JPH0776323A - Article fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the insertion workability and take-out workability of an article fixing tool for the article holding area. CONSTITUTION:An article holding area 23 is formed on an article fixing tool 20. An article (sheet bag) is inserted in the article holding area 223 in a process to move the article fixing tool 20 in the lateral direction along an article carrying path, and the article is held and carried. For such an article fixing device, an article-inserting/taking out port 24 at which the article is inserted/taken out for the article holding area 23 of the article fixing tool 20 is opened in the lateral direction of the article fixing tool 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article fixing device suitable for holding and conveying articles in a filling and packaging line for articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-904, as an article fixing device, an article holding area is formed in an article fixing tool, and the article fixing tool is moved laterally along an article conveying path. In the process, the article is inserted into the article holding area from above, and there is one that allows the bottom portion of the article to be supported while being supported by the bottom portion of the article holding area.

In this article fixing device, the article is a top-opening sheet bag, and the top opening of the sheet bag is inserted into the article holding area of the article fixture from above so that the top opening of the sheet bag is in a freely opened state. After filling the contents from the item (1), the opening in the open state is heat-sealed, and the sealed sheet bag is taken out upward from the article holding region.

[0004]

However, the prior art has the following problems. An article inlet / outlet for inserting / removing an article into / from the article holding area of the article fixture is opened above the article fixture.

Therefore, the article inserting device makes the article stand by above the article inserting station defined on the article conveying path of the article fixing tool, and when the article fixing tool reaches the article inserting station, the article is moved downward. It is necessary to perform an operation of moving the article fixture downward and inserting it.

Further, the article take-out device is installed so as to be vertically movable above an article take-out station defined on the article conveying path of the article fixer, and when the article take-up tool reaches the article take-out station, the article take-out device is taken out. It is necessary to perform an operation of moving the article fixture upward and taking it out.

The article fixture holds the article at the bottom of the article holding area with respect to its bottom. Therefore, when the heights of articles are different, it is necessary to adjust the machine level or the conveyance level of the article fixing tool in order to match the level of the treated part on the top of the article with the machine level of the filling machine, capper, caser, etc. You will need it.

[0008] The article fixture is merely adapted to continue to hold both edges of the seal edges while the opposite sheets of the open sheet bag are kept open. Therefore, there is no place where the sheet bag can be tensioned in the opening width direction, and it is difficult to seal the opening after filling the contents.

The opening sheet bag is designed so that downwardly compressed air is jetted into the opening and the sealing edges of both ends are pressed inward so that the opening sheet bag is inserted into the article fixing tool. There is difficulty in inserting work in the open state.

An object of the present invention is to improve the workability of inserting and taking out articles from the article holding area of the article fixture.

Another object of the present invention is to easily adapt the level of the treated portion above the article to the mechanical level of the filling machine, the capper, the caser, etc. without changing the height of the article.

Further, according to the present invention, when an article is formed into a sheet bag, the sheet bag can be tensioned in the opening width direction while the sheet bag is inserted into the article fixing tool to improve the workability of sealing the opening. The purpose is to do.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the workability of inserting a sheet bag by making the opening openable after inserting the sheet bag into the article fixing tool when the article is a sheet bag.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an article holding area is formed in an article fixing tool, and the article is moved in the lateral direction along the article conveying path. In an article fixing device which is inserted into a holding area and holds and conveys the article, an article inlet / outlet for inserting / removing an article in / from the article holding area of the article fixing tool is provided in a lateral direction of the article fixing tool. It is designed to be opened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, the article fixture further comprises an article holding member above the article holding region, and the article holding member is used to fix the article. It is designed so that it can be held by the upper standard.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the second aspect of the present invention, the article is an upper opening sheet bag, and the article holding member of the article fixing device is located near the upper end of the upper opening sheet bag. Both side portions are held, and both side portions are held in a state of being able to move toward and away from each other in the opening width direction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the third aspect of the present invention, the sheet bag is opposed to an intermediate portion on both sides of the upper end opening sheet bag held by the article holding member. When an opening force is applied to the sheet, both side portions of the sheet bag are brought close to each other and an intermediate portion can be opened.

[0018]

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the following effects are obtained. An article inlet / outlet for inserting / removing an article to / from an article holding area of the article fixture is opened in a lateral direction of the article fixture.

Therefore, the article inserting device holds the article in the article inserting station defined on the article conveying path of the article fixing tool, and when the article fixing tool reaches from the side of the article inserting station, the article is inserted. The article can be immediately taken into the article holding area of the article fixture from the article inlet / outlet opening in the lateral direction of the article fixture. That is, the article insertion device can complete the insertion without moving the article up and down, and can improve the insertion workability.

Further, the article take-out device is installed on an article take-out station defined on the article conveying path of the article take-up tool, and holds the article take-up of the article take-out fixture while the article take-up tool laterally passes through the article take-out station. The article in the area can be captured and immediately taken out from the article inlet / outlet opening in the lateral direction of the article fixture. That is, when the article is taken out, the article can be completed without moving up and down, and the workability of taking out can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there are the following effects. The article holding member of the article fixture holds the article in the article holding area with reference to the upper portion thereof. Therefore, even if the heights of the articles are different, it is possible to always set the processing target level of the upper portion of the article to a constant level with respect to the machine level of the filling machine, the capper, the caser, etc. to adapt. For this reason, it is not necessary to adjust the machine level or the transport level of the article fixture when changing the type of article.

