JPH0885617A - Article aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the extent of aligning probability at the time when articles are aligned by ascending current in an aligning cylinder. CONSTITUTION: The cap aligning feeder is made up by mounting an air current blowoff nozzle 68 around a cap shifting route lying between a picking pocket 49 of a cap picking device and an aligning cylinder 53 and/or between this aligning cylinder 53 and a cap holding part 54.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article aligning machine for aligning articles such as caps.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an article arranging machine for arranging articles cut out from an article cutting device, an aligning cylinder is arranged at the exit side of a cutting pocket of the article cutting device, and an article holding portion is provided at the exit side of the aligning cylinder. It is possible to arrange one. Then, at this time, as the method of aligning the articles, as described in JP-B-57-36207, articles cut out from the cutting pocket of the article cutting device are thrown into the ascending airflow in the aligning cylinder, After the postures of the articles are aligned in a substantially constant direction by the upward airflow, the upward airflow may be stopped or decelerated, and the articles may be sucked and held by the article holder in the aligned posture.

[0003]

However, in the above-described article aligning machine, gaps are provided between the cutting pocket of the article cutting device and the aligning cylinder, and between the aligning cylinder and the article holding portion, and It is necessary to secure air entrainment and air bleeding from the periphery and to generate a necessary and sufficient updraft for aligning articles in the aligning cylinder.

However, depending on the shape and weight of the articles, it is difficult to secure an updraft that can always stably align the articles only by adjusting the above-mentioned gap size provided above and below the aligning cylinder. In addition, there is a possibility that misalignment may occur such as the articles jumping out or being pinched from the above-mentioned voids provided above and below the aligning cylinder.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the alignment probability when the articles are aligned by the ascending airflow in the alignment cylinder.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an aligning cylinder is arranged on the outlet side of a cutting pocket of an article cutting device, and an article holding portion is arranged on the exit side of the aligning cylinder. The article cut out from the exit pocket is thrown into the ascending airflow in the aligning cylinder, the attitude of the article is aligned in a substantially constant direction by the ascending airflow, and then the ascending airflow is stopped or decelerated, and the article is In an article aligning machine that sucks and holds an article holding unit in an aligned posture, around an article moving path between a cutting pocket of an article cutting device and an aligning cylinder, and / or between an aligning cylinder and an article holding unit. An airflow blowing nozzle is arranged around the article moving path, and the airflow blown by the airflow blowing nozzle is blown to the article moving path so that the article posture alignment action by the ascending airflow can be complemented.

[0007]

With the air flow blown by the air flow blowing nozzle, the postures of the articles moving in the article movement paths above and below the aligning cylinder can be controlled, and the article posture aligning action by the ascending airflow in the aligning cylinder can be complemented. At this time, the air flow blown out from the nozzle exerts on the inside of the aligning cylinder and the inside of the article holding unit by adjusting the direction of the nozzle, and the article posture inside the aligning cylinder and inside the article holding unit can be well controlled. . Therefore, articles of various shapes and weights can be stably aligned by adjusting the flow rate and direction of air blown out from the nozzle according to the shape and weight of the articles.

Since the air flow blowing nozzles are arranged around the article moving paths above and below the aligning cylinder, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of misalignment in which the articles fly out or are caught in the gaps above and below the aligning cylinder.

[0009]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid filling and packaging facility, FIG.
Is a layout diagram illustrating a cap aligning and feeding machine, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a magnetic transport device, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a magnetic transport device, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a process diagram showing a cap aligning and feeding machine, and FIG.
Is a schematic diagram showing an example of a transport cylinder and an air flow blowing nozzle of the cap alignment supply device, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the air flow blowing nozzle of the cap alignment supply device, FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a cap transport device, FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an air nozzle for blowing off the cap of the cap alignment feeder, FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure, FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure, FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure, FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure, and FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure.

