JPH05278835A - Molding carrying method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a molding carrying method capable of operating a molding machine at a proper cycle even when the taking-out work in a molding carrying- out part is delayed. CONSTITUTION:When N-pieces of moldings are taken out from the pallet of a molding carrying-out part in a conveyor 2 at the point of time when N-pieces of moldings are inputted to a pallet on a conveyor 1, the pallet after molding input situated on the conveyor 1 and the pallet after molding taking-out situated in the molding carrying-out part are circulated between the conveyor 1 and the conveyor 2 to carry the moldings. When the molding taking-out from the pallet of the molding carrying-out part is not completed, a conveyor 4 is driven to store the pallet after molding input on the conveyor 1 in a stocker for moldings, a conveyor 5 and a lifting machine 7 are further driven to supply an empty pallet from a stocker, for pallet to the conveyor 1, and the moldings are inputted on the new empty pallet on the conveyor 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrying method for carrying a molded product molded by a molding machine to the next step.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Articles are loaded into a pallet placed in an article loading section of a transfer conveyor, both the pallet and the article are conveyed to an article unloading section, the article is taken out from the pallet, and then only the article is sent to the next process. There is known a pallet conveyor system in which a pallet from which articles have been taken out is circulated from an article unloading section of a transfer conveyor to an article loading section and used again as a pallet for article transportation.

In this type of pallet conveyor system, since articles are conveyed while being protected by pallets, there is an advantage that dust and dirt are less likely to adhere to the articles to be conveyed and quality control is easy, but the articles are unloaded. If there is a delay in taking out articles from the pallets conveyed to the parts, the pallets will not be released indefinitely, and the circulation operation for returning the empty pallets to the article loading section will be hindered, so new articles will be loaded into the article loading section. There is a problem that you can not do it.

In order to prevent the dirt and dust from adhering to the molded product, there is a demand to apply this kind of pallet conveyor system even when the injection molded product is conveyed. In the case of injection molding work, etc. If the molding cycle is changed, the thermal equilibrium state of the mold and the residence time of the resin change, which has a great influence on the quality of the molded product.Therefore, it is necessary to change the molding cycle in response to the delay in the unloading work at the article unloading section. It is not desirable to apply the conventional pallet conveyor system that is eliminated.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, to delay the taking-out work in the article carrying-out section, and to cause an abnormality in the processing operation in the next step. Even when it is necessary to temporarily suspend the removal of articles, a method of conveying a molded product that allows the molded product to be put into a pallet and stored in an appropriate state so that the molding machine can continue to operate in an appropriate cycle. To provide.

[0006]

According to the method for conveying a molded article according to the present invention, a molded article is conveyed by circulating a pallet between a molded article carry-in section and a molded article carry-out section of a transfer conveyor. In the transfer method, a pallet supplying means for supplying a pallet from the pallet stocker to the molded product carrying-in portion of the transfer conveyor, and a pallet collecting means for connecting the molded product carrying-in portion of the transfer conveyor with the molded product stocker are provided. If the removal of the molded product from the pallet of the molded product unloading section is completed when the loading of the molded product to the pallet of the product loading section is completed, the molded product located in the molded product loading section has already been loaded. The pallet located at the pallet and molded product unloading part is circulated between the molded product unloading part and the molded product unloading part to carry the molded product, while the pallet at the molded product import part If the removal of the molded product from the pallet of the molded product unloading section is not completed when the injection of the molded product is completed, the pallet collecting means is driven to store the pallet of the molded product loading section in the molded product stocker. By the configuration that drives the pallet supply means to supply the pallet from the pallet stocker to the molded product loading section of the transfer conveyor,
The above object was achieved.

[0007]

[Operation] If the removal of the molded product from the pallet of the molded product unloading section is completed at the time when the loading of the molded product into the pallet placed on the molded product loading section of the transfer conveyor is completed, at this point The pallet that has already been inserted into the molded product located in the carry-in section and the pallet that has already been taken out of the molded product located in the molded product carry-out section are circulated between the molded product carry-in section and the molded product carry-out section of the transfer conveyor to carry the molded product. ..

If the removal of the molded product from the pallet of the molded product unloading section is not completed at the time when the injection of the molded product into the pallet of the molded product loading section is completed, the pallet collecting means is driven to perform molding. While storing the pallet in which the molded product has been placed in the product carry-in section in the stocker of the molded product, the pallet supply means is driven to supply a new empty pallet from the stocker of the pallet to the molded product carry-in section of the transfer conveyor, Even if the work of taking out the molded product in the molded product unloading section is delayed, the molded product is put into the pallet in an appropriate state without changing the molding cycle of the molding machine.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B are schematic views showing an embodiment of a method for conveying a molded product according to the present invention (hereinafter, simply referred to as a pallet conveyor). FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is an elevation view, and FIG.
FIG. 1C is a plan view seen from the arrow AA of FIG.

