JP7061835B2

JP7061835B2 - Container conveyor

Info

Publication number: JP7061835B2
Application number: JP2016194671A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 竜也矢野; 大福岡
Original assignee: Shibuya Corp
Current assignee: Shibuya Corp
Priority date: 2016-09-30
Filing date: 2016-09-30
Publication date: 2022-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2036-09-30
Also published as: JP2018052735A

Description

本発明は、容器を上方若しくは下方へ搬送するのに用いられる搬送コンベヤに関する。 The present invention relates to a conveyor used to transport a container upwards or downwards.

例えば容器に液体を充填してキャッピングを行う充填設備では、工場レイアウトの関係から容器を１階から２階へ、若しくは２階から１階へ昇降させて搬送する場合がある。搬送コンベヤを用いた容器の搬送において、容器を昇降させる際にはグリップコンベヤが用いられる。グリップコンベヤでは、搬送路の両側にコンベヤをそれぞれ配置し、両コンベヤで容器の胴部を両側から把持して容器の搬送を行う（特許文献１、２参照）。 For example, in a filling facility in which a container is filled with liquid and capped, the container may be transported by moving it up and down from the first floor to the second floor or from the second floor to the first floor due to the factory layout. In transporting a container using a transport conveyor, a grip conveyor is used when raising and lowering the container. In the grip conveyor, conveyors are arranged on both sides of the transport path, and the body of the container is gripped from both sides by both conveyors to transport the container (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

実開平０１－１５２９１０号公報Jikkenhei 01-152910 Gazette 特開平０８－０５８９４５号公報Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 08-058945

グリップコンベヤによる搬送は、ガラス製容器や樹脂製容器など、側方からの把持力に対して十分な剛性や弾性を示す容器の搬送に対しては有効である。しかし、スチール缶のように側方からの把持力に対し十分な強度を持たない容器の場合、グリップコンベヤの把持力により容器側面に凹み等の変形が発生する場合がある。 Transporting by a grip conveyor is effective for transporting containers that exhibit sufficient rigidity and elasticity against gripping force from the side, such as glass containers and resin containers. However, in the case of a container that does not have sufficient strength against the gripping force from the side such as a steel can, the gripping force of the grip conveyor may cause deformation such as a dent on the side surface of the container.

本発明は、容器の両側を把持することなく容器を上方若しくは下方へ搬送可能な搬送コンベヤを提供することを課題としている。 An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor that can transport a container upward or downward without gripping both sides of the container.

本発明の容器搬送コンベヤは、マグネットに吸着可能な底を有する容器を搬送する容器搬送コンベヤにおいて、搬送する容器の底を支持する搬送面に水平区間と昇降区間とを有する昇降コンベヤと、前記昇降コンベヤの前記水平区間へ容器を受け渡す受け渡しコンベヤとを備え、前記昇降コンベヤの搬送面にマグネットを所定間隔で配置し、前記受け渡しコンベヤと前記昇降コンベヤの前記水平区間との間に、受け渡される容器の底と係合して容器を持ち上げて、容器の移動を規制する規制部材を設け、容器の搬送方向前方を、前記規制部材により持ち上げるとともに、前記昇降コンベヤの搬送面上に延出させている間に、容器の搬送方向前方箇所を昇降コンベヤのマグネットにより吸着して当該容器を搬送することを特徴としている。
The container transport conveyor of the present invention is a container transport conveyor that transports a container having a bottom that can be attracted to a magnet. A delivery conveyor for delivering a container to the horizontal section of the conveyor is provided, magnets are arranged at predetermined intervals on the transport surface of the elevating conveyor, and the container is delivered between the delivery conveyor and the horizontal section of the elevating conveyor. A restricting member that engages with the bottom of the container to lift the container and regulates the movement of the container is provided, and the front of the container in the transport direction is lifted by the restricting member and extended onto the transport surface of the elevating conveyor. It is characterized in that the container is transported by attracting the front portion of the container in the transport direction by the magnet of the elevating conveyor.

規制部材は、例えばローラである。また例えばマグネットが容器の底に複数個吸着されるようにマグネットは配置される。 The regulating member is, for example, a roller. Further, for example, the magnets are arranged so that a plurality of magnets are attracted to the bottom of the container.

本発明によれば、容器の両側を把持することなく容器を上方若しくは下方へ搬送可能な搬送コンベヤを提供することができる。 According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveyor that can transport a container upward or downward without gripping both sides of the container.

