JPH0298532A - Positioning device for container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make attaching a label at a prescribed position on a container with a high precision possible by providing the device with a moving mechanism which moves a stopper member between an engaging position, where the engaging becomes possible at a positioning part by approaching the container, and a reducing position, where the rotational position control of the container by a rotating mechanism is allowed. CONSTITUTION:When a container with handle 1 is carried on a rotary table 6 through an entrance star wheel, the container 1 is lightly pinched by a container holding tool 32 for a container holding mechanism 17 and the rotary table 6. Then, a stopper member 7 advances from a receding position B to an engaging position A, and continuously descends and reaches the lower end position at the engaging position A. When the rotary table 6 turns in one direction, and the container 1 and the container holding tool 32 holding the container 1 integrally turn, the stopper member 7 engages with a handle 1a during the rotation and stops the turning of the container 1. When the container 1 is directed in a prescribed direction, the container 1 is firmly held by the container holding tool 32 and the rotary table 6. Then the stopper member 7 ascends, and the engagement with the handle 1a is released, and the stopper member 7 recedes from the engaging position A to the receding position B. After this, for the container 1, a label is attached at a prescribed position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a container positioning device, and more specifically, a stopper member is engaged with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container while the container is rotating. to stop the rotation of the container,
The present invention relates to a container positioning device that positions the container at a predetermined rotation angle position.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, for example, when attaching a label to a predetermined position on a container, it is necessary to position the container in a predetermined direction before attaching the label. For this reason, a labeler is known in which a container positioning device is integrated into a labeler that attaches a label while the container is being transported by rotating a transport table (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-26814). ). In other words, this positioning device includes a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, a container holding mechanism that holds the upper end of the container placed on the rotary table, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the container on the rotary table. The container includes a mechanism and a stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container.

Furthermore, conventionally, instead of incorporating a positioning device into the conveyance table of the labeler, a positioning device is incorporated into the entrance star wheel for conveying containers to the conveyance table, and containers positioned by this artificial star wheel are supplied to the conveyance table of the labeler. (Jikko Sho 63) has also been proposed.
-23294).

``Problem to be Solved by the Invention'' However, in the former positioning device, since the positioning device is built into the transport table of the labeler, the label can be directly affixed to the container positioned by the positioning device. , there is an advantage that the label can be affixed to a predetermined position with high precision. However, on the other hand, since the stopper member needs to be installed in a position where it does not interfere with the label pasting operation, the stopper member cannot be made large, and especially when the handle is used as a positioning part like a container with a handle. In such cases, the stopper member must be made large, making it difficult to provide the stopper member at a position where it does not interfere with the label pasting operation.

On the other hand, in the latter positioning device, since the positioning device is built into the inlet star wheel, the stopper member does not get in the way of label pasting work, and therefore the stopper member can be freely moved as needed. However, because the container is positioned by the inlet star wheel and delivered to the labeler's conveyance table, there may be misalignment during the delivery, which reduces the accuracy of the label attachment position. There is.

"Means for Solving the Problem" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a transport table for transporting containers, a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, and a container placed on the rotary table. A container holding mechanism that holds the upper end portion, a rotation mechanism that rotates the container on the rotary table, and a stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container. In the container positioning device, the stopper member is movably provided on the conveyance table, and the stopper member is arranged in an engagement position close to the container and capable of being engaged with the positioning portion; A moving mechanism is provided for moving the container away from the positioned container to a retreat position that allows the rotational position of the container to be controlled by the rotation mechanism.

"Operation" According to the above configuration, the container can be positioned by positioning the stopper member at the engagement position,
Furthermore, after positioning, the stopper member can be moved back to the retracted position to disengage the positioning portion of the container from the stopper member, so the rotating mechanism can rotate the container to move the container in a predetermined direction. The rotational position can be controlled, and therefore, for example, a label can be affixed to a predetermined position on the container with high precision.

Since the rotational position of the container can be controlled in a predetermined direction, the engagement position between the stopper member and the positioning portion of the container can be set to any position on the circumference of the container, and furthermore, from this position, the stopper member can be Since the stopper member can be placed in the retracted position, even if the stopper member is large, it can be easily retracted to a position where it does not interfere with label pasting work, etc.

``Embodiment'' The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, a container 1 with a handle is conveyed by a conveyor 2 in a state in which they are in contact with each other, and a required distance is formed in the front and rear by a timing screw 3. It is delivered to the entrance star wheel 4, and further carried into the transport table 5 from the artificial star wheel 4. This conveyance table 5 is equipped with a large number of rotary tables 6 at equally spaced positions on the outer periphery, and the containers 1 from the artificial star wheel 4 are sequentially carried onto each rotary table 6.

The container 1 carried onto the rotary table 6 is rotated by the rotation of the rotary table 6, and when the handle 1a (see FIG. 2) of the container 1 engages with the stopper member 7 constituting the positioning device, the container 1 is rotated by the rotation of the rotary table 6. The rotation is stopped and the container 1 is thereby positioned in a predetermined direction. When the positioning of the container 1 is completed, the stopper member 7 is moved back and disengaged from the handle 1a.