(Liquid filling and packaging equipment) (FIG. 1) In the liquid filling and packaging equipment 10, a bottle 1 is filled with a liquid such as a detergent, then a cap 2 is attached to the bottle 1, and the bottle 1 with the cap 2 is attached. It is to be packed in the packaging box 3. The liquid filling / packaging facility 10 includes a bottle aligning / supplying machine 11, a bottle conveying tool conveying conveyor 12, a cap aligning / supplying machine 13, a cap conveying tool conveying conveyor 14, a filling machine 15, a cap mounting machine 16, a box making machine 17, a box. Packing machine 18
have.

The filling / packaging process by the liquid filling / packaging facility 10 is performed as follows (1) to (5). (1) In the bottle aligning and supplying machine 11, the bottles 1 are aligned and transferred onto the empty bottle carrier 19 introduced by the bottle carrier conveyor 12, and the bottle carrier 19 on which the bottle 1 is transferred is transferred. The bottle carrier is discharged by the carrier conveyor 12.

(2) In the cap aligning / supplying machine 13, the caps 2 are aligned and transferred to the empty cap carrier 21 introduced by the cap carrier conveyor 14, and the cap transported with the caps 2 is transferred. The tool 21 is discharged by the cap carrier transport conveyor 14.

(3) The filling machine 15 fills the bottle 1 in the bottle carrier 19 delivered from the bottle carrier conveyor 12 with liquid.

(4) In the cap mounting machine 16, the liquid-filled bottle 1 in the bottle carrier 19 delivered from the filling machine 15 is placed in the cap carrier 21 delivered from the cap carrier conveyor 14. Take out the cap 2 and attach it. Here, the cap transport tool 21 that has been emptied by removing the cap 2 is again returned by the cap transport tool transport conveyor 14 to the cap aligning feeder 1 of (2) above.
Introduced in 3.

(5) The box making machine 17 makes a box and supplies this box to the boxing machine 18. In the boxing machine 18, the bottle 1 fitted with the cap 2 in the above (4) is taken out from the bottle carrier 19, and the bottle 1 is packed in the packaging box 3. Here, the bottle carrier 1 that has been emptied by taking out the bottle 1
9 is again carried out by the bottle conveyor tool conveyor 12.
It is introduced into the bottle alignment feeder 11 of (1).

(Cap aligning and supplying machine) (FIGS. 2 to 5 and 9) The liquid filling and packaging facility 10 is, as shown in FIG. 2, a cap carrier tool introduction line 14 of the cap carrier tool carrier conveyor 14.
Left and right 1 on both sides of A and cap carrier discharge line 14B
A set of cap alignment feeders 13 is installed. The cap aligning and feeding machine 13 has a cap carrier tool introduction line 14 via the introduction wheel 22 in the cap carrier tool introduction unit 13A.
A is connected, and the cap carrier 21 is introduced into the cap aligning / feeding machine 13. In addition, the cap alignment feeder 13
The discharge wheels 23 and 2 are attached to the cap transport tool discharge portion 13B.
The cap transport tool discharge line 14B is connected via 4 and the cap transport tool 21 having the cap 2 transferred therein is discharged from the cap alignment feeder 13 in the cap alignment feeder 13.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cap transfer tool 21 has
Gripping claws 21B, 21 supported by the main body 21A and capable of expanding and contracting
The grip claw 2 is provided by a piston 21D that is equipped with B and is urged upward by a spring 21C built in the main body 21A.
1B and 21B are always elastically expanded. The cap 2 has gripping claws 21B, 21 elastically bulged in the radial direction.
It is fitted around B and grasped. Incidentally, the cap carrier 2
1 has a magnetic body 21E at the center of the lower surface of the piston 21D.

At this time, the cap aligning and feeding machine 13 successively transfers a large number of cap transport tools 21 continuously introduced from the cap transport tool introduction line 14A from the cap transport tool introduction section 13A to the cap transport tool discharge section 13B. It is provided with a cap transport tool moving line 25 that can be moved. The cap aligning and supplying machine 13 includes a large number of cap carrier tool mounting tables 26 on the cap carrier tool moving line 25.
The cap carrier 21 can be held on the cap carrier mounting table 26 (FIG. 5).

