JPH0275515A - Divisional feeding method of work and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive enhancement in feeding efficiency and prevention of improper package, in the titled device for a packer, by making the speed of a dividing conveyor higher than that of an accumulating conveyor during the time from the time a prescribed number of works have been inserted between the driving belts of the dividing conveyor up to the time the succeeding works are inserted between them. CONSTITUTION:The works 2 being fed on a accumulating conveyor 3 in such a condition that they are abutted to each other are moved forward while being inserted between the upper and lower driving belts 6, 6a of a driving conveyor 5. When a mark on the work after a prescribed number from the top, for exam ple, 2c reaches the entrance of the conveyor 5, just then a sensor 24 detects the top work 2a. In this time, the driving belts 6, 6a are accelerated. Thereby the works 2a to 2c are divided from the succeeding works. Before the succeeding works 2d reaches the conveyor 5, the rear end work 2c is detected by a sensor 25. Thereby the speed of the driving belts 6, 6a is returned to the same speed as that of the accumulating conveyor 3. Thus, the division can be carried out with a simple constitution, and feeding can be efficiently carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dividing a workpiece, which is applied when, for example, a plurality of items to be packaged are sequentially supplied to a packaging machine as a set.

(Prior art) Conventionally, as a dividing supply means of a workpiece, for example,
There are means described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2-36930 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 49-83593. This means, as shown in FIG.
This is a means of providing a gap S for each workpiece 2 on the conveyor 5e by sending it to the dividing conveyor 5e, which is faster than the dividing conveyor 5e, by utilizing the speed difference. According to this means, even if the workpieces are randomly introduced to the front stage side of the accumulation conveyor 3e, the workpieces 2... can be reliably divided and supplied at regular intervals thereafter, which is convenient. In addition, as shown in the figure, the attachment 11 of the separately provided supply conveyor 7 can be easily inserted between the works 2 divided at regular intervals, and the work can be fed to the packaging machine 8 side. This can be done reliably.

In actual packaging operations, it is often desired not only to separate and feed the works 2 one by one, but also to feed a plurality of works 2 as a set to the packaging machine.

However, in the conventional apparatus, it is impossible due to its mechanism to divide the workpiece 2 continuously transferred by the conveyor 3e into two or three pieces. Also,
Conventionally, no means has been developed for continuously dividing a large number of workpieces conveyed by a conveyor into two or three pieces at high speed.

Therefore, conventional countermeasures have been taken as shown in Figures 6 (a) and (
As shown in b), the pitch P of the attachment 11 of the supply conveyor 7 whose linear speed is set higher than that of the dividing conveyor 5e is increased, and two or three workpieces 2 are pushed by one attachment 11. The reality was that they were adjusting accordingly.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As shown in FIG. 7(a), the conventional means has a plurality of (for example, three) works 2 separated from each other by intervals S+ and S2... Since the attachment 11 is inserted every time, the pitch P of the attachment 11 is as follows.
As shown in the same figure (b), it is necessary to make the total length La of the three workpieces 2... larger by the sum of the allowances for inserting S, S2 and the attachment 11 between the workpieces. be.

However, if the pitch P of the attachment 11 is longer than the total length La of the workpiece, when loading the workpiece into the packaging machine, the transfer speed of the attachment 11 may be changed so that the needle length is longer than the total length La of the workpiece. It must be faster than the driving speed on the other side.

As a result, there is a large difference between the speed of the packaging machine and the speed at which workpiece 2 is introduced, causing a shift in the workpieces being introduced into the packaging machine, which is a major cause of defective packaging and poses a practical problem. It was happening.

In any case, such difficulties can be solved if the continuously supplied workpieces can be appropriately divided into desired number of pieces and transferred and fed to the packaging machine at a practical speed. It was invented with the aim of achieving exactly this kind of demand.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention does not drive the dividing conveyor on the downstream side of the accumulating conveyor at a constant speed as in the past, but instead allows the dividing conveyor to receive a desired number of works from the accumulating conveyor. This invention is based on a completely new technical idea of transferring the plurality of workpieces at a higher speed than the preceding accumulation conveyor each time, thereby separating the plurality of workpieces from the workpieces on the transfer conveyor and dividing them. It is what was done.

