JP7352067B2 - Goods conveyance device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article conveying device that groups articles conveyed by a conveyor into a predetermined number and supplies them downstream.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been known as an apparatus for conveying articles by grouping them. This device includes a traveling mechanism disposed along a conveyor that continuously conveys articles, and a pair of engaging members swingably provided on the traveling mechanism. Grouping is performed by inserting and engaging the articles from both sides into the gap formed between the articles on the conveyor.

Patent No. 4480228

In recent years, there has been a trend for PET bottle containers to become thinner for environmental protection, resulting in a decrease in overall strength and making them easier to deform. When such PET bottle containers are grouped by an article conveying device, a pair of engaging members are inserted from the side into the gap between the front and back parts of the containers, and cannot engage with the front of the containers. . Therefore, this engaging member is pressed in the conveying direction by a large number of subsequent containers, and there is a possibility that the leading container may fit between the pair of engaging members and be deformed. In particular, in the case of square containers (shape of a rectangle with four corners cut out in plan view), the engaging member engages with the container in such a way that it only hooks on the corners. There is also a possibility that the engaging member will come off and grouping will not be possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an article conveying device that can always properly group articles without deforming the articles, even if the articles being conveyed are containers with thin walls.

The article conveyance device according to the present invention includes a conveyor that continuously conveys articles, a traveling mechanism that travels along a conveyance path of the conveyor at a speed different from the conveyance speed of the conveyor, and a swinging mechanism for the traveling mechanism. A mechanism that is inserted into a gap between articles being conveyed on a conveyor, engages with the articles, regulates the conveyance speed of the articles to the traveling speed of the traveling mechanism, and groups the articles on the conveyor. the engaging member is swung by a predetermined angle from a retracted position in which it does not engage the articles, and is set to a first engaging position in which it engages the articles relatively shallowly, thereby grouping the articles. After that, the engaging member further swings and is set at a second engaging position where it engages relatively deeply with the article , and the traveling mechanism swings the engaging member from the first engaging position to the second engaging position. At this time, the engaging member is moved downstream in the transport direction so that a gap is formed between the engaging member and the article that the engaging member engages at the first engaging position.

In a preferred embodiment, the traveling mechanism has first and second traveling members that travel independently of each other, and the engagement member attached to the first traveling member engages the first article of successive articles on the conveyor. In the engaged state, the engaging member attached to the second traveling member swings to the first engaging position, thereby engaging the (n+1)th article from the top, and the first traveling member moves to the second traveling member. By traveling at a higher speed than the traveling member, a gap is formed between the nth and (n+1)th articles from the top, and the engagement member of the second traveling member swings to the second engagement position.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an article conveying device that can always properly group the articles without deforming the articles even if the articles being conveyed are containers with thin walls.

1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an article conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article conveyance device. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of an engaging member. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism for swinging the engagement member, taken along a vertical plane along the longitudinal direction of the attachment member. It is a figure showing the state where an engagement member engages with an article. It is a figure which shows the effect|action of grouping articles. It is a top view showing a 2nd embodiment. It is a top view which shows 3rd Embodiment.

The invention will now be described with reference to illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 shows an article conveying device 10 according to a first embodiment, and the article conveying device 10 is provided between the terminal end of a conveyor 11 of an upstream device and the start end of a conveyor 12 of a downstream device. The upstream device is, for example, a labeler, and attaches a label to the surface of the article conveyed by the article conveyance device 10. The article conveyance device 10 conveys articles from the right side to the left side in the figure, and groups the articles into a predetermined number of articles during conveyance. The downstream device is, for example, a wrap-round caser, which wraps the grouped articles in a corrugated cardboard sheet.