The transfer conveyor for conveying the pallet and the molded product comprises a small belt conveyor 1 forming a molded product carry-in section and a large belt conveyor 2 having a molded product carry-out section. It is located at the end of the next process, that is, the left end in FIG. The large belt conveyor 2 is a unidirectional belt conveyor that is driven or stopped in the forward direction (left in FIG. 1) by turning on / off the power to the motor M2, and the small belt conveyor 1 is turned on to the motor M1.
A bidirectional belt conveyor that is driven or stopped in the forward and reverse directions by an ON / OFF operation and a polarity switching operation,
The size of the transport surface is slightly larger than the bottom area of the pallet 20 to be placed. A limit switch LS2 is provided on one side of the end of the large belt conveyor 2 on the side of the next process, which operates in contact with the side wall of the pallet conveyed in the forward direction on the belt conveyor 2. A push type air cylinder E1 that constitutes a part of the transfer means is provided. Further, on one side of the small belt conveyor 1, there is provided a limit switch LS6 which operates by contacting with a side wall of a pallet transferred from a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 1 itself. The heights of the transport surfaces of the small belt conveyor 1 and the large belt conveyor 2 are substantially the same.

Below the transfer conveyor consisting of the small belt conveyor 1 and the large belt conveyor 2, a pallet circulation conveyor 3 having the same conveyance distance as the transfer conveyor is arranged in parallel, and the pallet circulation conveyor 3 starts to convey. One side of the position, that is, a position corresponding to the end of the large belt conveyor 2 on the side of the next process, is a limit that operates by contacting the side wall of the pallet transferred from the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 3 itself. A switch LS3 is provided, and further,
At the transfer completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, a limit switch LS4 that operates in contact with the side wall of the pallet that is transferred along the transfer direction of the belt conveyor 3 itself.
And a push-type air cylinder E3 forming a part of the second transfer means next to the limit switch LS4.
Have been deployed. The pallet circulation conveyor 3 is a motor M
It is a unidirectional belt conveyor that is driven or stopped by turning on / off the power supply to 3, and its conveying direction is opposite to that of the large belt conveyor 2 as a transfer conveyor.

From the transfer completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 to the small belt conveyor 1 (molded product loading section of the transfer conveyor)
The main part of the second transfer means for transferring the pallet is constituted by an elevator 7 as shown in FIG. Elevator 7
Is composed of an installation base 8, a push-type air cylinder 7a, and a pallet mounting tray 13, and is an ON / OF switch for the air cylinder 7a installed upright on the installation base 8.
By the F operation, the pallet tray 13 fixed to the tip of the actuator of the cylinder 7a is vertically moved up and down. On one side of the installation base 8, a plate-shaped guide member 11 having a through hole formed at a tip bent substantially at a right angle is fixed, and a guide rod 9 fixed vertically to a lower surface of the pallet loading tray 13.
Is slidably fitted in a through hole at the tip of the guide member 11. Further, positioning sleeves 10 are fixed to both ends of the guide rod 9, and due to the positional relationship with the bent end of the guide member 11, the upper limit position of the pallet loading tray 13 when the air cylinder 7a operates and the air cylinder 7a. The lower limit position of the pallet loading tray 13 when not in operation is regulated. The ascending limit position of the pallet placing tray 13 is substantially the same as the height of the conveying surface of the small belt conveyor 1, and the descending limit position of the pallet placing tray 13 is substantially the same as the height of the conveying surface of the pallet circulation conveyor 3. is there. The pallet loading tray 13 has side walls 14 and 15 only on both sides thereof, and
The distance between the contact surfaces is slightly larger than the width of the pallet 20, and a tapered surface 15b is formed on the upper surface of one side wall 15 so as to descend from the outer side to the inner side. A push-type air cylinder E4 for unloading the pallet 20 is provided at a substantially central portion on one side of the pallet loading tray 13 on which the side wall is not provided, and a cylindrical stopper member 12 is provided on both sides of the air cylinder E4. While being separated and fixed on the pallet mounting tray 13, a limit switch LS5 for detecting the pallet 20 carried into the pallet mounting tray 13 is provided at one end of the side wall 14 near the air cylinder E4. ..

