JP6429701B2 - The filling device for the storage container of the standing pouch. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filling device for storing a predetermined number of standing pouches in a container such as cardboard.

Standing pouches are widely used as refill bags for liquid shampoos and liquid detergents, as well as food containers such as cereals. It is characterized by being able to stand up and is widely spread all over the world.
Since the standing pouch is manufactured from a flexible material, the standing pouch has a characteristic that deformation or the like easily occurs due to pressing or movement of contents. For this reason, when a plurality of standing pouches are to be filled in a storage container such as cardboard, it may be difficult to arrange them in a balanced manner by deformation of the pouches. In particular, when a plurality of standing pouches are individually filled in a storage container, it is difficult to store them in a balanced manner.

As described above, since the standing pouch has a non-constant shape, there are various problems when filling a storage container such as cardboard.
In view of these circumstances, the following prior art has been disclosed regarding a method of packing a plurality of pouches on a cardboard or the like.

JP, 2000-229603, A The above-mentioned prior art is a pouch in which a multi-stage table is provided, and a predetermined number of standing pouches are pushed out and dropped sequentially to form a multi-stage pouch laminate, which is inserted into a packaging box at a time. It is a boxing method. This method is an excellent method for efficiently storing a standing pouch. However, it has been necessary to arrange it above the box for storing the conveyor and the like. Further, it was possible to consider other configurations for filling the storage container of such a standing pouch.

Accordingly, the present inventors newly studied a method of laminating a plurality of standing pouches in a plurality of stages and filling a predetermined cardboard or the like into a storage container.

As a result of intensive studies by the present inventors, it has been found that the following configuration is effective. That is, a plurality of standing pouches are sequentially conveyed by a conveyor device, a predetermined number of standing pouches are pushed out of the conveyor line and moved to a predetermined first area, the standing pouches are brought closer together, and further pressed to be By moving to two regions and providing a movable mechanism of a flat plate member that can be moved up and down in the second region, a stacked body of standing pouches in a plurality of stages can be adjusted. The plurality of standing pouches can be filled into a storage container such as a cardboard with the opening side directed by returning the flat plate member to the second region and then pressing the flat plate member.

That is, the first invention of the present application is
“1” a conveyor device that sequentially conveys a plurality of standing pouches in an aligned state in a predetermined direction;
2) a first extrusion mechanism that pushes the bottom of the predetermined number of standing pouches on the conveyor to the first region outside the conveyor line;
3) A squeezing mechanism for squeezing a predetermined number of standing pouches pushed into the first region;
4) a second extrusion mechanism for extruding the standing pouch after the width adjustment to a second region continuous with the first region;
5) A movable mechanism of a flat plate member capable of moving up and down between the second region and a predetermined position below the second region;
6) a third extrusion mechanism for extruding a standing pouch placed in the second region;
7) a storage container installation mechanism for storing the standing pouch extruded by the third extrusion mechanism;
A device for filling a storage container of a standing pouch comprising ".

Next, with respect to the container storage device for the standing pouch, it is preferable to provide a shutter mechanism that can be opened and closed so that the second region can be closed when the flat plate member is lowered.
That is, the second invention of the present application is
“The container storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter mechanism capable of opening and closing the second region when the flat plate member is lowered.”
It is.

It is the perspective view which showed the general shape of the standing pouch. It is the perspective schematic diagram which showed the whole structure of the 1st embodiment of this invention. It is the isometric view schematic diagram which showed the width adjustment process of the standing pouch in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is the isometric view schematic diagram which showed the 1st area | region of the 1st embodiment of this invention, the 2nd area | region, and its peripheral part. It is the isometric view schematic diagram which showed the movement until formation of the lamination | stacking state of the standing pouch in a 2nd area | region. It is the perspective schematic diagram which showed the state of the extrusion from the 1st area | region of a standing pouch to a 2nd area | region, and the extrusion from a 2nd area | region to a cardboard. It is the isometric view schematic diagram which showed the state after filling a storage container (cardboard) with a standing pouch.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyor 3 Partition plate 5 Comb-tooth board 11 1st frame board 13 Bending board 15 2nd frame board 21 Extrusion unit 23 1st board part (extrusion unit)
25 Second plate (extrusion unit)
31 Shutter 1A 1st area | region 2A 2nd area | region 1P 1st extrusion mechanism 2P 2nd extrusion mechanism 3P 3rd extrusion mechanism PA Width adjustment mechanism DB Cardboard (storage container)
SP Standing Pouch ST Shutter mechanism

Below, the 1st embodiment of this invention is described, referring drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following first embodiment.
-Overall configuration and configuration of each part-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a general shape of a standing pouch. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a step of shifting the standing pouch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the first region, the second region, and the periphery thereof in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the movement up to the formation of the stacked state of the standing pouches in the second region. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a state where the standing pouch is extruded from the first region to the second region and from the second region to the cardboard. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a state after a standing pouch is filled in a storage container (cardboard).

