JPH0530691B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a container positioning device, and more specifically, a stopper member is engaged with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container while the container is rotating. The present invention relates to a container positioning device which stops the rotation of the container and thereby positions the container at a required rotation angle position.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, for example, when attaching a label to a predetermined position on a container, it is necessary to position the container in a predetermined direction before attaching the label. For this reason, a labeler is known in which a container positioning device is integrated into a labeler that attaches a label to the container while the container is being transported by rotating the transport table (Utility Model Publication No. 57-26814). Publication No.). In other words, this positioning device includes a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, a container holding mechanism that holds the upper end of the container placed on the rotary table, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the container on the rotary table. mechanism and
A stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container is provided.

Furthermore, conventionally, instead of incorporating a positioning device into the conveyance table of a labeler, a positioning device is incorporated into an inlet star wheel for conveying containers to the conveyance table, and containers positioned by this inlet star wheel are supplied to the conveyance table of the labeler. A version with the same structure has also been proposed (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-23294).

``Problem to be Solved by the Invention'' However, in the former positioning device, since the positioning device is built into the transport table of the labeler, the label can be directly affixed to the container positioned by the positioning device. , there is an advantage that the label can be affixed to a predetermined position with high precision. However, on the other hand, it is necessary to provide a dedicated positioning part for the container, and
There is a drawback that the stopper member cannot be made large because it is necessary to provide the stopper member at a position where it does not interfere with the label pasting operation. If the handle is used as a positioning part, such as in a container with a handle, the stopper member must be large, which makes it difficult to install the stopper member in a position where it does not interfere with label pasting work. Become.

On the other hand, in the latter positioning device,
Since the positioning device is built into the entrance star wheel, the stopper member does not get in the way of label pasting work, and therefore the stopper member can be freely enlarged as necessary. Since the containers are positioned using wheels and delivered to the conveyance table of the labeler, positional deviations may occur during the delivery, which has the drawback of reducing the accuracy of the label attachment position.

"Means for Solving the Problem" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a transport table for transporting containers, a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, and a container placed on the rotary table. A container holding mechanism that holds the upper end portion, a rotation mechanism that rotates the container on the rotary table, and a stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container. In the container positioning device, the container positioning part is a handle of a container with a handle, and the stopper member is provided so as to be movable up and down so that the stopper member can be engaged with the handle from above, and the stopper member further comprises: A lifting and lowering mechanism is provided for moving the container to a lower engagement position where it can be engaged with the handle, and a retracted position which is separated upward from this engagement position and allows the rotational position of the container to be controlled by the rotation mechanism. It is.

"Operation" According to the above structure, since the handle of the container with a handle is used as the positioning part, there is no need to provide a dedicated positioning part on the container, and since the handle is quite large, the stopper member can be easily engaged with the handle. I can do it.

In addition, since the stopper member is moved upward to the retracted position, even if the stopper member is manufactured in a large size so as to be able to engage with the handle, the stopper member is moved upward to the retracted position. In some cases, there is no stopper member around the container, and therefore space can be secured on the inner periphery side of the container being transported by the transport table.
It becomes easy to provide a label sticking member or the like in that part.

"Example" The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated example.
In FIG. 1, a container 1 with a handle is conveyed by a conveyor 2 while being in contact with each other in the front and back, and is delivered to an inlet star wheel 4 with a required interval formed in the front and back by a timing screw 3, and then delivered to an inlet star wheel 4. It is carried into the conveyance table 5 from the star wheel 4. This conveying table 5 is equipped with a large number of rotary tables 6 at equally spaced positions on the outer periphery, and the containers 1 from the inlet star wheel 4 are sequentially carried onto each rotary table 6.

The container 1 carried onto the rotary table 6 is
The container 1 is rotated by the rotation of the rotary table 6, and when the handle 1a (see FIG. 2) of the container 1 engages with the stopper member 7 constituting the positioning device, the rotation is stopped. It is positioned in a predetermined direction. When the positioning of the container 1 is completed, the stopper member 7 is moved back and disengaged from the handle 1a.

Next, the container 1 remains in that state or is rotated together by a predetermined angle by rotating the rotary table 6 by a predetermined angle, so that a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface of the container 1 is moved outward in the radial direction of the transfer table 5. In the oriented state, it passes in front of the vacuum drum 9 of the roll labeler 8.

When the container 1 passes in front of the vacuum drum 9, the container 1 is
When the label is affixed to a predetermined position on the outer peripheral surface of the container 1, the container 1 is rotated approximately 90 degrees by rotation of the rotary table 6 so that the label is at the front in the direction of travel. In this state, when the container 1 passes between the label sticking members 10 as the conveyance table 5 rotates, the label is completely stuck to the outer peripheral surface of the container 1 by the label sticking members 10. , after which the container 1 is discharged from the outlet starwheel 11 onto the conveyor 2 again.

