JP6836282B2 - Article holding method, article holding device and article transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article sandwiching method, an article sandwiching device, and an article transferring device.

At present, relatively many article transfer devices and packing devices that automatically transfer the sandwiched articles to containers are used in the food field and the like. For example, the stuffing device shown in Patent Document 1 is used for stuffing foods such as sandwiches, rice balls, and castella that, once deformed by an external force, do not return to their original shape even when the external force is removed. In this stuffing device, the gripping portion that grips the food has a pair of holding plates, and lateral pressure is applied to the holding plates to sandwich and hold a plurality of foods.

Patent Document 2 discloses a bag gripper in an automatic packaging machine. On the surface of one gripper plate of a metal gripper plate that is attached to the chuck part so as to prevent the bag from shifting (sliding in the vertical direction, shifting in the horizontal direction) without applying an excessive gripping force. A convex portion and a concave portion are formed, and a convex portion and a concave portion corresponding to the concave portion and the convex portion are formed on the surface of the other gripper plate.

Patent Document 3 discloses a bag gripping device for an automatic packaging machine. In order to prevent ear dripping that occurs in the seal portion when the bag is gripped and to prevent a seal failure, a step is formed in each of the bag grip portions of the pair of chuck bodies so as to engage with each other.

JP-A-2017-218268 JP-A-2002-128027 Jikkenhei No. 5-58609

However, in the conventional article transfer device, some gripping force is applied to the article body in order to grip the article, which may cause deformation or quality deterioration of the article body.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article sandwiching method, an article sandwiching device, and an article transferring device capable of sandwiching an article without causing deformation or deterioration of quality. To do.

The article sandwiching method according to one aspect of the present invention is an article sandwiching method for sandwiching an article including a storage bag having a flaky section and an article body housed in the storage bag, and is reversibly elastically deformable . A first plate member having a convex member having a substantially annular or substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and having a groove width smaller than the outer dimensions of the convex member, and being able to engage with the convex member. The article is sandwiched by bringing the second plate member provided with the concave member provided with the concave groove into close proximity and engaging the convex member with the concave member while sandwiching the thin section portion. ..

The article holding device according to one aspect of the present invention is an article holding device that holds an article including a storage bag having a thin section and an article body housed in the storage bag, and is reversibly elastically deformable . A first plate member having a convex member having a substantially annular or substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and having a groove width smaller than the outer dimensions of the convex member, and being able to engage with the convex member. A second plate member including a concave member provided with a concave groove to be formed, and a drive unit for bringing the first plate member and the second plate member into contact with each other are provided, and the first plate member and the drive unit are provided by the drive unit. The article is sandwiched by bringing the second plate member close to each other and engaging the convex member with the concave member in a state where the thin section portion is sandwiched.

The article transfer device according to one aspect of the present invention is an article transfer device for transferring an article including a storage bag having a flaky section and an article main body contained in the storage bag into a container. a loading unit for conveying and a sorting unit for a plurality of said articles being conveyed aligned in a row in a predetermined direction, to collectively thin portion of the aligned group of articles by the sorting unit to clamp from said loading unit described above The article holding device and a transfer unit for transferring the article group sandwiched by the article holding device to the container are provided.

According to the present invention, an article can be sandwiched without causing deformation or deterioration of quality.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the article transfer apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the article group to be pinched is aligned. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the header part of the article group is collectively sandwiched by the article pinching device. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the article group was transferred to the container by the transfer part. It is an enlarged perspective view of the article holding device. It is explanatory drawing explaining the scanning range of a laser sensor. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the 1st plate member and the 2nd plate member. It is a side view which shows the state before the article holding device holds an article. It is a side view which shows the state which the article holding device holds an article. It is a partially enlarged view of the article holding device. It is a schematic diagram which shows another example of a storage bag.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments thereof.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an article transfer device 100 according to the present embodiment. The article transfer device 100 includes a carry-in section 10, a transport path switching section 20, an alignment section 30, a transfer section 40, an article holding device 50, a container 60, and an auxiliary transport path 70. In FIG. 1, a part of the article S is delivered to the alignment portion 30 by the transport path switching portion 20, and the other articles S are placed on the belt body 12 which is a part of the carry-in portion 10 toward the transport path switching portion 20. Indicates the state of being transported. The carry-in unit 10 and the alignment unit 30 are provided with a belt conveyor. For example, in the longitudinal direction of the carry-in portion 10 and the aligning portion 30, a camera that monitors the shape, size, arrangement position, etc. of the article S mounted on the belt bodies 12 and 32 and an image processing device that digitally processes the captured image. , A guide member or the like that guides an article to a predetermined position is often attached. In FIG. 1, a previously well-known camera, image processing device, guide member, and the like are omitted.

The article transfer device 100 performs a predetermined process in the carry-in section 10, the transport path switching section 20, the alignment section 30, the article pinching device 50, and the container 60 until the article S to be pinched is accommodated in the container 60. To give. The transfer unit 40 does not come into direct contact with the article S, but controls the behavior of the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 for sandwiching the header portion s1 of the article S. The normal flow of the article S goes from the transport path switching section 20 to the aligning section 30, but a flow in which the auxiliary transport path 70 is used as an auxiliary is also prepared. The auxiliary transport path 70 is used as an auxiliary when some trouble occurs in the article S, when some trouble occurs in the alignment unit 30, the article holding device 50, or the like, or when the entire device is inspected (maintenance). ..

After confirming the shape and quality of the article S transported to the auxiliary transport path 70 side, the article S is returned to the carry-in section 10 side or excluded from the pinching target according to the confirmation contents. Is given. When the auxiliary transport path 70 is operated, the slider piece 26 constituting the transport path switching portion 20 is operated, and the locking members 22 and 24 are moved so as to close the entrance of the alignment portion 30 to facilitate the transport path. You can switch. The locking members 22 and 24 have a function of not only stopping the movement of the article S but also stopping the article S at a position having a predetermined relationship with a predetermined position of the alignment portion 30.