That is, in the present invention, a plurality of works 2 are transferred by an accumulation conveyor 3 in an array state in which the front and back are in contact with each other.
. . . drive belts 6 provided opposite to each other on the dividing conveyor 5 disposed on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor 3.
, 6a to transfer the workpieces 2... to the downstream side at the same speed as the accumulation conveyor 3, and then when the drive belt 6.6a has sandwiched a desired number of workpieces 2... The transport speed of the workpieces 2... by the belts 6+6a is accelerated to a higher speed than that of the accumulating conveyor 3 side, and the next leading workpiece 2d is sandwiched between the drive belts 6.68 and 1.
This is a workpiece feeding method in which the drive belt 6.6a is returned to its original operating speed.

Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention for carrying out the above method includes:
An accumulation conveyor 3 transports a plurality of works 2 with their front and rear abutting against each other, and works 2 placed on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor 3 and sequentially delivered from the accumulation conveyor 3. Drive belts 816 facing each other
Variable speed dividing conveyor 5 that can be pinched and transferred by a
When the number of workpieces 2 sandwiched between the drive belts 6.6a of the dividing conveyor 5 reaches a desired number, this is detected and the linear speed of the dividing conveyor 5 is set higher than that of the cumulative conveyor 3. A speed increasing signal transmitting means 24 transmits a timing signal for increasing the speed, and after the timing signal is transmitted from the speed increasing signal transmitting means 24, the next workpiece 2d transferred on the accumulation conveyor 3 is transferred to the dividing conveyor. Deceleration signal transmitting means 25 for transmitting a timing signal for decelerating the dividing conveyor 5, which was accelerated to a higher speed than the accumulating conveyor 3 before being sandwiched between the drive belts 6 and 6a of the accumulating conveyor 3, to the same speed as the accumulating conveyor 3. This is a workpiece division supply device consisting of:

(Function) In the dividing supply method with the above configuration, first, even if a plurality of works 2... are transferred from the accumulation conveyor 3 to the dividing conveyor 5, the transfer speeds of both conveyors 3 and 5 are the same, so the corresponding No gaps are created between each of the plurality of works 2.... Moreover, a plurality of workpieces 2 and 2 are placed between the drive belts 6.
If the speed of the dividing conveyor 5 becomes high in a state where ... is sandwiched, the plurality of works sandwiched by the drive belt 6.6a will be transferred at a higher speed than the works on the accumulation conveyor 3 side. A gap is generated between these plural works and the work on the accumulation conveyor 3, so that the plural works on the dividing conveyor 5 can be supplied as a set to the downstream side. Furthermore, since the speed increase of the dividing conveyor 5 is completed before the next workpiece on the accumulation conveyor 3 is delivered to the dividing conveyor 5 side, the next group of works on the accumulation conveyor 3 will not move forward or backward. The workpieces are transferred to the dividing conveyor 5 again while in contact with each other, and the above-mentioned divisional supply of a plurality of workpieces into a set can be continuously performed.

In addition, in the dividing supply device having the above configuration, the dividing conveyor 5 is set to the same speed as the accumulating conveyor 3, and then the workpieces 2...
Transfer the workpiece 2... to the drive belt 6.6a.
It can be pinched and transferred to the downstream side. Thus, the drive belt 6.6a of the accumulation conveyor 3 moves the desired number of works 2...
If the timing signal is transmitted, the dividing conveyor 5 can be accelerated to a higher speed than the accumulating conveyor 3. The number of works 2... can be transferred and divided at a higher speed than the works on the accumulation conveyor 3. Furthermore, before the next workpiece 2d on the accumulating conveyor 3 is sandwiched between the drive belts LBa of the dividing conveyor 5, a timing signal is transmitted from the deceleration signal transmitting means 25, and at that time, the speed of the accumulating conveyor 3 is accumulated. If the speed is returned to the same as that of the conveyor 3, the leading workpiece 2d on the accumulation conveyor 3 will not be separated, and the workpiece division supply method according to the present invention can be properly implemented.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example of the configuration of the apparatus according to the present invention will be explained. In the figure, 1 is a transfer conveyor connected to a production or processing apparatus for a workpiece 2. Reference numeral 3 denotes an accumulation conveyor connected to the downstream side, and is provided with a pair of drive belts 4, 4a that sandwich the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece 2. Further, the accumulation conveyor 3 is controlled at a linear velocity ν such that the front and rear parts of the workpieces 2 transferred by the conveyor 3 are in a pressed state where they are in contact with each other.
a is set lower than the linear velocity vb of the transfer conveyor 1.