本実施形態の容器搬送コンベヤの構成を示す模式的な側面図である。It is a schematic side view which shows the structure of the container transport conveyor of this embodiment. 本実施形態の容器搬送コンベヤを含む搬送システムの構成を示す模式的な平面図である。It is a schematic plan view which shows the structure of the transfer system including the container transfer conveyor of this embodiment. 昇降コンベヤの搬送面の部分拡大図である。It is a partially enlarged view of the transport surface of an elevating conveyor. 受け渡しコンベヤから昇降コンベヤへと容器を受け渡す動作を説明する側面図である。It is a side view explaining the operation of passing a container from a delivery conveyor to an elevating conveyor.

以下、本発明の実施の形態を、図面を参照して説明する。図１は、本発明の一実施形態である容器搬コンベヤの構成を示す模式的な側面図である。 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a container carrying conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

本実施形態の容器搬送コンベヤ１０は、受け渡しコンベヤ１２と、昇降コンベヤ１４とを備える。受け渡しコンベヤ１２は、例えば直方体形状を呈するスチール缶などの容器Ｖを水平に搬送し、その下流端において昇降コンベヤ１４の第１水平区間１４Ａに容器を受け渡す。昇降コンベヤ１４は、搬送方向に所定間隔でマグネット１４Ｍが配置された搬送面を備え（後述）、受け渡された容器Ｖの底部がマグネット１４Ｍで搬送面に吸着される。すなわち、受け渡しコンベヤ１２から受け渡された容器Ｖは、順次昇降コンベヤ１４の搬送面に所定間隔に吸着・保持されて搬送される。 The container transport conveyor 10 of the present embodiment includes a transfer conveyor 12 and an elevating conveyor 14. The delivery conveyor 12 horizontally conveys a container V such as a steel can having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and delivers the container to the first horizontal section 14A of the elevating conveyor 14 at the downstream end thereof. The elevating conveyor 14 includes a transport surface in which magnets 14M are arranged at predetermined intervals in the transport direction (described later), and the bottom of the delivered container V is attracted to the transport surface by the magnet 14M. That is, the container V delivered from the delivery conveyor 12 is sequentially adsorbed and held at predetermined intervals on the transport surface of the elevating conveyor 14 and transported.

昇降コンベヤ１４の第１水平区間１４Ａの下流側には、上昇区間（昇降区間）１４Ｂが設けられる。上昇区間１４Ｂでは、搬送面の移送方向が徐々に上方へ向けられ、所望の高さに達すると再び水平方向に徐々に戻される。上昇区間１４Ｂの下流側には、搬送面が水平方向に移送される第２水平区間１４Ｃが設けられ、その下流端には、図示しない排出コンベヤが配置される。すなわち、昇降コンベヤ１４により搬送される容器Ｖは、第２水平区間１４Ｃの下流端に達すると排出コンベヤへと受け渡される。 An ascending section (elevating section) 14B is provided on the downstream side of the first horizontal section 14A of the elevating conveyor 14. In the ascending section 14B, the transfer direction of the transport surface is gradually directed upward, and when the desired height is reached, the transfer direction is gradually returned to the horizontal direction again. A second horizontal section 14C in which the transport surface is transferred in the horizontal direction is provided on the downstream side of the ascending section 14B, and a discharge conveyor (not shown) is arranged at the downstream end thereof. That is, the container V conveyed by the elevating conveyor 14 is delivered to the discharge conveyor when it reaches the downstream end of the second horizontal section 14C.

図２は、本実施形態の容器搬送コンベヤ１０を含む搬送システムの構成を示す模式的な平面図である。 FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a transfer system including the container transfer conveyor 10 of the present embodiment.

容器Ｖは、例えば第１供給コンベヤ１６、第２供給コンベヤ１８上を一列に搬送され、順次受け渡しコンベヤ１２へと供給される。その後、容器Ｖは受け渡しコンベヤ１２から後述するローラ（規制部材）２４を介して、昇降コンベヤ１４へと順次受け渡され、昇降コンベヤ１４の搬送面に所定間隔で配置されたマグネット１４Ｍの吸着力により搬送面上に保持・固定される。 The container V is conveyed in a row on, for example, the first supply conveyor 16 and the second supply conveyor 18, and is sequentially supplied to the delivery conveyor 12. After that, the container V is sequentially delivered from the transfer conveyor 12 to the elevating conveyor 14 via a roller (regulatory member) 24 described later, and is attracted by the attractive force of the magnets 14M arranged at predetermined intervals on the transport surface of the elevating conveyor 14. It is held and fixed on the transport surface.

