JP6351386B2 - Liquid filling device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid filling apparatus.

  A liquid filling apparatus that automatically fills a container with a liquid at a predetermined position and automatically attaches a cap to an opening provided in the container is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. A conventional liquid filling apparatus of this type (so-called automatic liquid filling apparatus) conveys a container along a straight line and is sequentially provided with a liquid filling section and a cap mounting section.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-174096

  However, in the conventional liquid filling device (so-called automatic liquid filling device), the container is transported along the straight line and the liquid filling portion and the cap mounting portion are arranged in order, so that it is long linearly. It took an installation area.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid filling apparatus capable of reducing the installation area.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is a liquid filling apparatus that automatically fills a container with a liquid at a predetermined position, and rotates a container as a filling target around a predetermined vertical axis. It is configured to convey, a filling station is provided in the rotational conveyance path, the loading station for loading the container and the unloading station for unloading the container are arranged adjacent to each other, the container is square, and the vertical axis A rotary gripping mechanism that grips and rotates the corner of the container close to the top and bottom is provided , and the mounting table provided in the weighing device that measures the filling weight of the container excludes the corner gripped by the rotary gripping mechanism The region is configured to be supported from below .

According to the above configuration, since the container as the filling target is configured to be rotated and transported, the filling station is provided within a relatively small installation range as compared with the case of transporting the container along the linear transport path. It can be arranged well. In addition, since the carry-in station and the carry-out station are arranged adjacent to each other, the path length can be increased even when the rotary conveyance path is provided with a small radius, and various devices can be arranged without any trouble. Further, according to this configuration, since the corner portion of the container close to the vertical axis is gripped from above and below by the rotating gripping mechanism, for example, compared with a configuration in which the center portion of the container is gripped from above and below by the rotating gripping mechanism. Thus, the rotary gripping mechanism can be reduced in size, and the installation area of the liquid filling device can be reduced. Further, according to this configuration, the rotary gripping mechanism can be arranged without interfering with the mounting table, and the installation area of the liquid filling device can be made smaller while being able to measure well.

  Further, the present invention is configured such that a carry-in conveyor can be selected and connected to a carry-in station from a plurality of directions, and a carry-out conveyor can be connected to a carry-out station selected from a plurality of directions. It is characterized by. With this configuration, since the connection direction of the carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor can be selected and connected to the carry-in station and the carry-out station from a plurality of directions, there are many layouts that can be selected by changing the direction of the carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor. Become.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the rotary gripping mechanism includes a lifting device, a rotation driving device, and a gripping link mechanism that performs a gripping operation using a lifting operation by the lifting device. With this configuration, the liquid filling apparatus can be configured with a relatively simple structure. In this case, it is preferable that the elevating device and the rotation driving device are disposed above the height of the portion where the liquid is discharged. With this configuration, it is possible to minimize the risk that the discharged liquid is applied to the lifting device and the rotary drive device.

Further, the present invention is a liquid filling apparatus that automatically fills a container with a liquid at a predetermined position, and is configured to convey a container as a filling target by rotating around a predetermined longitudinal axis. , A filling station is provided in the rotation conveyance path, a loading station where the container is carried in and a carrying-out station where the container is carried out are arranged adjacent to each other, and a rotary gripping mechanism for gripping and rotating the container from above and below is provided. , the rotary transport path, automatically cap mounting station for mounting is provided a cap in the opening of the container, the cap mounting apparatus for mounting a cap, to rotate the cap in the circumferential direction as well as accommodating the cap in portrait While the storage and transport unit transports to a location near the mounting portion, and the rotating device that changes the orientation of the cap near the mounting portion by rotating from vertical to horizontal And a transfer device that transfers the cap that has been changed to the side to the upper side of the mounting location, and a mounting machine that mounts the cap that has been transferred to the upper side of the mounting location on the container. The passage for storing and transporting is disposed in a state of being inclined in the downward direction and extending in the lateral direction and folded back to the opposite side at the end portion, and the upper portion of the storage and transport portion is disposed with respect to the lower portion of the storage and transport portion. It is characterized by being removable . According to the configuration of this cap is to be conveyed while being rotated in portrait circumferentially, as compared with systems for conveying slide can prevent problems such as the cap is clogged. In addition, as a conventional method for attaching the cap, a method is also used in which the cap is stacked in the thickness direction and stored in the storage portion, and the lowermost cap is sent out and attached. In this case, the cap is stacked. The caps may be caught with each other, and the cap may not be satisfactorily dropped in the storage portion, and may be clogged, or the feeding of the lowermost cap may be poor. On the other hand, in the present invention, since the caps are conveyed while rotating in the circumferential direction, it is possible to prevent the caps from being caught to a minimum and to prevent clogging and poor feeding. Also, with this configuration, a large number of caps can be accommodated in a relatively small area as compared with the case where the passage for accommodating and transporting the cap has a shape of a long passage extending in the lateral direction while being inclined downward. . In addition, the weight of the cap on the upstream side is less likely to act on the cap on the downstream end, and the feeding failure of the cap on the lowermost (downstream end) is less likely to occur. Further, when the number of caps stored in the storage / conveying unit decreases, the filling operation is interrupted by removing the upper part of the storage / conveying unit from the lower part, replenishing the upper part with the cap, and attaching it to the lower part. The cap can be refilled without any trouble.

