JP7007104B2 - Transport method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transfer method and a transfer device using a linear motor type transfer mechanism.

A linear motor type moving device capable of moving articles individually is known (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
According to Patent Document 2, it is described that a linear motor type moving device is used to deliver a container of a beverage product from a first transport unit to a second transport unit.
This moving device is a control device that controls the movement of a plurality of article (container) holding portions, a circulation path, a permanent magnet provided in the article holding section, an electromagnetic coil arranged in the circulation path, and each article holding section. And a position detecting unit related to the article transported by the first transport unit. When the presence of the article is confirmed by the signal from the position detection unit, the control device synchronizes the movement of the article holding unit with the movement of the first transport unit to hold the article by the article holding unit, and further, the article. The movement of the holding unit is synchronized with the movement of the second transport unit, and the article is delivered to the second transport unit.

It is also known that when transferring from a conveyor to a star foil, the article is supplied in synchronization with the rotation of the star foil by an engaging means capable of engaging with the article (container) conveyed by the conveyor (). Patent Document 3). A linear motor allows a plurality of engaging means to travel in a circulation path. The engaging means projects onto the conveyor and regulates the position of the article.

Special Table 2016-531058 Gazette Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-24665 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-1552028

Patent Document 2 describes that an article can be delivered by synchronizing the movement of the article holding unit with the first transport unit and the second transport unit by a control device provided in the linear motor type moving device. However, no specific method for synchronization is disclosed.
If the position of the article is restricted by the engaging means as in Patent Document 3, the article braked by the engaging means and the conveyor supporting the article may slip and the article may be damaged. In addition, it may not be possible to accurately position the article due to slippage.

The present invention is a transport method capable of constructing a transport system for a production line, a distribution line, etc., based on the realization of synchronization between an article and a transport unit, etc., and constant pitch indexing of articles through a linear motor type transport mechanism. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport device.

The present invention is a transport method using a linear motor type transport mechanism having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transport path in which the plurality of movers individually move, from upstream of the transport mechanism. For each item to be transported, at least two positions (S1, S2) arranged within the size range in the transport direction of the article from the vicinity of the predetermined delivery point on the transport path to immediately before the delivery point. In, a step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived, and a step of moving the mover so as to synchronize with the article from which the information is acquired and reaches the delivery point, respectively. It is characterized by including a step of receiving an article that has reached the delivery point to a movable element.

The transport method of the present invention includes a step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived at a position (S0) upstream of the vicinity of the delivery point, and a specific part at at least two positions, respectively. It is preferable to include a step of accelerating the mover before the information indicating that it has been reached is acquired.

In the transport method of the present invention, the mover preferably grips the neck of the bottle as an article.

In the transport method of the present invention, the step of receiving the article reaching the delivery point to the mover, the step of transporting the article by the mover, and the step of moving the article from the mover to the storage unit in the arrangement direction intersecting the transport path. The step of loading, the step of arranging and storing the articles in the arrangement direction while retracting the articles transferred to the storage section to the subsequent articles in the arrangement direction, and the step of transferring the articles from the storage section to the mover. It is preferable to include a step of ejecting an article downstream from the mover.

Further, the present invention is a transport method using a linear motor type transport mechanism having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transport path in which the plurality of movers individually move, and is more than a transport mechanism. A step of receiving the article from the upstream to the mover, a step of transporting the article by the mover of the transport mechanism, a step of transferring the article from the mover to the storage section in the arrangement direction intersecting the transport path, and a storage section. A step of arranging and storing the articles in the arrangement direction while retracting the articles transferred to the subsequent articles in the arrangement direction, a step of transferring the articles from the storage unit to the movable element, and a step of transferring the articles from the movable element to the movable element. It comprises a step of discharging the article downstream, and is characterized by moving the mover so that the pitch of the article becomes constant.

Further, the present invention is a transfer method using a linear motor type transfer mechanism having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transfer path in which the plurality of movers individually move, and is more than a transfer mechanism. A step of receiving the article from the upstream to the mover, a step of transporting the article by the mover of the transport mechanism, a step of transferring the article from the mover to the storage section in the arrangement direction intersecting the transport path, and a storage section. A step of arranging and storing the articles in the arrangement direction while retracting the articles transferred to the subsequent articles in the arrangement direction, a step of transferring the articles from the storage unit to the movable element, and a step of transferring the articles from the movable element to the movable element. It comprises a step of discharging the article downstream, and is characterized in that, for example, a predetermined process of the discharge process and the mover are moved so as to be synchronized with the article.

The transport method of the present invention has a first transport mechanism having a mover for transporting articles received from the upstream to the storage section, and a second transport mechanism having a mover for transporting the articles transferred from the storage section to the downstream section. It is preferable to use a transport mechanism.

In the transport method of the present invention, the mover preferably grips the neck of the bottle as an article.

The article packaging method of the present invention is characterized by comprising each step provided in the above-mentioned transport method and a step of packing the article discharged downstream from the mover through each step.

In the packaging method of the present invention, it is preferable that the container filled with the contents as an article is supplied from the upstream to the transport mechanism.

The present invention can also be applied to a transfer device.
The transport device of the present invention is supplied via a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles, a linear motor type transport unit having a transport path through which the plurality of movers individually move, and a mover of the transport unit. The storage unit includes a storage unit for arranging and storing the articles in an arrangement direction intersecting the transport path, and the storage unit is configured to be able to move the articles in the arrangement direction, and the supplied articles are arranged in the arrangement direction with respect to the subsequent articles. The transport unit is characterized in that the mover is moved so that the pitch of the articles is constant.

Further, the transfer device of the present invention is supplied via a linear motor type transfer unit having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transfer path in which the plurality of movers individually move, and a mover of the transfer unit. The storage unit includes a storage unit that stores the articles to be stored side by side in an array direction intersecting the transport path, and a discharge unit that discharges the articles transferred from the storage unit to the transport unit downstream. Is configured to be movable in the array direction, the supplied article is retracted in the array direction with respect to the subsequent article, and the transport section is characterized by moving the mover so that the article and the discharge section are synchronized with each other. And.

The packaging equipment of the present invention is characterized by including the above-mentioned transport device, a supply unit for supplying articles to the transport device, and a packing machine for packing articles discharged from the transport device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to construct a transport system such as a production line or a distribution line based on the realization of synchronization between an article and a transport unit or the like and constant pitch indexing of an article through a linear motor type transport mechanism. can.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the outline of the production line of the beverage product which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the bottle made of PET. It is a top view which shows the 1st accumulation apparatus shown in FIG. (A) shows a state in which the container is stored in only a part of the area, and (b) shows a state in which the container is stored in all the areas. It is a top view which shows typically the 1st transfer part of the linear motor type shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows typically the 2nd transport part of the linear motor type shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the 2nd accumulation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of synchronizing the container conveyed by a conveyor, and a mover at a delivery place. It is a graph for demonstrating the transport method using the sensors S0 to S2 shown in FIG. 7.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The beverage product production line 1 shown in FIG. 1 manufactures beverage products through processes such as container molding, filling, labeling, and boxing.
Beverage products are made by filling a container with a product liquid. The beverage product container 5 (FIG. 2) in the present embodiment is a bottle made of a resin material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The container 5 of the beverage product manufactured by the production line 1 is not limited to a bottle made of a resin material, but may be a bottle made of a glass material, a can made of a metal material, a bottle can, or the like. ..