第１供給コンベヤ１６と第２供給コンベヤ１８の間の隙間、および第２供給コンベヤ１８と受け渡しコンベヤ１２の間の隙間には、渡り板２０、２０が設けられ、受け渡しコンベヤ１２と昇降コンベヤ１４の間の隙間には、容器Ｖの底面に係合しその動きを制御するローラ（規制部材）２４が配置される。 Crossing plates 20 and 20 are provided in the gap between the first supply conveyor 16 and the second supply conveyor 18 and the gap between the second supply conveyor 18 and the transfer conveyor 12, and between the transfer conveyor 12 and the elevating conveyor 14. A roller (regulatory member) 24 that engages with the bottom surface of the container V and controls its movement is arranged in the gap between the two.

第１、第２供給コンベヤ１６、１８、および受け渡しコンベヤ１２は、例えば並走する一対のチェーン上に多数のプレート２６を掛け渡し、プレート２６同士をリンク結合した一般的な搬送コンベヤである。なお、第２供給コンベヤ１８の搬送速度は、第１供給コンベヤ１６の搬送速度よりも遅く設定され、受け渡しコンベヤ１２の搬送速度は、第２供給コンベヤ１８の搬送速度よりも速く設定される。 The first and second supply conveyors 16 and 18, and the transfer conveyor 12 are, for example, general transfer conveyors in which a large number of plates 26 are hung on a pair of parallel running chains and the plates 26 are linked to each other. The transfer speed of the second supply conveyor 18 is set to be slower than the transfer speed of the first supply conveyor 16, and the transfer speed of the transfer conveyor 12 is set to be faster than the transfer speed of the second supply conveyor 18.

図３は、昇降コンベヤ１４の搬送面の部分拡大図である。昇降コンベヤ１４は、上述したように搬送経路に沿って配置される一対のチェーン（不図示）の間に掛け渡される多数のプレート２６を備える。各プレート２６は隣接して配置され、隣り合うプレート２６同士は回転可能にリンク結合される。 FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the transport surface of the elevating conveyor 14. The elevating conveyor 14 includes a large number of plates 26 spanned between a pair of chains (not shown) arranged along the transport path as described above. The plates 26 are arranged adjacent to each other, and the adjacent plates 26 are rotatably linked to each other.

搬送方向における所定パターン置きのプレート２６には、その中央部付近にマグネット１４Ｍが埋設される。本実施形態では、２個以上のマグネット１４Ｍが１つの容器Ｖの底面に吸着する間隔となるようにマグネット１４Ｍが設けられる。図示例では、１つ置きのプレート２６にマグネット１４Ｍが各々埋設されている。 A magnet 14M is embedded in the plate 26 having a predetermined pattern in the transport direction in the vicinity of the central portion thereof. In the present embodiment, the magnets 14M are provided so that the two or more magnets 14M are attracted to the bottom surface of one container V at intervals. In the illustrated example, magnets 14M are embedded in every other plate 26.

図４は、受け渡しコンベヤ１２から昇降コンベヤ１４へと容器Ｖを受け渡す動作を説明する側面図である。 FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating an operation of delivering the container V from the delivery conveyor 12 to the elevating conveyor 14.

受け渡しコンベヤ１２と昇降コンベヤ１４の第１水平区間１４Ａとの間には、容器Ｖの底面と係合して容器Ｖを持ち上げ、容器Ｖの移動を規制するローラ２４が設けられる。 A roller 24 is provided between the delivery conveyor 12 and the first horizontal section 14A of the elevating conveyor 14 to engage with the bottom surface of the container V to lift the container V and restrict the movement of the container V.

すなわち、受け渡しコンベヤ１２により搬送され、受け渡しコンベヤ１２の下流端から迫り出した容器Ｖの底面は、ローラ２４に当接し、ローラ２４の上に乗り上げられる。これにより容器Ｖの底面の前縁は僅かに持ち上げられ（例えば１～２ｍｍ程度）、昇降コンベヤ１４の上流端の搬送面上に僅かに浮いた状態で延出する。この間に最初に容器Ｖの底面下方を走行する昇降コンベヤ１４のマグネット１４０Ｍが、容器Ｖの底面前縁近くを走行する際に底面の前方箇所を吸着する。容器Ｖは昇降コンベヤ１４の搬送面に保持され、昇降コンベヤ１４とともに移動するとともに次のマグネット１４１Ｍが容器Ｖの底面中央付近に吸着し、容器Ｖは昇降コンベヤ１４へと受け渡される。なお、容器Ｖは、底面の長手方向が搬送方向に一致するように配置されることが望ましい。 That is, the bottom surface of the container V, which is conveyed by the delivery conveyor 12 and protrudes from the downstream end of the delivery conveyor 12, comes into contact with the roller 24 and rides on the roller 24. As a result, the leading edge of the bottom surface of the container V is slightly lifted (for example, about 1 to 2 mm), and extends in a slightly floating state on the transport surface at the upstream end of the elevating conveyor 14. During this period, the magnet 140M of the elevating conveyor 14 that first travels below the bottom surface of the container V attracts the front portion of the bottom surface when traveling near the front edge of the bottom surface of the container V. The container V is held on the transport surface of the elevating conveyor 14, moves together with the elevating conveyor 14, and the next magnet 141M is attracted to the vicinity of the center of the bottom surface of the container V, and the container V is delivered to the elevating conveyor 14. It is desirable that the container V is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface coincides with the transport direction.