The article S shown in FIG. 1 includes a storage bag having a header portion s1, a bottom surface portion s2, a front surface portion s3, a back surface portion s4, and a side surface portion s5, and has a bottom surface portion s2, a front surface portion s3, a back surface portion s4, and a side surface portion. The article body is housed in the storage part surrounded by s5. In the present embodiment, the storage bag having the header portion s1 and the article main body housed in the storage bag are collectively referred to as an article S. The header portion s1 is a flat thin section portion that is connected to the accommodating portion and does not accommodate the article body. The shape of the header portion s1 is, for example, a rectangle as shown in FIG. In the header portion s1, the product name, features, catchphrases, etc. of the article S are displayed in characters, patterns, and the like. The name of the header part is not universal, and for example, the terms "head part", "tab part", "ear part", and "ear" are often used as synonyms with the header part. Further, in the storage bag for accommodating "cut vegetables" and the like, it is often referred to as "bag binding part" and "seal part" instead of the header part and tab part. In addition, the header portion is often used as an article hook as a "hook piece". The shapes of the "header portion", "traditional Chinese bookbinding portion", and "hook piece" are often rectangular or semi-circular flat, but most of them have a thickness of 0.3 mm or less. In the present specification, such a flat thin section portion will be referred to as a header portion s1 for convenience of explanation.

In the present embodiment, as the article S, a sandwich housed in a storage bag having a header portion s1 is taken up. In this case, the article body is a sandwich. The planar shape of the sandwich is, for example, a triangle. In addition to sandwiches, bread, rice balls, castella and the like may be used. The manufacturer, distributor, expiration date, calories, etc. of sandwiches and the like are often displayed on the sticker attached to the bottom surface s2, but are often displayed on the back surface s4.

When the sandwich is placed in the store, the bottom portion s2 (seal sticker side) is placed on the container or shelf, and the header portion s1 is displayed so as to face upward. Since the thickness of the header portion s1 of the sandwich is relatively thin, for example, 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm, there is a concern that the header portion may be bent, that is, a so-called neck break may occur when the sandwich is displayed at the store. For this reason, attempts have been made to increase the thickness of the header portion to, for example, a thickness exceeding 0.1 mm or more.

In the article S, for example, the header portion s1 and the back portion s4 are laid down on the belt body 12 which is a part of the carry-in portion 10, the bottom portion s2 is at the beginning, the header portion s1 is at the end, and the front portion s3 faces upward. Then, it is transported from the upstream of the carry-in unit 10 to the transfer path switching unit 20 arranged downstream thereof.

The transport mode of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is different from the display state of goods at the store. As shown in FIG. 1, the transportation of the article S is based on the following two findings. The first is that the occurrence of so-called neck breakage of the header portion s1 can be eliminated by transporting the header portion s1 in a state of being laid down on the belt body 12. If the header portion s1 is broken or deformed, the holding accuracy of the header portion s1 is inevitably lowered. The second reason is that the external force generated in the transport direction when the article S is locked by the transport path switching portion 20 can be received by the strongest bottom surface portion s2 among the five portions (s1 to s5). The seal attached to the bottom surface portion s2 of the article S also acts as a cushioning material for suppressing external force, impact, and vibration applied to the entire article S.

The carry-in portion 10 and the aligning portion 30 are connected in the vicinity of the end portion 10e of the carry-in portion 10, for example, in an L shape. The end portion 10e corresponds to the most downstream portion of the carry-in portion 10, but is the most upstream portion in the alignment portion 30. The carry-in portion 10 and the aligning portion 30 are provided with an endless belt body 12 and a belt body 32, respectively.

When at least one of the four articles S (hereinafter, also referred to as the article S group) aligned with the belt body 32 of the aligning portion 30 has some trouble, the pinching operation by the article pinching device 50 is stopped and the pinching operation is stopped. , The article S group including the defective article S is conveyed by the belt body 32 to the most downstream portion 30f of the alignment portion 30. It should be noted that the overall posture and mutual position of the article S group aligned with the aligning portion 30, and the presence or absence of the neck slack of the header portion s1 are determined by the laser projected from the laser sensor 66 prepared on the article holding device 50 side. The article S can be detected by irradiating the article S with light through the optical window 64. The reflected light of the laser beam applied to the article S returns to the light receiving portion of the laser sensor 66. By detecting and analyzing the reflected light, the positional relationship between the articles S aligned in the aligning portion 30 and the shape and orientation of the header portion s1 are grasped, and it is determined whether or not the articles S should be pinched. If there are articles S that are determined not to be pinched, they are placed on the belt body 32 and transported to the most downstream portion 30f. The article S transported to the most downstream portion 30f is inspected again, and if it is determined that no defect is found, the article S is returned to the carry-in portion 10 and the like is performed.

As a method of transporting and aligning the article S by the carry-in portion 10 and the aligning portion 30, the header portion s1 is placed on the upper side and the bottom portion s2 is placed on the belt bodies 12 and 32 and transported so that the articles are displayed at the store. It is also possible to align them. The selection of whether to lay the header portion s1 on the carry-in section 10 and the alignment section 30 or to direct it upward of the carry-in section 10 and the alignment section 30 is selected by the carry-in section 10, the transport path switching section 20, the alignment section 30, and the transfer section. It may be determined by the arrangement relationship of 40, the article holding device 50, and the container 60, that is, the structure and configuration of the entire article transfer device 100.

In the present embodiment, the transport path switching portion 20 is arranged near the joint portion between the carry-in portion 10 and the alignment portion 30, that is, the end portion 10e, and the auxiliary transport path 70 is further arranged near the end portion 10e. .. The transport path switching unit 20 switches the traveling direction of the article S so that the article S conveyed from the carry-in unit 10 is directed toward the alignment unit 30. Alternatively, for example, the alignment unit 30 may be arranged on an extension line of the carry-in unit 10 without adopting the transfer path switching unit 20.

The transport path switching unit 20 includes locking members 22, 24, a slider piece 26, and a slider shaft 28. The locking members 22 and 24 are fixed to the slider piece 26. The slider piece 26 repeats a reciprocating motion between the end portion 10e and the alignment portion 30. The locking members 22 and 24 respond to the movement of the slider piece 26. The locking members 22 and 24 have a common function of locking the article S and turning it toward the alignment portion 30. Further, the locking member 22 also has a function as a positioning unit that determines the relative positional relationship between the article S group and the article holding device 50 when the article S is aligned with the aligning portion 30. The locking member 24 also functions as a positioning portion for determining the position of the header portion s1 in the alignment portion 30, for example, for placing the inner end portion of the header portion s1 on substantially the same line as the side end portion 30e of the alignment portion 30. .. In order for the article sandwiching device 50 to sandwich a predetermined portion of the header portion s1, the locking members 22 and 24 determine the alignment position of the article S and the position of the header portion s1.

