JPH0834512A - Can feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the processing speed corresponding to the performance of a printing machine by providing the first star wheel and the second star wheel having the second can holding recesses and feeding cans to the first can holding recesses at two or more positions in the peripheral direction of the rotating first star wheel. CONSTITUTION:When a star wheel 10 is rotated by 30 deg., star wheels 11, 12, 13 are rotated by 60 deg.. Pockets 2a of the star wheel 12 holding no aluminum can are engaged with the aluminum cans 3d held by the star wheel 10 from the star wheel 13, and the star wheels 10, 12 are rotated. The aluminum cans fed from the first infield and the second infield can be fed to the star wheel 10 at two positions by the star wheels 11, 12, 13. The revolving speed of the star wheel 10 is increased to about twice, the number of the aluminum cans in the discharging direction, i.e., the number of the aluminum cans capable of being fed to a printing machine can be increased to about twice, and the processing speed corresponding to the performance of the printing machine during the printing process can be attained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a can supply device used, for example, in supplying a can, which has completed a previous process, to a next process in the process of manufacturing a can.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the process of manufacturing an aluminum can of beer or the like, there is a printing step of performing a predetermined printing on the aluminum can. In such a printing process, a star wheel is used to sequentially supply aluminum cans that have undergone the previous process to a printing machine as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of supplying the aluminum can 3 to the printing machine by using the star wheel 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the star wheel 1 has twelve pockets 2 each having a semicircular cross section, and sequentially adsorbs aluminum cans 3 falling from the infeed direction according to gravity into the pockets 2. , When the pocket 2 that has sucked the aluminum can 3 reaches a predetermined rotation position, the suction is released, so that the aluminum can 3 is sequentially carried out in the discharge direction. By using such a star wheel 1, the aluminum can 3 falling from the previous step can be turned in a predetermined direction and supplied to the printing machine at a predetermined supply speed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example in which an aluminum can 3 is combined with a star wheel 1 and a star wheel 4 and supplied to a printing machine. In FIG. 6, the aluminum can 3 falling from the previous step is supplied to the star wheel 1 via the star wheel 4. At this time, in order to supply the aluminum cans 3 to all the pockets 2 of the star wheel 1,
The star wheel 4 makes four revolutions while the star wheel 1 makes one revolution. In addition, when the aluminum can 3 is supplied from the star wheel 4 to the star wheel 1, the star wheels 1, 4
In order to make the tangential velocities near the outer circumference of the star wheel substantially equal, the outer diameter of the star wheel 4 is set to about ¼ times the outer diameter of the star wheel 1, and the star wheel 1 rotates counterclockwise and clockwise. If such a structure is used, the star wheel 1 which is the point which delivers the aluminum can 3
And the star wheel 4 are closest to each other, the rotating directions and peripheral velocities of the star wheel 1 and the star wheel 4 are equal, and the aluminum can 3 is smoothly transferred from the star wheel 4 to the star wheel 1.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional method of supplying an aluminum can to a printing machine, the can supply speed is limited by the falling speed of the aluminum can, and it is difficult to improve the falling speed. Therefore, the amount of aluminum cans that can be supplied to the printing machine per unit time cannot be increased. On the other hand, with the recent progress in printing press technology, the amount of aluminum cans that the printing press can process per unit time is increasing, and the amount of aluminum cans that can be supplied to the printing press is It is larger than the quantity. As a result, it was not possible to obtain a processing speed suitable for the performance of the printing machine in the printing process.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is possible to improve the supply speed of the cans and obtain a processing speed suitable for the performance of the printing machine in the printing process of the manufacturing process of the aluminum cans. It is an object of the present invention to provide a can supply device.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and achieve the above-mentioned object, the can supply device of the present invention is provided with a plurality of first can-holding devices along the circumference. A first star wheel having a concave portion and rotating in a first direction, and two or more cans that are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction of the first star wheel and are sent in series are held one by one. And a second can holding concave portion for rotating the first canister which is sent in series by rotating in a direction opposite to the first direction, in the circumferential direction of the rotating first star wheel. And a second star wheel that supplies the first can holding recess at two or more different positions.