〔container〕
The container 5 of the beverage product manufactured by the production line 1 of the present embodiment is assumed to be a PET bottle. As shown in FIG. 2, this bottle includes a bottle body 50 and a cap 5C (cover) that closes the opening 54 of the bottle body 50. The bottle body 50 has a tubular body portion 51 having an arbitrary cross-sectional shape such as a circle or a rectangle, a bottom portion 52 connected to the lower end of the body portion 51, and a diameter reduced to the upper end of the body portion 51 by a diameter smaller than that of the body portion 51. It has a continuous neck 53. An annular collar 53A protruding outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the neck portion 53. A gripper (G1, G2) provided with a rotating body or the like constituting a rotary type transport device is inserted into the lower side of the collar 53A or the upper side of the collar 53A. FIG. 2 shows a state when the container 5 is delivered from the gripper G1 of one rotating body to the gripper G2 of another rotating body.
A cap 5C is attached to the neck 53 so as to close the opening 54 located at the upper end of the neck 53. The cap 5C corresponds to the head of the bottle.

[Production line]
As shown in FIG. 1, the production line 1 includes a molding machine 11 for molding a PET bottle (hereinafter referred to as a container 5) and a sterile filling device for filling the inside of the container with a product liquid (contents) and attaching a cap. 12 and a package line 4 for labeling, packing, sealing, and the like are provided.
According to the production line 1, 100% control is possible to guarantee the quality of each product identified on the line.

The molding machine 11 applies heat to a precursor called a preform made of PET material to melt it, and blow-molds the container 5 using a mold.
The aseptic filling device 12 includes a filling machine having a nozzle for filling the product liquid inside the container 5, and a capper for sealing the container 5 by attaching a cap 5C to the opening of the container 5 filled with the product liquid. It is equipped with a filling machine and a chamber that covers the capper. In a sterile environment inside the chamber, the container is filled with the product liquid and the container is fitted with a cap.

The filling machine and the capper of the molding machine 11 and the aseptic filling device 12 perform molding, filling, etc. while transporting the container 5 (or a precursor thereof) at a predetermined pitch by a rotary type transport device composed of a rotating body or a star foil. Perform processing. The neck portion 53 of the container 5 obtained by the molding machine 11 is gripped by grippers (G1, G2 in FIG. 2) provided on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body at a predetermined pitch.

[Package line]
In the package line 4 shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1, labels are attached to the accumulation device 200 for transporting and storing the container 5 filled with the product liquid and the container 5 discharged from the accumulation device 200 in this order from upstream to downstream. The first labeler 41 and the second labeler 42 to be mounted, the inspection device 43, the accumulation device 300 for transporting and storing the container 5 with the label attached, and the container 5 discharged from the accumulation device 300 are packed in a box. It is equipped with a boxing machine 44 (Kesa), a boxing machine 45 for sealing boxes, an inspection device 46, and a stacking machine 47 for stacking boxes.

The accumulation devices 200 and 300 provided in the package line 4 temporarily hold the container 5 flowing through the line to absorb the difference in transport capacity per unit time between the upstream and downstream of the accumulation devices 200 and 300, respectively. Further, even if the device or machine is stopped either upstream or downstream, the production line 1 as a whole can be operated efficiently. The accumulation devices 200 and 300 have the above-mentioned accumulating function. Retaining the container 5 (article to be transported) in the area of the storage unit 25 is referred to as “storage”.
The package line 4 has a transfer capacity that exceeds the transfer capacity of the line including the molding machine 11 and the aseptic filling device 12 upstream of the package line 4. The line L1 upstream of the package line 4 is preferably operated continuously rather than intermittently because the heater of the molding machine 11 is energized and the filling nozzle is stably operated. While the container group consisting of the filled containers 5 obtained by continuously operating the upstream line L1 can be stored in the accumulation devices 200 and 300, even if the operation of the package line 4 is stopped, the operation of the package line 4 may be stopped. It is not necessary to stop the operation of the upstream line L1. The container group temporarily retained by the accumulation devices 200 and 300 is transported with an appropriate capacity by restarting the operation of the device or machine.
Contrary to the above, when the upstream line L1 is stopped, the container group held in the accumulation devices 200 and 300 is supplied to the downstream, so that the package line 4 can be continuously operated. ..

As an example, the inspection devices 43 and 46 inspect whether the appearance of the container 5, the label, the box, or the like is dirty or the print is faint, or the product liquid level or the like. Not limited to the inspection devices 43 and 46, an inspection device capable of inspecting necessary inspection items can be provided at an appropriate position on the package line 4.

The configuration of the package line 4 shown in FIG. 1 is only an example, and necessary devices can be appropriately laid out and configured according to the product specifications. In the present embodiment, the first labeler 41 and the second labeler 42 are arranged in series, but it is also permissible to arrange them in parallel. Further, the package line 4 may include only one of the first labeler 41 and the second labeler 42.

In the package line 4, an arbitrary container 5 is extracted and inspected, or a container 5 having an abnormality in processing or a box containing the container 5 is discharged to the outside of the line. And a reject line can be provided. FIG. 1 shows, as an example, a sampling line 200A provided in the accumulation device 200 and a reject line 200B provided on the outlet side of the inspection device 43.

The accumulator 200 includes a first transport unit 21 (FIG. 3) for transporting the container 5 supplied from the aseptic filling device 12 via the transfer star foil 12A, and a container 5 transferred from the first transport unit 21. It is provided with a storage unit 25 (FIG. 3) for storing side by side, and a second transport unit 22 (FIG. 3) for transporting the containers 5 arranged side by side and discharging them downstream from the accumulation device 200. .. Under the control of a control device (not shown), the container 5 timely discharged from the accumulation device 200 is supplied to the first labeler 41 via the transfer star foil 41A.
A more specific configuration of the accumulation device 200 will be described later.

The first labeler 41 (FIG. 1) is configured as a roll-type labeler in which a film-shaped label supplied from the label supply unit 411 is wound around the body portion 51 of the container 5. Although the specific illustration is omitted, the first labeler 41 has a rotating body, a star foil, and a conveyor for discharging the container 5 to the second labeler 42.

The second labeler 42 is configured as a shrink-type labeler to which a film-like label is attached to the body portion 51, the neck portion 53, or the bottom portion 52 of the container 5.
The first labeler 41 and the second labeler 42 can be selectively used according to the specifications of the beverage product to be manufactured. For example, a label is attached by the second labeler 42 to the container 5 that has passed through the first labeler 41 without being processed by the first labeler 41.
The second labeler 42 is not shown after arranging a film-shaped label made of a thermoplastic resin material supplied from the label supply unit 421 on the outer peripheral portion of the container 5 supplied from the first labeler 41 via a conveyor. While transporting the container 5 by a conveyor, the film is shrunk by heating by passing the container 5 through a heat tunnel containing a heater.

The conveyor is arranged so as to extend linearly in one direction from the discharge portion of the first labeler 41 to the second labeler 42, the inspection device 43, and the reject line 200B thereafter.
When the transport path is simply set in this way, a conveyor and a device for processing the container 5 transported by the conveyor are installed as compared with the case where the transport path is branched or bent. You can save the space required for this.

The container 5 that has passed through the inspection device 43 from the second labeler 42 is a filling machine, for example, by tracking the container 5 based on the identification information given to each container 5 or the container 5 that is determined by the inspection device 43 to not meet the standard. If it is identified that an abnormality such as a failure of some nozzles or a labeling error has occurred, the container 5 is discharged to the outside of the line through the reject line 200B, and the other containers 5 are sent to the accumulator device 300. Is supplied.

