JP6108911B2 - Tray container cutting and discharging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting / discharging device in which a plurality of storage pockets are filled with food such as curry roux and stew, and a tray container sealed with a sealing material such as a resin film is divided into a plurality of portions and discharged.

  Conventionally, what was disclosed by patent document 1 is known as this kind of cutting discharge apparatus. In this conventional apparatus, after food such as curry roux is filled in each storage pocket provided in the tray container, the upper surface of the tray container is sealed with a sealing material of a resin film, and in the subsequent process, the tray container is cut by a cutting device. While the seal is punched, the peripheral edge of the accommodation pocket is cut and divided into a plurality.

JP2013-006625A

  In the conventional cutting and discharging device, after the punching operation is completed, the succeeding tray container must wait on the upstream side of the cutting device until the cut tray container is completely discharged from the punching device. There was a problem of being bad.

  An object of the present invention is to improve work efficiency by enabling a succeeding tray container to be supplied to a cutting apparatus simultaneously with the discharging operation when a cut tray container is being discharged.

The cutting and discharging apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of tables that can be lifted and lowered independently from each other between a supply position that is a relatively high position and a discharge position that is a relatively low position, and the supply position. The supply means for supplying the tray container onto the table, the cutting means for cutting and dividing the tray container placed on the table into a predetermined number, and the engaging member engaged with the tray container on the table at the discharge position are moved while being engaged. Discharge means for discharging the tray containers divided into a predetermined number to the downstream, and the engaging member includes a pusher surface that contacts the rear end of the tray container on the table at the discharge position, and a subsequent tray. and a support surface for supporting the lower surface of the front end of the container, the table has engagement member is discharged tray container passes, at elevated state to supply position, subsequent tray container supply of the supply means It is characterized in Rukoto.

  The engaging member is preferably an end position located downstream from the plurality of tables from a start position located upstream from the plurality of tables in order to discharge the tray containers divided into a predetermined number downstream. Can move up to. In this case, the discharging means has an endless moving member connected to the engaging member, and the engaging member is moved from the start position to the end position by the moving member, and then the engaging member is started. It may be configured to return to position.

  According to the present invention, since the succeeding tray container can be supplied to the cutting device while the tray container cut in the cutting process is being discharged, the working efficiency is improved.

It is a top view which shows the tray container with which the filling process is carried out by the cutting and discharging apparatus of the tray container which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view showing a tray container filling system provided with a tray container cutting and discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows a cooling device. It is sectional drawing which shows a punching apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the engaging member located in the immediately downstream side of a delivery board. It is an operation | movement figure which shows the effect | action of a punching apparatus.

Hereinafter, a tray container cutting and discharging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, a total of 12 storage pockets T2 of 3 rows × 4 columns are formed in the tray container T1 to be filled in the present embodiment. While the tray container T1 is being transported along the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, each containing pocket T2 is filled with a fluid food such as curry roux and the upper surface is sealed with a sheet-like sealing material S1 such as a resin film. Is done. The tray container T1 is cut together with the sealing material S1 along the cutting line C by a punching device 40 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, and is divided into six tray containers T4 in one row × 2 columns together with the cut sealing material S2. .
In the following description, the tray container before cutting is referred to as a tray container T1, and the cut tray container is referred to as a tray container T4.

  A schematic configuration of the tray container filling system will be described with reference to FIG. A large number of tray containers T1 are accommodated in the tray magazine 11. A tray take-out device 12 is disposed below the tray magazine 11. The tray take-out device 12 includes a suction cup 13 for taking out the tray container T1 from the tray magazine 11 and a cylinder device 14 for moving the suction cup 13 up and down. The suction cup 13 is attracted to the lower surface of the bottom of each accommodation pocket T2 of the tray container T1, and is lowered by the action of the cylinder device 14 to deliver the tray container T1 to a transport chain (not shown).

  The conveyance chain extends from directly below the magazine 11 to a position of a temporary sealing heater 21 described later. The transport chain is provided with a clamp mechanism (not shown), and both sides of the tray container T1 are clamped by the clamp mechanism. The transport chain intermittently transports the tray container T1 by the length of the tray container T1 in the transport direction (the length in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1).

  A filler 15 is provided above the downstream side of the magazine 11 along the conveying direction of the conveying chain. The filler 15 includes a tank 16 and a filling nozzle 17. In the tank 16, fluid food such as carreru that is a filling material of the tray container T <b> 1 is stored, and the fluid food is filled into each accommodation pocket T <b> 2 of the tray container T <b> 1 by the filling nozzle 17.