At this time, for example, a device for the next process is provided in the vicinity of the first star wheel, and the cans sent in series from the device for the previous process are the first cans of the first star wheel. It is configured to be processed by the device in the next step while being held in the holding recess. Further, for example, the input port of the apparatus for the next step is provided at a position where the holding state of the can by the first can holding recess of the first star wheel is released, and the input is sent in series from the apparatus for the previous step. The can may be held in the first can holding recess up to a position where a predetermined rotation angle is reached, the holding state may be released at that position, and the can may be supplied to the input port of the apparatus for the next step.

In each of the second star wheels of the can supply device of the present invention, specifically, the cans sent in series are supplied to the first can holding recesses every other one. To do.

Further, the first star wheel and the second star wheel in the can supply device of the present invention specifically rotate about an axis positioned substantially orthogonal to the direction in which gravity is applied, In the second star wheel,
The cans are sent in series at a speed according to their gravity.

[0010]

In the can supply device of the present invention, for example, the cans are processed in parallel in the preceding step by using a plurality of devices, and the cans processed in parallel fall freely from each device, for example, according to its own weight. Then, they are supplied to the corresponding second star wheels that rotate in the direction opposite to the first direction, and are respectively held in the second can holding recesses of the second star wheel. Then, the cans held in the second can-holding recesses of the plurality of second star wheels rotate in response to the rotation of the second star wheel, and are moved from different positions around the first star wheel to the first position. Is supplied to the first star wheel that rotates in the direction of and is held in the first can holding recesses, for example, every other one. Then, when the can held on the first star wheel is rotationally moved to a position corresponding to the device for performing the next process, for example, the holding state is released and the can is supplied to the device for performing the next process.

[0011]

EXAMPLE A can supply device according to an example of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one state of the can supply device of the present embodiment in the can conveying process. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the state of the can supply device when the star wheel 10 rotates about 30 ° from the state shown in FIG. The can supply device is used, for example, for carrying in an aluminum can that has undergone the previous process in a printing process in which a predetermined printing is performed on an aluminum can using a printing machine as shown in FIG.
At this time, the aluminum can that has completed the previous process is dropped from, for example, the output port of two devices that perform the previous process in parallel, and is carried into the can supply device from the first infeed and the second infeed, respectively. It Therefore, the speed of the aluminum can carried in from the first infeed and the second infeed becomes a speed corresponding to the weight of the aluminum can.
The aluminum can output from the can supply device is input to the printing machine shown in FIG. 7 from the can entrance side 50, rotates while being attracted to the wheel 52, and the inkjets 51a, 51b, 51
Each color is printed in sequence by c and 51d.
Output from

As shown in FIG. 1, the can supply device of this embodiment comprises star wheels 10, 11, 12, and 13. Here, the star wheels 10 and 11 are counterclockwise,
The star wheels 12 and 13 rotate clockwise. The star wheel 11 is provided with three pockets 2 at equal intervals of 120 ° along the outer circumference. Each pocket 2 has a structure capable of holding an aluminum can 3 by, for example, a suction method, and sequentially holds and holds the aluminum cans 3 that have been dropped from the previous process and carried in from the first infeed. When the held pocket 2 reaches the rotation position closest to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 12 arranged adjacently, the suction is sequentially released, and the aluminum can 3 is placed in the pocket 2 of the star wheel 12 already in the suction state. Are delivered in sequence. At this time, the star wheel 11 makes two revolutions while the star wheel 10 makes one revolution.

An example of the suction mechanism is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the pipe 6 is attached so as to face the star wheel 10 corresponding to the area holding the aluminum can 3.
And a plurality of openings 5 provided in the star wheel 10 corresponding to the positions of the pockets 2 are connected to the pipe 6 in accordance with the rotation of the star wheel 10. In this mechanism, the suction force is transmitted from the pipe 6 to the opening 5 connected to the pipe 6 according to the rotation position of the star wheel 10, and the pockets 2 corresponding to these openings 5 are in the suction state.

The star wheel 13 is the star wheel 11.
A star having the same structure as the above, which sequentially adsorbs and holds the aluminum cans 3 dropped from the previous step and carried in from the second infeed, and the pockets 2 holding the aluminum cans 3 are arranged adjacent to each other. When the rotation position closest to the pocket 2 of the wheel 10 is reached, the adsorption is sequentially released, and the aluminum cans 3 are sequentially delivered to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 10 which is already in the adsorption state. At this time, the star wheel 13
Rotates twice while the star wheel 10 makes one rotation. Therefore, while the star wheel 13 rotates 120 °, that is, between the time the star wheel 13 transfers the aluminum can 3 to the star wheel 10 and the next aluminum can 3 is transferred to the star wheel 10, the star wheel 10 rotates 60 °. Therefore, every other aluminum tube 3 is transferred from the star wheel 13 to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 10.

