JP6596643B2 - Container transfer device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a container transport device for transporting containers such as PET bottles and preforms which are preformed products thereof, and more particularly to a container transport device capable of transporting containers at high speed.

  Inspection of containers such as PET bottles and preforms is performed by an inspection device that images the appearance of the container with an imaging device. In recent years, the conveyance speed of containers has been increasing. Accordingly, high-speed operation is also required for container inspection devices. The containers that have reached the inspection device are guided to the stirrer star wheel by the inlet guide and are taken into the inspection device one by one by the plurality of claws of the stirrer star wheel.

JP 2008-297083 A

  However, when the container is transported at a high speed, the posture of the container reaching the inspection apparatus becomes unstable. As a result, the stir star wheel that takes the container into the inspection apparatus may bite the container. If the container bites, it will damage the biting star wheel and the inlet guide.

  Also, there is an operation for removing the bitten container, and production is stopped while the operation is being performed. Furthermore, the container needs to flow through the bypass line. As a result, the production yield decreases, and operations such as re-inspection of containers occur. In addition to this, the bitten containers are damaged, such as scratches, and must be disposed of.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses an apparatus that includes an opening / closing member that can open an end portion of an inlet guide. According to this apparatus, when the object to be conveyed (workpiece) comes into contact with the star wheel (rotary table), the opening / closing member is pushed by the object to be opened and the object to be conveyed is not caused to be caught. Is sent to the star wheel. When the conveyed object is sent to the star wheel, the opening / closing member is returned to the original position by the spring.

  However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when a large number of objects to be conveyed are conveyed at high speed and at short intervals, the next object to be conveyed reaches the opening / closing member before the opening / closing member returns to the original position. Therefore, the next conveyed object cannot be sent to the star wheel.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container transport device that can transport a container at high speed without biting the container.

In order to achieve the above-described object, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a rotatable support member, a rotatable rotation with the support member, and a direction away from the rotation center of the support member and the rotation center are approached. Fixed to the support member, a plurality of movable members movable in a direction and capable of contacting the container, a plurality of urging means for urging the plurality of movable members in directions away from the rotation center , and A plurality of support shafts are provided, and the plurality of movable members are rotatably supported by the plurality of support shafts, respectively, and one end of each movable member is rotatably supported by the corresponding support shaft. The other end of the movable member is in contact with a support shaft that supports the adjacent movable member .

  According to the present invention, when the movable member is about to bite the container, the movable member escapes toward the inside of the support member, so that the bite of the container does not occur. As a result, stopping the production of the container is avoided, and the work of flowing the container to the bypass line is also unnecessary. In addition, damage to the container itself and damage to the components of the container transport device (for example, an inlet guide) due to the biting of the container can be prevented. Furthermore, when each movable member comes into contact with the container and one movable member escapes and prevents one container from being bitten, the next object to be conveyed can be conveyed by another movable member. The container can be conveyed at high speed without biting the container.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the container inspection apparatus provided with the container conveyance apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows a stir-in star wheel. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 2. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of a stirring star wheel. It is an enlarged view which shows the movable nail | claw of a stirring star wheel. It is a figure which shows a mode that a movable nail | claw displaces against the force of a spring. It is a figure which shows a mode that a movable nail | claw escapes inside a support member, when a preform is pinched | interposed between a movable claw and an entrance guide.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, a preform is used as a container. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and the present invention can be applied to other containers such as a plastic bottle.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a container inspection apparatus provided with a container transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the container inspection apparatus includes a container conveyance device 2 for conveying a preform 1 which is an example of a container, and an inspection unit 3 for inspecting the preform 1 conveyed by the container conveyance device 2. I have. The container transport device 2 is connected to the chute rail 4. The upstream portion of the chute rail 4 is inclined, and the preform 1 is slid on the chute rail 4 in a state where the support ring formed on the neck portion is supported by the chute rail 4. It is conveyed to. The downstream portion of the chute rail 4 is horizontal, and the preform 1 at the downstream portion proceeds on the chute rail 4 by receiving an airflow from an air blower (not shown).