The accumulation device 300 shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 is transferred from the transport unit 31 (FIG. 6) for transporting the container 5 supplied from the inspection device 43 via the conveyor 431 and the transport unit 31. It is provided with a storage unit 35 (FIG. 6) for arranging and storing the containers 5. A more specific configuration of the accumulation device 300 will be described later.
Under the control of a control device (not shown), the container 5 to be discharged from the accumulation device 300 in a timely manner is packed in a cardboard box by the boxing machine 44.

The boxing machine 44 is supplied from the box supply unit 441 (FIG. 1) to the conveyor 442, and a predetermined number of containers supplied from the accumulation device 300 inside the corrugated cardboard box carried to the predetermined position by the conveyor 442. Pack 5 Although omitted in FIG. 1, a device for assembling a box and a box in an assembled state are arranged around the box supply unit 441, the box packing machine 44, and the accumulation device 300.

The boxing machine 44 includes a robot arm 44A capable of turning and expanding and contracting under the control of a control device (not shown), and a hand device 44H supported by the robot arm 44A and capable of moving up and down. The hand device 44H can collectively grip a plurality of containers 5 carried to a predetermined position by the accumulation device 300 and simultaneously store them in a box. The gripping and boxing operations by the hand device 44H are performed once or more per box according to the number of boxes to be accommodated.

The box containing the container 5 is sealed by the sealing machine 45, and the boxes having no problem in quality are stacked in a plurality of stages by the stacking machine 47 through the inspection device 46. The stacked boxes are shipped.

[First Accumulation Device (Accumulation Device 200)]
FIG. 3 (FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b)) and FIG. 4 will be referred to, and the accumulation device 200 interposed between the aseptic filling device 12 and the labeler 41 will be described.

The accumulation device 200 (FIG. 3) includes a first transport unit 21, a storage unit 25, and a second transport unit 22. In addition to these, the accumulator 200 is a first transfer unit 201 used for transfer from the first transfer unit 21 to the storage unit 25, and a second transfer unit used for transfer from the storage unit 25 to the second transfer unit 22. 2 It is preferable to have a transfer unit 202.

The first transport section 21 whose transport path is formed in an oval shape and the second transport section 22 whose transport path is also formed in an oval shape are spaced apart from each other in a direction (D1) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Installed parallel to each other. A storage unit 25 is installed between the first transport unit 21 and the second transport unit 22. The storage unit 25 is configured to be able to move the container 5 in a direction (D1) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the first transport unit 21 and the second transport unit 22.

(1st transport section, 2nd transport section)
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first transport unit 21 has a plurality of movers 2 capable of transporting the container 5 and a transport path 20R in which the plurality of movers 2 individually move. The plurality of movers 2 move in the endless transport path 20R so as to circulate in the direction indicated by the arrow. The transport path 20R has parallel sections 20R1 and 20R2 and is formed in an oval shape, and includes a rail that guides the mover 2.
The first transport unit 21 is provided with a minimum number of movers 2 according to the transport capacity and the number of containers 5 stored in the storage section 25 of the accumulation device 200. A larger number of movers 2 may be provided in the first transport unit 21. There may be a surplus mover 2 that is not used for transporting the container 5. There is no particular limitation on the number of movers 2.

FIG. 4 shows a part of a large number of movers 2 actually provided by the first transport unit 21.
Each mover 2 is provided with a gripper 2A for gripping the neck portion 53 (FIG. 2) of the container 5. Since the cap 5C is located above the collar 53A of the container 5, the gripper 2A is inserted below the collar 53A. The neck portion 53 is gripped by the elastic force of the spring of the gripper 2A. The mover 2 imparts a transport force for moving the container 5 gripped by the gripper 2A along the transport path 20R.
Since the center of gravity of the filled container 5 is lower than that of the empty container 5, it is easy to swing around with the neck portion 53 as a fulcrum during transportation. As a countermeasure, it is preferable to provide the mover 2 with a mechanism for locking the gripper 2A so as not to open during transportation and a mechanism for supporting the container 5 from the side or the lower side in conjunction with the movement of the gripper 2A.

When the mover 2 is configured to grip the neck portion 53 by the gripper 2A, the diameter of the neck portion 53 does not change significantly even if the type of the container 5 (bottle) changes, and the neck portions 53 having different diameters are the same gripper 2A. Since it can be gripped, the work of changing the mold is reduced. However, the mover 2 may be configured to grip the body portion 51 of the container 5 or the head portion (cap 5C) of the container 5.

The second transport unit 22 (FIGS. 3 and 5) also has a plurality of movers 2 capable of transporting the container 5 and a transport path 20R in which the plurality of movers 2 individually move, and the first transport unit 21 also has. It is configured in the same way as.
As shown by the arrow, the mover 2 of the second transport unit 22 moves in the transport path 20R in the opposite direction to the mover 2 of the first transport unit 21.

The first transport unit 21 and the second transport unit 22 of the present embodiment are both configured as linear motor type transport devices.
As shown in FIG. 4, the linear motor type first transport unit 21 is arranged along the transport path 20R with a permanent magnet (not shown) provided in each of the plurality of movers 2. It includes a large number of electromagnetic coils 21C (only a part of which is shown) and a drive control unit (not shown) that operates in cooperation with the control device of the accumulation device 200. The second transport unit 22 (FIG. 3) is similarly configured.
The drive control unit controls the application of current to each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils 21C, and the positions and speeds of the plurality of movers 2 are individually determined by the electromagnetic interaction between the electromagnetic coil 21C and the permanent magnet. Driven to control.

The linear motor type transport units 21 and 22 that utilize electromagnetic action and have few movable parts drive the mover 2 stably and accurately by the drive control unit based on the command of the control amount according to the position and speed. Can be controlled.
The mover 2 grips the neck 53, the body 51, and the like in a state where the bottom 52 of the container 5 is not in contact with the surface of the transport path 20R. Then, the position and speed of the mover 2 are not affected by the slip of the bottom portion 52 of the container 5, and the position and speed of the mover 2 can be driven and controlled more accurately. Further, it is possible to avoid scratches due to slippage of the container 5.

The drive control unit of the first transport unit 21 is configured to operate in cooperation with the control device of the accumulation device 200. Further, the control system of the package line 4 as a whole is configured so that the respective control units including the accumulation device 200 and the accumulation device 300, the labelers 41 and 42, the boxing machine 44, and the like operate in cooperation with each other. Is preferable.

According to the first and second transport units 21 and 22, the position and speed of the container 5 transported by the mover 2 can be accurately controlled. Therefore, instead of the timing screw typically used for pitch indexing and synchronization, the container 5 can be discharged at the same speed as the transport speed of the downstream conveyor by controlling the moving speed of the container 5, or the container 5 can be discharged. A predetermined pitch can be determined, or synchronization can be achieved so that the container 5 is supplied in accordance with the timing at which the container 5 can be discharged to the downstream transport unit and the timing at which the container 5 is processed in the downstream process.
The synchronization processing and the like performed through the first and second transport units 21 and 22 will be specifically described later.

The first transport unit 21 sequentially receives the container 5 from the transfer star foil 12A to the mover 2, and transports the container 5 along the transport path 20R (convey step). When the container 5 is moved by the mover 2 from the section 20R1 of the transport path 20R of the first transport section 21 to the section 20R2, the container 5 gripped by the mover 2 is moved to the storage section 25 by the first transfer section 201. It will be posted (transfer step). At this time, a plurality of containers 5 are simultaneously delivered between the mover 2 arranged in the section 20R2 and the storage unit 25. The storage unit 25 stores the containers 5 side by side in the arrangement direction D1 (storage step).
As will be described later, the second transport unit 22 receives the container 5 held side by side with the storage unit 25 to the mover 2 via the second transfer unit 202. Then, the container 5 is discharged from the mover 2 of the second transport unit 22 to the labeler 41 via the transfer star foil 41A (discharge step).