  Further, the cap rotation device of the present invention is characterized in that the cap is attracted by a magnet and rotated sideways. According to this configuration, the posture of the cap can be favorably changed with a relatively simple configuration.

  According to the present invention, since the container as the filling target is configured to be rotated and conveyed, the filling station and the like can be satisfactorily disposed in the installation range having a relatively small length. In addition, by arranging the carry-in station and the carry-out station next to each other, even when the rotary conveyance route is provided with a small radius, the route length can be increased, and various devices can be arranged without hindrance, As a result, the installation area | region of the said liquid filling apparatus can be made compact. In addition, since the connection direction of the carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor can be selected from a plurality of directions and connected to the carry-in station and the carry-out station, the layout of the carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor can be changed and selectable, Convenience is improved.

  Further, according to the present invention, the rotary gripping mechanism can be miniaturized by providing a rotary gripping mechanism that grips and rotates a corner of the container close to the vertical axis from above and below, in a rectangular shape. As a result, the installation area of the liquid filling apparatus can be reduced.

  Further, the rotary gripping mechanism is configured by supporting a region excluding the corners gripped by the rotary gripping mechanism from below by a mounting table provided in a weighing device that measures the filling weight of the container. While being able to arrange without interfering with the mounting table described above and being able to measure well, the installation area of the liquid filling device can be made smaller.

  In the present invention, the rotary gripping mechanism includes a lifting device, a rotating device, and a gripping link mechanism that performs a gripping operation using a lifting motion by the lifting device, thereby comparing the liquid filling device. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, in this case, by disposing the elevating device and the rotation driving device above the height of the portion where the liquid is discharged, the discharged liquid is applied to the elevating device and the rotation driving device. The fear can be minimized, and as a result, the reliability of the liquid filling apparatus can be improved.

  In addition, the cap mounting device for mounting the cap stores the cap vertically and conveys the cap to the vicinity of the mounting portion while rotating the cap in the circumferential direction, and the direction of the cap near the mounting portion in the vertical direction. By providing a rotation device that changes the direction by rotating from the side to the side, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as clogging when feeding the cap or causing a feeding failure, which also makes the liquid filling device reliable. Can be improved.

  In addition, the cap posture can be changed with a relatively simple configuration by attracting the cap with a magnet and rotating the cap sideways.

  In addition, a path for storing and transporting the cap in the storing and transporting portion of the cap mounting device is disposed in a relatively small area by extending in the lateral direction while being inclined downward and folded back to the opposite side at the end. In addition, a large number of caps can be accommodated, so that the installation area of the liquid filling apparatus can be reduced. Further, by making the upper part of the storage and transport part detachable with respect to the lower part of the storage and transport part, the replenishment work of the cap can be performed satisfactorily without interrupting the filling work, and the work efficiency is improved. improves.

It is a top view (plan view of a lower part) of a liquid filling device concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a top view (plan view of an upper part) of the liquid filling apparatus. (A) And (b) is the front view and top view of the container as a filling object by the liquid filling apparatus. It is front sectional drawing of the liquid filling apparatus. It is right side sectional drawing of the liquid filling apparatus. It is principal part right side sectional drawing of the liquid filling apparatus. It is principal part left side sectional drawing of the same liquid filling apparatus. It is a right view for demonstrating the rotation holding | grip mechanism of the liquid filling apparatus, and shows the state before holding the container. It is a right view for demonstrating the rotation holding | grip mechanism of the liquid filling apparatus, and the state which hold | gripped the container is shown. It is a right view for demonstrating the rotation holding | grip mechanism of the liquid filling apparatus, and the state which hold | gripped and lifted the container is shown. It is a top view of the turntable of the liquid filling apparatus. It is the principal part right side sectional drawing of the liquid filling apparatus, and has shown the state which draws in the container to the preliminary filling station. The principal part top view of the liquid filling apparatus shows a state where the container is drawn into the preliminary filling station. It is a front view of the cap mounting apparatus of the liquid filling apparatus. It is a top view of the cap mounting apparatus of the liquid filling apparatus. It is a principal part rear view of the cap mounting apparatus of the liquid filling apparatus. (A) And (b) is a side view of the cap mounting apparatus of the liquid filling apparatus, respectively. It is a top view of the liquid filling apparatus which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the liquid filling apparatus which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a liquid filling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the left and right directions are assumed to be the same direction as the left and right directions on the paper surface of FIG. 4 with the front facing the left side to the right side of the paper surface of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described as the front side (front side) and the right side as the rear side (back side).

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a liquid filling apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a preliminary filling station S1 that quickly fills a container Y with a large flow rate, and then a liquid with a large flow rate. The main filling station S2 for accurately filling while switching to a small flow rate, the cap attachment station S3 for automatically attaching the cap C to the filling opening of the container Y filled with liquid, and the filled container Y are carried out. The unloading station S4 is provided. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the container Y as a filling target to be filled with a liquid is a rectangular container composed of an 18-liter can (so-called one funnel).

