JPH0441325A - Conveyor device with temporary storage function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continue the operation of a conveyor line even at the time of generating some trouble to a part of a system by providing a guide plate, a stopper device and a temporary storage device, an endless carrier body, on a main conveyor, and further providing a stopper and an interrupt inserting device on the endless carrier body. CONSTITUTION:When workpieces W come to a halt on the downstream side of a main conveyor 1 due to the trouble of a downstream side working machine 13 or the like, a stopper device 4 is operated to prevent the workpieces W from shifting onto the downstream side, but the main conveyor 1 continues its operation. While the workpieces W stand still, a guide plate 51 crosses the carrier path of the main conveyor 1 and is switched onto the temporary storage device 2 side, and the stopper device 4 is returned into its original position. The workpieces W are guided by the guide plate 51 and delivered to the temporary storage device 2. When the downstream side working machine 13 is back to normal, the stopper device 4 is operated, and the workpiece W, touching a stopper 80, at the head of a workpiece row in the temporary storage device 2 is pushed out by an interrupt inserting device 6. After this push- out, the stopper device 4 and interrupt inserting device 6 are returned into their original positions. This operation is repeated alternately every specified time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a function to transfer a workpiece by connecting it between two working machines, and also to temporarily store the workpiece and return the stored workpiece to the original one. The present invention relates to a conveying device that has a function of returning the product to the line.

(Prior art and problems) When a line is constructed by linking upstream and downstream working machines with a conveyor, if the downstream working machine stops due to trouble, etc., the upstream working machine immediately needs to be stopped.

However, depending on the line, it may be necessary to avoid stopping the upstream work equipment as much as possible.

For example, in a production line for beverages packaged in bags, a beverage filling and sealing device is installed on the upstream side, and a straw applicator is installed on the downstream side. However, if the beverage food filling and sealing equipment is temporarily stopped, the food filling amount and sealing temperature will not be stable when the operation is resumed, and it will take time to adjust the equipment to normal operation at a constant level. There is a problem of lowering yield.

The present invention allows the line to continue operating even if a problem occurs in a part of the system, and after the problem is resolved, temporarily stored workpieces can be brought in between the workpieces being transported, thereby solving the above problem. This paper reveals a transport device with a temporary storage function that can solve the problem.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The conveying device with a temporary storage function of the present invention includes a main conveyor (1) that has low friction with the workpiece W to be conveyed, and a main conveyor (1) that is disposed on the side of the main conveyor (1). A temporary storage device (2) that receives a workpiece from a conveyor onto an endless conveyor (22) and temporarily stores the workpiece while conveying the workpiece;
1) A guide plate (51) that can be selectively switched between passing the upper workpiece through and guiding it to the temporary storage device (2) side, and a temporary storage device (2) corresponding to the upstream side of the guide plate (51).
), the stopper (80) stops the movement of the work on the endless conveyor (22), and the extruder plate (6) pushes out the work on the conveyor (22) to the main conveyor (1).
1), and an interrupt insertion device (6) equipped with an interrupt insertion device (6), which is disposed upstream of the insertion position of the workpiece by the insertion device (6) on the main conveyor (1), and is arranged on the main conveyor (1) to transport the workpiece on the main conveyor (1). It consists of a stopper device (4) that opens and closes the passage.

(Operation and Effect) The upstream working machine (12) and the downstream working machine (13) are connected by the main conveyor (1), and the workpiece W is conveyed (FIG. 1).

If workpieces accumulate on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1) due to trouble with the downstream working machine (13), etc., an operation is started to stock the workpieces from the main conveyor (1) into the temporary storage device (2).

First, the stopper device (4) is activated to prevent the workpiece from moving downstream from the stopper device (4). In the following explanation, the stopper device (4) operates to close the conveyance path of the main conveyor (1) by the first guide plate (described later).
51) and the interrupt insertion device (6), if any work exists on the main conveyor (1), it will get in the way.

Even if the stopper device (4) or the conveyance path is closed, the main conveyor (1) continues to operate and the main conveyor (1) rubs the bottom of the workpiece, but since the friction with the workpiece is small, the workpiece may be damaged. There isn't.