(1st transfer section, 2nd transfer section)
As described above, the first transfer unit 201 (FIG. 3) sequentially transfers the container 5 from the first transport unit 21 to the storage unit 25. The first transfer portion 201 includes a grip portion that grips the head portion (cap 5C) of the container 5 that is gripped by the gripper 2A of the mover 2. The first transfer unit 201 includes the same number of grips as the number of containers 5 to be transferred at the same time, and the containers 5 are collectively gripped by these grips. The mover 2 that has released the containers 5 advances on the transport path 20R, and the subsequent container group to be transferred is conveyed by the mover 2 toward the transfer processing area on the transfer path 20R.
The first transfer unit 201 moves the collectively gripped container group along the arrangement direction D1 and then arranges the container group in the storage unit 25. For the operation required for transfer, the first transfer unit 201 is configured to include, for example, an arm capable of vertical movement and displacement in the arrangement direction D1. Not limited to this, the first transfer unit 201 that performs operations necessary for transfer can be appropriately configured.

The grip portion of the first transfer portion 201 may be configured to have a shape similar to that of a gripper, for example, or an elastic body and an elastic body holder that swell inward in the radial direction due to compressed air and come into close contact with the outer peripheral portion of the cap 5C. It can also be configured to include and. When the grip portion is configured to have a shape similar to the gripper, unlike the gripper 2A that grips the neck portion 53, it may be configured to open and close downward with the axis along the horizontal direction as the center.

The second transfer unit 202 transfers the container 5 from the storage unit 25 to the second transfer unit 22. The second transfer unit 202 can also be configured in the same manner as the first transfer unit 201.
When the first transfer unit 201 and the second transfer unit 202 that grip the head of the container 5 are used, the space between the neck portions 53 of the containers 5 adjacent to each other in the orthogonal direction D2 is such that the normal gripper 2A cannot be inserted. Even if it is narrow, the container 5 can be gripped from above. Therefore, the containers 5 can be closely arranged in the storage unit 25, and a larger number of containers 5 can be accommodated in the storage unit 25 even in the same area.

(Reservoir)
Next, the storage unit 25 (FIG. 3) uses the container 5 transferred from the mover 2 of the first transport unit 21 by the first transfer unit 201 to the section 20R2 of the transport path 20R of the first transport unit 21. The containers are sequentially arranged and stored in the intersecting direction D1 (hereinafter referred to as the arrangement direction D1).
The storage unit 25 is configured to be able to move the container 5 in the arrangement direction D1. The storage unit 25 includes, for example, a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor that supports the bottom portion 52 of the container 5. The conveyor transports the container 5 toward the second transport unit 22 in the arrangement direction D1 due to friction between the bottom portion 52 of the container 5 and the support surface of the conveyor. The conveyor is provided with a side guide for guiding the container 5. The side guide is preferably installed at the position of the neck 53. The container 5 is stably conveyed by the side guides located on both sides in the width direction (D2) of the conveyor.

The storage unit 25 of the present embodiment is composed of a plurality of regions 251 to 254 movably configured in the arrangement direction D1. These areas 251 to 254 are individually configured to be driveable in the arrangement direction D1 by a conveyor or the like, and are selectively used according to the operating status of the line.
FIG. 3A shows a state in which only a part of the regions 251 is used, and FIG. 3B shows a state in which all the regions 251 to 254 are used.
It suffices if the storage unit 25 has at least one area in which a plurality of containers 5 can be retained. That is, the storage unit 25 does not necessarily have to be divided into a plurality of areas.

The storage unit 25 retracts the container 5 placed on the support surface by the first transfer unit 201 in the arrangement direction D1 with respect to the subsequent container 5 transferred by the first transfer unit 201. When this is repeated, the containers 5 are arranged in the arrangement direction D1. At this time, it is preferable that the containers 5 are lined up with a gap in the arrangement direction D1 by retracting the containers 5 into the arrangement direction D1 with a movement amount larger than the diameter of the container 5 by the storage unit 25. If there is even a small gap, the line pressure (load) applied to the container retained in a typical accumulator device cannot be applied to the container 5. If the container 5 is retracted from the subsequent container 5 by the storage unit 25, even if the containers 5 come into contact with each other, a large load that causes deformation or damage is not applied to the container 5, which is acceptable. Will be done.

Since a plurality of containers 5 are simultaneously supplied to the storage unit 25 by the first transfer unit 201, the containers 5 are arranged in the storage unit 25 in the direction D2 orthogonal to the arrangement direction D1 in addition to the arrangement direction D1. Even in the orthogonal direction D2, it is preferable that there is a gap between the containers 5. Side guides can be arranged in the gaps between the containers 5 in the orthogonal direction D2.

The plurality of (four in this case) regions 251 to 254 constituting the storage unit 25 are located from the upstream side (right side in FIG. 3) to the downstream side (left side in FIG. 3) in the section 20R2 of the transport path 20R of the first transport unit 21. They are arranged adjacent to the orthogonal direction D2 in the order of 251 to 254. In each region 251 to 254, the containers 5 are arranged in the arrangement direction D1 and the orthogonal direction D2.

In order to transfer the container 5 from the transfer star foil 12A to the gripper 2A of the mover 2, the drive control unit of the first transfer unit 21 sets the pitch of the mover 2 before transfer to the notch portion 12C in the transfer star foil 12A. The pitch of the container 5 held in the container 5 is set to be equal to that of the container 5 (see FIG. 4), and the rotation of the transfer star foil 12A is synchronized with the mover 2 that receives the container 5 from the transfer star foil 12A.
The container 5 transported by the transfer star foil 12A and the mover receiving the container 5 from the transfer star foil 12A to a predetermined delivery point P1 where the container 5 is delivered from the transfer star foil 12A to the gripper 2A of the mover 2. If 2 and 2 are located at the same time, the rotation of the transfer star foil 12A and the synchronization with the mover 2 are established, and the container 5 can be reliably delivered.
In order to synchronize the rotation of the transfer star wheel 12A with the mover 2, for example, the rotation angle of the transfer star wheel 12A is acquired by an encoder or the like, and the containers 5 held in the notch 12C of the transfer star wheel 12A are delivered to each other. At the rotation angle immediately before reaching the rotation angle corresponding to the position P1, the mover 2 is driven and controlled at a speed and a position required for synchronization, and the gripper 2A of the mover 2 is opened. When the gripper 2A is closed at the delivery point P1, the gripper 2A is inserted under the neck portion 53 of the container 5, so that the container 5 is gripped by the gripper 2A.
That is, based on the rotation angle of the transfer star foil 12A acquired by the encoder, the gripper 2A is controlled to open and close in addition to controlling the speed and position of the mover 2.
The mover 2 can be moved at a variable speed with respect to the transfer star foil 12A that rotates at a constant speed. Therefore, the mover 2 may be stopped at the delivery point P1 and the container 5 may be made to stand by with the gripper 2A open.

Of the containers 5 passed to the mover 2 of the first transport unit 21, those having an abnormality in the upstream line L1 and those to be extracted for inspection are sampled from the mover 2 to the sampling line 200A (FIG. 1). ). At this time, by controlling the speed of the mover 2 so that the speed is the same as the transport speed of the sampling line 200A, the container 5 can be collected from the predetermined discharge port of the sampling line 200A without the container 5 tipping over. Can be done.

