JPH11292259A - Container discharging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably reject a container even during the high-speed operation in the case where there is an inverted container among containers aligned by an unscrambler. SOLUTION: A bucket conveyor 10 is arranged below a chute of an unscrambler 2. The bucket conveyor is provided with a plurality of buckets 10a, holds containers in respective buckets, and conveys them. A slat conveyor 20 which travels in synchronism with the conveyor 10 is arranged below the bucket conveyor and supports the bottom surfaces of containers 4 conveyed while being held in the buckets 10a. In the slat conveyor, a plurality of slats 26 are so attached as to be oscillated, their horizontal states are maintained at a container conveying part by a cam rail, and the slats are inverted at the other parts and made into the perpendicular states. A movable cam is provided on a part of the cam rail, and a chute 50 is arranged below it. When a container sensor 40 detects an inverted container, the movable cam is operated, the slat falls, and the container is dropped into the chute and rejected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container discharging device, and more particularly to a container discharging device in which a plurality of containers aligned and discharged by a container aligning device such as an unscrambler are not aligned in a correct posture. The present invention relates to a container discharging device capable of rejecting this container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an unscrambler, for example, a large number of containers placed in a hopper are transported upward by a transport belt or the like arranged at an angle, and these containers which have been randomly supplied are transported by a container alignment section. They are all arranged in an upright state, and are discharged onto conveyance means such as a discharge conveyor via a chute or the like.

[0003] In the container alignment section of the unscrambler, the containers supplied in an upright state are dropped as they are, and the containers supplied in an inverted state are inverted to be in an upright state, so that all the supplied containers are turned upside down. Are arranged in an upright state, but some of the supplied containers are discharged without being inverted due to an inversion error or the like. Such an inverted container has an unstable transporting posture and cannot be processed in the next filling step or the like. Therefore, it is necessary to reject the container at an early stage after being discharged from the unscrambler.

Therefore, conventionally, rejection is performed by an air nozzle or a cylinder on a discharge conveyor, or
It was kept in the lane and removed manually. Further, since it is impossible to transport an instable container in an inverted state, when the inverted container is detected, the entire machine has to be stopped in some cases to avoid trouble.

[0005]

In a configuration in which a container is rejected by an air nozzle, a cylinder, or the like as in the above-described conventional configuration, rejection cannot be reliably performed at a high speed, and a trouble may occur. In addition, when removing manually, a large number of personnel are required, which is inefficient. Further, there is a problem that stopping the machine is not preferable because the processing capacity is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a container which is discharged from a container aligning device for aligning containers without being aligned can be reliably rejected with a simple structure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a container discharge device that can be operated at high speed and saves manpower.

[0007]

A container discharging device according to the present invention has a plurality of container holding portions, and is configured to remove a container inserted at an insertion position by being aligned by a container aligning device.
Container holding and transporting means for holding and transporting by these holding units, and a plurality of slats that can swing to a horizontal position and a vertical position, wherein the transport unit horizontally moves in synchronization with the container holding and transporting means and A slat conveyor that conveys containers and circulates with a return section below the transport section, and a regulation that keeps the slats horizontal in the transport section of the slat conveyor and swings the slats to a vertical position in the return section. Means, a drop position arranged downstream of the insertion position, for dropping the container below the slat conveyor, and a state of the container provided upstream from the drop position and held by the container holding and conveying means. And a switching means for swinging a slat in a horizontal state at the drop position, wherein the container sensor is Upon detection of a vessel of a different state sequence the state, in which so as to fall the container is swung slats in dropping position.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a simplified front view showing a container discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. The outline of the structure of the container discharge device will be described with reference to these drawings. This container discharge device is provided with an unscrambler (container aligning device) 2 in which the containers 4 which are aligned and discharged in an upright state and which are in an inverted state due to an inversion error or the like are mixed. The inverted container can be rejected from the transport path.

