JP7504749B2 - Sheet bundle dividing and gripping device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet bundle dividing and gripping device that divides and grips a predetermined number of sheet bundles from stacked sheets (e.g., blanks, which will be described later), and a sheet bundle dividing and conveying method using the same.

Conventionally, for example, paper cups have been manufactured by transferring a sheet-like piece of paper (hereinafter also referred to as a "blank") punched into a fan shape by a known punching machine to a paper cup molding machine and forming it. Such blanks are formed by punching a raw paper material, which is laminated with, for example, a polyethylene film and has a paper cup pattern printed on it, into a roughly fan shape.

At this time, a sheet bundle dividing device is known that bundles the sheets (blanks) punched out in sequence from the punching machine into a predetermined amount of bundles (hereinafter also referred to as "sheet bundles") and transfers these bundles to the paper cup forming machine (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

In addition, the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 shows an example in which the sheet bundle is transferred to the molding machine, which is the next process, by the sheet bundle dividing device, but such a next process varies depending on the manufacturing specifications, and for example, the punched sheets (blanks) may be transported to another factory. In this case, the above-mentioned next process is a so-called boxing process, and the function of the sheet bundle dividing device is required to store the sheet bundle in a storage case.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-143168 JP 2018-16008 A

According to the above-mentioned patent documents, the conveyance of sheet bundles can be automated mechanically, which promotes efficiency. However, for example, in Patent Document 1, it can be said that there is no substantial difference from a form in which the separation into sheet bundles is difficult to begin with and is done manually. On the other hand, according to the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, although the conveyance of sheet bundles to the next process can be made more efficient, further improvements such as reducing conveyance errors and improving conveyance speed are required. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 does not specifically mention storing sheet bundles in a storage case, and does not take into consideration stacking of sheet bundles on each other.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a sheet stack dividing and gripping device that can grip, for example, a paper sheet stack and transport it to the next process more efficiently.

A sheet stack dividing and gripping device according to an embodiment of the present invention is (1) a sheet stack dividing and gripping device for dividing and conveying at least a portion of a sheet stack in which a plurality of sheets are stacked in a horizontal direction , the sheet stack dividing and gripping device including: a base body connected to a conveying mechanism that moves toward or away from the sheet stack;
The sheet stacking device includes a separate shaft that is erected on the base body and has a first end pin for dividing the sheet stack in the horizontal direction into a first sheet stack and a second sheet stack, a clamp shaft that is erected on the base body opposite the separate shaft and clamps the divided first sheet stack in cooperation with the separate shaft, and a control device that controls the driving of the separate shaft and the clamp shaft, wherein a second end pin extending toward the separate shaft is provided at the end of the clamp shaft , and the first end pin and the second end pin are each rotatable around the axis of the shaft, and the control device controls the rotation of the first end pin and the second end pin each around the axis of the shaft, and when the first sheet stack clamped by the separate shaft and the clamp shaft is released, the rotation of the first end pin is started and then the rotation of the second end pin is performed .

In addition, in the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device described in (1) above, (2) it is preferable that the number of clamp shafts erected on the base body is greater than the number of the separate shafts.

In addition, in the sheet bundle splitting and gripping device described in (1) or (2) above, (3) it is preferable that the first tip pin has a tip edge that is inserted between the first sheet bundle and the second sheet bundle, a gripping surface that is formed to extend from the tip edge and contacts the first sheet bundle when the sheet bundle is split to grip the first sheet bundle, a curved back surface that is formed to extend from the tip edge on the opposite side to the gripping surface and contacts the second sheet bundle when the sheet bundle is split, and a pair of side surfaces that are arranged between the gripping surface and the curved back surface.

Furthermore, in the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device described in ( 1 ) above, ( 4 ) the clamp shaft and the second end pin are provided in at least two pieces on the base body, and the control device is characterized in that, when the first sheet bundle is opened, the second end pins of the at least two clamp shafts are rotated so as to face each other.

In addition, in the sheet bundle splitting and gripping device described in any of (1) to ( 4 ) above, ( 5 ) it is preferable that the separate shaft pushes up the first tip pin from below the sheet bundle in the vertical direction, thereby splitting the sheet bundle into a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle.

According to the present invention, the sheet bundle can be quickly divided and gripped, and transport errors such as unintentional dropping of a part of the gripped sheet bundle can be suppressed, making it possible to transport the sheet bundle to the next process more efficiently. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is also possible to load sheet bundles into a storage case, or to stack another sheet bundle on top of a sheet bundle.

