JPH0220491B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <<Industrial Application Field>> The present invention is applicable to, for example, conventionally well-known PTP packaging bodies, biscuits, rice crackers, tiles, roof tiles, and other appropriate items that are arranged in multiple rows during transportation. The present invention also relates to an article transfer device in which one row of articles is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees and transferred.

<<Prior art>> As shown in FIG. 1, a conventionally well-known PTP package P has a base film 1 such as a plastic film formed with a predetermined number of recesses 2 at a predetermined pitch, and tablets and capsules are placed in the recesses 2. Lid film 4 filled with 3 etc. and made of aluminum foil as a base material
A cut 5 is provided between each of the recesses 2 for easy separation, and a naming space 6 is provided on one side for printing a drug name or the like. And the PTP package P is
Furthermore, the sheets are reversed and tied together, and a predetermined number of sheets are stacked together with a band or wrapped in a pillow. By the way, 2 or 4 rows of PTP packaging P are produced at the same time from the film used to produce the PTP packaging P.
Conventionally, when molding 2 and 4 rows, the naming spaces 6 were arranged in advance so that they faced each other. ,
As shown in Figure 3, it was possible to tie them together without wasting any waste, but in the case of one row (because there are naming spaces 6 in the same direction), they were inverted and tied together in the ejected state. Then, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, naming space 6
Not only do the projecting parts protrude from each other, resulting in an unsightly appearance, but the dimensions also increase by the amount of the protruding parts, and a large amount of packaging costs such as packaging film, box materials, and cardboard materials are required, which is uneconomical. .

On the other hand, in order to solve the above problem, for example,
It is also possible to apply the transfer device shown in Japanese Patent No. 53-128496. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the apparatus disclosed in this publication includes a shutter means c that can be opened and closed at the discharge end side of a belt conveyor b that continuously conveys articles a so as to interrupt the conveyance path. The article a is temporarily stopped by the shutter means c, and is transferred by a pushing means (not shown) onto the first conveyor d, which is disposed perpendicular to the belt conveyor b, with its traveling direction changed. It is becoming more and more common.

Further, a rotary turret e on a donut is disposed at an intermediate position in the vertical direction between the belt conveyor b and the first conveyor d so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow, and a belt conveyor on the downstream side of the shutter means c is disposed. A curved guide plate f is disposed on b, and a stop plate g is further provided at a predetermined position on the rotating turret e. As a result, when the shutter means c is in the open state, the article a moving on the belt conveyor b is guided by the guide plate f and transferred onto the rotating turret e, and as the article rotates, it moves half a turn. do. Then, the article a comes into contact with the stop plate g and is temporarily stopped, and the temporarily stopped article a is transferred onto the second conveyor h disposed in parallel with the first conveyor d by a pushing means (not shown). It is becoming more and more like this. As a result, the objects moving on the first and second conveyors d and h have their directions reversed by 180 degrees.

<<Problems to be Solved by the Invention>> However, the above-described conventional apparatus causes various problems as shown below.

That is, first of all, since the article a is simply placed on the belt conveyor b and the rotating turret e without any positional restriction, the distance between the articles in front and behind may deviate from the beginning or during movement, and as a result, It is not possible to transport at predetermined intervals.

Further, the article a is alternately transferred to the first and second conveyors d,
In order to transfer onto conveyor belt h, it is necessary to open and close the shutter means c for every other article a passes through, and to do so, it is necessary to monitor article a moving on belt conveyor b. , detection means and control means for this purpose are essential.
The operations and devices become complicated and complicated.

Furthermore, when changing the conveyance direction of article a,
Since it is rotated by 90 degrees, the installation layout in a factory or the like is restricted, making it impossible to use space freely and effectively. Moreover, since the donut-shaped rotating turret e is essential, the sides protrude significantly from the conveyance path, making the above problem more pronounced.

This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned background, and its purpose is to easily and efficiently perform operations such as reversing and tying or stacking articles after transferring them in multiple rows. To provide an article multi-row transfer device which can relatively easily convey articles at predetermined intervals, can easily reverse the articles, and can keep the installation area of the device relatively small. be.

<<Means for Solving the Problems>> In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the article multi-row transfer device according to the present invention has slides attached at predetermined pitches at the terminal end of a conveyor that transfers articles at predetermined intervals. A conveyor is provided with a sorting cage that engages with a moving guide rod and a double-row sorting guide fixed to the machine frame and slides every other conveyor in the lateral direction during forward movement to sort the conveyors into multiple rows. , a pinion gear is disposed on the lower surface of a predetermined one row of sorting cages among the plurality of rows, and a rack that engages with the pinion gear is provided on the sliding guide rod to which the one row of sorting cages is attached. When the one row of distribution cages is moved laterally by the distribution guide, the one row of distribution cages is horizontally rotated by 180° through the engagement of the pinion gear and the rack.