  The tray container T1 in which the filling material is stored in the storage pocket T2 is conveyed to the position of the temporary sealing heater 21. The temporary sealing heater 21 is provided above the conveyance path of the tray container T1, and a pressing roller 22 is provided immediately upstream of the temporary sealing heater 21. A sheet-shaped sealing material S <b> 1 of a resin film that is fed from the sheet feeding roll 23 is wound around the pressing roller 22. The sealing material S1 is drawn downstream from the pressing roller 22 along the conveying direction of the tray container T1, and is taken up by a sheet take-up roll 24 provided on the downstream side of a punching device 40 described later. The sheet winding roll 24 is driven to rotate by a servo motor (not shown). While the tray material T1 is being transported while the sealing material S1 is pressed against the upper surface of the tray container T1 by the presser roller 22, the temporary sealing heater 21 is lowered to heat the sealing material S1, thereby the sealing material S1. Is partially bonded (temporarily bonded) to the tray container T1.

  A main seal heater 25 is disposed downstream of the temporary seal heater 21. The main seal heater 25 is provided above the conveyance path of the tray container T1, and is moved up and down by the main seal heater elevating motor 26 provided above the tray container T1. A backup mold 27 is provided below the main seal heater 25 across the conveyance path of the tray container T1. The backup mold 27 has a recess for receiving each storage pocket T2 of the tray container T1, and is raised and lowered by the cylinder device 28. When the tray container T1 to which the sealing material S1 is temporarily bonded is conveyed, the backup mold 27 rises and supports the lower surface of the tray container T1. At the same time, the main sealing heater 25 is lowered and the tray container T1 is sandwiched between the main sealing heater 25 and the backup mold 27, whereby the sealing material S1 is bonded to the tray container T1.

  A cooling device 30 is disposed on the downstream side of the seal heater 25. In the cooling device 30, a cooling mold 31 is provided above the conveyance path of the tray container T1, and a backup mold 32 is provided below the conveyance path. The cooling mold 31 is moved up and down by the cylinder device 33. The backup mold 32 has a recess for receiving each storage pocket T2 of the tray container T1, and is raised and lowered by the cylinder device 34. The cooling device 30 can reciprocate along the conveying direction of the tray container T1, and is movably supported by a pair of rails 35 as shown in FIG. A ball screw 37 that is rotationally driven by the servomotor 36 extends parallel to the rail 35, and a nut 38 fixed to the cooling device 30 is screwed to the ball screw 37.

  In the cooling device 30, when the tray container T1 is conveyed, the backup mold 32 rises to support the lower surface of the tray container T1 and the cooling mold 31 descends, and the tray container T1 is backed up with the cooling mold 31. It is sandwiched between the molds 32. The cooling device 30 is moved downstream along the rail 35 by the action of the servo motor 36, and the tray container T1 is cooled while moving. The intermittent movement of the cooling device 30, the sheet take-up roll 24, and the conveying chain is controlled so as to operate in synchronization by a control means (not shown). That is, the cooling device 30 moves intermittently by the length of the tray container T1 in the transport direction (the length in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1).

  The tray container T1 cooled by the cooling device 30 is subsequently supplied to the punching device 40 (cutting means). In the punching device 40, the tray container T1 is divided into six tray containers T4 and discharged to the transport conveyor 72 as described above with reference to FIG. The conveying conveyor 72 is an endless conveyor wound around a plurality of pulleys 71, and the punching device 40 that transports the tray container T4 punched and divided by the punching device 40 to the next processing step cuts the tray container T1. The structure for dividing will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the punching device 40 is provided with a punching blade 61 that can be moved up and down above the tray container T1 to be supplied. The punching blade 61 is provided to cut and divide the tray container T1 into six pieces. When the punching blade 61 is viewed from the front, it has a shape along the cutting line C shown in FIG. That is, in this embodiment, the punching blade 61 has six rectangular frame shapes surrounding the two storage pockets T2. The punching blade 61 is fixed to the lower surface of the support frame 62, and the support frame 62 is driven up and down by a punching blade lifting cylinder 63.

  A pusher 67 is disposed inside the rectangular frame of the punching blade 61. The pusher 67 is provided in order to promote separation of the tray container T4 from the portion bonded to the sealing material S1 without being punched by engaging with the tray container T1 after the punching blade 61 is operated. The pusher 67 is a bar-like member extending in the vertical direction, is inserted into a hole 64 formed in the support frame 62, is driven up and down by a pusher lift cylinder 66 provided on the upper surface of the support frame 62, and is below the punching blade 61. It can project to

  A blade receiving portion 56 that receives the punching blade 61 is attached to the support member 57 below the punching blade 61. The blade receiving portion 56 has the same frame shape as the punching blade 61. In the punching operation, the punching blade 61 descends with respect to the blade receiving portion 56 and punches the peripheral edge portion of the accommodation pocket T <b> 2 to form the blade receiving portion 56. Get into the groove. Further, the support member 57 is driven up and down by a blade receiving portion elevating cylinder 58, and the blade receiving portion 56 is moved up and down by the elevating drive.