As shown in FIG. 2, the filling device for the storage container of the standing pouch SP according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a conveyor for transporting the standing pouch SP, and a predetermined number of standing pouch SPs in the first area 1A from the conveyor. A first extruding mechanism 1P for extruding, a width adjusting mechanism PA in the first area 1A, a second extruding mechanism 2P for extruding the width-adjusted standing pouch SP to the second area 2A, and the second area 2A A movable mechanism of a flat plate member capable of moving up and down between predetermined positions vertically below, a third extrusion mechanism 3P for extruding a standing pouch SP placed on the second region 2A, and an extrusion by the third extrusion mechanism 3P. And a storage container setting mechanism for storing the standing pouch SP.

The first region 1A is defined by the first frame plate 11 fixed to the marginal plate 13 as shown in FIG. The second region 2A is defined by the fixed first frame plate 11 and second frame plate 15. In addition, although the supporting member of each structure is not shown in FIG. 2, the member which supports each structure can be suitably set by a well-known method.
The standing pouch SP in the first embodiment of the present application is a pack bag made of a soft packaging material as shown in FIG. 1, and has a shape in which an opening is closed and a bottom is widened. The example shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a standing pouch SP, and various other shapes are possible.

In the first embodiment of the present application, a plurality of standing pouches SP are laid on the conveyor as shown in FIG. 2, and the vertical direction of the conveyor is in the vertical direction with respect to the traveling direction of the conveyor. It is placed in a vertical orientation. Further, the standing pouch SP is arranged so that the opening thereof faces the first region 1A described later, and the bottom thereof is arranged so as to face the first extrusion mechanism 1P.

A predetermined number (five) of partition plates 3 are provided at predetermined intervals on the conveyor to define the position of each standing pouch SP. Each of the standing pouches SP is arranged between the partition plates 3 so that each standing pouch SP is not in a completely laid state on the conveyor, but a body portion thereof with respect to the traveling direction of the conveyor. Is configured to take a slightly inclined angle. Further, the insertion of the standing pouch between the partition plates can be realized by a known method.

In addition, in this embodiment, although the planar conveyor actually moves and conveys the standing pouch SP, the conveyor in the present invention is set as a fixed state line, and a rail is provided on the line. The movable unit may move on the rail. That is, the movable unit may be of a type that holds a plurality of standing pouches SP and transports the rails on the rail.

Thus, the conveyor line in the present invention can be selected from various types as long as it is a type that can hold and transport a plurality of standing pouches SP in a predetermined direction, as well as a normal conveyor type.
Next, a first extrusion mechanism 1P that pushes a predetermined number of standing pouches SP from the conveyor line 1 to the first region 1A is provided. The first extrusion mechanism 1P in the first embodiment is configured such that the comb tooth plate 5 expands and contracts as shown in FIG. 2, and when the standing pouch SP arrives at a predetermined position on the conveyor, the comb tooth The board 5 has a configuration in which a plurality of standing pouches SP can be pressed from the bottom at a time. For expansion and contraction of the comb tooth plate 5, a known method such as an air cylinder method can be used. In the first embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the bottoms of four standing pouches SP are pressed at a time and pushed out to the first region 1A. However, it is needless to say that the first extrusion mechanism 1P is not limited to the configuration shown in the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the comb tooth plate 5 needs to operate in a state where the standing pouch SP is stationary. For this reason, the transfer of the standing pouch SP by the conveyor is intermittent.
The plurality of standing pouches SP are pushed out to the first region 1A by the first pushing mechanism 1P. As shown in FIG. 4, the first area 1A and the conveyor line 1 are close to each other so as to form a substantially identical plane, and a plurality of standing pouches SP are smoothly pushed out from the conveyor line 1 to the first area 1A. It is configured to be. Moreover, what is necessary is just to comprise 1A of 1st regions with a flat member. Various materials such as stainless steel and plastic can be used as the material. As shown in FIG. 2 or 4, the first region 1 </ b> A is defined at both ends by a frame plate 1 provided and fixed in a substantially vertical shape and a margin plate 13 described later. Since the standing pouch SP extruded to the first area 1A is pushed out to the first area 1A without the partition plate 3 on the conveyor, the standing pouch SP is disposed in a state of being slightly overlapped with each other. As shown in FIG. 3, when the squeezing plate 13 is pressed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 in the squeezing mechanism PA, the contact between the standing pouches SP increases, and the inclination angle of each standing pouch SP with respect to the horizontal plane increases. It will be in the state which goes to the substantially vertical direction, and the width alignment state will be completed.

