JP6533448B2 - Cap supply device - Google Patents

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap supply apparatus having an extension nozzle disposed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, and more particularly to a cap supply apparatus including a foldable extension nozzle attached to an aerosol can top or the like.

  In capping where a drive cap with a nozzle is attached to an aerosol can, it is necessary to align the cap in the cap delivery device. For example, a cap is disposed in the pocket of the rotating pocket wheel, and the cap in the pocket is rotated by contact with the friction belt, and the engaging part provided on the cap is engaged with the stopper member provided on the pocket wheel There is known a method of aligning the orientation of the cap with the pocket wheel by fitting (Patent Document 1).

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 5-85593

  On the other hand, in a cap provided with a foldable extension nozzle, the extension nozzle extends downward from the side surface of the cap. Therefore, in a wheel type cap feeding apparatus for feeding a cap having a foldable extension nozzle to the capping head, it is necessary to place the cap on the cap disk so that the extension nozzle depends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the cap disk. In the same device, the direction of the cap on the cap disk can be aligned by engaging the extension nozzle with the stopper member of the cap disk. However, in such a cap supply device, when the cap is transferred to the cap disk or from the cap disk to the capping head, the contact of the stopper member and the extension nozzle may damage the extension nozzle. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide a cap supply device in which an extension nozzle provided in a cap is prevented from being damaged by a stopper member.

  The cap feeding device according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of chutes for transporting the caps whose extension nozzles are arranged on the outer peripheral surface in a single row, and a plurality of cap holding portions, takes out the caps from the chute at the takeout position, and receives the capping head at the delivery position. In correspondence with each of a plurality of cap holding means and cap rotating means engaged with a cap feeding means consisting of a rotating body for passing, a cap engaged with the cap conveyed by the cap feeding means and rotating the cap on the cap holding portion In a cap feeding device provided with an engaging member provided for engaging with the extension nozzle of the cap rotated by the cap rotation means to stop rotation of the cap, the cap supply means includes the extension nozzle of the cap being a rotating body The cap holding portion is positioned at the outer side of the outer peripheral surface and suspended downward. A projecting state where the engaging member is projected to the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to a position where it can be engaged with the extension nozzle, and a retracted state located closer to the rotating shaft of the rotating body than the projecting state. And the engaging member moving means keeps the engaging member in a projecting state at least while the cap rotating means rotates the cap, and until the cap holding portion moves to the delivery position. And the engaging member is in a retracted state.

  The engagement member moving means engages the extension nozzle suspended from the cap aligned behind the head of the chute by engaging the engagement member by switching the engagement member from the retracted state to the projecting state immediately before the taking-out position To prevent that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cap feeding device in which the extension nozzle provided in the cap is prevented from being damaged by the stopper member.

It is a top view showing arrangement of the whole capper which adopts the cap supply device which is one embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the relationship between a cap supply apparatus and a chute. It is a partially expanded arrow line view seen from the arrow A direction of FIG. It is the arrow line view seen from the arrow B direction of FIG. 2 which shows the condition which delivers a cap from a cap supply apparatus to a custard wheel. FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of the periphery of the picker as viewed from the outer side in the radial direction. It is a top view of a picker peripheral part. FIG. 6B is a side sectional view of FIG. 6A as viewed in the direction of arrow C.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the entire capper employing a cap supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The entire configuration of the capper of the present embodiment and the overall flow of the capping operation will be described with reference to FIG.

  The cap supply device 10 is configured of two upper and lower stages, and receives the filled aerosol can V from a supply conveyor 12 such as a chain conveyor at the lower stage. On the other hand, in the upper stage, the cap CP is received from the chute 14 at the cap removal position P1. The aerosol can V and the cap CP are rotationally conveyed by the cap supply device 10 (counterclockwise in FIG. 1), and delivered to the custard wheel 16 at the delivery position P2. The custard wheel 16 rotationally conveys the received aerosol can V and cap CP toward the discharge star wheel 18. During this time, the custard wheel 16 rotates the aerosol can V so that the aerosol can V is in a predetermined direction with respect to the cap CP, and attaches the cap CP to the top of the aligned aerosol can V. In addition, adjustment of the direction of the aerosol can V is performed by, for example, photographing the joint Vs of the side surface of the aerosol can V by the camera 20.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a series of operations from the reception of the cap CP from the chute 14 in the cap supply device 10 to the delivery to the custard wheel 16 will be described. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the relationship between the cap supply device 10 and the chute 14. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. FIG. 4 is a view as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2 showing a situation where the cap CP is delivered from the cap supply device 10 to the custard wheel 16.