  A plurality of tables 51 for supporting each storage pocket T2 of the tray container T1 is provided inside the support member 57 disposed below the punching blade 61. That is, in this embodiment, four tables 51 are provided along the transport direction, and four rows of tables 51 are provided in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. The table 51 in each row is fixed to the piston rod 53 of the table elevating cylinder 52 and is driven up and down independently of each other. The table elevating cylinder 52 is fixed on the base 54, and the piston rod 53 is inserted through a hole 59 formed in the support member 57. That is, the table 51 is driven up and down relatively with respect to the blade receiving portion 56 by the base lifting cylinder 55.

  The discharge device 50 (discharge means) has an endless toothed belt 41. The toothed belt 41 is wound around an upstream pulley 42 located on the cooling device 30 side, a downstream pulley 43 located on the transport conveyor 72 side, a drive pulley 44, an intermediate pulley 45, and an idler pulley 46. . The drive pulley 44 is driven to rotate by a servo motor 47, whereby the toothed belt 41 is rotated.

  A pair of toothed belts 41 are provided on both sides of the transport path with a gap wider than the width of the tray container T1 supplied. Engaging members 48 are bridged around the toothed belts 41. A plurality of engaging members 48 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt 41, and the interval between the adjacent engaging members 48 is set slightly wider than the length of the tray container T1 in the conveying direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the engaging member 48 has a pusher surface 48a and a support surface 48b. The pusher surface 48a abuts on the rear end of the divided tray container T4 that is about to be discharged to the transport conveyor 72, and is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the tray container T4. The support surface 48b supports the lower surface of the front end of the subsequent tray container T1 supplied from the cooling device 30. When the tray 48 T is discharged from the upstream pulley 42 toward the downstream pulley 43, It is located at substantially the same height as the transfer plate 39 provided between the cooling device 30 (see FIG. 2) and the punching device 40.

The operation of the punching device will be described with reference to FIG.
In the punching device 40, the tray container T1 is supplied from the cooling device 30 in a state where the filling material is stored in the plurality of storage pockets T2 and the upper surface is sealed with the sealing material S1. In the punching device 40, the tray container T1 is cut and divided into a predetermined number (six in this embodiment) and discharged downstream. In the following description, the most upstream table is the first table 51a, the second most upstream table is the second table 51b, the third most upstream table is the third table 51c, A table located on the downstream side is referred to as a fourth table 51d.

  FIG. 6A shows a standby state, and all the tables 51a to 51d are set at a supply position which is a relatively high position. This supply position is at the same height as the transfer plate 39 on the cooling device 30 side, and the tray container T1 is supplied onto the tables 51a to 51d at the supply position. The supply means for supplying the tray container T1 onto the table is constituted by a servo motor 36, a ball screw 37, a nut 38, and a sheet take-up roll 24. The tray container T1 is only pushed from the rear as the cooling device 30 moves. In addition, the sealing material S1 is wound up to be pulled to the table side and supplied onto the table.

  The blade receiving portion 56 is defined at a position where the upper surface thereof is the same height as the upper surface of the tray container T1. In the standby state, the pistons of the base lifting cylinder 55 (see FIG. 4) are in the protruding state, but the pistons of all the table lifting cylinders 52 are in the retracted state. Further, the piston of the blade receiving portion elevating cylinder 58 (see FIG. 4) is in a protruding state. On the other hand, the engaging member 48 stands by immediately downstream of the transfer plate 39. In this state, the punching blade 61 (see FIG. 4) is lowered, and the peripheral portion of the sealing material S1 and the storage pocket T2 of the tray container T1 is punched at the cutting line C (see FIG. 1). By this punching operation, six rectangular holes indicated by the cutting line C are formed in the sealing material S1, and the window frame-shaped uncut pieces (see FIG. 1) of the tray container T1 are formed around these holes. The symbol D) is left glued.

  Thereafter, the pistons of the blade receiving portion lifting cylinder 58 (see FIG. 4) and the base lifting cylinder 55 (see FIG. 4) are lowered to the retracted state. At the same time, the pusher 67 also descends and presses the upper surface of the divided tray container T4 downward to promote separation of the seal material S1 and the tray container T4. The stroke L1 of the blade receiving portion elevating cylinder 58 (see FIG. 4) is relatively large, and the stroke L2 of the base elevating cylinder 55 is relatively small (L1> L2). That is, after the punching operation, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the blade receiving portion 56 is also lowered together with the tables 51a to 51d, and the upper surface of the blade receiving portion 56 is set at substantially the same height position as the tables 51a to 51d. . This state is a state in which the engaging member 48 moves and the divided tray container T4 is discharged to the discharge device 70, and the tables 51a to 51d are at a relatively low discharge position. Further, in this state, the blade receiving portion 56 is located at a slightly lower height than the table 51, so that even if the engaging member 48 passes over the table 51, there is no interference.