On the upstream side of the stopper device (4), the intervals between the workpieces are narrowed and adjacent workpieces come into contact with each other in order.

While the flow of the workpieces is stopped by the stopper device (4), the guide plate (51) crosses the conveyance path of the main conveyor (1) and switches to the temporary storage device (2) side (FIG. 3).

When the guide plate (51) is switched, the stopper device (4) returns to its original position and opens the conveyance path of the main conveyor (1). The works on the conveyor move downstream and are sequentially guided by the guide plate (51) and delivered to the endless conveyor (22) of the temporary storage device (2).

When the downstream work equipment (13) returns to normal and the accumulation of workpieces on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1) is resolved, the guide plate (51) and stopper device (4) return to their original positions and the main conveyor (1) Open the transport path.

When the flow of workpieces on the main conveyor (1) is smooth and the first workpiece in the row of workpieces taken into the temporary storage device (2) hits the stopper (80) and is waiting, the temporary storage device An operation is started in which the workpieces stocked in (2) are inserted between the workpieces on the main conveyor (1) and returned.

First, the stopper device (4) is activated to prevent the workpiece from moving downstream from the stopper device (4) in the same manner as described above.

In the above state, the insertion device (6) operates, and the workpiece that is waiting to hit the stopper (80) on the temporary storage device (2) is pushed out onto the main conveyor (1) by the pushout plate (61). Figure 4).

After pushing out the work, the interrupt insertion device (6) and the stopper device (4) return to their original positions, and the main conveyor (
1) Open the transport path and restore the work flow to normal.

The stopper device (4) and the interrupt insertion device (
6) are operated alternately, and the works stocked in the temporary storage device (2) can be returned to the main conveyor (1) while the main conveyor (1) continues to operate.

As mentioned above, even if workpieces accumulate on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1), the workpieces supplied from the upstream side will be temporarily stored, and when the workpiece flow becomes smooth, the stored workpieces will be gradually returned to the original line. It can be returned.

As a result, even if trouble occurs in the downstream work machine (13), excess workpieces are stored in the temporary storage device (2) without stopping the operation of the upstream work machine (12), and the downstream work machine (13) is stocked with excess workpieces in the temporary storage device (2). ) can control the supply of workpieces according to the recovery.

(Example) As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upstream working machine (12) is located at the upstream end of the main conveyor (1), and the downstream working machine (12) is located at the downstream end of the main conveyor (1).
13) are connected to each other, a stopper device (4) for stopping the transfer of workpieces is connected to the main conveyor (1), and a stopper device (4) for stopping the transfer of the workpiece is connected to the main conveyor (1) in a downstream position of the stopper device (4).
On the side, there is a temporary storage device (2), a switching guide device (5) that guides the transfer of the work from the main conveyor (1) to the temporary storage device (2), a stopper device (4) and a switching guide device (5). An interrupt insertion device (6) is installed on the temporary storage device (2), and a detector (9) for detecting the passage of workpieces is installed on the main conveyor (1) and the temporary storage device (2) in between.
1) (92) (93) (94) (98) (99) are deployed.

Below, they will be explained in order.

The main conveyor and the conveyor of the main conveyor (1) are made of a material that has low friction with the bottom surface of the workpiece.

The upstream working machine (12) is a device for filling and sealing paper pack containers with beverages, and the downstream working machine (13) is a straw applicator for joining a straw to the paper pack container.

The working capacity of the downstream working machine (13) is about 20% higher than the working capacity per unit time of the upstream working machine (12). As a result, as described later, even if the workpieces that have been taken into the temporary storage device (2) are discharged by cutting into the row of workpieces on the main conveyor (1), the working capacity of the downstream work machine (13) will be exceeded. This prevents the workpiece from being fed.

When the upstream working machine (12) and the downstream working machine (13) are operating normally, the main conveyor (1) moves the workpieces (paper bags filled with beverages and food) with a gap of approximately one workpiece. The upstream work equipment (12
) is continuously supplied to the downstream working machine (13).

lΣWork B11 The stopper device (4) is for stopping the transfer of the workpieces on the main conveyor (1) while continuing the operation of the main conveyor (1). 2
Stoppers (42) are arranged in parallel.