[0009] A plurality of rows of shoots 2 of the unscrambler 2
A bucket conveyor 10 that receives, holds, and conveys the container 4 discharged from the unscrambler 2 is disposed below the container a. The bucket conveyor 10 has a plurality of upright bulkheads 16 attached at equal intervals to an endless chain 14 stretched between sprockets 12 and 13 rotating in a horizontal plane, and a container between the pair of bulkheads 16 and 16. A holding unit (bucket) 10a for holding the fourth unit 4 is formed.

Below the bucket conveyor 10, a slat conveyor 20 which supports the bottom surface of the container 4 put into the bucket 10a of the bucket conveyor 10 from the chute 2a of the unscrambler 2 and conveys the container 4 together with the bucket conveyor 10 is arranged. ing. Slat conveyor 2
0 has a large number of slats 26 on an endless chain 24 wound around sprockets 22 and 23 rotating in a vertical plane.
Are attached at equal intervals, and each container 4 put in the bucket 10a is placed on one slat 26. The slat conveyor 20 is operated in synchronization with the bucket conveyor 10, and each container 4 is placed on one slat 26, and is conveyed while being held between the partition walls 16 on both sides (inside the bucket 10a).

The bucket conveyor 10 and the slat conveyor 20 extend downstream from a position (container insertion position S) where the container 4 is inserted from the chute 2a of the unscrambler 2. At the downstream end of the slat conveyor 10, a fixed plate (crossover plate) 28 is disposed, and the container 4 discharged from the unscrambler 2 and transported by the bucket conveyor 10 and the slat conveyor 20 passes through the fixed plate 28. Unloading conveyor 30
And it is delivered to the screw 32 and carried out, and sent to the next step.

Each slat 26 of the slat conveyor 20
Is swingably attached to the endless chain 24, and can change its posture between a horizontal position 26A and a vertical position 26B (a state in which the chain 24 falls down inside the rotation path of the chain 24). . While these slats 26 move in a portion (container conveying portion) above the sprockets 22 and 23 on both sides, usually, a horizontal state is maintained by a regulating means such as a cam (not shown), and the slats 26 are downstream (see FIG. While moving around the sprocket 23 (right side), the sprockets 22 are gradually folded vertically so that the sprockets 22, 2
At the return portion passing below the lower part 3, the robot moves while being vertically inclined. Thereafter, while rotating around the upstream side sprocket 22, it is gradually raised from the vertical state by the restricting means such as the cam to be in the horizontal state.

A container sensor 40 for detecting the attitude of the container 4 is provided downstream of the container insertion position S. This container sensor 40 is inserted into each bucket 10a of the bucket conveyor 10 from the unscrambler 2, and the container 4 discharged from the slat conveyor 20 with its bottom surface supported is in an upright state or inverted due to an inversion error or the like. Detect if it is in the state.

A container reject position R is provided downstream of the container sensor 40. Slat switching means (not shown) for switching the posture of the slat 26 of the slat conveyor 20 is provided at the reject position R.
The slats 26, which normally maintain a horizontal state during the movement of the container transport section on the upper side of the slat conveyor 20, can be tilted to a vertical state. Further, a chute 50 for discharging the rejected container 4 is disposed below the container reject position R.

The operation of the container discharging device according to the above configuration will be described. In the unscrambler (container alignment device) 2, the containers 4 randomly placed in the hopper are transported upward in a plurality of rows, and are aligned in the chute 2a or while falling down the chute 2a. The container 4 in the inverted state is turned upside down,
All the containers 4 are discharged from the chute 2a with the containers 4 aligned. These containers 4 are thrown into and held in each bucket 10 a of the bucket conveyor 10, and are conveyed with the bottom surface supported by each slat 26 of the lower slat conveyor 20.