  And it is comprised so that the container Y may be rotated and conveyed centering | focusing on the predetermined vertical axis | shaft O, and the preliminary filling station S1 is in the rotation conveyance path | route K formed in the circumferential direction centering | focusing on the predetermined vertical axis | shaft O. In addition, a filling station including the main filling station S2, a cap mounting station S3, and an unloading station S4 are provided. The preliminary filling station S1 is also used as a carry-in station where the container Y is carried into the rotary conveyance path K, and is disposed at a position adjacent to the carry-out station S4. In this embodiment, the liquid filling apparatus 1 has a substantially square shape in plan view, and as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 and the like, as the outer frame 2, a plurality of metal vertical frames 2a and horizontal frames are used. Although 2b is arrange | positioned, it is not restricted to this.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, etc., a preliminary filling station that is also used as a loading station at the right-side center (substantially center in the vertical direction) opening provided on the front surface of the outer frame 2. A location near S1 (a location on the near side) serves as a carry-in entrance 3 into which the container Y is carried. A carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 that receives containers Y from the carry-in conveyor 4 is disposed below the region between the carry-in port 3 and the preliminary filling station S1. The carry-in conveyor 4 is composed of a free roller conveyor or the like, and the containers Y with the caps C removed are sequentially carried into the carry-in conveyor 4. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the preliminary filling station S1 that is also used as a carry-in station has a portion near the left side on the bottom surface of the container Y introduced into the prefill station S1 at a position following the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5. And a second container receiving portion 19 for receiving the right side of the bottom surface of the container Y from below, and a bottom portion of the container Y carried into the preliminary filling station S1. A carry-in container third receiving portion 20 for receiving the back side surface is provided.

  Furthermore, carry-in guides 6 and 7 are arranged above both side portions of the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 so as to guide the container Y from the carry-in conveyor 4 from the position on the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 to the position of the preliminary filling station S1. Yes. In this way, the preliminary filling station S1 is connected to the carry-in conveyor 4 via the position on the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 (previous carry-in station S5). The carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 has a plurality of rollers arranged in sequence and is divided into left and right parts, and as shown in FIG. 5, each of them is inclined so that the preliminary filling station S1 side is slightly below. The container Y installed and placed on the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 is placed in a state in which it can move to the preliminary filling station S1 by its own weight.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the upper part of the carry-in entrance 3, the movement restriction of the containers Y carried in from the carry-in entrance 3 to the place on the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the pre-loading station S <b> 5). The carry-in restricting member 15 that performs holding is disposed in a state that can swing up and down. The carry-in restricting member 15 has a shape in which a front end portion 15a and a rear end portion 15b of a metal plate extending in the front-rear direction are bent downward, and the rocking member provided on the support member 13 fixed to the horizontal frame 2b. A front end portion 15a and a rear end portion 15b are supported so as to be swingable up and down around a moving shaft 14 (see FIGS. 4 and 7). The carry-in restricting member 15 is swung through a rocking link by a rocking air cylinder 17 attached to the horizontal frame 2b above the carry-in port 3 and has an inclined posture (a virtual line in FIG. ) And an inclined posture (indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 5 and 6) in which the rear end 15b side is downward. And when it is set as the inclination attitude | position which the front-end part 15a side of the carrying-in control member 15 becomes downward, the container Y contact | abuts to the front-end part 15a of the carrying-in control member 15, and the container Y is the location on the carrying-in auxiliary conveyor 5 front. The introduction into the carry-in station S5 is restricted. On the other hand, when the rear end portion 15b side of the carry-in restricting member 15 is inclined, the container Y comes into contact with the rear end portion 15b of the carry-in restricting member 15 and the container Y is introduced into the preliminary filling station S1. Is regulated.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 7, and the like, the container Y is unloaded at a position near the unloading station S <b> 4 (front position) at the left central opening provided in front of the outer frame 2. The carry-out port 8 Below the area between the carry-out port 8 and the carry-out station S4, a carry-out assist in which the vessel Y can be sent to a carry-out conveyor 9 such as a free roller conveyer that is sequentially carried out with the vessel Y placed thereon. A conveyor 10 is provided. Further, carry-out guides 11 and 12 are arranged above both sides of the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 so as to guide the container Y from the carry-out station S4 onto the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 satisfactorily. A carry-out conveyor 9 is connected to the carry-out station S4 via the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10. The carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 is composed of a plurality of rollers arranged in sequence (free roller conveyor), and the containers Y placed on the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 are sequentially moved to the carry-out conveyor 9 side by a carry-out device 85 described later. It is carried out.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 and the like, the liquid filling apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a rotary gripping mechanism 50 that rotates and conveys the container Y around the longitudinal axis O. The rotary gripping mechanism 50 is configured to grip and rotate the corner Y1 of the container Y close to the vertical axis O from above and below. The rotary gripping mechanism 50 is disposed along the vertical axis O, and is driven and supported by bearings 52 and 53 so as to be movable up and down and rotatable, and a substantially octagonal shape in plan view (not limited to this). Thus, the lower holding portion 55 (55a, 55b) is fixed to the lower portion of the drive rotating shaft 51 and holds the corner portion Y1 of the container Y from below and from both sides at three corner portions provided every 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. Are attached to the rotary table 54 (see FIG. 11), the up-and-down rotation support frame 56 rotatably disposed at a position above the rotary table 54 in the drive rotary shaft 51, and the up-and-down rotation support frame 56. The upper part of the corner Y1 of the container Y is pressed at the tip part, and the container Y is held in cooperation with the lower holding part 55. Container holding arm 5 And a connecting link 59 connected across the base end portion 57b of the container pressing arm 57 and the mounting frame 58 attached to the drive rotary shaft 51, and a lower biasing spring 60 for biasing the lifting / lowering support frame 56 downward. And a rotary drive device 64 composed of an air cylinder that rotates the drive rotary shaft 51, a rotary drive device 64, and the rotary drive device 64 are held via a shaft joint 61 such as an Oldham joint that absorbs the deviation of the shaft center. And an elevating device 63 composed of an air cylinder that elevates and lowers the holding frame 62. In this embodiment, the lifting / lowering support frame 56, the container pressing arm 57, the connecting link 59, and the mounting frame 58 constitute a grip link mechanism. Further, a lower position regulating roller 27 that can be brought into contact with the lifting / lowering rotation support frame 56 from below is attached via an attachment frame 25 and a support frame 26 attached to a part of the vertical frame 2a. Reference numeral 56 denotes a configuration in which the lower surface portion can be lowered only to a position where it comes into contact with the lower position regulating roller 27. Further, a contact bolt 65 protruding upward with its tip portion being adjustable is attached to a location near the center of the rotary table 54, and this contact bolt 65 is attached to the lifting / lowering support frame 56. It is arranged in a posture capable of coming into contact with the lower surface portion.