According to the present invention described in claim 3, the following effects are obtained. The article holding member of the article fixing tool holds both side portions of the sheet bag near the upper end in a state of being movable toward and away from each other in the opening width direction. Therefore, after filling the contents with both sides close to each other with the opening open, the openings can be tensioned in a flat shape by separating the both sides, improving the sealing workability of the opening, etc. it can.

According to the present invention described in claim 4, there is the following action. The sheet bag is inserted into the article holding area of the article fixing tool in a state where the opening is not opened, and then the opening force is applied to the opposing sheet by the opening means or the like, and both side portions of the sheet bag are brought close to each other to open. Open to enable formation. Therefore, the sheet bag can be inserted without intentionally opening the opening, and the insertion workability can be improved.

[0024]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a filling and packaging line,
2 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the filling and packaging line, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the article fixing device, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an operation mode of the article fixing device, and FIG. 5 is a bag inserting and filling process. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a leakage inspection process, FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a double-sided opening / closing type article fixing device, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a single-sided opening / closing type article fixing device, and FIG. 9 is a roller. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a holding type article fixing device, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an operation mode of the roller holding type article fixing device, FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a bag inserting and filling process, and FIG. 12 is a bag sealing and discharging process. It is a schematic diagram.

The filling and packaging line 10 is, as shown in FIG.
(A) Sheet bag 1 supplied at the bag supply station 11
Holding the article fixture 20 and (B) filling station 12
Fill the sheet bag 1 in the article fixing device 20 with the contents such as detergent, and (C) seal the opening of the sheet bag 1 filled with the contents at the sealing station 13, and (D) check for leaks. The station 14 inspects the pseudo-adhesiveness etc. of the seal portion of the sheet bag 1, (E) Defective product discharge station 15 discharges the defective defective product bag bag 1, and (F) Leaks at the boxing station 16. Pack a non-defective sheet bag 1 without
(G) At the article fixture collecting station 17, the empty article fixtures 20 are collected.

The filling and packaging line 10 uses the article fixing tool 20 as described above to hold and convey the sheet bag 1. The article fixing tool 20 is changed from the bag feeding station 11 to the filling station 12 and the sealing station. Horizontal transfer conveyor 18A for transporting to 13 and turntable 1
8B, lateral movement conveyor 18C, article fixing tool 20 from the seal station 13 to the leak inspection station 14 and defective product discharging station 15, a turntable 18D, a circulating conveyor 18E, an article fixing tool 20.
Turntable 18 for transporting (good product retention) from defective product discharge station 15 to boxing station 16.
F, a lateral transfer conveyor 18G, a wide conveyor 18H for conveying the article fixture 20 from the boxing station 16 to the article fixture stacking station 17 in an empty state, the article fixture 20 from the article fixture stacking station 17 to the bag supply station 11 Return conveyor 18 to return to
I, a turntable 18J, an article fixture 20 (an empty state in which defective products have been discharged), a return conveyor 18K and a turntable 18L that join the return conveyor 18I from the defective product discharge station 15 are installed.

The sheet bag 1 is, for example, a triangular self-supporting soft bag, in which both side edges of two front and back body sheets are joined to each other, and the peripheral bottom edges of the bottom sheets are joined to their annular bottom edges. The sheets are joined and supplied to the bag feeding station 11 for use in a state where an opening is provided at the unjoined upper ends of the two body sheets. The sheet of the sheet bag 1 is made of a heat-sealable sheet, for example, a heat-fusible resin film or a sheet obtained by laminating an aluminum foil thereon.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, the article fixing device 20 has two side plates 22 and 22 standing on the left and right sides of the bottom plate 21, and the triangular sheet bag 1 is provided between the side plates 22 and 22. A triangular article holding area 23 that conforms to the vertical cross-sectional shape
Is formed. Here, the article fixture 20 includes a bottom plate 21.
A magnet 21A is embedded in each of the transport paths 18A to 18L for the article fixture 20 described above and is attracted by the magnetic attraction generated between the transport paths 18A to 18L.
It can be stably conveyed in various conveyance postures such as upright, upside down 180 degrees, or overturned 90 degrees along 18L.
It should be noted that each of the transport paths 18A to 18L is made of a magnetic material such as a thin steel plate or a magnet so as to generate a magnetic attraction force with the magnet 21A of the article fixture 20, or the back side of the transport paths 18A to 18L. The magnetic rails are fixedly arranged in the above.

The article fixture 20 has an article inlet / outlet 24 for inserting / removing the sheet bag 1 into / from the article holding region 23, which is opened in both the front and rear lateral directions of the article fixture 20. As a result, in the process in which the article fixture 20 moves in the lateral direction along the above-described lateral movement conveyor 18A, the sheet bag 1 moves from the article inlet / outlet 24 to the article holding area 23.
It is inserted into and can be held.

Further, the article fixing device 20 includes both side plates 22 and 2.
An article holding member 25 is built in each of both upper end portions facing each other across the two article holding regions 23. Each article holding member 25 is biased toward the article holding area 23 by a spring 27 and slides in a guide hole 26 recessed in the upper end inner surface of the side plate 22 facing the article holding area 23. A base portion 25A which is fitted in the head 23 so as to be able to move back and forth.
And a gripping portion 25B fitted laterally movably by sliding laterally outwardly in a guide groove 29 provided in the base portion 25A by a spring 28. Side plate 22
An air hole (not shown) is provided on the back side of the guide hole 26 to allow the base portion 25A to slide smoothly.

