JPH0333610B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an article delivery device.

(Prior Art) A conventional article delivery device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 1 is a package wrapped in a cardboard box or bag with a smooth surface, and 2 is a package that is filled with contents into a cardboard box or bag and sealed. 3 is a conveyor that is operated in synchronization with the filling device 2 and conveys the packages 1 intermittently; 4 is a conveyor 3;
a tray transport conveyor installed perpendicularly to the tray transport conveyor 3 and forming four rows of grids in synchronization with the conveyor 3; a position regulating lever 6 provided at a predetermined interval on the tray transport conveyor 4; is the package delivery device, which moves along the arrow A in Figure 2.
It is equipped with four vacuum suction cups 8 to simultaneously transfer four packages 1 from a conveyor 3 to a tray 5 on a tray conveying device 4.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional package delivery device 7 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vacuum suction cup 8 moves in the direction of arrow A to transfer the package 1 from the conveyor 3 onto the tray conveyor 4. However, if one or more of the packages 1 on the conveyor 3 are missing, the suction force of the vacuum suction cup 8 will decrease and the predetermined suction will not be achieved. Capacity may not be demonstrated and suction errors may occur. Therefore, the delivery device 7 (not shown) such as tooth missing detection means (phototube, detection rod, etc.)
If there is a missing tooth, the same detection means stops the operation of the transfer device 7 and corrects the operation to normal.Each time a missing tooth occurs, it is necessary to stop the entire line, and production There was an inconvenience that sex decreased.

In the conventional package delivery device 7 described above, measures have been taken to ensure that other products can be absorbed even if one or two teeth are missing by increasing the capacity of the blower, etc. When the dropout rate exceeds a certain level, for example 30% or higher, it cannot be dealt with by increasing the capacity of a blower or the like.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an article delivery device that can continue operation of a production line and improve productivity even when an article is defective. This is what we are trying to provide.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention horizontally reciprocates a vacuum chamber connected to a vacuum source and a plurality of article suction devices attached to the vacuum chamber. , an article delivery device that raises and lowers these devices at the end of their movement, and when lowered, the same article suction device picks up or releases multiple articles, and transfers each article from one predetermined position to another. Each of the article suction devices includes a guide pin having a hollow hole with a bottom that communicates with the inside of the vacuum chamber and a through hole that penetrates the outer circumferential wall horizontally outward from near the bottom of the hollow hole; A device body provided around the device body, a compressed air inlet opening from outside the device body into an annular space formed around the upper outer peripheral surface of the guide pin, and the guide pin and the device body can be moved vertically. a hollow plunger whose sliding surface relative to the guide pin closes the through hole of the guide pin when descending; A plunger lowering spring is interposed between the hollow plunger and the upper part of the device body, a suction cup and a spacer are attached to the lower part of the hollow plunger, and the hollow plunger is vertically penetrated to connect the mounting body and the A space formed between the guide pin and the hollow plunger is constituted by a communication hole communicating with the lower hole of the hollow plunger.

(Function) The article delivery device of the present invention is configured as described above, and when each article is conveyed to a predetermined position by the conveyor, the vacuum chamber is lowered and each spacer is moved to each article on the conveyor. , each plunger is pushed upward against the plunger lowering spring, the through hole of the guide pin communicates with the inside of the hollow plunger, and the negative pressure inside the vacuum chamber is transferred to the bottomed hollow hole of the guide pin→ Each suction cup suctions each article by acting on the article through the through hole → the inside of the hollow plunger. In this state, the vacuum chamber is raised, moved horizontally, and then lowered, and is stopped at a predetermined position on the tray transport conveyor. In this state, compressed air is supplied from the air piping to the compressed air supply port in the device main body, and the air pressure acts on the cylindrical pressure receiving surface at the top, pushing each hollow plunger downward.
The through hole of each guide pin is closed by the sliding surface of the hollow plunger, the vacuum is cut off, and the compressed air flows from the compressed air supply port to the space (the space formed between the device body, the guide pin, and the hollow plunger). )→It is supplied into the lower hole of the hollow plunger through the connecting hole of the hollow plunger, the vacuum inside the hollow plunger is broken, and compressed air acts on each article, and each article is moved to a predetermined position in the tray on the tray transport conveyor. It is instantly released and the stuffing into it is completed.