底面の前方箇所を含む搬送方向に沿った複数の位置をマグネット１４Ｍにより搬送面に吸着・保持された容器Ｖは、図１に示されるように、昇降区間１４Ｂを昇降コンベヤ１４の搬送面とともに上昇する。このとき容器Ｖの底面前方箇所がマグネット１４Ｍにより保持されているため、自重により発生するモーメントにより容器Ｖが搬送面から離接されることが防止される。 As shown in FIG. 1, the container V, which has a plurality of positions along the transport direction including the front portion of the bottom surface attracted and held on the transport surface by the magnet 14M, ascends the elevating section 14B together with the transport surface of the elevating conveyor 14. do. At this time, since the front portion of the bottom surface of the container V is held by the magnet 14M, the container V is prevented from being separated from the transport surface by the moment generated by its own weight.

以上のように本実施形態の容器搬送コンベヤによれば、把持力に対する側面強度が十分でない容器であっても、容器の底面がスチールなどのように磁石に吸着される性質を持つ素材から構成されていれば、その両側を把持することなく容器を上方へ搬送することができ、容器の変形を防止できる。 As described above, according to the container transport conveyor of the present embodiment, even if the container has insufficient side strength against the gripping force, the bottom surface of the container is made of a material having a property of being attracted to a magnet such as steel. If so, the container can be transported upward without gripping both sides thereof, and deformation of the container can be prevented.

なお、本実施形態では、規制部材として搬送方向に並べられた３連のローラを例示したが、規制部材はローラに限定されるものではなく、容器の底面との係合が受け渡し動作中十分に低摩擦であり、かつ迫り出した底面を僅かに押し上げることができれば、如何なる部材であってもよい。 In this embodiment, three rollers arranged in the transport direction are exemplified as the regulating member, but the regulating member is not limited to the rollers, and the engagement with the bottom surface of the container is sufficient during the delivery operation. Any member may be used as long as it has low friction and can slightly push up the protruding bottom surface.

また本実施形態の昇降区画では、容器が上方へ搬送されたが、昇降区画において容器を下方へ搬送する構成とすることもできる。この場合、容器の底を複数のマグネットで吸着し、容器の前方と、真ん中よりも後方箇所を吸着することで容器を安定して搬送することができる。 Further, in the elevating section of the present embodiment, the container is transported upward, but the elevating section may be configured to transport the container downward. In this case, the bottom of the container is attracted by a plurality of magnets, and the front of the container and the portion behind the center are attracted, so that the container can be stably conveyed.

１０容器搬送コンベヤ
１２受け渡しコンベヤ
１４昇降コンベヤ
１４Ａ第１水平区間
１４Ｂ上昇区間（昇降区間）
１４Ｃ第２水平区間
１４Ｍマグネット
１６第１供給コンベヤ
１８第２供給コンベヤ
２４ローラ（規制部材）
２６プレート
Ｖ容器 10 Container conveyor 12 Delivery conveyor 14 Elevating conveyor 14A First horizontal section 14B Ascending section (elevating section)
14C 2nd horizontal section 14M magnet 16 1st supply conveyor 18 2nd supply conveyor 24 roller (regulatory member)
26 Plate V container

Claims

In a container conveyor that transports a container that has a bottom that can be attracted to a magnet.
An elevating conveyor having a horizontal section and an elevating section on the conveying surface supporting the bottom of the container to be conveyed.
A delivery conveyor for delivering a container to the horizontal section of the elevating conveyor is provided.
Magnets are arranged at predetermined intervals on the transport surface of the elevating conveyor, and the magnets are arranged at predetermined intervals.
A restricting member for restricting the movement of the container by engaging with the bottom of the container to be delivered and lifting the container is provided between the delivery conveyor and the horizontal section of the elevating conveyor.
While the front of the container in the transport direction is lifted by the restricting member and extended onto the transport surface of the elevating conveyor, the front part of the container in the transport direction is attracted by the magnet of the elevating conveyor to transport the container. Container transport conveyor characterized by

The container transport conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is a roller.

The container transport conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the magnets are arranged so that a plurality of the magnets are attracted to the bottom of the container.