Both stoppers (41) and (42) are connected to the main conveyor (1).
) are arranged such that push plates (43) and (44) are movable in and out of the transport path of the conveyor (1), and drive solenoids (45) and (46) are connected to the push plates. .

The spacing between both push plates (43) and (44) corresponds to one workpiece.

By the operation of solenoids (45) and (46), the workpiece moves to the guide wall (11) provided on the side edge of the main conveyor (1).
and the push plates (43) and (44), stopping the transition.

The stopper device (4) has a timer set so that the second stopper (42) operates 0.6 seconds after the first stopper (41) operates, that is, after a workpiece supply time interval. .

However, the detector (92) to be described later is the second stopper (42).
If the presence of a workpiece is detected near the downstream side of the transition path, the operation of the second stopper (42) is delayed until the workpiece has passed. This prevents the second stopper (42) from pinching the rear part of the workpiece against the guide wall (11) in an unstable state.

Due to the operation of the stopper device (4), the workpiece that has barely passed the first stopper (41) also moves to the second stopper (4).
2) can be reliably captured. The return operations of the first stopper (41) and the second stopper (42) are performed simultaneously.

The temporary storage device (2) has the same number of sprockets (21) arranged at equal intervals in multiple stages at the four corners of an imaginary rectangle, and a carrier (2) that straddles each sprocket (21). 22) are stretched in an endless manner, that is, an ascending conveying section (22a) that ascends in a spiral manner guided by a sprocket, and a descending conveying section (22a) that descends in a spiral manner guided by a sprocket (21). 82b) are connected in series at the rising end and the falling end, respectively.

Two stoppers (96) are provided at each stage of the ascending conveyance section (22a) and the descending conveyance section (22b) at approximately equal intervals. Each stopper is connected to a solenoid (97), and a photoelectric workpiece detector (98) placed near the stopper opens the conveyance path.

The guide conveyor (3) is connected to the upstream side of the lowest stage of the ascending conveyance section (22a) of the temporary storage device (2) and the descending conveyance section (22a) of the temporary storage device (2).
The main conveyor (1) is connected to the downstream side of the bottom stage of b).
It is pulled out to the side to form a guide conveyor (3).

The guide conveyor (3) includes a standby guide part (33) that is adjacent to and parallel to the main conveyor (1), and a storage guide part that extends from the standby guide part (33) toward the endless conveyor (22). (31) and a return guide section (32) that goes from the endless conveyor (22) to the standby guide section (33).

A photoelectric workpiece detector (99) is installed in the return guide section (32) of the guide conveyor (3).

Each detector (98) (99) of the temporary storage device (2)
The stopper (96) prevents the workpieces from being tied together for a long time on the temporary storage device (2) without gaps, and operates as described below.

For convenience of explanation, an endless conveyor (22
There are four stoppers (96) and four detectors (98) on ), and (96), (96a), (9
6b) (96c), (97) (97a) (97b)
(97c).

After the detector (99) on the guide conveyor (3) detects the workpiece, a predetermined period of time (for example, about 17 seconds, which is the time required for the workpiece to pass between each detector on the endless conveyor (22))
2) After the elapsed time, the most downstream detector (
98) detects a workpiece, the stopper (96) on the most downstream side of the endless conveyor (22) operates to close the conveyance path.

After the predetermined time has elapsed from the above state, the next upstream detector (98a) detects passage of the workpiece, and the corresponding stopper (96a) closes the conveyance path.

As described above, the stoppers close the conveyance path in order from the downstream side to the upstream side, and when the stopper at the most upstream end closes, a full signal of the temporary storage device (2) is issued.

In the above state, a short row of workpieces is formed on the temporary storage device (2) from each stopper (96) to the upstream side,
A sufficient interval is formed between the front and rear workpiece rows.

