JPH07267332A - Article processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To circulate and carry holders in a uniform distribution condition along the whole range of a circulation carrier passage. CONSTITUTION:An article processing device 1 is provided with a circulation carrier passage 14 comprising a filler-capper 2, a container supply mechanism 11, a plurality of carrying means 5, 8, 13, etc., to circulate and carry a constant number of holders 4 along a circulation carrier passage 14. Devices composing the circulation carrier passage 14 are synchronously operated by a controller 16. The controller 16 is provided with a ratio setting part 16A, and when a pulse number on the filler-capper 2 side is inputted through a pulse generator 18 to the controller 16, a pulse number in proportion to the inputted pulse number is set for a servo motor 17 to be a drive source for each device. The servo motor 17 is driven at the set pulse number.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article processing apparatus and, for example, to an article processing apparatus which circulates and conveys a holder to perform required processing on a container in the holder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an article processing apparatus, a conveying means for conveying a holder accommodating a container from an upstream side to a downstream side, and a conveying path of the conveying means are sequentially arranged so that the containers in the holder are arranged. It is known that a main machine that performs required processing, a plurality of slave machines, and a control device that causes the master machine and the plurality of slave machines to perform speed following operation. In such a conventional device, the operating speeds of a plurality of slaves are made to follow the operating speed of the main machine. For example, when the main machine is arranged on the most downstream side of the carrier path of the holder, this main machine The slave units on the upstream side are operated in accordance with the operating speed of. Further, when the main machine is arranged in the middle of the carrier path of the holder, the operating speed of the slave machine located upstream of the main machine is matched with the operating speed of the main machine.

[0003]

By the way, as an article processing apparatus, a main machine and a slave machine are provided at a plurality of positions in a circulating and conveying path, a holder is circulated and conveyed between the master machine and the slave machine, and a container in the holder is circulated. In some cases, there is a demand for an apparatus that performs required processing by using a master machine and a slave machine. In this case,
Since a certain number of holders are circulated and conveyed, the distribution state of the holders conveyed along the circulation conveyance path can be improved by simply following the operation speed of the main machine as in the conventional case. There will be deviations and variations. In particular, such deviation of the distribution of the holders is likely to occur when the operating speed of the main engine is changed. Then, when the distribution state of the holders in the circulation conveyance path is biased or uneven, the main machine and the slave machines must be stopped. In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an article processing apparatus that can convey articles in a circulation distribution route in a uniform distribution state.

[0004]

That is, according to the present invention, a main machine for carrying out a required process on a container in a holder, and a first carrying means for carrying the holder, which has finished processing of the container by the main machine, to a downstream side, The container is taken out from the holder by taking the holder from the first conveying means, and the container discharge mechanism as a first slave using a servomotor as a drive source, and the holder from which the container is taken out by the container discharge mechanism are placed on the downstream side. A second transporting means for transporting, a holder feeding from the second transporting means to feed a container into the holder, and a container feeding mechanism as a second slave using a servomotor as a drive source, and a container feeding mechanism. Third transfer means for transferring the holder to which the container is supplied to the position of the main machine located on the downstream side, and a drive source for the main machine, the container discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism And a controller for controlling the operation, which constitutes an endless continuous circulation transfer path by the main machine, the first transfer means, the container discharge mechanism, the second transfer means, the container supply mechanism, and the third transfer means. A pulse oscillator that oscillates a pulse according to the operating speed of the main engine and inputs the pulse to the control device is provided, and the control device includes the number of pulses required for the main device to process one holder, the container discharge mechanism, and the container supply mechanism. Each have a ratio setting unit for setting a ratio with the number of pulses required to process one holder, respectively, and the control device has the ratio setting unit based on the number of pulses of the main machine input from the pulse oscillator. The operation of each servomotor, which is the drive source of the container discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism, is controlled by the pulse number of the ratio set by It is to provide an article processing apparatus that synchronizes operation of the container supply mechanism.