  The container transport device 2 includes an inlet guide 7 connected to the chute rail 4, a stir-in star wheel 10 that feeds the preform 1 that has entered the entrance guide 7 one by one at a predetermined interval, and the preform 1 from the stir-in star wheel 10. A transfer star wheel 12 for receiving and transferring the preform 1; a main rotor 13 for transferring the preform 1 in a state in which the mouth of the preform 1 delivered from the transfer star wheel 12 is vacuum-adsorbed by the suction head; An exit star wheel 20 for transferring the preform 1 from the main rotor 13 to the exit chute 21 is provided.

  The preform 1 is transferred through the chute rail 4 to the inlet guide 7 of the container inspection device. The preform 1 that has entered the entrance guide 7 is aligned at a predetermined interval by the stir-in star wheel 10 and is fed by the stir-in star wheel 10 along the entrance guide 7. The preform 1 is transferred from the stir-in star wheel 10 to the transfer star wheel 12, and further transferred from the transfer star wheel 12 to the main rotor 13.

  The inspection unit 3 images the preform 1 held on the main rotor 13 and inspects its appearance. More specifically, the preform 1 is illuminated by the illuminator 16 while the preform 1 held by the main rotor 13 is rotated by the rotation timing belt 15. In this state, the preform 1 is illuminated by the illuminator 16. The appearance of the preform 1 is inspected by imaging with the imaging means 17 such as a camera from the opposite side.

  The preform 1 after inspection is transferred to the outlet chute 21 by the outlet star wheel 20. The normal preform is sucked and held by the outlet star wheel 20 and transferred to the outlet chute 21, but the defective preform is released from the sucking and holding by the outlet star wheel 20 at the position of the defective product discharge chute 22 and discharged defective products. It is discharged through the chute 22.

  2 is a top view showing the stir-in star wheel 10, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. The stirring star wheel 10 includes a rotatable support member 30, a plurality of movable claws (movable members) 33 arranged at equal intervals around the rotation center O of the support member 30, and the plurality of movable claws 33. And a plurality of springs 40 as a plurality of urging means for urging outwardly. In the present embodiment, the support member 30 includes an upper support member 30A and a lower support member 30B. The downstream portion of the inlet guide 7 extends along the peripheral edge of the stir-up star wheel 10.

  The upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B are disposed to face each other and have substantially the same shape. The upper support member 30 </ b> A and the lower support member 30 </ b> B are fixed to the rotation shaft 41, and rotate together with the rotation shaft 41. Therefore, the rotation center O of the upper support member 30 </ b> A and the lower support member 30 </ b> B is located on the rotation shaft 41.

  The plurality of movable claws 33 are disposed between the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B. A plurality of support shafts 45 arranged around the rotation center O are fixed to the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B. The support shafts 45 may be arranged at equal intervals around the rotation center O. The upper end of each support shaft 45 is fixed to the upper support member 30A, and the lower end of each support shaft 45 is fixed to the lower support member 30B. Each movable claw 33 is rotatably supported on each support shaft 45. The extending direction of the support shaft 45 is perpendicular to the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B (that is, parallel to the extending direction of the rotation shaft 41).

  With such a configuration, the movable claw 33 can move in a direction away from the rotation center O of the support members 30A and 30B and a direction approaching the rotation center O. The spring holder 49 is fixed to the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B (see FIG. 3). The spring 40 held by the spring holder 49 urges the movable claw 33 in a direction away from the rotation center O.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the movable claw 33 contacts the preform 1 entering the inlet guide 7 while rotating around the rotation center O integrally with the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B. 1 is separated one by one and the preform 1 is transferred along the inlet guide 7.

  FIG. 5 is a top view showing the internal structure of the bite star wheel 10. In FIG. 5, the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B are not shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of movable claws 33 are arranged around the rotation center O at equal intervals. One end of the spring 40 is connected to a spring stopper 48 fixed to each movable claw 33, and the other end of the spring 40 is held by a spring holder 49.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the same number of springs 40 as the number of movable claws 33 are provided, and the springs 40 are associated one-on-one. Similarly, the same number of support shafts 45 as the number of movable claws 33 are provided and are associated one-on-one. Each spring 40 presses the corresponding movable claw 33 in a direction away from the rotation center O. This direction substantially coincides with the direction toward the radially outer side of the upper support member 30A and the lower support member 30B. In the following description, a direction away from the rotation center O is simply referred to as an outward direction, and a direction toward the rotation center O is referred to as an inward direction.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing the movable claw 33 of the stirring star wheel 10. As shown in FIG. 6, one end 33a of each movable claw 33 is rotatably supported by the corresponding support shaft 45, and the other end (tip) 33b of each movable claw 33 is adjacent to the movable claw 33. It abuts on a support shaft 45 that supports the claw 33. More specifically, one end 33 a of the movable claw 33 is supported by the upper half of the support shaft 45, and the other end (tip) 33 b is formed by the lower half of the support shaft 45 that supports the adjacent movable claw 33. Abut (see FIG. 4).