In other words, the positions of the locking members 22 and 24 are determined based on the size of the article S, the size of the header portion s1, the quantity of the articles S aligned by the aligning portion 30, and the like. In this way, the locking members 22 and 24 also have a so-called pre-alignment function of arranging the articles S at predetermined positions in advance when the articles S are aligned by the aligning portion 30.

The positions of the locking members 22 and 24 shown in FIG. 1 correspond to so-called standby positions before the transport path switching unit 20 operates. This standby position is set in the vicinity of the end portion 10e. The locking members 22 and 24 receive the article S carried in from the carry-in portion 10 and temporarily lock the article S. When it is detected that the bottom surface portion s2 of the article S abuts on the locking member 24 and one of the side surface portions s5 of the article S abuts on the locking member 22, the slider piece 26 slides along the slider shaft 28. The article S, which is moved and locked by the locking members 22 and 24, is sent out toward the alignment portion 30. Whether or not the article S has come into contact with the locking members 22 and 24 is detected by using a known sensor such as an optical sensor or a contact sensor.

The aligning portion 30 includes a belt conveyor to which the belt body 32 is mounted as described above. In the present embodiment, the belt body 32 is provided in order to further improve the alignment accuracy of the article S. The reason for this is that the positions of the plurality of articles S aligned with the aligning portion 30 (particularly the positions of the header portion s1) are not always placed at appropriate positions for being sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. .. In the present embodiment, for example, since the header portion s1 of the four articles S is collectively sandwiched, the positional relationship between the article sandwiching device 50 and the aligned article S group is detected, and the positional information indicating the positional relationship is detected. The belt body 32 is intermittently moved by a predetermined distance based on the above, and the position of the header portion s1 is adjusted so that the article holding device 50 and the header portion s1 have a predetermined positional relationship. Further, the belt conveyor is adopted in the alignment unit 30 in order to deliver the article S group determined by the article sandwiching device 50 to be out of the pinching target to the most downstream portion 30f of the alignment unit 30.

The transfer unit 40 drives and controls the article sandwiching device 50, and transfers the article S group sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50 to the container 60. In the transfer unit 40 according to the present embodiment, in order to increase the degree of freedom in the rotation direction and rotation range of the article holding device 50, for example, a ceiling-mounted vertical multi-axis robot having joints having, for example, six axes. Is adopted. The transfer unit 40 may be the ceiling of the room or the ceiling, floor, side wall, etc. of the transfer device in consideration of the area occupied by the entire article transfer device 100 in the room, the configuration and arrangement of the entire article transfer device 100, and the like. It is good to attach it to the ceiling. The transfer unit 40 does not have to be a multi-axis robot, and may have a function of a so-called automatic transfer means for transferring the article S group sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50 to the container 60.

The article holding device 50 is attached to the end of the robot as a so-called end effector. The article holding device 50 includes first plate members 52a and 52b and second plate members 54 arranged to face the first plate members 52a and 52b. The pinching force when the header portion s1 is pinched between the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 is related to the pinching stability and the quality of the article S to be pinched. In the present embodiment, the number of articles S to be sandwiched at one time is, for example, four. The number of articles S to be sandwiched at one time is determined in consideration of the weight of one article S, the alignment accuracy in the alignment portion 30, the size of the container 60, and the like, but the thickness is particularly thin. The meshing strength and pinching stability of the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 that sandwich the flat header portion s1 of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm from the thickness direction are the pinching ability of the article pinching device 50. Is greatly involved in. The configurations of the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 will be described in detail in the following description.

The container 60 is a tray or a storage box called a number weight for accommodating the article S group sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. FIG. 1 shows only one container 60 for convenience of explanation and for eliminating the complexity of drawing. In the actual article transfer device 100, a plurality of containers 60 are prepared, for example, in the lower part of the alignment portion 30. When a predetermined number of articles S are stored in the container 60, the container 60 moves to a position where the next step (not shown) is performed, and another container 60 to be stored next is carried to the vicinity of the alignment portion 30.

As described above, the auxiliary transport path 70 is prepared in anticipation of an unexpected situation occurring in the article S or a part of the article transfer device 100. The auxiliary transport path 70 is also used for maintenance of the article transfer device 100. It is predicted that the articles S transported from the carry-in unit 10 contain items that should not be processed by the alignment unit 30. For example, the header portion s1 is greatly deformed, the sandwich material which is the main body of the article protrudes, or a sandwich having a size different from the original size of the sandwich is mixed. Further, assuming that the shape and quality of the sandwich itself are normal, but a part of the alignment part 30, the article holding device 50, and the transfer part 40 deviates from the original functions, and some measures must be taken. Need to keep. When such an unforeseen situation occurs, the article S is transported to the auxiliary transport path 70 side. The article S transported to the auxiliary transport path 70 side is subjected to processing such as being returned to the carry-in unit 10 again or canceling the transport to the alignment unit 30 based on, for example, a visual confirmation result.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the articles S group to be sandwiched are aligned. The article transfer device 100 further advances the processing for the article S from the state shown in FIG. 1, and shows a state in which the four articles S sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50 at a time are arranged by the alignment unit 30. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 will be described with the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 2, when the fourth article S to be finally pinched by the locking members 22 and 24 of the transport path switching portion 20 is sent to the alignment portion 30 to the vicinity of the end portion of the first plate member 52b. The fourth article S pushes the article S that has reached the third one before it to the downstream side of the alignment portion 30, and the article S that has reached the third that has been pushed out reaches the second. The article S is pushed toward the most downstream portion 30f of the alignment portion 30, and the second-reached article S pushes the first-arriving article S toward the most downstream portion 30f. In this way, the adjacent articles S push the adjacent articles S toward the most downstream portion 30f. When the final fourth article S reaches the alignment portion 30, the four header portions s1 are collectively sandwiched by the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 of the article sandwiching device 50. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 are not close to each other and immediately before the header portion s1 is collectively sandwiched.

When the articles S are aligned by the aligning portion 30, the locking members 22 and 24 fixed to the slider piece 26 instantly return to the end portion 10e, that is, the standby position, and lock the articles S placed on the carry-in portion 10 to the locking members 22, It is ready to be locked at 24.

Therefore, at the same time that the alignment unit 30 advances the alignment of the four articles S, the carry-in unit 10 may start the transportation of the next article S to be pinched. As shown in FIG. 1, the article S transported by the carry-in portion 10 is conveyed to the standby position (end 10e) of the transport path switching portion 20 with the bottom surface portion s2 at the beginning and the header portion s1 at the end. To.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the header portion s1 of the article S group is collectively sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. In FIG. 3, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described with the same reference numerals.