<<Operation>> The articles transferred onto the transport conveyor are sequentially transferred to a double-row sorting cage, and move forward as the sorting cage moves. The sorting cage moves forward by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction while being guided by the sorting guide. As a result, the articles are also moved laterally by a predetermined amount and are sorted into a plurality of rows.

At this time, one row of sorting cages is equipped with a pinion gear that meshes easily.
When the sorting cage moves sideways, a pinion gear that is easily engaged with the sorting cage rotates. As a result, the sorting cage also rotates, thereby flipping it 180 degrees.

<<Example>> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings will be described in detail.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 11 denotes a conveyor for conveying PTP packages P provided on the discharge side of a blister packaging machine (not shown), and conveyor claws 13 are attached at every predetermined pitch of the endless chain 12, and the PTP packages are placed below the conveyor. A transfer gutter 14 is provided. 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a sorting conveyor disposed at the terminal end of the conveyor 11, in which the conveyor claws 1 are connected to endless chains 16, 16 stretched in two rows in parallel.
A large number of sliding guide rods 19, 19... are provided at each predetermined pitch so as to run in synchronization with the transition of...
17'... are slidably fitted through sliding members 18..., and the sliding members 18... are each sorting guides 21, 22 fixed to the machine frame (not shown) in double rows. It is designed so that every other one is engaged with each other. Note that one of the distribution guides 2
1 is formed such that one side 21' is linear, and the other side 21'' is formed so that it slopes at a predetermined slope at a predetermined portion and becomes straight again.The other distribution guide 22 is formed with a predetermined interval. It is formed as shown in FIG. 6 by guide members 22' and 22' installed in parallel. Reference numeral 23 denotes a conveyor disposed at the terminal end of the sorting conveyor 15;
The sorted PTP packages P are arranged in multiple rows of endless chains 24 stretched at predetermined intervals.
Transport claws 25 of P' are attached at predetermined pitches. Reference numeral 26 denotes a conveying gutter for the PTP packages P..., P'... disposed below the conveyor 23.
As shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 11, the sorting cage 17 has a pinion shaft 27 erected and fitted approximately at the center of a sliding member 18 that is slidably fitted to sliding guide rods 19, 19, and its upper end. A collar member 28 is fastened to the portion by a screw 29, and the pinion shaft 27 is rotatable relative to the sliding member 18. Furthermore, a transport base 30 is integrally fastened to the upper part of the collar member 28 with screws 31, 31.
32 is a pinion gear provided at the end of the pinion shaft 27, and a cam floor 33 is attached to the top of the pinion gear 32 by a screw 34. Reference numerals 35 and 35 denote a fixed frame body screwed to the outer side of the conveyance base 30, and 36 a rotary frame body, which is attached to one side of the conveyance base 30 so as to be rotatable. It is screwed in the center position. 37 is a lever whose end is fastened to one end of the rotating shaft 36' with a screw or the like; 38 is the lever 37;
A cam floor is attached to the other end, and although the rotating frame 36 is not always shown, it is positioned as shown in the ninth and eleventh figures by the action of a spring. 3
9', 39' are fixed members that are fastened and fixed to predetermined positions of the sliding guide rods 19, 19, and a rack 41 is attached to the lower side thereof via collars 40, 40, and meshes with the pinion gear 32. I'm starting to do that. Reference numeral 42 denotes a cam floor, which is attached via a collar 43 to approximately the lower center of the fixing member 39', and is adapted to be in constant sliding contact with one of the distribution guides 21. Reference numeral 44 denotes a spring that acts to constantly press the sliding member 18 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Reference numeral 45 denotes a feeding guide rail for the chains 16, 16. As shown in FIG. 10, in the sorting cage 17', a cam floor 47 is fixed via a collar 46 to one side lower part of the sliding member 18 which is slidably fitted to the sliding guide rods 19, 19. color 48,
A transport base 49 is attached via 48. Reference numerals 50 and 50 denote fixed frames, which are screwed to the outer side of the conveyance base 49 in the same manner as the fixed frames 35 and 35 described above. Reference numeral 51 denotes a fixed cam for rotating the rotating frame 36, and a mechanism (not shown) engages with the cam floor 38 when the sorting cage 17 moves and rotates the lever 37 to the state shown in the sixth figure. It is attached to a part of the frame.
52... is a lower surface guide member of the PTP packages P..., P'... provided on the terminal end side of the sorting conveyor 15, and extends from the conveying gutter 26 of the subsequent conveyor 23. The upper side of the cage 17..., 17'... and the PTP package P
..., P'... are arranged below. As a result, the sorting cages 17..., 17'... come to pass under the bottom guide member 52..., and the PTP packages P..., P'... pass through the sorting cage 1.
7..., 17'... are left on the lower guide member 52 when they rotate downward, and the
The PTP packages P..., P'... are successively engaged and conveyed by the conveyor claws 25 of the conveyor 23. Reference numerals 53, 54, and 55 are sprockets for driving each of the endless chains 12, 16, and 24. Next, the effect will be explained. PTP packages P produced from a blister packaging machine (not shown) and discharged in a line at a predetermined pitch are transported by the conveying claw 13.
The sorting cage 17 on the sorting conveyor 15 disposed at the terminal end is conveyed sequentially by the
17' (see Fig. 6). The sorting cage 17 is guided by the cam floors 33 and 42 engaged with one sorting guide 21 while moving forward on the rotating frame 36 as shown in FIG. 7, and moves straight. 22′,
A cam floor 47 is engaged between the cams 22' and guided, so that the cam floors 47 are alternately distributed and advanced as shown in FIG. Therefore, one sorting guide 21
When viewed from the top, one side is a straight line that is substantially parallel to the endless chain 16, but the other side is sloped and the width gradually increases, so that the advancing distribution cage 17 can move the cam floor 33 that engages with it. As the sliding member 18 moves to the right in the sixth figure, it moves toward the center of the sorting conveyor 15.
At this time, the pinion gear 32 meshing with the rack 41 begins to rotate, so the pinion shaft 27 and the conveyance base 30 that are integral with it also rotate, and when the pinion gear 32 rotates 180 degrees, the inclined surface of the sorting guide 21 Since the distribution cage 17 is configured so that it becomes straight again, the distribution cage 17 moves forward while being rotated by 180 degrees.
It proceeds to the downstream conveyor 23 side.