The star wheel 12 is the star wheel 11.
The outer diameter is, for example, 1.5 times, and six pockets 2 are provided at regular intervals of 60 ° along the outer circumference. Each pocket 2 of the star wheel 12 is configured to be able to hold the aluminum can 3 by, for example, a suction method, and when it reaches the rotation position closest to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 11 holding the aluminum can 3, the pocket 2 concerned. The pocket 2 closest to is held in the suction state, and the aluminum cans 3 are sequentially held in the pocket 2. At this time, the rotation speed of the star wheel 12 is equal to the rotation speed of the star wheel 11, for example, and the aluminum cans 3 are transferred from the star wheel 11 to the pockets 2 of the star wheel 12 every other one. Then, the pocket 2 holding the aluminum can 3 of the star wheel 12 releases the suction state when reaching the rotation position closest to the star wheel 10, and transfers the aluminum can 3 to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 10.

At this time, the timing of rotation of the star wheels 11, 12 is such that the aluminum cans 3 are supplied to the pockets 2 not supplied from the star wheels 13 located every other one of the pockets 2 of the star wheel 10. Is determined to be supplied. In this way, by supplying the aluminum can 3 from the star wheel 11 to the star wheel 10 through the star wheel 12, the pocket 2 holding the aluminum can 3 among the pockets 2 of the star wheel 10 is the most adjacent to the star wheel 12. When approaching, the pocket 2 of the star wheel 12 in which the aluminum can 3 is not held is located at the approach point. As a result, when supplying the aluminum can 3 to the star wheel 10,
Supplied from Star Wheel 13 Star Wheel 10
Aluminum wheel 3 already held by the star wheel 1
It is possible to properly avoid the contact of the aluminum can 3 held by 2.

The star wheel 10 is the star wheel 1.
For example, it has an outer diameter twice as large as 1, and each has an outer diameter of 1
Twelve pockets 2 are provided at equal intervals of 5 °. Each pocket 2 of the star wheel 10 has an aluminum can 3
Can be held by, for example, a suction method, and the aluminum can 3
At the rotation position closest to the pocket 2 of the star wheel 12, 13 holding the aluminum can 3
Hold. Then, by releasing the suction of the held aluminum can 3 at a predetermined rotation position, the aluminum can 3 is discharged in the discharge direction and sequentially supplied to the printing machine.

The operation of the can supply device will be described. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the can supply device has the star wheel 1
The aluminum can 3a is delivered from 1 to the star wheel 12, the aluminum can 3b from the star wheel 12 to the star wheel 10, and the aluminum can 3c from the star wheel 13 to the star wheel 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, when the star wheel 10 is rotated 30 ° from the state shown in FIG. 1, the star wheels 11, 12, and 13 are rotated by 60 °.
° rotate. At this time, the pocket 2a of the star wheel 12 not holding the aluminum can is
The aluminum can 3d, which is already held by the star wheel 10, is rotated while being accurately meshed with the aluminum can 3d. As a result, the star wheels 10 and 12 rotate smoothly.
The aluminum cans 3f and 3e held by the star wheels 12 and 13 do not collide with the star wheel 10.

As described above, according to the can supply device of the present embodiment, the aluminum cans 3 which are supplied by freely falling from the first infeed and the second infeed are used with the star wheels 11, 12, and 13. By that, Star Wheel 10
Can be supplied from two locations. As a result, the number of aluminum cans that can be output in the discharge direction per unit time, that is, the number of aluminum cans that can be supplied to the printing machine can be doubled by increasing the rotation speed of the star wheel 10 to twice the conventional speed. It is possible to obtain a processing speed suitable for the performance of the printing machine in the printing process. Further, when supplying the same number of aluminum cans to the printing machine, the rotation speed of the star wheel 10 can be halved as compared with the conventional transfer device, and the transfer speed is increased due to the increase of the rotation speed of the star wheel 10. It is possible to suppress the damage of the aluminum can at the time.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the printing machine for performing the next step is arranged in the discharge direction is illustrated. For example, in FIG. 1 and FIG. As shown, the printing machine 19 is arranged at a position where the aluminum can 3 is held in the pocket 2 in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the star wheel 10, and the printing process is performed while the aluminum can 3 is held in the pocket 2 of the star wheel 10. You may do it.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the can supply device used for supplying the aluminum can falling from the previous step to the printing machine has been described. The can supply device of the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG. ) May be used for a necker flanger as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the necker flanger is a star wheel 20a, 20b, 20 that rotates about a rotation axis that is provided parallel to the direction in which gravity is applied.
This is a device in which c and 20d are arranged in series and a process for connecting the aluminum can body and the can lid is carried while the can is carried along the carrying path 21 shown by the dotted line. At this time, the first
By providing an aluminum can from the star wheels 22a and 22b to the star wheel 20a located at the stage, as compared with the case where only one of the star wheels 22a and 22b is used,
It is possible to reduce the number of rotations of b, and it is possible to suppress damage to the aluminum can during transportation of the aluminum can.