That is, (a) the base portion 25A of the article holding member 25
Is made of a magnetic material and resists the spring force of the spring 27 under the magnetic attraction of the external opening magnet 30 to guide the guide hole 2
The gripping portions 25B that are drawn into the inside 6 and are fitted to the opposing base portions 25A are opened to allow the sheet bag 1 to be inserted or ejected (FIG. 4 (B)). On the other hand, (b) the base portion 25A of the article holding member 25 is pushed out of the guide hole 26 by the spring force of the spring 27 under the disappearance of the magnetic attraction action of the opening operation magnet 30, and is fitted to the opposing base portion 25A. The gripping portions 25B are closed to make it possible to hold the sheet bag 1 under pressure (FIG. 4C). At this time, since the article fixture 20 is provided with article holding members 25 on both sides of the upper ends of the side plates 22 and 22 that face each other with the article holding area 23 interposed therebetween, each article is held above the article holding area 23. The gripping portion 25B of the holding member 25 holds the article 1 on the basis of its upper portion.

Further, the grip portions 25B of the article holding member 25 located at both upper end side portions of the both side plates 22, 22 are
While holding both sides of the seat bag 1 toward the upper end, the spring 2
8 always biases the article holding area 23 laterally outward. Then, both side portions near the upper end of the sheet bag 1 are (a) when the gripping portions 25B move laterally inward along the guide groove 29 of the base portion 25A by the action of the external force against the spring force of the spring 28. While being held by the grip portions 25B, the sheet bag 1 moves closer (opens) in the opening width direction (FIG. 4 (D)), and (b) Under the disappearance of the external force of (a), each grip portion 25B is moved. The spring force of the spring 28 moves laterally outward along the guide groove 29 of the base portion 25A, and moves apart in the opening width direction of the sheet bag 1 while being held by each gripping portion 25B (two body sheets are They overlap each other in a flat shape) (FIG. 4 (C)).

Therefore, in the filling station 12, the article fixture 20 is arranged so that a pair of opening devices 31 such as a vacuum pad and the like open outward to each of the two body sheets facing each other at the upper middle portion of the upper end of the sheet bag 1. When a pulling force is applied, the grip 25B of each article holding member 25 moves laterally as described in (a) above while holding both sides of the sheet bag 1 near the upper end, bringing both sides of the sheet bag 1 closer to each other. In addition, the middle part thereof is expanded outward to open it (FIG. 4 (D)).

In the article fixing tool 20, the central portion of the upper end of each side plate 22 is sandwiched between the article holding member 25 built-in portions on both sides thereof to form a concave portion 32, and the concave portion 32 is removed by the opening device 31. This is an expansion work area for the upper middle portion of the sheet bag 1 that can be expanded in one direction.

Further, the article fixing device 20 includes both side plates 22 and 2.
A pair of pressure arms 33, 33 are built in between the middle and lower ends of the two. Both pressing arms 33 have their upper ends supported by a support shaft 34 and are incorporated in the through-window portion 35 of each side plate 22 to face each other. (A) Normally, positioning of springs and stoppers (not shown) The device is set in the through window 35 and stands by, and (b) the leakage inspection unit at the leakage inspection station 14 is pushed by the pressure cylinder 71 described later and pushed into the article holding area 23, Pressurizing force is applied to both sides of the sheet bag 1 held in the holding area 23 in a pinched state, and a leak inspection described later is performed.

As shown in FIG. 3 (D), the article fixture 20 includes one article holding member 25 provided on each of the side plates 22 and 22, and one article holding member 25 grips the base portion 25A as described above. The article holding member 25 on the other side may be provided with only the grip portion 25B. The grip portion 25B of the other article holding member 25 is fitted in a guide groove 29A provided in the side plate 22 so that it can be slid by being urged laterally outward by a spring 28, and (a) faces each other. Grasping part 25 of article holding member 25
B and both side portions of the sheet bag 1 are held, and (b) both side portions thereof can be moved toward and away from each other in the opening width direction of the sheet bag 1.

The operation of each station 11-16 of the filling and packaging line 10 will be described below.

(A) Bag supply station 11 (see FIGS. 1 and 4)
(A) to (C), FIG. 5 (A)) The bag feeding magazine 4 is provided on one side of the laterally moving conveyor 18A extending across the bag feeding station 11.
1 is installed, and the flat sheet bags 1 each having an opening at the unbonded upper end are filled in the bag supply magazine 41 in a stacked state as described above. Each sheet bag 1 is filled with a pusher device (not shown). The sheet bag 1 to be positioned first is positioned at the supply position of the magazine 41 facing the conveyor 18A. Then, the bag supply hand 42 grasps the upper end portion of the first sheet bag 1 positioned at the supply port of the bag supply magazine 41 and takes it out from the supply port of the magazine 41 to the bag insertion position defined above the conveyor 18A. , Wait. The bag supply hand 42 is a vacuum suction pad 42A.
(FIG. 1) or the upper end of the sheet bag 1 is gripped by the chuck 42B, and the suction pad 42A or the chuck 42
B is moved by the cylinder 42C between the supply port of the magazine 41 and the bag insertion position above the conveyor 18A.

