JPH0249236Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] Industrial applications This invention relates to a container alignment device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention This invention consists of a first carry-in path that extends in the front-rear direction and in which m types of containers (m is a natural number) are fed in a row of m types, one for each type; n containers each consisting of n (n is a natural number) types of containers arranged parallel to the road at intervals in the left-right direction and different from the types of containers sent by the first loading road; It is an object of the present invention to provide a container arranging device for arranging m+n types of containers, which are sent in a single row, in a horizontal row in a predetermined order.

Means for Accomplishing the Object The container alignment device according to this invention has a first loading path which extends in the front-back direction and through which m types of containers (m is a natural number) are sent in a line of m types, one for each type. , containers of n (n is a natural number) types arranged parallel to the first carry-in path at intervals in the left-right direction and different from the types of containers sent by the first carry-in path, one for each type. m+n are sent through the second loading path where n pieces are sent in one line.
It is a device for arranging seed containers in a horizontal row in a predetermined order, and extends in the front-rear direction, with the conveyance start end located between the conveyance end ends of both carry-in paths, and with a width of m+n in the width direction. One is the alignment conveyance path, which has several conveyance paths, and the conveyance path is predetermined for each type of container. A plurality of first container delivery devices each send out onto a transport path corresponding to the type of the transport path, and a plurality of first container delivery devices that push containers of all types sent out onto the alignment transport path toward the transport end side of the alignment transport path and move them sideways. The present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with a second container feeding device that feeds containers in a single row.

Embodiment The container alignment device 50 (see FIG. 5) collects four types of containers A to D sent from the packaging device 20 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) through two container delivery paths 41 and 42. are arranged horizontally in a row. Although the contents of each container A to D are different, the structure of the container itself is exactly the same. Containers A to D are the first
The rectangular cylindrical container material shown in the figure is assembled by the packaging device 20 into a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped sealed container as shown in FIG. The container material has a part 1 (hereinafter referred to as the body part) which becomes the container body at the center in the height direction, and a part 3 (which becomes the container top part) which is connected to the upper end of the body part 1 through the crease line 2. (hereinafter referred to as the top component), and a portion 5 that becomes the bottom of the container and is connected to the lower end of the body component 1 via a crease line 4.
(hereinafter referred to as the bottom component). The top and bottom components 3, 5 are provided with crease lines 6, 7 in a predetermined pattern to facilitate folding. The top component 3 consists of four side walls 8, one of which is provided with an oblong drinking spout 9. The container material is closed by folding the bottom component 5 flat, and sealing piece 10
The spout 9 is sealed and filled with the contents,
The top component part 3 is folded flat so that a pair of triangular ears 11 protrude laterally, and the sealing strip edges 12 extending upward so that both ends reach the tops of both triangular ears 11 protrude upward. The edge 12 is heated, the sealing strip edges 12 are sealed with their inner surfaces overlapped, the pair of triangular lugs 11 are bent into a substantially vertical cross-section shape, the triangular lugs 11 are heated, and the triangular lugs 11 are heated. 11 is bent downward at its base, and the triangular ears 11 are sealed to the body component 1, forming a rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIG.

3 and 4 show an overview of the packaging device 20. In the following explanation, "front" means the left side of Figure 4, "back" means the right side of the same figure, and "left" means the lower side of the same figure.
The right side refers to the upper side of the figure.

The packaging device 20 includes a first container conveyor 21 extending in the front-rear direction, and a first container conveyor 21 for manufacturing two types of containers A and B filled with contents a and b, respectively.
Manufacturing two types of containers C and D filled with contents c and d, respectively, including a line L1 and a second container conveyor 21b arranged in parallel with the first container conveyor 21a with an interval in the left-right direction. It is composed of a second line L2.

The first line L1 and the second line L2 have exactly the same configuration except for the types of containers manufactured, so only the first line L1 will be described below.
A second line L2 corresponding to each part of the first line L1
Each part is given the same reference numeral.