The article transfer device 100 shown in FIG. 3 shows a state in which the processing for the article S is further advanced from the state shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, four articles S are aligned with the alignment portion 30, and four pieces (four) of header portions s1 are collectively sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50, and the side end portion 30e of the alignment portion 30 It shows a state in which the article is slightly moved toward the article holding device 50 and is further lifted above the alignment portion 30.

The article S group is moved toward the container 60 in a state where the four header portions s1 are collectively sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. At this time, it is the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 that sandwich the header portion s1.

The first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 are required to have a holding force necessary for securely holding the header portion s1. A holding member that directly contacts the flat header portion s1 is prepared. Such a holding member will be described in detail in FIGS. 7 and later.

Almost at the same time as the timing of sandwiching the header portion s1 of the four pieces of the article S group, the saucer 55 prepared at the lower part of the second plate member 54 extends to the back surface portion s4 of the article S. At this time, the back surface portion s4 may be in contact with the saucer 55 or may be in a state of floating from the saucer 55. As a result, it is possible to eliminate an unexpected situation in which the article S group falls from the article holding device 50.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the article S group is transferred to the container 60 by the transfer unit 40. In FIG. 4, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be described with the same reference numerals. FIG. 4 shows a state immediately before the processing for the article S group proceeds further from the state shown in FIG. 3, and the header portion s1 of the article S group is collectively sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50 and stored in the container 60. .. FIG. 4 shows a state viewed from a different angle from FIGS. 1 to 3 in order to show the positional relationship between the article S group, the article holding device 50, and the container 60.

Until the state shown in FIG. 4, the positional relationship between the article S group, the article holding device 50, and the transfer portion 40 is maintained in substantially the same posture as in the state shown in FIG. Therefore, the header portion s1 is still sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. Immediately after the state shown in FIG. 4, the holding of the header portion s1 by the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 is released, and the saucer 55 extending to the back surface portion s4 of the article S is the original. It is returned to the position. The article S is housed in the container 60 with its header portion s1 facing upward, and the transfer work is completed. While the article S group is transferred into the container 60 by the article sandwiching device 50, the article S group to be sandwiched next is conveyed by the carry-in section 10 and aligned by the aligning section 30.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the article holding device 50. FIG. 5 shows an overall image of the article holding device 50, and the thickness direction of the header portion s1 of the article S is sandwiched by the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54, and the article S group is sandwiched by the aligning portion 30. It shows a state of being moved to the vicinity of the side end portion 30e.

The article holding device 50 includes a cylinder 58, an optical window 64, and a laser sensor 66 in addition to the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54.

The laser sensor 66 irradiates the article S group with light through the optical window 64. The reflected light of the light emitted to the article S group through the optical window 64 reaches the light receiving portion of the laser sensor 66. The laser sensor 66 analyzes the reflected light received by the light receiving unit and detects the position state of the article S group and the pinching state of the header unit s1. When it is determined that such a detection result is not acceptable, the article pinching device 50 releases the pinching state once and starts the operation of pinching again, or transports the article S group to the most downstream portion 30f side of the aligning portion 30. Then, processing such as excluding it from the pinching target is performed.

The pair of cylinders 58 and 58 move up and down in synchronization with the first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b. The first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b are arranged side by side with the facing gap 56 interposed therebetween. When the header portion s1 is sandwiched by the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54, the cylinder 58 descends toward the header portion s1 and is in the upper portion while the articles S are aligned in the alignment portion 30. stand by. The cylinder 58 has a function as a driving unit that engages the first plate members 52a and 52b with the second plate member 54. The stroke length at which the first plate members 52a and 52b move up and down is, for example, 30 mm to 40 mm. It is the first plate members 52a and 52b that move up and down, and the second plate member 54 does not move in the vertical direction and remains fixed at a predetermined position.

The frame frame 62 is a material used for the housing of the article holding device 50. In order to reduce the weight of the article holding device 50 and secure a predetermined strength, for example, alumina is formed in a grid pattern.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a scanning range of the laser sensor 66. The laser sensor 66 is prepared for monitoring and detecting the pinching operation of the articles S by the first plate members 52a and 52b, the positional relationship between the articles S, the articles S falling off, the state of the article main body contained therein, and the like. .. The laser sensor 66 is prepared as a so-called position detection device (PSD) that detects the position of the article S group, the positional relationship of each article, and the like.

The laser sensor 66 irradiates the laser beam so as to cover the scanning range θ as shown in FIG. 6 in a plan view. That is, the laser sensor 66 may cover the scanning range θ by continuously changing the irradiation direction of the laser beam. The scanning range θ is set according to the total number of article S groups sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50, the width of each article S, and the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the total number of the article S groups is 4, the center is located at the point where the side surface portions s5 of the second article S and the third article S in the alignment order come into contact with each other. The scanning range θ is set so as to include the upstream end of the first article S and the downstream end of the fourth article S. Further, for example, when the total number of the article S group is 5, the center is set so as to be substantially in the middle position from one side surface portion s5 of the third article S in the alignment order to the other side surface portion s5. The scanning range θ is set to include the upstream end of the first article S and the downstream end of the fifth article S.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the configurations of the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54. FIG. 7A shows a front view and a side view of the first plate members 52a and 52b, and FIG. 7B shows a front view and a side view of the second plate member 54. The front view of the first plate members 52a and 52b is a view seen from the lower side (back side), and the front view of the second plate member 54 is a view seen from the upper side (front side). The first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 are substantially rectangular plate members having a longitudinal direction (x direction) and a lateral direction (y direction), respectively.

The first plate members 52a and 52b are formed of, for example, SUS (stainless steel material). The first plate members 52a and 52b are arranged so that they face each other in the lateral direction (y direction). The combined length of the first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b in the longitudinal direction (x direction) is, for example, 280 mm to 360 mm. The length in the longitudinal direction is the length from one side surface portion s5 of one article S to the other side surface portion s5 (that is, the article width of one article S) and the number of articles S to be sandwiched at one time. It is decided based on. The length of the first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b in the lateral direction (y direction) is, for example, 40 mm to 80 mm. When the header portion s1 has a rectangular shape, the length in the lateral direction is determined in consideration of the length in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction thereof. The distance between the first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b in the lateral direction (that is, the width of the facing gap 56) is, for example, 3 mm to 5 mm.

