JPH0565103A - Centering device for sacked article - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a smooth and quick centering operation in a simple and low cost structure by transversely bridging an attaching shaft with multiple suction units between the right and left travel units, and making the suction units independently movable. CONSTITUTION: This centering device is provided with a frame 20 to which a pair of right and left travel guide rails 21 is attached, and a pair of right and left travel units 22 is attached to the travel guide rails 21 via an actuator 23 so that the travel units 22 can travel. Between the travel units 22, an attaching shaft 24 is transversely bridged from which multiple suction units 25 to 27 are hanged. In the suction units 25 to 27, a pair of suction ducts 28 to 30 having suction pads 31 to 33 respectively bridge over the attaching shaft 24. The center suction unit 26 is prevented from shifting in the axial direction regardless of the rotation of the attaching shaft 24. The suction units 25, 27 whose nuts are engaged with both side screws 36, 37 of the attaching shaft 24, and the units 25, 27 can shift in the axial direction with the rotation of the attaching shaft 24.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is an apparatus for tightly storing a large number of packed products in a corrugated box or the like and lifting products sent in a plurality of rows through suction pads. On the other hand, the present invention relates to a device that gathers closely to each other toward the center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Soft packaging products (hereinafter referred to as bagging products) in which snack foods such as potato chips and popcorn are packed in a bag are targeted for transportation, storage or transaction of these soft packaging products. It is common to package the quantities in an outer box such as a corrugated box.

Conventionally, most of the snacks mentioned above have the property of being brittle and easily broken, and therefore, when packaging the snack, a predetermined amount of the snack is packed together with the product in order to prevent cracking of the product. A method of enclosing air or nitrogen gas is used. Moreover, when packaging the bagged product in the outer box, as shown in FIG. 7, the bagged product S is placed in the box C so that there is no gap between the bagged products.
It was necessary to pack them as closely as possible. This is a product that has been air-packed or gas-packed at a confectionery packaging factory as described above, when the temperature of the product drops after bagging,
This is because the bag gradually shrinks and the bulk becomes smaller. The air or gas enclosed in the bag is unavoidable to gradually escape during the distribution process, although it depends on the sealing property and sealing property of the bag itself. In this way, after the product is once packaged in a box, the bulk of the bag gradually shrinks, and even the initially densely packed bag product may become scratched in the box over time. Because there is.

By the way, an apparatus for automatically packing bag-filled products in a box is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-134105 or No. 60-23105. Among them, the former device is a method of putting a large number of bagged items into the box one by one via a belt conveyor so that some of them overlap, and it is efficient in terms of packing a large number of boxes at once. Was not suitable for high speed processing. In addition, since the soft-packed product in which the snacks are packed in a bag is lightweight, it has a drawback that when it is packed in a box, a position shift easily occurs and it is difficult to pack it in order. The latter device uses an arm equipped with a vacuum pad to adsorb and hold the bagged product and transfer it to the upper surface of the box.Then, the vacuum pad is released and the bagged product is automatically transferred to the box. Since it is a method of dropping it inside and the item is easily caught at the top of the box when dropped, the size of the outer box must be designed larger than the size of a hand-packed box in advance. Therefore, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the packaging box becomes high and that a gap is apt to be formed between the packed products even after the packed products are stored.

In order to improve such a problem, the inventors of the present invention have first made a gap between the bag-filled items even if the bag itself is shrunk after the bag-filled items are accommodated in the box. In order to prevent such problems, a method and apparatus for packing the boxed items while aligning them in a state where they are partially overlapped with each other have been developed and applied for a patent (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-85205).