The elevator 6 which constitutes the main part of the first transfer means for transferring the pallet from the molded product unloading portion of the large conveyor 2 to the conveyance start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 also has substantially the same structure as the above-described elevator 7. ON / OFF of the air cylinder 6a
By the OFF operation, the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 is vertically moved up and down. The lift limit position of the pallet loading tray of the elevator 6 is substantially the same as the height of the transfer surface of the large belt conveyor 2, and the lower limit position is substantially the same as the height of the transfer surface of the pallet circulation conveyor 3. Lift 6
The pallet loading tray is provided with a push-type air cylinder E2 for unloading the pallet 20 and a limit switch LS1 for detecting the pallet 20 loaded in the pallet loading tray.

Further, a belt conveyor 4 as a pallet collecting means for communicating with the stocker of the molded product is connected to the small belt conveyor 1 constituting the molded product carrying-in portion of the transfer conveyor with a predetermined gap, and the small belt is connected. A passage detection sensor LS7 that detects the passage state of the pallet 20 is provided in the gap between the conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4. The passage detection sensor LS7 is a normal optical sensor composed of a photocoupler or the like, and in the case of the embodiment, a dark-on type sensor, that is, a sensor that outputs a detection signal with the pallet 20 blocking the optical path. Is configured as. The belt conveyor 4 is a one-way belt conveyor that is driven or stopped by turning ON / OFF the power to the motor M4.
The conveying direction is opposite to that of the large belt conveyor 2 as the transfer conveyor.

Pallet loading tray 1 provided on the elevator 7
At a position facing the side wall 15 of the pallet 3, the pallet tray 13
At the lower limit position of the pallet, the belt conveyor 5 having the transfer surface and communicating with the pallet stocker is provided at the same position as or slightly higher than the upper end of the tapered surface 15b of the side wall 15, and the pallet supply means is provided. Is forming. The belt conveyor 5 is a unidirectional belt conveyor that is driven or stopped by turning on / off the power to the motor M5, and its conveying direction is the same as that of the large belt conveyor 2 as a transfer conveyor.

The stocker of the molded product and the stocker of the pallet will not be particularly described, but it is possible to store a predetermined number of pallets 20 in which the molded product is put in as it is, and to store a predetermined number of empty pallets 20. Anything is possible as long as it can. For example, by connecting a long roller way (which does not include its own driving means) that gradually inclines (descends) toward the belt conveyor 4 or the belt conveyor 5 to the belt conveyor 4 or the belt conveyor 5, It can be used as a stocker or a stocker for pallets.

On the pallet 20 on the small belt conveyor 1 which constitutes the molded product carry-in part, the molded products are successively introduced by a carry-in robot which holds and moves the molded products released from the mold of the injection molding machine. The pallet 20 of the molded product unloading section of the large belt conveyor 2 is designed to take out the molded products one by one by the unloading robot of the same type as described above. I won't explain.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part of a control device for driving and controlling each part of the pallet conveyor according to the embodiment.
The control device for the pallet conveyor has a processor 100 as a control means and a memory 101 storing a sequence program for drive control and the like, and the detection signals from the limit switches LS1 to LS6 and the passage detection sensor LS7 of the respective parts described above are transmitted. It is read by the processor 100 via the switch detection unit, and the motors M1 to M of the respective units are read.
5 and air cylinders E1 to E4 and air cylinders 6a to
7a is through each drive circuit and output interface,
Drive control is performed based on an ON / OFF command and a rotation direction command from the processor 100.

The pallet 2 on the small belt conveyor 1
The value of the counter C1 is sequentially incremented each time a 1-operation completion signal from the carry-in robot that inputs the molded product to 0 is input to the integration counter C1 of the control device, and the molded product is taken out from the pallet 20 of the molded product carry-out section. The value of the counter C2 is sequentially incremented every time one operation completion signal from the robot is input to the integration counter C1 of the control device, and the value of each counter is the processor 100.
It is initialized to zero again by the reset signal from.

4 to 8 are flowcharts showing the outline of a sequence program for drive control stored in the memory 101. The sequence operation of the pallet conveyor in this embodiment will be described below with reference to this flowchart. ..

First, one pallet 20 is placed on each of the small-belt conveyor 1 and the large-belt conveyor 2 constituting the molded product carry-in section, and the pallet 20 is placed on the molded product carry-out section. To start the pallet conveyor control device. It should be noted that some pallets 20 may be placed between the two pallets 20 described above, and some pallets 20 may be placed on the circulation conveyor 3 except for the conveyance start position and the conveyance completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3. This empty pallet 20 may be placed (see FIG. 1).