However, as shown in FIG. 2, the conveyance table 5 is attached to the lower part of a main shaft 15 which is vertically arranged and driven to rotate, and a disk 16 is integrally fixed to the upper part of the main shaft 15. . The upper end of the container 1 placed on each rotary table 6 is held on the outer periphery of the disk 16 so as to face each of the rotary tables 6 provided at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the transport table 5. A container holding mechanism 17 is provided.

Each rotary table 6 is rotatably provided on the transport table 5, and a gear 19 is attached to the lower end of a drive shaft 18 that rotationally drives the rotary table 6, and a sector gear 20 is meshed with the gear 19. 20 is attached to the upper end of a rotating shaft 21 rotatably supported on the conveying table 5. A cam follower 23 is provided at the tip of the arm 22 attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft 21,
The cam follower 23 is engaged with a cam groove 26 of a cam plate 25 fixed to a frame 24.

The cam groove 26 is designed to allow the arm 22 to swing at a desired position as the transfer table 5 rotates.
By swinging the rotating shaft 2, the rotary shaft 21 can be rotated, and the drive shaft 18 can be rotated via the sector gear 20 and the gear 19, so that the rotary table 6 can be rotationally driven.

Further, each of the container holding mechanisms 17 includes a lifting rod 31 provided on the disc 16 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, and a lifting rod 31
The container holder 32 is rotatably attached to the lower end of the container holder 32. The upper end of the lifting rod 31 is slidably passed through the bracket 33, and the lifting rod 31
A washer 34 fixed to the upper end prevents the lifting rod 31 from falling downward from the bracket 33, and also prevents the lifting rod 31 from falling off the bracket 33 and the lifting rod 3.
A spring 35 is loaded between the lifting rod 31 and the bracket 33 to bias the lifting rod 31 downwardly with respect to the bracket 33.

A cam follower 36 is attached to the outer periphery of the bracket 33, and the cam follower 36 is inserted into the cam groove 3 of the fixed plate 37 disposed above the disc 16.
8 is engaged. In addition, the above cam follower 3
6 from coming off from the cam groove 38.
The bracket 33 is engaged with a guide rod (not shown) so that it can rise and fall, and the bracket 33 is connected to the lift rod 3.
This prevents rotation around 1.

Therefore, when the bracket 33 is lowered by the cam groove 38, the lifting rod 3
1 can be lowered, and by crimping and engaging the container holder 32 provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 31 with the upper end of the container 1 by the elastic force of the spring 35, this and the rotary table 6 can be lowered. The container can be held between the two.

At this time, an elevating table is provided in the center of the rotary table 6, and the elevating table is normally kept at the same height as the upper surface of the rotary table 6 using a cam mechanism or the elastic force of a spring. When holding container 1, lower the lifting table,
The bottom of the container 1 may be dropped from the upper surface of the rotary table 6 into a hole of a required depth, thereby ensuring that the container can be held securely.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the positioning device including the stopper member 7 moves the disk 1
6, a rotating shaft 41 vertically disposed and rotatably supported; a horizontal swinging arm 42 fixed to the lower end of the rotating shaft 41 and swinging in a horizontal plane; The stopper member 7 is fixed to the distal end of the vertical swinging arm 43, which is pivotally supported by the distal end of the vertical swinging arm 43 and swings in a vertical plane.

An arm 44 is attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft 41, and the fixing plate 3 is attached to the tip of the arm 44.
A cam follower 46 is provided that engages with a cam plate 45 attached to the rotary shaft 41, and a return spring 47 elastically loaded between the rotating shaft 41 and the disc 16 causes the cam follower 46 to be in constant elastic contact with the cam plate 45. There is. Therefore, according to the cam curve of the cam plate 45, the stopper member 7 is
can be moved to an engagement position A where it can engage with the handle 1a of the container 1 shown in FIG. 3, and a retracted position B where it is disengaged therefrom.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the vertical swinging arm 43 is raised and lowered by a lifting rod 51 provided on the horizontal swinging arm 42 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, and this lifting rod 51 is supported by a spring. 52, the vertical swing arm 43 is normally held at the upper end position, so that the stopper member 7 provided on the vertical swinging arm 43 is at the lower end position. Then, this stopper member 7 is located at the above-mentioned engagement position A, and only when the lowering end position is reached, the stopper member 7 engages the handle 1a of the container 1.
It is now possible to actually engage with the

Above the elevating rod 51, an arcuate elevating cam 53 (FIG. 3) centered on the rotating shaft 41 is provided so as to be movable up and down on the disk 16.
3 is urged upward by a spring (not shown), and as shown in FIG. The elevating cam 53 can be moved up and down according to the cam curve of the plate 55.