The dimensions of the first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b in the longitudinal direction (x direction) and the dimensions in the lateral direction (y direction) are substantially the same. The first plate member 52a and the first plate member 52b are each equipped with a first holding portion 520 extending from one end in the longitudinal direction to the other end. The first holding portion 520 has a mounting portion 522 and a convex member 524 fixed to the mounting portion 522. The entire convex portion of the convex member 524 is formed in an arc shape. In the present specification, such a shape is referred to as a "convex arc shape". The convex member 524 is mounted in the mounting groove 526. The deeper the mounting groove 526 is, the more the convex member 524 can be confined in the mounting groove 526. As a result, the adhesion strength between the two is increased. However, since the surface area and volume of engagement between the convex member 524 and the second sandwiching portion 540 (second plate member 54) are reduced, the reliability of the engagement strength between the two is affected. The details of this point will be described in detail in FIG. 10 described later.

The mounting portion 522 is formed of, for example, an engineering plastic (engineering plastic) or a super engineering plastic having a tensile strength of 50 MPa or more and a flexural modulus (Young's modulus) of 2.4 GPa or more. The mounting portion 522 may be formed of, for example, polyacetal (POM), polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), glass fiber reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (GF-PET)), which is called a crystalline engineering plastic.

Further, the mounting portion 522 may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), modified polyphenylene ether (m-PPE), or the like, which is called non-crystalline engineering plastic, which is particularly easy to mold among engineering plastics. The mounting portion 522 may be formed of, for example, fiber reinforced plastic having high mechanical strength instead of engineering plastic. In the present embodiment, POM (polyacetal), which is one of engineering plastics, is used as the material of the mounting portion 522.

The convex member 524 is formed of a reversibly elastically deformable material such as urethane resin, synthetic rubber, or natural rubber, unlike the material of the mounting portion 522. The convex member 524 is fixed to a mounting portion 522 having a mounting groove 526. The cross-sectional shape of the convex member 524 is a substantially annular shape or a substantially circular shape. The mounting portion 522 is provided at a position closer to the end portion in the lateral direction (y direction) of the first plate members 52a and 52b having a substantially rectangular planar shape. The convex member 524 shown in FIG. 7A adopts a hollow structure (tube structure) extending in the longitudinal direction like the mounting portion 522.

The width w12 of the mounting portion 522 in the lateral direction (y direction) is, for example, 12 mm. The outer diameter (diameter) w1 of the convex member 524 is 4 mm, and the inner diameter w2 is 2.5 mm. Therefore, the wall thickness of the convex member 524 is 0.75 mm. In the present embodiment, polyurethane (PUR), which is a kind of synthetic rubber that is more easily deformed and expanded and contracted than POM, is used as the material of the convex member 524.

The eaves portion 53 is provided at the ends of the first plate members 52a and 52b in the vicinity of the first sandwiching portion 520. The eaves portion 53 has a predetermined inclination with respect to the direction away from the header portion s1 of the sandwiched article S, and is formed so as to follow the shape of the article S. The function of the eaves portion 53 will be described later with reference to FIG.

A second sandwiching portion 540 that engages with the convex member 524 is formed from one end to the other end of the second plate member 54 in the longitudinal direction (x direction) except for a portion located in the facing gap 56. ing.

The second plate member 54 is formed of, for example, SUS (stainless steel material) or the like, similarly to the first plate members 52a and 52b. The second sandwiching portion 540 does not include a member corresponding to the convex member 524. The second sandwiching portion 540 has a recessed member 542, and the recessed member 542 has a rectangular recessed groove 546. The second sandwiching portion 540 is formed of a material that is less likely to be modified or expanded or contracted than the convex member 524. The material that is less likely to deform and expand than the convex member 524 is, for example, the same engineering plastic or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) as the mounting portion 522.

The width w12a of the concave member 542 in the lateral direction (y direction) is, for example, 12 mm, and the groove width w3a of the concave groove 546 is, for example, 3 mm. The groove width w3a is 1 mm smaller than the outer diameter w1 of the convex member 524. That is, w3 <w1 is set. Further, the groove width w3a (3 mm) is 0.5 mm larger than the inner diameter w2 (2.5 mm) of the convex member 524. The actions and effects of having such a magnitude relationship will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 described later.

The tensile elastic moduli (Young's modulus) of POM (polyacetal) and PUR (polyurethane) used for the mounting portion 522 and the convex member 524 are 2700 MPa to 3600 MPa and 70 MPa to 700 MPa, respectively. Therefore, the tensile modulus of elasticity of POM is more than an order of magnitude higher than that of PUR. Therefore, PUR (polyurethane) is a material that is more easily elastically deformed than POM and can be restored. One of the features of the present invention is that the Young's modulus of the convex member 524 and the concave groove 546 is significantly different. As a result, the engagement strength and the engagement stability when one surface and the other surface of the header portion s1 which is a thin section portion in the thickness direction are sandwiched between the convex member 524 and the concave groove 546 can be enhanced. it can.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state before the article holding device 50 sandwiches the article S. That is, FIG. 8 shows a standby state before the article holding device 50 starts the holding operation. In the standby state, the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 are placed at the farthest distance from each other. The first plate members 52a and 52b are driven by the cylinder 58 and are configured to come into contact with each other (moving up and down in the example of FIG. 8). The second plate member 54 is fixed. The first holding portion 520 is attached to the first plate members 52a and 52b, and the second holding portion 540 is attached to the second plate member 54.

The maximum value of the separation distance between the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 is set based on the engagement accuracy between the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540. In addition to these, the header portion s1 is determined in consideration of the neck droop, the displacement amount, the pinching time allowed for the pinching operation, and the like. The minimum value of the separation distance set in the present embodiment is several mm or less, and the maximum value is 30 mm to 40 mm. The configuration of the portion including the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540 will be described in detail with reference to the enlarged view of FIG.

The header portion s1 of the article S shown in FIG. 8 is formed of, for example, a material containing polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), vinylidin chloride resin, or the like as a main component. The material of the header portion s1 is the same as the material of the storage bag that houses the main body of the article S. For example, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are often used in sandwich packaging bags. The header portion s1 in the present embodiment is made of the same material as these.