It is assumed that the container 5 is continuously supplied from the transfer star foil 12A to the first transport unit 21 in an empty state where there is no container 5 in the storage unit 25.
The container 5 that is sequentially supplied from the transfer star foil 12A to the mover 2 of the first transfer unit 21 is conveyed along the transfer path 20R by the mover 2. Then, at a location on the transport path 20R corresponding to the most upstream region 251 of the regions 251 to 254, the number of containers 5 to be collectively transferred are arranged along the orthogonal direction D2. At this time, the movers 2 are lined up at a narrower pitch than the pitch at the time of delivery from the transfer star foil 12A. The containers 5 gripped by the grippers 2A of the movers 2 are collectively transferred to the area 251 by the first transfer unit 201. In the present embodiment, the required transport capacity is realized by simultaneously transferring a predetermined number of containers 5 within a predetermined takt time.
The container 5 placed in a row in the orthogonal direction D2 on the conveyor corresponding to the region 251 is continuously or intermittently conveyed to the arrangement direction D1 by the conveyor, so that the container 5 is transferred to the subsequent container 5. Is evacuated.
In the example shown in FIG. 3, the first transfer unit 201 is individually prepared in the regions 251 to 254 of the storage unit 25, but is provided by a single first transfer unit 201 that can be moved in the orthogonal direction D2. It can also be configured to transfer to each of the areas 251 to 254.

Since the container 5 is sequentially transferred to the area 251 via the mover 2 circulating in the transport path 20R, the number of rows of the container 5 increases in the area 251.
When the row of containers 5 first placed in the area 251 reaches the tip of the area 251 in the arrangement direction D1, the control device of the accumulation device 200 gives a command to the servomotor or the like that drives the conveyor to conveyor the conveyor. Is stopped and the conveyor corresponding to the next region 252 is started to start accepting the container 5 into the region 252. The container 5 first placed in the region 251 is shown by arrow 5F in FIG. When stopping the conveyor, it is preferable to perform speed variable control by a servomotor so that the container 5 gradually decreases in speed to reach the stop in order to prevent the position of the container 5 from shifting when the container 5 is stopped.
When starting the conveyor, it is preferable to perform variable speed control by a servomotor so that the moving speed of the container 5 does not change suddenly, if necessary.

After that, in the area 252, the area 253, and the area 254, the container 5 conveyed by the mover 2 is sequentially transferred by the first transfer unit 201 in the same manner as described above, and is transferred to the arrangement direction D1 and the orthogonal direction D2. They are lined up with a gap.

When the container 5 is supplied from the storage unit 25 to the downstream labeler 41, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the container 5 is provided by the second transfer unit 202 from the head side of the arrangement direction D1 of the region 251. It is discharged to the second transport unit 22. The “head side of the arrangement direction D1” is defined as the side in the storage unit 25 where the supplied container 5 is moved by the storage unit 25 in a direction of retracting with respect to the subsequent container 5. That is, it is the head side of the row of the containers 5 arranged in the arrangement direction D1.
At this time, the containers 5 for the number of units forming the same row are collectively gripped by the second transfer unit 202, moved to the arrangement direction D1, and enter the region 251 on the transfer path 20R of the second transfer unit 22. It is passed to each of the movable elements 2 lined up in the corresponding places.
The container 5 that has been retained is taken out to the second transport unit 22 in the order of the area 251, the area 252, the area 253, and the area 254. The container 5 is moved along the transport path 30R by the mover 2 of the second transport unit 22, and is supplied to the labeler 41 via the transfer star foil 41A. The speed and position of the mover 2 of the second transfer unit 22 are driven and controlled so as to match the pitch of the container 5 in the transfer star foil 41A and to synchronize with the rotation of the transfer star foil 41A.

In the same manner as described above for synchronizing the transfer star foil 12A and the mover 2 of the first transfer unit 21, the rotation of the transfer star foil 41A and the mover 2 of the second transfer unit 22 can be synchronized. That is, the rotation angle of the transfer star wheel 41A is acquired by an encoder or the like, and the containers 5 held in the notch 41C of the transfer star wheel 41A are synchronized at the rotation angle immediately before reaching the rotation angle corresponding to the delivery point P2. Therefore, when the mover 2 is driven and controlled to the required speed and position and the gripper 2A is opened at the delivery point P2, the container 5 is transferred to the inside of the notch 41C of the transfer star wheel 41A.

Here, from the container (5F shown in FIG. 3) first arranged in the region 251 to the mover 2 of the second transport unit 22, the container is transported downstream.
That is, according to the accumulation device 200, the containers 5 sequentially accumulated from the upstream line L1 to the storage unit 25 via the first transport unit 21 are discharged in order from the one that has entered the storage unit 25 first. In addition to being able to identify the individual containers 5, the transport order of the containers 5 on the upstream line L1 can be maintained downstream of the accumulation device 200.
It should be noted that the first-in and first-out may be realized not in units of 5 individual containers but in units of rows of container 5. For example, even if the mover 2 of the second transport unit 22 moves in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, first-in and first-out in line units are realized. Also in this case, since the order in which the individual containers 5 are discharged from the storage unit 25 can be specified, the identification information given to the individual containers 5 can be maintained.

The order in which the container 5 is put in the areas 251 to 254 and the container 5 is taken out from the areas 251 to 254 is the transport path 20R in consideration of the necessity of first-in and first-out in addition to maintaining the identification information of the container 5. It can be appropriately determined based on the configuration of.
For example, if the direction in which the mover 2 moves in the transport path 20R of the second transport unit 22 is opposite to the direction shown in FIG. 3, the second transport star foil 41A at the entrance of the labeler 41 is aligned with the second transport star foil 41A. It is necessary to install another star foil between the transport unit 22 and the transfer star foil 41A. In order to realize first-in and first-out of each container 5 unit by this configuration, the container 5 is stored in the order of region 254, region 253, region 252, and region 251, and the container 5 first arranged in region 254. Areas 253, 252, and 251 may be discharged in this order.

Containers 5 are not necessarily retained in all areas 251 to 254, but the number of containers 5 corresponding to the operating status of the line is retained as a whole of the storage unit 25, and the containers 5 are retained due to changes in the operating status or the like. The number of containers 5 is increased or decreased.
Even if the devices and machines constituting the package line 4 such as the labeler 41 and the boxing machine 44 are stopped, the line L1 upstream of the accumulation device 200 is stopped while the storage unit 25 can afford to receive the container 5. It can be operated continuously without. Further, even if the upstream line L1 is stopped for cleaning and inspection of the devices and machines of the upstream line L1, the container 5 is supplied from the storage unit 25 to the labeler 41 while the container 5 is present in the storage unit 25. Therefore, the package line 4 can be operated without stopping.

The accumulation device 200 may be provided with a space capable of accommodating the required quantity of containers 5 in the storage unit 25, assuming the operating condition of the production line 1. The number of areas 251 to 254 can be increased or decreased according to the number of accommodations required for the storage unit 25.
While the equipment and machines constituting the production line 1 are not stopped and the production line 1 is operating as usual, only a part of the areas 251 to 254 is used. For example, in normal times, the cost of power can be reduced by driving only the conveyor corresponding to the area 251 and arranging the containers 5 only in the area 251 and not driving the conveyors corresponding to the other areas 252 to 254. ..
The number of containers 5 that can be accommodated in each of the areas 251 to 254 can be appropriately determined according to the tact time, the transport capacity, and the like. The number of containers that can be accommodated may be different for each area 251 to 254.

[Second Accumulation Device (Accumulation Device 300)]
Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the accumulation device 300 located downstream of the above-mentioned accumulation device 200 will be described.