1 is a schematic diagram of a sheet bundle dividing and conveying system including a sheet bundle dividing and gripping device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a schematic side view of the sheet stack dividing and holding device of the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a detailed structure of a first end pin mounted on a separate shaft. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation mode of a first tip pin mounted on a separate shaft and a second tip pin mounted on a clamp shaft. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a sheet bundle dividing and conveying method according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a hand placement section that can accommodate multiple blank sizes. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which sheets punched out by a pre-processing means are stacked and placed on a holding mechanism. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating details of a sheet stack removal process in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 . 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state when a dividing point in a stack of sheets (a stack of sheets) placed on a blank holding section is detected; FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a lower end of a stack of sheets (a stack of sheets) placed on a blank holding portion is detected; FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a blank support wall of the blank holding portion is retracted. FIG. 11A to 11C are schematic diagrams showing states and transitions when a predetermined amount of a sheet bundle is separated from a stack of sheets held by a blank holding section. 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams showing states and transitions when a sheet bundle separated from a laminated sheet is re-held and aligned. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a sheet stack separated from a laminated sheet is gripped; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the gripped sheet bundle is transported to a next process. FIG. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams (part 1) showing states and transitions when a sheet stack that has arrived at the next process is released and placed thereon; 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams (part 2) showing states and transitions when a sheet stack that has arrived at the next process is released and placed thereon;

The sheet bundle dividing and gripping device and sheet bundle dividing and conveying method of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the following embodiment describes one example of the present invention, and does not unintentionally limit the present invention, and other known configurations may be appropriately supplemented. For example, for device configurations other than those described in detail below, known conveying mechanisms, including those described in Patent Document 2 above, may be used as long as they do not impede the gist of the present invention.

[Sheet Bundle Splitting and Conveying System]
1 shows a sheet bundle dividing and conveying system 400 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the sheet bundle dividing and conveying system 400 according to the present embodiment includes a sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100, a conveying mechanism TM, a previous process means 200, a next process means 300, and the like, which will be described later.
The transport mechanism TM is, for example, a known transport robot having an arm mechanism capable of six-axis control and having a tip to which the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 can be connected. Note that the transport mechanism TM may employ, for example, the structure shown in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2.

The front-end process means 200 is a known forming machine (punching machine) that forms the sheet of this embodiment into a predetermined shape. As an example, the front-end process means 200 of this embodiment can be a known punching machine disclosed in Patent Document 2, etc., that punches out and forms a paper blank into a fan shape. In this case, the blank is finally transferred to a paper cup molding machine and formed into a paper cup.

The next process means 300 is a known means for receiving the first sheet bundle 1A (described later) transported by the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100. For example, if the next process is to form a paper cup, the next process means 300 can be a paper cup forming machine. On the other hand, if the next process is elsewhere (such as another physically distant production line or another factory), the sheets will need to be transported, and the next process means 300 is a storage case for transportation. An example of such a storage case is a known rectangular box such as a cardboard box having an opening through which the sheet bundle can be brought in or out by the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100, as shown in FIG. 1.

The following description will continue using the above-mentioned storage case for transporting the formed sheet to another location as an example of the next process means 300. Also, the following description will use as an example a fan-shaped paper sheet (blank) to be formed into a paper cup, but the present invention is not limited to the above and may use sheets of other shapes or materials other than paper, such as resin.

[Sheet Bundle Dividing and Gripping Device]
Next, a detailed configuration of the sheet-bundle dividing and gripping device 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. This sheet-bundle dividing and gripping device 100 is interposed between the above-mentioned previous process means 200 and next process means 300, and has a function of dividing a sheet bundle 1, which is made of blanks continuously punched out from a punching machine and stacked horizontally and held by a holding mechanism RM, into a first sheet bundle 1A and a second sheet bundle 1B, as in Patent Document 2, for example.

More specifically, as can be seen from, for example, FIG. 2, the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 of this embodiment has the function of dividing and gripping at least a portion of a sheet bundle 1 in which multiple sheets (blanks) are stacked, and is configured to include a base body 10, a separation shaft 20, a clamp shaft 30, a division point detection sensor 40, a standard measurement sensor 50, and a control device CTL.

The base body 10 is connected to a transport mechanism TM that can move toward or away from the sheet stack 1 held by the holding mechanism RM. As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the base body 10 is connected to the transport mechanism TM, while the separate shaft 20 and clamp shaft 30, which will be described later, are erected on the other end.