The processor 100, which has started the processing upon activation of the control device, first determines whether or not the value of the counter C1 for accumulating the one operation completion signal from the carry-in robot has reached the set value N, that is, the small belt conveyor 1. Upper pallet 20
It is determined whether or not N molded products have already been put into the inside (step S1). The set value N is the number of molded products to be stored in one pallet 20, and can be arbitrarily set or changed as necessary. Then, if the value of the counter C1 has not reached the set value N, the processor 100 repeats the determination process of step S1 as it is, and the N in the pallet 20 on the small belt conveyor 1 is repeated.
Wait until each molded product is loaded.

When the determination result of step S1 becomes true and it is detected that N molded products have been put into the pallet 20 on the small belt conveyor 1, the processor 100 initializes the value of the counter C1 to zero. (Step S2), whether or not the value of the counter C2 that integrates one operation completion signal from the carry-out robot has reached the set value N, that is, from the pallet 20 placed on the molded product carry-out section of the large belt conveyor 2. N
It is determined whether or not the individual molded products have been taken out (step S3). At the present stage immediately after the start of the injection molding operation, since the pallet 20 of the molded product unloading section is empty, no substantial unloading operation is performed and only the determination process is performed based on the value of the counter C2. is there.

If both the determination results of step S1 and step S3 are true, N large number of molded articles are already loaded into the pallet 20 on the small belt conveyor 1, and the large belt conveyor 2 is already in operation. Since it means that the removal of N molded products from the pallet 20 of the molded product unloading section is completed, the empty pallet 20 located at the molded product unloading section is circulated again on the small belt conveyor 1 at this point.
It can be reused as a pallet 20 for loading molded products.

Therefore, if the result of the determination in step S3 is true, the processor 100 counts the number of molded products taken out from the pallet 20 into which the molded products have been loaded and is newly sent to the molded product unloading section. The value of the counter C2 is initialized to zero (step S4), and at this time, the processing for circulating the empty pallet 20 located in the molded product unloading section on the small belt conveyor 1 is started again.

The processor 100 first outputs a drive command to the air cylinder 6a of the elevator 6 to start raising the pallet tray of the elevator 6 (step S
5) The timer for counting a predetermined time is started (step S6), and the air cylinder 6a is continuously driven until the timer completes the counting operation, and the pallet loading tray of the elevator 6 is moved to a large belt. It is raised to the same height as the conveying surface of the conveyor 2 (step S7). Then, when it is confirmed that the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 has risen to the same height as the conveyance surface of the large belt conveyor 2 after completion of the timer timing operation, the processor 100 issues a drive command to the air cylinder E1. The output is started to start the protrusion operation of the actuator of the air cylinder E1 (step S8), and the large belt conveyor 2 is pressed by pressing the tip of the actuator.
The transfer of the empty pallet 20 is started in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the device itself, and the standby state is waited until the empty pallet 20 is completely stored in the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 (step S9).

When the empty pallet 20 is completely stored in the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6, the empty pallet 20
One side is the pallet loading tray limit switch LS1
Press to activate. The processor 100 performs step S
In the determination process of 9, the operation of the limit switch LS1 is detected to confirm that the empty pallet 20 is completely accommodated in the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6, and the drive of the air cylinder E1 is released to drive the actuator of the air cylinder E1. To the original position (step S10).

The processor 100, which confirms that the empty pallet 20 is accommodated in the pallet loading tray of the elevator 6 and removed from the molded product unloading portion of the large belt conveyor 2,
The drive command in the forward direction is output to the motor M1 and the drive command is output to the motor M2 to integrally drive the large belt conveyor 2 and the small conveyor 1 which constitute the transfer conveyor, and the large belt conveyor 2 and the small belt conveyor are integrally driven. All of the pallets 20 on which the molded products have been placed on 1 are fed in the forward direction, and conveyance is started toward the molded product unloading portion of the large belt conveyor 2 (step S11). Further, the processor 100 releases the driving of the air cylinder 6a in parallel with this processing to start lowering of the pallet tray of the elevator 6 (step S12), and starts the time counting operation of the timer for measuring a predetermined time. Then, (step S13), the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 is moved to the pallet circulation conveyor 3
The pallet 20 at the front of the large belt conveyor 2 which is being conveyed in the forward direction on the large belt conveyor 2 by the drive of the motor M2 while waiting to descend to the same height as the conveying surface of the large belt conveyor 2
Waits until it reaches the molded product unloading section (step S1)
4).

When the leading pallet 20 conveyed in the forward direction on the large belt conveyor 2 reaches the molded product unloading section, one side of the pallet 20 is transferred to the large belt conveyor 2
The limit switch LS2 is pressed to operate. After the empty pallet 20 is removed from the molded product unloading portion of the large belt conveyor 2 until the next pallet 20 reaches the molded product unloading portion, at least a distance corresponding to one pitch of the width of the pallet 20 is used as the large belt conveyor 2. Since the small belt conveyor 1 is fed, the pallet 20 which has been located on the small belt conveyor 1 until now is not transferred to the large belt conveyor 2.
A space for placing a new empty pallet 20 is created on the small belt conveyor 1 that is sent to the upper part and constitutes the molded product carry-in section.