  With such a configuration, the outward movement of the movable claw 33 biased by the spring 40 is limited by the support shaft 45 that supports the adjacent movable claw 33. In the present embodiment, the restricting member that restricts the movement of the movable claw 33 in the outward direction is constituted by a support shaft 45 that supports the adjacent movable claw 33. In one embodiment, the limiting member that limits the outward movement of the movable claw 33 may be formed of a member other than the support shaft 45.

  When a large external force is applied to the movable claw 33, the movable claw 33 is displaced inwardly against the force of the spring 40 as shown in FIG. The springs 40 and the support shafts 45 are provided in the same number as the movable claws 33. Accordingly, each movable claw 33 can move independently of the other movable claws 33. In the present embodiment, the spring 40 is used as the biasing means from the viewpoint of being able to generate a stable biasing force, high durability, and low cost. However, in one embodiment, rubber is used as the biasing means. An elastic material such as, or an air cylinder may be used.

  Each movable claw 33 has a contact portion 33 c that contacts the preform 1. The body portion of the preform 1 is conveyed along the inlet guide 7 by being pushed by the contact portion 33c. In the present embodiment, the contact portion 33c has a curved shape along the shape of the body portion of the preform 1, but may have another shape.

  When the preform 1 is being transported normally, the reaction force received from the preform 1 is small, so the force of the spring 40 is superior to that reaction force, and the movable claw 33 is kept pushed outward. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the stir-in star wheel 10 moves the preform 1 one by one along the inlet guide 7 while separating the preform 1 transferred to the inlet guide 7 one by one with the movable claw 33. It can be conveyed by the nail 33.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the preform 1 is stagnated at the introduction portion of the inlet guide 7 due to the poor flow of the preform 1 conveyed from the chute rail 4, the preform 1 is stirred into the stir-in star wheel 10. Between the movable claw 33 and the entrance guide 7. At this time, the reaction force received from the preform 1 becomes larger than usual. When this reaction force becomes larger than the force of the spring 40, the movable claw 33 is displaced inwardly against the force of the spring 40.

  In this way, when the biting star wheel 10 is about to bite the preform 1, the movable claw 33 escapes inward, so that the biting of the preform 1 does not occur. As a result, it is avoided that the production of the preform 1 is stopped, and the work of flowing the preform 1 to the bypass line becomes unnecessary. Further, damage to the stir-in star wheel 10 and / or the inlet guide 7 due to the biting of the preform 1 can be prevented. Furthermore, the preform 1 itself can be prevented from being damaged by the escape of the movable claw 33.

  In the above-described embodiment, the movable member that contacts the preform 1 as a container and conveys the preform 1 is configured by the movable claw 33, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the movable member includes The movable member may not have the shape of the claw as long as it is in a shape that can contact the container and transport the container.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the present invention may be implemented in various different forms within the scope of the technical idea.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Preform 2 Container conveying apparatus 3 Inspection | inspection part 4 Chute rail 7 Entrance guide 10 Biting star wheel 12 Transfer star wheel 13 Main rotor 15 Timing belt 16 for rotation 16 Illuminator 17 Imaging means 20 Exit star wheel 21 Exit chute 30 Support member 30A Upper side Support member 30B Lower support member 33 Movable claw (movable member)
40 Spring 41 Rotating shaft 45 Support shaft 48 Spring stopper 49 Spring holder

Claims (1)

A rotatable support member;
A plurality of movable members capable of rotating integrally with the support member, movable in a direction away from the rotation center of the support member and in a direction approaching the rotation center, and capable of contacting the container;
A plurality of urging means for urging each of the plurality of movable members in a direction away from the rotation center ;
A plurality of support shafts fixed to the support member;
The plurality of movable members are rotatably supported by the plurality of support shafts,
One end of each movable member is rotatably supported by the corresponding support shaft, and the other end of the movable member is in contact with a support shaft that supports an adjacent movable member. Conveying device.

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