In the cap aligning / feeding machine 13, the cap carrier 2 includes a cap carrier introduction line 14A, an introduction wheel 22, a cap carrier movement line 25, discharge wheels 23 and 24, and a cap carrier discharge line 14B.
As the transport positioning means of No. 1, a magnetic transport device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is used.

That is, the cap conveyor transport conveyor 14
In (14A, 14B), the cap transport tool 21 is placed on the transport belt 31 that moves along a certain movement path and is transported. At this time, the conveyor 14 has an article guide magnet (not shown) disposed at a lower position along the article moving path of the conveyor belt 31 via a non-magnetic belt receiver. The cap carrier 21 placed on the conveyor 14 has the above-described magnetic material 21 at the center of the lower surface thereof.
While E is adsorbed by the above-mentioned article guide magnet, it is conveyed together with the conveyor belt 31.

Then, the conveyor 14A and the introduction wheel 2
3A, the cap carrier 21 has a magnetic plate (iron plate) 32A provided on one side surface of the cap carrier 21, as shown in FIG.
It is adsorbed by the permanent magnets 34 located on the carrier holding surface 33A and is taken into the introduction wheel 22 from the conveyor 14A. Cap transport tool 2 taken into the introduction wheel 22
1 is held and moved by the carrier holder 33 by the above-mentioned permanent magnet 34.

Next, at the connection between the introduction wheel 22 and the cap carrier moving line 25 of the cap aligning / feeding machine 13, the cap carrier 21 is provided on the other of the side surfaces as shown in FIG. Magnetic plate (iron plate) 32B
Are attracted to the permanent magnets 35 provided in each cap carrier mounting table 26 of the cap alignment feeder 13. At the same time as or immediately after the magnetic plate 32B of the cap carrier 21 is attracted to the permanent magnet 35 of the cap carrier mounting table 26, the permanent magnets 34 included in the carrier holders 33 of the introduction wheel 22 have the permanent magnets shown in FIG. As shown in B), the magnet support member 34
The cam follower 34B coupled to A and the cam 34C installed around the introduction wheel 22 are separated from the transport tool holding surface 33A of the transport tool holding portion 33 by the engaging operation. As a result, the cap transfer tool 21 is attracted only by the permanent magnets 35 of the cap transfer tool mounting bases 26 of the cap alignment feeder 13, and as a result, the cap transfer tools 21 are taken into the cap transfer tool mounting bases 26 from the introduction wheel 22. . In the introduction wheel 22, the support member 34A of the permanent magnet 34 is pushed back by the spring 34D, and the transport tool holding surface 33A is returned to the initial position. The cap transfer tool 21 taken into each cap transfer tool mounting table 26 is held and moved by the above-mentioned permanent magnet 35 on the cap transfer tool mounting table 26.

Next, at the connection between the cap transfer tool moving line 25 of the cap aligning / feeding machine 13 and the discharge wheel 23, the cap transfer tool 21, as shown in FIG. It is attracted by the attraction force of the fixed magnet 36 (greater than the attraction force of the permanent magnet 35 on the side of the cap aligning and supplying device 13), and is taken out from the cap carrier mounting table 26 of the cap aligning and supplying device 13. The cap carrier 21 taken out from the cap aligning and supplying device 13 has its magnetic body 21E attached to a magnet rail 37 installed along the cap carrier tool carrying line of the discharge wheels 23 and 24.
Is sucked and guided, and the discharge wheel 2
It is taken into the tooth profile 23A, 24A on the outer periphery of the 3, 24, and the conveyance pitch thereof is made constant to move.

Next, the discharge wheel 24 and the conveyor 14B
At the connection portion with the cap conveying tool 21,
E is attracted by the above-described article guide magnet on the side of the conveyor 14B, and is taken into the conveyor 14B from the discharge wheel 24 and discharged.