On the other hand, above the laterally moving conveyor 18A, upstream of the bag insertion position to both sides of the bag insertion position, the bag supply hand 4 is provided.
A pair of the above-described opening operation magnets 30 are fixedly arranged below the second movement path so as not to interfere with the movement path. The double-opening operation magnet 30 is an electromagnet, and the article fixture 20 is the lateral movement conveyor 18
A is excited when passing from the upstream of the bag insertion position to the bag insertion position by A, and the base portion 25A of each article holding member 25 is drawn into the guide hole 26 as described above, and the opposing base portion 25 is inserted.
The grips 25B fitted to A are opened to form a bag insertion space between the grips 25B facing each other (FIG. 4).
(B), FIG. 5 (A)). Thus, the opposing gripping portions 25
When the article fixture 20 having the bag insertion space formed between B passes through the bag insertion position, the sheet bag 1 that has been preliminarily gripped by the bag supply hand 42 and waits at the bag insertion position as described above. When the article fixing tool 20 is inserted into the article holding area 23 through the article inlet / outlet opening 24 that is open in the lateral direction, the double opening operation magnets 30 are demagnetized. Due to the demagnetization of the double-opening operation magnets 30, the base portion 25A of each article holding member 25 becomes the spring 2.
By the spring force of 7, the opposing gripping portions 25B are pushed out of the guide hole 26 so as to close each other, and as a result, the opposing gripping portions 25B cause the opposite side portions of the sheet bag 1 to be located on the upper side of the sheet bag 1 with respect to the upper side. Hold (FIG. 4 (C), FIG. 5)
(A)).

At this time, the upper end opening of the sheet bag 1 which is heat-sealed in a later step is projected upward and outward from the side plate 22 of the article fixing tool 20.

(B) Filling station 12 (see FIGS. 1 and 4)
(D), FIG. 5 (B) A pair of the above-mentioned opening devices 31 are fixedly arranged on both sides of the filling position above the lateral transfer conveyor 18C extending so as to cross the filling station 12. . Both opening devices 31 are composed of suction pads or the like, and face each other at the upper end middle portion of the sheet bag 1 whose both side portions are held near the upper end by the opposite grip portions 25B of the article holding members 25 on both sides of the article fixture 20. An outward tensile force is applied to each of the two body sheets. As a result, the gripping portion 25B of each article holding member 25 laterally moves along the guide groove 29 of the base portion 25A while holding both side portions of the sheet bag 1 near the upper end, and brings both side portions of the sheet bag 1 closer to each other. As described above, the intermediate portion of the upper end of the article fixing tool 20 which is projected upward and outward from the side plate 22 is expanded outward and opened (FIG. 4 (D), FIG. 5 (B)).

While the opening device 31 is expanding and forming the opening in the middle of the upper end of the sheet bag 1, the filling nozzle 51A of the filling machine 51 installed above the filling position enters the bag from the opening. Intrude and fill the specified amount of contents.

The filling machine 51 finishes filling, and the filling nozzle 5
When 1A is pulled out from the opening, the opening device 31 releases the tensile force exerted on the intermediate portion of the upper end of the sheet bag 1. As a result, the gripping portion 25B of each article holding member 25 is moved laterally outward along the guide groove 29 of the base portion 25A by the spring force of the spring 28, and both side portions of the sheet bag 1 are separated and tensioned. The openings are stacked in a flat shape (Fig. 4
(C)).

It should be noted that the opening device 31 and the filling machine 51 move within a certain range constituting the filling station 12 by the lateral moving conveyor 18
In synchronization with C, the sheet bag 1 in the article fixture 20 is moved synchronously to perform the above-described filling work, and after the filling work, the original position is returned to prepare for a new filling work.

(C) Sealing Station 13 (FIG. 1) Above the horizontal transfer conveyor 18C extending across the sealing station 13, heat is provided on both sides of the sealing position on the exit side of the filling position. A pair of heat seal bars 61A and 61A of the sealing device 61 are arranged. Both seal bars 61A of the heat seal device 61,
61A is a tensioned state in which both sides are separated by opposing grip portions 25B of the article holding members 25 on both sides of the article fixture 20 and the side plates 22 of the two body sheets stacked in a flat shape are arranged. The upper end opening projecting outward and upward is clamped and heat-sealed to form a seal portion 1A.

The heat-sealing device 61 moves the horizontal movement conveyor 18C within a certain range constituting the sealing station 13.
In synchronism with the above, the above-mentioned sealing work is performed by synchronously moving together with the sheet bag 1 in the article fixing tool 20, and after the sealing work, the original position is returned to prepare for a new sealing work.

(D) Leakage inspection station 14 (FIGS. 1 and 6) The orbiting conveyor 18E continuous to the exit side of the sealing station 13 orbits from the upper half to the lower half, and the article fixture 20 is magnetically attracted to the orbiting conveyor 18E. It is adsorbed in a state, the lower half of the cylinder is laterally moved in an inverted manner, and a pair of pressure cylinders 71 are provided on both sides of the leak inspection position defined in the lower half of the process.

That is, when the article fixture 20 passes through the leak inspection position, the bottom plate 21 is attracted to the revolving conveyor 18E and its posture is inverted upside down (180 degrees upside down) and held in the article holding area 23. The seal portion 1A of the seat bag 1 is set below the side plate 22 and outward (toward the article fixture 20). Then, when the article fixture 20 reaches the leakage inspection position, the pressure cylinders 71 on both sides push the pressure arms 33 incorporated in both side plates 22 of the article fixture 20 into the article holding area 23. The sheet bag 1 in the article holding area 23 is pressed and pressed in a pinched state. Thus, the presence or absence of pseudo adhesion of the seal portion 1A is detected.

The pressurizing cylinder 71 is the servomotor 7
By the screwing of the feed screw 73 by 2, the predetermined range constituting the leak inspection station 14 is synchronously moved with the article fixing tool 20 in synchronization with the revolving conveyor 18E to perform the above-mentioned pressurizing work, and after the pressurizing work, Return to the position and prepare for new pressurization work.