As described below, in this embodiment, the first tip pin 21 of the separate shaft 20 and the second tip pin 31 of the clamp shaft 30 are each rotatable about their own axis. In addition, the clamp shaft 30 is capable of moving toward the separate shaft 20 in order to clamp a portion of the divided sheet stack 1.

That is, in this embodiment, the base body 10 is configured to have a clamp pin rotation mechanism 12 for rotating the second tip pin 31 of the clamp shaft 30, a clamp mechanism 13 for moving the clamp shaft 30 toward the separate shaft 20, and a separate pin rotation mechanism 14 for rotating the first tip pin 21 of the separate shaft 20.

The power for the clamp pin rotation mechanism 12, the clamp mechanism 13, and the separation pin rotation mechanism 14 is not particularly limited, and various known driving force supply mechanisms such as compressed air, hydraulics, or a feed screw mechanism can be applied. In this embodiment, an air cylinder mechanism using compressed air is used as an example of the driving force supply mechanism described above, as in Patent Document 2.

The base body 10 of this embodiment also has the function of being equipped with a division point detection sensor 40 and a standard measurement sensor 50, which will be described later. Such a base body 10 can be made of any known material, such as a metal material, without any particular restrictions, and may further have other known members or functions as long as it can perform the functions described above.

As described above, the separation shaft 20 is erected on the base body 10 and has the function of dividing the sheet bundle 1 into a first sheet bundle 1A and a second sheet bundle 1B. That is, the "first sheet bundle 1A" is a sheet bundle consisting of an amount that can be held at one time by the sheet bundle dividing and holding device 100 of this embodiment. Also, the "second sheet bundle 1B" refers to the sheet bundle that remains immediately after the first sheet bundle 1A is divided and separated from the sheet bundle 1. Therefore, if the division and holding of the sheet bundle, which will be described later, is repeated, a predetermined amount of the first sheet bundle 1A will be divided from the second sheet bundle 1B in the second and subsequent division processes.

Specifically, the separation shaft 20 of this embodiment includes a first tip pin 21 that performs the above-mentioned division by contacting the arc surface of the sheet stack 1 held by the holding mechanism RM (the side of the sheet stack consisting of the inner arc surface or outer arc surface of each sheet; see also Patent Document 2 as appropriate), and a support 22 that has the first tip pin 21 mounted at its tip and has its base end attached to the base body 10 and stands upright. Note that in this embodiment, an example is described in which the first tip pin 21 contacts the above-mentioned arc surface of the sheet stack 1, but the first tip pin 21 may also contact another side of the sheet stack (for example, a non-arc surface other than the inner arc surface or outer arc surface) to perform the above-mentioned division.

<Detailed Structure of First Tip Pin 21>
Next, the structure of the first end pin 21 of the separate shaft 20 in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
As can be seen from the same figure, the first tip pin 21 of this embodiment is composed of a tip edge 21a that is inserted between the first sheet bundle 1A and the second sheet bundle 1B described above, a gripping surface 21b that is formed extending from the tip edge 21a and that contacts the first sheet bundle 1A when the sheet bundle 1 is divided to grip the first sheet bundle 1A, a rear curved surface 21c that is formed extending from the tip edge 21a on the opposite side to the gripping surface 21b and that contacts the second sheet bundle 1B when the sheet bundle 1 is divided as described above, a pair of side surfaces 21d that are arranged between the gripping surface 21b and the rear curved surface 21c, and a connection hole 21e that is rotatably connected to the above-mentioned support 22.

Of these, the gripping surface 21b is formed so as to hang down approximately from the leading edge 21a so as to be parallel to the main surface (the surface facing the gripping surface 21b) of the first sheet stack 1A when it is divided as described above. This allows the gripping surface 21b to more reliably grip the main surface of the first sheet stack 1A when the first sheet stack 1A is transported to the next process means 300.

On the other hand, the rear curved surface 21c is formed to have a gentle curve or taper from the leading edge 21a to the connection hole 21e. This prevents the second sheet bundle 1B from being unintentionally folded when the leading edge 21a is inserted from the arc surface of the first sheet bundle 1A to divide the sheet bundle 1.

In this embodiment, the first tip pin 21 is connected to the support 22 via the connection hole 21e, but the connection between the first tip pin 21 and the support 22 is not limited to the above. In other words, as long as the rotation (rotation function) of the first tip pin 21 is not hindered, other known connection structures may be adopted, such as forming a convex protrusion instead of the connection hole 21e and forming a recess on the support 22 side into which the protrusion is inserted.
With the above-described configuration, the first tip pin 21 of this embodiment is capable of rotating about the axis of the support column 22 (shaft) via the separate pin rotating mechanism 14 described above.