The article conveyance device 10 includes a conveyor 20 that continuously conveys articles, and a traveling mechanism 21 provided along a conveyance path of the conveyor 20. The traveling mechanism 21 is disposed at an upstream portion of the conveyance path of the conveyor 20, and has an engaging member 30 for grouping articles. A delivery device 13 is provided above the downstream portion of the conveyor path of the conveyor 20 . The delivery device 13 is configured by attaching flight bars 15 to an endless chain 14 at predetermined intervals, and the flight bars 15 press the grouped articles on the conveyor 20 from the upstream side to transfer them to the conveyor 12 of the downstream equipment. hand it over to

The conveyor 20 is an endless chain conveyor, and is wound around a plurality of pulleys 23 provided on a frame 22. The conveyance surface of the conveyor 20 is held at the same height position as the conveyance surfaces of the upstream equipment conveyor 11 and the downstream equipment conveyor 12 by a chain support 29 extending in the horizontal direction. The traveling mechanism 21 has first and second chains 24 and 25 that travel at a speed slower than the conveyance speed of the conveyor 20, and as described later, the chains 24 and 25 are driven by first servo motors 26 and 27 (FIG. ) are driven independently of each other.

The engaging members 30 are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the first and second chains 24 and 25. As will be described later, each engaging member 30 is constituted by a pair of arms swingably supported by the traveling mechanism 21, and each arm is inserted into a gap formed between articles conveyed on the conveyor 20. and engages with the articles, thereby regulating the conveying speed of the articles to the traveling speed of the traveling mechanism 21 and performing grouping. Note that in FIG. 1, a dashed line A indicates a movement locus of the engaging member 30.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article conveyance device 10. As shown by the dashed line B in this figure, the transport conveyor 20 transports the articles arranged in six rows, and the articles in each row are grouped by the traveling mechanism 21 while being transported. In the traveling mechanism 21, first chains (travel members) 24 are provided on both left and right sides of the conveyor 20 in the conveying direction, and second chains (travel members) 25 are similarly provided on both left and right sides of the conveyor 20. . Each first chain 24 has a first sprocket 31 provided at the base and the tip of the output shaft 28 of the first servo motor 26, and a second sprocket 31 provided at the base and tip of the output shaft 29 of the second servo motor 27. It is hung around the sprocket 32. Similarly, each second chain 25 is connected to a third sprocket 33 provided at the base and tip of the output shaft 28 of the first servo motor 26, and a third sprocket 33 provided at the base and tip of the output shaft 29 of the second servo motor 27. and the fourth sprocket 34.

The first sprocket 31 is integrally fixed to the output shaft 28, and the second sprocket 32 is fitted to the output shaft 29 so as to be relatively rotatable. The third sprocket 33 is fitted to the output shaft 28 so as to be relatively rotatable, and the fourth sprocket 34 is integrally fixed to the output shaft 29. Therefore, the rotational force of the output shaft 28 of the first servo motor 26 is transmitted to the first sprocket 31, the first chain 24, and the second sprocket 32, and the second sprocket 32 rotates relative to the output shaft 29. Similarly, the rotational force of the output shaft 28 of the second servo motor 27 is transmitted to the fourth sprocket 34, the second chain 25, and the third sprocket 33, and the third sprocket 33 rotates relative to the output shaft 28. That is, the first and second chains 24, 25 run independently of each other.

