddle 41 at the position of the first fixed sprocket 14, so that the auxiliary paddle 41 and the paddle 21 do not become parallel, but the auxiliary paddle 41 Is not in contact with the product that is already in the retracted position and being transported, and does not hinder transport.

  And the product conveyed to the product discharge part 29 of the 2nd area 28B is extruded and discharged by the predetermined number unit by the extrusion member 60 in the product discharge part 29, and is supplied to the packaging machine which is the next process.

  As described above, according to the embodiment described in detail, the product supply unit 25 overlaps with the paddle 21 and circulates, and the product discharge unit 29 circulates along a path separated from the paddle 21. Therefore, the product supply unit 25 can prevent the product from being clogged with the assistance of the auxiliary paddle 41, and the product discharge unit 29 is in a state where the upper part of the product is largely exposed. This ensures that the product can be pushed out and discharged.

  Further, since the pushing member 60 is positioned above the paddle 21, the two do not contact each other, and the auxiliary paddle 41 does not exist in the product discharge portion 29. 41 is not touched. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the pushing member 60 that has pushed out the product and moved to the outside of the path is returned to the inside of the path, the paddle is kept until the pushing member 60 returns in order to avoid contact between the pushing member 60 and the paddle 21. No need to wait for the movement of 21, the transfer plate 51 can be immediately transferred, and the processing for the next product group discharge can be started. Thus, a high-speed counter has a great merit.

  The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the auxiliary position or the retracted position of the auxiliary paddle is switched by the track rail, but of course, it may be switched to another means.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the paddle which is a partition member and the chain which is a circumference member are made into a separate member, a partition member and a circumference member are comprised integrally, for example like a belt with a rubber partition member. Also good.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the counter in which a partition member circulates in a horizontal surface, this invention is applicable also to a counter in which a partition member circulates in a vertical surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Counting machine 10 Rotating conveyor apparatus 11 Drive sprocket 12, 13 Moving sprocket 14, 33 Fixed sprocket 20 Conveyor chain 21 Paddle 23 Conveyor table 25 Product supply part 28 Circulation path 29 Product discharge part 30 Auxiliary paddle apparatus
41 Auxiliary paddle 35 Track rail 40 Auxiliary paddle chain 48 Auxiliary circulation path 50 Transfer device 60 Pushing member

Claims (4)

In a counter that arranges products in units of a predetermined number and discharges them to the next process,
A partition having a circulating member that circulates on a predetermined circular path, and a number of partition members installed at predetermined intervals on the circular member, and adjacent to the product falling on the product supply unit on the circular path A rotating conveyor device that accommodates and conveys the sheets one by one in the accommodating space between the members;
Extruding members for extruding and discharging the products conveyed and aligned by the rotary conveyor device from the circulation path in a predetermined number of units in the product discharge unit;
An auxiliary circulating member that laps on a predetermined auxiliary circulating path that overlaps with the circulating path on the upper side in the product supply unit and that is separated in the product discharge unit, and a large number of installed on the auxiliary circulating member at the same interval as the partition member Auxiliary device having an auxiliary partition member, and assisting to store the falling product in the storage space by passing the upper side of the partition member synchronously in the product supply section When,
A counter comprising: 2. The counter according to claim 1, wherein the circulating member and the auxiliary rotating member rotate in a horizontal plane, and are provided with a common drive sprocket for rotating the rotating member and the auxiliary rotating member. The rotary conveyor device is
A first moving sprocket, a second moving sprocket, and a first fixed sprocket on which the rotating member is built together with the drive sprocket;
A transfer device that reciprocally slides the first moving sprocket and the second moving sprocket together with the rotating member and the partition member in a rotating direction;
The driving sprocket, the first moving sprocket, and the second moving sprocket are arranged so as to be positioned at substantially the apexes of a triangle, and the first fixed sprocket is disposed between the driving sprocket and the first sprocket. It is arranged outside the straight line connecting them, and is configured so that the rotating member between the drive sprocket and the first fixed sprocket is not affected even if the transfer device slides back and forth. The counter according to claim 2. The auxiliary partition member is configured to be movable between an auxiliary position capable of contacting an upper part of the product accommodated in the accommodating space and a retracted position where the upper part of the product cannot be contacted. The counting according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the counter member is configured to be in an auxiliary position, and is configured to be in a retracted position where the auxiliary circulating member that has passed through the product supply unit is separated from the rotating member. Machine.

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