  And the raising / lowering apparatus 63 is attached to the upper end part of the outer frame 2, The rotation drive which is a part below the holding frame 62 attached below via the raising / lowering rod 63a of the raising / lowering apparatus 63 by the raising / lowering operation | movement of the raising / lowering apparatus 63. The device 64, the drive rotary shaft 51, the lifting / lowering support frame 56, the rotary table 54, and the like are configured to be lifted and lowered as a whole. Further, the rotary drive device 64 disposed immediately below the lift device 63 causes the lift rotary support frame 56, the rotary table 54, the container pressing arm 57 and the like as a whole around the drive rotary shaft 51 (vertical axis O). Rotated. Therefore, the elevating device 63 and the rotation driving device 64 are disposed above the height of the portion where the liquid is discharged.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, corresponding to each lower holding portion 55 of the rotary table 54, the container holding arm 57 is disposed so that the distal end portion is positioned above the lower holding portion 55. (That is, the container pressing arm 57 is also provided at three positions every 90 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction). Then, a substantially trapezoidal gripping auxiliary material 57a is attached to the distal end portion of the container pressing arm 57 so as to abut on and fit into a bowl-shaped portion (edge portion) on the upper surface of the corner Y1 of the container 1 from the inside. Yes.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 12, and 13, a retracting arm 31 that extends in the radial direction is attached to the lower end portion of the drive rotating shaft 51. The pull-in arm 31 is connected to a connecting link 33 that moves a pull-in lever 32 that moves the container Y placed on the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 to the pre-filling station S1 side. The pull-in lever 32 is supported by a support bracket 34 that supports the pull-in lever 32 so as to be rotatable about the horizontal axis, and is movable in the depth direction. It is possible to engage with the side from below. As the drive rotary shaft 51 rotates, the pull-in lever 32 engages with the container Y and pulls the container Y from the pre-loading station S5 to the preliminary filling station S1. The pull-in lever 32 maintains a standing posture when moving from the pre-loading station S5 side to the preliminary filling station S1 side, and draws the container Y well into the preliminary filling station S1, but from the preliminary filling station S1 side. When moving (retreating) to the front carry-in station S5 side, it is possible to tilt (rotate), and it is configured not to engage with the container Y and to move the container Y.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a part of the horizontal frame 2 b facing the carry-in port 3 in the outer frame 2 has a correct opening for filling the container Y to be loaded and the cap C to be attached. An opening position confirmation device 35 for confirming that it is set so as to be positioned is attached. As shown in FIG. 6, the opening position confirmation device 35 includes an upper surface detection unit 36 that can be moved up and down and can be brought into contact with the upper surface of the container Y, and can be moved up and down together with the upper surface detection unit 36. And an opening detecting portion 37 that can enter the Y filling opening. The tip (lower end) of the opening detection unit 37 has a detection terminal that can be moved up and down, and when the container Y is not set so that the opening for filling is in the correct position (in an erroneous setting state). In this case, the leading end of the opening detection unit 37 is in contact with the upper surface of the container Y, so that this erroneous setting state is detected, an alarm is issued or a warning is displayed, and the front end of the carry-in restricting member 15 is detected. The posture in which the portion 15b is lowered is maintained, and the movement of the container Y toward the front carry-in station S5 is restricted.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a pre-filling device 38 that fills the container Y with a liquid at a large flow rate is disposed above the pre-filling station S <b> 1. Then, when the container Y is carried into the preliminary filling station S1, the container Y is quickly filled with the liquid at a large flow rate. In this case, the liquid is quickly filled at a large flow rate for a predetermined time, for example, so as to be smaller than the target filling amount without being measured.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a metering device 40 is disposed below the main filling station S2, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the main filling station S2 is located above the main filling station S2. A device 41 is provided. The main filling station S2 is configured to accurately fill while measuring the weight of the container Y filled with the liquid and switching between a large flow rate and a small flow rate so that the filling amount reaches the target weight. .