[0005]

According to such a structure, for example, while the main machine processes one holder, the container discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism each process one holder. Therefore, it is possible to circulate and convey the holders in a uniform and evenly distributed distribution state in the entire area of the circulation and conveyance path.
Therefore, it is possible to smoothly circulate and convey the holder even in the circulation conveyance route to perform the required processing on the container in the holder.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. In FIG. 1, an article processing apparatus 1 includes a filler / capper 2 as a main machine. This filler / capper 2 is a holder 4 that contains a flat plastic container 3.
The container 3 in the holder 4 is filled with a predetermined amount of the filling liquid on the first half side in the rotation region, and then the upper end opening of the container 3 is formed on the latter half side in the rotation region. A cap (not shown) is attached to the part. When the holder 4 holding the container 3 which has been filled with the filling liquid by the filler / capper 2 and attached with the cap is discharged onto the first conveying means 5 composed of a conveyor, this is indicated by an arrow by the first conveying means 5. After being sequentially conveyed to the downstream side, it is supplied to the container discharge mechanism 6 as the first slave. When the container discharging mechanism 6 receives the holder 4 from the first conveying means 5, the container 3 is taken out of the holder 4 in the process of holding the holder 4 and rotationally transferring it in the clockwise direction, and discharges the container 3 from the conveyor. On the other hand, the emptied holder 4 is discharged onto the second conveying means 8 composed of a conveyor while being discharged onto the second conveying means 7. After that, the empty holders 4 on the second transfer means 8 are sequentially transferred toward the downstream side and are supplied to the container supply mechanism 11 as the second slave. In the process in which the container supply mechanism 11 is rotated counterclockwise, first, the supply conveyor 1
2 receives an empty container 3 from above, and then stores the container 3 in an empty holder 4 received from the second transfer means 8, and thereafter, the third transfer means 1 comprising a conveyor.
The holder 4 containing the container 3 on the top 3 is discharged. The third transporting means 13 is configured to sequentially transport the holder 4 containing the empty container 3 to the downstream side, and then to supply it to the filler / capper 2 as the main machine described above. In this embodiment, the filler and capper 2 as the main engine, the first
An endless continuous circulation transfer path 14 is formed by the transfer means 5, the container discharge mechanism mechanism 6 as the first slave, the second transfer means 8, the container supply mechanism 11 as the second slave, and the third transfer means 13. A predetermined number of holders 4 are circulated and conveyed in the circulatory conveying path 14 in the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 2, the filler and capper 2 described above.
The operation of the motor 15, which is the drive source of the, is controlled by the controller 16. In addition, the first transport means 5, the container discharge mechanism 6, the second transport means 8, the container supply mechanism 1
The 1st and 3rd conveyance means 13 uses the servomotor 17 as a drive source, respectively.
The operation of 7 is also controlled by the control device 16. Further, a pulse oscillator 18 is interlocked with the filler / capper 2 as the main engine, and the pulse oscillator 18 responds to the operating speed of the filler / capper 2 when the filler / capper 2 is operated. A pulse having a frequency is oscillated and the oscillated pulse is input to the control device 16. Control device 16 of the present embodiment
Includes a ratio setting unit 16A, and the ratio setting unit 1
6A sets the ratio of the number of pulses required for the filler / capper 2 to process one holder 4 and the number of pulses required for the container discharge mechanism 6 and the container supply mechanism 11 to process one holder 4, respectively. It is like this. Further, similarly to this, the ratio setting unit 16A causes the transporting means 5, 8 for the number of pulses of the filler / capper 2 in operation,
The ratio of 13 pulse numbers is set respectively. Then, when a required operating speed command is transmitted from the control device 16 to the drive circuit 15 'of the motor 15 of the filler / capper 2, the filler / capper 2 is first activated to operate at the required operating speed. At that time, a pulse having a frequency corresponding to the operating speed of the filler / capper 2 is input from the pulse oscillator 18 to the control device 16. If the operating speed of the filler / capper 2 is not the operating speed corresponding to the operating speed command initially transmitted to the drive circuit 15 ′ based on the frequency of the pulse input from the pulse oscillator 18. When it is found, the control device 16
Is configured to transmit the operating speed command again to the drive circuit 15 'of the motor 15 so that the operating speed corresponds to the initially transmitted operating speed command. Next, the ratio setting unit 16A of the control device 16 determines the number of pulses required for the filler / capper 2 to process one holder 4 based on the number of pulses of the filler / capper 2 input from the pulse oscillator 18. Each container discharge mechanism 6 and container supply mechanism 11 set the number of pulses required to process one holder 4. Further, similarly to this, the ratio setting unit 16A sets the number of pulses of each of the transporting means 5, 8, and 13 with respect to the number of pulses of the activated filler / capper 2. After that, the control device 16 transmits the number of pulses set by the ratio setting unit 16A to the drive circuit 17 'of the container discharge mechanism 6, the container supply mechanism 11, and the servo motors 17 of the transport units 5, 8, and 13. . As a result, the operating speed of the filler / capper 2 can be synchronized with the operating speeds of the container discharge mechanism 6, the container supply mechanism 11, and the transfer means 5, 8, and 13. Since the present embodiment is configured in this manner, the filler / capper 2 that is the main machine is provided with one holder 4