  The cap CP includes a foldable extension nozzle Cn, which is folded and suspended along the side of the cap CP. The caps CP are aligned in a row on the chute 14, and each cap CP hangs the extension nozzle Cn from one side (the left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the chute 14. The discharge port (downstream end) of the chute 14 is located immediately above the outer periphery of the cap disk (rotary body) 22 of the cap supply device 10 on which the cap CP is placed and transported, and the chute 14 faces the cap disk 22 Are placed in an inclined state. That is, the cap CP slides down the chute 14 and is sequentially supplied onto the cap disc 22 along the rotational direction of the cap disc 22.

  Pickers (cap holding portions) 24 are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the upper surface 22P of the cap disk 22. As described later, the picker 24 can be in a projecting state projecting from the upper surface of the cap disc 22 and a retracted state accommodated in the cap disc 22. The picker 24 is in the projecting state at the takeout position P1. The cap CP supplied in an inclined state from the chute 14 has its front edge engaged with the front edge of the picker 24 moving integrally with the cap disk 22 and pulled out of the chute 14. The picker 24 protruding from the upper surface 22P of the cap disk 22 fits on the inner peripheral surface of the received cap CP, and holds the position of the cap CP on the cap disk 22.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the chute 14, the cap CP is supported by the side guide 14G on both sides thereof. Further, a leaf spring 14S is provided at the lower end portion of the chute 14, and the top surface of the cap CP is suppressed. Thereby, the operation of taking out the cap CP from the chute 14 by the picker 24 is made more reliable.

  The extension nozzle Cn of the cap CP delivered to the cap disk 22 is located outside the outer periphery of the cap disk 22 and hangs down along the outer peripheral surface of the cap supply device 10. A brake plate 26 is disposed downstream of the takeout position P1 as shown in FIG. The brake plate 26 contacts the side surface of the cap CP on the cap disk 22, and the frictional force rotates the cap CP around the picker 24 (clockwise in FIG. 2).

  The cap supply device 10 is provided with an engagement pin (engagement member) 28 which can be advanced and retracted in the radial direction of the cap disk 22 for each picker 24. The engagement pin 28 is protruded from the outer peripheral surface of the cap feeding device 10 and engaged with the extension nozzle Cn of the cap CP which is rotated around the picker 24 by the brake plate 26 to stop the rotation of the cap CP. The direction of the CP is aligned radially outward with respect to the cap disk 22.

  The engagement pin 28 is in a retracted state retracted toward the rotation shaft side of the cap disc 22 to the pin projecting position Q1 immediately before the corresponding picker 24 reaches the take-out position P1, and protrudes radially outward at the pin projecting position Q1. And it is in the protruding state. Thereafter, the engagement pin 28 is maintained in the projecting state until it reaches the pin retraction position Q2 immediately before the delivery position P2, and is retracted again at the pin retraction position Q2 to be in the retraction state. That is, the engagement pin 28 is in the projecting state while moving from the pin projecting position Q1 to the pin retracted position Q2, and is in the retracted state while moving from the pin retracted position Q2 to the pin projecting position Q1. In addition, the locus | trajectory T of the engagement pin 28 is shown by FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the picker 24, ie, the cap CP reaches the delivery position P 2, the cap CP on the cap disk 22 is gripped by the pair of chuck arms 32 provided on the capping head 30 of the custard wheel 16. It is delivered to the custard wheel 16. In FIG. 4, the open state of the chuck arm 32 is shown by a solid line, and the closed state is shown by a broken line. Although the position of the engagement pin 28 in the projecting state is shown by a broken line in FIG. 4, the engagement pin 28 is actually in the retracted state at the delivery position P2.