  Next, the discharge operation of the divided tray container T4 is started. Before the discharge operation is started, as shown in FIG. 6B, the lower surface of the leading portion of the subsequent tray container T1 placed on the transfer plate 39 projects forward from the transfer plate 39, and the engaging member It is supported by 48 support surfaces 48b (see FIG. 5). A control device (not shown) grasps the position of the engaging member 48 from the signal of the servo motor 47. In the first stage of the discharging operation, the engaging member 48 passes over the first table 51a, and the first table 51a from which the tray container T4 has been discharged rises to the supply position (FIG. 6C). The rear end of the tray container T4 pushed by the pusher surface 48a of the engaging member 48 is placed on the second table 51b. At the same time, the succeeding tray container T1 is fed with the cooling device 30 serving as the supply means and the sheet winding. It is advanced by the operation of the take-up roll 24 and the transport chain, and is supplied to the first table 51a. That is, the succeeding tray container T1 is placed on the first table 51a, and its leading portion projects slightly downstream from the table 51a and is supported by the engaging member 48.

  Thus, the discharge operation of the tray container T4 from the punching device 40 is performed simultaneously with the supply operation of the tray container T1 in which the sheet take-up roll 24 and the cooling device 30 cooperate.

  In the second stage of the discharging operation, the engaging member 48 passes over the second table 51b and moves to above the downstream end of the third table 51c, and the second table 51b rises to the supply position. (FIG. 6D). As a result, the trailing end of the preceding tray container T4 is placed on the fourth table 51d, and the leading portion of the succeeding tray container T1 is supported by the engaging member 48 above the third table 51c. .

  In the third stage of the discharging operation, the engaging member 48 passes over the third table 51c and above the downstream end of the fourth table 51d, and the third table 51 rises to the supply position. (FIG. 6 (e)). Therefore, the trailing end of the preceding tray container T4 is positioned outside the fourth table 51d, and the leading portion of the succeeding tray container T1 is supported by the engaging member 48 above the fourth table 51d.

  In the fourth stage of the discharging operation, the engaging member 48 moves to a position corresponding to the downstream pulley 43, and the fourth table 51d moves up to the supply position (FIG. 6 (f)). In this state, all the preceding tray containers T4 are transferred onto the endless transfer conveyor 72, and the subsequent tray containers T1 are placed on the tables 51a to 51d. Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeated.

  A plurality of engaging members 48 are attached to the pair of endless toothed belts 41, and are provided with a gap wider than the length of the tray container T1. The engaging member 48 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 2 by the toothed belt 41, and is upstream of the tables 51a to 51d while the tray container T1 is conveyed by the cooling device 30, the sheet take-up roll 24, and the like. It moves from the start position located on the side to the end position located on the downstream side of each of the tables 51a to 51d. Then, the engaging member 48 passes through the end position and is returned to the start position again, and the above-described operation is repeated.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the subsequent tray container T1 can be supplied to the punching device 40 during the operation in which the tray container T4 cut and divided into a predetermined number is discharged in the punching device 40. Therefore, it is not necessary for the subsequent tray container T1 to wait on the upstream side of the punching device 40 as in the prior art, and the work efficiency is improved.

  In addition, the number of cutting and dividing the tray container T1 is not limited to 6, and can be appropriately changed according to the purpose.

24 Sheet winding roll 30 Cooling device 40 Punching device 41 Toothed belt 48 Engaging member 51 Table 61 Punching blade T1, T4 Tray container T2 Storage pocket

Claims (1)

A tray container cutting / discharging device having a plurality of storage pockets in which a filling material is stored, and a tray container supplied in a state where the upper surface is sealed with a sealing material is divided into a predetermined number and discharged downstream. ,
A plurality of tables that can be lifted and lowered independently from each other between a relatively high supply position and a relatively low discharge position;
Supply means for supplying a tray container onto the table at the supply position;
Cutting means for cutting and dividing the tray container placed on the table into a predetermined number;
A discharge means for discharging the tray containers divided into a predetermined number to the downstream by moving while engaging the engaging members on the tray containers on the table at the discharge position;
The engaging member has a pusher surface that contacts the rear end of the tray container on the table at the discharge position, and a support surface that supports the lower surface of the front end of the subsequent tray container,
The tray container cutting and discharging apparatus, wherein the table on which the engaging member passes and the tray container is discharged is raised to the supply position, and the subsequent tray container is supplied by the supply means.

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