Returning to FIG. 2, the description of each component included in the sheet stack dividing and holding device 100 of this embodiment will be continued.
The clamp shaft 30 is erected on the base body 10 opposite the separate shaft 20 and configured to have the function of clamping the divided first sheet stack 1A in cooperation with the separate shaft 20.

More specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 2 and other figures, the clamp shaft 30 of this embodiment includes a second tip pin 31 capable of holding the first sheet stack 1A when the first sheet stack 1A is being transported, and a support 32 having the second tip pin 31 mounted at its tip and having its base end attached to the base body 10 and standing upright.

In this way, the tip of the clamp shaft 30 is provided with a second tip pin 31 that extends toward the separate shaft 20. As a result, when the first sheet stack 1A is transported, the first tip pin 21 of the separate shaft 20 and the second tip pin 31 of the clamp shaft 30 face each other, making it possible to support the first sheet stack 1A by these tip pins.

As mentioned above, the base body 10 is equipped with the clamp pin rotation mechanism 12 and clamp mechanism 13. Therefore, the second tip pin 31 is not only extended toward the separate shaft 20, but can also rotate around the axis of the support 32 (shaft) via the clamp pin rotation mechanism 12. The support 32 can also move toward the separate shaft 20 via the clamp mechanism 13.

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, it is preferable that the number of clamp shafts 30 erected on the base body 10 is set to be greater than the number of separate shafts 20. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the clamp shaft 30 in this embodiment is composed of a pair of clamp shafts 30A and 30B. In other words, in this embodiment, at least two (two pairs) of clamp shafts 30 are erected on the base body 10 for one separate shaft 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, when supporting and transporting the first sheet stack 1A, the first end pin 21 and the second end pin 31 (31a and 31b) are positioned so that they face inward and face each other. On the other hand, when placing the first sheet stack 1A in a storage case described below, these first end pin 21 and second end pin 31 each rotate, allowing the first sheet stack 1A to fall under its own weight along each other's supports and be released.

2 and other figures, in the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 of this embodiment, it is preferable that the distances of the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 from the reference position (e.g., the center) of the base body 10 are different from each other. In other words, in this embodiment, the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 do not face each other at the same height from the base body 10, and the first tip pin 21 is positioned closer to the base body 10 in the X direction in FIG. 2 than the second tip pin 31. This allows the first sheet bundle 1A to be placed in a slightly tilted state when placed in the storage case 300 described later, and prevents the sheets at the end side that make up the first sheet bundle 1A from becoming distorted.

In this embodiment, the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 are preferably configured to rotate around the axis of the support, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, for example, the first tip pin 21 may rotate while the second tip pin 31 slides outward, or vice versa. In other words, the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 of this embodiment do not necessarily both rotate, and it is sufficient that at least one of the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 is capable of rotating around an axis.

As shown in FIG. 2, the division point detection sensor 40 is mounted on the base body 10, for example, and has a function of calculating a division point A in the sheet stack 1, which will be described later. Examples of such a division point detection sensor 40 include known distance measuring sensors, such as a laser displacement sensor. Note that in this embodiment, a laser displacement sensor is used as the division point detection sensor 40, but it is not limited to such an optical sensor, and other distance measuring sensors, such as a radio wave type or ultrasonic type, may also be used.

In addition, as described below, the division point detection sensor 40 of this embodiment has a distance measurement function, so it may also have the function of measuring the amount of each sheet stack 1 held by multiple holding mechanisms RM (RM1 to RM4, see Figure 7).

As shown in FIG. 2, the standard measurement sensor 50 is mounted, for example, on the base body 10 and has the function of detecting standard marks Mk provided on the above-mentioned multiple holding mechanisms RM (RM1 to RM5, see FIG. 7). Examples of such a standard measurement sensor 50 include well-known imaging means such as a CCD camera or CMOS sensor. This makes it possible to determine the standard of the sheet (blank) held by the holding mechanism RM, and prevents a sheet (blank) of the wrong standard from being transported to the next process means 300.

The control device CTL can be, for example, a known computer equipped with a memory and a CPU (not shown). This makes it possible to execute, for example, a programmed sheet bundle dividing and conveying method (described later) in the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100.