The standing pouch SP that has reached the width-adjusted state is pushed out to the second region 2A by the second push-out mechanism while remaining in the width-adjusted state. That is, the second extrusion mechanism 2P pushes the bottom portion of the standing pouch SP while pushing the standing pouch SP while the marginal plate 13 is pressing the standing pouch SP, thereby moving the second pouch SP to the second region 2A. As shown in FIG. 4, the second area 2 </ b> A is continuous with the first area 1 </ b> A, and the first area 1 </ b> A is provided in a substantially vertical shape and fixed as shown in FIG. 2 or 4. Both ends of the plate 11 and the second frame plate 15 are defined. Moreover, it is comprised so that it may become substantially the same plane so that the movement of 1st area | region 1A-> 2nd area | region 2A can be implement | achieved smoothly.

Next, in the second region 2A, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped space is defined in the vertically downward direction, and a flat plate member (lift plate 33) is provided so that the flat plate member (lift plate 33) can move up and down in the space. ) Movable mechanism is provided.
Further, in the first embodiment, a shutter 31 that can be opened and closed by double opening is provided in the second region 2A. And when the said shutter 31 is an open state, the said flat plate member (elevating plate 33) is comprised so that the plane part on 2 A of 2nd areas may be formed in a raise state. In addition, when the flat plate member (lift plate 33) is in the lowered state, the shutter 31 can be closed, and in the closed state, the shutter itself forms a flat portion on the second region 2A.

The flat plate member (elevating plate 33) is provided with a separate movable mechanism (not shown) so that it can be moved up and down. A known mechanism can be used to open and close the shutter 31 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, a double-open type is shown, but a single-open type is also possible.

As will be described in detail later, as shown in FIG. 5, the second region is lowered by lowering the flat plate member (lift plate 33) while placing a plurality of standing pouches SP on the flat plate member (lift plate 33). A plurality of standing pouches SP extruded to 2A can be held in a space below the second region 2A. Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the present application, the upper shutter 31 is closed in this state, and the standing pouch SP is pushed out into the second region 2A by the second push-out mechanism 2P, and the lower surface of the shutter 31 in the closed state. By raising the plate-like body so that the upper end of the standing pouch SP on the flat plate member (elevating plate 33) is positioned until just before, opening the shutter 31, and raising the flat plate member (elevating plate 33) The standing pouch SP (the second layer) is placed on the upper portion of the flat plate member (the lifting plate 33) and is held in the space vertically below the second region 2A and is newly placed on the standing pouch SP (the first layer). Layer) can be further placed.

Thereby, a stacked body of two-layer standing pouch SP can be formed. Moreover, the said standing pouch SP laminated body can be arrange | positioned on the 2nd area | region 2A by making a flat plate member (elevating board 33) into a raise state.

In the first embodiment, the formation of the standing pouch laminate in the second region 2A using the shutter 31 is shown. However, when the shutter 31 is not used, the standing pouch SP of the first layer is used. The upper end portion is a flat portion on the second area 2A, and the standing pouch SP is pushed into the second area 2A by the second extruding mechanism 2P to form a laminate of two layers of the standing pouch SP. Can be formed.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a two-layer standing pouch laminate is shown, but a three-layer or more standing pouch laminate is formed by repeating the above-described up-and-down movement of the flat plate member (elevating plate 33) and the shutter opening / closing operation. Of course, it is also possible.
Next, a mechanism for extruding the plurality of standing pouches SP from the first region 1A to the second region 2A in the first embodiment will be described. Extrusion from the first region 1A to the second region 2A is realized by extrusion by the first plate portion 23 of the extrusion unit 21 in which a three-side plate-like body is formed in a U-shaped cross section as shown in FIGS. Is done.
As shown in FIG. 2, the extrusion unit 21 in the first embodiment includes a first plate portion 23 and a second plate portion 25, and a connecting plate that connects the first plate portion 23 and the second plate portion 25. Yes.
In addition, the movement of the extrusion unit 21 is realized by a movement driving device provided on the upper part of the connecting plate of the pressing unit. Although a specific configuration of these driving devices is not shown, a known mechanism may be adopted as appropriate.