The container conveyor 21a is provided with a large number of container holders 22 at regular intervals along its length. Adjacent holders 22 serve as container storage parts.

At an upper position on the conveyance start end side (rear end side) of the conveyor 21a, there is a mandrel 23 for forming containers A and a mandrel 23 for forming containers B.
A molding mandrel 24 is arranged with the conveyor 21 interposed therebetween. At a predetermined position around each mandrel 23, 24, a device for folding and closing the bottom component 5 of the rectangular cylindrical material of the containers A and B in cooperation with the mandrels 23, 24 is arranged. Each mandrel 23, 24 has six mounting portions 25 extending radially from its center at intervals of 60 degrees, and is driven to rotate intermittently at 60 degrees.

A container material is attached to the mounting part 25 at the container supply position P1 of each mandrel 23, 24, and the mandrels 23, 24 are rotated counterclockwise until the mounting part 25 reaches the container discharging position P2. The bottom component 5 is closed.

The space between both mandrels 23, 24 and the conveyor 21a is cross-shaped when viewed from above, and from the center
It has four container holding arms extending radially at 90-degree intervals and simultaneously receives containers A and B with closed bottoms from both mandrels 23 and 24, rotates 90 degrees about the center, and transfers both containers onto the conveyor 21a. A collection turret 28 for positioning the containers A and B, a pair of left and right vacuum heads (not shown) for transferring the containers A and B from the mandrels 23 and 24 to the container holding arms of the collection turret 28, and the collection turret 28. A container transfer device consisting of a pair of front and rear pushers (not shown) for transferring both containers A and B onto the conveyor 21a is arranged.

The array turret 28 includes mandrels 23 and 24.
It is synchronously driven to rotate 90 degrees instead of 60 degrees. Further, the conveyor 21a is connected to two of the holders 22.
It is driven at twice the pitch in synchronization with the rotation of the cluster turret 28. The conveyor 21a is the second part of the holder 22.
Each time the container is intermittently driven at twice the pitch, the containers A and B are transferred by the container transfer device to a container storage section on the conveyor 21 at a position separated by two container storage sections. As a result, conveyor 21
On a, containers A and B are arranged alternately and in a row.

On the transport path of the conveyor 21a, from the rear, a sealing device 31 that seals the drinking spout 3 of each container A, B, a filling device 32 that fills each container A, B with contents a, b, respectively, A folding device 33 that folds the top components 3 of containers A and B, a heater 34 that heats the sealing strip 12, and a sealing strip 12
a sealing device 35 for sealing, a branding device 36 for branding the date, etc. on each container A, B, a folding device 37 for folding the triangular tab 11 into a letter shape in a longitudinal section, a heater 38 for heating the triangular tab 11, and a heater 38 for heating the triangular tab 11. A folding device 39 for folding the triangular tab downwards at its base and a sealing device 40 for sealing the triangular tab 11 to the side component 1 are arranged. conveyor 2
1, two rectangular parallelepiped sealed containers A and B each containing contents a and b are intermittently delivered to the end of the transport.

Two sealed containers C and D filled with contents c and d, respectively, are intermittently delivered to the transport terminal end of the second container transport conveyor 21b, one for each type. Both conveyors 21a and 21b are operated synchronously. In addition, containers A and B have container identification marks (not shown) to identify whether the container type is A or B, and containers C and D have container identification marks to identify whether the container type is C. A container identification mark (not shown) for identifying whether the container is D or not is attached in advance at a predetermined location.