<Sheet bundle division and transport method>
Next, the sheet bundle dividing and conveying method according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with further reference to Figures 5 to 17. This sheet bundle dividing and conveying method is a conveying method using the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 having the above-mentioned separation shaft 20 and clamp shaft 30, which is stored as a program in the above-mentioned memory and can be executed by the control device CTL. Note that the program for executing this sheet bundle dividing and conveying method may be stored in the above-mentioned memory, or may be downloaded to the control device CTL via a known network such as the cloud.

In step 1-1 shown in FIG. 5, it is first determined whether a hand change is necessary. Here, if the above-mentioned sheet (blank) is to be used for a beverage container such as a paper cup, the shape is determined based on a number of standards according to its application and capacity. Therefore, in the sheet bundle dividing and conveying method of this embodiment, it is first determined whether an appropriate hand (sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100) has been selected according to the sheet (blank) supplied from the previous process means 200.

The above determination in step 1-1 may be made, for example, by an operator who operates the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100, or may be performed by the control device CTL based on a mark (not shown) or input from the operator.

If it is determined in step 1-1 that a hand change is not required, the process proceeds to step 2, whereas if it is determined that a hand change is required, a hand change is performed in the following step 1-2. As an example, FIG. 6 shows an example of a hand placement section HD on which multiple types of sheet bundle dividing and gripping devices 100 with different functions and shapes corresponding to the numerous standards mentioned above are placed. This makes it possible to quickly divide and transport sheets (blanks) of multiple standards using an appropriate hand (sheet bundle dividing and gripping device).

In the next step 2, the size of the sheets (blanks) to be conveyed is checked, and the order in which the stack of sheets to be divided and gripped is taken out is determined. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the sheets (blanks) punched out from the front-end process means 200 are held by the guide shafts SFa and SFb of the holding mechanisms RM, which are arranged in parallel, for example, five in number. Note that the detailed structure of the holding mechanisms RM is the same as that of Patent Document 2, except for the parts described in detail below, and therefore the configuration of the "holding section 100" disclosed in Patent Document 2 is incorporated in this specification as necessary.

In this embodiment, as described above, sheets (blanks) are supplied from the front-end process means 200 to each of the five holding mechanisms RM1 to RM5. Each sheet (blank) is accumulated on the guide shafts SFa and SFb with its in-plane direction parallel to the vertical direction (upright state). Note that in this embodiment, the sheets (blanks) located at the ends of the guide shafts SFa and SFb are prevented from unintentionally falling over by the support wall SW. The specific structure of this support wall SW is similar to that of the "blank pressing unit 130" in Patent Document 2, so a detailed description will be omitted.

At this time, the above-mentioned standard mark Mk is added to the end of one of the guide shafts (guide shaft SFa in this example). This standard mark Mk corresponds to the various sheet standards described above, and it is possible to grasp the shape of the sheet by detecting this standard mark Mk.
In this manner, in the above-mentioned step 2, the control device CTL controls the standard measurement sensor 50 of the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 to execute control for detecting the standard marks Mk provided on each of the plurality of holding mechanisms RM.

In step 2, after the above-mentioned standards have been checked, the order in which the sheet stacks are removed is determined. More specifically, the control device CTL repurposes the division point detection sensor 40 to measure the amount of sheet stacks 1 held by each of the multiple (five in this example) holding mechanisms RM. As described above, the division point detection sensor 40 is a distance measurement sensor, and by scanning in the direction opposite the multiple holding mechanisms RM arranged side by side, the distance to the front of the sheet stacks 1 held by each holding mechanism RM (i.e., the amount of each sheet/loading amount) can be determined.

In this way, the sheet stacks 1 of this embodiment are arranged in a line with a predetermined gap between them in a direction (Y direction in FIG. 7) that intersects with the direction in which the sheets are stacked, and are placed on the holding sections (holding mechanisms RM). The sheet stack dividing and gripping device 100 of this embodiment further includes a quantity measuring sensor (division point detection sensor 40) that measures the quantity of the sheet stack 1, and each of these quantity measuring sensors has the function of measuring the quantity of the sheet stacks placed on the holding sections.

Therefore, in step 2, the control device CTL can determine the removal order so that the sheet bundle is removed in order from the holding mechanism RM with the largest amount of stacked sheets (blanks). Note that the above removal order is an example, and the control device CTL may determine the removal order so that the sheet bundle is removed in order from the holding mechanism RM with the smallest amount of stacked sheets. Note that the following description will explain an example in which the sheet bundle 1 held by the first holding mechanism RM1 located at the left end of the multiple holding mechanisms RM is divided and transported.