[0006] This apparatus arranges the bagged products conveyed in a plurality of rows on a conveyor so as to be aligned in a horizontal line, and then hangs the bagged products upward through a suction pad, and then the bagged products. The parts are put together so as to overlap each other, and then the bag-filled items in the gathered state are put in the outer case in the opened state.
Instead of dropping it by its own weight into the case, it is lowered to the mounting surface while maintaining the suspended state and successively stacked in the case. And, in consolidating the above-mentioned bagged products so as to partially overlap each other,
As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of vacuum mechanisms 90a, 90
b and 90c are attached to the sliding guide bar 102 via a support base 101 on two left and right guide rails 103 provided along the traveling direction of the article, and one of the support bases is a frame. -Fixed to the piston rod of the air cylinder 104 fixed to the frame 100. When the air cylinder operates, the sliding guide bar 102 reciprocates on the left and right guide rails 103 in parallel with the traveling direction of the article. On the other hand, the central vacuum mechanism 90b
Is fixed to the sliding guide bar 102, the left and right vacuum mechanisms 90a and 90c are movably mounted in the longitudinal direction of the sliding guide bar, and a roller (cam follower) 1 is attached to the lower surface thereof.
A spring (return spring of the cam follower) that constantly pulls the roller 05 to the side with respect to the flat cam side 106 that fixes the roller to the inner frame of the guide rail. ) 107, and when the vacuum mechanism slides in the front-rear direction (accumulation direction of articles) by the action of the cylinder on the frame, the vacuum mechanisms on both sides are moved by the cams. It is configured to move toward the center part or to leave sideways. With such a structure, the flexible and easily deformable bag-filled product s packed with snacks is lifted upward through the suction pads 108a, 108b, 108c, and positioned on both sides while being lifted. Bags for s
Can be closely gathered toward the center.

[0007]

However, in the case of such a prior application device, the vacuum mechanisms on both sides are guided by guide rails.
Since the cam side 106 of the flat triangular shape fixed to the frame 100 on the inner side of the rule is set to the center, the cam mechanism is used to slide three or more vacuum mechanisms. Attaching to the guide bar to perform the centering function makes the mechanism complicated and is difficult to adopt.

Further, the locus and speed of moving the article to the center by the vacuum mechanism are determined by the shape of the cam, but it is not easy to replace the cam in order to change them, and it takes a lot of time and labor for the replacement work. And there was a drawback that takes time.

Further, in this prior application device, as described above, the flat cam side 106 fixed to the frame is brought into contact with the cam side 106 via the spring 107 which is always pulled laterally. Therefore, as the vacuum mechanisms on both sides are moved around, the accumulated force of the spring 107 pulled in the opposite direction increases. Therefore, it is necessary to move the vacuum mechanisms on both sides toward the central portion against the stored force of the spring, and it is inconvenient that a large force is required to move the vacuum mechanism toward the central portion.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a plurality of vacuum mechanisms of three sets or more can be attached to the sliding guide bar to perform the centering action.
In addition, it is possible to freely change the speed and locus for moving the item around the center, and to perform the centering action smoothly and in a short time without using a cam follower or a spring unlike the prior application device. The object of the present invention is to propose a central pulling device for bag-filled products which is highly reliable.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention hangs up bagged products conveyed by a conveyor through a suction unit and collects them at a boxing position. In the centering device, the attachment unit mounting shaft is horizontally mounted on the left and right traveling units guided by the traveling guide rails and traveling in the article conveying direction, and the mounting shaft has left and right screws on both left and right sides excluding the central portion. A fixed suction unit with a bag-shaped suction pad is attached to the central part of the mounting shaft, and the left and right screw parts are attached by nuts when the mounting shaft rotates. At least one movable suction unit having a bag-shaped suction pad configured to reciprocally slide in the axial direction is mounted, and a reversible motor for rotating the mounting unit is mounted on the mounting shaft. The movable suction unit attached to each screw part is centered by the action of the motor for rotating the attachment shaft and the left and right screws when packing the bagged product in a box, so-called centering action. It is characterized in that it can be operated.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for generally explaining an apparatus for packing a predetermined number of bag-filled items, which is a target of the present invention, in an outer box such as a corrugated box. In this drawing, as an example, the articles (packed articles S) supplied through the belt conveyor 11 are guided to a double-row forming device (not shown), and the articles supplied in one row are rearranged into three rows. Then, the articles are transferred to the centering device 13 of the present invention by the transfer device 12 arranged in the next stage, and in this case, the articles sent in a plurality of rows are lifted through the suction pads and brought into close contact with the center. State, and the articles are aggregated so as to partially overlap each other, and then the articles in the aggregated state are stepped through the pushing plate device 14 into the exterior case 15 in the open state. It is designed to be stacked.