In the leak inspection station 14, a leak check sensor 74 is fixedly installed below the moving range of the article fixture 20 which is pressurized by the pressure cylinder 71. When the pseudo-bonding of the seal portion 1A is broken, the contents of the sheet bag 1 drips downward from the seal portion 1A below the side plate 22 of the article fixture without touching the article fixture 20 (see FIG. )), The occurrence of leakage is detected by the sensor 74. Whether or not the sheet bag 1 conveyed by each article fixture 20 is leaked is stored by the control device 75 connected to the sensor 74. As the leak check sensor 74, a capacitance type sensor that detects a change in capacitance due to contact with a leaking liquid, or a photoelectric tube or a laser beam type sensor that detects a light beam that leaks and the drop liquid is blocked can be used. The leak check sensor 74
A tray 76 for collecting the leaked liquid is installed below.

(E) Defective product discharge station 15 (FIG. 1) At the exit side of the leak inspection station 14, the revolving conveyor 18
An upward U-turn portion from the lower half peripheral portion of E to the upper half peripheral portion is defined as a defective product discharge station 15 (leakage product discharge zone). Defective product discharge station 15 is a revolving conveyor 1
An opening operation magnet 81 (permanent magnet) is provided which can approach / separate from the passage portion of the article fixing tool 20 which is conveyed in a 90 ° rollover posture along the upward U-turn portion of 8E. That is, the control device 75 of the leakage inspection station 14 detects the defective defective sheet bag 1 as the defective article discharging station 15
The cylinder 82 sets the opening operation magnet 81 close to the side of the article holding member 25 of the article fixture 20 when it notifies that the article holding member 25 passes. As a result, the opening operation magnet 81 exerts a magnetic attraction force on the base 25A of the article holding member 25, and the base 25
As a result of pulling A into the guide hole 26, the grip 25B fitted to the base 25A is opened, and the grip of the sheet bag 1 by the grip 25B is released. At this time, since the article fixture 20 is moving upward in the upward U-turn portion of the circular conveyor 18E, the article inlet / outlet 24 that is open in the lateral direction of the article fixture 20 in the 90-degree rollover posture is the downward discharge port. Then, the defective product sheet bag 1 which has been released from the grasping by the grasping portion 25B is discharged from the article holding region 23 through the article inlet / outlet 24 to a defective product chute (not shown) below.

The opening operation magnet 81 may open and close the grip portion 25B by exciting and demagnetizing an electromagnet which is fixed in a state close to the passage portion of the article fixture 20.

The article fixture 20 which has been emptied after the defective sheet bag 1 has been discharged is then moved to the revolving conveyor 18
In the upper half of E, it is transferred to the return conveyor 18K by the kick cylinder 83.

(F) Boxing station 16 (FIG. 1) The boxing station 16 is installed around the laterally moving conveyor 18G connected to the exit side of the leak inspection station 14. At the cartoning station 16, the robot hand 91 grips the sheet bag 1 held in the article holding area 23 by the article holding member 25 of the article fixture 20.
After that, the holding of the sheet bag 1 by the article holding member 25 of the article fixture 20 is released, the sheet bag 1 is taken out of the article fixture 20 by the robot hand 91, and the sheet bag released from the grip by the robot hand 91. 1 is packed in the empty box 93 by the chute 92.

That is, in the boxing station 16,
The laterally moving conveyor 18G includes two rows of flat plate conveyor belts 94A,
One or a plurality (four in this embodiment) of 94B, which are temporarily stopped below the robot hand 91.
An opening operation magnet 95 (electromagnet) is provided on the side of the article fixture 20 of FIG.
One or a plurality (four in this embodiment) of chutes 92 are extended toward the empty box installation position below the middle of 4A and 94B.

Therefore, the boxing station 1 of this embodiment
In No. 6, (1) four article fixtures 20
When it is carried in below the robot hand 91 by the 8G flat plate transport belts 94A and 94B and is temporarily stopped, (2) the robot hand 91 projects upward and outward from the side plate 22 of each article fixing tool 20. Hold the seal portion 1A of (3) and (3) magnetize the opening operation magnet 95 to fix each article fixture 20.
The base portion 25A of the
B is opened, the grip of the sheet bag 1 by the grip portion 25B is released, and (4) the lateral movement conveyor 18G is re-moved so that only the respective article fixtures 20 pass toward the exit side of the boxing station 16, and the robot hand 91 The respective sheet bags 1 gripped by are taken out relatively in the lateral direction from the article inlets / outlets 24 opened in the lateral direction of the respective article fixtures 20, and (5) the robot hand 91 grips each sheet bag 1 After release, each of the sheet bags 1 is packed from the chute 92 into the empty box 93 below.

(G) Article Fixing Tool Accumulating Station 17 (FIG. 1) Each article fixing tool 20 that has taken out the sheet bag 1 at the boxing station 16 is carried in from the lateral movement conveyor 18G to the wide width conveyor 18H, and waits for accumulation. It The article fixture 20 waiting at the article fixture collection station 17 is
It is returned to the bag supply station 11 at a predetermined timing. In addition, the article fixture 20 that has taken out the defective sheet bag 1 at the defective article discharge station 15 is also returned to the bag supply station 11 at a predetermined timing.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. The sheet bag 1 for the article holding area 23 of the article fixture 20
The article inlet / outlet 24 for inserting / removing the article is the article fixture 2
It is opened in the lateral direction of 0.

Therefore, the bag supply hand 42 as an article insertion device causes the sheet bag 1 to stand by at the bag supply station 11 defined on the article conveying path of the article fixing tool 20, and the article fixing tool 20 causes the bag supplying station 11 to move. The sheet bag 1 can be immediately taken into the article holding area 23 of the article fixture 20 from the article inlet / outlet 24 opened in the lateral direction of the article fixture 20 when the sheet bag 1 is reached in the lateral direction. That is, the bag supply hand 42 can complete the insertion without moving the article up and down, and the insertion workability can be improved.