For example, there is a mode in which the drive unit is configured such that the upper part between the first and second regions 2A can reciprocate, and the vertical movement in the vertical direction of the extruding unit 21 utilizes extension by an air cylinder or the like.
The extrusion unit 21 descends so as to cover the standing pouch SP in the first region 1 </ b> A inside the U-shaped plate-like body, and the first unit is within the interval between the first plate portion 23 and the second plate portion 25 of the extrusion unit 21. The standing pouch SP on the region 1A is placed. Next, when the extrusion unit 21 moves to the second region 2A side (corrugated cardboard DB side), the bottom surfaces of the plurality of standing pouches SP that are width-adjusted on the first region 1A come into contact with the inner surface of the first plate portion 23. As the extrusion unit 21 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, the plurality of standing pouches SP on the first area 1A are pushed out and moved to the second area 2A.

Next, a mechanism for pushing the plurality of standing pouches SP into the second region 2A → the storage container (cardboard DB) in the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the second plate portion 25 of the extrusion unit 21 is also a plate-like body that extrudes a plurality of standing pouches SP in the second region 2A to the storage container (cardboard DB) side. As shown in FIG. 6, the extruding unit 21 moves in the direction of the arrow to push the standing pouch SP in the first area 1A into the second area 2A, and at the same time, the second plate portion 25 is in the second area 2A. The standing pouch ST can be pressed in contact with the standing pouch ST, and the standing pouch SP in the second region 2A can be pushed out and moved to the storage container (cardboard DB) side.

As for the storage container in which the standing pouch SP is stored, the cardboard DB is disclosed in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, but it is needless to say that the cardboard is not limited. Moreover, the said corrugated cardboard DB is arrange | positioned in the substantially horizontal state with the opening part facing the extrusion unit 21 side so that it may become the extrusion destination of the 3rd extrusion mechanism 3P. FIG. 2 shows a state before the lid portion of the opening of the corrugated cardboard DB is bent, that is, a state in which the main body and the lid are in a straight corrugated cardboard DB. However, it is of course possible to use this apparatus.

For the installation of the cardboard DB, various known mechanisms are employed. In the present embodiment, after the corrugated cardboard DB with the opening directed toward the second region 2A is supplied and the standing pouch SP is stored, the corrugated cardboard is directed so that the opening faces upward as shown by the arrow in FIG. After the DB is rotated 90 degrees and the opening is positioned vertically upward, it is scheduled to move further in the horizontal direction and proceed to another process. In addition, new cardboard DBs before being filled with the standing pouch SP are sequentially supplied.

─Operation of standing pouch─
Next, the description of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below while following the movement of the standing pouch SP.
The standing pouch SP that can be used in the present invention can be in various forms. The type shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example. For example, a pour spout may be provided as long as it is a standing pouch containing liquid inside. In addition, every five partition plates 3 are installed on the conveyor at predetermined intervals. A total of four standing pouches are placed between the partition members in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the conveyor. The standing pouch is placed on the extrusion plate by the first extrusion mechanism 1P in the direction in which the bottom surface is directed, and is sequentially transported intermittently.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the plurality of standing pouches SP placed between the partition members reach the set position of the first extrusion mechanism 1P, the conveyor stops and the pusher of the first extrusion mechanism is actuated and extended to The standing pouch SP is moved from the conveyor line 1 to the first region 1A in such a manner that the tooth plate 5 presses the bottom surface of the standing pouch SP.

The first region 1A has substantially the same height as the conveyor line 1, and forms substantially the same plane as the conveyor surface. By the first extrusion mechanism 1P, the standing pouch SP slides from the conveyor line 1 and moves to the first region 1A.
Since the standing pouch SP that has reached the first area 1A is detached from the partition plate 3, it is placed in the first area 1A in a state where a part of side surfaces of the pouches overlap each other. The standing pouch SP is placed at a distance from the frame plate 1 and is arranged in a state of being slightly lying and overlapping each other. Next, the marginal plate 13 provided so as to extend substantially in parallel with the conveyor is extended. As the gap plate 13 presses the standing pouch SP and the distance between the first frame plate 11 and the width plate 13 becomes narrow, the contact between the standing pouches increases. Then, the inclination angle of each standing pouch SP with respect to the horizontal plane is increased, and the standing pouch SP is directed in a substantially vertical direction, thereby completing the width adjustment state.