FIG. 2 shows a centering device 1 according to the present invention.
3 is a plan view of FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a rear view of the same as above, and FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the relationship between the suction unit and its mounting shaft in the same apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the same. 2 and 3, the reference numeral 20 designates the frame of the centering device, 2
Reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of left and right running guide rails mounted in parallel on the frame so as to follow the traveling direction of the article. Reference numeral 22 is a left and right traveling unit that travels while being guided by the left and right traveling guide rails.
Driven to reciprocate. That is, an actuator 23 such as an air cylinder, a chain driven by a reversible motor, or a timing belt mechanism is connected to the left and right traveling units 22. As a result, when the actuator 23 operates, the left and right traveling units 22, 22 are configured to be slidable on the traveling guide rail 21 in the traveling direction of the article or the opposite direction.

Further, the left and right traveling units 22, 22
In the space, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the article, a mounting shaft 24, on which a plurality of sets of suction units 25 to 27 are suspended, is horizontally installed. By the way, the suction units 25 to 27 are for respectively contacting the bag-filled articles S conveyed by the transfer device 12 in a plurality of rows and horizontally and adsorbing and gripping them individually. Adsorption pads 31 to 33 are provided at the lower ends of a pair of adsorption tubes 28 to 30 attached to the front and rear in a downward direction. The upper ends of the two adsorption tubes are connected to a suction device P such as a vacuum pump (not shown) that collects the upper ends. By the way, the number of adsorbing tubes can be set freely, even if either one is provided before or after.

By the way, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, three sets of suction units 25 to 27 are mounted on the mounting shaft 24 at intervals. In these suction units, a set of two suction pipes 28 to 30 equipped with suction pads 31 to 33 is mounted so as to straddle the mounting shaft 24, and three sets are mounted on the mounting shaft 24 as described later. The suction unit is configured so that it can be moved separately. That is, first, the mounting shaft 24 has screw portions 36, 3 having left-right screw relations on both left and right sides except the central portion 35.
Engrave 7. The suction unit 26 located at the center of the three suction units is mounted on the central portion 35 of the mounting shaft 24 via a bearing so that even if the mounting shaft 24 rotates, the suction unit 26 moves to the left or right of the position. Configure it so that it does not move in the direction of. On the other hand, the suction units 25 and 27 located on both sides are reciprocally moved in the axial direction when the mounting shaft 24 is rotated by engaging the nuts 40 and 41 with the screw parts 36 and 37 having a left-right thread relationship, respectively. It is to be attached to. Reference numeral 38 is a reversible motor mounted on the traveling unit 22 and connected to the input shaft of the mounting shaft 24 for reversibly rotating the mounting shaft 24. By controlling this reversible motor, it is possible to change the movement locus of the nut to.

By the way, in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting shaft 24
The left and right screws engraved on the
It is configured as a Lu Neji. That is, the suction unit 25
A ball groove is provided in the ball nut for holding the shafts 27 and 27 on the shaft, and the ball is loosely inserted between both the ball screw and the ball nut so that the ball nut can be released. Although it is constructed so that it can be easily moved on the mounting shaft by being guided by the guide 42, the present invention is of course not limited to such a construction.

In this embodiment, the left and right screw portions 3
Each of 6 and 37 has one movable suction unit that is moved in the axial direction by the rotation of the mounting shaft.
As shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to attach two or more sets of the movable suction units 25 and 27 to each screw portion, and the number of attachments can be freely set.

In the above-mentioned apparatus, when three bag-filled products are arranged side by side in a line and brought into contact with the suction pad by the transfer device, the suction pad is a vacuum pump. Since it is connected to the suction device P such as the above and is in a state of starting the intake, it is adsorbed to the pad at the same time when the contact is made, and the left and right traveling units traveling while being guided by the traveling guide rails while maintaining the adsorption state When the mounting shaft 24 is reversibly rotated by the motor 38 while sliding 22 in the traveling direction of the article by the actuator 23, the action on the left and right screw portions 36 and 37 engraved on the mounting shaft. The movable suction units, excluding the fixed suction unit attached to the central portion of the shaft, are guided by the movable sleeve to move toward the central portion (when the suction unit is advanced) or move away to the side. It is intended to operate as will (upon retraction of the suction unit). In this way, the movable suction unit attached to each screw portion is moved to the center by the action of the motor for rotating the attachment shaft and the left and right screws when accumulating the bagged products and packing them in the box. That is, the so-called centering action is performed.