The can supply device of the present invention is shown in FIG.
It can also be used in a light tester as shown in. As shown in FIG. 4B, the light tester includes the optical tester unit 2
In 4, the light leakage is detected for the aluminum can that is sequentially rotated and moved to the inspection position by the star wheel 24 to inspect whether the aluminum can has a damaged portion that causes leakage of the contents. Even in such a light tester, by using the star wheels 25a and 25b to supply the aluminum cans to the star wheel 24, the star wheel 25a can be compared with the case where only one of the star wheels 25a and 25b is used. , 25b, the number of revolutions of the aluminum can can be reduced, and damage to the aluminum can during transportation of the aluminum can can be suppressed.

The arrangement of the star wheels 11, 12 and 13 is not limited to the case of FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, and can be freely changed to a position around the star wheel 10 where there is no device interference. Also, the aluminum can 3 on the star wheel 11
You may provide three or more star wheels for supplying. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pocket provided in the star wheel is exemplified by the pocket 2 having a semicircular cross section as shown in FIG. 1, but the pockets between the star wheels when the aluminum can 3 is transferred. When the speeds in the tangential direction are different, for example, a pocket 27 having a hook portion 26 as shown in FIG. 4C may be used.

[0024]

As described above, according to the can supply device of the present invention, in the process of manufacturing a can, for example, when the can is carried out from the previous process at a conveying speed according to its own weight, etc. Even when it is difficult to improve the unloading speed, the number of cans that can be unloaded for the next process can be increased in a unit time, and the processing speed suitable for the performance of the equipment used in the next process can be set in the next process. Can be obtained at. Also, according to the can supply device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the rotation speed of the star wheel, and it is possible to suppress damage to the can during the transportation process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a state of a can supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention during a can conveying process.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state of the can supply device after a predetermined time has elapsed from the state shown in FIG.

3A is a plan view of the suction mechanism provided on the star wheel, and FIG. 3B is a sectional line A- of the suction mechanism shown in FIG.
It is a sectional view in A.

FIG. 4A is a diagram for explaining an example in which the can supply device of the present invention is used in a necker flanger, and FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining an example in which the can supply device of the present invention is used in a light tester. FIG. 1C is a diagram for explaining another example of the star wheel pocket.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a conventional can supply device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another example of the conventional can supply device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a printing machine in which cans are supplied from a can supply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20a to 20d, 2
2a, 22b, 24, 25a, 25b ... Star wheel 2, 2a, 27 ... Pocket 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d ... Aluminum can 5 ... Opening portion 6 ... Pipe 19. ··Printer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first star wheel having a plurality of first can-holding recesses along its circumference and rotating in a first direction, and at different positions in the circumferential direction of said first star wheel. It has two or more second can holding recesses for holding the cans sent in series one by one, and the cans are sent in series by rotating in a direction opposite to the first direction. A can supply device having a second star wheel that supplies an incoming can to the first can holding recess at two or more different positions in the circumferential direction of the rotating first star wheel. 2. Each of the second star wheels comprises:
The can supply device according to claim 1, wherein every other can supplied in series is supplied to the first can holding recess. 3. The first star wheel and the second star wheel
2. The star wheel of No. 1 rotates about an axis positioned substantially orthogonal to the direction in which gravity is applied, and the cans are sent in series to the second star wheel at a speed according to the gravity. The can supply device according to claim 2. 4. The first star wheel and the second star wheel.
3. The can supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the star wheel rotates about an axis positioned substantially parallel to a direction in which gravity is applied.