In the next step 3, the position of the storage case 300 as the next process means is confirmed and corrected as necessary. That is, in this embodiment, the storage case 300 is a rectangular cardboard box as described above, and position detection marks (not shown) are added to the four corners. In this embodiment, the standard measurement sensor 50 of the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 is repurposed to capture images of the position detection marks added to the four corners of the storage case 300, thereby determining the inclination and position of the storage case 300.

The above-mentioned position detection marks are not particularly limited and various known measurement marks can be used as long as they can be identified by the standard measurement sensor 50 as an imaging device. In this step 3, by checking the position of the storage case 300 using the above method and correcting the position information of the storage case 300 as necessary, it is possible to organize and efficiently store the first sheet stack 1A described below in the storage case 300.

Next, in step 4, the sheet bundle is removed using the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100. The manner in which the sheet bundle is removed in step 4 will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 8 to 15.

After the removal of the sheet stack in step 4, the process of stacking the removed sheet stack into the storage case 300 is executed in the following step 5. The manner in which the sheet stack is stacked in step 5 will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 16 and 17.

When the stacking process in step 5 is completed as described above, in step 6 it is determined whether or not the stacking of the specified number of sheets (blanks) has been completed. If it is determined in step 6 that the specified number has not yet been reached, the process returns to step 4, where the second sheet bundle 1B becomes the new sheet bundle 1, and the stacking process is repeated from the removal process of the new first sheet bundle 1A. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 6 that the specified number of sheets (blanks) have been transported to the next process, this transport process ends.

<Sheet stack removal process>
8 to 15, the sheet bundle take-out process in the above-mentioned step 4 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 8, in the sheet bundle take-out process in this embodiment, the control unit CTL first sets a separation point (division point A) in step 41.

9, the control device CTL calculates the division point A of the sheet bundle 1 via the division point detection sensor 40. In other words, since the position of the first tip pin 21 of the separation shaft 20 relative to the base body 10 is known, if the distance to the sheet bundle 1 is measured by the division point detection sensor 40, it is possible to calculate how close the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 needs to be to the sheet bundle 1 in order for the first tip pin 21 to be positioned at the target division point A. With this in mind, in this embodiment, as an example, the detection light of the division point detection sensor 40 is irradiated to a position 15 mm upward in the Z direction from the bottom end of the sheet bundle 1, thereby measuring the distance to the sheet bundle 1.

In this embodiment, the "division point A" refers to the point at which the first sheet bundle 1A to be gripped and transported is separated from the remaining second sheet bundle 1B among the sheet bundle 1 held by the holding mechanism RM. The amount of the first sheet bundle 1A is determined from the perspective of the gripping capacity and transport efficiency of the sheet bundle splitting and gripping device 100, for example, several tens to several hundred sheets.

Next, in step 42, the control device CTL detects the position of the bottom end of the sheet stack 1 held by the holding mechanism RM, as shown in FIG. 10. This determines the origin of the coordinates of the sheet stack 1 in the vertical direction (position "B" in FIG. 10).

As described above, since the size of the sheet (blank) being transported is known, it is possible to calculate the top end position of the sheet stack 1 held by the holding mechanism RM based on the coordinate origin. Alternatively, the above-mentioned division point detection sensor 40 may be used to constantly monitor the distance from the leading edge pin to the sheet stack.

In the next step 43, the control device CTL releases the support of the sheet stack 1 by the stopper (support wall SW) by sliding the first holding mechanism RM1 via the first tip pin 21 of the separate shaft 20 as shown in FIG. 11. More specifically, the control device CTL hooks the first tip pin 21 into a recess or the like of the first holding mechanism RM1 to move the sheet stack dividing and gripping device 100 backward (in the +X direction).

In the next step 44, the control device CTL divides the sheet stack 1 held by the first holding mechanism RM1 (guide shafts SFa and SFb) via the separate shaft 20 into a first sheet stack 1A and a second sheet stack 1B, as shown in FIG. 12. More specifically, the control device CTL controls the separate shaft 20 to push up the first tip pin 21 from below the sheet stack 1 in the vertical direction (Z direction in FIG. 12), thereby dividing the sheet stack 1 held by the first holding mechanism RM1 into the first sheet stack 1A and the second sheet stack 1B at the dividing point A.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 12(b), in this embodiment, taking into consideration the thickness of the first tip pin 21, it is preferable for the control device CTL to move the separation shaft 20 backward (the +X direction in FIG. 12, the direction away from the second sheet bundle 1B) in parallel with the first tip pin 21 being inserted into the division point A of the sheet bundle 1. This makes it possible to smoothly execute the division process into the first sheet bundle 1A and the second sheet bundle 1B while minimizing the unintended upward protrusion of the sheets (blanks).