Next, the container 1 remains in that state or is rotated together by a predetermined angle by rotating the rotary table 6 by a predetermined angle, so that a predetermined position on the outer peripheral surface of the container 1 is directed outward in the radial direction of the transfer table 5. It passes in front of the vacuum drum 9 of the roll labeler 8 in this state.

When the container 1 passes in front of the vacuum drum 9, the vacuum drum 9 attaches a label to a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface of the container 1.
At 0 rotation, the label should be at the front in the direction of travel.
Rotated 0 degrees. In this state, as the conveyance table 5 rotates, the container 1 passes between the label attaching members 10, and the label is completely affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container 1 by the label attaching member 10. , after which the container 1 is discharged from the outlet starwheel 11 onto the conveyor 2 again.

However, as shown in FIG. 2, the conveyance table 5 is attached to the lower part of a main shaft 15 which is vertically arranged and driven to rotate, and a disk 16 is integrally fixed to the upper part of the main shaft 15. . Then, the upper end of the container 1 placed on each rotary table 6 is held on the outer circumference of the disk 16 so as to face each of the rotary tables 6 provided at equal intervals on the outer circumference of the transport table 5. A container holding mechanism 17 is provided.

Each of the rotary tables 6 is rotatably provided on the conveying table 5, and a drive shaft 1 that rotationally drives the rotary table 6 is provided.
A gear 19 is attached to the lower end of the gear 19.
A sector gear 20 is engaged with the conveyance table 5, and the sector gear 20 is attached to the upper end of a rotating shaft 21 rotatably supported on the conveying table 5. A cam follower 23 is provided at the tip of the arm 22 attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft 21,
A cam plate 2 on which the cam follower 23 is fixed to a frame 24
It is engaged with the cam groove 26 of No. 5.

The cam groove 26 is configured to allow the arm 22 to swing at a desired position as the transfer table 5 rotates, and by swinging the arm 22, the rotating shaft 21 is rotationally driven. , and further sector gear 20
By rotating the drive shaft 18 via the gear 19, the rotary table 6 can be rotationally driven.

Further, each of the container holding mechanisms 17 includes an elevating rod 31 provided on the disc 16 so as to be freely raised and lowered, and a container holder 32 rotatably attached to the lower end of the elevating rod 31. The upper end of the lifting rod 31 is slidably passed through the bracket 33, and a washer 34 fixed to the upper end of the lifting rod 31 prevents the lifting rod 31 from falling downward from the bracket 33. Bracket 33 and lifting rod 3
A spring 35 is loaded between the lifting rod 31 and the bracket 33 to urge the lifting rod 31 downwardly with respect to the bracket 33.

A cam follower 36 is attached to the outer periphery of the bracket 33.
The cam follower 36 is engaged with a cam groove 38 of a fixed plate 37 disposed above the disk 16.

In order to prevent the cam follower 36 from separating from the cam groove 38, the bracket 33 is engaged with a guide rod (not shown) so as to be able to move up and down, and the bracket 33 is prevented from rotating around the elevating rod 31. There is.

Therefore, when the bracket 33 is lowered by the cam groove 38, the elevating rod 31 can be lowered together with it, and the container holder 32 provided at the lower end of the elevating rod 31 is moved by the elastic force of the spring 35. By forcefully engaging the upper end of the container 1 with pressure, the container 1 can be held between this and the rotary table 6.

At this time, an elevating table is provided in the center of the rotary table rack 6, and the elevating table is normally kept at the same height as the upper surface of the rotary table 6 using a cam mechanism or the elastic force of a spring. When holding the container 1, the elevating table may be lowered to drop the bottom of the container 1 from the upper surface of the rotary table 6 into a hole of a required depth, thereby ensuring that the container can be held securely.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the positioning device including the stopper member 7 includes a rotating shaft 41 that is vertically disposed on the disk 16 and rotatably supported, and
A horizontal swinging arm 42 is fixed to the lower end of the horizontal swinging arm 42 and swings in a horizontal plane, and a vertical swinging arm 43 is pivoted on the tip of the horizontal swinging arm 42 and swings in a vertical plane. The stopper member 7 is fixed to the tip of the vertical swing arm 43.

An arm 44 is attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft 41, and a cam follower 46 is provided at the tip of the arm 44 to engage with a cam plate 45 attached to the fixed plate 37. The cam follower 46 is always brought into elastic contact with the cam plate 45 by a return spring 47 mounted between the cam plate 45 and the cam plate 45. Therefore, according to the cam curve of the cam plate 45, the stopper member 7 is engaged with the handle 1a of the container 1 shown in FIG. It can be moved into a possible engaged position A and then into a disengaged retracted position B.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the vertical swinging arm 43 is connected to a lifting rod 5 provided on the horizontal swinging arm 42 so as to be able to rise and fall freely.
1, and this lifting rod 5
1 is normally held at the upper end position by a spring 52, thereby causing the stopper member 7 provided on the vertical swing arm 43 to be at the lower end position. This stopper member 7 is located at the above-mentioned engagement position A and can actually engage with the handle 1a of the container 1 only when the stopper member 7 is at the lower end position.