Both ends of the first attachment member 40 are connected to the pair of first chains 24 , and both ends of the second attachment member 41 are connected to the pair of second chains 25 . A guide member 36 in which a guide groove 35 is formed is provided on the left side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the conveyor 20 when facing the conveyance direction, and a guide member 36 in which a guide groove 35 is formed is provided in the first and second mounting members 40 and 41. Engaging rollers 37, 38 are provided. The guide groove 35 extends in the conveyor direction along the conveyor 20, and the first and second attachment members 40, 41 are guided by the guide groove 35 and move in the conveyor direction. The first and second attachment members 40, 41 extend parallel to the output shafts 28, 29, and six engaging members 30 are attached to each of these attachment members 40, 41. These engaging members 30 are provided at positions indicated by dashed-dotted lines B, corresponding to the rows of articles to be transported.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the engagement member 30 and a configuration for swinging the engagement member 30 will be described. Each engagement member 30 consists of a pair of arms, a right arm 42 and a left arm 43. The right arm 42 is fixed to a pin 44, and the pin 44 is supported by the mounting members 40, 41 so as to be rotatable around the axis. A connecting arm 45 is fixed to the pin 44, and therefore the right arm 42 and the connecting arm 45 are swingably supported by the mounting members 40 and 41 via the pin 44. The connecting arm 45 is connected to a right arm drive member 46 which extends parallel to the mounting members 40, 41, so that all right arms 42 swing simultaneously via the right arm drive member 46. The right arm drive member 46 is provided with a cam follower 48 that engages with the right arm cam groove 47 .

Similarly, the left arm 43 is fixed to a pin 51 that is rotatable around the axis with respect to the mounting members 40 and 41, and a connecting arm 52 is fixed to the pin 51, and the left arm 43 and the connecting arm 52 are connected to the mounting members 40 and 41. It is swingably supported by 40 and 41. The connecting arm 52 is connected to a left arm drive member 53 that extends parallel to the mounting members 40, 41, so that all left arms 43 swing simultaneously via the left arm drive member 53. The left arm drive member 53 is provided with a cam follower 55 that engages with the left arm cam groove 54 .

That is, the right arm 42 and the left arm 43 swing according to the shapes of the right arm cam groove 47 and the left arm cam groove 54, respectively, and all the engaging members 30 open and close at the same time. A right finger 56 that projects toward the left arm 43 is provided at the tip of the right arm 42, and a left finger 57 that projects toward the right arm 42 is provided at the tip of the left arm 43. The right finger 56 and the left finger 57 are formed into a tapered shape in plan view so that they can be easily inserted into a gap between two adjacent articles in the conveyance direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the right arm cam groove 47 and the left arm cam groove 54 are formed in the upper cam plate 60 and the lower cam plate 61. The upper cam plate 60 and the lower cam plate 61 are provided horizontally and parallel to each other, and the upper cam plate 60 and the lower cam plate 61 have stays at the upstream end and the downstream end in the conveyance direction, respectively. 62. A cam groove for the right arm and a cam groove for the left arm (not shown) are also formed in the stay 62, and the cam groove for the right arm and the cam groove for the left arm are connected to the upper cam plate 60, the lower cam plate 61, and the stay, respectively. It is continuous at 62 and is formed in an endless shape.

The right arm cam groove 47 and the left arm cam groove 54 formed in the upper cam plate 60 are curved in a horizontal plane in a predetermined area, so that the right arm 42 and the left arm 43 swing to open and close. In other areas, the right arm cam groove 47 and the left arm cam groove 54 are formed linearly, and the right arm 42 and the left arm 43 do not swing. The swinging of the right arm 42 and the left arm 43, that is, the opening/closing operation of the engaging member 30 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5.

Near the upstream end (right side in FIG. 2) of the traveling mechanism 21, the engaging member 30 is open and in the retracted position and does not engage with the articles C1 and C2 (symbol D). When the engagement member 30 moves a predetermined distance from the upstream end, it swings from the retracted position by a predetermined angle according to the shape of the first inclined portion K1 of the cam grooves 47, 54, and is set at the first engagement position ( Code E). At the first engagement position, the engagement member 30 engages the articles C1 and C2 relatively shallowly. When the article C1 is a square container, the engaging member 30 engages with the chamfered corner, and when the article C2 is a round container, the engaging member 30 is rotated by about 45 degrees from the tip of the article C2 in plan view. engage the part.