The thickness ts1 of the header portion of the packaging bag containing the sandwich is often 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm. However, in addition to sandwiches, the header part (or bag binding part) of the storage bag that stores cut vegetables and office supplies often exceeds 0.1 mm. In the present embodiment, when the header portion exceeds 0.1 mm, the article S is sandwiched without lowering the sandwiching accuracy by making a slight design change to the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540. it can. For example, the first sandwiching portion 520 is formed in a convex arc shape, and the second sandwiching portion 540 is formed with a concave groove 546. By adjusting the width, height, depth, etc. of these uneven portions, The pinching operation can be performed without any trouble when the thickness of the header portion is in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a state in which the article holding device 50 holds the article S. FIG. 9 shows the positional relationship between the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 when the header portion s1 of the article S is sandwiched by the article sandwiching device 50. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the first plate members 52a and 52b and the second plate member 54 are closest to each other. The vertical movement of the first plate members 52a and 52b is driven by the cylinder 58. The second plate member 54 is fixed without being driven by the cylinder 58. In FIG. 9, the same parts as those in FIG. 8 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 9, the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540 are engaged with each other with the header portion s1 sandwiched between them. The portion where the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540 are engaged will be described in detail with reference to the enlarged view of FIG.

As described briefly in the explanation of FIG. 8, the eaves portion 53 provided near the first holding portion 520, which is the end portion of the first plate members 52a and 52b, is an article in the direction away from the header portion s1. The inclination is provided according to the inclination of the front portion s3 of S. When the eaves portion 53 sandwiches and lifts the article S between the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540, the article S slightly swings toward the eaves portion 53. The eaves portion 53 has a function of receiving this runout and minimizing the shake of the article S. Further, by providing the eaves portion 53, the ends of the first plate members 52a and 52b can be kept away from the header portion s1. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the ends of the first plate members 52a and 52b are pierced, scratched, or rolled up in the header portion s1 having an extremely thin thickness.

FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the article holding device 50. FIG. 10A is an enlarged view of the first holding portion 520 mounted on the first plate members 52a and 52b. The first holding portion 520 has a mounting portion 522 and a convex member 524. The mounting portion 522 serves as an intermediate member when the convex member 524 is mounted on the first plate members 52a and 52b.

As described above, for the first plate members 52a and 52b, for example, stainless steel (SUS) is used. Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or engineering plastic may be used for the first plate members 52a and 52b instead of SUS. The thickness t1 of the first plate members 52a and 52b is, for example, 2 mm.

As described above, for example, POM (polyacetal) is adopted for the mounting portion 522. POM (polyacetal) is a type of engineering plastic with strong mechanical strength.

The mounting portion 522 is formed with the width w12 set to 12 mm in the longitudinal direction of the first plate members 52a and 52b. The thickness t2 of the mounting portion 522 is 2 mm, which is the same as the thickness t1 of the first plate members 52a and 52b. A mounting groove 526 is formed in the mounting portion 522, and a part of the convex member 524 is fixed to the entire mounting groove 526 by the adhesive 527.

The outer diameter w1 of the substantially annular convex member 524 is, for example, 4.0 mm, and the inner diameter w2 is, for example, 2.5 mm. Here, when the width w3 of the mounting groove 526 is set to, for example, 3 mm and the depth t3 thereof is set to, for example, 1 mm, the distance between the top surface Q of the convex member 524 having the smallest gap and the bottom R of the mounting groove 526 is about 0.5 mm. Can have a gap. The portion having the largest gap is the gap between the side portions q1 and q2 of the convex member 524 and the bottom portion R, and these sizes are approximately 1 mm. That is, a gap can be formed over the entire area where the convex member 524 is in contact with the mounting groove 526. The adhesive 527 can be applied to the entire gap to firmly fix the convex member 524 to the mounting groove 526.

In addition, in order to increase the fixing strength and the fixing stability, for example, if the width w3 is widened, the contact area between the convex member 524 and the mounting groove 526 increases, so that the fixing strength increases. However, as the ratio of the surface area of the convex member 524 taken into the mounting groove 526 is increased, the surface area at which the convex member 524 engages with the concave member 542 decreases, which affects the pinching strength and pinching stability. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in view of the fixing strength and the fixing stability (change with time of the fixed state) between the convex member 524 and the mounting groove 526, and the holding strength and the holding stability (the time change of the holding state), the outside The diameter w1, the inner diameter w2, the width w3, and the depth t3 are set to the above-mentioned sizes.

When the convex arc-shaped convex member 524 is fixed to the mounting groove 526, the shape formed by the convex member 524 protruding from the mounting groove 526 and the mounting portion 522 has a substantially inverted Ω-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 10A. Eggplant. The higher the proportion of the Ω-shaped rounded portion, that is, the higher the proportion of the convex arc-shaped portion of the convex member 524, the higher the proportion of the convex member 524 engaging with the concave member 542. The strength can be increased, and the reliability of pinching can be increased. Unlike the mounting portion 522, the convex member 524 is made of polyurethane (PUR), synthetic rubber, natural rubber, or the like that is elastically deformable and recoverable.

Here, when the outer diameter w1 of the convex member 524 is kept constant and the inner diameter w2 is increased, the wall thickness of the convex member 524 (outer diameter w1-inner diameter w2) becomes thinner, and the deformability and elasticity increase. On the other hand, the mechanical strength is reduced. Therefore, as the wall thickness of the convex member 524 decreases, the pressing force of the convex member 524 on the header portion s1 may decrease, and the holding force may decrease. On the other hand, if the inner diameter w2 is reduced, the opposite action and effect may occur.

As a result of repeating several trials, the inventors of the present application have confirmed that the holding strength can be increased by increasing the ratio of projecting the convex member 524 from the mounting groove 526 to the ratio of confining the convex member 524 in the mounting groove 526. For example, the proportion of the portion protruding from the mounting groove 526 may be 60% or more, and the proportion of the portion confined in the mounting groove 526 may be 40% or less. Preferably, the ratio of protruding from the mounting groove 526 may be 70% to 80%, and the ratio of the portion confined in the mounting groove 526 may be 30% to 20%. In the present embodiment, by providing such a relationship ratio, the adhesion strength between the convex member 524 and the mounting groove 526 is secured, and further, the engagement strength between the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540 is ensured. It is possible to secure more than a predetermined amount.

The size of the outer diameter w1 and the inner diameter w2 of the convex member 524 may be determined by the weight of the article S, the thickness ts1 of the header portion s1, the area of the header portion s1 sandwiched, the material of the convex member 524, and the like. Further, in the present embodiment, the convex member 524 has a hollow structure (tube structure), but a structure having no hollow structure (that is, a structure having a substantially circular cross section) may be used. In any case, the convex member 524 is fitted into the second holding portion 540, collapses and elastically deforms when pressed by the cylinder 58, and returns to the original state when the pressing is released, so-called reversibility (restorability). ) Is required. Further, when the convex member 524 does not have a hollow structure, the adhesion strength between the convex member 524 and the mounting groove 526 and the engagement strength between the convex member 524 and the second sandwiching portion 540 also change, so that the mounting groove 526 The ratio of protruding from the above may be set higher than the above ratio (for example, 80% or more).

FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the second holding portion 540, which is arranged to face the first holding portion 520 and is mounted on the second plate member 54. The header portion s1 is placed on the opening side of the concave groove 546 of the second sandwiching portion 540 before being sandwiched. For the second plate member 54, the same stainless steel material (SUS) as the first plate members 52a and 52b is used. Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or engineering plastic may be used for the second plate member 54 instead of SUS. In any case, engineering plastics or fiber reinforced plastics having high mechanical strength and a high tensile elastic modulus may be used for the second holding portion 540. The second sandwiching portion 540 is fixed to the second plate member 54 via the fixing portion 529. The fixing position may be any position opposite to the first holding portion 520. The second sandwiching portion 540 is composed of, for example, a concave member 542 having a rectangular concave groove 546. As shown in FIG. 7, the concave member 542 and the concave groove 546 are formed to have substantially the same length as the longitudinal direction of the second sandwiching portion 540 excluding the facing gap 56. The width w12a of the concave member 542 is selected to be 12 mm, which is the same as the width w12 of the mounting portion 522, and the groove width w3a is selected to be smaller than the outer diameter w1 of the convex member 524.

The recessed member 542 constituting the second sandwiching portion 540 is composed of, for example, an engineering plastic like the mounting portion 522 adopted for the first sandwiching portion 520. The recess member 542 and the mounting portion 522 have substantially the same structure, and have substantially the same planar shape and cross-sectional shape. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately prepare the recess member 542, and the member of the mounting portion 522 can be diverted as it is. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost.

The thickness t4 of the second plate member 54 is, for example, 2 mm, which is the same as the thickness t1 of the first plate members 52a and 52b. The concave member 542 is fixed to the second plate member 54 via the fixing portion 529. The thickness t5 of the recess member 542 is, for example, the same as the thickness t4 of the second plate member 54, and is 2 mm, which is the same as the thickness t2 of the mounting portions 522 provided on the first plate members 52a and 52b. The depth t6 of the concave groove 546 is about ½ of the thickness t5 of the concave member 542, and is 1 mm, which is the same as the depth t3 of the mounting groove 526 provided in the mounting portion 522. The groove width w3a of the concave groove 546 is 3 mm, which is the same as the 522 groove width w3 of the mounting portion. Therefore, the convex member 524 does not completely fit into the concave groove 546. However, since the convex member 524 is easily elastically deformed and the concave groove 546 is not deformed even when pressed by the cylinder (drive unit) 58, the convex member 524 is deformed according to the shape of the concave groove 546. Such a state is described in FIGS. 10C and 10D.

In FIG. 10C, the cylinder 58 descends toward the second holding portion 540, the first holding portion 520 is close to the second holding portion 540, and the top surface portion P of the convex member 524 hits one surface of the header portion s1. It shows the state of being in contact. This state is a state immediately before the header portion s1 is sandwiched by the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540. FIG. 10C shows that the mounting portion 522 and the recessed member 542 have the same shape, and the sizes of the respective portions of both portions are also the same. That is, the thickness t2 = t5, the depth t3 = t6, and the width w3 = w3a are set. In other words, the mounting portion 522 and the recessed member 542 indicate that the same member can be shared. As a result, the cost of the article holding device 50 can be suppressed.

FIG. 10D shows a state in which the header portion s1 of the article S is sandwiched between the first sandwiching portion 520 and the second sandwiching portion 540. That is, FIG. 10D shows a state in which the first plate members 52a and 52b to which the first sandwiching portion 520 is mounted and the second plate member 54 are closest to each other by driving the cylinder 58.

When the first plate members 52a and 52b are lowered toward the second plate member 54 by the drive of the cylinder 58, they are easily deformed and expanded and contracted, and can be restored, and the cross-sectional shape is substantially annular (hollow). The member 524 is engaged with a concave groove 546 formed of a material having a relatively large Young's modulus, that is, a material that is difficult to deform and expand and contract, and collapses and expands and contracts along the shape of the concave groove 546. At this time, the concave groove 546 maintains its original shape and does not deform or expand or contract. If the concave groove 546 is deformed and expanded and contracted in the same manner as the convex member 524, it cannot be expected that the header portion s1 is sandwiched.

The portion of the convex member 524 near the top surface portion P (that is, the portion of the convex member 524 facing the concave groove 546) penetrates to the bottom portion 548 of the concave groove 546 and abuts on one surface of the header portion s1 in the thickness direction. At this time, the other surface of the header portion s1 in the thickness direction comes into contact with the bottom portion 548 of the concave groove 546.

On the other hand, the side surface portion (that is, the vicinity of the portion showing the maximum diameter orthogonal to the top surface portion P) of the convex member 524 does not enter the concave groove 546, and the corner portions (side portions q1, q2) of the concave groove 546 and the corner portions thereof (q2) thereof. The state in which the neighboring area is expanded and contracted and pressed is maintained. This increases the engagement strength. In the present embodiment, the outer diameter (diameter) w1 of the convex member 524 is set to be larger than the groove width w3 of the concave groove 546, and the convex member 524 is selected from a material that is easily elastically deformed reversibly, and the convex member 524 By selecting a material that does not easily deform elastically for the concave groove 546 to be engaged, the holding force can be improved.