(Embodiment) Next, the article delivery device of the present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 8. Reference numeral 11 is a vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber 11 is equipped with a predetermined number of suction devices 12. It is moved in the direction of arrow A by a drive device (not shown) in the same manner as in FIG. The inside of this chamber 11 is connected to a vacuum source and is always maintained in a vacuum state.

Further, 13 is a ceiling cover, and the ceiling cover 13 is fixed to the vacuum chamber 11 via a packing 14.

Also, 15 is a vacuum hose, and the same vacuum hose 15
One end is connected to a vacuum source (not shown), and the other end is connected to the vacuum chamber 11.

Further, the suction device 12 includes a vacuum chamber 11
The device main body 18 is fixed to the vacuum chamber 11 through the gasket 16 and the bolt 17, the guide pin 20 communicates with the opening 19 of the vacuum chamber 11, and the device main body 1.
8 and a hollow plunger 21 that is slidable relative to the guide pin 20. The device main body 18 has a center hole 22 into which the guide pin 20 is mounted, and a threaded hole 23 (fifth hole) into which the bolt 17 is threaded.
(see figure) and plunger lowering spring (compression spring))
24 and a compressed air inflow hole 26 connected to a compressed air source (not shown) are located in the upper thick part 2.
7, and a thin cylindrical portion 28 is provided at the bottom. And the compressed air inlet 26
is opened into an annular space formed by the center hole 22 and the outer peripheral surface of the guide pin 20.

Further, the guide pin 20 has a hollow hole 29 with a bottom.
As shown in FIG.
holes 31 are provided.

The hollow plunger 21 also has an upper hole 32 that slides on the outer periphery of the guide pin 20 and a lower hole (space) 34 that screws into the spacer 33. The contacting collar 35 holds the compression spring 24 with the hole 25 of the device body 18,
A retaining ring 36 restricts downward movement.
Further, the lower hole 34 communicates with a space 38 formed between the device main body 18, the guide pin 20, and the hollow plunger 21 via a communication hole 37. A cylindrical pressure receiving surface part that enters the annular space when the hollow plunger 21 rises and closes the compressed air inlet 26 is provided on the top of the hollow plunger 21 .

Further, 33 is a spacer, and the upper part of the spacer 33 is screwed into the lower hole 34 of the hollow plunger 21.
3 is a radial groove 4 shown in FIG. 7 outside the center hole 39.
0 and a plurality of circumferential grooves 41.

Further, 42 is a suction cup, which is attached to the lower end of the hollow plunger 21, and whose lip 43 is attached to the lower end of the hollow plunger 21.
protrudes downward from the lower end of the spacer 33.

Further, 44 is an air pipe connected to a compressed air source (not shown), and is adapted to supply compressed air to the compressed air inlet 26 when the package 1 is released.

Next, the operation of the article delivery device shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 will be explained in detail.

(1) When each package 1 is conveyed to a predetermined position by the conveyor 3, the vacuum chamber 11 is lowered a predetermined distance in the direction of arrow B (see FIG. 4) by a drive device (not shown).

(2) When each spacer 33 comes into contact with each package 1 on the conveyor 3, each hollow plunger 21 is pushed upward against the plunger lowering spring compression spring 24, and the through hole 31 of each guide pin 20 and the lower hole (space) 34 communicate with each other, and the negative pressure inside the vacuum chamber 11 flows through the bottomed hollow hole 29 → through hole 31 →
It acts on the package 1 through the lower hole (space) 34 and the center hole 39, and the suction cup 42 attracts the package 1 as shown in FIG.

(3) In this state, the vacuum chamber 11 is moved in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 by a drive device (not shown) and stopped at a predetermined position on the tray transport conveyor 4.