When the engagement member 30 further moves a predetermined distance in the conveyance direction, it further swings from the first engagement position according to the shape of the second inclined portion K2 of the cam grooves 47, 54, and is set at the second engagement position. (Symbol F). In the second engagement position, the engagement member 30 is in a closed state in which it is relatively deeply engaged with the articles C1 and C2. On the downstream side of the second inclined portion K2, the cam grooves 47 and 54 are formed as a straight line portion L parallel to the conveyance direction, and the engagement member 30 maintains a closed state when traveling in this portion. In the vicinity of the downstream end of the traveling mechanism 21, the engaging member 30 is opened according to the shape of the third inclined portion K3 of the cam grooves 47, 54, and returns to the retracted position where it does not engage with the articles C1, C2 (symbol D ).

The effect of grouping the articles C will be explained with reference to FIG. In this explanation, it is assumed that the leading engaging member 30 located on the left side in FIG. 6 is attached to the first chain 24, and the subsequent engaging member 30' located on the right side is attached to the second chain 25. .

In the state shown in symbol (a), the leading engaging member 30 is in the closed state (second engaging position) and is engaged with the leading article C of the successive articles C on the conveyor 20. Further, the subsequent engaging member 30' is located below the conveyance surface of the conveyor 20, and is set at the open and retracted position. The leading and trailing engaging members 30, 30' move at the same speed, and when the trailing engaging member 30' comes above the conveying surface and reaches the state shown in symbol (b), the engaging member 30' moves at the same speed. It swings to the first engagement position (symbol E in FIG. 5) and shallowly engages the fifth article C from the top.

At approximately the same time that the engaging member 30' is set to the first engaging position, the first chain 24 runs at approximately the same speed as the conveyor 20, that is, at a higher speed than the second chain 25. As a result, the four articles C located in front of the fifth article C to be engaged by the subsequent engaging member 30' are conveyed by the conveyor 20, and a gap G is formed between the fourth and fifth articles C. is formed (symbol (c)). Thereafter, the subsequent engagement member 30' swings into the second engagement position and deeply engages the fifth article C. As a result, the conveyance speed of the article C located behind the fifth one is regulated by the engaging member 30'.

As described above, in this embodiment, when grouping is performed, the engaging member 30' first swings by the first angle to shallowly engage the article C, and then engages with the article C adjacent in front of it. After a gap G is formed between the member 30' and the article C engaged, the engaging member 30' swings to a second, larger angle and deeply engages the article C. In this way, grouping is performed with the engaging members 30' engaged shallowly, and then the engaging members 30' are engaged deeply. However, the process is always performed normally without deforming the article C.

Note that depending on conditions such as the shape and movement trajectory of the engaging member and the shape of the container, there is a possibility that the engaging member may bite into the article when the engaging member swings from the first angle to the second angle. In this case, by accelerating the traveling mechanism 21 in synchronization with the timing of swinging to the second angle, the engaging member can swing to the second angle while forming a slight gap with the article. Bye. To explain this using the round container article C2 shown on the right side of FIG. 5 as an example, when the engaging member 30 swings from the first angle (code E) to the second angle (code F), the engaging member 30 to the downstream side (upper side in FIG. 5) relative to the article C2, that is, by moving the article C2 relatively to the upstream side (lower side in FIG. 5), the engaging member 30 It becomes possible to swing the engaging member 30 from the first angle to the second angle while preventing the engagement member 30 from being caught in the first angle.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, first and second cam mechanisms 70, 71 are provided. The first and second cam mechanisms 70 and 71 are connected to first and second cam lifting mechanisms 72 and 73, respectively, and are selectively raised and lowered. That is, one of the first and second cam mechanisms 70, 71 is set at a height position where it engages with the cam followers 48, 55 of the engagement member, and the other does not engage with the cam followers 48, 55. The cam groove 74 of the first cam mechanism 70 is formed so that the engagement member can be switched between the open state and the closed state, and is configured to perform the same one-stage opening and closing operation as in the prior art. The second cam mechanism 71 is configured such that the engaging member performs two-stage opening and closing operations, similarly to the first embodiment described above.