As described above, the gripping surface 21b of the first tip pin 21 hangs down from the tip edge 21a so as to be parallel to the main surface of the first sheet stack 1A, so it is conceivable that a part of the divided first sheet stack 1A may be pushed upward and pop out, as shown in FIG. 12(b). In other words, when the first sheet stack 1A is divided, some of the sheets on the first tip pin 21 side may be pushed upward due to friction, etc.

In this embodiment, in the next step 45, the control device CTL performs an alignment process for the divided first stack of sheets 1A, as shown in Figure 13. More specifically, as shown in Figure 13(a), the control device CTL first advances (moves in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned backward direction, that is, in the -X direction in Figure 13) the separation shaft 20 and lowers it, causing the first holding mechanism RM1 (guide shafts SFa and SFb) to temporarily hold the first stack of sheets 1A again.

As a result, even if a portion of the divided first sheet stack 1A protrudes upward, the edges can be aligned again in the same way as the other sheets. Then, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the control device CTL controls the separation shaft 20 to move upward (the +Z direction in FIG. 13) to re-hold the aligned first sheet stack 1A.

Then, in the next step 46, the control device CTL executes a gripping process for the divided and aligned first sheet stack 1A, as shown in FIG. 14. More specifically, the control device CTL executes control to move the clamp shaft 30 toward the separate shaft 20 via the clamp mechanism 13 described above. As a result, the first sheet stack 1A held by the separate shaft 20 is gripped (sandwiched) between the separate shaft 20 and the clamp shaft 30.

When an air cylinder is used as the clamp mechanism 13, it is preferable that the control device CTL controls the clamp shaft 30 so that it falls to the first sheet stack 1A by its own weight. This makes it possible to suppress unnecessary acceleration caused by the air cylinder, and prevents the sheets (blanks) from being damaged or bent during clamping as described above.

As shown in FIG. 14, in the gripping process in step 14, it is preferable that the second tip pin 31 of the clamp shaft 30 is positioned in a position facing a portion of the second sheet bundle 1B. This makes it possible to prevent a portion of the second sheet bundle 1B (sheets at the end) from unintentionally falling over during the gripping process.

Next, in step 47, the control device CTL controls the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 to move backward and upward as shown in FIG. 15, thereby transporting the first sheet bundle 1A to the next process means 300. Note that in this embodiment, the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 moves backward and upward to separate in step 47, but this is not limited to the above. In other words, the control device CTL may control the sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 100 to perform at least one of moving backward and lifting.

As shown in the figure, it is preferable to maintain the sheet-bundle dividing and gripping device 100 in a position close to the second sheet bundle 1B so that at least a portion faces the second sheet bundle 1B until the stopper (support wall SW) of the first holding mechanism RM1 supports the second sheet bundle 1B. This allows the sheet-bundle dividing and gripping device 100 (e.g., the first tip pin 21) to temporarily function as a stopper, thereby preventing a portion of the second sheet bundle 1B from accidentally falling over before support by the support wall SW resumes.

<Sheet stack loading process>
Next, the stacking process of the sheet bundle in the above-mentioned step 5 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 16 and 17. That is, first, as shown in Figure 16, the control device CTL performs control to transport the first sheet bundle 1A to the next process means 300 and then to place the first sheet bundle 1A thereon. Since the next process means in this embodiment is the storage case 300, the control device CTL moves the first sheet bundle 1A into the storage case 300 and positions the first sheet bundle 1A near the bottom surface of the storage case 300.

Then, the control device CTL controls the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 to rotate in sequence, respectively, to release the gripped first sheet stack 1A. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the control device CTL controls the first tip pin 21 and the second tip pin 31 to rotate about their respective axes, and when releasing the first sheet stack 1A clamped between the separate shaft 20 and the clamp shaft 30, the control device CTL first starts rotating the first tip pin 21 and then rotates the second tip pin 31.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 16(b), first the first tip pin 21 rotates around the support 22 as a rotation axis, releasing one side of the first sheet stack 1A and contacting the bottom surface of the storage case 300. Next, the second tip pin 31 rotates around the support 32 as a rotation axis, releasing the other side of the first sheet stack 1A and the remaining portion contacting the bottom surface of the storage case 300.