Further, the robot hand 91 as the article take-out device is installed on the boxing station 16 defined on the article conveying path of the article fixing tool 20, and the process in which the article fixing tool 20 passes the boxing station 16 laterally. Then, the sheet bag 1 in the article holding area 23 of the article fixture 20 can be captured and immediately taken out from the article inlet / outlet 24 opened in the lateral direction of the article fixture 20. That is, the robot hand 91 can complete the take-out without moving the sheet bag 1 up and down, and can improve the take-out workability.

The article holding member 25 of the article fixture 20 holds the sheet bag 1 in the article holding area 23 with reference to the upper part thereof. Therefore, even if the heights of the articles are different, it is possible to always set the processing target level of the upper portion of the article to a constant level with respect to the machine level of the filling machine, the capper, the caser, etc. to adapt. For this reason, it is not necessary to adjust the machine level or the transport level of the article fixture 20 when changing the type of article.

The article holding member 25 of the article fixture 20 holds both side portions of the sheet bag 1 near the upper end in a state where they can move toward and away from each other in the opening width direction. Therefore, after filling the contents with both sides close to each other with the opening open, the openings can be tensioned in a flat shape by separating the both sides, improving the sealing workability of the opening, etc. it can.

The sheet bag 1 is inserted into the article holding area 23 of the article fixture 20 without opening the opening, and then the opening force (opening device 31) or the like is applied to the opposing sheet, thereby Both sides of the sheet bag 1 are brought close to each other so that the opening can be opened and formed. Therefore, the sheet bag 1 can be inserted without intentionally opening the opening, and the insertion workability can be improved.

(Modified Example of Filling and Packaging Line) (FIG. 2) The point that the filling and packaging line 10A is substantially different from the above-mentioned filling and packaging line 10 is that it extends around the leak inspection station 14 and the defective product discharge station 15. Conveyor 18E
Is composed of two rows of flat plate conveyor belts 96A and 96B, and both conveyor belts 9 are provided at a portion of the lower half of the revolving conveyor 18E located at the defective product discharge station 15.
6A and 96B are twisted in a vertical plane state that makes 90 degrees from the horizontal plane state, whereby the two conveyor belts 96A and 96B are twisted.
It is configured such that the article inlet / outlet 24 that is opened in the lateral direction of the article fixture 20 that is attracted and conveyed by the magnetic attraction force with B is a downward outlet. The opening operation magnet 81 installed in the defective article discharge station 15 is set close to the side of the article fixture 20 by the cylinder 82, and the grip 25B of the article holding member 25 holding the defective article sheet bag 1 is opened, Defective product bag 1 by the grip 25B
Is released, and is discharged from the above downward discharge port to a defective product discharge chute (not shown) below.

In the filling and packaging line 10A, in addition to the above, (1) the return conveyor 18K for returning the empty article fixing device 20 that has ejected the defective product sheet bag 1 at the defective product discharge station 15. The turntable 18L for changing direction provided in the middle of the above is changed to the pusher cylinder 97, and (2) the turntable 18F for changing direction for transferring the article fixture 20 from the orbiting conveyor 18E to the laterally moving conveyor 18G. The change to the pusher cylinder 98 is different from that in the filling and packaging line 10.

(Both Sides Retractable Article Fixing Tool) (FIG. 7) In the article fixing tool 110, two side plates 112 and 112 are erected on both left and right sides of a bottom plate 111, and a triangle is formed between both side plates 112 and 112. A triangular article holding region 113 is formed so as to fit the vertical cross-sectional shape of the shaped sheet bag 1. here,
The article fixture 110 has a bottom plate 111 in which a magnet 111A is embedded, and is attracted by a magnetic attraction force generated between the article fixture 110 and a transport path for the article fixture 110. It can be stably conveyed in various conveyance postures such as inverted or 90 degree rollover.

The article fixture 110 has article inlets / outlets 114 for inserting / removing the sheet bag 1 into / from the article holding region 113, both front and rear of the article fixture 110.

Further, the article fixture 110 includes the side plates 11
An article holding member 115 is built in each of both upper end portions opposite to each other with the article holding areas 113 of 2 and 112 sandwiched therebetween. Each article holding member 115 is urged toward the article holding area 113 by a spring 117 in a guide hole 116 recessed in the upper end inner surface of the side plate 112 facing the article holding area 113 to slide into the article holding area 113. It has a grip portion 118 that is fitted so as to be able to move forward and backward. An air hole 116B is provided in the plug 116A, which supports the spring 117 on the back side by the guide hole 116, in order to allow the grip portion 118 to smoothly advance and retreat.

At this time, the holding portion 118 of each article holding member 115 has a magnet 119 fixed to the inner base thereof,
Opposing grips 118 close each other by the magnetic attraction between the magnets 119 together with the spring force of the spring 117 and hold the sheet bag 1 with its upper reference (FIG. 7).
(A)). On the other hand, the gripper 118 of each article holding member 115
Is pulled into the guide hole 116 against the magnetic attraction force between the magnets 119 and the spring force of the spring 117 described above under the stronger magnetic attraction action of the external opening operation magnet 120 on the magnet 119. The gripping portions 118 are opened to allow the sheet bag 1 to be inserted or ejected (FIG. 7 (B),
(D)).