Hereinafter, in the cap aligning and feeding machine 13,
The (A) cap cutting device, (B) cap aligning device, and (C) cap rejecting device will be described. (A) Cap cutting device (FIG. 5, FIG. 7 to FIG. 10) The cap aligning and feeding machine 13 is, as shown in FIG.
A horizontal swivel base 43 is rotatably provided around the vertical support shaft 42. On the other hand, a tilt support shaft 44 is provided above the vertical support shaft 42 of the gantry 41, and a tilt swivel plate 45 is rotatable about the tilt support shaft 44. The inclined swivel plate 45 is a horizontal gear 46A provided on the horizontal swivel base 43.
And the tilting gear 4 provided below the tilting swivel plate 45.
It swings in synchronization with the horizontal swivel base 43 through the engagement with 6B.

The cap aligning and feeding machine 13 includes a tilting swivel plate 4
5, the cap cutting drum 47 fixedly arranged around the outer circumference
Is fixed to a pedestal 41, and a lower plate 48 is fixedly arranged on the inner peripheral portion of the lower portion of the drum 47. The cap alignment feeder 13 is provided with a large number of recessed cutout pockets 49 at equal intervals on the outer edge portion of the inclined swivel plate 45, and the cutout pockets 49 are provided in the cap transfer tool moving line 25 described above. It is possible to circulate and move in a circular shape by turning the inclined turning plate 45 while corresponding to the cap carrying tool 21 on the cap carrying tool placement table 26. The recessed bottom portion of each cutout pocket 49 is closed by the lower plate 48 described above.

At this time, the cap 2 to be inserted by the cap inserter 50 (FIG. 1) is accommodated on the inclined swivel plate 45 surrounded by the cap cutting drum 47, and the cap 2 is placed at the lowermost part of the inclined swivel plate 45. Has a large number of caps 2 stacked randomly. Then, when the cutout pocket 49 of the tilted swivel plate 45 passes through the lowermost part of the tilted swivel plate 45, one cap 2 is received in the cutout pocket 49.

On the other hand, an article cut-out area is set on the inclined upper part of the inclined swivel plate 45, and the lower plate 48 closing the recessed bottom of the cut-out pocket 49 is opened in this article cut-out area. It is a plate opening portion 48A. As a result, when the cutout pocket 49 of the inclined swivel plate 45 reaches the article cutout region described above, the cap 2 received in the cutout pocket 49 is received from the lower plate open portion 48A to the corresponding cap carrier 2.
Cut out to side 1 (conveying cylinder 51 of the cap aligning device),
As a result, this cap 2 corresponds to the corresponding cap carrier 21.
I am trying to reprint it.

(B) Cap alignment device (FIGS. 5, 7 to 1)
0) As shown in FIG. 5, the cap aligning and feeding device 13 includes a transport cylinder 51 corresponding to each of the cutout pockets 49 below the cutout pockets 49 of the inclined turning plate 45. Each transport cylinder 51
Is a lower plate 48 fixed to the cap cutting drum 47.
Is sandwiched between the corresponding cutting pockets 49 and circularly circulates with the cutting pocket 49 when the inclined swivel plate 45 turns. Therefore, the cutout pocket 49 of the inclined swivel plate 45 reaches the above-described article cutout region, and the cutout pocket 4
The cap 2 received in 9 is the opening 48A of the lower plate 48.
When the cap 2 is cut out from, the cut cap 2 is housed in the transport cylinder 51. At this time, a bottom plate 52 that closes the bottoms of the respective transport cylinders 51 is fixedly arranged on the pedestal 41 of the cap alignment feeder 13. An article loading area is set under the tilt of the tilt swivel plate 45, and the bottom plate 52 that closes the bottom of the transport cylinder 51 is opened in this article loading area to form a bottom plate opening portion 52A. As a result, when the transport cylinder 51 of the inclined swivel plate 45 reaches the above-mentioned article loading area, the cap 2 housed in the transport cylinder 51
Is put into the aligning cylinder 53, which will be described later, from the bottom plate opening portion 52A.

The transport cylinder 51 is provided with a large number of ventilation holes 51A in the cylinder wall. The ventilation hole 51A is provided in the transport cylinder 5.
The air flow of No. 1 is improved so that the flow rate of an ascending air flow in the aligning cylinder 53, which will be described later, can be sufficiently generated.