The processor 100 detects the operation of the limit switch LS2 in the determination processing of step S14, confirms that the leading pallet 20 has reached the molded product unloading portion of the large belt conveyor 2, and drives the motors M1 and M2. After stopping and stopping the feeding operation of the pallet 20 located on the large belt conveyor 2 (step S15), whether or not the timer timing operation is completed, that is, the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 circulates the pallet. It is determined whether or not it has descended to the same height as the conveying surface of the conveyor 3 (step S16), but if the timer timing operation has not been completed,
The pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 is completely lowered by standing by as it is. When it is confirmed in the determination processing of step S16 that the pallet mounting tray of the elevator 6 has descended to the same height as the transport surface of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 after the timer has completed the counting operation, the processor 100 causes the air cylinder E2 to move. A drive command is output to start the protrusion operation of the actuator of the air cylinder E2 (step S17), and the empty pallet 20 is moved in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 itself by pressing the tip of the actuator.
Of the empty pallet 20 and waits for the empty pallet 20 to be transferred to the transport start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 (step S18). Since the empty pallet 20 is not placed at the transfer start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3,
A new empty pallet 20 can be loaded into this position.

When the empty pallet 20 transferred by the pressing operation of the actuator tip of the air cylinder E2 is completely fed to the transfer start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, one side of the empty pallet 20 is the limit switch of the pallet circulation conveyor 3. Press LS3 to activate it. The processor 100 detects the operation of the limit switch LS3 in the determination process of step S18 and detects the empty pallet 20.
Is confirmed to have been completely fed to the conveyance start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, the drive of the air cylinder E2 is released, and the actuator of the air cylinder E2 is returned to the original position (step S19).

Next, the processor 100 outputs a drive command to the motor M3 to start the transportation of all the empty pallets 20 located on the pallet circulation conveyor 3 toward the transportation completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 (step S20). ,
The process waits until the leading empty pallet 20 conveyed on the pallet circulation conveyor 3 reaches the conveyance completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 (step S21).

When the leading empty pallet 20 conveyed on the pallet circulation conveyor 3 reaches the conveyance completion position, one side of the pallet 20 presses the limit switch LS4 of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 to operate it. The processor 100 detects the operation of the limit switch LS4 in the determination process of step S21 and detects the leading empty pallet 20.
Has reached the conveyance completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, and after stopping the driving of the motor M3 to stop the feeding operation of the empty pallet 20 located on the pallet circulation conveyor 3 (step S22), A drive command is output to the cylinder E3 to start the protrusion operation of the actuator of the air cylinder E3 (step S23), and the pallet circulation conveyor 3 itself is transferred in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 itself by pressing the tip of the actuator. Is started, and a standby state is waited for the empty pallet 20 to be completely stored in the pallet mounting tray 13 of the elevator 7 (step S24). Since the empty pallet 20 is not placed at the transfer completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, when the leading empty pallet 20 located on the pallet circulation conveyor 3 reaches the transfer completion position, the pallet circulation conveyor 3 is At least one empty pallet 20 is moved by at least one pitch of the width of the pallet 20 and after the empty pallet 20 newly transferred from the molded product unloading section of the large belt conveyor 2 to the transfer start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 in this process. There is enough space for inserting only one piece 20, and there is a margin for placing the empty pallet 20 newly sent from the molded product unloading section at the conveyance start position of the pallet circulation conveyor 3.

When the empty pallet 20 located at the head of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 is completely accommodated in the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7, one side of the empty pallet 20 operates the limit switch LS5 of the pallet loading tray 13. Press to activate. The processor 100 carries out step S24.
In the determination process of step S3, the operation of the limit switch LS5 is detected to confirm that the empty pallet 20 is completely accommodated in the pallet mounting tray 13 of the elevator 7, and then the drive of the air cylinder E3 is canceled and the actuator of the air cylinder E3 is released. Is returned to the original position (step S25).