The article fixing device 110 includes the side plates 112,
A through window portion 121 is formed in the middle portion 112 to the bottom plate 111 (FIG. 7C), and a pressure member (not shown) is attached to the through window portion 12.
It is possible to push the sheet bag 1 into the article holding area 113, and to apply a pressure to both sides of the sheet bag 1 held in the article holding area 113 in a pinched state to perform a leak test. The pressure member may be built in the article fixture 110 or fixedly installed in the leak inspection station.

That is, when the article fixture 110 is applied in a bag processing line, for example, the following (1) to (4) are applied.

(1) At the bag supply station, the sheet bag 1 filled with contents and having the opening sealed is an article while the grips 118 of the article holding member 115 of the article fixture 110 are both opened. It is inserted from the article inlet / outlet opening 114 that is opened in the lateral direction of the holding area 113, and then,
The grips 118 of the article holding member 115 are both closed, and both side portions of the sheet bag 1 near the upper end are held. At this time, in the sheet bag 1, the seal portion 1A is attached to the side plate 1 of the article fixture 110.
It is set so as to project upward from 12 above.

(2) In the leak inspection station, for example, in the lower half of the orbiting conveyor, the article fixture 110 is set in an inverted posture of 180 degrees, and the seal portion 1A of the sheet bag 1 held in the article holding area 113 is The lower side (lower side than the article fixture 110) is set by the side plate 112, and the sheet bag 1 is pressed in a pinched state by a pressing member (not shown) that is pushed into the article holding region 113 from the through window 121. The presence or absence of pseudo adhesion of the seal portion 1A is inspected.

(3) At the defective product discharge station on the downstream side of the leak inspection station, the article fixture 110 is set in a 90-degree rollover position so that the article inlet / outlet 114 is a downward discharge port, and at the leak inspection station. The holding of the sheet bag 1 by the article holding member 115 of the article fixture 110 holding the defective sheet bag 1 in which the presence of leakage is detected is eliminated, and the defective sheet bag 1 is loaded into the article holding area 113 from the article holding area 113. It is discharged to the defective chute below through the outlet 114.

(4) At the boxing station, the article fixture 1
The sheet bag 1 in 10 is gripped by a robot hand, and thereafter, the holding of the sheet bag 1 by the article holding member 115 of the article fixing tool 110 is released, and the sheet bag 1 is horizontally oriented by the robot hand. Entrance / exit 114
Then, the sheet bag 1 whose grip by the robot hand is released is packed in an empty box by a chute.

(One Side Open / Close Type Article Fixing Tool) (FIG. 8) The difference between the article fixing tool 130 and the article fixing tool 110 is 2
The article holding member 115 is provided only on one of the side plates 112, 112, and the grip portion 11 of the article holding member 115 is provided.
It is only to hold and release the sheet bag 1 by abutting and separating 8 from the inner surface of the other side plate 112.

(Roller-Retaining Article Fixing Tool) (FIGS. 9 to 12) In the article fixing tool 140, two side plates 142 and 142 are provided upright on the left and right sides of the bottom plate 141, and between the side plates 142 and 142. The article holding region 143 having a triangular shape is formed so as to fit the vertical cross-sectional shape of the triangular sheet bag 1. Here, the article fixture 140 has a magnet 141A embedded in the bottom plate 141, and is attracted by a magnetic attraction force generated between the article fixture 140 and the transport path for the article fixture 140, and is erected along each transport path. It can be stably transported in various transport postures such as 180 degree upside down or 90 degree rollover.

The article fixture 140 has an article inlet / outlet 144 for inserting / removing the sheet bag 1 into / from the article holding region 143, which is opened in both the front and rear sides of the article fixture 140.

Further, the article fixture 140 includes the side plates 14
2, 142, article holding rollers 145 (article holding members) made of an elastic material such as rubber are rotatably incorporated in both sides of the upper end opposite to each other with the article holding area 143 sandwiched therebetween. The sheet bags 1 can be sandwiched and held together.

At this time, each side plate 14 of the article fixture 140
2 is a stopper 14 corresponding to each article holding roller 145.
6 is provided at the tip of the swing lever 147, and (a) the spring 1
The stopper 146 is pressed against the article holding roller 145 by means of 48 to fix the roller 145 so that the sheet bag 1 sandwiched between the opposing rollers 145 can be fixedly held (see FIG. )), (B) Each side plate 142
The pin 149 projecting to the outside of the spring causes the stopper 146 to move away from the article holding roller 145 by swinging the swing lever 147 against the spring force of the spring 148 so that the roller 145 can rotate freely. The sheet bag 1 can be freely laterally moved between the rollers 145 (FIG. 10B). The pin 149 is an article fixture 140.
Is pushed by the guide plate 150 installed at a predetermined position along the transport path for the swing lever 1
It is adapted to be pushed in the direction of swinging 47. In addition, the stopper 146 is used for the article holding roller 1 facing the stopper 146.
It is sufficient that it is provided only on one side of 45.

Therefore, in the above item (b), the article fixture 140 is arranged such that the pair of opening devices 151 such as a vacuum pad and the like are outwardly directed to the two body sheets facing each other at the upper middle portion of the sheet bag 1. When the tensile force of is applied, the sheet bag 1
Both side portions of the sheet move laterally inwardly between the opposing article holding rollers 145, and the middle portion thereof spreads outward and opens (FIG. 10D).

In the article fixture 140, the central portion of the upper end of each side plate 142 is sandwiched by the article holding roller 145 built-in portions on both sides thereof to form a concave portion 152.
Is an expansion work area for the upper middle portion of the sheet bag 1 which is expanded outward by the opening device 151.

