JPH0229051Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an article gathering device, and more specifically,
The present invention relates to an article gathering device that collects articles conveyed in two rows into a single line using a pair of gathering screws.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional article gathering device. In the figure, 1 and 2 are a pair of gathering screws disposed intersecting each other at a predetermined angle α, and 3 is a pair of gathering screws arranged between each gathering screw. With the provided guide members, each of the collecting screws 1 and 2 transports the articles 4 along the guide member 3 on the transport lines A and B, respectively, and joins them at a merging point C. The tip of the lower collecting screw 2 in FIG. 1 is extended to its merging point C, and the upper collecting screw 1 is extended beyond the merging point C to the front thereof.

Furthermore, a guide member 5 is provided at the tip of each set screw 2 so as to face the set screw 1, and a third screw 6 is provided at the tip of this guide member 5. The articles 4 collected in a line are transferred to the conveyance line D.
Along this line, the collecting screw 1 and the guide member 5, and the third screw 6 and the guide member 7 facing the third screw 6 can sequentially convey the materials. At this time, the angle β formed by each transport line A, B of the article 4 transported by each set screw 1, 2 corresponds to the angle α formed by each set screw 1, 2.

As is well known in the art, each of the collecting screws 1 and 2 is provided with a spiral groove on its outer circumferential surface, and the article 4 caught in the spiral groove is guided by the rotation of each collecting screw 1 and 2. Part 3
It is possible to transport along the
In Fig. 1, the valleys of the spiral grooves when each set screw 1 and 2 are rotated are 1A and 2A, and the peaks are 1B and 2.
In addition, in order to avoid interference with the articles 4 conveyed by one of the collecting screws 1 and 2, second spiral grooves are formed in the other collecting screws 2 and 1, respectively. The valleys of the second spiral groove are indicated by 1C and 2C. The valleys 1C and 2C of the second spiral grooves are formed substantially parallel to the valleys 2A and 1A of the opposing set screws 2 and 1, respectively.

And the valleys 1A and 2 of each set of screws 1 and 2
A is formed substantially parallel to the above-mentioned conveyance lines A, B, and C. Therefore, the diameter of the valley of the set screw 2 in the lower part of FIG. 1 extending to the confluence point C is constant and the same diameter. The diameter of the upper valley extending forward from that point is the same up to the confluence point C, and the front end thereof forms a tapered portion 1a with a narrowed tip.

In the above configuration, the articles 4 are conveyed on the conveying lines A and B while being held and restrained between the valleys 1A and 2A of the collecting screws 1 and 2 and the guide member 3. When the article 4, which has been conveyed while being held between the guide member 3 and the guide member 3, passes the tip 3A of the guide member 3,
The article 4 enters into the second spiral groove of the collecting screw 2, and the article 4 enters the valley 1 of the collecting screw 1.
A and the valley 2C of the second spiral groove of the set screw 2 are clamped and restrained.

When the article 4 crosses the confluence point C, it is conveyed along the conveyance line D between the valley 1A of the collecting screw 1 and the guide member 5, and then conveyed between the screw 6 and the guide member 7. The screw 6 allows the material to be transported downstream. Note that the articles 4 conveyed by the collecting screw 2
It is clear that the same applies to

By the way, in this type of article gathering device, it is generally necessary to maintain the minimum valley diameter of the gathering screws 1 and 2 to a predetermined value or more, but in the case of the gathering device with the above configuration, the valley diameter of the gathering screw 2 is The minimum root diameter R is substantially the same in the horizontal direction, and the minimum root diameter R of the set screw 1 is at its tip. Since the tip part is the minimum diameter part of the tapered part 1a, if the minimum diameter part is set based on this part, the diameter of the valley on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the article 4 from the confluence point C will become larger. However, there was a drawback that the diameter of the mountain, that is, the outer diameter of the set screw 1 ended up becoming large.

In order to solve this problem, the set
While keeping the valley diameter in the above-mentioned state, the peak diameter is decreased. For example, the thread diameter can be reduced to match the transport lines A and B, and even if the outer diameter of the collecting screw 1 is reduced in this way, the articles 4 can be transported. However, in this case, when the articles 4 conveyed by the collecting screw 1 cross the tip 3A of the guide member 3,
Next, the point 2D which is the starting point of the valley 2C is restrained by the set screw 2, so the tip 3
It becomes impossible to restrain the article 4 between A and the starting point 2D, which causes problems such as the article 4 getting caught, especially during high-speed operation.

As can be understood from the above explanation, in the conventional article gathering device, if the articles are set to be conveyed while being restrained as much as possible, the outer diameter of the gathering screw 1 becomes large. As the outer diameter increases, manufacturing costs not only increase, but also when it is necessary to set the collecting screw 1 above the bottom of the article as a reference, the axis position of the collecting screw 1 becomes higher and the spiral relative to the article becomes difficult. Since the engaging position of the groove is high, there is a drawback that it is not suitable for conveying small articles.