Containers A, B, C, and D sent to the conveyance terminal ends of both conveyors 21a and 21b pass through first and second container carry-in paths 41 and 42 extending forward from the conveyance terminal ends of both conveyors 21a and 21b, respectively. The container is then sent to the container alignment device 50.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of the container alignment device 50. The container alignment device 50 extends in the front-rear direction, has a conveyance start end located between the conveyance end portions of both carry-in paths 41 and 42, has first to fourth conveyance paths R1 to R4 in the width direction, and has container alignment devices. Containers A to D of all types sent to the conveyance end portions of the alignment conveyance path 51 and both carry-in paths 41 and 42, whose conveyance paths R1 to R4 are predetermined for each type, are transferred to the alignment conveyance path. 4 pushers (first container delivery device) that respectively send out onto the transport routes R1 to R4 corresponding to the type among the 51 transport routes R1 to R4.
52 to 55, and a pusher (second sending device) that pushes all types of containers A to D sent out onto the alignment conveyance path 51 toward the conveyance end side of the alignment conveyance path 51 and sends them in a horizontal row. 56.

The first transport route R1 is a transport route for the container A,
The second transport route R2 is the transport route for the container B, the third transport route R3 is the transport route for the container C, and the fourth transport route R2 is the transport route for the container B.
The transport route R4 is a transport route for the container D.

The pushers 52 and 53 are connected to the first loading path 41
The pusher rods 52a,
Container type identification sensors 57 and 58 for identifying containers A and B based on the container type identification marks attached to the containers A and B are attached to the distal end of the container 53a, respectively. The pushers 54 and 55 are arranged front to back on the right side of the conveyance terminal end of the second carry-in path 42 and facing left, and the pusher rods 54a, 55a have a
identification sensor 59 for identifying containers C and D;
60 are attached to each. Each pusher 52 to 55 is a telescopic type,
The protruding length of the push rods 52a to 55a from the retracted position can be adjusted in two stages, ie, l1 and l2.

The pusher 56 is disposed facing forward at the rear of the transport start end of the alignment transport path 51, and has a push rod 56a that extends in the left-right direction and has a length slightly shorter than the width of the alignment transport path 51 at the tip of the push rod 56a. Board 5
6b is attached.

A container discharge path 61 extends to the left from the left side of the conveyance end portion of the alignment conveyance path 51. A delivery device 62 is disposed on the transport end side of the alignment transport path 51 to send out all types of containers A to D that have been sent to the transport end in a single line to the transport path 61. This feeding device 62 includes a pair of left and right pulleys 63, 64, a belt 65 hung between both pulleys 63, 64, and a required number of belts 65.
It includes push pieces 66 attached to respective locations and a drive motor (not shown) for rotating one of the pulleys 63. The container alignment device 50 includes:
Further, limit switches 67 to 71 are provided for detecting that the push rods 52a to 56c of each pusher 52 to 56 are in the retracted position, and each container A to D is provided at the transport end of the alignment transport path 51. Photoelectric detectors 72 to 75 are provided for detecting the sent signals, respectively.

When the containers A, B, C, and D are delivered to the transport end portions of the first carry-in path 41 and the second carry-in path 42, the rods 52a, 53a of the pushers 52, 53 are It is determined whether the container in front of is A or B. Also, based on the identification sensors 59 and 60, the rods 54a and 55 of the pushers 54 and 55 are
It is determined whether the container in front of a is C or D. Then, depending on the result of this determination, the rods 52a to 55a of each pusher 52 to 55 are extended by l1 or l2, and then retracted. If the container in front of the rod is A or D, the rod of that pusher will be pushed out by l1, and if the container in front of the rod is B or C, the rod of that pusher will be pushed out by l2. . In FIG. 5, container B is placed in front of rod 52a of pusher 52, container A is placed in front of rod 53a of pusher 53, container C is placed in front of rod 54a of pusher 54, and container C is placed in front of rod 55 of pusher 55. Container D
is located, the rods 53a, 55a of the pushers 53, 55 are projected by l1, and the rods 52a, 54a of the pushers 52, 54 are projected by l2. Rod 52 for each pusher 52-55
By protruding a to 55a in this way,
As shown by the chain lines, container A is pushed out onto the first transportation path R1, container B is pushed out onto the second transportation path R2, container C is pushed out onto the third transportation path R3, and container D is pushed out onto the fourth transportation path R4. .