The container 4 conveyed as the bucket conveyor 10 and the slat conveyor 20 advance is sensed at the position of the container sensor 40 as to whether the container 4 is upright or inverted. When the container 4 is in the upright state, the slat switching means does not operate, and the slat 26 on which the container 4 is placed advances while maintaining the horizontal state as it is, passes through the reject position R, and is placed on the fixed plate 28. Container 4
Hand over. The slat 26 that has delivered the container 4 to the fixed plate 28 is then gradually folded by a restricting means such as a cam into a vertical state, and moves the lower return portion in this vertical state.

On the other hand, when the container 4 sensed by the container sensor 40 is in an inverted state, the container sensor 40
The slat switching means is activated by a signal from
The slat 26 on which the container 4 has been placed in a horizontal state is lowered, and the container 4 is dropped into the reject chute 50.
As described above, when the container 4 is in the inverted state, the slat 26 is tilted at the reject position R to reject the container 4, so that the container 4 having a poor posture such as the inverted state can be reliably used even at high speed operation. Can be rejected. Further, since it is not necessary to stop the machine, the processing capacity does not decrease. Further, even when processing containers having different shapes, there is no need to switch or adjust according to the type. In addition, since no manual operation is required for rejection, labor saving can be achieved. Further, since the slat conveyor 20 is rotated in the vertical direction, space can be saved. In particular, while the slat 26 moves on the return portion (lower side) of the slat conveyor 20, the container 4 can be dropped by the chute 50 since the container 4 can be dropped downward by the chute 50. Can be taken out from the front side.

The schematic structure of the container discharging device according to the present invention has been described with reference to FIGS.
An example of a specific configuration of the container discharging device will be described with reference to FIGS. A bucket conveyor 10 is disposed below a plurality of rows of unscramble chutes (not shown). In this example, the construction of the bucket conveyor 10 is omitted, but the endless chain wrapped around a sprocket rotating in a horizontal plane is provided at predetermined intervals with partition walls 16.
Are attached, and a holding portion (bucket) 10 a for holding the container 4 is formed between the partition walls 16 on both sides.

A slat conveyor 20 is arranged below the bucket conveyor 10 for holding and transporting the containers 4 discharged from the unscrambler chute and put into the respective buckets 10a. This slat conveyor 20
Is attached to an endless chain 24 wound around upstream and downstream sprockets 22 and 23 rotating in a vertical plane.
A number of slats 26 are mounted at equal intervals. Each slat 26 has an elongated plate shape, and a portion near one end (base end) is rotatably supported on a link 24 a of the endless chain 24 via a pin 34. . These slats 26 are turned vertically (to fall down) by a spring 35.
Always energized. In the drawings, the slats 26 in the horizontal state are denoted by reference numeral 26A, and the vertical slats 26 in the collapsed state are denoted by reference numeral 26B. A cam follower 36 is attached to the base end of each of the slats 26, and engages with a cam rail 60 described later to forcibly maintain a horizontal state.

The cam follower 36 surrounds a container transporter that travels horizontally on the upper side of the slat conveyor 20 and outer peripheral portions of sprockets 22 and 23 arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the container transporter. Combined slats 26
A cam rail 60 is provided to keep the slat 26 in a horizontal state or to allow the slat 26 to fall down to a vertical state. The cam rail 60 has a horizontal shape 60b in the container transporting section where the slat conveyor 20 travels horizontally at the upper part, and holds the cam follower 36 to maintain each slat 26 in a horizontal state. This horizontal part 60
The portion 60c on the downstream side (the right side in FIG. 3) of b is gradually twisted to allow the slat 26 to gradually change its posture from a horizontal state to a vertical state by the force of the spring 35, Conversely, in the portion 60a on the upstream side (left side in FIG. 3), the cam follower 3 is gradually changed from the twisted state at the tip end (lower part) to the horizontal state.
When the slat 26 is pressed, the posture of the slat 26 is changed from a vertical state to a horizontal state.