Further, since the width alignment needs to be equal to the interval between the frame plate 1 and the frame plate 2 that defines the second region 2A, in the completed alignment state, The distance between the frame plate 2 and the frame plate 1 is configured to substantially match. Next, the extrusion unit 21 descends from the top in the state where the width alignment is completed, and the extrusion unit 21 descends to cover the standing pouch SP in the first region 1A inside the U-shaped plate-like body and extrudes. The standing pouch SP in the first region 1 </ b> A is disposed within the interval between the first plate portion 23 and the second plate portion 25 of the unit 21.
At the same time, in the second region 2A outside the second plate portion 25 of the extrusion unit, the standing pouch SP stacked in two layers in the previous step is disposed.

Next, when the pressing unit moves from the first region 1A to the second region 2A, the bottom surface of the standing pouch SP in the first region 1A comes into contact with the inner surface of the first plate portion 23 of the extrusion unit 21, and the extrusion unit 21 is moved. As it moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, the standing pouch SP is pushed out of the first area 1A and moved to the second area 2A.
At the same time, the outside of the second plate portion 25 of the extrusion unit 21 comes into contact with the two-layer standing pouch laminate in the second region 2A, and the laminate is extruded toward the cardboard DB side.

That is, the pushing unit 21 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 to push the standing pouch SP in the first area 1A into the second area 2A, and moves the standing pouch SP in the second area 2A into the cardboard DB. Can be made.

Next, the formation of a stacked layer of standing pouches in the second region 2A will be described. The stacked body of standing pouches is formed by the operation shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the frame plate 1 and the frame plate 2 are omitted for explanation.
First, as described above, the standing pouch SP is first pressed in contact with the first plate portion 23 of the extrusion unit 21 from the first region 1A in the second extrusion mechanism 2P, and is pushed out to the second region 2A. At this time, the shutter 31 is in the open state, and the elevating plate 33 forms the same plane as the shutter surface in the open state to form the second region 2A (FIG. 5- (1)).
Next, the elevating plate 33 starts to descend (FIG. 5- (2)). The elevating plate 33 continues to descend further, and when the upper surface of the placed standing pouch SP reaches below the second region 2A (FIG. 5- (3)), the shutter 31 is closed. At the same time, the upper end of the standing pouch SP on the lifting plate 33 rises to the vicinity of the lower surface of the shutter 31 and enters a standby state (FIG. 5- (4)).

With the standing pouch SP placed on the elevating plate 33 in the vertically lower part, the next standing pouch SP is newly placed on the upper portion of the shutter 31 from the first area 1A by the second extrusion mechanism 2P of the extrusion unit 21. Extruded to 2A (FIG. 5- (5)). The second standing pouch SP is placed on the second area 2A (FIG. 5- (6)). In this state, the shutter 31 is opened (FIG. 5- (7)), and a stacked body of two standing pouches SP, that is, a lower standing pouch SP and a second standing pouch is formed (FIG. 5- (8)). ). At the same time, the flat plate member (elevating plate 33) rises and the two-layer standing pouch laminate is arranged in the second region 2A (FIG. 5- (9)).

In the first embodiment, since the stacked body of the standing pouch SP filled in the cardboard DB is two layers, the second plate portion of the extrusion unit 21 as shown in FIG. The outside of 25 comes into contact with the standing pouch SP in the second area 2A, and the pushing unit 21 moves in the direction of the arrow, thereby moving the standing pouch SP in the second area 2A to the storage container (cardboard DB). be able to.

In this embodiment, the case of two stages is shown, but the lifting plate 33 is lowered from the two-stage state shown in FIG. 5 (9) to move the two-stage standing pouch SP to the lower part of the second region 2A. Then, the shutter 31 can be closed, and the third standing pouch SP can be moved to the second region 2A, and the shutter 31 can be opened to form a three-stage standing pouch. Furthermore, it is possible to form a stacked body of standing pouches having three or more stages by repeating the operation.

Claims (2)

A conveyor device for sequentially conveying a plurality of standing pouches in an aligned state in a predetermined direction;
A first extrusion mechanism for extruding a predetermined number of standing pouches on the conveyor to a first area outside the conveyor line by pressing the bottom thereof;
A squeeze mechanism for squeezing a predetermined number of standing pouches extruded into the first region;
A second extrusion mechanism for extruding the standing pouch after width adjustment to a second region continuous with the first region;
A movable mechanism of a flat plate member capable of moving up and down between the second region and a predetermined position below the second region;
A third extrusion mechanism for extruding a standing pouch placed in the second region;
A storage container installation mechanism for storing the standing pouch extruded by the third extrusion mechanism;
An apparatus for filling a storage container of a standing pouch, wherein the second extrusion mechanism and the third extrusion mechanism are implemented by a single extrusion unit .
  The filling device for a storage container of a standing pouch according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter mechanism capable of opening and closing the second region when the flat plate member is lowered.

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