When it moves further forward, the cam floor 38 comes into contact with the cam plate 51, the lever 37 rotates, and the rotation shaft 36' and the rotation frame 36 rotate together with this.
It advances as shown in FIG. 8, and at the terminal end of the sorting conveyor 15,
The sorted PTP packages P..., P'... are sequentially conveyed in each row by the PTP package conveying claws 25.

The PTP packages P discharged from the blister packaging machine as described above are sorted into multiple rows and multiplied, and one of the rows is horizontally rotated by 180 degrees and taken out one after another.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to an example for reversing and tying PTP packages, it is not necessarily limited to PTP packages, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to PTP packages, but can be distributed into multiple rows during transportation and the transportation direction of one of the rows can be adjusted.
It can be used in a variety of ways as long as it needs to be rotated 180 degrees horizontally and transferred.

<<Effects of the Invention>> According to the present invention, the required articles sent at predetermined intervals by a transfer conveyor are sorted into a plurality of rows by a sorting conveyor disposed at the terminal end of the transfer conveyor, and one of them is Since the items in the row are horizontally rotated 180 degrees during transport and then taken out with their orientation reversed, the subsequent reversal tying or stacking operations can be carried out without having to adjust the orientation of the items one by one. Work can be done easily and efficiently in the machine.

Moreover, since the articles on the multi-row transfer device are conveyed while being placed on the sorting cage, the articles are placed at a predetermined distance in front and behind (without any particular positioning control). transported.

In addition, since the sorting cage carrying the articles is moved laterally a predetermined distance during forward transport to sort (increase the number of rows), it is sufficient to simply transfer the articles from the transport conveyor onto the sorting cage one by one.
Unlike conventional methods, there is no need for a shutter means or means for controlling the opening and closing of the shutter means.
The sorting operation involves meshing a pinion gear provided on the desired sorting cage with a rack provided on the sliding guide rod, so if the sorting cage is moved laterally, the sorting operation is automatically performed via the pinion gear. The sorting cage, that is, the articles, can be rotated in a horizontal plane, and the structure is simple and the operability is good.

Furthermore, the width of the device is only the width of the conveyance path (width of lateral movement of the sorting cage), and unlike conventional devices, there is no part that protrudes to the side.
The installation space is small and the degree of freedom in layout is improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the PTP package, Figures 2 and 3 are
4 and 5 are perspective views and sectional views of other examples when PTP packages are inverted and tied together. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the entire present invention, and FIG. 7 is a front view of the same, FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged plan view of the sorting conveyor, FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line BB in the same figure, and FIG. FIG. 12, a front view of the sorting cage before horizontal rotation, is a diagram showing a conventional example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Conveyance conveyor, 17... Sorting cage, 19... Sliding guide rod, 21, 22... Sorting guide, 32... Pinion gear, 41... Rack, P... PTP package (article).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. At the end of a conveyor that transfers articles at predetermined intervals, it engages a sliding guide rod installed at each predetermined pitch and a double-row sorting guide fixed to the machine frame, so that every other item is transferred during forward movement. A conveyor is provided with a sorting cage that slides laterally and is sorted into a plurality of rows, and a pinion gear is disposed on the bottom surface of the sorting cage in a predetermined one of the plurality of rows. The sliding guide rod to which one row of sorting cages is attached is provided with a rack that engages with the pinion gear, and when the one row of sorting cages is moved laterally by the sorting guide, the pinion gear and the rack engage with each other. An article multi-row transfer device characterized in that said one row of sorting cages is horizontally rotated through 180 degrees.