The cap aligning and feeding machine 13 is provided with
3 at a number of positions in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion, the alignment cylinder 53 arranged below the exit of the transport cylinder 51 at a position corresponding to each of the above-mentioned cutout pockets 49 and the transport cylinder 51, and the exit of the alignment cylinder 53. It is provided with the cap holding portion 54 arranged on the lower side, and the above-described cap carrier mounting base 26 arranged on the lower side of the cap holding portion 54.

The aligning cylinder 53 is provided with a vertical passage through which the cap 2 can freely rotate, and receives the cap 2 inserted from the conveying cylinder 51 in the above-mentioned article input area. The aligning cylinder 53 includes a cam follower 55B that engages with a cam 55A supported by the gantry 41. The cam follower 55B can be moved up and down within a certain range by following the cam 55A. That is, in the process of aligning the caps 2 with the aligning cylinder 53, the aligning cylinder 53 is set to the lowered position to keep the gap between the outlet of the aligning cylinder 53 and the cap holding portion 54 at a constant value. Then, in the process of reversing the cap holding portion 54, even if the cap holding portion 54 is reversed in an unexpected state in which the aligning cylinder 53 is set to the raised position and two or more caps 2 are supplied to the cap holding portion 54, Two or more caps 2 on the cap holder 54
Aligning cylinder 53 so that it does not interfere with aligning cylinder 53.
A large gap can be formed between the lower end of the cap and the cap holding portion 54.

The cap holding portion 54 has an aligned air outlet 54A and a suction nozzle 54B. The aligning air outlet 54A forms an ascending airflow in the vertical passage of the aligning cylinder 53, receives the cap 2 introduced from the conveying cylinder 51 in the ascending airflow, aligns the posture of the cap 2 in a certain direction, and then ascends the ascending airflow. Stop or decelerate the air flow, this cap 2
Is held in the cap holding portion 54 by vacuum suction by the suction nozzle 54B in the aligned posture. The cap holder 54 is provided with an attachment 56 corresponding to the form of the cap 2.
Can be attached and detached (Fig. 11).

The cap holder 54 can be turned over while holding the cap 2 by suction. That is, the cap aligning and feeding machine 13 has the cam follower 58 fixed to the drive lever of the reversing gear train 62 connected to the rotating shaft 61 of the cap holding portion 54.
Is engaged with a cam 57 fixed to the vertical support shaft 42 of the gantry 41. Thus, the cap holding portion 54 can be erected (opposed to the alignment cylinder 53) or inverted (opposed to the cap transport tool 21 on the cap transport tool mounting table 26). That is, after the cap holder 54 holding the cap 2 by suction is inverted to the inverted state, the suction by the suction nozzle 54B is released, and the cap 2 is held in the fixed posture in which the aligned posture is reversed. It can be delivered to the cap carrier 21 on the mounting table 26.

The cap carrier mounting table 26 is provided at the upper end of a telescopic rod 63 composed of a center rod 63A and an outer cylinder 63B. Then, the telescopic rod 63 is connected to a spring 64.
While keeping the extension by the elastic force of, the cam follower 65A provided at the lower end portion of the telescopic rod 63 is engaged with the cam 65B on the gantry 41 side, and the cap holding portion 54 in the inverted state.
When passing the cap 2 from the cap transfer tool 21 to
The cap carrier mounting table 26 holding the cap carrier 21 is raised to the delivery position.
When the cap carrier tool mounting table 26 is raised to the delivery position, the grip claws 21B, 21B of the cap carrier tool 21 are pushed into the inner diameter portion of the opening surface of the cap 2 to reduce the diameter.
The cap 2 is generated by the elastic force of the spring 21C in the radial direction.
The inner diameter of the cap 2 is gripped, and the cap 2 is transferred from the cap holder 54 to the cap carrier 21. In addition, when the cap carrier mounting table 26 is raised to the delivery position,
The cap carrier tool mounting table 26 compresses the spring 64 so that the cap carrier tool 21 can be securely fitted to the cap 2 in the cap holding portion 54 in a buffer manner and still reliably.
3 can be contracted.