Next, the gripping operation of the rotary gripping mechanism 50 will be described.
FIG. 8 shows a state in which the drive rotating shaft 51 and the holding frame 62 are lowered to the lower end position by the lifting device 63. In this state, the lower holding portion 55 of the rotary table 54 is separated from the lower surface of the container Y. Further, since the base end portion 57b of the container pressing arm 57 is located below the pivot portion 56a serving as a fulcrum of the container pressing arm 57, the distal end portion of the container pressing arm 57 (where the grip assisting material 57a is attached). Is opened upward.

  From this state, when the drive rotary shaft 51, the holding frame 62, and the like are raised by the lifting device 63, the lower holding portion 55 of the rotary table 54 comes into contact with the lower surface of the container Y as shown in FIG. Is supported from below by the lower holding portion 55. Further, since the base end portion 57b of the container pressing arm 57 moves upward as the drive rotating shaft 51 rises, the distal end portion of the container pressing arm 57 (where the gripping auxiliary material 57a is attached) is closed downward. Thus, the corner Y1 of the container 1 is gripped from above and below by the container pressing arm 57 and the lower holding portion 55 (see FIG. 11) of the rotary table 54. At this time, the contact bolt 65 contacts the lower surface portion of the lifting / lowering support frame 56.

  When the drive rotating shaft 51 and the holding frame 62 are further raised by the lifting device 63, the container Y is gripped from above and below by the container pressing arm 57 and the lower holding portion 55 of the rotary table 54, as shown in FIG. It is raised in the state. Then, with this height maintained, the rotary drive device 64 causes the drive rotary shaft 51, the rotary table 54, the container holding arm 57, etc. to be integrally rotated counterclockwise 90 as viewed in plan with the vertical axis O as the center. Rotated degrees. Thereafter, the drive rotary shaft 51, the rotary table 54, the holding frame 62, and the like are lowered by the lifting device 63. As a result, the container Y in the preliminary filling station S1 is transported to the full filling station S2, and the container Y in the full filling station S2 is transported to the cap mounting station S3, and the container Y in the cap mounting station S3. Is transported to the unloading station S4 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). At this time, the container Y is supplied from the third container receiving portion 20 that receives the surface near the bottom of the container commonly used in the preliminary filling station S1, the guide frames 42 and 44, and the holding frame 45 described later. Is also transported at a height above the carry-in container third receiving portion 20, the guide frames 42 and 44, the holding frame 45, and the like.

  Here, in the main filling station S2, the weighing device 40 is disposed as described above, and the container Y is placed on the weighing unit 40a of the weighing device 40. However, as shown in FIG. A state in which the entire bottom surface is not placed on the device 40, and the central region except the corner Y1 of the container Y and the corner Y2 on the opposite side opposite to the corner Y1 is supported from below. It is put on. In addition, a pair of “C” -shaped guide frames 42 are attached to the weighing unit 40 a of the weighing device 40 so that the placement posture of the container Y can be maintained satisfactorily. At the time of filling, since the rotary table 54 is also lowered together with the drive rotary shaft 51, the lower holding portion 55 of the rotary table 54 is also separated from the container Y, and the container Y is filled while being well measured (main filling). Is done.