Next, the processor 100 outputs a drive command to the air cylinder 7a of the elevator 7 to start raising the pallet tray 13 of the elevator 7 (step S26), and at the same time, a timer for measuring a predetermined time is operated. Is started (step S27), and the air cylinder 7a is continuously driven until the timing operation of the timer is completed, and the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7 is brought to the same height as the transport surface of the small belt conveyor 1. It is raised (step S28).
Then, when it is confirmed that the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7 has risen to the same height as the transport surface of the small belt conveyor 1 after completion of the timer timing operation, the processor 1
00 outputs a drive command to the air cylinder E4 to start the protrusion operation of the actuator of the air cylinder E4 (step S29), and by pressing the tip of the actuator, the empty pallet is moved in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the small belt conveyor 1 itself. The transfer of 20 is started, and a standby state is waited for the empty pallet 20 to be transferred onto the small belt conveyor 1 constituting the molded product carrying-in section (step S30).

When the empty pallet 20 transferred by the pressing operation of the actuator tip of the air cylinder E4 is completely fed onto the small belt conveyor 1, one side of the empty pallet 20 presses the limit switch LS6 of the small belt conveyor 1. To operate. The processor 100 detects the operation of the limit switch LS6 in the determination process of step S30, confirms that the empty pallet 20 has been completely fed onto the small belt conveyor 1 that constitutes the molded product loading section, and drives the air cylinder E4. Release the air cylinder E
The actuator of No. 4 is returned to the original position (step S31), the driving of the air cylinder 7a of the elevator 7 is released to start the descent of the pallet mounting tray 13 of the elevator 7 (step S32), and a predetermined time is measured. The timer 7 starts the timing operation (step S33), and the elevator 7
It waits until the pallet loading tray 13 is lowered to the same height as the conveying surface of the pallet circulation conveyor 3 (step S3).
4).

When the timer timing operation is completed and the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7 is lowered to the same height as the conveying surface of the pallet circulation conveyor 3, the processor 1
Numeral 00 indicates the return to the original position of the elevator 7 in the discrimination processing of step S34 and shifts to the discrimination processing of step S1 again, and the pallet circulation conveyor 3 serves as a pallet for feeding the molded article to the small belt conveyor 1 of the molded article carry-in section. The process waits until N new molded products are loaded into the returned empty pallet 20, and thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeatedly executed.

On the other hand, although the value of the counter C1 for accumulating the one operation completion signal from the carry-in robot has reached the set value N, the value of the counter C2 for accumulating the one operation completion signal from the carry-out robot is the set value. When N has not been reached, that is, when the determination result of step S1 is true but the determination result of step S3 is false, N pieces of molding are performed in the pallet 20 on the small belt conveyor 1. Pallet 2 in the molded product unloading section, even though new products have been added
This means that the removal of 0 to N molded products has not been completed. Therefore, the pallet 20 located at the molded product unloading section
Cannot be reused as the pallet 20 for loading the molded product as it is, and since it is necessary to load a new molded product molded by the injection molding machine, the pallet 20 located in the molded product carry-in section at this time is required. Move it to a new empty pallet 2
0 must be placed in this position.

Therefore, if the determination result of step S3 is false even though the determination result of step S1 is true, the processor 100 first outputs a drive command in the reverse rotation direction to the motor M1 and at the same time the motor M4. And a drive command to M5 to collect the pallet 20 into which the molded product has been placed and which is located in the molded product carry-in section, through the small belt conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4 as the pallet collecting means to the stocker of the molded product, and An empty pallet 20 stored in a pallet stocker is passed through a belt conveyor 5 as a pallet supply means, and a pallet mounting tray 1 for an elevator 7 is installed.
The process for loading into No. 3 is started (step S35).

The processor 100 which has output the drive command to the motors M1 and M4 is then conveyed toward the belt conveyor 4 by whether or not the passage detection sensor LS7 is ON, that is, by the reverse driving of the motor M1. Although it is determined whether or not the tip of the pallet 20 into which the molded product has been placed has reached the gap between the small belt conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4 (step S36), the passage detection sensor L
If S7 is OFF and the tip of the pallet 20 has not reached the gap between the small belt conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4, the motor M1 and the motor M4 are maintained as they are to continue the conveyance of the pallet 20 into which the molded product has been loaded. .. Then, when the passage detection sensor LS7 is turned on and it is detected that the tip of the pallet 20 into which the molded product has been placed has reached the gap between the small belt conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4, the processor 100 causes the passage detection sensor LS7 to detect the passage again. The pallet 20 that has been turned off and has already been filled with molded products is the belt conveyor 4
Wait until it is completely collected (step S37),
When the collection of the pallet 20 into which the molded product has been placed is completed, the driving of the motors M1 and M4 is stopped to stop the transport operation of the small belt conveyor 1 and the belt conveyor 4 (step S38). Pallet 20 with molded products
When the pallets are collected on the belt conveyor 4, a new empty pallet 2 is placed on the small belt conveyor 1 which constitutes the molded article carrying-in section.
0 can be placed, and the pallet 20 in which the molding products have already been placed on the belt conveyor 4 by the processing before this.
If the pallets have already been collected, the pallets 20 on the belt conveyor 4 will be further collected in the stocker of the molded product including the roller way and the like.