The horizontal portion 60b of the regulating cam rail 60
Has a part 60d which is partially cut, and the slat 26 which normally moves in a horizontal state is provided in the cut part 60d.
A slat switching means 70 is provided to bring the slats into a vertical state. One end 74 a of an L-shaped lever 74 is supported by a frame 72 disposed outside the slat conveyor 20 so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum shaft 75. The other end (rotating end) 74c of the L-shaped lever 74 has the cam rail 6
A movable cam 76 having substantially the same length as that of the zero cutting portion 60d is attached. The bent intermediate portion 74b of the L-shaped lever 74 is connected to a piston rod 80 of an air cylinder 78 fixed to the outside of the frame 72. As shown in FIG. 7, an elongated hole 74d is formed in the intermediate portion 74b of the L-shaped lever 74, and a pin 82 provided at the tip of the piston rod 80 is fitted into the elongated hole 74d, The L-shaped lever 74 and the piston rod 78 are connected so that their relative positions can be changed.

Below the position (container reject position R) where the slat switching means 70 for tilting the horizontal slat 26 to make it vertical is disposed a reject chute 50, as shown in FIG. As shown, when the slat 26 moves in a horizontal state, the container 4 is conveyed as it is and passes over the chute 50, and when the slat 26 falls down and becomes vertical by the operation of the slat switching means 70, the slat 26 The container 4 placed on 26 (26B) falls into the chute 50 and is rejected from the container transport path. The container insertion position S at which the containers 4 are put into the bucket conveyor 10 from a plurality of rows of unscrambler chutes is upstream of the reject position R, downstream of the container insertion position S, and rejected. A container sensor (not shown) that determines whether the container 4 is in the upright state or the inverted state is provided upstream of the position R.

The operation of the container discharge device according to the above configuration will be described. The containers 4 aligned and discharged from the unscrambler are stored in each bucket 10 of the bucket conveyor 10.
a and is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4 as the bucket conveyor 10 advances. In this embodiment, the container insertion position S
The container 4 conveyed by the bucket conveyor 10 is transferred from the entrance-side fixed plate 84 onto each slat 26 of the slat conveyor 10. The bucket conveyor 10 and the slat conveyor 20 are operated synchronously, and the containers 4 held in the respective buckets 10a are transported on one slat 26, respectively.

When the container 4 passing through a container sensor (not shown) is in an upright state, the air cylinder 78 of the slat switching means 70 does not operate, and the movable cam 76 is restricted with the piston rod 80 kept advancing. It is maintained at the same height as the horizontal portion 60b of the cam rail 60. Then, the cam follower 36 attached to the base end of the slat 26
Is moved by being pressed by the horizontal portion 60b of the cam rail 60 and the movable cam 76 in a horizontal state, and the slat 26 transports the container 4 while maintaining the horizontal state and passes over the chute 50. The container 4 in the upright state is transported as it is, and is delivered to the outlet side fixed plate 28.

The slats 26 which have delivered the container 4 to the outlet side fixed plate 28 rotate and move around the sprocket 23 on the downstream side, and the cam followers 36 move along the cam rails 60 which are gradually twisted. Gradually falls down by the force of the spring 35 to be in an upright state. In the return section passing under the sprockets 22, 23,
Each of the slats 26 moves in a state where the slats 26 are tilted, and when the slats 26 reach the position of the upstream sprocket 22, the cam followers 3 are again moved.
6 engages the cam rail 60. The portion 60a around the upstream sprocket 22 of the cam rail 60 is also gradually twisted, and by forcibly pressing the cam follower 36, the fallen slat 26 is gradually raised to a horizontal state.

Each bucket 1 of the bucket conveyor 10
When the container 4 held and transported at 0a is in an inverted state, the container sensor detects this and sends a signal. Then, when the inverted container reaches the reject position R, the air cylinder 78 operates and the piston rod 8
0 contracts, and the L-shaped lever 74 rotates clockwise in FIG. A movable cam 76 is fixed to a rotation end 74c of the L-shaped lever 74, and rotates integrally with the L-shaped lever 74. When the movable cam 76 escapes upward, the cam follower 36 attached to the slat 26 on which the inverted container 4 has been placed is released from the regulation of the movable cam 76, and the slat 26 is immediately moved from the horizontal state by the force of the spring 35. The container 4 falls down to a vertical state, and the loaded container 4 is dropped into the lower chute 28.