However, in the cap aligning device, as shown in FIG. 8, the air flow blowing nozzles 67A and 67B move around the cap moving path between the transfer tube 51 and the aligning tube 53.
The airflow blowing nozzles 67A and 67B blow the airflow to the cap moving path, and the aligning air outlet 54A of the cap holder 54 described above causes the cap posture to be aligned by the rising airflow generated in the aligning cylinder 53. The effect can be complemented. The direction of each of the airflow blowing nozzles 67A and 67B may be set so as to form a swirling airflow in the circumferential direction in the alignment cylinder 53 (FIG. 8).
(B)).

Further, in the cap aligning device, an air flow blowing nozzle 68 is arranged around the cap moving path between the aligning cylinder 53 and the cap holding portion 54 as shown in FIG. Is blown to the cap moving path, and the above-mentioned aligning air outlet 54A of the article holding unit 54 can complement the cap posture aligning action by the rising airflow generated in the aligning cylinder 53. The nozzle direction of the airflow blowing nozzle 68 may be set so as to form a horizontal airflow that crosses the center of the cap movement path at right angles (FIG. 7B).

The procedure for aligning and supplying the caps 2 by the cap aligning and feeding machine 13 is as follows (1) to (13) (FIGS. 6, 11 to 15). (1) Cap loading (FIG. 11 (A)) In the article loading area below the tilt of the tilt swivel plate 45, the transfer cylinder 5 is inserted.
The first bottom plate 52 is opened (bottom plate opening 52 </ b> A), and the cap 2 in the transfer tube 51 is put into the alignment tube 53. Alignment air is blown from the alignment air outlet 54A of the cap holding portion 54, and an ascending airflow is formed in the alignment cylinder 53 and the transfer cylinder 51. At this time, the aligning cylinder 53 is located at the lower end, and a proper gap is formed between the aligning cylinder 53 and the article holding unit 54 for generating the entrained air.

(2) Cap Alignment (FIG. 11 (B)) The cap 2 is aligned in a substantially fixed direction and enters the cap holding portion 54 in the process of falling in the rising airflow in the alignment cylinder 53. That is, the cap 2 is arranged in a direction in which the center of gravity is located vertically below in the rising airflow, that is, the opening surface faces upward.

At this time, the air flow blowing nozzles 67A and 67B provided between the conveying cylinder 51 and the aligning cylinder 53 and the air flow blowing nozzles 68 provided between the aligning cylinder 53 and the cap holding portion 54 blow out. The airflow complements the cap posture aligning action of the rising airflow in the aligning cylinder 53.

The cap carrier 21 is introduced from the cap carrier tool introduction line 14A through the introduction wheel 22 to the cap carrier tool placement table 26 below the cap holder 54 and stands by.

(3) Alignment cylinder rise (FIG. 11C) When the cap 2 enters the cap holding portion 54, the alignment cylinder 5
3 moves to the rising end. At this time, the transport cylinder 51 is
Closed by 2.

(4) Cap suction (FIG. 12 (A)) Stop blowing the alignment air from the alignment air outlet 54A of the cap holder 54, and suck the nozzle 54.
The vacuum suction of B is started. The cap 2 is held in the cap holding portion 54 by vacuum suction in an aligned state.

(5) Reversing the Cap Holding Unit (FIG. 12B) The cap holding unit 54 starts reversing toward the inverted position while holding the cap 2.

At this time, the lower plate 48 of the cutting pocket 49 is opened (lower plate opening portion 48A) in the article cutting region of the upper portion of the tilt of the tilting swivel plate 45, and the new cap 2 in the cutting pocket 49 is conveyed. It is cut into a cylinder 51. The transport cylinder 51 is a bottom plate 52.
Since it is closed by the new cap 2,
Stay inside.

(6) Completion of inversion of the cap holding portion (see FIG. 12)
(C)) The cap holding portion 54 completes the inversion and inverts while holding the cap 2. The opening surface of the cap 21 faces downward.