  Similarly, a mounting table 43 on which the container Y is placed is also disposed at the cap mounting station S3, and a "C" -shaped guide frame 44 is placed on the mounting table 43 so that it can be withdrawn from the side. The container Y is mounted in a pair, and the container Y is not mounted on the mounting table 43, and the corner Y1 of the container Y and the diagonal line on the opposite side of the corner Y1. The portion of the central region excluding the corner portion Y2 is placed and sandwiched while being supported from below. However, a measuring device or the like is not provided at this location (cap mounting station S3), and is simply placed on the mounting table 43.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 7, and the like, the cap mounting station S <b> 3 is provided with a cap mounting device 70 that mounts a cap on a filled container. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, the cap mounting device 70 stores a large number of caps C in the vertical direction, and stores and transports the caps C to the vicinity of the mounting unit while rotating the caps C in the circumferential direction. The cap C that has been transported in the direction is changed by rotating from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and the rotation device 72, the transfer device 77 for transferring the cap C changed in the horizontal direction to above the mounting location, And a mounting machine 73 for mounting the cap C transferred to the upper side to the container Y.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the storage and conveyance unit 71 is disposed in a state in which a back surface 71 a and a space corresponding to the thickness dimension of the cap C are opened from the back surface 71 a, and are made of a transparent material. It has a so-called zigzag rolling rail 71c that extends while tilting left or right between the back surface 71a and the front surface 71b, and is bent at the end and extends to the opposite side. It is configured. That is, in the storage / conveying unit 71, a passage for storing and transporting the cap C is disposed in a state of being inclined in the downward direction and extending in the lateral direction and folded back to the opposite side at the end portion. While rotating on the rail 71c, it is conveyed to the vicinity of the rotating device 72. The upper part (replenishment storage transport part 71g) of the storage transport part 71 is detachable from the lower part of the storage transport part 71 (storage transport part main body 71f). As a result, when the number of caps C stored in the lower portion of the storage and conveyance unit 71 (storage and conveyance unit main body 71f) decreases, the replenishment storage and conveyance unit 71g above the storage and conveyance unit 71 is temporarily removed. Then, the cap C is replenished in the replenishment storage transport unit 71d, and the replenishment storage transport unit 71d is attached to the lower part of the storage transport unit 71 (storage transport unit main body 71f), thereby interrupting the filling operation including the cap C mounting operation. It is configured to be able to do without. An opening / closing body 78 capable of opening and closing a passage opening to the storage / conveying unit main body 71f is also provided on one side of the lower end portion of the replenishing / conveying / conveying unit 71g. It is comprised so that the cap C can be prevented from going out from the opening part for use.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 17, a front portion 71 b and a rear portion 71 a are opened at the location 71 h of the lowermost cap C of the storage and conveyance portion 71. Further, as shown in FIG. 17, as the rotation device 72, a rotation arm 74 that changes the cap C from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction while the lowermost cap C is adsorbed by a magnet, and the rotation arm 74. And a rotating air cylinder 72s that rotates the lens via a link portion. A magnet is attached to the back surface of the rotating arm 74, and the cap C that has been moved to a position facing the rotating arm 74 is magnetically attached to the rotating arm 74. Further, the turning arm 74 is provided with a curved portion 74a for preventing the next cap C from entering the lowermost position when the lowermost cap C of the storing and conveying unit 71 is moved. When the turning arm 74 returns to the original position, the next cap C is moved to the lowermost position and is attracted (magnetically attached) to the turning arm 74.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 17, the transfer device 77 of the cap mounting device 70 is mounted with a rotation device and a cap C placed sideways by the rotation arm 74 of the rotation device 72. A mounting portion 75 and an exit / retreat portion 76 formed of an air cylinder that pushes the cap C mounted on the cap mounting portion 75 together with the cap mounting portion 75 to a location above the mounting position of the cap C are provided. It has been. A mounting machine 73 having an air cylinder, an urging spring, and the like is disposed above the location where the cap mounting part 75 is pushed out by the retracting / retracting part 76. The mounting machine 73 removes the cap C from above. Then, the cap C is attached to the filling opening of the container Y by moving downward and pressing the cap mounting portion 75 in a state where the cap mounting portion 75 is retracted. It is configured to be worn.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in the upper part of the carry-out station S4, a cap attachment state confirmation device 80 for confirming that the cap C is attached to the carried-out container Y and the carry-out station S4 are carried out. An unloading device 85 for unloading the container Y to the unloading conveyor 9 side is provided. The cap mounting state confirmation device 80 includes an upper surface detection unit 81 that can be moved up and down and can be brought into contact with the upper surface portion of the container Y, and can be moved up and down together with the upper surface detection unit 81. And a cap detector 82 that can be inserted into the filling opening of the container Y when the is not attached. The tip (lower end) of the cap detection unit 82 has a detection terminal that can freely move up and down. When the cap C is not attached by mistake, the tip of the cap detection unit 82 contacts the cap C. By not touching, this unmounted state is detected, an alarm is issued or a warning is displayed, and the carrying-out operation of the container Y to the carry-out conveyor 9 by the carry-out device 85 is restricted.

  The unloading device 85 includes an abutment arm 86 that can be switched between a posture that abuts on the upper rear surface of the container Y and a posture that does not abut, and the abutment arm 86 from the location above the unloading station S4. 9 and an unloading air cylinder 87 that is moved to an upper portion of the unloading station 9. The container Y of the unloading station S4 is configured to be unloaded to the unloading conveyor 9 side.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the like, sequence operations such as an indicator 90 for instructing various operations and various air cylinders and detection sensors are performed on the outer frame 2 outside the unloading station S4. In this embodiment, various operations are performed by an air sequence using compressed air. For example, when the liquid to be filled has flammability, etc. Although it is possible to respond, it is not limited to this. Each station S1 to S5 is provided with a detection sensor for detecting the presence of the container Y. In this embodiment, the detection sensor is driven by air. However, the present invention is not limited to this. is not.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4 and the like, in the liquid filling apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the lower surface of the leg portion that forms the four corners of the outer frame 2 is switched between a rotatable state and a non-rotating state. A caster 95 having a possible vehicle portion is attached, and the entire liquid filling device 1 is configured to be movable by switching the vehicle portion provided on the caster 95 to a rotatable state.

  Moreover, in the above embodiment, in the liquid filling apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 disposed in the front carry-in station S5 connected to the preliminary filling station S1 moves back and forth the container Y. Although the case where it is arranged in the direction of flowing in the direction and the carry-in entrance 3 is at the position facing the front surface is described, it is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. A carry-in entrance 3 is provided near the front portion, and a carry-in auxiliary conveyor 5 can be arranged in a direction in which the container Y flows from the right side to the preliminary filling station S1. Correspondingly, the positions of the carry-in restricting member 15 and the retractable arm 31 are also changed correspondingly. In this case, the carry-in conveyor 4 is disposed so as to extend rightward with respect to the liquid filling device 1.

