JPH0472222A - Palletizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shift bottles and the like which are carried while being lined up, in such a way that specified intervals can be maintained back and forth, and side-to-side by providing a horizontally movable bracket member with a pick-up device which is made up out of plural pick-up cups holding objects, and of a shift mechanism for the held subjects. CONSTITUTION:A bracket member 5 is lowered down from above to bottles standing in a row, so that the mouth sections of the bottles 2 in one layer go into each recessed section of respective pick-up cups 8. When air is supplied to each pick-up cup 8, rubber cups 24 abutt against the bottles 2 in such a way as to be closely adhered to the bottles, the bottles 2 are thereby firmly held by each cup 8. In the second place, air is supplied to air cylinders 37A and 37B, each cup 8 is turned out to be opened to the directions of X and Y while respective pitches are kept on. After a lifting member 4 has been lifted, the bracket 5 is moved to the direction of U so as to be suspended at a position above a platform 12, the bottles 2 held by each cup 8 are positioned within each resting recessed section 14a with the lifting member 4 lowered, and when air is exhausted out of each cup 8, the holding of the bottles 2 is released, so that the bottles 2 are rested over a tray 14 at a specified interval.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a palletizer.

(Prior Art) In recent years, containers such as bottles and cans used in the alcoholic beverage industry, soft drink manufacturing industry, chemical industry, canning industry, etc.
In order to reduce logistics costs, automate factories, and save labor, poly cases 5 are used instead of carton cases, wooden boxes, etc.. The bulk pallet method is widely used, in which multiple sheets are stacked with sheets in between and packed with string, rubber bands, or shrink film, and a palletizer is used to stack containers in the form of such a bulk pallet. There is.

By the way, if the container has a rectangular or deformed horizontal cross-sectional shape, such as a whiskey bottle, the bottles may come into contact with each other during bulk transportation, causing scratches on the surface. This may occur. Therefore, when bulk processing bottles having such a shape, as shown in FIG.
, to form a plurality of placement recesses 92, and insert and hold the bottles 93 one by one into these placement recesses 92.
It is conceivable to carry out bulk processing in such a way that the three parts do not come into contact with each other.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, since the bottles 93 to be bulk processed are conveyed in an aligned state by a conveyor, the bottles 93 are
It is necessary to shift the bottles 93 in the front-back and left-right directions, but in the past, there was no such device, and the operator had to manually insert the bottles 93 one by one into the placement recess 92. It is inefficient, and even if the bulk pallet system is adopted, its excellent effects may be diminished.As a result, when handling the square bottles mentioned above, special poly cases, carton cases, They used wooden boxes.

The present invention has been made with the above-mentioned considerations in mind, and its purpose is to allow objects such as bottles to be conveyed in a lined state so that a predetermined interval is formed in the front and back and left and right directions. Another object of the present invention is to provide a palletizer that can be shifted in two axes directions perpendicular to each other and that can place the object on a tray in which a recess for placing is formed.

[Failure to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the palletizer according to the present invention raises and lowers an elevating head along vertical columns erected at appropriate intervals on one side of a conveyor that conveys objects such as bottles in an aligned state. At the same time, a bracket member is attached to the elevating base so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of pickup cups for grasping the object are attached to the bracket member, and a plurality of pickup cups are attached to the bracket member in a predetermined manner in the front-rear direction and left-right direction of the object grasped by the pickup cups. The present invention is characterized in that a pickup device is provided that includes a shift mechanism that shifts the pickup cup in two axial directions perpendicular to each other so that a distance of .

[Effect]

Multiple pink-up cups that grip objects such as bottles can be shifted forward and backward and left and right using a shift mechanism, so multiple objects can be aligned and arranged in a predetermined state at the same time, efficiently. Can be processed in bulk.

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

FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) schematically show one side of the palletizer according to the present invention. First, in FIG. A conveyor that conveys shaped bottles 2 in an aligned state, whose end 1
A is provided with a stopper 1b. 3 is the # of this conveyor 1! ! These are vertical columns erected at appropriate intervals on one side of the end portion, and are equipped with an appropriate lifting/lowering drive device (not shown in detail).

Reference numeral 4 denotes an elevating base that is held horizontally to the column 3 so as to move up and down along the column 3. This elevating base 4 is provided with a horizontal direction (arrow U-) by a horizontal drive device (not shown).
A bracket member 5 that moves in the V direction) is provided. A wheel 6 is attached to the free end side of the bracket member 5, and the wheel 6 is held by a lifting rail 7 which is suspended so as to always move up and down in the same direction as the lifting base 4. That is, the bracket member 5 is held by the lifting rail 7 on one side in the moving direction (arrow UV direction) and on the lifting rail 7 on the other side.

The bracket member 5 has a plurality of pickup cups 8 for gripping the bottle 2, and these pickup cups 8 can be shifted in two orthogonal axes directions to be close to each other (referred to as a closed state) or to be spaced at an appropriate distance. A pink-up device 10 (the detailed structure and operation of which will be described later) is provided, which includes a shift mechanism 9 that moves the pin up and away (referred to as an open state).

Reference numeral 11 designates a lift plate which is used in the case of another method in which one end side is held by the elevating heir 4. Reference numeral 12 denotes a platform provided on the downstream side of the terminal end of the conveyor 1, on which a balent 13 can be placed. Reference numeral 14 denotes a tray on which the one-layer bottle 2 held and conveyed by the pickup device 10 is placed, and its surface has a shape that almost matches the bottom shape of the bottle 2, as shown in FIG. The plurality of mounting recesses 14a having a pitch PI shown in FIG. 9, for example.

It is formed by P. 15 is a separate sheet provided each time one layer of bottles 2 is placed.

Note that 16 indicates a bulk-treated package.

Next, the configuration of the pickup device 10 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 8.
To explain with reference to the figures, first, in Fig. 2,
17 is a rectangular frame in plan view made of C-shaped aluminum material, for example, and has short sides 17a, 17b and long sides 17c, 1.
7d and more. This frame 17 has a short side portion 17a,
It is attached to the Brakent member 5 so that the direction parallel to 17b (hereinafter referred to as the X direction) coincides with the UV direction in FIG. In addition, long side portions 17c and 17d
The direction parallel to the X direction, that is, the direction perpendicular to the X direction is called the X direction.

A plurality of pickup cups 8 that grip the bottles 2
and these pickup cups 8 in two axial directions (X direction and X direction) at the pitch P8. A pickup device IO consisting of a shift mechanism 9 that shifts to correspond to Pg.
is provided below the frame 17, and the structure of the pickup cup 8 is shown in FIG.
Referring to (B), as shown in (A) of the same figure, the cup body 18 of the pickup cup 8 is provided with a recess 19 that is open at the bottom, and is made of, for example, a relatively hard synthetic resin. A 2-force suspension bolt 22 having an air introduction passage 21 inside thereof is provided above the cup body 18 via a joint portion 20. In addition, the recess 19
A rubber cap 24 is attached to the cap so that an air passage 23 is formed between it and the cup body 18, and the inner diameter of the rubber cap 24 is the same as the opening of the bottle 2, as shown in FIG. The outer diameter of the upper end 2a of the cup body 18 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cup body 18. Furthermore, a cap 25 made of metal such as brass is screwed onto the lower end of the cup body 18 to press down on the lower end of the rubber cap 24. be. Note that 26 is a compression spring externally mounted on the cup suspension bolt 22, and 27 is a horizontal abutting portion protruding from approximately the center of the upper portion of the recess 19.

When the mouth of the bottle 2 is inserted into the recess 19, air from an air source (not shown) is introduced into the air passage 23 through the air introduction passage 21 in the cup hanging bolt 22.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the rubber cap 24 deforms inward and comes into close contact with the jaw 2b of the upper end 2a of the mouth of the bottle 2, thereby firmly gripping the bottle 2. Therefore, in this state, the pink up cup 8 will not move vertically or horizontally and the bottle 2 will not fall off. Note that if the air is exhausted, the rubber cap 24 will be removed as shown in the figure (
Since the state shown in A) is reached, the grip on the bottle 2 is released.

Next, to explain the structure of the mounting of the pickup cup 8 to the frame 17 and the structure of the shift mechanism 9, as shown in FIG. is provided so that it can be shifted in the X direction (the shifting mechanism will be described later), and a ball spline 30 is connected to each of the brackets 28 via a bearing 29.
The slide shafts are installed one by one (therefore, nine in the entire frame 17) (see Figure 3 (A) and Figures 4 (A) and (B)), while two slide shafts are installed parallel to each other in the X direction. 31 is a bearing 32 provided on the short side portions 17a and 17b.
(Fig. 3 (A) and Fig. 4 (A)
), see (B)).

Each of the ball splines 30 has a structure shown in FIG.
), as shown in (B), 12 slide blocks 3
3 (therefore, the entire frame 17 has 108 pieces (=9X1
2)) are provided so as to be movable along the ball spline 30, and in particular, as shown in FIG. adjacent slide block 3
A collar 35 is interposed between each of the three blocks, the slide block 33, and the intermediate bearing 34.

As shown in FIG. 5, the slide block 33 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and a ball spline 30 is inserted into a hole (not shown) penetrating the slightly wide vertical plane part 33a.
is inserted. And this slide block 33
There is a hole (not shown) that passes through this in the vertical direction, and the compression spring 26 connects the suspension bolt 22 provided at the top of the pickup cup 8 to the slide block 33 through this hole. The pickup cup 8 is held in a predetermined state by inserting the pickup cup 8 downwardly and fixing the upper part of the suspension bolt 22 with a locking nut 36.

Then, move the slide block 33 to
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, two air cylinders 37A and 37B are installed on one bracket 28 via a cylinder bracket 38 (therefore, the frame 17 18 in total), and six slide blocks 33 are shifted by one air cylinder 37A (37B).

That is, each slide block 33 has two through holes opened in parallel to each other in the same direction (X direction) as the insertion direction of the ball spline 30, and the pins 39 inserted through these through holes connect two adjacent through holes. slide block 33
are combined sequentially.

To explain this with reference to FIG. 3(B), among the six slide blocks 33 on the left side of the intermediate bearing 34, first, the leftmost slide block 33 and the second slide block 33 adjacent thereto. The second slide block 33 and the third slide block 33 adjacent thereto are connected by one bottle 39 inserted through one through hole, and then the second slide block 33 and the third slide block 33 adjacent thereto are connected by one bottle 39 inserted through another through hole. 3
Combine with 9. Thereafter, this process is repeated to sequentially connect the six slide blocks 33. Then, connect the output end of the cylinder rod 37a of the air cylinder 37^ to the bracket 4.
0 to the leftmost slide block 33.

On the other hand, for the six slide blocks 33 on the right side of the intermediate bearing 34, first, the rightmost slide block 33 and the second slide block 33 adjacent thereto are inserted through one through hole in the same manner as above. 1 bottle 39
Then, the second slide block 33 and the third slide block 33 adjacent thereto are connected with one pin 39 inserted through another through hole. Thereafter, this process is repeated to sequentially connect the six slide blocks 33. Then, the cylinder rod 3 of the air cylinder 37B
The output end of 7b is connected to the rightmost slide block 33 via a bracket 40.

Assume that the pickup cup 8 is now closed in the X direction. At this time, when air is supplied to the left air cylinder 37A and it is operated, the cylinder rod 37a extends to the left, which causes the leftmost slide block 33 to shift to the left. The tensile force caused by this shift is transmitted to the second slide block 33 via the bin 39, which similarly shifts to the left. Thereafter, the pulling force due to the shift is transmitted to the other slide blocks 33 one after another via the bin 39, and as shown by the solid line in FIG. The pink-up cup 8 also spreads out at a predetermined interval (pitch P) and becomes open in the X direction. Then, when the air cylinder 37A is exhausted in this state, the cylinder rod 37a returns to the right, so the six slide blocks 33 shift one after another to the right, contrary to the above, and move along the imaginary line in FIG. The pickup cup 8 returns to its original state as shown in FIG.

It goes without saying that the six slide blocks 33 on the right side of the intermediate bearing 34 also perform the same operation as described above.

And Y in Figure 2 of Slide Pro 33.
Softening in the direction is performed by shifting the bracket 2, which holds the ball spline 30 inserted through the slide block 33, in the Y direction.

That is, in this embodiment, as already explained, since nine brackets are provided in parallel to each other on the frame 17, the middle bracket (fifth from both the left end and the right end) is the bracket 28. and the other 8
As shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), these eight brackets 28 are connected to flanged linear bushings 41 that are covered with two slide flocks 31. A spacer 42 is provided on the fixed middle bracket 28.

Then, in order to shift the eight brackets 28 in the Y direction, as shown in FIGS.
The air cylinders 43A and 43B are connected to the short side 1 of the frame 17 via the support 44 and the plate 45, respectively.
7a and 17b, so that four brackets 28 can be shifted with one air cylinder 43A (43B). That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the eight brackets 28 excluding the middle bracket 28 have two through holes in their upright portions 28a in the same direction (X direction) as the insertion direction of the slide shaft 31. are opened parallel to each other, and two adjacent brackets 28 are sequentially connected by a pin 46 inserted through the through hole.

To explain this with reference to FIG. 4(B), the four brackets 2 on the left side of the middle bracket 28
8, first, the leftmost bracket 28 and the second bracket 28 adjacent thereto are connected with one pin 46 inserted through one through hole, and then the second bracket 28 and the second bracket 28 adjacent thereto are connected. The second bracket 28 is connected to the third bracket 28 with one pin 46 inserted through another through hole. Thereafter, this process is repeated to sequentially connect the four brackets 28. Then, the output end of the cylinder rod 43a of the air cylinder 43A is coupled to the leftmost bracket 28 via the plate 47.

On the other hand, for the four brackets 28 on the right side of the middle bracket 28, first insert one through hole into the rightmost bracket 28 and the second bracket 28 adjacent thereto. The second bracket 2 and the third bracket 28 adjacent thereto are connected by one pin 46 that passes through the other through-hole.
Connect with book pins 46.

Thereafter, this process is repeated to sequentially connect the four brackets 28. Then, the output end of the cylinder rod 43b of the air cylinder 43B is coupled to the rightmost bracket 28 via the plate 47.

Assume that the pink-up cup 8 is now closed in the Y direction. At this time, when air is supplied to the left air cylinder 43A and it is operated, the cylinder rod 43a extends to the left, which causes the leftmost bracket 28 to shift to the left. The pulling force due to this shift is applied to the second bracket 28 via the pin 46.
, and similarly shifts to the left. Thereafter, the pulling force due to the shift is transmitted to the other brackets 28 one after another via the pin 46, and the four brackets 28 are spread out at a predetermined interval as shown by the solid line in FIG. The cup 8 also expands at a predetermined interval (pinch P2) and becomes open in the Y direction. Then, when the air cylinder 43A is exhausted in this state,
As the cylinder rod 43a returns to the right, the four brackets 2 are successively shifted to the right, contrary to the above, and return to their original states as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. Accordingly, each pickup cup 8 also returns to the closed state in the Y direction.

It goes without saying that the same operation as above is performed for the four brackets 28 on the right side of the middle bracket 28.

Again in FIG. 2, reference numerals 48 and 49 denote a light projector and a light receiver (or mirror), each of which is attached to the bracket 28 via a member 29, and is used to detect misalignment or disorder (see FIG. 8). ).

Next, to explain the operation of the palletizer having the above configuration, when a predetermined number of bottles 2 conveyed on the conveyor 1 in the direction of the arrow Q in FIG. It operates to stop the flow of subsequent bottles 2 and conveyor l is stopped. At this time, one bottle 2 is lined up in a predetermined state at the delivery end 1a of the conveyor 1. At this time, the bracket member 5 moves horizontally along the elevating base 4 and is located above the collected bottles 2, and the pink up cup 8 in the pi-knob device 1O is moved in the X direction and the Y direction. It is in a closed state.

Next, the bracket member 5 descends from above the aligned bottles 2, and the openings of the bottles 2 enter into the recesses 19 of each pink-up cup 8.

In this state, when air is supplied from an air source (not shown) to each pickup cup 8, the rubber cap 24 is deformed inward, as shown in FIG. Since the bottle 2 is in close contact with the jaw 2b of the bottle 2a, the bottle 2 is a pick-up cup.

It is firmly gripped by 8. When air is supplied to the air cylinders 37A, 37B, 43A, and 43B in this state, the pickup cup 8 opens in the X direction and the Y direction with pinches P, , P, respectively, as described above.

After the elevating member 4 is slightly raised, the bracket member 5 is moved in the direction of arrow U in FIG. 1 of the platform and stopped above the plant platform 12. On this platform 12, a tray 14 having a recess 14a for placing one bottle 2 is placed, so that as shown in FIG. 1(B), the elevating member 4 When the bottle 2 held by the pickup cup 8 is lowered and the bottle 2 held by the pickup cup 8 is positioned in the placement recess 14a, and the air is exhausted from the pickup cup 8 in this state, the rubber camp 24 is
Since the state shown in FIG. 6(A) is reached, the grip on the bottles 2 is released and the bottles 2 are placed on the tray 14 at a predetermined interval.

After the pink amplifier device IO has finished transporting the required number of bottles 2 in this way, the lifting head 4 rises slightly, and then the bracket member 5 moves horizontally along the lifting head 4 to the initial position. Return to (above conveyor 1).

As can be understood from the above description, in the palletizer according to the present invention, the plurality of pickup cups 8 that grip the bottles 2 can be shifted in the front-back direction and the left-right direction by the shift mechanism 9, so that A plurality of bottles 2 can be arranged in a line so as to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined pitch, and therefore bulk processing can be carried out efficiently.

It goes without saying that the palletizer according to the present invention can also be used for objects other than bottles 8, such as cans.

(Effects of the Invention) Since the present invention is configured as described above, objects such as bottles that are conveyed in an aligned state are arranged in two directions orthogonal to each other so that a predetermined interval is formed in the front and rear and left and right directions. Since it can be shifted in the axial direction, even if multiple placement recesses are formed on the tray at appropriate intervals, the object can be gripped and transported in a corresponding manner. Therefore, bulk processing can be automated and processing efficiency can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (A
) is a perspective view showing one side of the palletizer according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing one side of the pink-up device incorporated into the palletizer. Figure 3 (A) is a view taken along the line ■-■ in Figure 2;
B) is a plan view of the main part thereof. 4(A) is a view taken along the line IV--IV in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4(B) is a plan view of the main part thereof. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the mounting structure of the slide block. FIG. 6(A) is a cross-sectional view showing one side of the pickup cup, and FIG. 6(B) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the bottle is gripped. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are operation explanatory diagrams. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a tray used to transport specially shaped bottles F1a. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Conveyor, 3... Strut, 4... Elevating head, 5... Bracket member, 8... Pick-up cup, 9... Shift mechanism, IO... Pink-up device. Applicant Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Hideo Fujimoto Figure 6 (A) Figure 6 (B) Procedural amendment (method) Indication of the case Heisei patent ■ Name of invention No. 182397 Palletizer 3° amendment Relationship with cases involving persons who commit crimes

Claims (1)

[Claims] An elevating base is attached so as to be movable up and down along vertical columns erected at appropriate intervals on one side of the conveyor that conveys objects such as bottles in an aligned manner, and a movable horizontally is attached to the elevating base. A bracket member is attached, and the pickup cups are arranged at right angles to each other so that predetermined intervals are formed between the plurality of pickup cups that grip the object on the bracket member and the object gripped by the pickup cups in the front-back and left-right directions. A palletizer characterized by being provided with a pickup device consisting of a shift mechanism that shifts in two axial directions.