(7) Cap transport tool rise (FIG. 13 (A)) The cap transport tool mounting table 26 is raised and the cap transport tool 2 is moved.
The first grip claws 21B and 21B approach the opening surface of the cap 2. At this time, the cutout pocket 49 is closed by the lower plate 48.

(8) Cap transfer (FIG. 13 (B)) The cap carrier tool mounting table 26 reaches the upper end, and the gripping claws 21B and 21B of the cap carrier tool 21 are fitted into the inner diameter portion of the opening surface of the cap 2. . At the same time, the cap holder 54
Vacuum suction by the suction nozzle 54B is stopped, and compressed air is further supplied to the alignment air outlet 54A to forcibly separate the cap 2 from the cap holding portion 54, so that the cap 2 is transferred to the cap transport tool. 21.

(9) Cap transport tool lowering (FIG. 13C) The cap transport tool mounting table 26 is lowered.

(10) Aligning cylinder descending (FIG. 14 (A)) The aligning cylinder 53 descends.

(11) Inversion of the cap holding portion (FIG. 14 (B)) The cap holding portion 54 is turned to the upright position and inversion is started.

(12) Completion of reversing the cap holder (see FIG. 14)
(C)) The cap holding portion 54 completes inversion and stands upright.

(13) Standby The cap carrier 21 on the cap carrier mounting table 26 is discharged to the side of the cap carrier discharge line 14B via the discharge wheels 23 and 24. After that, return to (1) above,
The new caps 2 retained in the transport cylinder 51 are aligned and supplied.

(C) Cap reject device (see FIGS. 2 and 1)
0) The cap alignment supply device 13 has a cap presence / absence detection sensor 71 installed in the cap carrier tool introduction line 14A of the cap carrier tool carrier conveyor 14. The cap presence / absence detection sensor 71 detects whether or not the cap 2 (the unexpected cap 2 brought back) is present in the cap transport tool 21.

The cap aligning and feeding machine 13 is provided with cap blow-off air nozzles 72A to 72C as cap payout means at a position on the inclined upper side of the inclined swivel plate 45 and in front of the article cutting region. ing. The air nozzles 72A to 72C are connected to three adjacent cutting pockets 4 in the lower plate 48 along the circulation movement path of the cutting pocket 49.
The cap blowing air can be blown upward from the bottom side of the cut-out pocket 49 by being embedded in each of the three positions corresponding to 9.

That is, when the cap presence / absence detection sensor 71 detects the presence of the cap, the cutout pocket 49 corresponding to the cap transport tool 21 with the cap reaches the article cutout region (the region of the lower plate opening 48A). Previously, the cap blowing air nozzles 72A to 72C blow out the air in a timely and stepwise manner, so that the receiving cap 2 in the cutout pocket 49 can be discharged to the outside of the pocket 49.
Thereby, the cap 2 is attached to the cap carrier 21.
Double feeding is avoided.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. The transfer cylinder 51 is provided between the cap cutting device and the alignment cylinder 53. Therefore, the cutting pocket 49 of the cap cutting device is used.
And the alignment cylinder 53 are separated from each other, and further, the lower plate 48 of the cut-out pocket 49 of the cap cut-out device is inclined (the cap 2 in the cut-out device is gathered at the lower end of the slant, In order to ensure that the cap 2 is filled in the cutout pocket 49 passing through the lower end of the inclined portion 49),
The cap 2 cut out from the cut-out pocket 49 conveys the container 5
The sheet can be guided by 1 and guided to the alignment cylinder 53.

After the cap 2 is inserted into the conveying cylinder 51 to the aligning cylinder 53 from the opening 48A of the lower plate 48 of the aligning pocket, the aligning cylinder 53 is closed under the condition that the lower plate 48 of the cutout pocket 49 is closed. When the cap posture is controlled by the ascending airflow inside, a large number of vent holes 51A of the transport cylinder 51 improve the escape of air in the transport cylinder 51. Therefore, the alignment cylinder 5
The ascending airflow in 3 is made to have a necessary and sufficient flow rate without being blocked upside, and the aligning workability by the aligning cylinder 53 is not deteriorated.