The accumulation device 300 includes a transport unit 31 and a storage unit 35. In addition to these, it is preferable that the accumulation device 300 includes a transfer unit 301 used for transfer from the transfer unit 31 to the storage unit 35.
The storage unit 35 is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the transport unit 31 in which the transport path 30R is formed in an oval shape. The storage unit 35 is configured to be able to move the container 5 in a direction (D1) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the transport unit 31.

The transport unit 31 is configured in the same manner as the first and second transport units 21 and 22 of the accumulation device 200 (FIG. 3). The transport path 30R has a section 30R1 corresponding to the storage unit 35 and a section 30R2 extending in parallel with the section 30R1 and corresponding to boxing.
The transfer unit 301 is configured in the same manner as the first and second transfer units 201 and 202 of the accumulation device 200.

Similar to the storage unit 25 of the accumulation device 200, the storage unit 35 is configured to be able to move the container 5 in the arrangement direction D1 by, for example, a conveyor. In addition, the storage unit 35 is configured to be capable of reversing the motor of the conveyor and reciprocating in the arrangement direction D1. The storage unit 35 is divided into a plurality of regions 351 and 352, similarly to the storage unit 25 described above.

The transport unit 31 sequentially receives the container 5 from the conveyor 431 downstream of the inspection device 43 to the mover 2, and transports the container 5 along the transport path 30R (convey step).
At this time, the pitch of the container 5 conveyed by the conveyor 431 is not always constant. Even if the pitch of the container 5 transported by the conveyor 431 is undefined, the container 5 is reliably delivered from the conveyor 431 to the mover 2 of the transport unit 31, for example, by the following method. Using the sensor that detects 5, the container 5 on the conveyor 431 and the mover 2 are synchronized.
As shown in FIG. 7, sensors S1 and S2 for sequentially detecting that a specific part of each container 5 transported by the conveyor 431 from upstream of the transport unit 31 has arrived are provided at the positions shown in FIG. 7. The sensors S1 and S2 can be arranged above the guide of the conveyor 431 and the conveyor 431. The portion of the container 5 detected by the sensors S1 and S2 is, here, the front (downstream side) edge of the container 5 in the transport direction, but may be another portion such as the cap 5C. As the sensors S1 and S2, an appropriate sensor such as a photoelectric sensor can be used.

These sensors S1 and S2 are located between the vicinity of the predetermined delivery point P3 in the transport path 30R and immediately before the delivery point P3. In addition, the sensors S1 and S2 are arranged within the range of the size of the container 5 in the transport direction (outer diameter of the container 5) in the transport direction of the container 5 (direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7). The distance between the positions where the sensors S1 and S2 are arranged is narrower than the outer diameter of the container 5. The movement of the container 5 is based on the time required to move the container 5 from the position corresponding to the sensor S1 on the upstream side to the position corresponding to the sensor S2 on the downstream side and the distance between these positions (S1, S2). The speed can be calculated.
In order to stably obtain the moving speed of the container 5, one or more sensors can be added to the sensors S1 and S2. That is, a plurality of sensors including the sensors S1 and S2 may be arranged within the range of the distance in the transport direction corresponding to the outer diameter of the container 5.

Before the container 5 conveyed by the conveyor 431 reaches the delivery point P3, the sensors S1 and S2 acquire information indicating that the specific portion 5A of the container 5 has arrived (information acquisition step). Based on the speed and position of the container 5 obtained from those signals, the mover 2 is moved to the required speed and position toward the delivery point P3 (movement step), and the gripper 2A of the mover 2 is opened. Then, the container 5 is received by the mover 2 by closing the gripper 2A at the delivery point P3 (reception step), and the container 5 is conveyed along the transport path 30R by the mover 2.
As described above, by synchronizing the container 5 to be conveyed with the mover 2, the container 5 is instantly gripped by the gripper 2A at the delivery point P3, and the container 5 is instantly gripped by the mover 2 from the delivery point P3. Taken away. According to the present embodiment, since the sensors S1 and S2 are used for precise synchronization, the bottom portion 52 of the container 5 does not slip and be damaged by the conveyor 431 before and after the delivery point P3.
The delivery point P3 does not necessarily have to be located in a linear section of the transport path 30R, and may be set in a curved section of the transport path 30R. Even in that case, the container 5 on the conveyor 431 and the mover 2 can be synchronized without any trouble by using the signals detected by the sensors S1 and S2.

One or more sensors for detecting the same portion of the container 5 can be arranged upstream of the sensors S1 and S2.
By arranging the sensor S0 upstream of the sensors S1 and S2, for example, the following control becomes possible. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.
The vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 8 shows the moving speed of the mover 2. V ₀ , v ₁ , vra on the vertical axis show an example of the speed that the mover 2 can take. On the horizontal axis, which is the time axis, the time when the container 5 conveyed by the conveyor 431 reaches the respective positions of S0, S1, and S2 is shown.

The mover 2 (2w in FIG. 7), which does not grip the container 5 and has not reached the preparation stage for delivery of the container ₅ , moves at a predetermined standby speed v0 under the control of the drive control unit of the transport unit 31. (Standby step A0). When the container 5 to be received is detected by the sensor S0, the mover 2w enters the preparation stage for delivery.
In the preparatory stage for delivery, the acceleration step A1 for accelerating the mover ₂ toward the target speed v1 and the speed / position information of the container including at least the moving speed of the container 5 on the conveyor 431 using the sensors S1 and S2. It includes a container speed acquisition step A2 for acquiring the container speed, and a correction synchronization step A3 for correcting the position and speed of the mover 2 so as to synchronize with the receiving container 5 based on the information obtained in the step A2.
The target speed v ₁ is set to a speed that is expected to be substantially synchronized with the container 5 at the delivery point P3. The speed of the mover ₂ traveling at the target speed v1 is corrected in step A3 as necessary.
In starting step A2 for acquiring the moving speed of the container 5, it is not necessary to wait for the mover ₂ to reach the target speed v1. Rather, it is preferable to perform step A2 in parallel with the acceleration of the mover 2.

The correction synchronization step A3 drives a command of speed / position information required for the corresponding mover 2 in order to receive the container 5 at the delivery point P3 based on the moving speed of the container 5 acquired in step A2. This includes step A31 generated by the control unit and step A32 for controlling the speed and position of the mover 2 by controlling the current flowing through the electromagnetic coil of the transport path 30R based on the command generated by step A31.
Here, the mover ₂ already traveling at the target speed v1 is accelerated to the corrected target speed vra based on the command generated by step A31 (step A32). The mover 2 may be decelerated in step A32.
The mover 2 reaches the correction target speed vra (correction is completed), and the gripper 2A of the mover 2 traveling at the correction target speed vra grips the container 5 on the conveyor 431. After the container 5 is delivered in this way, the mover 2 can be controlled to an appropriate moving speed. In this example, the mover ₂ is controlled to a predetermined target speed v2 immediately after delivery. The target speed v ₂ may be the same as the target speed v ₁ or the correction speed vra. The speed of the mover 2 can be set to an arbitrary speed (variable speed) while going around the transport path 30R.