5 is placed on the latter side of the accumulation conveyor 3! Similar to the accumulation conveyor 3, this dividing conveyor is equipped with a pair of drive belts 6.6a which are vertically opposed and can be freely driven in circulation to sandwich and transfer the upper and lower surfaces of the workpieces 2. As will be described later, the dividing conveyor 5 can increase or decrease its work transfer speed independently of the accumulation conveyor 3. Reference numeral 7 denotes a supply conveyor installed from the rear part of the dividing conveyor 5 to the former 9 of the packaging machine 8 behind it, in which a plurality of attachments 11 for suppressing workpieces are connected to a chain 10 that can be driven in circulation at a predetermined constant pitch. It was installed with. Note that the attachment 11 is in an upright position at the rear of the dividing conveyor 5 and protrudes above the workpiece transfer height to transfer the workpieces 2 and 2.
The movement locus is set so that it is possible to press .... Therefore, the belt 6a on the lower side of the dividing conveyor 5 is formed such that, for example, two narrow belts 6a+5a are arranged in parallel and the attachment 11 enters between them.

Next, the drive mechanism of each of the conveyors will be explained with reference to FIG. 2 (the accumulating conveyor 3 and the dividing conveyor 5 are shown with the vertically overlapping belts 4+4as sl 6a shifted in position for convenience). .

- In the same figure, 12 is a motor for driving the accumulation conveyor 1 via a speed change 9113. Reference numeral 14 denotes a drive shaft for driving the supply conveyor 7 via sprockets 15.15a and 15b, and the attachment 11 of the supply conveyor 7.
The shaft is configured as a so-called rotating shaft that rotates once when the shaft moves in pitch, and is rotatable by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 16 denotes a transmission which is drivingly connected to the drive shaft 14 via sprockets [7, 17a], and the sprocket 18 of the output shaft is drivingly connected to the drive sprocket 19 and gear 19a of the drive belt 4.4a of the accumulation conveyor 3. has been done.

20 is a differential gear 2 provided in the middle of the drive transmission path from the other sprocket 18a of the transmission 16 to the sprocket 21 and gear 21a of the dividing conveyor 5.
0, when the clutch 22 with brake is disengaged, the dividing conveyor 5 is set to operate at the same speed as the accumulating conveyor 3, and when the clutch 22 is connected, the drive shaft 1
The division conveyor 5 is configured to be faster than the accumulation conveyor 3 by applying a rotational force transmitted from the conveyor 4 via a transmission 23 separately.

24 and 25 are workpiece detection sensors provided at a predetermined position R (described later) of the dividing conveyor 5; one sensor 24 detects the tip position of the workpiece 2 transferred by the dividing conveyor 5; and sends the detection signal to the control circuit 26 of the clutch 22, and the other sensor 25 detects the rear end positions of the plurality of works 2 passing on the side of the sensor 25 and sends the signal to the control circuit 26 of the clutch 22. It is transmitted to the control circuit 26.

Reference numerals 27 and 28 indicate a cam and a limit switch mounted on the drive shaft 12. During a predetermined period of one rotation of the drive shaft 12, the limit switch 28 transmits a timing signal to the control circuit 26, and also controls the transmission timing and timing of the timing signal. The period is set so that it can be changed arbitrarily. Note that the control circuit 2
6 keeps the clutch brake 22 in a disengaged state at all times, but from the time it receives both the timing signal from the limit switch 28 and the sending 4N signal from one sensor 24, the sending F signal from the other sensor 25 is turned off. The Craft 22 is connected during the period until the reception of the data.

The apparatus configuration of this embodiment is as described above. Next, a method of dividing and supplying the workpiece 2 into three pieces using the apparatus will be explained.

First, in FIG. 1, a large number of works 2... are loaded onto the transfer conveyor 1 and transferred to the accumulation conveyor 3.
Since the accumulation conveyor 3 has a slower linear transfer speed than the transfer conveyor 1, the works 2 are in a pressed state with their front and rear abutting against each other. Next, the work 2...
If the workpieces 2 are delivered to the dividing conveyor 5 which is set at the same linear speed as the accumulation conveyor 3, these works 2 can be transferred forward without creating gaps between them.