Each container discharging mechanism 6 and container supplying mechanism 11 as slaves can also process one holder 4 during processing, so that the holders 4 are distributed in a uniform distribution state in the entire circulation transfer path 14. It can be circulated and transported. further,
In the present embodiment, the control device 16 is premised on the configuration described above.
Further, the ratio changing unit 16B is provided to change the ratio of the number of pulses set by the ratio setting unit 16A according to the amount of accumulated holder 4. That is, the first accumulation amount detector 21 is provided in the transport path of the third transport means 13 which is located upstream of the position of the filler / capper 2 by a predetermined distance, and the predetermined distance from the position of the container supply mechanism 11. A second pool amount detector 22 is provided in the transport path of the second transport means 8 which is only upstream. The first pool amount detector 21 and the second pool amount detector 22 detect this when the holders 4 which are in front of each other in the conveyance path in which they are provided are in contact with each other, and the controller 16 is informed. It is designed to be entered. In other words, when the contact state of the holder 4 is detected by the first accumulation amount detector 21 or the second accumulation amount detector 22, the filler / capper 2 (container supply mechanism 11) starts from the position where they are provided. It means that the holder 4 is biased in the contact state on the transport path up to. In the present embodiment, the controller 16 is informed that the holder 4 is in contact with the first pool amount detector 21 when the filler / capper 2 as the main machine is operated at a predetermined operating speed. When the input is made, that is, when the holder 4 on the third conveying means 13 on the upstream side of the filler / capper 2 is abutted and offset, the ratio changing unit 16B of the control device 16 causes the ratio setting unit 16B to set the ratio. By changing the ratio of the number of pulses set by the section 16A, the operating speed of the container supply mechanism 11 on the upstream side of the filler / capper 2 can be changed.
Control so that it is slower than the operating speed of. As a result, the deviation of the holder 4 on the third conveying means 13 located immediately upstream of the filler / capper 2 is eliminated, and the holder 4 in the abutting state is separated, and therefore, the circulation conveying path. The holder 4 can be transported in a uniform distribution state over the entire area of 14. On the other hand, when the filler / capper 2 as the main engine is operating at a predetermined operating speed,
When it is input from the accumulation amount detector 22 that the holder 4 is in the contact state, that is, the holder 4 on the second conveying means 8 immediately upstream of the container supply mechanism 11 is biased to the contact state. In this case, the ratio changing unit 16B of the control device 16 changes the ratio of the number of pulses set by the ratio setting unit 16A, and the operating speed of the container discharge mechanism 6 on the upstream side of the container supply mechanism 11. Is controlled to be slower than the operating speed of the container supply mechanism 11. As a result, the holder 4 on the second transfer means 8 on the upstream side of the container supply mechanism 11
Therefore, the holder 4 can be transported in a uniform distribution state over the entire circulation transport path 14. As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the holders 4 can be transported in a uniform distribution state in the entire area of the circulation transport path 14, the filler / capper 2 as the main machine, the container discharge mechanism 6 and the container as the slave machines. It can be prevented that the supply of the holder 4 to the supply mechanism 11 is biased and the operations of the filler / capper 2, the container discharge mechanism 6, and the container supply mechanism 11 are stopped. Therefore, the holder 4 can be smoothly circulated and circulated in the circulatory conveyance path 14 to perform the required processing on the container in the holder 4. Further, since the holders 4 can be conveyed in a uniform distribution state in the entire area of the circulation conveyance path 14 in this manner, deviations and variations of the holders are absorbed in the middle of the conveyance paths of the respective conveyance means 5, 8, and 13. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide an accumulation section for this purpose, and therefore, the total length of the circulation conveyance path 14 can be shortened accordingly. Further, in the present embodiment, the operation of each servo motor 17 of each device as a slave is controlled based on the pulse input from the pulse oscillator 18 to the control device 16, so that the filler / capper as a main machine is controlled. Since the operating speeds of the respective devices that are slaves of the operating speed of 2 are synchronized, when the operating speed of the filler-capper 2 is changed, the operating speed of the filler-capper 2 becomes a slave at substantially the same time as the operating speed of the filler-capper 2 is changed. The operating speed of each device can be changed. The operating speed of each device that is a slave to the filler / capper 2 is smoothly followed. The control device 16 may be configured by a single main computer. In addition to the single main computer, a sub computer is installed in the filler / capper 2, the container discharge mechanism 6 and the container supply mechanism 11. Then, the control device 16 may be configured by the main computer and a plurality of sub-computers. Further, instead of providing the second pool amount detector 22 on the transport path of the second transport means 8, the second pool amount detector 22 is located on the transport path of the first transport means 5 slightly upstream of the container discharge mechanism 6. It may be provided above. Further, the motor 15 serving as a drive source for the filler / capper 2 may be either an inverter motor or a servomotor. Also,
As shown in FIG. 3, when the first conveying means 5 is composed of a plurality of conveyors 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, the adjacent positions of the filler-combining capper 2 serving as alcohol and the container discharging mechanism 6 serving as a slave device. A servomotor may be used as a drive source only for the conveyors 5A and 5D, and an inverter motor may be used as a drive source for the intermediate conveyors 5B and 5C.