(4) In this state, compressed air flows into the air pipe 44.
→The compressed air is supplied to the supply port 26, and air pressure acts on the cylindrical pressure receiving surface at the top, pushing down each hollow plunger 21, and each guide pin 2
The through hole 31 of No. 0 is closed by the sliding surface of the hollow plunger 21, and the vacuum is cut off.
Compressed air flows from compressed air supply port 26 → center hole 22 →
Space portion (space portion formed between the device main body 18, guide pin 20, and hollow plunger 21) 38
→The air is supplied to the lower hole (space) 34 of the hollow plunger 21 through the communication hole 37, the vacuum in the lower hole 34 is broken, compressed air pressure acts on each package 1, and each package 1 is transferred to the tray. They are instantly released to a predetermined position in the tray 5 on the conveyor 4, and the filling therein is completed.

Thereafter, in the same manner, the packages 1 are successively packed into the trays 5 on the tray transport conveyor 4. In this case, temporarily from the filling device 2 to the conveyor 3
If there is a missing tooth in the package 1 to be supplied, even if the vacuum chamber 11 is lowered in the direction of arrow B, the spacer 33 will not be present because the package 1 is missing a tooth and there is no tooth. It does not come into contact with the package 1, maintains the state shown in FIG. 4, and does not have any influence on the suction operations of other suction devices 12. Therefore, there is no need to temporarily stop the production line.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the article delivery device of the present invention can continue operation of the production line even if the article (package 1) is missing on the filling device 2 side. In comparison, productivity can be significantly improved.

Furthermore, since the hollow plunger 21 is actuated by compressed air to cut off the vacuum transmission and the compressed air is applied to the article (package 1), the article can be reliably discharged in an extremely short time.

Furthermore, since each suction cup 42 has an on-off valve (hollow plunger) 21, the capacity (capacity) of a vacuum source such as a blower can be minimized, and energy saving can be achieved.

Further, when the vacuum chamber 11 moves up and down, if there is an article, the hollow plunger 21 is pushed up against the plunger lowering spring (compression spring) 24 to open the vacuum circuit, and the article (package 1) is removed.
It has a cushioning effect against the environment and allows for soft handling, allowing even fragile items to be handled without damaging them.

Further, the movement (downward movement) of the vacuum chamber 11 is used to connect to the vacuum source, which has the effect of simplifying the structure and operation of the article delivery device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are a perspective view and a side view showing a conventional article delivery device, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the article delivery device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the arrow line in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the arrow line in FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the arrow line in FIG. FIG. 8 is a bottom view taken along the line shown in FIG. 1... Article, 11... Vacuum chamber, 12...
...Article suction device, 18...Device body, 20...Guide pin, 21...Hollow plunger, 26...Compressed air inlet, 31...Through hole, 33...Spacer,
22, 38, 37... Compressed air passage, 42...
Sucker.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A vacuum chamber connected to a vacuum source and a plurality of article suction devices attached to the same vacuum chamber are moved back and forth in the horizontal direction, and at the end of the movement, these devices are raised and lowered, and when descending, each article suction device In an article delivery device that sucks or releases a plurality of articles and transfers each article from one predetermined position to another, each article suction device
a guide pin having a bottomed hollow hole communicating with the inside of the vacuum chamber and a through hole passing horizontally outward through the outer peripheral wall from near the bottom of the hollow hole; and a device main body provided around the guide pin; A compressed air inlet opened from outside the device main body into an annular space formed around the upper outer circumferential surface of the guide pin, and a compressed air inlet that is movable up and down between the guide pin and the device main body, and protrudes from the top when rising. a hollow plunger whose cylindrical pressure-receiving surface enters the annular space and closes the compressed air inlet, and whose sliding surface against the guide pin closes the through hole of the guide pin when descending; the hollow plunger and the upper part of the device main body; A plunger lowering spring interposed between, a suction cup and a spacer attached to the lower part of the hollow plunger, and a spacer passing through the hollow plunger in the vertical direction between the device main body, the guide pin, and the hollow plunger. An article delivery device characterized in that the formed space is constituted by a communication hole communicating with a lower hole of the hollow plunger.