As described above, for the mover ₂ accelerated to the target speed v1 after completing step A1, a correction command is generated by the drive control unit based on at least the speed information of the container 5 obtained in step A2. By doing so, (A31) it can be synchronized with the receiving container 5.
When the sensor S0 is used in addition to the sensors S1 and S2, the container 5 is detected by the sensor S0 upstream of the sensors S1 and S2. Therefore, the mover 2 corresponding to the container 5 can be accelerated from the time when the container 5 is detected by the sensor S0 to the time when the container 5 reaches the sensors S1 and S2. Then, when the command for correcting the speed and position of the mover 2 is generated based on at least the speed information of the container 5, the mover 2 has already been accelerated to the target speed _v1 , so that the mass of the mover 2 and the mass of the mover 2 are increased. The mover 2 is accurately driven and controlled based on the command regardless of the acceleration performance. As a result, the mover 2 and the container 5 can be reliably synchronized.
The above-mentioned case where the sensor S0 is used as compared with the case where, for example, after the container 5 is detected by the sensor S1 without using the sensor S0, the mover 2 which has stayed near the delivery point P3 is activated and accelerated. The transport method is advantageous for reliable synchronization because the influence of the mass of the mover 2 and the acceleration performance is small.
If there is no sensor S0, depending on the acceleration performance of the mover 2, the mover 2 will be able to catch up with the container 5 to be gripped when the container 5 is detected by the sensors S1 and S2. It needs to be located near the delivery point P3. According to the control of the speed of the mover 2 in the above-mentioned transport method, there is no such restriction, and an appropriate speed is given to each mover 2 circulating in the transport path 30R, including a section in which the container 5 is not gripped. be able to. Thereby, the number of movable elements 2 can be reduced. Furthermore, it can contribute to speeding up the process of restarting after the line is stopped and preventing the container from tipping over.
For example, since the container 5 is fully loaded in the storage unit 25 and the storage unit 35, it is assumed that the processing of the accumulation devices 200 and 300 is stopped. At this time, the running of the mover 2 is also stopped, or the mover 2 is run at a slow speed (standby speed v0 is ₀ or a slow speed). According to the above-mentioned transport method using the sensor S0, the acceleration of the mover 2 can be started at the timing of the container detection by the sensor S0, so that the time required for accelerating the mover 2 can be secured. This effect is particularly large when the mover 2 is almost stopped, such as when restarting. Further, even if the speed of the mover 2 changes at the time of restart, the mover 2 stably conveys the container 5 by appropriately adjusting the speed.

The speed of the mover 2 shown in FIG. 8 is merely an example. At the start of step A31 for generating a command for correcting the speed of the mover 2 immediately before the delivery point P3, the mover 2 does not have to reach the target speed v1 yet, and the mover ₂ does not have to reach the target speed v1 based on the command. It is sufficient that the mover ₂ has reached the target speed v1 by the time the step A32 for starting the drive control is started. However, even if the mover 2 has not reached the target speed _v1 by the start of step A32, the mover 2 can be adjusted to the speed required for synchronization with a margin because it is accelerated from the standby speed _v0 . Since it can be done, it can contribute to reliable synchronization.

In addition, various modifications can be considered with respect to the transport method using a sensor that detects the container 5 transported by the conveyor 431.
For example, when the sensor S2 is removed from the sensors S1 and S2, the speed information of the container 5 is calculated by the drive control unit of the transport unit 31 based on the information obtained by the sensor S1, and the container is placed in the delivery point P3. The mover 2 can be synchronized by predicting the timing at which 5 arrives.

The container 5 transported through the transport path 30R by the mover 2 is packed in a box by the hand device 44H supported by the robot arm 44A of the boxing machine 44, or is supplied to the storage unit 35. Depending on the operating status of the line, the container 5 transported through the transport path 30R may be exclusively supplied to the storage unit 35 or exclusively boxed, or the supply to the storage unit 35 and the boxing may be performed in parallel. I get sick.

When the container 5 is supplied from the transport unit 31 to the storage unit 35, the movers 2 are arranged at a position corresponding to the region 351 of the storage unit 35 in the transport path 30R at a pitch slightly larger than the outer diameter of the container 5. Then, the container 5 is transferred to the area 351 via the transfer unit 301 (transfer step).
At this time, a plurality of containers 5 are simultaneously delivered between the mover 2 arranged in the section 20R1 of the transport path 30R and the area 351.

The storage unit 35 sequentially arranges and retains the transferred containers 5 in the arrangement direction D1 while retracting the transferred containers 5 in the arrangement direction D1 with respect to the subsequent containers 5. Similar to the accumulation device 200, it is preferable that the containers 5 are arranged with a gap in the arrangement direction D1 and the orthogonal direction D2.
When the area 351 is full of containers 5, it is advisable to stop the conveyor corresponding to the area 351 and start accepting the container 5 into the area 352.

In the accumulation device 300, the container 5 in the storage unit 35 is returned to the transport unit 31 that has supplied the container 5 to the storage unit 35 via the transfer unit 301, and the mover 2 is returned to the section 30R2 of the transport path 30R. Is transported by.
When the container 5 is returned from the area 351 or the area 352 to the transport unit 31, the conveyor corresponding to the area 351 or the area 352 is oriented so that the container 5 is retracted when the container 5 is transferred from the transport unit 31 (D1). ) And move it in the opposite direction. Then, since the container 5 is continuously supplied to the position on the storage section 35 facing the section 30R1 of the transport path 30R, the container 5 is sequentially transferred to the mover 2 of the transport section 31 by the transfer section 301. Can be placed.
Since the containers 5 are sequentially arranged and discharged sequentially as the entire storage unit 35, the identification information given to the individual containers 5 can be maintained according to the accumulation device 300.

When the container 5 discharged from the storage unit 35 is transported to a predetermined area on the transport path 30R included in the movable range of the robot arm 44A of the boxing machine 44, it is gripped by the hand device 44H provided on the robot arm 44A. Will be done. Then, it is carried by the robot arm 44A to the boxing work area 442A on the conveyor 442 and packed into the number of boxes of the number of processing units located in the boxing work area 442A. Box B is supplied to the conveyor 442 from the box supply unit 441 (FIG. 1). The robot arm 44A can also pick up the box B from the temporary storage space 443 and 444 of the box B and supply it to the conveyor 442.

[Effect of this embodiment]
According to the present embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The accumulation devices 200 and 300 include transport units 21 and 31 and storage units 25 and 35 in which the containers 5 are arranged in directions orthogonal to the directions of the transport paths 20R and 30R, respectively. Stores the containers 5 transferred from the transport units 21 and 31 side by side in the arrangement direction D1 while retracting them with respect to the subsequent containers 5. Then, since it is possible to prevent the containers 5 arranged in the storage portions 25 and 35 from pushing each other, it is possible to prevent the containers 5 from being deformed, damaged, or overturned. If there is a gap between the containers 5 at least in the arrangement direction D1, non-line pressure can be realized, and the container 5 does not expand in the width direction (D2) of the storage portions 25 and 35, so that the container due to contact with the guide The scratches of 5 can also be avoided.

Further, since the plurality of movers 2 of the transport units 21 and 22 and 31 provided in the accumulation devices 200 and 300 can be individually driven and controlled, the container 5 is used by the transport units 21 and 22 and 31 instead of the timing screw. It is possible to determine the pitch of the fuel, synchronize the supply from the star foil and discharge to the star foil, and synchronize the processing in the subsequent process. When using a typical accumulation conveyor, it is necessary to use a timing screw together to determine and synchronize the pitch.
By not using the timing screw, the load applied to the container 5 by the timing screw can be eliminated. The container 5 does not get caught in the timing screw. In addition, since the space for installing the timing screw is not required, it can contribute to the reduction of the space required for laying the line. Further, even if the diameter of the container 5 of the product to be manufactured changes, the work of replacing the screw is not required, so that the work of changing the mold can be reduced.