As described above, in this embodiment, at least two clamp shafts 30 (a pair of clamp shafts 30A and 30B) are provided, and therefore, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the control device CTL may control the rotation of the second tip pins 31 (31a and 31b) of the at least two clamp shafts 30A and 30B so that they face each other when the first sheet stack 1A is opened. This prevents a portion of the first sheet stack 1A transferred into the storage case 300 from unintentionally shifting out of position.

As described above, the rotation is performed from the relatively small number of tip pins (one first tip pin 21 in this example) of the pair of opposing tip pins (first tip pin 21 and second tip pin 31). This distributes the load of the first sheet stack on the remaining part when the tip pin on one side is released, making it possible to suppress the occurrence of damage to the sheets and creases.

As shown in FIG. 17, after releasing the first sheet stack 1A inside the storage case 300, the control device CTL may again move the clamp shaft 30 toward the separation shaft 20 via the clamp mechanism 13 to perform a re-clamping operation. This makes it possible to correct any unevenness in the sheets (blanks) that may occur due to the impact of the first sheet stack 1A falling into the storage case 300. After that, as shown in the figure, the control device CTL releases the re-clamping operation and controls the sheet stack dividing and gripping device 100 to rise and remove it from the storage case 300.

The control device CTL of this embodiment also controls the rotation of a pair of tip pins (first tip pin 21 and second tip pin 31) to release the first sheet stack 1A into the storage case 300. As a result, when storing the first sheet stack 1A in the storage case 300 multiple times, the separate shaft 20 and the clamp shaft 30 can be simply pulled out (pulled up) in the height direction from the bottom of the case, and there is no need to operate horizontally to do this (the separate shaft 20 and the clamp shaft 30 do not get in the way of the already stored sheet stacks), making it possible to store the sheet stacks with the minimum necessary gap.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains may attempt further modifications to the above-described embodiment within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

That is, for example, steps 1 to 3 described above may be omitted as appropriate.
In the embodiment described above, in FIG. 12, the first tip pin 21 is pushed up from below the sheet stack 1 to separate the first sheet stack 1A and the second sheet stack 1B, but instead, the first tip pin 21 may be lowered from above to perform the above separation.

The present invention is suitable for achieving sheet stack transport that achieves both high levels of efficiency in the transport time from sheet (blank) separation to the destination and prevention of falling.

100 Sheet bundle dividing and gripping device 10 Base body 20 Separate shaft 30 Clamp shaft 40 Dividing point detection sensor 50 Standard measurement sensor CTL Control device 200 Pre-processing means (punching machine)
300 Next process means (container case)
400 Sheet bundle division and transport system

Claims (5)

A sheet stack dividing and gripping device that divides and conveys at least a portion of a sheet stack in which a plurality of sheets are stacked in a horizontal direction, comprising:
a base body connected to a transport mechanism that moves toward or away from the sheet stack;
a separation shaft provided on the base body and having a first end pin for dividing the sheet stack into a first sheet stack and a second sheet stack in the horizontal direction ;
a clamp shaft that is erected on the base body opposite to the separate shaft and cooperates with the separate shaft to clamp the first bundle of separated sheets;
a control device that controls the drive of the separate shaft and the clamp shaft ,
A second tip pin is provided at the tip of the clamp shaft and extends toward the separate shaft .
The first tip pin and the second tip pin are each rotatable around an axis of a shaft,
The control device includes:
Controlling the first end pin and the second end pin to rotate around an axis of a shaft,
A sheet stack dividing and gripping device characterized in that, when opening the first sheet stack clamped between the separate shaft and the clamp shaft, the first tip pin starts to rotate and then the second tip pin rotates . The sheet bundle dividing and gripping device according to claim 1, wherein the number of clamp shafts erected on the base body is greater than the number of the separate shafts. The first end pin is
a leading edge that is inserted between the first sheet stack and the second sheet stack;
a gripping surface that is formed to extend from the leading edge and that contacts the first sheet stack and grips the first sheet stack when the sheet stack is divided;
a rear curved surface that is formed on the opposite side to the gripping surface so as to extend from the leading edge and that comes into contact with the second sheet stack during the separation;
A pair of side surfaces disposed between the gripping surface and the rear curved surface;
3. The sheet bundle dividing and holding device according to claim 1, further comprising: At least two of the clamp shafts and the second end pins are provided on the base body,
The sheet bundle dividing and gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device rotates the at least two clamp shafts so that second end pins of the at least two clamp shafts face each other when the first sheet bundle is opened. The sheet bundle dividing and gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the separation shaft pushes up the first tip pin from below the sheet bundle in the vertical direction, thereby dividing the sheet bundle into a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle.