JPH05229524A - Carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a carrying device which can easily approach respective filling devices, when a toner is filled by a plurality of rotary toner filling devices. CONSTITUTION:Bottles 81 are carried from one main carry-in passage 53 on a carry-in conveyor 50 to respective carry-in units 51 and 52, and the bottles 81 are carried in respectively to two rotary toner filling devices 10 by respective carry-in units 51 and 52. The bottles 81 in which the toner is filled by respective rotary toner filling devices are carried out from respective carry-out units 91 and 92 on a carry-out conveyor 90 to one main carry-out passage 93. The carry- out unit 91 on one side can be turned to the horizontal direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrying device used for loading and unloading a container with respect to a powder filling device for filling a container with powder such as toner used in an image forming apparatus. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Toner used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine is filled in a bottle or a container such as a cartridge having a cylindrical shape or a rectangular tube, and is transported or stored. The filling of the toner in such a container is usually performed by positioning the container below the toner supply mechanism and allowing the toner in the toner supply mechanism to naturally drop into the container.

In such a method, the toner is not dropped into the container at a high speed due to the air existing in the container, and the toner dropped into the container is mixed with the air in the container, so that the bulk density is increased. Will not be packed densely. For this reason, it is not possible to fill a predetermined amount of toner into the container by one-time natural fall. For example, half the total amount of toner to be filled in the container is once filled by natural fall, and A method of filling the remaining toner after a lapse of a predetermined time is adopted.
In such a method, there is a problem in that the toner cannot be efficiently filled in the container and the work efficiency is very poor.

In contrast to this method, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-124503, the inside of a container filled with powder is placed in a depressurized state, and it occurs between the inside of the container and the powder feeder. An apparatus has been disclosed in which a high-density powder can be filled into a container at once from a powder feeder by utilizing a pressure difference.
This powder filling device is provided with a nozzle section at the lower end of a hopper that stores toner in a state in which the inside and outside of a container installed in a decompression case are depressurized at the same time. The opening is opened and closed by raising and lowering a conical valve body whose diameter is gradually reduced toward the upper side. The lower end portion of the nozzle portion is located in a decompression case in which a container filled with toner is placed in a decompression state. When the toner is filled in the container, the inside and outside of the container arranged in the decompression case are decompressed at the same time, and then the toner inlet of the container is fitted to the lower end of the nozzle portion. Then, the lower end opening of the nozzle portion is opened by moving the valve element downward. As a result, the toner stored in the hopper flows down into the container at a high speed through the nozzle portion, and the toner is filled in the container. At this time, the inside of the decompression case is returned to the atmospheric pressure at the same time, so that the container is not damaged by the toner charged at high speed.

In such a powder filling device, since the toner can be efficiently filled in the container, the containers are successively carried into the powder filling device, and the containers are successively carried out from the powder filling device. The powder can be filled in the container with high efficiency. Further, the efficiency is further improved by using a plurality of filling devices.

When using a plurality of filling devices,
When the container is carried in and out of each filling device, it is easy to carry, pack, etc., the container by putting it in one main carrying path. However, when the container is loaded and unloaded through one main transport path, the filling device is surrounded by the transport path. For this reason, in order to approach the filling device due to maintenance of the filling device, etc.
It must pass below the transport path.

In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a method in which a part of the transport path of the container is constructed in a flip-up type and the part is flipped up to form an opening.

[0008]

However, in the case where a part of the container transport path is constructed in a flip-up type, since the drive motor and the like are attached to the transport path, the weight is heavy and the part is moved upward. There is a problem that it is not easy to flip up. Further, if the length of the splashed portion is increased, the weight is further increased, so that the length is limited, and there is a problem that the opening portion cannot be enlarged. If a heavy object is lifted to form the opening, the heavy object may fall, which is also dangerous.

The present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a carrying device which can easily approach a working device such as a powder filling machine.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transporting apparatus for carrying an article to be conveyed from a single conveying path to a plurality of working devices which perform a predetermined operation on the article.
The carrying-in path and the carrying-out path are transporting devices that surround the respective working devices so that the transported object carried out from each working device is carried by one carrying-out path, and a part of the carrying-in path or the carrying-out path is horizontal. It is characterized by the fact that it can be swiveled in a direction, whereby the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0011]

In the carrying apparatus of the present invention, an opening is formed by partially turning the carry-in path and the carry-out path in the horizontal direction, and each working apparatus can be easily approached from the opening.

[0012]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. The conveying device of the present invention is used, for example, in a powder filling device that continuously fills a container with toner used in an image forming device. As shown in FIG. 1, this powder filling device is configured to continuously fill toner into a container such as a bottle by two rotary toner filling devices 10. As shown in FIG. 2, each rotary toner filling device has six working units 20 which are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and are integrally rotated in the direction of arrow A.
In the rotary toner filling device 10, a bottle 81, which is a container to be filled with powder, is supported by a retainer and sequentially conveyed on a linearly extending main conveyance path 53 of the carry-in conveyor 50,
Each loading section 51 extending orthogonally to the main transport path 53
And 52. The carry-in parts 51 and 52 are arranged in the vicinity of the rotary fillers 10.
The bottle 81 conveyed onto 51 and 52 is transferred to each working unit 20 of the rotary filler 10 by the transfer device 30.

Each working unit 20 of each rotary filler 10
Are the six work stations ST1 to ST arranged at equal intervals along the orbiting range of each work unit 20.
Each work station S is moved to T6 intermittently.
At T1 to ST6, to fill the toner in the bottle 81,
Each step of the toner filling work is sequentially performed. The bottle 81 in the work unit 20 filled with toner is transferred from the work station ST6 together with the retainer by the transfer device 30 to
They are transferred onto the carry-out parts 92 and 91 of the carry-out conveyor 90, respectively. The carry-in sections 51 and 52 of the carry-in conveyor 50 extend linearly along the same straight line as the carry-out sections 91 and 92 of the carry-out conveyor 90. Then, the bottle 81 is fed to the main transport path 93 of the unloading conveyor 90 extending in a state orthogonal to the unloading portions 91 and 92.
Is transferred together with the retainer and is transported to a predetermined position by the main transport path 93.

The rotary filling device 10 is, as shown in FIG.
A cylindrical mount 13 is provided at the center, and a hydraulic motor (not shown) is built in the mount 13. A hollow rotary shaft 12 connected to the output shaft of a hydraulic motor provided in the gantry 13 extends upward from the upper end surface of the gantry 13. A hollow connecting shaft 11 is connected to the upper end of the rotary shaft 12, and one end of a horizontal hollow horizontal connecting shaft 14 is connected to the tip of the connecting shaft 11. ing. The other end of the horizontal connecting shaft 14 is connected to a hollow base column 15 that is erected on the outside of each of the work stations ST1 to ST6.

Hexagonal support plates 12a and 12b are horizontally fixed to the upper and lower ends of the rotary shaft 12, and the working units 20 are attached to the outer peripheral edge portions of the support plates 12a and 12b. Each is installed. Each work unit 20
Each has a toner supply mechanism 25 in the upper part for storing the toner to be filled in the bottle 81. Each toner supply mechanism 25 includes a hopper 25a for storing a predetermined amount of toner, a nozzle portion 26 connected to the hopper 25a, and the nozzle portion 2
The valve body 27 is arranged so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the lower end portion of 6. Further, at the bottom of each work unit 20, a table 24c on which a bottle 81 supported by a retainer is placed and which is arranged so as to be able to move up and down in a horizontal state, a table elevating mechanism 24 for elevating the table 24c, and the table The outer peripheral surface of 24c is provided with a cylindrical capsule 23 that is moved up and down in an airtight state to reduce the pressure inside, and a capsule elevating mechanism 30 that elevates and lowers the capsule 23. When the capsule 23 is lifted, the capsule 23 is placed on the table 24c and the bottle 8
1, the upper end surface of the capsule 23 is airtightly joined to the lid 22a provided horizontally below the toner supply mechanism 30. As a result, the inside of the capsule 23 is kept airtight.

The rotary filler 10 is, as shown in FIG.
By rotating the rotary shaft 12, each working unit 20 is sequentially
It is adapted to be intermittently moved so as to be located at each of the work stations ST1 to ST6. Work station ST1 near each of the carry-in parts 51 and 52 of the carry-in conveyor 50
Then, each transfer unit 51 of the transfer conveyor 50 is transferred by the transfer device 30.
From 52 and 52, the bottle 81 supported by the retainer is transferred onto the table 24c of the work unit 20. At the work station ST2, the capsule 23 is raised and the upper end surface of the capsule 23 is brought into contact with the lid 22a in an airtight state. As a result, the inside of the capsule 23 becomes airtight, and then the inside of the capsule 23 is subjected to primary pressure reduction. At this time, the pressure inside the bottle 81 whose toner inlet 81a is opened inside the capsule 23 is also reduced. At the work station ST3, a predetermined amount of toner is supplied from the toner measuring device 70 arranged above the work station ST3 to the hopper 25 of the toner supply mechanism 25 in the work unit 20.
The table 24c located inside the capsule 23 is lifted up while being cut into the inside of the capsule 23, and the toner input port 81a of the bottle 81 placed on the table 24c is positioned near the nozzle portion 26. In this state, the inside of the capsule 23 is secondarily depressurized and the inside of the bottle 81 is also depressurized. At the work station ST4, the table 24c is further raised and the toner input port 81a of the bottle 81 is fitted into the nozzle portion 26.
Then, the valve body 27 is lowered and the nozzle portion 26 is opened, so that the toner in the hopper 25a of the toner supply mechanism 25 flows down into the bottle 81. At this time, the pressure inside the capsule 23 is increased at the same time, and the pressure around the bottle 81 is set to the atmospheric pressure. Then, at the station ST5, the capsule 23 and the table 23c are lowered.

At station ST6, FIG. 4 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the bottle 81 filled with toner is transferred onto the carry-out table 82 by the transfer device 30 together with the retainer 85, and the carry-in portions 91 and 92 of the carry-out conveyor 90 are transferred from the carry-out table 82 by the pusher 84. Reprinted on top.

As shown in FIG. 6, the unloading section 91 located on the starting end side of the unloading conveyor 90 is horizontally rotatable around the end on the main transport path 93 side. An end of the carry-out section on the side of the main transport path 91 is supported by a column 94. The pillar 94
A bearing 95 is built in the upper end portion of the, and a rotary shaft 96 is rotatably fitted in the bearing 95.
The end of the carry-out section 91 is attached to the upper end of the rotary shaft 38. With such a structure, the carry-out section 91 can rotate horizontally.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pusher 96 is provided at the end of the unloading section 91 of the unloading conveyor 90 on the main unloading path 93 side. The retainer 85 that supports the bottle conveyed to the end on the side of the carry-out path 93 is transferred onto the starting end of the main transfer path 93. Since the pusher 96 is integrated with the carry-out section 91, the pusher 96 is swung in the horizontal direction together with the carry-out section 91. A drive motor 97 and the like are provided on the back surface of the carry-out section 91.

In the filling device having such a structure, the retainers conveyed in the direction of the arrow B by the main conveying path 53 of the conveying conveyor 50 are transferred to the carry-in parts 51 and 52, respectively, and each rotary toner filling device 10 is loaded. Be transported to. Then, the bottle 81 filled with the toner by each rotary toner filling device 10 is transferred to the retainer 85 by the transfer device 30.
At the same time, it is transferred onto the carry-out table 82. The retainer 85 placed on the carry-out table 81 is pushed by the pusher 84 in the direction of the arrow D and is transferred onto the carry-out parts 91 and 92 of the carry-out conveyor 90. Then, the retainer 85 transferred to each of the carry-out sections 91 and 92 is pushed in the direction of arrow E by the pusher 96, transferred to the main carry-out path 93, and carried out in the direction of arrow C by the main carry-out path 93.

When a worker enters the area surrounded by the carry-in conveyor 50 and the carry-out conveyor 90, the carry-out section 91
Is rotated horizontally around the end on the side of the main carry-out path 93. The carry-out section 91 is supported by the rotating shaft 96 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. Therefore, even if a heavy drive motor 97 or the like is attached, the carry-out section 91 can be rotated with a light operating force. Since the carry-out section 91 can be swung with a light operating force even if the weight is heavy, it is possible to make the carry-out section 91 long. Therefore, the opening portion of the carry-out section 91 by swiveling can be widened. As a result, it becomes easier for a worker to enter and leave the opening.

[0022]

As described above, according to the conveying apparatus of the present invention, since a part of the carry-in conveyor or the carry-out conveyor is horizontally swiveled, when the work area is approached, the opening portion is lightly operated. Can be formed and is safe.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a powder filling device in which a carrying device of the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rotary toner filling device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the rotary filler.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a carry-out section of a carry-out conveyor.

FIG. 5 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main part.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Rotary Toner Filler 20 Working Unit 30 Transfer Device 95 Bearing 96 Rotational Shaft 50 Carry-in Conveyor 51, 52 Carry-in Portion 53 Main Carrying Path 90 Carry-out Conveyor 91, 92 Carry-out Section 93 Main Carry-out Path 93

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of working devices that perform a predetermined operation with respect to a transported object, the transported object being carried in from one transport path, and the transported object carried out from each working device is one.
The transport device is a transport device that encloses each working device so that it can be transported by one transport path, and a part of the transport path or the transport path can turn horizontally. Characteristic transport device.