[0007]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to smoothly circulate and convey an article and perform a required treatment even in the circulation and conveyance route.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram showing a control system in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a main part showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... Article processing device 2 ... Filler / capper (main machine) 4 ... Holder (article) 5 ... First transfer means 6 ... Container discharge mechanism (first slave) 8 ... Second transfer means 11 ... Container Supply mechanism (second slave device) 13 ... Third transfer means 14 ... Circulation transfer path 16 ... Control device 16A ... Ratio setting unit 16B ... Ratio changing unit 17 ... Servomotor 18 ... Pulse oscillator 21 ... First pool amount detector 22 … Second pool detector

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Omori 1-25-5 Nakashizu, Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Honma 4-17-21 Uchida, Sugito-cho, Kitakatsushika-gun, Saitama Prefecture

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A main machine for carrying out a required process on a container in a holder, a first carrying means for carrying the holder, which has finished processing of the container by the main machine, to a downstream side, and a holder for receiving the holder from the first carrying means. A container discharge mechanism as a first slave that uses a servomotor as a drive source while taking out the container from the holder, a second transfer unit that transfers the holder from which the container has been taken out by the container discharge mechanism to the downstream side, and 2 A container supply mechanism as a second slave that receives a holder from the conveying means and supplies the container into the holder and uses a servomotor as a drive source, and the holder to which the container is supplied by the container supply mechanism to the downstream side. A third transport means for transporting to the position of the main machine located, and a control device for controlling the operation of the drive sources of the main machine, the container discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism, The main machine, the first carrying means, the container discharging mechanism, the second carrying means, the container supplying mechanism and the third carrying means constitute an endless continuous circulation carrying path, and oscillates a pulse according to the operating speed of the main machine. In addition to providing a pulse oscillator for inputting to the control device, the controller needs to control the number of pulses required for the main machine to process one holder and the container discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism to process one holder respectively. Providing a ratio setting unit that sets the ratio with the required number of pulses, the control device is the container with the number of pulses of the ratio set by the ratio setting unit based on the number of pulses of the main machine input from the pulse oscillator. By controlling the operation of each servomotor that is the driving source of the discharge mechanism and the container supply mechanism, the main machine, the container discharge mechanism, and the container supply mechanism can be operated synchronously. Article processing apparatus according to claim. 2. A transport path of a third transport means upstream from the main engine by a predetermined distance, a transport path of a second transport means upstream from the container supply mechanism by a predetermined distance, or a predetermined distance from the container discharge mechanism. A plurality of pools which are arranged on at least any two of the transport paths of the first transport means on the upstream side by a distance, and which detect that the holders which are in front of each other come into contact with each other and input to the control device. Along with the quantity detector, the control device is provided with a ratio changing unit that changes the ratio set by the ratio setting unit, and the control device operates the main engine, the container discharge mechanism, and the container supply mechanism in synchronization. If any of the above-mentioned accumulation amount detectors inputs that the holder is in the contact state, the ratio changing unit changes the ratio set by the ratio setting unit. The article processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation speed of the slave machine on the upstream side of the pool amount detector is controlled to be lower than the operation speed of the master machine or the slave machine on the downstream side.