Rod 52a of all pushers 52-55
When the rod 55a is returned to its original retracted position (this is detected by the limit switches 67-70), the rod 56a of the pusher 56 is advanced a distance l3 and then retracted. As a result, the containers A to D pushed out onto the alignment conveyance path 51 are pushed toward the end of the conveyance, and are arranged in a horizontal line. The above operation is repeated every time two containers are intermittently delivered to the transport end portions of both the transport paths 41 and 42.

The above operation is repeated, and when the containers A to D are sent in a horizontal line to the end of the transport path 51 for alignment (this is detected by the photodetectors 72 to 75). ), the delivery device 61 is driven intermittently each time, and these containers A to D are delivered to the delivery path 61 in a line.
In addition, on the carry-out path 61, a partition member (not shown) is installed between the four containers A to D that have been sent out to the carry-out path 61 this time and the four containers A to D that have been sent out last time. It is also possible to allow the person to enter it.

In the above embodiment, a container type identification mark is attached to each container A to D, and container type identification sensors 57 to 60 are attached to the tips of rods 52a to 55a of pushers 52 to 55.
2 sent to the conveyance end portions of 1 and 42, respectively.
If the order of the seed containers A, B and C, D is known in advance, there is no need to attach identification marks to the containers, and no identification sensors 57 to 60 are required. In this case, each pusher 52 to
As the rod 55, it is possible to use one in which the rod can only protrude by a distance l1 or l2 from the retracted position.

Effects of the invention The container alignment device according to this invention has a first loading path that extends in the front-rear direction and transports m types of containers (m is a natural number) in a single line, each consisting of one container of each kind; n containers each consisting of n (n is a natural number) types of containers arranged parallel to the road at intervals in the left-right direction and different from the types of containers sent by the first loading road; It is provided in a container conveyance system including a second conveyance path for conveying in a single line, and extends in the front-rear direction, the conveyance starting end is located between the conveyance terminal ends of both the conveyance paths, and the width direction There is a conveyance path for alignment, in which there are m+n conveyance paths, and the conveyance path is predetermined for each type of container, and a conveyance path for alignment, in which all types of containers sent to the conveyance terminals of both carry-in paths are A plurality of first container delivery devices each feed the containers onto the transport path corresponding to their type among the transport paths of the transport path, and containers of all types sent out onto the alignment transport path are directed toward the transport end side of the alignment transport path. Hold and push horizontally 1
Since it is equipped with a second container delivery device that sends containers in rows, it is possible to line up the m+n types of containers sent through the first carry-in path and the second carry-in path in a horizontal line in a predetermined order. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing the container material, Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a sealed container assembled from the container material, Fig. 3 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the packaging device, and Fig. 4 is the third FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing the schematic configuration of the container alignment device. 41, 42... Carry-in path, 50... Container alignment device, 51... Alignment conveyance path, 52-55... Pusher (first container sending device), 56... Pusher (second container sending device), R1 ~R4…
...transport route.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A first loading path through which m types of containers (m is a natural number) extending in the front-rear direction are fed in a row of m containers each consisting of one of each type; A state in which containers of n types (where n is a natural number) are arranged in parallel at intervals in the left-right direction and are different from the types of containers sent by the first carry-in path, one for each type, in a row of n containers. It is a device for arranging m+n types of containers in a horizontal line in a predetermined order, which are sent by a second carry-in path and a second carry-in path, which extends in the front-rear direction and whose conveyance starting end is located between both carry-in paths. The alignment conveyance path is located between the conveyance end portions and has m+n conveyance paths in the width direction, and the conveyance paths are determined in advance for each type of container, and the conveyance end portions of both carry-in paths. a plurality of first container sending devices that send out all the types of containers sent to the conveyance path corresponding to the type among the conveyance paths of the alignment conveyance path, and all types of containers sent out onto the alignment conveyance path. a second container delivery device that pushes the containers toward the transportation end side of the alignment transportation path and sends them in a horizontal row.