On the other hand, the empty pallet 20 conveyed from the empty pallet stocker to the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7 by the belt conveyor 5 driven by the motor M5 is
The empty pallet 20 that has been carried into the loading tray 13 at the lower limit position via the belt conveyor 5 as the pallet supply means and the tapered side wall 15 of the pallet loading tray 13 and transported from the pallet stocker is When completely loaded into the pallet loading tray 13 of the elevator 7,
One side of the empty pallet 20 presses the limit switch LS5 of the pallet loading tray 13 to operate it. The processor 100 detects the operation of the limit switch LS5 in the determination process of step S39 and confirms that the empty pallet 20 has been completely fed to the pallet mounting tray 13 of the elevator 7 constituting the second transfer means, and the motor 100 The driving of M5 is stopped to end the conveying operation of the belt conveyor 5 (step S40).

Processor 1 which has stopped driving the motor M5
00, then proceeds to the processing of step S26, executes the processing of steps S26 to S34 in the same manner as described above, and drives the elevator 7 as the second transfer means and the air cylinder E4, thereby causing empty pallets. After placing the pallet 20 conveyed from the stocker on the small belt conveyor 1 as a molded product carrying-in section, the process again moves to the determination process of step S1 to transfer the empty pallet stocker to the small belt conveyor at the molded product carrying-in section. When N pieces of molded products are put into the empty pallet 20 loaded in 1 and N pieces of molded products are completely taken out from the pallet 20 of the molded product unloading section of the large belt conveyor 2 during this period, At this point, the empty pallet 20 located at the molded product unloading section is circulated again on the small belt conveyor 1 and reused as the pallet 20 for loading the molded product. If the removal of the molded product from the pallet 20 in the molded product unloading section is not completed during the processing of S4 to step S34, the pallet 20 located in the molded product loading section is moved again to move the pallet stocker. Therefore, in order to carry in a new empty pallet 20, the processes of steps S35 to S40 and steps S26 to S34 are repeatedly executed.

As described above, as one embodiment, the large belt conveyor 2 and the small belt conveyor 1 constituting the transfer conveyor and the pallet circulation conveyor 3 are vertically arranged side by side, and the elevator 6 and the air cylinder E1 constituting the first transfer means are arranged. , E2 and the elevator 7 and the air cylinder E which constitute the second transfer means.
The case where the pallet 20 is circulated between the transfer conveyor and the pallet circulation conveyor by using E3 and E4 has been described, but the transfer conveyor and the pallet circulation conveyor are provided adjacent to each other on the same plane, and the transfer conveyor is provided. The pallet 20 may be directly circulated between the pallet circulation conveyor and the pallet circulation conveyor.

Further, the moving stroke of the pallet 20 due to the projecting operation of the air cylinders E1 to E4 is such that the air cylinders E1 to E4 themselves have a telescopic structure, or
It can be arbitrarily set by interposing various link mechanisms between the air cylinders E1 to E4 which are drive sources and the pallet 20, and the air cylinders E1 to E4.
4 and 6a to 7a may be replaced with various actuators such as a hydraulic cylinder and a lead screw.

[0045]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The molded product conveying method according to the present invention comprises a pallet supplying means for supplying a pallet from a pallet stocker to a molded product carry-in section of a transfer conveyor, and a molded product carry-in section of the transfer conveyor and a molded product stocker. If a pallet collecting means is provided to communicate with the pallet, and if the removal of the molded product from the pallet in the molded product carry-out section is completed when the molded product is loaded into the pallet in the molded product carry-in section, molding is performed at this point. While the molded product is conveyed by circulating the pallet that has been inserted into the molded product located in the product carry-in section and the pallet that has been taken out of the molded product located in the molded product carry-out section between the molded product carry-in section and the molded product carry-out section, If the removal of the molded product from the pallet in the molded product unloading section is not completed when the loading of the molded product in the pallet in the molded product loading section is completed, the pallet collection means is driven to load the molded product. The pallet is stored in the molded product stocker, and the pallet supply means is driven to supply an empty pallet from the pallet stocker to the molded product carry-in section of the transfer conveyor. If a new empty pallet is loaded on the transfer conveyor, even if there is a delay or an abnormality occurs in the processing operation in the next process and it is necessary to temporarily stop the removal of the molded product from the molded product unloading section. Parts can be automatically supplied to the pallet and newly molded products can be put into this pallet in an appropriate state, so the molding cycle of the molding machine can be adjusted according to the condition of taking out the molded product from the molded product unloading section. It is not necessary to fluctuate or stop, and the heat equilibrium state of the mold and the residence time of the resin can be kept constant at all times.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are diagrams schematically showing an embodiment of a method for conveying a molded article according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is an elevational view, and FIG. 1C is FIG. It is the top view seen from the arrow AA of b).