When the holding operation of the first plate members 52a and 52b (first sandwiching portion 520) and the second plate member 54 (second sandwiching portion 540) with respect to the header portion s1 is released by driving the cylinder 58, the convex member 524 returns to the initial state shown in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing another example of the storage bag. FIG. 11A shows a storage bag having a triangular planar shape used in the explanations of FIGS. 1 to 10. This storage bag has a header portion s1, a bottom surface portion s2, a front surface portion s3, a back surface portion s4, and a side surface portion s5. FIG. 11B shows a storage bag for accommodating a rectangular parallelepiped article body such as castella, and has a rectangular parallelepiped body accommodating portion s20 for accommodating the article body in addition to the header portion s1. FIG. 11C is a storage bag for storing office supplies and the like, and has a header portion s1, a hook portion s10, and a flat main body storage portion s20. FIG. 11D shows a storage bag having a header portion s1 and a main body housing portion s20, and a bottom surface portion s2 having an elliptical shape. This bag is used, for example, for cut vegetables, office supplies, toys, electronic parts, and the like. Each of the storage bags shown in FIG. 11 has a storage portion for accommodating the article main body and a flat thin section (header portion) connected to the accommodating portion for accommodating the article main body. An article including such a storage bag and an article main body housed in the storage bag can be used for the article sandwiching method, the article sandwiching device, and the article transfer device according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, a modification of the present embodiment will be described. For example, the relationship between the outer diameter w1 of the convex member 524 and the groove width w3a of the concave groove 546 shown in FIG. 10 may be changed so that both have the same size. At this time, other conditions are not changed. When this method is adopted, it has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 by making the wall thickness (outer diameter w1-inner diameter w2) of the convex member 524 as thin as possible within the range where the mechanical strength allows. An effect similar to that of the present embodiment can be expected. In another modification, the magnitude relationship between the outer diameter w1 and the groove width w3a may be set to be the same as in the present embodiment (w1> w3a), and both may be made of the same material. For example, both the first holding portion 520 and the second holding portion 540 may be made of urethane-based resin. In this case, it is possible to obtain an effect close to that of the present embodiment by giving a difference in Young's modulus between the first holding portion 520 and the second holding portion 540 and giving the one member deformability and elasticity. it can. This relationship is the same when engineering plastics are used for both.

As described above, the article sandwiching method, the article sandwiching device, and the article transfer device according to the present embodiment collectively sandwich the header portion s1 (thin section portion) of the storage bag that houses the article body. Therefore, it has the effect of not affecting the main body of the article such as deformation or deterioration of quality. It is not preferable that even the header portion s1 in which the article main body is not accommodated is scratched when they are sandwiched. As described above, since the product name, features, catchphrases, etc. of the article body are displayed in the header portion s1 with characters, patterns, etc., it is also one element constituting the article S. In the present embodiment, it was possible to secure an acceptable holding force for the article S and to confirm that the header portion s1 is not damaged.

In the present embodiment, the sandwich stored in the storage bag will be described as an example. However, not limited to sandwiches, foods such as bread, rice balls, castella, and cut vegetables are stored, and a food holding device stored in a storage bag having a header portion, or a transfer device for transferring these to another container. Can be applied to.

Further, it can be widely applied not only to food products but also to toys, office supplies, electric parts, electric parts, electronic parts and the like housed in a storage bag having a header part or a thin piece part such as a hook piece.

The article holding method, the article holding device, and the article transferring device according to the present embodiment are sandwiched between the articles themselves when a plurality of easily deformable and easily scratched articles, particularly foods, are sandwiched and stored in a tray or the like. It is possible to hold many articles at once without applying force. That is, it is possible to quickly sandwich the article without impairing the quality of the article.

The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims, not the above-mentioned meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

10 Carry-in part 10e End part 12, 32 Belt body 20 Transport path switching part 22 Locking member 24 Locking member 26 Slider piece 28 Slider shaft 30 Alignment part 30e Side end
30f Downstream part 40 Transfer part 50 Article holding device 52a, 52b First plate member 53 Essence part 54 Second plate member 55 Receiving tray 56 Opposing gap 58 Cylinder 60 Container 62 Frame frame 64 Optical window 66 Laser sensor 70 Auxiliary transport path 100 Article transfer device 520 1st holding part 522 Mounting part 524 Convex member 526 Mounting groove 527 Adhesive 259 Fixing part 540 2nd holding part 542 Recessed material 546 Concave groove 548 Bottom part S Article s1 Header part (thin section)
s2 Bottom part s3 Front part s4 Back part s5 Side part

Claims (10)

An article sandwiching method for sandwiching an article including a storage bag having a flaky portion and an article body housed in the storage bag.
A first plate member having a convex member that is reversibly elastically deformable and has a substantially annular or substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and a groove width that is smaller than the outer dimensions of the convex member. The convex member and the concave member are engaged with each other in a state where the second plate member having the concave member provided with the concave groove formed to be engageable with the member is brought close to the member and the thin section portion is sandwiched. The article sandwiching method for sandwiching the article. An article holding device for holding an article including a storage bag having a flaky portion and an article body housed in the storage bag.
A first plate member that is reversibly elastically deformable and has a convex member having a substantially annular or substantially circular cross-sectional shape.
A second plate member having a groove width smaller than the external dimensions of the convex member and having a concave member having a concave groove formed so as to be engaged with the convex member.
It is provided with a drive unit for bringing the first plate member and the second plate member into contact with each other.
The first plate member and the second plate member are brought close to each other by the driving portion, and the convex member and the concave member are engaged with each other in a state where the thin section portion is sandwiched so as to sandwich the article. An article holding device. The first plate member and the second plate member have a substantially rectangular shape, and the convex member and the concave member are provided along the longitudinal direction of the first plate member and the second plate member, respectively, and the concave groove. The article holding device according to claim 2, wherein the shape of the article is substantially rectangular. The convex member is mounted on the first plate member via a mounting portion having a substantially rectangular mounting groove, the material of the mounting portion is the same as that of the concave member, and the shape of the mounting portion is the concave. The article holding device according to claim 3, which has substantially the same shape as the member. The tensile elastic modulus of the mounting portion and the concave member is larger than the tensile elastic modulus of the convex member, and when the first plate member and the second plate member are brought close to each other by the driving portion, the convex member is elastic. The article holding device according to claim 4, wherein the convex member, the mounting portion, and the concave material are formed of a material that is deformed and the mounting portion and the concave material are not deformed. The article holding device according to claim 5, wherein the tensile elastic modulus of the mounting portion and the concave member is one digit or more larger than the tensile elastic modulus of the convex member. The convex member is formed of any one of urethane resin, synthetic rubber, and natural rubber, and the mounting portion and the concave material are any one of engineering plastic, super engineering plastic, and fiber reinforced plastic. The article holding device according to claim 6, which is formed of rubber. The material of the thin section is any one of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and vinylidin chloride resin, and the thickness of the thin section is 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm. The article holding device according to any one of claims 2 to 7. An article transfer device for transferring an article including a storage bag having a flaky portion and an article main body contained in the storage bag to a container.
A carry-in section for transporting the goods and
An alignment unit that aligns a plurality of the articles transported from the carry-in unit in a predetermined direction, and an alignment unit.
The article sandwiching device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the flakes of the article group aligned by the aligning portion are collectively sandwiched.
An article transfer device including a transfer unit for transferring a group of articles sandwiched by the article pinching device to the container. The article transfer device according to claim 9, wherein the thin section portion is laid down on the carry-in portion and transported.