The reason for creating a gap between the front and rear work rows is for time storage! (
2) When the workpieces are conveyed in a long string with no gaps between them, a large pressing force acts on the workpieces on the leading side, causing the workpieces to deform.

As will be described later, when workpieces start to be discharged from the temporary storage device (2) to the main conveyor (1) and the detector (99) of the guide conveyor (3) passes light, the endless conveyor (22 ) on the most downstream side opens the conveyance path.

When the detector (98) at the position corresponding to the stopper (96) passes light, the next stopper (96a) opens the conveyance path.

If the detector (98a) of this stopper passes light, the next stopper (96b) opens the conveyance path.

As described above, the conveyance path is sequentially opened from the stopper on the downstream side.

In addition, from the temporary storage device (2) described later to the main conveyor (
1), each stopper (96) to (9
6c) simultaneously opens the conveyance path.

Further, the temporary storage device (2) is connected to the main conveyor (1).
When taking in workpieces from the detector (9
When 8) to (98c) do not detect a workpiece, that is, when there is no workpiece on the temporary storage device (2), the operation is stopped.

Straddling between the downstream side of the standby guide section (33) of the guide conveyor (3) and the main conveyor (1), the work on the main conveyor (1) is switched and guided to the guide conveyor (3) side. A switching guide device (5) is provided.

The switching guide device (5) includes a second guide plate (52) disposed downstream of the standby guide section (33) and a second guide plate (52) disposed on the main conveyor (1) corresponding to the guide plate (51). One guide plate (51) is supported and connected by a connecting rod (not shown), and a solenoid (53) for opening/closing driving is connected to one of the guide plates (51).

Usually, the first guide plate (51) is connected to the main conveyor (1).
The second guide plate (52) crosses the downstream side of the standby guide section (33) of the guide conveyor (3) and closes it.

The operation of the solenoid (53) causes the first guide plate (5
1) rotates and crosses the conveyance path of the main conveyor (1) diagonally and passes its free end through the storage guide section (3) of the guide conveyor (3).
1), the second guide plate (52) faces the standby guide part (3).
3) Open the downstream conveyance path.

Interrupt insertion device (1) that corresponds to the standby guide section (33) of the guide conveyor (3) and pushes the workpiece on the guide section between the workpieces on the main conveyor (1). 6) will be deployed.

The interrupt insertion device (6) is arranged on the upstream side of the second guide plate (52), and is arranged to move from the standby guide section (33) to the storage guide section (
31) Stopper (80) that prevents the work from moving to the side
), and a conveyor (
22) It is composed of an extrusion plate (61) that extrudes the work above onto the main conveyor (1).

In the embodiment, the extrusion plate (61) is formed to have a width that allows extrusion of two workpieces at a time.

On the extrusion plate (61), there are detectors (63) (64) for detecting the presence or absence of a workpiece at the extrusion position of the extrusion plate (61).
is in place.

In addition, in the embodiment, the stopper (80) is provided so as to be able to open and close the conveyance path by supporting the base end, and the stopper (80) is provided so as to be able to open and close the conveyance path.
) is connected to.

The stopper (80) is used when completely discharging the workpiece as described later.
It serves as a guide (8) that opens the conveyance path of the standby guide section (33) and guides the work toward the main conveyor (1).

An auxiliary stopper (7) is provided upstream of the extrusion plate (61) to temporarily restrain the workpiece prior to activation of the extrusion plate (61).

The auxiliary stopper (7) is provided with a push plate (71) that can appear and retract from the conveyance path of the standby guide section (33), and the push plate (71)
It is constructed by connecting a driving truid (72) to the drive truid (72).

The auxiliary stopper (7) temporarily restrains the workpiece waiting next to the workpiece to be pushed out to the main conveyor (1) side by the interrupt insertion device (6), and prevents the workpiece from being pushed out to the main conveyor (1). This is to ensure that the process is carried out smoothly.

In order to detect whether or not a workpiece is passing through the main conveyor (1), a first photoelectric detector (9) is installed at the downstream end of the main conveyor (1), and a second photoelectric detector (91) is installed at the upstream end of the main conveyor (1). ), the third stopper (42) of the stopper device (4) has a third
A photoelectric detector (92), a fourth photoelectric detector (93) at a position corresponding to the push-out plate (61) on the interrupt insertion device (6) on the main conveyor (1), and a guide plate ( 51) A fifth photoelectric detector (
94) will be deployed.

Each detector (9) (91) on the main conveyor (1) above
(92) (93) (94) will issue a signal if the light-blocking state continues for 0.6 seconds or more, that is, the difference in passing time between adjacent workpieces moving at an appropriate distance on the main conveyor (1). .

Next, the procedure for leading the workpieces from the main conveyor (1) to the temporary storage device (2), the procedure for inserting the workpieces from the temporary storage device (2) back between the workpieces on the main conveyor (1), and the procedure for guiding the workpieces from the temporary storage device (2) to the temporary storage device (1). The steps from 2) to successively return the workpieces to the main conveyor (1) (total discharge) will be explained separately.

[Temporary storage]

When a problem occurs in the downstream work equipment (13) and workpieces accumulate on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1), the first photoelectric detector (9) issues a signal, and as described above, the stopper device (4)
The first stopper (41) and second stopper (42) operate at different times to close the conveyance path.

When the fourth photoelectric detector (93) and the fifth photoelectric detector (94) are in the state of transmitting light, the switching guide device (5) operates to guide the workpieces on the main conveyor (1) and guide the storage of the conveyor (3). The conveyance path is switched so as to guide it to the section (31) side.

A limit switch (not shown) placed at an appropriate location detects that the switching of the switching guide device (5) has been completed, and this detection signal causes the stopper device (4) to return to its original position and open the conveyance path. do.

The workpiece is guided by the first guide plate (51) and transferred from the main conveyor (1) to the storage guide section (31) of the guide conveyor (3).
) and then delivered to the endless conveyor (22).

When the downstream working machine (13) resumes operation and the flow of workpieces on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1) becomes smooth, the first photoelectric detector (9) detects this and stops the stopper group W (4). ), the first stopper (41) and the second stopper (42) are operated in the same manner as described above, and the conveyance path is closed.

When light passes through the fourth photoelectric detector (93) and the fifth photoelectric detector (94), the switching guide device (5) returns to its original position, and a limit switch (not shown) with this in place
is detected, and this detection signal causes the stopper device (4) to return to its original position and open the conveyance path.

The work remains on the main conveyor (1), passes through the switching guide device (5), and moves straight to the downstream side.

[Discharging from the temporary storage device to the main conveyor] The workpieces sent to the temporary storage device (2) in the above procedure are placed on the endless conveyor (22), and finally the leading workpiece is transferred to the guide conveyor (3). ) reaches the standby guide part (33), hits the stopper (80) and waits at the extrusion position. When the detectors (63) and (64) detect this, the main conveyor (1
) operates in the same manner as described above to close the conveyance path, and the auxiliary stopper (7) operates to restrain the work adjacent to the extrusion standby position.

After confirming that the fourth photoelectric detector (93) is in a light passing state, that is, that there is no workpiece in the position corresponding to the insertion device (6) on the main conveyor (1), the extrusion plate (61) is moved forward. The workpiece is pushed out from the standby guide section (33) to the main conveyor (1).

The movement of the pushing plate (61) is detected by a limit switch (not shown) placed at a suitable location, and the stopper device (4) is released by this detection signal.

The extrusion plate (61) and the auxiliary stopper (7) return to their original positions, and the workpiece waiting in the return guide section (32) of the temporary storage device (2) moves to the extrusion position.

The workpieces on the main conveyor (1) move to the downstream side again. As mentioned above, the capacity of the downstream working machine (i3) is 20% of the capacity of the upstream working machine (12), so every 6 seconds, that is, every time two workpieces are conveyed by the main conveyor (1). , from the temporary storage device (2) to the main conveyor (
1), even if the work is inserted between the works on the main conveyor (1) and discharged from the temporary storage device (2) to the main conveyor (1), the downstream working machine ( 13) will not be supplied to the downstream working machine (13) in excess of its processing capacity.