Air flow blowing nozzles 67A, 67B, 68
By controlling the posture of the cap 2 moving on the article moving path above and below the alignment cylinder 53 by the airflow blown out by the air, the cap posture alignment effect by the rising airflow in the alignment cylinder 53 can be complemented. At this time, the airflow blown out from the nozzles 67A, 67B, 68 is adjusted by adjusting the directions of the nozzles 67A, 67B, 68.
It extends to the inside of the alignment cylinder 53 and the inside of the article holding part 54, and the cap posture inside the alignment cylinder 53 and the inside of the article holding part 54 can be well controlled. Therefore, the caps 2 of various shapes and weights can be stably aligned by adjusting the flow rate and direction of the air blown out from the nozzles 67A, 67B, 68 according to the shape and weight of the cap 2.

Since the air flow blowing nozzles 67A, 67B and 68 are arranged around the upper and lower article moving paths of the aligning cylinder 53, the cap 2 may be ejected or pinched from the upper and lower voids of the aligning cylinder 53 to prevent misalignment. Occurrence can be prevented.

The cap carrier 21 having brought back the cap 2 passes through the cap carrier tool introduction line 14A from the cap carrier tool introduction line 14A while holding the cap 2 through the cap carrier tool movement line 25 in the cap alignment feeder 13 and the cap carrier tool discharge line 14B. Emitted from. At this time, in the cap aligning and feeding device 13, the cap carrier 2 having a cap is provided.
The receiving cap 2 in the cut-out pocket 49 corresponding to 1 is paid out to the outside of the pocket 49 in advance, and the cap 2 is not supplied to the cap carrier 21 twice.

Therefore, the cap carrier introduction line 14A
It is not necessary to provide such as a bypass line for the cap carrier 21 that branches from the branch line and joins the cap carrier discharge line 14B, and the configuration and control of the device are simple.

By using the cap blowing air nozzles 72A to 72C as the article dispensing means for dispensing the receiving cap 2 in the cutout pocket 49, the structure of the apparatus becomes extremely simple.

Air nozzle 72A for blowing cap off
By arranging ~ 72C in multiple stages along the circulation movement path of the cutout pocket 49, the receiving cap 2 in the cutout pocket 49 can be blown off in multiple stages, and the payout can be ensured.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings. However, the specific structure 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 to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the cap.

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the alignment probability when the articles are aligned by the ascending airflow in the alignment cylinder.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a liquid filling and packaging facility.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram showing a cap alignment feeder.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a magnetic transport device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another example of the magnetic transport device.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a cap alignment feeder.

FIG. 6 is a process diagram showing a cap alignment feeder.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an example of a transfer cylinder and an airflow blowing nozzle of a cap alignment feeder.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another example of the airflow blowing nozzle of the cap alignment feeder.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a cap carrier.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a cap blowing air nozzle of a cap aligning and feeding machine.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a cap alignment procedure.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a cap alignment procedure.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a cap alignment procedure.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for aligning caps.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure for aligning caps.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Cap Aligning Feeder (Article Aligning Machine) 49 Cutting Pocket 53 Aligning Tube 54 Cap Holding Part (Item Holding Part) 67A, 67B, 68 Air Flow Blowing Nozzle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An article-arrangement cylinder is arranged on the exit side of a cutting pocket of the article-cutting device, and an article-holding portion is arranged on the exit side of the alignment cylinder. Throwing into the ascending airflow in the aligning cylinder, aligning the posture of the articles in a substantially constant direction by the ascending airflow, stopping or decelerating the ascending airflow, and sucking the articles in the article holding section in the alignment posture. In an article arranging machine that holds the same, an air flow blowing nozzle is provided around an article movement path between a cutting pocket of an article cutting device and an alignment tube, and / or around an article movement path between an alignment tube and an article holder. Is arranged, and the airflow blown out by the airflow blowing nozzle is blown onto the article moving path, so that the article attitude aligning action by the ascending airflow can be complemented.