On the other hand, a roller 56 is provided at the upper end of the lifting rod 51.
A shaft 57 that supports the roller 56 is arranged horizontally along a radial direction centered on the rotation center of the rotating shaft 41.
As a result, the elevating cam 53 is lowered and the rotating shaft 41 is rotated with the roller 56 in elastic contact with the lower surface of the elevating cam 53. Therefore, the elevating rod 51 is rotated via the horizontal swinging arm 42. Rotating shaft 41
When the roller 56 is rotated around the elevating cam 53, the roller 56 can roll while remaining in elastic contact with the lower surface of the elevating cam 53.

In the above configuration, when the container 1 with a handle is carried onto the rotary table 6 via the inlet star wheel 4, the container holder 32 of the container holding mechanism 17 is lowered according to the cam curve of the cam groove 38, and the container The container 1 is lightly held between the holder 32 and the rotary table 6.

In this state, the cam plate 45 causes the rotating shaft 4 to
1. The horizontal swing arm 42, the vertical swing arm 43, and the stopper member 7 move from the retreated position B to the engagement position A.
Then, the elevating cam 53 is raised by the cam plate 55, and as the elevating cam 53 rises, the elevating rod 51 is raised by the elastic force of the spring 52. As a result, the stopper member 7 descends to the lowering end position at the engagement position A.

At this time, since the container 1 is carried onto the rotary table 6 with the handle 1a in a random direction, normally the stopper member 7 immediately moves the handle 1a.
Therefore, before descending to the lowering end, it comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the container 1 and is held in that state.

In this state, the rotary table 6 is rotated more than 360 degrees in one direction according to the cam curve of the cam groove 26, and as the rotary table 6 rotates, the container 1 and the container holder 32 that holds it are rotated. When the container 1 rotates more than 360 degrees, the stopper member 7 engages with the handle 1a to stop the rotation of the container 1 and descend to the lower end.

When the container 1 is positioned in a predetermined direction in this way, the downward urging force of the spring 35 of the container holder 32 is increased by the cam groove 38, and the container holder 32 and the rotating table 6, the container 1 is firmly held. In this state, the stopper member 7 is raised by the effect of the elevating cam 53, and the stopper member 7 and the handle 1
The engagement with a is smoothly released, and the cam plate 5
from the engagement position A to the retracted position B by the cam curve of 5.
be retreated to.

After this, the container 1 has a label affixed to the required position on its outer circumferential surface in the same manner as described above, and after the container 1 is released from being held between the container holder 32 and the rotary table 6, the outlet star wheel 11 and is discharged onto the conveyor 2.

In the embodiment described above, it goes without saying that the raised end position of the stopper member 7 at the engagement position A can be directly set to the retracted position B.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, according to the present invention, the stopper member can be moved between the lower engagement position and the upper retraction position, so even if the stopper member is large, it is possible to position the container. After doing this, it can be moved back to a position where it does not interfere with label pasting work, etc. Therefore, the stopper member can be freely sized to suit the shape of the positioning part of the container, which allows for smooth and reliable positioning work, and allows for the label to be attached immediately after positioning the container. This allows the work to be carried out with high precision, and since there is space on the inner periphery of the container being transported by the transport table, it is possible to apply labels to that area. The effect that it becomes easy to provide members etc. can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a sectional view of the main part of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Container with handle, 1a... Handle, 5... Conveyance table, 6... Rotating table, 7... Stopper member, 17... Container holding mechanism, 18... Drive shaft,
26...Cam groove, 32...Container holder, 41...
Rotating shaft, 42...Horizontal swing arm, 43...Vertical swing arm, 45...Cam plate, 51...Elevating rod, 5
3... Lifting cam, A... Engagement position, B... Retreat position.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A transport table for transporting containers, a rotary table rotatably provided on the transport table, a container holding mechanism for holding the upper end of the container placed on the rotary table, and the above-mentioned A container positioning device comprising a rotation mechanism that rotates a container on a rotary table, and a stopper member that engages with a positioning portion provided at a predetermined position of the container to stop the rotation of the container. The stopper member is provided as a handle of a container with a handle, and the stopper member is provided so as to be movable up and down so that the stopper member can be engaged with the handle from above, and further the stopper member is engaged with the handle from below. 1. A container positioning device characterized in that a container positioning device is provided with an elevating and lowering moving mechanism for moving the container from the engaged position to a retracted position that is spaced upward from the engaged position and allows the rotational position of the container to be controlled by the rotation mechanism.