The accumulation devices 200 and 300 can store the containers 5 evenly and at high density in the storage units 25 and 35 while being non-line pressure. Therefore, when a typical accumulation conveyor is used, a deceleration section and an acceleration section in which the containers 5 are roughly arranged before and after the integration section are required, while ensuring the same storage capacity of the line. The space required for installation can be reduced and the length of the line can be shortened. By eliminating the need to bend and handle the line conveyor or the like according to the installable space, a straight and simple line can be realized. By providing the accumulation devices 200 and 300, the length of the package line 4 is short, so that the time required for the mold change work such as changing the height of the guide can be shortened.
From the above, the production line 1 in which the space required for installation is small and the mold change work is easy is suitable for high-mix low-volume production.

When the containers 5 are arranged at high density in the storage portions 25 and 35 as described above and the containers 5 are taken out from the storage portions 25 and 35, the containers 5 are conveyed by the individually movable mover 2 and the containers 5 are conveyed. This is realized by a method of transferring the container 5 to the storage units 25 and 35 in the direction D1 intersecting the transport direction by the mover 2. That is, the accumulation devices 200 and 300 are realized only by providing the transport units 21 and 22, 31 having a plurality of movers 2 that can be controlled to arbitrary positions and speeds and the storage units 25 and 35.

According to the transport units 21, 22, and 31 having the movable elements 2 that can be individually moved, the pitches of the plurality of movable elements 2 are variable, and the movable elements 2 are arranged at the required pitches when the container 5 is delivered. At other times, the movable element 2 can be arranged with a tight pitch. Therefore, compared to a transfer device such as a rotary type transfer device or a conveyor that moves the containers 5 all at once, the transfer units 21, 22, 31 do not take up space even with the same transfer capacity.
By arranging the transport units 21 and 22 (or the transport unit 31) along the end of the storage unit 25 (or the storage unit 35), the accumulation devices 200 and 300 can be arranged in a cohesive manner. , The space required to install the line can be reduced.
According to the package line 4 provided with the accumulation devices 200 and 300, the floor area required for the installation of the line can be significantly reduced as compared with the case where the accumulation conveyor is provided.

If the package line 4 is simply provided with a linear motor type transfer device, it is necessary to stop the entire production line 1 when the device or machine of the upstream line L1 or the package line 4 is stopped. On the other hand, according to the accumulation devices 200 and 300, even if the device is stopped in the front-rear process or there is a difference in transport capacity between the front and back, the container 5 depends on the storage capacity of the storage portions 25 and 35. The process can be continued and the production line 1 can be operated efficiently while the container 5 can be received and the container 5 held in place can be discharged.
From the above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the load applied to the container 5 while suppressing the space required for installing the line, ensuring the accumulation function, and further reducing the mold change work. ..
Moreover, according to the present embodiment, the containers 5 can be sequentially arranged in the storage units 25 and 35, and the containers 5 can be sequentially discharged from the storage units 25 and 35, so that the individual containers 5 can be specified and traceability is possible. Can be secured.

The accumulation devices 200 and 300 realized by providing the transfer units 21, 22 and 31 having a plurality of individually movable movers 2 are represented as a transfer device having a plurality of individually movable movers 2. This is an important application example of the target linear motor type transfer device.
According to the specific method disclosed in the present embodiment, it is possible to determine a constant pitch in the container 5 and to synchronize the delivery of the container 5 with the upstream and downstream transport portions. Alternatively, even while the container 5 is transported through the transport path 20R or the transport path 30R by the mover 2, the drive control of the mover 2 is to determine and synchronize a constant pitch with respect to the necessary processing to the container 5. Can be realized by.
As the processing performed on the container 5 while the container 5 is transported by the mover 2 through the transport path 20R or the transport path 30R, for example, there are various inspections.

The accumulation devices 200 and 300 can be applied not only to the package line 4 but also to the upstream line L1 as needed.

In addition to the above, as long as the gist of the present invention is not deviated, the configurations listed in the above embodiments can be selected or changed to other configurations as appropriate.
The accumulator and accumulator rating method of the present invention can be applied not only to a production line but also to a distribution line for transporting various articles and the like.

1 Manufacturing line 2 Movable element 2A Gripper 4 Package line (package equipment)
5 Container (article)
5A Part 5C Cap 11 Molding machine 12 Aseptic filling device 12A Transfer star foil (supply part)
12C Notch 20R Transport path 20R1, 20R2 Section 21 First transport section (convey mechanism, first transport mechanism)
21C Electromagnetic coil 22 2nd transport section (convey mechanism, 2nd transport mechanism)
25 Storage section 30R Transport path 30R1,30R2 Section 31 Transport section 35 Storage section 41 First labeler 41A Transfer star foil 41C Notch section 42 Second labeler 43,46 Inspection device 44 Boxing machine (packing machine)
44A Robot arm 44H Hand device 45 Sealing machine 46 Inspection device 47 Stacking machine 50 Bottle body 51 Body 52 Bottom 53 Neck 53A Flange 54 Opening 200 Accumulation device 200A Sampling line 200B Reject line 201 1st transfer part 202 2nd Transfer section 251 to 254 Area 300 Accumulation device 301 Transfer section 351,352 Area 411 Label supply section 421 Label supply section 431 Conveyor (supply section)
441 Box supply unit 442 Conveyor 442A Work area 443,444 Temporary storage B Box D1 Arrangement direction D2 Orthogonal direction G1, G2 Gripper L1 Upstream line A0 Standby step A1 Acceleration step A2 Container speed acquisition step A3 Correction synchronization step A31, A32 Step P1 ~ P3 Delivery point S0 to S2 sensor

Claims (4)

A transport method using a linear motor type transport mechanism having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transport path in which the plurality of movers individually move.
For each of the articles transported from upstream of the transport mechanism, from the vicinity of the predetermined delivery point in the transport path to immediately before the delivery point, within the size range of the article in the transport direction. A step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived at at least two positions lined up with, and a step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived.
A step of moving the mover so as to synchronize with the article that obtains the information and reaches the delivery point based on the information.
A step of receiving the article that has reached the delivery point to the mover is provided .
Moreover,
A step of acquiring information indicating that the specific part of the article has reached a position upstream of the vicinity of the delivery point.
Each of the at least two positions comprises a step of accelerating the mover before information indicating that the particular site has arrived is acquired.
A transport method characterized by that. A transport method using a linear motor type transport mechanism having a plurality of movers capable of transporting articles and a transport path in which the plurality of movers individually move.
For each of the articles transported from upstream of the transport mechanism, from the vicinity of the predetermined delivery point in the transport path to immediately before the delivery point, within the size range of the article in the transport direction. A step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived at at least two positions lined up with, and a step of acquiring information indicating that a specific part of the article has arrived.
A step of moving the mover so as to synchronize with the article that obtains the information and reaches the delivery point based on the information.
The step of receiving the article that has reached the delivery point to the mover,
The step of transporting the article by the mover and
A step of transferring the article to the storage unit from the mover in the arrangement direction intersecting with the transport path.
A step of arranging and storing the articles in the arrangement direction while retracting the articles transferred to the storage unit in the arrangement direction with respect to the subsequent articles.
A step of transferring the article from the reservoir to the mover,
A step of ejecting the article downstream from the mover .
A transport method characterized by that. A step of acquiring information indicating that the specific part of the article has reached a position upstream of the vicinity of the delivery point.
Each of the at least two positions comprises a step of accelerating the mover before information indicating that the particular site has arrived is acquired.
The transport method according to claim 2. The mover grips the neck of the bottle as the article.
The transport method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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