Thereafter, when the leading end of, for example, the third workpiece 2C from the front is pinched by the drive belt 6.6a of the dividing conveyor 5, this is detected by the sensor 24.

This can be done by setting the distance from the starting end position A-A of the drive belt 6.6a to the sensor 24 in advance to be slightly longer than the total dimension of the two workpieces 2.

Further, the limit switch 28 that comes into contact with the cam 27 is set to transmit a predetermined timing signal to the control circuit 26 of the clutch 22 at a timing when the work 2 transferred by the dividing conveyor 5 does not come into contact with the attachment 11. I'll keep it. Upon reception of both the signals from the limit switch 28 and the sensor 24, the clutch 22 of the differential gear 20 is connected to increase the linear velocity V of the dividing conveyor 5.

When the speed of the drive belt 6.68 is increased at the above-mentioned timing, the first three works 2a+ 2b+ 2c are transported at a higher speed than the subsequent works 2d, etc. As shown in FIG. 4, gaps are generated between the works 2a, 2b, 2C and the work 2d on the subsequent stage, and the workpieces are divided.

After that, before the next work 2d is caught by the starting end A-A of the drive belt 616a, the third work 2C is
The rear end portion may be detected by another sensor 25, and the dividing conveyor 5 may be returned to the same speed as the accumulating conveyor 3 by disengaging the clutch 22 on the differential gear 20 side. As a result, the workpieces 2d and below are maintained in a pressed state without being separated from each other.

By repeating the above steps, the works 2 transferred by the accumulation conveyor 3 can be sequentially divided into sets of three by the dividing conveyor 5. Moreover, if the attachment 11 of the supply conveyor 7 is inserted between the divided works 2..., these works 2... can be supplied to the former 9 side of the packaging machine 8 in sets of three. It can be packaged in one piece. Here, the accumulation conveyor 3 and the dividing conveyor 5
Since the machine is operated continuously at all times and there is no need for intermittent operation, the packaging [8] can be operated continuously and the packaging work can be carried out efficiently.

In the above embodiment, the workpiece supply to the packaging machine was explained as an example, but the present invention is by no means limited to this, and the present invention is of course not limited to the specific type of workpiece 2, and can be applied to various devices. This can be applied to the supply of workpieces.

Further, in the above embodiment, the workpiece is divided into a set of three pieces, but the specific number of pieces is not critical. sensor 2
4. If you change the position in 25, you will have one set of two pieces, one set of four pieces, etc.
Workpieces can be divided and supplied in various forms. Furthermore, in the apparatus configured as described above, if the dividing conveyor 5 is always set at a higher speed than the accumulating conveyor 3 without using the sensors 24 and 25, the workpieces can be divided one by one. This birch may be used depending on the situation.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the dividing conveyor 5 starts increasing or decelerating when signals from both the sensor 24 and the limit switch 28 are received, so that the work 2 to be accelerated is delivered to the attachment 11 of the supply conveyor 7. Although collisions can be appropriately avoided, the present invention does not require such a signal from the limit switch 28 side. sensor 2
The dividing conveyor 5 may be accelerated by the detection signal No. 4 alone.

However, in the present invention, the specific means for detecting the timing of acceleration and deceleration of the dividing conveyor 5 is by no means limited to the sensor as in the above embodiment. An electric switch or the like that is turned on or off by contact with the workpiece may be used as the timing detection means. Alternatively, a timer may be used to start deceleration, and the dividing conveyor 5 may be set to be faster than the accumulating conveyor 3 for a predetermined period.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations of the dividing conveyor 5, accumulation conveyor 3, etc. as in the above embodiments. As the accumulation conveyor 3, any type of conveyor can be used as long as it is a conveyor that transports a plurality of works 2 with their front and rear parts in contact with each other. Further, the dividing conveyor 5 is disposed on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor 3, and transfers the works 2 sequentially delivered from the accumulation conveyor 3 by sandwiching them by drive belts 6.6a provided facing each other. It is sufficient if the conveyor is configured as a variable speed conveyor. As a specific drive mechanism for changing the speed of the dividing conveyor 5, various means other than the above-mentioned embodiments can be applied. For example, the dividing conveyor 5 and the accumulation conveyor 3 may be driven independently by two servo motors.