When the centering is completed as described above, the pushing-in plate device 1 for moving the article up and down by the cylinder 16 is provided at the end of the centering device as shown in FIG.
4 is provided, a predetermined quantity of the bag-filled products S are put together into an outer case 15 such as a corrugated box to be box-packed.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, a centering device that collects a plurality of bag-filled products conveyed by a conveyor upward through a suction unit and collects them at a boxing position is used for traveling. A mounting shaft of the suction unit is horizontally mounted on the left and right traveling units that are guided by the guide rails and travel in the article conveying direction, and the mounting shaft has left and right screw relations on both left and right sides except the central portion. And a fixed suction unit having a suction pad for bagging is attached to the center of the mounting shaft, and the left and right screw parts are reversible in the axial direction by nuts when the mounting shaft rotates. A movable suction unit having a suction pad of a bag-filled product configured to be slid on is mounted, and a reversible motor for rotating the suction shaft is connected to the mounting shaft. When the baggage is packed into a box, the movable suction unit attached to is centered by the action of the motor that rotates the attachment shaft and the left and right screws, and can perform a so-called centering action. Therefore, three or more sets of suction units can be attached to the sliding guide bar to perform the centering action, and the speed and the locus for centering the article can be freely changed. Moreover, the centering action can be performed smoothly and in a short time without using a cam or a spring unlike the prior application device. Therefore, the device of the present invention has a simple structure, a low manufacturing cost, and a highly reliable centering device for bag-filled products.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view for generally explaining an apparatus for packing a bag-filled product targeted by the present invention in an outer box such as a corrugated box.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a centering device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the relationship between the suction unit and its mounting shaft in the same apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a modified example in which two or more sets of movable suction units are attached to the left and right screw parts.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a state in which the bag-filled product is boxed in an outer box such as a corrugated box.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the centering device of the prior application.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Centering Device 14 Pushing Plate Device 20 Frame 21 Travel Guide Rail 22 Travel Unit 23 Actuator 24 Mounting Shaft 25 Movable Suction Unit 26 Fixed Suction Unit 27 Movable Suction Unit 28 Suction Pipe 29 Suction Pipe 30 Suction Pipe 31 Adsorption pad 32 Adsorption pad 33 Adsorption pad 35 Central part of mounting shaft 36 Screw part of mounting shaft 37 Screw part of mounting shaft 38 Reversible motor 40 Nut 41 Nut

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (71) Applicant 591210301 SSA Packaging Engineering and Consulting PTE EW Ltd. S. A. PACKAGING EN GINEERING & CONSULT ANT PTY. LIMITED Australia 2230 New South Wales Wool-wear Churachis Treat 3 (72) Inventor Seiichi Ako 2230 New South Wales Wool-wear Churches Treat 3 (72) Inventor Fujio Waki 1812-2 Oshima-cho, Nishisonogi-gun, Nagasaki Prefecture

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A centering device for hoisting a bagged product conveyed by a conveyor upward through a suction unit and collecting the bagged product to a boxing position, guided by a traveling guide rail to convey the article. The mounting shaft of the adsorption unit is laid horizontally on the left and right traveling units that travel to the left and right, and the mounting shaft is engraved with screw parts having left and right screw relations on both left and right sides excluding the central region, and the center of the mounting shaft A fixed suction unit having a suction pad for bagging is attached to the area, and the screw portions on the left and right sides are configured to be reversibly slid in the axial direction by a nut when the attachment shaft rotates. One or more movable suction units each having a suction pad for a bag-filled product are attached, and a reversible motor for rotating the attachment shaft is connected to the mounting shaft. Device. 2. The centering device for bag-filled products according to claim 1, wherein the threaded portion formed on the mounting shaft is a ball screw.