  Further, in the above embodiment, in the liquid filling apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 arranged at the position following the carry-out station S4 is arranged in the direction in which the container Y flows in the front-rear direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 19, the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 has a carry-out port 8 at a position near the front of the left side surface. While being provided, it is also possible to arrange the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 in a direction in which the container Y flows to the left from the place where the carry-out auxiliary conveyor 10 is provided. Correspondingly, the position of the carry-out device 85 is also changed accordingly. In this case, the carry-out conveyor 9 is disposed so as to extend to the left side with respect to the liquid filling device 1.

  In the above configuration, when the container Y is carried into the front carry-in station S5 from the carry-in conveyor 4, it is confirmed by the opening position confirmation device 35 that the opening of the container Y is set to be in the correct position. Thereafter, the container Y is carried into the preliminary filling station S1 by the pulling arm 31 or the like, and the liquid is filled at a large flow rate for a predetermined time. Next, the lowering operation by the elevating device 63 of the rotary gripping mechanism 50 is performed, and after the corner portion Y1 of the container Y is gripped from above and below by the container pressing arm 57 and the lower holding portion 55, the rotation by the rotational driving device 64 is performed. The driving operation is performed, and further, the ascending operation by the lifting device 63 of the rotary gripping mechanism 50 is performed, and the container Y is conveyed from the preliminary filling station S1 to the main filling station S2.

  The container Y transported to the main filling station S2 is accurately filled up to a specified weight while switching between a large flow rate and a small flow rate while the weight is measured by the weighing device 40. Then, the container Y is transported to the cap mounting station S3 and the cap C is mounted. After that, the container Y is transported to the unloading station S4 and it is confirmed that the cap C is mounted. Is done.

  According to the above configuration, since the container Y as a filling target is configured to rotate and be transported, compared to the case where the container Y is transported along the linear transport path, within a relatively small installation range, The preliminary filling station S1, the main filling station S2, the cap mounting station S3, and the unloading station S4 can be satisfactorily arranged. Further, by arranging the preliminary filling station S1 and the carry-out station S4 as the carry-in stations so as to be adjacent to each other, it is possible to increase the path length even when the rotary conveyance path K is provided with a small radius, The device can be arranged without any trouble. Thereby, even if the installation area | region of the said liquid filling apparatus 1 is made compact, it does not cause trouble, and it becomes possible to install the said liquid filling apparatus 1 favorably also to the installation area | region narrower than before.

  Moreover, according to the said structure, as shown in FIG.1, FIG.18, FIG.19, with respect to the preliminary filling station S1 as a carrying-in station, and the carrying-out station S4, the connection direction of the carrying-in conveyor 4 or the carrying-out conveyor 9 is several. Since it can be selected and connected from the direction, the orientation of the carry-in conveyor 4 and the carry-out conveyor 9 can be changed, and the number of layouts that can be selected increases, thereby improving convenience.

  Further, according to the above configuration, the corner portion Y1 of the container Y close to the vertical axis O is gripped and rotated by the rotary gripping mechanism 50 from above and below. Compared with the case where it is set as the structure hold | gripped from, etc., the rotation holding | grip mechanism 50 can be reduced in size, and it becomes possible to make the installation area | region of the liquid filling apparatus 1 small by extension.

  Further, according to the above configuration, since the mounting table 43 of the weighing device 40 that measures the filling weight of the container Y is configured to support the region excluding the corner portion Y1 gripped by the rotary gripping mechanism 50 from below, The rotary gripping mechanism 50 that grips the corner Y1 of the container Y can be arranged without interfering with the mounting table 43 of the weighing device 40, and the installation area of the liquid filling device 1 can be further reduced while being able to measure well. .

  In addition, according to the above configuration, the lifting / lowering support frame 56, the container holding arm 57, the connecting link 59, and the attachment frame 58 constitute the gripping link mechanism of the rotary gripping mechanism 50, and gripping is performed using the lifting / lowering operation of the lifting / lowering device 63. Since the operation is performed, the liquid filling apparatus 1 can be configured with a relatively simple structure. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the liquid filling apparatus 1 can be reduced. Further, in this case, since the lifting device 63 and the rotation driving device 64 are disposed above the height of the portion where the liquid is discharged, the discharged liquid is transferred to the lifting device 63 and the rotation driving device 64. It is possible to minimize the possibility of a failure due to this, thereby improving reliability.

  Further, according to the above configuration, the cap transporting device 71 for mounting the cap C stores the cap C in the vertical direction and transports the cap C to the vicinity of the mounting portion while rotating the cap C in the circumferential direction; A rotation device 72 is provided for changing the direction of the cap C in the vicinity of the mounting portion from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. According to this configuration, since the cap C is conveyed while being rotated in the circumferential direction in the vertical direction, it is possible to prevent problems such as the cap C being clogged with a feeding path or the like in the middle as compared with the method of conveying by sliding. In addition, as a conventional method of attaching the cap C, a method of storing the cap C in the storage portion in a state of being stacked in the thickness direction and sending out and attaching the lowermost cap is also used. In some cases, the stacked caps may be caught with each other, and the caps may be clogged without falling well in the storage part, or the feeding failure of the lowermost cap may be caused. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, since the cap C is conveyed while rotating in the circumferential direction, the caps C can be caught to a minimum, and clogging or feeding failure may occur. As a result, the reliability of the liquid filling apparatus 1 can be improved.