[All Works Discharged from the Temporary Storage Device 3 If one of the following three conditions is satisfied, the entire discharge of the works from the temporary storage device (2) to the main conveyor (1) is started.

■ The second photoelectric detector (91) detects light interruption for 0.6 seconds or more, that is, the workpieces are chained together along the entire length of the main conveyor (1), and this detection signal causes the upstream working machine (12) to when it stopped.

■ When the upstream work machine (12) stops for a reason other than the above.

■ When the temporary storage device (2) becomes full.

Complete discharge operation of the workpiece After one of the above conditions is satisfied, the second photoelectric detector (91
), third photoelectric detector (92), fourth photoelectric detector (93)
, after the fifth photoelectric detector (94) passes light, that is, the workpieces on the main conveyor (1) are discharged to the downstream side, the stopper-cum-switching guide (8), the interrupt insertion device (6), and the auxiliary stopper ( 7) opens the passage of the standby guide part (33), and each stopper (96) to (96) of the temporary storage device (2)
c) opens the passage.

If the stopper-cum-switching guide (8) and the auxiliary stopper (7) have already opened the standby guide section (33), this state is maintained. Moreover, if the switching guide device (5) is in a state where the conveyance path of the main conveyor (1) is closed,
The transport path is then switched to open.

The works stocked on the endless conveyor (22) are transferred to the return guide section (32) and standby guide section (3) of the guide conveyor (3).
3), the second guide plate (
52), is delivered to the main conveyor (1), and sent to the downstream working machine (13).

In the above situation, the first conveyor on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1)
If the photoelectric detector (9) detects a light-blocking state for 06 seconds or more,
That is, if the workpieces remain on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1), the operation of the temporary storage device (2) is stopped.

When the accumulation of works on the downstream side of the main conveyor (1) is eliminated, the operation of the temporary storage device (2) is restarted.

When the detectors of the main conveyor (1) and the temporary storage device (2) pass light, the stopper device (4) opens the conveyance path and the upstream working machine (12) resumes operation.

The present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same as above, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a state in which the switching guide device has been switched to a temporary storage device, and Fig. 4 is a state of interrupted discharge. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the fully discharged state. (1)...Main conveyor (2)...Temporary storage device (3)...Guiding conveyor (4)...Store/soba device (6)...Interruption insertion device (7)...
・Auxiliary stopper (8)...Switching guide that also serves as a stopper Applicant: Y-O-Plant Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Toshiyuki Maruyama

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] [1] A main conveyor (1) that transports the workpiece W, and a main conveyor (1) that is disposed on the side of the main conveyor (1) and receives the workpiece from the conveyor onto an endless conveyor (22). There is a temporary storage device (2) that temporarily stores workpieces while transporting them, and a temporary storage device (2) that is installed on the main conveyor (1).
1) A guide plate (51) that can be selectively switched between passing the upper workpiece through and guiding it to the temporary storage device (2) side, and a temporary storage device (2) corresponding to the upstream side of the guide plate (51).
), the stopper (80) stops the movement of the work on the endless conveyor (22), and the extruder plate (6) pushes out the work on the conveyor (22) to the main conveyor (1).
1) and an interrupt insertion device (6) on the main conveyor (1).
The stopper device (4) is arranged upstream of the workpiece insertion position and opens and closes the workpiece conveyance path on the main conveyor (1). A conveyance device equipped with a temporary storage function in which an interrupt insertion device (6) operates while the workpiece conveyance path is closed. [2] The temporary storage according to claim 1, wherein the temporary storage device is provided with a switching guide (8) capable of guiding the workpieces on the temporary storage device (2) to the main conveyor (1). Conveyance device with functions. [3] The stopper device (4) includes a first stopper (
41) and a second stopper (42) on the downstream side are arranged adjacent to each other, and after the first stopper (41) closes the work conveyance path of the main conveyor (1), the second stopper (42) is closed after a predetermined period of time has passed. A conveyance device equipped with a temporary storage function according to claim 1 or 2, which closes a workpiece conveyance path.