The slat 26, which has fallen vertically and dropped the container 4, has the cam follower 35 no longer engaged with the horizontal portion 60b of the fixed cam rail 60. It moves around the sprocket 23 and the return part on the lower side. Thereafter, the cam follower 35 is again engaged with the cam rail 60 around the upstream sprocket 22, and the slat 26 is raised to a horizontal state. Also in the case of this embodiment, when the container is discharged from the unscrambler in an inverted state due to a reversal failure or the like, the container can be reliably rejected even during high-speed operation. In addition, even if there is an inverted container, it is not necessary to stop the machine, and it is possible to save labor.

In the above configuration, the container received from the unscrambler is held and transported in the bucket. However, the container holding and transporting means is not limited to the bucket conveyor, but may be a container such as a screw. What is necessary is just to be able to reliably hold and transport. Further, in the above-described embodiment, all the containers are arranged in an upright state by the unscrambler, and when there is an inverted container, the container is rejected. However, the present invention is not limited to the inverted container. In a container aligning apparatus in which both sides are aligned, when containers that are not aligned in a correct posture are mixed, containers in different states can be rejected. In any case, if there is a container in a state different from the state aligned by the container alignment device,
What is necessary is just to reject this.

[0029]

As described above, the container discharging device according to the present invention has a plurality of container holding portions, and holds the containers aligned at the insertion position by the container aligning device and inserted at the insertion position. Container holding and transporting means for transporting, and has a plurality of slats that can swing between a horizontal position and a vertical position, and the transport unit transports the container by horizontally moving in synchronization with the container holding and transporting means, A slat conveyor that circulates with a return section below the transfer section, regulating means for maintaining the slats horizontal in the transfer section of the slat conveyor, and swinging the slat to a vertical position in the return section, and the insertion position A drop position, which is disposed further downstream than the slat conveyor, and which is provided upstream of the drop position, A container sensor for detecting a state of the container held by the means, and a switching unit for swinging the slat in a horizontal state at the drop position, wherein the container sensor detects a container in a state different from the aligned state. By swinging the slats at the drop position to drop the container, the container can be reliably rejected even during high-performance operation,
Since there is no need to stop the machine, the processing capacity does not decrease, and moreover, manpower can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified front view showing a schematic configuration of a container discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container discharging device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a container discharge device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the embodiment.

6 is a view in the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a connecting portion of the slat switching means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S Insertion position R Reject position 2 Container alignment device (unscrambler) 4 Container 10 Container holding / transporting means (bucket conveyor) 10a Container holding section (bucket) 20 Slat conveyor 26 Slat 40 Container sensor 60 Regulatory means (cam rail) 70 Switching means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A container holding / transporting means having a plurality of container holding portions, and holding and transporting containers, which are aligned by a container alignment device and inserted at an insertion position, by these holding portions, and a horizontal position and a vertical position. And a plurality of slats which can be swung to a horizontal position, and the transport unit horizontally moves in synchronization with the container holding and transporting unit to transport the container, and circulates with a return portion below the transport unit. A slat conveyor, regulating means for keeping the slats horizontal in the conveying part of the slat conveyor and swinging the slats to the vertical position in the return part, and a container disposed downstream of the insertion position and having a container below the slat conveyor. And a container sensor provided upstream of the drop position for detecting the state of the container held by the container holding and transporting means. And in the drop position,
Switching means for swinging a slat in a horizontal state, wherein when the container sensor detects a container in a state different from the aligned state, the slat is swung at a falling position to drop the container. Container discharging device to be used.