In addition, each work step of the method according to the present invention and the specific configuration of each part of the apparatus can all be changed or designed within the intended scope of the present invention.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the method according to the present invention, a plurality of workpieces transported by an accumulation conveyor with their front and back abutting each other are driven at the same speed as the latter part for dividing. When the workpieces are delivered to and transferred to the conveyor, the dividing conveyor is used only during the period from when the number of workpieces sandwiched between the drive belts of the dividing conveyor reaches the desired number until the next workpiece is sandwiched between the drive belts. Since the speed of the conveyor is higher than that of the accumulating conveyor, the plurality of works can be transferred while being separated from the group of works on other accumulating conveyors.

As a result, in the present invention, there is no need to separately provide a conveyor with an attachment on the dividing conveyor side as in the past, and it is possible to divide a large number of works into desired numbers while sequentially and continuously transferring them at high speed using simple means. It has become possible to supply a plurality of workpieces to packaging machines and other equipment in an extremely efficient manner, and has achieved a special effect in that it can be used meaningfully in various operations.

Further, according to the device according to the present invention, the variable speed dividing conveyor provided on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor is controlled at a predetermined time using timing signals transmitted from the speed increase signal transmitting means and the deceleration signal transmitting means. By increasing and decelerating the workpiece supply method according to the present invention, the workpiece division supply method according to the present invention can be appropriately implemented.
Its practical value is enormous.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of the division supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the drive mechanism. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are side views of main parts in a state where a workpiece is dividedly supplied. FIG. 5, FIG. 6 (a), (b), and FIG. 7 are side views of main parts showing a conventional example.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method in which a plurality of works 2, which are transferred by an accumulation conveyor 3 in an array in which the front and back are in contact with each other, are divided into a plurality of sets and supplied to the downstream side. Then, the workpieces 2... sent out from the accumulation conveyor 3 are delivered between drive belts 6, 6a provided opposite to each other on the dividing conveyor 5 disposed on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor 3. Work 2... at the same speed as the accumulation conveyor 3.
is transferred to the downstream side, and then the drive belts 6, 6a
When the desired number of workpieces 2... are sandwiched between them, the transfer speed of the workpieces 2... by the drive belts 6, 6a is accelerated to a higher speed than that on the accumulation conveyor 3 side, and the next leading workpiece 2d is driven. The drive belt 6 before being sandwiched between the belts 6 and 6a
, 6a is returned to its original operating speed. 2. An accumulation conveyor 3 that transports a plurality of works 2 with their front and rear parts in contact with each other, and works 2 that are arranged on the downstream side of the accumulation conveyor 3 and are sequentially delivered from the accumulation conveyor 3. drive belts 6 provided opposite to each other;
, 6a, and detects when the number of works 2 sandwiched between the variable speed dividing conveyor 5 and the drive belts 6, 6a of the dividing conveyor 5 reaches a desired number. a speed increase signal transmitting means 24 for transmitting a timing signal for increasing the linear velocity of the dividing conveyor 5 to a higher speed than that of the accumulation conveyor 3; and the speed increase signal transmitting means 24.
Accumulation conveyor 3 after sending the timing signal from
Before the next work 2d to be transferred above is sandwiched between the drive belts 6 and 6a of the dividing conveyor 5, the dividing conveyor 5, which has been accelerated to a higher speed than the accumulating conveyor 3, is decelerated to the same speed as the accumulating conveyor 3. 1. A workpiece dividing supply device comprising a deceleration signal transmitting means 25 for transmitting a timing signal to cause the workpiece to be divided and supplied. 3. The speed-up signal transmitting means 24 detects the tip of the leading workpiece 2d when a desired number of works2... are sandwiched between the drive belts 6, 6a of the dividing conveyor 5, and transmits a signal. The workpiece dividing supply device according to claim 2, which is a sensor. 4. The deceleration signal transmitting means 25 is a sensor that detects when the rear end of the work 2... transferred by the dividing conveyor 5 reaches a predetermined position and transmits a signal. A device for dividing and supplying a workpiece according to item 2 or 3 of the scope.