  The aerosol can V is shown in FIG. 4 as being transferred to the rotating plate 16P of the custard wheel 16. Container stands 34 are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating plate 16P, and the aerosol cans V are placed on the container stands 34, respectively. The rotating plate 16 P is rotated about the center of the capraster wheel 16 in synchronization with the capping head 30. The container stand 34 is rotatable relative to the rotating plate 16P using a drive train 34G. The aerosol can V can be rotated to a desired direction by rotation of the container table 34, and after the direction is aligned in a predetermined direction based on the image of the camera 20 (see FIG. 1), the capping head 30 It is worn on the top of the head. That is, capping is performed with the custard wheel 16 with the direction of the cap CP and the direction of the aerosol can V aligned, and the extension nozzle Cn is disposed at a predetermined position on the side surface of the aerosol can V.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, the configuration of the drive mechanism for setting the picker 24 and the engagement pin 28 in the protruding state / retracting state in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of the periphery of the picker 24 as viewed from the outside in the radial direction, and FIG. 5 (a) shows a projecting state and FIG. 5 (b) shows a retracted state. 6 is a plan view of the periphery of the picker 24. FIG. 6 (a) shows a projecting state, and FIG. 6 (b) shows a retracted state. FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of FIG. 6A as viewed in the direction of arrow C. As shown in FIG.

  The bottom surface of the picker 24 is held by the base plate 24B, and the base plate 24B is pivotally supported by the rotation shaft 24A at the end on the rotation direction front edge side of the cap disk 22. The base plate 24B is biased downward by a spring 24S interposed between the base plate 24B and the upper surface 22P of the cap disk 22. The rotation shaft 24A is disposed substantially in parallel to the radial direction passing through the approximate center of the picker 24.

  The base plate 24B includes a roller 24R, and the roller 24R is pressed against the upper end of the cam plate 40 disposed along the outer periphery of the cap supply device 10 by the biasing force of the spring 24S. That is, when the cap disk 22 rotates, the roller 24R moves on the cam plate 40. The height of the cam plate 40 is high in the sections Q1 to Q2 corresponding to the projecting state, and is low in the sections Q2 to Q1 corresponding to the retracted state. That is, in the sections Q1 and Q2, the roller 24R is pushed up by the cam plate 40, and the base plate 24B pivots upward, and the picker 24 protrudes from the upper surface 22P of the cap disk 22. On the other hand, in the sections Q2 to Q1, the roller 24R is pushed down by the biasing force of the spring 24S, and the base plate 24B is rotated downward, so that the picker 24 is retracted and accommodated in the cap disk 22. In FIG. 5 (a), the position of the upper end of the cam plate 40 at the low position is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and in FIG. 5 (b), the position of the upper end of the cam plate 40 at a high position is indicated by a two-dot chain line. Be

  The engagement pin 28 is provided at the tip of the arm 28B, and the arm 28B is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft 28A provided perpendicularly to the picker 24. A pin 28P is provided at a proximal end of the arm 28B, and one end of a tension spring 28S is attached. The other end of the spring 28S is attached to a pin 24P provided at the end (end on the rear edge side in the rotational direction) opposite to the rotation axis 24A of the base plate 24B of the picker 24. That is, the base end (pin 28P) of the arm 28B is biased toward the rear end (pin 24P) of the base plate 24B, and the tip of the arm 28B has the diameter of the cap disk 22 with the rotation shaft 28A as a fulcrum. It is rotationally biased toward the outside in the direction.

  A roller 28R having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis 28A is provided at the tip of the arm 28B. The roller 28R is biased toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral cover 42 of the cap supply device 10 by a spring 28S. The outer circumferential cover 42 is provided with a notch (or opening) 42C (see FIG. 7) extending along the circumferential direction at a position corresponding to the roller 28R in the sections Q1 to Q2 in which the engagement pin 28 is in a projecting state. .

  In the sections Q2 to Q1 in which the engagement pin 28 is in the retracted state, the roller 28R is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral cover 42 by the biasing force of the spring 28S as shown in FIG. Travel on the top. On the other hand, in the sections Q1 and Q2 in which the engagement pin 28 is in the protruding state, the roller 28R does not contact the outer peripheral cover 42 due to the presence of the notch 42C, and the tip of the arm 28B, that is, the engagement pin 28 moves radially outward It is pushed out.