2A and 2B are diagrams schematically showing an elevator provided in the molded article conveying system of the embodiment, FIG. 2A is a plan view, and FIG.
Is an elevational view.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part of a control device that drives and controls each part of the molded product transport system of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of a sequence program stored in a control device of the molded article conveying system.

FIG. 5 is a continuation of the flowchart showing the outline of the sequence program.

FIG. 6 is a continuation of the flowchart showing the outline of the sequence program.

FIG. 7 is a continuation of the flowchart showing the outline of the sequence program.

FIG. 8 is a continuation of the flowchart showing the outline of the sequence program.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Small Belt Conveyor Constituting Molded Article Carrying-In Portion of Transfer Conveyor 2 Large Belt Conveyor as Transferred Molded Article Carry Out Section 3 Pallet Circulation Conveyor 4 Belt Conveyor 5 as Pallet Collecting Means 5 Belt Conveyor 6 as Pallet Supplying Means 6 1 Elevator 6a Air Cylinder 7 which constitutes the main part of the transfer means of 7 Elevator 7a Air Cylinder 20 which constitutes the main part of the second transfer means 20 Pallet 100 Processor 101 Memory M1 to M5 Motors E1 to E4 Air Cylinders LS1 to LS6 Limit Switch LS7 Passage detection sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of conveying a molded product, wherein a pallet is circulated between a molded product carry-in section and a molded product carry-out section of a transfer conveyor to carry the molded product, and a molded product carry-in of the transfer conveyor is carried out from a stocker of the pallet. The pallet supply means for supplying the pallet to the section and the pallet collection means for connecting the molded product carry-in section of the transfer conveyor and the molded product stocker are provided, and the injection of the molded product into the pallet at the molded product carry-in section is completed. If the removal of the molded product from the pallet of the molded product unloading part is completed at this point, the pallet already loaded with the molded product located at the molded product carry-in part and the unloading of the molded product located at the molded product carry-out part have already been removed. While the pallet is circulated between the molded product carry-in section and the molded product carry-out section to carry the molded product, the pallet in the molded product carry-out section is completed when the molded product is put into the pallet at the molded product carry-in section. If the removal of the molded product from the tray is not completed, the pallet collecting means is driven to store the pallet in the molded product loading section in the stocker of the molded product, and the pallet supply means is driven to transfer it from the pallet stocker. A method of conveying a molded article, characterized in that a pallet is supplied to a molded article carrying-in section of a conveyor. 2. The transfer conveyor is divided into a molded product carry-in section and a molded product carry-out section, and a pallet circulation conveyor having a transfer direction opposite to that of the transfer conveyor is provided in the vicinity of the transfer conveyor, and the transfer conveyor is provided. First transfer means for transferring the pallet from the molded product unloading section to the transfer start position of the pallet circulation conveyor, and second transfer means for transferring the pallet from the transfer completion position of the pallet circulation conveyor to the molded product transfer section of the transfer conveyor, And a pallet supply means for supplying the pallet from the pallet stocker to the second transfer means, and when the injection of the molded product into the pallet of the molded product carry-in section is completed, the molded product from the pallet of the molded product carry-out section If the pallet has been completely removed, the first transfer means is driven to move the pallet from which the molded product has been taken out, which is located in the molded product unloading section, to the pallet circulation conveyor. The molded product carry-in part and the molded product carry-out part of the transfer conveyor are integrally driven to carry the molded product and the pallet toward the molded product carry-out part, and the pallet circulation conveyor and the second transfer means are driven. The pallet on the pallet circulation conveyor that has been taken out of the molded product is returned to the molded product carry-in section of the transfer conveyor, while the molded product carry-out section completes loading of the molded product into the pallet at the molded product carry-in section. If the removal of the molded product from the pallet is not completed, the molded product carry-in section is reversely driven while the driving of the molded product carry-out section of the transfer conveyor is stopped, and the pallet of the molded product carry-in section is passed through the pallet collecting means. The pallet is supplied from the stocker of the pallet to the second transfer means while being stored in the stocker of the molded product, and the pallet supply means is driven through the second transfer means. Molded article transfer method according to claim 1, characterized in that so as to transfer the pallet to the shaped article carrying portion of the transfer conveyor Te.