In view of these drawbacks, the present invention provides an article gathering device in which the diameter of the gathering screw can be reduced even if the articles are configured to be conveyed in a restrained state.

That is, the present invention includes a pair of set screws arranged so as to intersect with each other at a predetermined angle α, and a guide member arranged between each set screw, and each set screw allows each set screw to move along the guide member on the conveyance line. In an article gathering device that conveys articles at a convergence point in front of a guide member and merges articles from each gathering screw at a confluence point in front of a guide member, the valley of the spiral groove formed in the gathering screw is
The angle β formed by the article transport line at the merging point is made larger than the angle α by forming the guide member along a tapered portion whose diameter increases forward in the transport direction from the tip end position of the guide member.

According to such a configuration, from the tip end position of the guide member where the article is no longer restrained by the guide member and the collecting screw, the article is pushed out toward the other collecting screw by the spiral valley along the tapered portion. Therefore, compared to conventional devices that do not have such a tapered part, it is possible to restrain the article by both sets of screws more quickly, so that small articles can be transported smoothly. become.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
In FIG. 2, a set screw 11 corresponding to the set screw 1 and a set screw 12 corresponding to the set screw 2 are conventionally arranged so as to intersect at the same angle α. And the main body parts 11b and 1 of each of the above-mentioned set screws 11 and 12, respectively.
2b is formed to match the minimum valley diameter R, and at the same time, tapered portions 11c and 12c are provided for pushing out the articles 4 from beyond the tip 3A of the guide member 3 to the other collecting screw side, respectively. There is. Furthermore, the tapered portion 1 of the set screw 11
At the tip of 1c, a tapered part 11a with a narrow tip is formed as in the conventional case, and the minimum valley diameter of the tip is set to R.
It is said that

As a result of forming the tapered portions 11c and 12c,
The conveyance lines E and F for the articles 4 by the respective collecting screws 11 and 12 are bent along the respective valleys 11A and 12A toward the other collecting screw when they pass beyond the tip 3A of the guide member 3. , the angle β formed by each of the transport lines E and F for the article 4 at the confluence point C is larger than the above-mentioned angle α, and the transport line G extends from this confluence point C.

In addition, in FIG. 2, 11B and 12B indicate the peaks of the spiral groove, 11C and 12C indicate the valleys of the second spiral groove, and the same or equivalent parts as in FIG.
The same reference numerals as in the figure are given.

According to the above configuration, the articles 4 are placed between the valleys 11A, 12A of the collecting screws 11, 12 and the guide member 3.
Then, the valley 11A of Gathering Screw 11 and 12,
12A and the second set of screws 12 and 11
The confinement state can be maintained in sequence at the valleys 12C and 11C of the spiral grooves, and after merging, the valley 11A of the collecting screw 11 and the guide member 5, and the screw 6 and the guide member 7, and the conveyance can be carried out.

The collecting screw 11 has a main body portion 11b rearward from the tip 3A of the guide member 3 with a minimum root diameter R, and is provided with a tapered portion 11c for pushing out articles from the tip 3A of the guide member toward the other collecting screw 12. Since the tapered part 11c of the lever is connected with the tapered part 11a whose tip end has the minimum root diameter R, it is obvious that the outer diameter of the main body part 11b can be made small, and this makes it possible to reduce the size of the article as much as possible. Even if it is set so that it can be conveyed in a restrained state, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the collecting screw, and the engagement position of the spiral groove with respect to the article is lowered, so that even small articles can be conveyed smoothly. You will be able to do this.

In addition, the above-mentioned mountains 11B and 12B are connected to the conveyance line E,
It may be arranged to match F. Even in that case, since the angle β formed by each of the transport lines E and F for the article 4 at the merging point C is larger than the angle α, the tip 3A of the guide member 3 and the merging point Therefore, the distance in which the article 4 is not restrained becomes smaller, and relatively stable conveyance of the article becomes possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, the outer diameter of the collecting screw is smaller than that of the conventional method, and the articles can be transported stably, reducing the manufacturing cost of the collecting screw and smoothly transporting small objects. Effects such as being able to do the following can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 3... Guide member, 4... Article, 11, 12...
...Collection screw, 11b, 12b...Main body,
11c, 12c...Tapered portion, 11A, 12A...
...Valley, 11B, 12B...Mountain, 11C, 12C...
...Trough of the second spiral groove, C...Confluence point, E, F, G...
...Conveyance line, R...Minimum valley diameter, α, β...Angle.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A utility model comprising a pair of set screws arranged to intersect with each other at a predetermined angle α, and a guide member disposed between each set screw, and each set screw guides the set screws along the guide member. In an article gathering device that conveys articles on a conveyance line and merges articles from each gathering screw at a merging point in front of a guide member, the valley of the spiral groove formed in the gathering screw is
The article is formed along a tapered portion whose diameter expands forward in the conveyance direction from the tip end position of the guide member, and the angle β formed by the article conveyance line at the merging point is larger than the angle α. Goods gathering device.