Above the elevating rod 51, an arc-shaped elevating cam 53 (FIG. 3) centered on the rotating shaft 41 is provided so as to be able to rise and fall freely on the disc 16, and the elevating cam 53 is supported by a spring (not shown). At the same time, as shown in FIG.
The elevating cam 53 can be raised and lowered according to the cam curve.

On the other hand, a roller 56 is rotatably supported at the upper end of the lifting rod 51, and a shaft 57 that supports the roller 56 extends along a radial direction centered on the rotation center of the rotating shaft 41. It is placed horizontally. As a result, the lifting cam 5
3 is lowered, and the rotating shaft 41 is rotated with the roller 56 in elastic contact with the lower surface of the elevating cam 53. Therefore, the elevating rod 51 is moved to the rotating shaft 41 via the horizontal swinging arm 42.
When the roller 56 is rotated around the elevating cam 53, the roller 56 can be moved while remaining in elastic contact with the lower surface of the elevating cam 53.

In the above configuration, when the container l with a handle is carried onto the rotary table 6 via the inlet star wheel 4, the container holder 32 of the container holding mechanism 17 is lowered according to the cam curve of the cam groove 38, and the container holder The container 1 is lightly held between the container 32 and the rotary table 6.

In this state, the rotating shaft 41, the horizontal swing arm 42, the vertical swing arm 43, and the stopper member 7 are advanced by the cam plate 45 from the retracted position B to the engagement position A, and then the cam plate 55 moves the elevating cam 53. As the elevating cam 53 rises, the elevating rod 51 is raised by the elastic force of the spring 52. As a result, the stopper member 7 descends to the lower end position at the engagement position A.

At this time, since the container 1 is carried onto the rotary table 6 with the handle 1a in a random direction, the stopper member 7 normally does not immediately engage the handle 1a, and therefore descends to the lowering end. Before this occurs, it comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the container 1 and is held in that state.

In this state, the rotary table 6 is rotated more than 360 degrees in one direction according to the cam curve of the cam groove 26,
When the container 1 and the container holder 32 that hold it rotate together by more than 360 degrees with the rotation of the rotary table 6, the stopper member 7 engages with the handle 1a during the rotation and the container 1 is rotated. It stops rotating and descends to the lower end.

When the container 1 is positioned in a predetermined direction in this way, the downward urging force of the spring 35 of the container holder 32 is increased by the cam groove 38, and the container holder 3
2 and the rotary table 6, the container 1 is firmly held. In this state, the stopper member 7 is raised by the effect of the elevating cam 53, and the engagement between the stopper member 7 and the handle 1a is smoothly released, and the cam plate 5
The engagement position A is retracted from the engagement position A to the retraction position B by the cam curve 5.

After this, the container 1 has a label affixed to the required position on its outer circumferential surface in the same manner as described above, and furthermore, after the container 1 is released from being held between the container holder 32 and the rotary table 6,
It is discharged from the outlet star wheel 11 onto the conveyor 2.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, it goes without saying that the raised end position of the stopper member 7 at the engagement position A can be made into the retracted position B as it is.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, according to the present invention, the stopper member can be moved between the engagement position and the retracted position. It can be moved back to a position where it does not interfere with label pasting work, etc. Therefore, the stopper member can be freely sized to match the shape of the positioning part of the container, which allows for smooth and reliable positioning work, and allows for immediate label pasting work etc. after positioning the container. Since the processing can be performed, the effect can be obtained that the work can be performed with high precision.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a plan view of the main part of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 3. 1...Container with handle 5...Transport table 7...Stopper member 18...Drive shaft 32...Container holder 1a...Handle 6...Rotary table 17...Container holding mechanism 26...Cam groove 41...Rotary shaft 42...Horizontal swing arm 45...Cam plate 53...Elevating cam B - Retreat position 43...Vertical swing arm 51... Lifting rod A--Engagement position

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A transport table for transporting containers, a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, a container holding mechanism for holding the upper end of the container placed on the rotary table,
A container positioning device comprising: a rotation mechanism that rotates the container on the rotary table; and a stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container; is movably provided on the conveyance table, and the stopper member is arranged at an engagement position close to the container and capable of engaging with the positioning part, and at a position separated from the container positioned by the stopper member, and the stopper member is arranged in an engagement position close to the container and capable of being engaged with the positioning part, and is separated from the container positioned by the stopper member, and A container positioning device comprising a moving mechanism for moving the container to a retracted position that allows rotational position control of the container.