Further, the article fixing device 140 includes the both side plates 14
A through window portion 153 is formed in the middle to the lower end portion of the second and second portions 142 (FIG. 9 (B)).
3 into the article holding area 143, pressurizing force is applied to both sides of the sheet bag 1 held in the article holding area 143 in a clamped state, and a leak inspection can be performed. The pressure member may be incorporated in the article fixture 140 or may be fixedly set at the leak inspection station.

That is, when the article fixture 140 is applied to, for example, a filling and packaging line, the following (1) to (4) are performed.

(1) When the pin 149 of the article fixture 140 is pushed by the guide plate 150 at the bag supply station to swing the swing lever 147 to make the article holding roller 145 idle, The supply hand 154 inserts the sheet bag 1 between the article holding rollers 145 that face each other from the article inlet / outlet 144 that opens in the lateral direction of the article holding area 143. After that, the pushing of the pin 149 by the guide plate 150 is released, and the opposing article holding rollers 145 are fixed by the spring force of the spring 148, and both side portions of the sheet bag 1 near the upper end are held. At this time, the sheet bag 1 is set so that the upper end opening portion that is heat-sealed in a later step projects upward and outward from the side plate 142 of the article fixture 140 (FIG. 11).

(2) At the filling station, the article fixture 1
When the pin 149 at 40 is pushed by the guide plate 150 and the swing lever 147 is swung to put the article holding roller 145 in the idle state, the opening device 151 faces the upper end middle portion of the sheet bag 1. When an outward pulling force is applied to each of the body sheets of the sheet, the article holding rollers 14 in which both sides of the sheet bag 1 face each other.
It moves laterally inward between 5 and the middle part thereof is expanded outward to open it. Under this condition, the filling nozzle 1
55 penetrates into the bag through the opening and fills the specified amount of contents.

The filling nozzle 155 completes the filling and is pulled out from the opening of the sheet bag 1, the opening device 151 pushes back the two body sheets of the sheet bag 1, and the grip hands 159 on both sides move the sheet bag 1. When both edges are pulled laterally outwardly and the openings are overlapped in a flat shape, the pushing of the pin 149 by the guide plate 150 is released, and the opposing article holding roller 145 is fixed by the spring force of the spring 148, and the sheet is fixed. The two body sheets of the bag 1 are held flat (FIG. 11).

(3) At the sealing station, the upper end openings of the two body sheets, which are flatly held by the article holding rollers 145 of the article fixture 140, project upward and outward from the side plates 142. A pair of heat seal bars 1
56 heats by pinching and heat sealing to form the seal portion 1A (FIG. 12).

(4) At the boxing station, the article fixing device 1
While holding the sheet bag 1 in 40 by the robot hand 157 and swinging the swing lever 147 by pushing the pin 149 by the guide plate 150, the article holding roller 145 is set in the idle state and only the article fixing tool 140 is provided. The sheet bag 1 gripped by the robot hand 157 is taken out from between the opposing article holding rollers 145 in the article fixture 140 through the lateral article inlet / outlet 144 to the outside. Sheet bag 1 released from gripping by the robot hand 157
Are packed in empty boxes with a chute (Fig. 12).

In addition, between the above (3) and (4), the leak inspection and defective product discharge as described in each of the embodiments can be performed in the same manner as in each of the embodiments.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and changes in design within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention can be made. Even if it exists, it is included in the present invention. For example, the article is not limited to a self-supporting soft bag, and various containers such as a non-self-supporting soft bag or a hard bottle can be adopted. The article entrance / exit provided in the article fixture may be provided only on one side of the article holding area.

[0092]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the workability of inserting and taking out an article from the article holding area of the article fixture.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily adapt the level of the treated portion above the article to the mechanical level of the filling machine, the capper, the caser, etc. without changing the article height.

Further, according to the present invention, when the article is formed into a sheet bag, the sheet bag can be tensioned in the opening width direction while the sheet bag is inserted into the article fixing tool, and the workability of sealing the opening is improved. Can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, when the article is a sheet bag, the opening can be opened and operated after the sheet bag is inserted into the article fixing tool, and the workability of inserting the sheet bag can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a filling and packaging line.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a filling and packaging line.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of an article fixing device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an operation mode of the article fixing device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a bag inserting and filling process.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a leakage inspection process.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a double-sided opening / closing-type article fixing device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a one-sided opening / closing type article fixing device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a roller holding type article fixing device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an operation mode of a roller holding type article fixing device.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a bag inserting and filling process.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a bag sealing and discharging process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 sheet bag (article) 20 article fixing tool 23 article holding area 24 article entrance / exit 25 article holding member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An article holding region is formed in an article fixing tool, and the article can be inserted into the article holding area in a process of moving the article fixing tool in a lateral direction along an article carrying path and holding and carrying the article. In the article fixing device, the article fixing device is characterized in that an article inlet / outlet for inserting / removing an article into / from an article holding region of the article fixing device is opened in a lateral direction of the article fixing device. 2. The article fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the article fixing device includes an article holding member on an upper portion of the article holding region, and the article holding member can hold the article on the basis of the upper portion of the article holding member. 3. The article is a top-opening sheet bag, and the article holding member of the article fixture holds both side portions of the top-opening sheet bag near the top end, and both sides thereof approach in the opening width direction. 3. Holding in a state where it is possible to move away from one another.
Item fixing device described. 4. When the opening force is applied to the opposing sheets of the upper-end opening sheet bag held by the article holding member, the both sides of the sheet bag are brought closer to each other. The article fixing device according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate portion can be opened.