  In the sections Q1 and Q2 in which the engagement pin 28 is in the protruding state, the engagement pin 28 protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cap supply device 10, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 7. The engagement pin 28 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the cap feeding device 10 engages with the extension nozzle Cn of the cap CP rotating around the picker 24 to stop the rotation of the cap CP and align the cap CP in a predetermined direction. .

  Further, since the engagement pin 28 is in the retracted state up to a position Q1 (a pin projecting position, see FIG. 2) immediately before the take-out position P1 of the cap CP, the engagement pin 28 stands by on the chute 14 Damage to the extension nozzle Cn in contact with it is prevented. For example, in FIG. 3, the extension nozzle Cn of the second cap CP from the lower end of the chute 14 reaches a position lower than the trajectory T of the engagement pin 28. Therefore, if the engagement pin 28 is projected, the extension pin Cn may be in contact with the extension nozzle Cn to cause damage. However, in the present embodiment, the engagement pin 28 does not contact the extension nozzle Cn of the second cap CP from the lower end of the chute 14 because the engagement pin 28 is in the retracted state just before the take-out position P1. .

  Further, in the present embodiment, the cap CP in which the engagement pin 28 is held by the capping head 30 is in order to put the engagement pin 28 in the retracted state at the position Q2 just before the delivery position P2 (pin retraction position; see FIG. 2). There is no possibility of touching and damaging the extension nozzle Cn (see FIG. 4).

  That is, the switching between the projection state / retraction state of the engagement pin 28 is performed on the upstream side of the switching between the projection state / retraction state of the picker 24. The engagement pin is in a projecting state at least while the cap CP is in contact with the brake plate 26 and is rotated. Further, the projecting / retracting state of the picker 24 and the engagement pin 28 is adjusted by the height of the cam plate 40 and the formation position of the notch 42C in the circumferential direction.

  As described above, according to the cap supply device of the present embodiment, the extension nozzle provided in the cap is prevented from being damaged by the stopper member such as the engagement pin.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 cap supply apparatus 12 supply conveyor 14 chute 16 capaster wheel 16P rotating plate 18 discharge star wheel 20 camera 22 cap disc (rotary body)
24 Picker (Cap holding part)
24A rotary shaft 24B base plate 24P pin 24R roller 24S spring 26 brake plate 28 engagement pin (engagement member)
28A Rotary shaft 28B Arm 28P pin 28R Roller 28S Spring 30 Capping head 32 Chuck arm 34 Container stand 34G Drive row 40 Cam plate 42 Outer peripheral cover 42C Notch Cn Extended jet nozzle CP Cap P1 Take-out position P2 Delivery position Q1 Pin protrusion position Q2 Pin Evacuation position V aerosol can Vs joint

Claims (2)

A chute for conveying, in a line, caps having extension nozzles arranged on the outer peripheral surface;
Cap supply means comprising a plurality of cap holding parts, and taking out the cap from the chute at the take-out position and delivering it to the capping head at the delivery position;
Cap rotating means engaged with the cap conveyed by the cap supply means to rotate the cap on the cap holding portion;
And an engaging member provided corresponding to each of the plurality of cap holding parts and engaged with the extension nozzle of the cap rotated by the cap rotating means to stop the rotation of the cap. ,
The cap supply means holds the cap by the cap holding portion in a state where the extension nozzle of the cap is located outside the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body and hangs down.
A projecting state in which the engaging member is projected to the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to a position where it can be engaged with the extension nozzle, and a retracted state in which the engaging member is positioned closer to the rotary shaft of the rotating body than the projecting state. An engaging member moving means for switching to
The engagement member moving means causes the engagement member to be in a projecting state at least while the cap rotating means rotates the cap, and the engagement is performed until the cap holding portion moves to the delivery position. A cap supply device characterized in that a member is in a retracted state.   The engagement member moving means engages the extension nozzle suspended from a cap aligned behind the leading end of the chute by switching the engagement member from the retracted state to the projecting state immediately before the taking-out position. The cap feeding device according to claim 1, which prevents engagement with the member.

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