In the second embodiment, if the articles to be grouped are, for example, soft rectangular containers, there is a high possibility that the engaging member will come off the articles, so the second cam mechanism 71 may be used only in this case. . As described above, according to the second embodiment, one of the first and second cam mechanisms 70 and 71 can be selected and used, and an appropriate grouping operation can be performed depending on the material etc. of the articles to be conveyed. I can do it.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment. In this embodiment, the cam mechanism 80 is connected to a horizontal movement device 82 and configured to be movable in the horizontal direction. A cam groove 81 formed in the cam mechanism 80 has a shape that allows the engaging member to swing by a first angle. That is, when the cam followers 48 and 54 engage with the inclined portion K4 of the cam groove 81, the engagement member swings by the first angle and shallowly engages the article conveyed by the conveyor. Thereafter, when the cam followers 48 and 54 engage with the linear portion L of the cam groove 81, the cam mechanism 80 is horizontally displaced by a predetermined amount by the horizontal movement device 82, and the engaging member is swung by a second angle. Deeply engage the article.

This embodiment is used when the downstream equipment is temporarily stopped. In other words, when the downstream equipment temporarily stops, the operation of the transport conveyor 20 is not stopped, and the traveling mechanism 21 is stopped with the engaging member 30 engaged with the leading article C, so that the article C can be transported. It is kept on the conveyor 20. After the engaging member 30 is swung by the first angle and engaged with the leading article C, the traveling mechanism 21 is stopped, and the cam mechanism 81 is horizontally displaced by the horizontal movement device, so that the engaging member 30 The engaging member 30 is swung by the second angle to deeply engage the article, thereby causing the engaging member 30 to engage with the front side of the article C. Note that when necessary, when displacing the cam mechanism 81 in the horizontal direction to swing the engagement member 30 to the second angle, the traveling mechanism 21 may be moved downstream as described above to close the door. It may also be possible to prevent the engaging member 30 from biting into the article C.

According to the third embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the cam groove 81 having a simpler shape enables grouping of articles.

In the engagement member of each of the above embodiments, the cam followers 48 and 54 were provided for each of the left and right arms 42 and 43, but it is possible to combine the cam followers into one and swing the left and right arms 42 and 43 in conjunction with gears. It may be configured to do so.

20 Conveyor 21 Traveling mechanism 30, 30' Engagement member C, C1, C2 Article

Claims (2)

A conveyor that continuously transports goods;
a traveling mechanism that travels along a conveyance path of the conveyor at a speed different from a conveyance speed of the conveyor;
The transport mechanism is swingably supported by the traveling mechanism, is inserted into a gap between articles conveyed on the transport conveyor, engages with the articles, regulates the conveyance speed of the articles to the traveling speed of the traveling mechanism, and an engaging member for grouping articles on the conveyor;
The engaging member is swung by a predetermined angle from a retracted position in which it does not engage the articles, and is set to a first engaging position in which it engages relatively shallowly with the articles to group the articles, and then further oscillated. and is positioned in a second engagement position for relatively deep engagement with the article ;
The travel mechanism is configured such that when the engaging member swings from the first engaging position to the second engaging position, the engaging member moves between the article to be engaged at the first engaging position and the engaging member. The engaging member is moved downstream in the transport direction relative to the article so that a gap is formed between the engaging member and the member.
An article conveying device characterized by: The traveling mechanism has first and second traveling members that travel independently of each other,
While the engaging member attached to the first traveling member is engaged with the leading article of the continuous articles on the conveyor, the engaging member attached to the second traveling member is engaged with the first article. By swinging to the position, it engages with the (n+1)th article from the top,
As the first traveling member travels at a higher speed than the second traveling member, a gap is formed between the nth and (n+1)th articles from the top, and the engagement member of the second traveling member travels at a higher speed than the second traveling member. The article conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the article conveying device swings to two engagement positions.

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