  Further, according to the above configuration, the cap C rotating device 72 attracts the cap C with the magnet and rotates it sideways, so that the posture of the cap C can be changed favorably with a relatively simple configuration. be able to.

  Further, according to the above configuration, the passage for storing and transporting the cap C in the storage and transport unit 71 of the cap mounting device 70 extends in the lateral direction while being inclined downward, and is arranged in a state of being folded back to the opposite side at the end. Has been. With this configuration, it is possible to store a large number of caps C in a relatively small area as compared with a case in which the passage for storing and transporting the cap C is formed into a long passage shape extending in the lateral direction while being inclined downward. . In addition, the weight of the cap C on the upstream side is less likely to act on the cap C on the downstream end, and the feeding failure of the lowermost (downstream end) cap C is less likely to occur. When the number of caps C stored in the storage and transport unit 71 decreases, the upper part of the storage and transport unit 71 is removed from the lower part, the cap C is added to the upper part, and the lower part is attached to the lower part. The cap C can be replenished without interruption, and the work efficiency is improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the container Y is a square container made of an 18-liter can (so-called “Ito Dou can”) has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a rectangular container having another capacity. Of course, it is possible to cope with the above.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Liquid filling apparatus 2 Outer frame 3 Carry-in port 4 Carry-in conveyor 5 Carry-in auxiliary conveyor 8 Carry-out port 9 Carry-out conveyor 10 Carry-out auxiliary conveyor 15 Carry-in restricting member 27 Lower position restricting roller 31 Pull-in arm 32 Pull-in lever 33 Connection link 35 Opening position Confirmation device 36 Upper surface detection unit 37 Opening detection unit 38 Preliminary filling device 40 Weighing device 41 Main filling device 42 Guide frame 44 Guide frame 45 Holding frame 50 Rotating gripping mechanism 51 Drive rotating shaft 54 Rotary table 55 Lower holding unit 56 Lifting and rotating support Frame 57 Container pressing arm 58 Mounting frame 59 Linking link 60 Lower urging spring 62 Holding frame 63 Lifting device 64 Rotating drive device 65 Contact bolt 70 Cap mounting device 71 Storage transport unit 72 Rotating device 73 Mounting device 77 Transfer device 80 Cap Wearing state confirmation device 81 Upper surface Intellectual portion 82 cap detecting unit 85 unloading device C cap K rotary transport path O Tatejikukokoro S1 prefill station S2 present filling station S3 cap fitting station S4 output station Y vessel

Claims (6)

A liquid filling device that automatically fills a container with liquid at a predetermined position,
A container as a filling target is configured to be conveyed around a predetermined vertical axis,
A filling station is installed in the rotary conveyance path
Arrange the loading station where the container is loaded and the loading station where the container is loaded next to each other,
The container has a square shape, and is provided with a rotary gripping mechanism that grips and rotates the corner of the container close to the vertical axis from above and below ,
A mounting table provided in a weighing device for weighing a filling weight into a container is configured to support an area excluding a corner gripped by the rotary gripping mechanism from below. Liquid filling device.   It is configured so that a carry-in conveyor can be selected by selecting from a plurality of directions with respect to the carry-in station, and a carry-out conveyor can be connected by selecting from a plurality of directions with respect to the carry-out station. 2. The liquid filling apparatus according to 1. The said rotary gripping mechanism is provided with the raising / lowering apparatus, the rotation drive device, and the link mechanism which performs a holding | grip operation | movement using the raising / lowering operation | movement by an raising / lowering apparatus, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Liquid filling device. 4. The liquid filling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the elevating device and the rotation driving device are disposed above a height of a portion from which the liquid is discharged. A liquid filling device that automatically fills a container with liquid at a predetermined position,
A container as a filling target is configured to be conveyed around a predetermined vertical axis,
A filling station is installed in the rotary conveyance path
Arrange the loading station where the container is loaded and the loading station where the container is loaded next to each other,
A rotary gripping mechanism for gripping and rotating the container from above and below is provided,
A cap mounting station that automatically mounts a cap on the opening of the container is provided in the rotational conveyance path,
The cap mounting device that mounts the cap stores the cap vertically and conveys the cap to the location near the mounting portion while rotating the cap in the circumferential direction, and the orientation of the cap near the mounting portion from the vertical orientation. A rotation device that changes the position by rotating it horizontally, a transfer device that transfers the horizontally changed cap to above the mounting location, and a mounting machine that mounts the cap transferred to the upper location on the mounting location on the container Is provided,
A passage for storing and transporting the cap in the storing and transporting portion is disposed in a state of being inclined in the downward direction and extending in the lateral direction and folded back to the opposite side at the end portion. A liquid filling apparatus, wherein the liquid filling apparatus is detachable with respect to a lower portion of the transport unit. 6. The liquid filling apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the rotating device rotates the sideways by attracting a cap with a magnet.

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